City Council meeting to order.

We will start with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

To the Republic for which it stands.

One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

All right, come on up.

Okay.

This is for you.

Who's going to receive it when it wants to be in the picture?

Right up here.

Everybody in the picture.

This is our first facility council.

Oh, awesome.

Okay.

There you go.

Turn around.

Turn around.

Look over there.

All right.

All right.

So whereas all children should grow up in environments that are safe, supportive, and caring, and whereas protecting children from abuse and neglect depends on strong partnerships among families, schools, service organizations, law enforcement, and the broader community.

And whereas the Child Advocacy Center of Frederick County plays a vital role in supporting children and families by providing a coordinated, child centered approach to addressing allegations of abuse while helping to reduce trauma and whereas community awareness and prevention efforts are essential to building a safer, healthier future for every child.

Now, therefore, on behalf of the Frederick City Council, I, Sassartias, President of the City Council, do hereby proclaim April 2026 as Child Abuse Abuse Prevention Month in the City of Frederick and call upon all residents to join in efforts to protect children, support families, and promote the well being of our community's youngest members.

Signed by all the members of the City Council.

Thank you.

Yeah, do you want to say a few words?

Whoa.

Hi, everyone.

I'm Robin Group.

I'm the director of the Child Advocacy Center here in Frederick County.

We appreciate your support.

We thank you for this proclamation.

And if you're not familiar with us, we work in collaboration with our partners in law enforcement, child protective services, mental health, medical, Frederick Health Hospital, the State's Attorney's Office, in order to provide a collaborative trauma informed response to allegations of child maltreatment.

So that each child that comes through our doors is met with compassion, protection, and hope.

Last year we served approximately 375 children, and we provided more than 1900 advocacy encounters, more than a thousand hours of trauma focused therapy, more than sixty pediatric examinations.

And as you can probably figure out by that, we're a responsive system.

So we work with the children and the non-offending family members once allegations have occurred.

So these last couple years we've been focusing more on the primary prevention piece and trying to work with children and families in the community to educate on prevention.

So last year we were able to provide that knowledge and education to more than 200 children and a hundred adults to help protect them in the community.

So we appreciate the community's support.

It is a community's job in order to protect children.

So we call on everyone during the month of April to go ahead and recognize that child abuse prevention is an important subject for us to be aware of.

So thank you very much.

Thank you all for being here, and thank you for such a great cause.

We appreciate it.

Phil in the back.

Okay.

Let's hold this.

Hold up.

Here we go.

Here?

All right.

Okay.

Kids in the back.

All right.

Um we'll say um.

Friends.

Cheeseburger.

Friends of child.

Friends of child.

All right.

All right.

Thank you, Lance.

Thank you so much for being here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Sit down.

Thank you.

Now we can get back to our meeting.

Is this the presidency?

We're going to get back to our work now.

Okay.

I know.

Oh, wait.

Thank you.

Ooh.

All right, well, that included kids, so it's all downhill from here.

Um next order of business is approval of our April 2nd, 2026 regular public meeting minutes.

Move for approval.

I'm not sure who said.

Oh motion by Council Vice President Nash.

Second by Councilmember Atkins, all in favor.

Six.

Councilmember Hippolani.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Okay.

Seven seven zero.

There was no public.

Next up, appointments, reappointments.

Reappointment of Bethany Lord for a three-year term.

Wait a second.

Oh, for the personnel board, sorry.

Reappointment of Bethany Lord for a three-year term of April 17, 2026 to April 16th, 2029.

Move for approval.

Move by Council Vice President Nash, second by Councilmember Taylor.

All in favor.

70.

Reappointment of Chris May for a three-year term of April 17, 2026 to April 16, 2029.

Move for approval.

Second.

Motion by Consul Vice President Nass, second by Councilmember Taylor, all in favor.

Aye.

70.

Appointment of Marbadi Kamara to the alternate position for a three-year term of April 17, 2026, April 16, 2029.

Move for approval.

Second.

Move by Council Vice President Nash, second by Councilmember Taylor, all in favor.

70.

And last but not least, approval of the appointment of Matt Hewting as a trustee for the C Burr Arts Trust.

Move for approval.

Second.

Move by Councilmember Brem, second by Councilmember Atkins, all in favor.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

All right.

Now is the time for Council Member Comments.

We will start on this end with Councilmember Hempelani.

No comment.

This time, whenever we have our folks come in from the Child Advocacy Center, I always call out Benita Mass Park, which is right next to McGiz, and just a special I love you to my husband because we got married there.

So thank you very much.

And thank you for all the folks.

They do a wonderful job keeping the park up.

So thank you.

Councilmember Taylor.

Councilmember Shockford.

My comments are an announcement.

We have a new position within the City Council, which is our constituent services outreach coordinator.

I think I got that right.

Uh which is uh Donna Kasemchak.

So welcome her aboard.

She will be in charge of reaching out to uh different organizations, be a point of contact for all uh constituent uh requests.

So welcome aboard.

And now a time for public comments.

This is an opportunity for members of the public to address the council regarding items that may or may not appear on the agenda.

Please note speakers should first give their name and address.

You are reminded that these proceedings are broadcast on live TV, and you should speak clearly and directly into the microphone.

All comments are limited to a total of three minutes per individual.

If you wish to ask a question and want a response, that will become part of the three-minute time limit.

Thank you, ma'am.

So we'll start with the folks who um signed up at the end of that list.

If you didn't sign up and you still want to make comments, I'll give you uh a chance to come up.

So first up, Mr.

Grady O'Rear.

Good evening, Council members.

Appreciate your uh proclamation this evening.

Um secure for children.

And thank you for unanimously passing the Fairness Act.

Uh that action is also a significant milestone.

It shows that Frederick can stand together for dignity, fairness in the rule of law.

And tonight, um, I and perhaps other residents who may be here or not here also want to urge the city to make take the next step.

Our federal government must obey domestic and international law.

It must stop illegal wars, sanctions that punish civilian populations and ch including children, kidnappings, unlawful arrest, deportations, detentions, and even extrajudicial killings.

This is not a partisan issue.

Both dominant parties have contributed to these policies.

Both must be held accountable.

These actions abroad do not stay abroad.

They come home in the form of fear, division, militarized priorities, and wasted tax dollars.

Brown University estimated that the post-9-11 war on terror cost more than $8 trillion through 2021.

That is money that could have supported housing, health care, child care, schools, infrastructure, and disaster recovery here while also meeting humanitarian needs abroad.

President Eisenhower warned us that every gun made in every warship launched represents a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, and those who are cold and who are not clothed.

While his administration seeks to increase the military budget by 40% to 1.5 trillion in 2027.

Frederick should not be silent.

Please pass a resolution committing our city to oppose these illegal and representable acts, urging our federal senators and representatives to make this a highest priority, and using the National League of Cities as an advocacy force.

We need to stand in solidarity together.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up, David Azumidiji.

Good evening.

My name is David.

I am speaking on behalf of the Frederick County NAACP.

It's at the other side of the road.

I am here to discuss a frequent occurrence throughout human history.

That occurrence is war.

War kills people.

It robs them of their humanity.

It separates families.

Or in some cases, slaughters them all.

It is a traumatizing experience for the civilians who are merely caught in the crossfire.

Millions are sent to take bullets for the nation states that don't even care for them.

And claim to represent them.

An institution that claims to operate for the people, yet only serves for the out of touch what supremacist wealthy elite at the expense of the masses.

Our politicians are mere puppets for this elite.

Funding forever wars abroad and poisoning black people at home with data centers.

These politicians have given us nothing after years for demands for change.

The state has never worked in favor of the people, and when it has, it was always, was, and is always a compromise with reactionaries.

They won't abolish the police.

That brutalizes us, that will brutalizes black, queer, and disabled people because the police is basically the state's private military.

It's how they keep order, apparently.

They didn't help black people down in Louisiana when Katrina happened, because our government has shown time and time again that they don't see black people as human.

And we're seeing the same thing in Gaza.

When Israel intensified its genocide of people in Gaza in 2023, when people were calling out, they kept getting called terrorists.

They were fired from their jobs and they were exiled from society.

Judge were saying that kids should have long lives, grow old, and not be bombed.

We're seeing the same thing with Iran with the with the air strike in Minab, the girls' school.

Thank you.

Next up, Eric Mousseau.

Good evening, Councilmembers.

I haven't attended since inauguration.

I feel woefully underdressed given the pomp and circumstance today.

But there are many things that I know you guys do behind the scenes that make the city a lovely place.

And given all of that, I think we all recognize that these times in this day and age demand more.

More time and effort, more responsibility, more awareness, more principle.

And I already checked to make sure there's no more kids in the room, so I don't mind cursing.

But everybody who is fighting against the shittiness befalling our nation did today knows this, included including you all, I'm sure.

I'm just here to remind you.

Um I want to applaud the city council for passing the City Values Act in the last session.

I wasn't able to attend, but I heard the energy in this meeting room was magical, and I imagine and hope that that experience was fulfilling to you all.

So, yes, uh as you know, things that are more mundane in your positions like budget season rapidly approach, you do keep the responsibilities that you signed up for in the front of your mind.

But as my colleagues said, it is also your duty to stand on business for anti-war and anti-militarism for Ukraine, for Gaza, Iran, and all of the places and people our country is needlessly causing suffering against, including people within the city of Frederick.

I think it's a damn shame that the gas prices uh today cause Americans more ire than the cruelty and disdain for human life our country has demonstrated.

But even so, the toll of living in a in a war-loving society has finally been made evident to everyone in this country, if not the world.

Things like our city's budget is strained because in part our tax dollars are being used to kidnap immigrants from their homes, bomb Gazan, Lebanese, and Iranian children, sheltering in schools, or slush the pockets of rich tech billionaires who are metaphorically and literally throwing kindling onto a burning planet.

I and members of the community will advocate for you in the near future to pass resolutions and enact legislation for peace and justice, including um for places domestically and abroad, for Gaza, Ukraine, the places I've mentioned, and places that do not catch the public eye.

And with the City Values Act, it seems that this council already has the momentum to do so, which I am very, very proud of.

So in conclusion, I ask you to please oppose the belligerence of this current administration and support peace with every fiber of your beings.

Please support an anti-war resolution for Gaza, Ukraine, Congo, Sudan, Iran, and many others afflicted by the plague of war, and please protect and enshrine our free speech and human rights.

Please listen to every facet of the community to understand and do what will make our community a better place.

Thank you all for your time.

Thank you.

All right, so next person has a very cool signature that I can read, and there may be their name starts with a J.

Jenkins.

Did you sign up and I haven't called you?

I didn't want to speak on this later.

I'm going to speak later.

You want to speak later?

Okay.

Awesome.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh all right.

So next up is our consent agenda.

All items including under the consent agenda are considered to be routine by the council.

They will be approved by one motion without separate discussion of each item, unless any person present requests an item or items to be removed from the consent agenda.

Any item removed from the consent agenda will be considered separately at the end of the consent agenda.

If you would like any of these items below considered separately, please say so when the council president announces each category.

The first is a release of surety.

Yeah, for approval.

Second.

Move by Council Vice President Nash.

Second by Councilmember Bram.

All in favor.

And next we have multiple 12345 approvals to uh requests to serve alcohol on city property.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Move by Councilmember Brown, second by Councilmember Atkins.

All in favor.

One three seven zero.

Thank you for that.

Next up, uh approval of special ordinance ordinance S264 to amend the FY26 2026 budget for the receipt of grant funds from the Maryland Department of Health, Office of Oral Health.

Who anybody here to present that?

There it is.

Uh provide surveys and inspections of water treatment facilities, fluoride feed systems, and assist water treatment facilities and securing equipment for safe feed and dosing systems for public water supplies.

After our recent on-site survey inspection, they noted that we need a new bench top fluoride meter.

This grant would this grant funded program through this grant funded program.

We can replace one of our current benchtop meters that is in disrepair to maintain daily testing routine and calibration checks for online instrumentation at our facility.

Thank you.

Any questions, Council members?

Hey Robert.

Just uh Is the price of fluoride actually going up?

Have you seen that?

Um we have gotten some correspondence that a lot of chemicals across the board are going up due to where they're manufactured at.

So there will be a small increase in fluoride going forward.

Uh supply chain is a current issue, but that's a separate topic.

And we uh currently are doing well with our fluoride supply.

So thanks.

Any other questions?

I'm just gonna know I'm going to recuse myself since this has to do with the Maryland Department of Health where I work.

Thank you for that.

Any other questions?

Uh my question is though the grant covers the full cost of the meter, yes it does.

Okay.

Cool.

All right.

Um there are no questions, are there any public comments?

No.

Thank you, sir.

All right.

Looking for a motion to approve the special ordinance.

Motion to approve.

Moved by Council Member Brown, second by Council Member Atkins.

All in favor.

One, two, three, four, five, six, and one abstention.

So that passes.

Thank you.

And next is an approval of a donation agreement between the City of Frederick and the Housing Authority of the City of Ferdick.

We're a parcel of land shown as lot to new era on a plat entitled Final and Edition Plat of City of Frederick Lot 2, addition to Liberate 60 Folio 582, Lot 1, Section 2, Sagner for Incorporation into the Lucas Village Redevelopment Project.

Thank you so much.

Gabrielle Callard at the planning department.

Joining me this evening is also the development team working on this project.

So they are available to answer questions and offer any comments as well.

I thought I'd start our net our three items with just a brief overview of the project itself, um, because the the next um this item and the following two are all um related to it.

So this project is being developed as a LITEC project uh in partnership with the Housing Authority and uh New Harbor Development.

The plans are to replace the former structures on the site with uh 222 new units.

Uh there were 92 existing uh units on the property.

Uh the modern design will involve the realignment of public streets and drives through the project for much improved circulation and connectivity.

There'll be some new open spaces and amenities created, as well as connections to surrounding parks and and the broader neighborhood.

Uh the conditions of the site will gener uh greatly be improved through new stormwater management design features, which are related to this uh project or this specific request.

The final site plan was approved by the planning commission in August of last year, and they did attach conditions to the the approval which are related to the uh three items that we have on tonight.

So this is kind of the final step um in closing out the final site plan portion of it, and then from there on out the administrative functions of improvement plans and uh building permits would would move forward.

So our first item, as the chair said, is a uh uh donation agreement whereby the city will donate for the cost of a dollar, approximately 1.2 acres of land to the housing authority to be used for the design of the project.

Uh specifically, we're looking at this triangular area between Sagner and Vermont way on uh on the screen above.

And this area will be used for a new stormwater management facility that the housing authority will own and maintain.

Uh while this land was identified in the parkland inventory in our master plan process.

It has not been used actively as a park.

Um, it has been a stormwater holding facility, basically, an informal um stormwater holding facility, uh, and it has been mowed and maintained by our parks department.

During the design process, uh we identified this opportunity with the development team and our staff, recognizing that stormwater management in the area is um challenged and is not uh uh formally designed causing problems that have occurred with sinkholes uh leading to the you know but the redevelopment of this.

Uh we looked at the opportunity for us to maintain ownership of the property but grant easements to the housing authority for the maintenance and access.

Uh however, after that, there really wasn't much of a public function that it was serving any longer.

Um and it would made make just as much sense to transfer over to the housing authority so they had complete control over it.

So this is the request is a uh donation of this property to the housing authority.

causing problems that have occurred with sinkholes uh leading to the you know but the redevelopment of this uh we looked at the opportunity for us to maintain ownership of the property but grant easements to the housing authority for the maintenance and access uh however after that there really wasn't much of a public function that it was serving any longer uh and it would it made make just as much sense to transfer over to the housing authority so they had complete control over it so this is the request is a uh donation of this property to the housing authority uh there is a uh exhibit to the donation agreement which is the deed which would be executed after this and I'm happy to answer any questions and we also have that development team thank you any questions from council members I do so I'm trying to understand that let me let me kind of tell you how I see it and then you tell me how I'm not correct so if you wouldn't mind the it it feels like this is a plot of land that we recognize needs to be utilized for stormwater management that we own.

And it feels like we're saying to the developer here's this crappy piece of land now go build stormwater management.

And so I get why that's an amazing deal for us.

I'm trying to figure out why if this is a lie tech project why aren't we why why are why are we here?

Like it I it just doesn't make sense.

I'll I'll stop yeah so the the benefit of having this area redesigned is not only just for this development project but it also serves a broader area which is a is a great win.

There are existing fee simple lots here that the homeowners um have had issues with the stormwater um not working the way it should uh so this is kind of a mutually beneficial design that the developer has worked with us to prepare um and after they've they have the responsibility of maintaining it um because it's primarily serving their property uh the the value of it to us is kind of non existent if that answers can I ask the question another way Gabriel does the triangle piece of stormwater management property does that calculate towards their density is it's towards their density their overall density does not okay it's based just on the the portion that they it's currently under their ownership.

I guess we can hear from the developers I I'm just not grasping why we didn't do the improvement and then it it's it sort of seems like why wouldn't we just do the improvement and then instead of shifting that cost burden onto a project that we're already financially supporting.

The the developer is subject to meeting their own stormwater demands under chapter 28 of the code.

So this is primarily the a function of their project but they're also subject to meeting parkland requirements and the next step is to relax those requirements.

So and I'm gonna support that I'm just trying to I this seems like a I had is I I have concerns about the ongoing participation of the city in cropping up land that is not good land.

That's a whole separate thing it came up during the LITEC conversation.

So it's har it's hard for me to understand why we keep in my view like we keep doing that.

We're like well here's this crappy piece of land now go make something of it.

It just doesn't I'm not I get why it's good for the city and I get why it c it's going to save us money but in my mind as I hear it we're perpetuating the same but I'll just I'll just I'll just listen so the developer had to meet their stormwater management requirement um and this area they would have had to meet it on site somewhere so it would have um it would have either had to gone underground um which I don't know if that's viable or uh would have probably reduced the developable area um so they looked to this area which was already functioning de facto for stormwater management um just not in a proper manner uh and look and we thought we thought that was a good collaborative relationship to have that improved to something that actually is functionally informally designed which serves the project but also the surrounding roadways and and homes and resolves that issue but then it is their responsibility um so whether it was on the site or offsite um they would have been asking for easements to utilize this piece of property I think by design regardless a question and pardon me for I'm not being at the beginning of the conversation um when this project was being developed but why does the city have a this tiny piece of property in the midst of this project or was at one time there was more city land that was given over I do not know the source of where that was dedicated out of and why um why it was um I don't know if it was on that final edition plat that it was originally donated to us or if it belonged to us prior to that it looks like it was it looks like it was ours even at that time so in 2002 there was an addition plat that changed the boundaries of that area and at that time it was already under city ownership I don't know the original source just curious why why we had a tiny triangle any other questions

It looks like it was it looks like it was ours even at that time.

So in 2002, there was an addition plat that changed the boundaries of that area.

And at that time it was already under city ownership.

I don't know the original source.

Just curious why why we had a tiny triangle.

Any other questions?

The council?

No?

Thank you.

Any public comments?

Come on.

You are the developers, yes?

The applicant, the developer, along with my name's Dave Severn.

I'm the attorney for the applicant, which is the housing authority of the City of Frederick, along with their partner for the development, which is New Harbor Development, which is that gentleman back there with Mike Font, Angie Lawler has been working with us as well, but she couldn't be here tonight.

Also have Mr.

Dave Ling, who's our landscape architect, and can perhaps shed some additional light on uh Councilman Nash's question if you still have those questions.

There's three matters that are going to come before you.

Obviously, um my comments right here are being addressed to the donation agreement.

But the three matters before you in order, in addition to the donation agreement and the vacation of right-of-way and the parkland waiver that we are requesting, as Gabrielle has already pointed out, uh, is toward the end of the process for us, which has been quite a long process.

Uh but the staff report I think summarizes it well, summarizes the point of the request.

Uh and of course the document is attached, which would we are requesting your approval and ultimately signature on so that we can proceed forward.

Um with these approvals based on the plans that the planning commission has approved and has recommended to you for the areas that require their recommendation.

Um we can start to move forward with our drawings, our construction drawings and our improvement plans.

Um if we can get through that process in a timely manner, we're hoping to be closing on the bond financing, which is um low low-income tax credit, uh low-income housing tax credit funding financing.

We hope to close on that and be able to close on that in the summer, which would be which would be really great to get this project moving.

Um we could start construction not too long after that.

And the hope is that residents who wish to return to uh Lucas Village could come back in the fall of 2027.

Uh just real briefly, um you may all be familiar with this already, but I just wanted to tell you in the way of a little bit of background about Lucas Village.

It was built in 1972.

Um, and the area was very industrial, uh surrounded by a lot of different industries.

The quarry not too far off.

Um area that was subject to heavy flooding and sinkholes.

Of course, Carroll Creek did a lot to improve that situation, um, as well as with the construction of the mark improvement of the mark train station.

This property um is now in a in a very good um spot for redevelopment.

Um I think it's recognized in the city, and the city comprehensive plan, if not in city policies generally, the need for affordable housing is acute.

And this project would directly address that concern and that goal and the comprehensive plan.

Um the housing authority entered in uh to this partnership with New Harbor.

New Harbor has done a couple other projects in Frederick City you may be familiar with, on um one on South Street, which goes by South Street Center.

Uh also um Madison on North.

Um, or a couple of ones that Mike's been involved in that done a great job on.

Um so they hope to redevelop the property as I've said uh with 4 percent federal low-income housing tax credits, tax exempt bonds.

They've received a grant from the city and assistance from the county and state for this project.

Um the new community um, if you've had a chance to look through any of the plans, are going to provide uh a number of amenities that don't exist there today by any stretch.

Well, of course, it's been demolished, so that's obvious.

It was demolished in 2023, 2024 with HUD approval.

Um it'll feature multi-purpose rooms with an emphasis on artistic engagement, fitness, maybe a business center, arcade room, um and most um not most importantly, but interestingly enough, pet grooming.

Um amenity spaces outside include an art walk, which are going to connect various park and park pocket parks within the project, as well as connecting to Lucas Village Park.

Um Housing Authority is going to provide services throughout, as they did when the when the current when the prior residents were relocated.

And they're going to provide a full range of services in support of the folks that are going to live here.

Uh in terms of educational and employment resources, financial counseling, youth programs, and community financing counseling, youth programs and community impact.

So it's kind of a overall, I think it addresses it checks an awful lot of boxes that are much needed in the city.

Uh in addition to upgrading the stormwater management facility, uh which as I understand can be better explained by uh Mr.

Ling and Mr.

Font.

Not only serves this project, but also apparently there's stormwater draining from other area properties in there as well.

It's it's not in good shape.

It's a good situation in that it it certainly allows our project to be designed in the way that it is and provide the amenities that it can.

Uh we felt like this was a good solution.

We can fix the problem and maintain the problem and it'll take it off the city's hands, but it also serves a purpose for us of value.

So we thought it was a good uh win-win for both the city and the developer.

With that, I'd be glad to answer any questions about the donation agreement.

Any questions?

If it's okay.

Um there's Dave on page two for the settlement date, there's a blank.

I don't know if that was something that you and Scott had discussed, or if maybe the council can just authorize us to insert a date when we when we have a reasonable expectation of when that might be.

Sorry, I can't hear you.

Settlement date?

What's that?

Is the settlement date is blank on page two?

Hopefully August.

Okay.

So right now it says May blank 2026.

So we should just delete that and I left that.

I was being a little bit optimistic.

So yes, closing.

I don't think it's been said, has it, Mike?

No.

But it's we've got a hi, uh Mike Font with New Harbor Development.

Uh actively developing the City of Frederick affordable housing for over seven years and really love to do it.

Um our goal would be to begin construction on the new uh Lucas Village, which we actually have rebranded as Mosaic.

Um in order to do that, we want this donation to occur as quickly as possible because uh there's a lot of uh reconfigurations of plats and whatnot that takes time and process before we can get to the closing.

So the hope would be that this donation can occur as quickly as it can.

Okay, so we need to either put a date in there or just have you allow us to um leave it blank for tonight's purposes and then we'll have to agree to a date before it's signed.

So it's okay.

So can we vote on it with a blank with that stipulation or do we need to Yeah, that's what I would say.

Just vote on it with the stipulation that the settlement date will be um determined prior to execution of the agreement, if you're okay with that.

Any other questions?

I'll just say since Rachel, I I don't really know how we're avoiding the dispensation of city property here, but if you I'm sure you all looked at that and just found it to be a good idea.

I can't think of another thing.

Um and also the the property disposition policy, which which is something that we really need to update, but it doesn't that's more for situations where we have property that we you know, we have a building that we're not using and we just don't know what to do with it, so we're gonna put out an RFP or ask for proposals.

It doesn't really cover situations like this where there's a we wouldn't put this out to bid, right?

Like we're not gonna or f for not bid, but we're not gonna put this out for proposals for anyone to come acquire this property.

It only makes sense as part of this development project.

So I would say the properties disposition policy just doesn't really address those types of situations.

I guess I'll just go on the record then and just say the sooner we can update it, the better.

I know you said you're working on it, but that is not at all how I read this.

And I'm maybe I'm reading an outdated version from its resolution twelve oh two and it doesn't say anything about but I'll I'll stop.

I'll just any other questions.

No.

Thank you, sir.

Any public comments?

Anything else from the applicant?

No.

All right.

So looking for a motion for the first of the Lucas Village ones.

Move for approval with the settlement date to be determined by staff.

Second.

All right.

Moved by Councilmember Atkins with the stipulation to set the date at a later time.

Second by Councilmember Shackford.

All in favor.

Three, four, five six uh against.

One against that pass.

Next, approval of resolution 267 concerning the vacation of portions of street right-of-way for Vermont Court and Pennsylvania Avenue in conjunction with the Lucas Village Redevelopment Project.

Thank you again.

This is a request for approval of a resolution which will abandon our interest in public right-of-way.

This uh, as I noted in the in the previous item, um the redesign is um tremendously improved over the existing condition.

Uh if you if you look at the current uh layout with cul-de-sac and dead ends, um this plan will create a lot more through movement through the project by extending Vermont Way to connect to Pennsylvania Avenue, as well as extending Maryland Avenue down, it's currently an alley uh that will be increased to a public street, modified public street width, uh, and will connect with uh Vermont Way, which was previously Vermont Court.

So all very good planning principles, improved connectivity, improved through movement uh within the development.

The additional um drives you see on the project are are mostly private, but they too also create that um connectivity.

So in looking at the design and working hard to uh reconfigure the existing conditions, uh it was determined that some areas of right-of-way do need to be abandoned.

Um we have a graphic that shows those in blue, I think.

Yeah, thank you.

Um that easily highlights um the areas that will no longer be public right of way and will revert back to uh the the property from which they came, which is the development area.

Uh new perpendicular parking will also be provided in the abandoned right-of-way of Vermont Court, and two spaces uh there we go.

The blue areas are what what are public right of way and will become back will be absorbed back by the project uh through another final plot action.

Uh and the blue strip along Vermont uh way will be private perpendicular parking.

Um, two spaces reserved for each of the duplex units that are fee simple uh uh ownership, those folks will also have parking provided by this.

Chapter 22 of the city code establishes the process by which we can abandon or vacate our interest in right-of-way.

Uh this process includes a recommendation from the planning commission, which was issued as part of their review of the approval of the plan itself.

Uh and it also does include uh numerous public notice requirements, which we've adhered to in advance of today's date.

And I'm happy to answer any questions.

Any questions up here?

Just I assume that someone's gonna look into some kind of traffic calming there, because right now it's closed off and we're proposing to open it, right?

Is that the I'm trying to yeah.

So Vermont Way is currently a call de sac, and that will be the bulb of that will be blown up and not blown up, but will be eliminated.

Um and not that dramatic.

Um that will become uh through movement.

Connecting to Pencil.

The blue with Hope Circle, that becomes a right-of-way or not?

The blue is right-of-way that's going back to um being absorbed into the property.

Thank you.

Okay.

I had it mixed in my brain when you said that.

Okay.

Any other questions?

Nope.

Any public comments.

Oh, uh for the record again, Dave Severn on behalf of the applicant, housing authority and new harbor development.

Uh we have uh no additional uh comments, support the staff's uh uh recommendation.

Can answer any questions.

Thank you.

Any questions for the developers?

No.

Thanks, sir.

Thank you.

Looking for a motion on resolution 26 seven.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Motion by Councilmember Bram, second by Councilmember Taylor.

All in favor.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, seven, zero.

Thank you.

And next, approval of resolution 268 to waive the park line dedication requirement of section 608 of the land management code entitled Parks and Open Space for the Lucas Village Redevelopment Project Lated East of Pennsylvania Avenue and south of Vermont Court.

Thank you again.

And last but not least, this is a resolution.

All new development that's creating more dwelling units that currently exists on the property is subject to Section 608, and that does require parkland dedication.

There are two ways we calculate that dedication amount.

And we define what that means by certain characteristics in the LMC.

And for infill development, that amount is reduced to 500 square feet.

So this project does qualify under that threshold, and their ultimate uh dedication requirement is 1.5 acres.

Uh the LMC outlines a provision whereby the council can waive the parkland dedication requirement.

It also requires um recommendations from the planning commission and the parks and rent commission to be solicited so that you have that information to take into consideration in your deliberations.

Uh when you're considering a waiver, uh the council is to look at the amount of parkland in the area and reach a conclusion that we don't need parkland.

Uh we don't need any additional parkland from this project.

Uh secondly, for multifamily development, you also want to look at the amount of public private space and amenities being created on the site to see if it's right functional uh to serve the development and the residents' needs.

And then lastly, uh it's just a caveat that we we don't want to waive parkland dedication requirements in anywhere where our comprehensive plan would say we want parkland.

Um as Dave explained a bit in his presentation, uh the project will be providing a number of amenities, including a pocket park, an art walk.

It'll also be providing connectivity to the adjacent park uh for pedestrians.

So it is uh creating functional areas, in our opinion, that will be able to serve the project.

Uh so the um the planning commission and parks and rent commission both reviewed this application and did make a recommendation for approval.

Um happy to answer any questions.

Go ahead.

Yeah, I'll just say that I think this is a really appropriate use of the waiver uh to make a project more affordable.

The only thing I wanted to just lift up was when we I had to go back and find it and I did forward it to the council members who weren't here.

There were concerns when the project initially came forward about pedestrian um resident conflicts with the mark train tracks and anything that we could do.

I don't want to put that burden on the developer, but just want to encourage through this process if there's ways that the city can mitigate that that they come back and ask for that uh mitigation.

Uh obviously I think that's probably more appropriate when we get a little further down the road, but just wanted to lift that up again so it doesn't get lost.

Any other questions?

Just echoing questions.

Echoing uh council member uh Nash, uh the fact that this is a LITEC project uh uh helps me endorse this.

Normally I'm a big fan of keeping the parkland, but again, because this is Litech, I think this is a and and the other two parks nearby and the parks and recreation endorsing this decision.

I'm I'm in favor of it, so thank you.

Council Mr Rackins?

Yeah, Gabriel, uh quick question.

Um, I love the 1969 minutes, just the geek in me, but that's that's good stuff.

Um is the developer proposing any improvements to the uh park, the existing 3.6 acres or no, not to my knowledge.

Okay.

Just the connections.

Do we know if Bob is planning any improvements?

I I I meant to ask him before he left, but uh I didn't get a hold of him.

It would be nice to know if he was proposing improvements in conjunction with the development of this parcel.

So the project will still be subject to parkland facilities development.

Impact fees, thank you.

Uh the title is always longer than I I think it will be.

Um so the intent of park facilities impact fees is that that money be invested in things that will have a direct relationship to the development that's occurring to meet those needs.

So I don't know if um there's been any evaluation of um what the additional money can be used for um as it directly relates to that.

Okay, I'll follow up with Bobby.

That's fine.

Thanks.

Any other questions from the second but of the apple, sorry, Mr.

Council uh Council President.

So just if we could also have an update as we go down the the sinkhole question of making sure we're I know they're I know they are, but just if we could be kept in the loop on how we're mitigating the sinkholes and the conflicts with the parks and the kids and all that.

I think the design did that, but I just if we could just be kept in the loop on that.

Thanks.

More of a comment than a question.

Uh but the housing authority presented to the public works committee, I think yesterday.

And uh I'm really excited about this project.

I think the common space uh kind of scratches that park itch and the it it's adjacent to Carroll Creek Park and uh the which connects it to the rest of the city.

So um I think this is an amazing plan, and I can't wait to see it uh when the grand opening comes.

Any other questions for planning?

Thank you, ma'am.

Any comments from the applicant or the representatives.

Uh David Sam for the record for the applicant.

Uh no further comments, concur with the staff report and respectfully request your approval.

Thank you.

Thank you.

A motion for approval of resolution 268.

I move to approve.

Second.

Move by Councilmember Hempularani, second by Councilmember Abkins.

All in favor.

One three, four, five, six, seven, seven zero.

Thank you.

And up next, approval of resolution twenty-six nine designating the city of Frederick as a B City USA affiliate.

Good evening, Council members.

Jenny Willoughby, sustainability manager for the city.

Uh the B City resolution is a continuation of our low impact landscaping ordinance, which was passed October 24 2024 and became effective April 1st, 2025.

And also our bird city efforts, which passed in June 2024.

It solidifies our intentions to advance pollinator-friendly spaces by encouraging residents to install pollinator landscapes, providing educational resources to build those gardens, leading outreach activities like the City Nature Challenge, which is April 24th through 27th.

It's a partnership between uh Mobilize Frederick, Wild Ones, and so many other organizations.

Uh it's also hosting learning events like our movie night showing the extraordinary caterpillar on April 30th at New Spire Arts and developing an integrated pest management plan for city grounds.

It's all to uh generally help the public to prioritize pollinators in our outdoor spaces.

So the B City USA requirements include creating a committee, and ours is the Bee Together Frederick subcommittee of the Sustainability Committee.

And this is a partnership with the county, of course.

They have a sister, Bee Together Frederick uh subcommittee of their sustainability commission.

We've already met to establish goals and build a public survey to find out what the public already knows about pollinators and what they want to learn.

We have to adopt a resolution, which is tonight.

Uh we have to provide resources for developing habitat on private land.

Our website already has some of those resources available, and we are working on building more.

And we did a hands-on habitat building at Max Keene Park on April 11th with our tree planting that day.

And we also are working on a be together annual work plan that will be developed based on the committee's goals that were established, and we expect to present a draft to the committee in July.

We also have to plan a celebration or an event.

So our events so far are the City Nature Challenge and our movie night, and I'm sure there's going to be more to come.

And then, of course, educating.

So the habitat planting is a great example of that.

We also do hikes and walks.

Um similar.

We're going to do one at Baker Park this weekend for the Earth Day festival.

And we'll do another one at Warman's Mill Park as part of the City Nature Challenge.

If you um want to come out your everyone's welcome.

These are all free events for everyone to attend.

So we've already begun all of our efforts, and we're going to build with our partners over the next year and years to come.

The reporting for this will be captured in our sustainability annual report.

So let's answer any questions you have.

Any questions from the council?

Uh this is a great idea.

Uh I'm wondering about your thoughts about the city establishing uh like we have community garden plots, uh community beekeeping area.

I understand for liability purposes, we might need to put a fence around it, but it would be a place for people who didn't have a place for a hive to maybe locate a hive in a community environment.

That would be something we have to look into uh as far as you know liability and things like that.

But um hives are allowed on private residences currently.

They're they're definitely permitted in our city code.

So anyone can have a hive.

I just want you somebody who was in a condo or an apartment and they wanted to be a beekeeper.

This would be a venue for them to do that.

That's all.

It's an idea, not a requirement.

So we uh we can look into it.

I think it's a great idea.

I have a beehive, not in the city because I don't have enough space.

So any other questions.

I I did.

So Jenny, I I almost I was gonna like vote against this.

I'll tell you why, but I'm not.

So I love bees.

We've been talking a lot, love the pollinators.

You almost like when we were talking about the ways that the city can be a B city and we were sort of like the residents that's the residences.

But then you said, and I I missed it when I first read it, so I was like all fired up, and I was wrong.

Like I was wrong.

Because you um included that we're gonna look at our own past management.

So as long as we can continue to look at our it's one of those like sort of inverse, usually I'm saying why aren't we doing more external?

This is more internal.

So I apologize for being right.

You didn't even know that internal myolog was happening in my head, but um thank you for the work on that because it's something that's really important.

Thank you.

It's already drafted, we're working on it.

We're just it's busy season right now, busy season.

It's um we'll get back to it when I have a little bit of time.

Any other questions?

Any public comments?

All right, looking for a motion.

Motion to approve.

And a second.

Motion by Council Member Bram, second by Council Vice President Ash.

All in favor.

Thank you.

And that was the last order of business.

Um we'll do public comments next.

Uh and then close with a council comment.

So, ma'am, you said you wanted to speak at the end.

My name is Joan Jenkins, and I reside at 124 South Carroll Street.

And I'm just bringing uh attention.

My um I have a bridge over the street, but my property line is across the street.

And so Cannon Hill, which had a fire, got a uh vacancy building um notice.

So I know for a fact that they're working on pointing up the windows and they're getting ready to put the roof on.

There was a problem with a dumpster, but um the local people were parking in front of it, so they couldn't dump it.

So that's how all this started.

There was a complaint about the dumpster and it couldn't be removed.

But now it is gone, so there shouldn't be a problem.

But the vacancy um the vacancy building notice is to me for buildings that are vacant that don't have building permits that aren't successfully working through the city to make a um a fired uh building that had caught on fire um not usable.

So I called the HPC, they weren't um they knew that they had gone through the process of HPC, they got approval, they got their building permits, they've been working on it, and I don't really feel like that's a vacant building.

So the um deadline was today, I tried to look up the uh codes, but it has to be registered before the 27th with the city, because then they um and if it and if you don't, it's a thousand dollar fine every day.

So I think this was not what the vacant buildings were, because you know, La Paz building has been vacant for two years.

It's not like one building is pointed out and and put under this scrutiny.

So since I'm the neighbor, literally attached, I am just bringing it to your attention.

Thank you, ma'am.

Can you check in with Ms.

Ksimchak, she'll get your information and then we'll make sure we can follow up.

I I saw her at the other meeting this week.

We're always attending meetings.

And I also want to tell you that because of the need of the city with the art, we're actually formally inviting the blue elephant to rent out of 124 South Carroll Street on the other side of where Frederick Soup and Comfort Food is.

We have had um the tenants from the fire in the basement at 124 Antiques, and they're doing very well.

It took us a year to actually get that um building and occupancy open through no fault of my own, I feel.

So we um I just want to invite the blue elephant.

So they have a spot.

So if anything you can do to help me with that, I would appreciate it.

We will follow up, thank you, ma'am.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

That was the last person on our list, but anybody else wants to make public comments coming up?

You get uh your name, General Address you get three minutes.

Thank you for allowing me to speak.

So I left work early because I saw today is the child abuse prevention month.

And I have to give my two cents.

So we cannot fully blame those who fear us or hate us.

We really cannot.

And uh I grew up overseas, and I can tell you I came to the U.S.

when I was 18, 19.

If we never ask why they fear us, family across the world, especially Middle East, Palestine, Yemen.

Name 20, 30, 40 countries in the last I don't know how many years.

150 years.

We have only six years of GAP with no bombing of foreign countries for ridiculous reasons.

And uh families and kids across the world have buried their children, their parents, their loved ones.

Kids grew up seeing their family member being killed without understanding.

They were just trying to live their life like everybody here.

They never came back from work, and I have seen this myself.

And you cannot tell these people do not hate us.

We came because we thought we we're gonna protect the US dollar, or nobody cares when they lose their loved one.

So uh these war were fought in our names with our taxes, and the those children will grow up carrying that grief.

You know, you it's ridiculous to expect them to love us or love America, or that when we travel overseas, you know, everybody have seen the first thing they introduce, oh, we're Americans, but we don't agree with our foreign policy.

Then who agrees with the fallen par policy?

Is it the Israeli government?

But what about the American citizen who disagree with that?

We'd who's who's who's electing our politician?

Who elected each one of these?

If we do not represent their voices and we're not using our voices to tell the government we're not gonna support these wars, who's gonna do it?

So silent is really complic.

We're complicit with our taxes, and silent is not a choice.

So uh I really asked uh the the member of the council to do whatever through a resolution, through your voice, through whatever work you do to stop illegal acts, including you know the sanction on the judges in the international court.

I don't know how is that possible in the 20th century, but I appreciate the time and thank you for listening to me.

Thank you, sir.

Uh time for any closing comments from council members will start on this end with Councilmember Shackleford.

Comments, thank you.

No comments.

I'll just be brief that the session ended on Monday, and I was extraordinarily proud to watch our delegation and many others work very hard to complete last-minute legislation that I think is very consequential and very exciting.

So thank you.

No comments.

I I want to echo uh Vice President uh Nash.

There was some substantial and very important uh legislation that uh passed right at the end, and I want to uh commend our delegation and all those who voted for, especially the uh community uh trust act.

And if there are no other comments being executed.