City Council Workshop – September 11, 2024: Sycamore Springs Forest Conservation and Routine Approvals
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City Council Workshop – September 11, 2024
The Mayor and Board of Aldermen of Frederick, Maryland, held a Workshop on September 11, 2024, beginning at 3:00 PM. The Mayor was absent (attending a Council of Governments meeting and feeling unwell), and three aldermen were initially present. A fourth alderman joined later, enabling approval of special ordinances. The meeting included approval of routine business items, discussion of a forest conservation planting request for the Sycamore Springs development, and remarks commemorating Patriot Day.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (August 28, 2024): Approved 3-0.
- Release of Surety: Approved release of a $107,240.09 bond for Sycamore Ridge City Park Phase 1 improvements.
- Grants: Approved three grants: Emergency Food and Shelter Phase 41 ($16,000), FY25 Police Accountability, Community, and Transparency (PACT) grant from the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy, and a Federal Aviation Administration grant ($282,600) for design of the south corporate apron expansion at the airport.
- Special Ordinances: Initially deferred due to lack of a supermajority; later approved 4-0 after a fourth alderman arrived. The ordinances amended FY25 budgets for Department of Housing and Human Services grant funds and incorporated the PACT grant revenue and expenditures.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made on any agenda item.
Discussion Items
- Sycamore Springs Forest Conservation Planting: The Planning Department presented a request to plant 3.09 acres of forest conservation area on land to be dedicated to the City as parkland (16.98 acres total) within the Sycamore Springs Planned Neighborhood Development. The 71.45-acre project is zoned low-density residential and includes 120 single-family homes and 58 townhouses. The planting site is in the southeastern portion of the parkland, carefully located to avoid impeding active park areas and future stream restoration projects. The Parks and Recreation Commission recommended approval in January 2024, and the Planning Commission approved the preliminary plat and forest plan in April 2024, conditioned on Mayor and Board approval of the parkland dedication with forest conservation. Staff supported the request, noting it provides active park space, enhances stream restoration efforts (important for the city's MS4 stormwater permit requirements), and protects floodplains. The applicant, Jonathan Pembroke of Alshman Properties, confirmed that 10.44 acres of forested area exist elsewhere on the site, leaving only the 3.09 acres to be planted in the park. The planting design was coordinated with the city's sustainability manager to allow for future stream restoration along Rocky Springs Run.
Key Outcomes
- Votes: All consent items and special ordinances were approved without dissent (3-0 or 4-0).
- Next Step: The Sycamore Springs forest conservation request will be placed on a future public hearing for formal consideration.
- Adjournment: The meeting adjourned after elected officials' comments remembering the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, and welcome to the September 11th, 2024 workshop of the Board of Aldermen and Mayor. We'll begin with a Pledge of Allegiance. One nation. The mayor is in attendance at the Council of Government's meeting today, and so is probably in route on two seventy. We'll see how that goes. Let us know that she was not feeling well. We hope she feels better soon. We do uh expect to see Alderman McShane, or we hope to see Alderman McShane. We'll see. Um we have the first item on our agenda is approval of minutes for August 28th. Move for approval. Second. Motion borrowed everyone because that second by Alderman Shackleford. All those in favor. That's three zero. Uh we have business meeting items. All items included under the business meeting are considered to be routine by the mayor and board of aldermen and are being heard at the workshop pursuant to the rules of procedure of the Board of Alderin. They will be approved by one motion without separate discussion of each item, unless any person present requests an item or items be removed from the agenda. Any item removed from the agenda will be considered separately. Move for approval. Second. Motion by Alderman Gazanchek. Second by Alderman Shackleford. All those in favor, that is three zero. Grants. Move for approval. Second. Motion by Alderwoman Kazanchek. Second by Alderman Shackleford. I'm getting tongue-tied today. All those in favor. That is three-zero. And we have special ordinances, but that requires a major supermajority of the board. We only have three right now, so if we are to get a fourth, we could move that to the end of the meeting. But in lieu of that, we will move on to our workshop item agenda. Today is discussion of a request to plant 3.9, sorry, 3.09 acres of forest conservation area. And that will be presented by our planning department planner, Sherry Kelly. Welcome. Good afternoon, everyone. Push that back a little bit. Yes, as you stated, this is a request, our discussion of a request to plant 3.09 acres of forest conservation area in accordance with section 721 of the land management code on land that is to be dedicated for to the city for parkland in the Sycamore Springs Plan Neighborhood Development. The project is 71.45 acres, and it is zoned low density residential. And it will be developed with the summary should say 120 single-family detached units and 58 townhouses. And there were some amendments with the most recent being in April and early 2023. As part of the master plan approval with this project, however, the applicant proposed to dedicate six point 16.98 acres of parkland. And the proposed park is along Rocky Springs Road at the eastern part um side of the project. So that's where the parkland will be, and the um section of the or the area of the 3.09 acres of forest will be in the southeastern um portion of that part um of the parkland. Um that's where they are proposing the plantings, and the um the 3.09 acres has been carefully vetted to ensure that there are active park areas and that the city has the opportunity to conduct future stream restoration projects in the park. Um these projects are a valuable source of credit toward the city's MS for stormwater permit requirements with the state and the um cities required to conduct impervious area uh restoration for 20% of the existing developed lands that have little um or no stormwater management. Um the stream restoration projects also typically involve stabilizing stream banks, reducing erosion, and improving aesthetics, thus improving local water quality and serving as part of the larger um strategy to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay.
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