Land Use, Public Safety, and Community Development Committee Meeting – May 8, 2025

The Land Use, Public Safety, and Community Development Committee met on May 8, 2025, at 1:00 PM to discuss several agenda items. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the April 24, 2025 minutes, and a reordering of items to start with the 16th Street Road Diet and Protected Bicycle Lane project. Discussions included a road diet and bicycle lane proposal, a parkland dedication request for the Brickworks development, a presentation on bus shelters by the Golden Mile Alliance and United Way, and a draft bus shelter work plan. No formal votes were taken; the committee directed staff to provide additional information and committed to ongoing advocacy.

Public Comments & Testimony

• David Erdman (Fredericktown Village resident) opposed the 16th Street road diet and bicycle lane design. He argued that the reduced lane widths (10-foot travel lanes, 4-foot bike lanes, 2-foot buffer) are below city standards, that the street has high curbside activity (60 homes, ~100 parked cars), and that passing large vehicles (sanitation truck and school bus) would require 241 inches of width versus the 240 inches provided. He requested proof of safety from comparable implementations.
• Heather Goddard (East Frederick Rising) questioned the usefulness of the proposed 6.9-acre parkland dedication for Brickworks, citing a large utility easement and steep slope that may render the land unusable. She suggested exploring a shared-use path under the easement and requested clarification on restrictions from Potomac Edison.
• David Schmidt (Sixth Street resident) expressed strong support for increased transit infrastructure and bus shelters. He urged the city to invest proactively and to involve local artists in shelter design to reduce stigma around transit. He noted that only two of 15-16 past TSAC members had ever ridden a bus.

Discussion Items

16th Street Road Diet and Protected Bicycle Lane Project

• Councilmember Kazemchak introduced the project, which proposes a road diet on East 16th Street from the Canterbury Station development to Schifferstadt Boulevard. The design includes a two-way buffered bicycle lane on one side of the street, parking on both sides, and 10-foot travel lanes. Staff (Tracy Coleman, Deputy Director of Public Works, and traffic engineer Shraddon) presented the plan, noting that the bicycle lane widths were reduced from 5 feet to 4 feet per direction and the buffer from 3 feet to 2 feet to accommodate parking on both sides. They cited comparable designs in Richmond, Washington, DC, and Philadelphia, but could not immediately provide accident data for those cities. Staff estimated the project cost at just over $48,000 for striping, flex posts, and thermoplastic material. Committee members expressed safety concerns, particularly about vehicle passing widths and the lack of similar implementations in Frederick. Councilmember Kazemchak requested more information on safety studies and vehicle turning radii.
• Transit clarification: The deputy director of transit noted that the county’s largest vehicles are 102 inches wide, not 124 inches as cited in public feedback.

Brickworks Mixed Use Development – Parkland Dedication Request

• Gabrielle Collard (Planning Department) presented a request to accept 6.9 acres of parkland dedication containing approximately 3.62 acres of forest conservation easements as part of the 1,260-unit Brickworks development. The parkland would extend Harman Park. The forest conservation easements are placed in areas that do not conflict with planned active uses. The total forest conservation requirement for the project is 16.4 acres; 3.62 acres would be within the parkland, with the remainder met on-site, off-site, or through fee-in-lieu. The Parks and Recreation Commission and Planning Commission have recommended approval. Committee members asked about the percentage of on-site conservation (about 60-70% of the requirement) and noted that for a downtown property, this is a reasonable amount.
• Applicant team (Chris Mariga, Harris Mariga) answered questions, confirming that some forestation would be planted within individual land bays and that street tree credits are included.

Presentation from Golden Mile Alliance and United Way on Bus Shelters

• Chris McDonald (Golden Mile Alliance) and Ken Oldham (United Way) presented data showing the Golden Mile has the highest population density and concentration of ALICE households (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) in the county. 40% of county transit ridership originates from the Golden Mile, yet there are zero sheltered bus stops there (only 3 benches). They identified seven potential shelter sites vetted by city engineering for sight lines. Each shelter costs $25,000-$50,000. The county has exhausted ARPA funds for shelters and lacks a dedicated budget line item. The presenters asked the city to advocate with the county for funding and to consider shelters in future CIP projects (e.g., community center, library). Committee members noted an existing MOU allowing shelters in city right-of-way and discussed opportunities for developer-installed shelters and the need for better communication with the county.

Draft Bus Shelter Work Plan

• Council President Nash introduced a draft document outlining priorities and advocacy points for bus shelters. The document is not finalized and is open for public comment. The goal is to provide predictability for staff and transparency to the public.

Key Outcomes

• Staff will provide the committee with safety data and examples of similar bicycle lane designs (with comparable lane widths) from other cities, along with vehicle turning radius analyses for the 16th Street project.
• The committee will continue to refine the bus shelter work plan and coordinate advocacy with the county for dedicated shelter funding.
• No formal vote was taken on any agenda item; all discussions were informational with requests for further information.