Frederick Planning Commission Meeting - June 12, 2023 - Annexations and Zoning Debate
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Frederick Planning Commission Meeting - June 12, 2023
The Frederick Planning Commission convened on June 12, 2023, at 6:00 PM at City Hall. The meeting covered routine consent items, continuances, architectural reviews, a three-year extension of a site plan, and two major annexation proposals. A lengthy debate on a text amendment to the Carroll Creek Overlay District ended in a tie vote, resulting in a continuance to July 10, 2023. The commission also recommended approval of two annexations (Toms and Mercer properties) totaling 242.7 acres for light industrial zoning, with conditions.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes: Approved for May 8, May 15, and June 9, 2023 meetings (unanimous).
- PC22-836-04MU – West Park Village VFW Architectural Review: Approved unanimously without discussion. The item was on the consent agenda as routine.
Continuances
- PC23-74FSI & PC23-75PFCP – Madison on North Market: Continued to July 10, 2023, due to outstanding sewer line connection issues and APFO certificate updates. (Unanimous)
- PC22-740FSI & PC22-741FSCB – U-Haul of East Frederick: Continued to July 10, 2023, due to a conflict with a Washington Gas easement impacting landscaping and site design. (Unanimous)
Miscellaneous
- PC14-913-09MU – Renn Quarter Architectural Review (Hadley and Summit models): Approved unanimously with a condition to correct duplication of elevation lettering and clarify front-loaded vs. side-loaded garage labels. The applicant (DR Horton) stated the changes address four lots requiring side-loaded garages.
- PC18-275FSI – Renn Quarter Lots 6 & 7 Final Site Plan Extension: Approved unanimously for a three-year extension to September 27, 2026. The applicant (Matten Companies) cited conservative investor pools and financing challenges post-COVID. Commissioner Beattie asked about traffic improvement triggers; the applicant confirmed escrow contributions are up to date and that improvements (e.g., Monocacy Boulevard widening) are triggered by 800 residential permits and phase three start. The extension was found compliant with APFO and phasing.
Old Business
- PC22-370ZTA – Carroll Creek Overlay District Text Amendment: The commission voted 2-2 on a motion to recommend approval to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen. Chair Strawson and Vice Chair Menelas voted no; Commissioners Beattie and MacShane (City Council liaison) voted yes. The tie resulted in no action. The applicant (represented by Bruce Dean) sought to increase maximum density from 75 to 150 units per acre for DB-zoned properties in the overlay and eliminate the Level of Service C traffic standard. Staff supported the amendment, citing consistency with the Comprehensive Plan (land use policies for downtown density and infill) and the Mobility Fee District. Commissioners Menelas and Strawson opposed due to lack of tie to Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDUs) and concerns about density not being based on service adequacy. Staff recommended against amending MPDU requirements piecemeal. The item was continued to July 10, 2023, to allow for a full commission (with both absent members) to vote.
New Business
- PC22-1018ANX – Toms Annexation (136.1 acres): The commission recommended approval (motion by Commissioner Beattie, second by Menelas) to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen with conditions from the staff report (including a $1.25/sq ft regional road fee, shared use path, completion of Logistics Park Road, and a prorated share of water tank costs). Condition #8 (satisfy infrastructure improvements required by Frederick County and State Highway) was kept in the motion after discussion; the applicant objected to its open-ended nature but agreed to negotiate later. Commissioner Beattie initially sought to remove it but withdrew after discussion. A public commenter, Steve Wisner (resident of Long Branch Road), adamantly opposed any connection to Linganore Road, stating it is a narrow, curvy road unable to handle more traffic. The applicant acknowledged the concern and proposed only emergency access. The commission added a recommendation that the Linganore Road connection be limited to emergency vehicles only.
- PC22-1017ANX – Mercer Annexation (106.6 acres): The commission recommended approval unanimously with conditions similar to the Toms property. The motion included the staff recommendations and an additional recommendation that the Linganore Road connection be limited to emergency vehicles only. The applicant noted the property has minimal frontage on Linganore Road and agreed to an avigation easement if within the airport runway protection zone. Public commenter Steve Wisner reiterated opposition to any access to Linganore Road. Staff clarified the property is within the airport's avigation easement zone, and the applicant was amenable to recording an easement.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes and Consent Item: Approved unanimously.
- Continuances: Four items continued to July 10, 2023.
- Renn Quarter Architectural Review: Approved with condition.
- Renn Quarter Site Plan Extension: Approved to September 27, 2026.
- Carroll Creek Overlay Text Amendment: Tie vote (2-2); continued to July 10, 2023.
- Toms Annexation: Recommended to Mayor and Board with conditions, including emergency-only Linganore connection.
- Mercer Annexation: Recommended to Mayor and Board with conditions, including emergency-only Linganore connection.
- Public Comments: One resident spoke against both annexations, citing traffic concerns.
Meeting Transcript
It's o'clock. And I'm calling the meeting to order. It is uh welcome to the June 12th 2023 um hearing of the planning commission. Um before we start tonight's proceedings, I'd like to give um a little bit of background of the planning commission and the procedures that we're following this evening. Members of the planning commission are all residents of the city and are volunteers appointed by the mayor and the board of aldermen. The commission is made up of five regular members and one alternate. Its powers and duties are assigned by the charter of the city of Frederick and described in section 202 of the land management code. In support of the planning commission, staff members from the city's planning, engineering, and legal departments are all in attendance. Tonight's cases have all been appropriately advertised pursuant to section 301 of the land management code. Um the procedure, the order that we will be following for the meeting tonight is um the introduction of the case, and then followed by the presentation of the case and the initial recommendation by staff. We'll have commissioned questioning of the staff, and then we'll have the applicant or authorized agents' remarks regarding the case, followed by commission questioning of the authorized agent or applicant. Public comment, followed by applicant or authorized agent rebuttal to public comment. Finally, any um commission discussion and questions for staff and our commission action. So anybody wishing to speak tonight regarding any application must be sworn in prior to giving their remarks. Um this includes applicants, um staff, any of the members of the public who want to make public comment. Um so at this time I'm going to do a group swearing in, and um I will ask everybody to stand and raise your right hand. And do you solemnly swear or affirm that the responses given in the statements made in this hearing before the planning commission will be the whole truth and if nothing but the truth? If so, say I do. Thank you very much. So we will start by turning it over to Gabrielle for announcements. Thank you very much. Good evening, everyone. Um, just a couple of announcements. Next Monday is Juneteenth, so the city offices are closed, which means we'll have some adjustments to our schedule. The planning commission workshop will be on Tuesday, the 20th, and we actually have an earlier start time than normal. Regularly, we start at two, but we are going to start at 1 p.m. next Tuesday. Uh, and that's just due to the anticipated length of the agenda, and hopefully get all our items in before um the next meeting that evening, which is our planning department community hour meeting, and that's at 6 p.m. Also on the 20th, regularly scheduled for the 19th, but we won't be here. Uh and that starts at 6 p.m. The agenda and the PowerPoint presentation for the community meeting are online on the city's public meeting page, and our agenda for the workshop and those staff reports should be online hopefully by the end of the day tomorrow. And then just one other announcement. Um, we'll not be holding our citywide planning department community outreach meeting in the month of July. Uh so we'll meet again in August, and that will cover any projects that were submitted in the months of July or August. So hopefully we'll have a good agenda that month. And that's all I have. Great, thank you. Um so the next item on our agenda is the minutes. And um the first item I'm seeking approval for the May 8th, 2023 Planning Commission meeting minutes. I move for the approval of the May 8th, 2023 Planning Commission meeting minutes. Second. So that is a motion by Commissioner Beattie and approval. I mean a second by Commissioner Manellus, all in favor. Aye. Okay. That's unanimous. Next is the May 15th, 2023 Planning Commission Workshop minutes. And move for the approval of the May 15, 2023 Planning Commission workshop minutes. Second. That is a motion by Commissioner Manellas, a second by Commissioner Beattie.
openpublica.com