Frederick Planning Commission Meeting - March 11, 2024
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Frederick Planning Commission Meeting - March 11, 2024
The Frederick Planning Commission met on March 11, 2024, at 6:00 PM in City Hall. The meeting included approval of previous minutes, an architectural review for a townhouse development in Sycamore Ridge, a fence modification request at 324 Heather Ridge Drive, and a recommendation on the Let's Move Frederick transportation plan. The Capital Improvements Program (CIP) discussion was postponed to a future meeting. All votes were unanimous.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Hannah Nickerson (415 Sherman Avenue, speaking on behalf of East Frederick Rising) expressed support for the Let's Move Frederick plan, emphasizing the importance of sustainable transportation, reducing climate pollution, and connecting with state climate goals. She also noted that removing minimum parking requirements is becoming a standard practice in urban design.
Discussion Items
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Sycamore Ridge Architectural Review (PC16-436-08PND): The applicant, Lennar Homes, requested approval of architectural elevations for the Devonshire model townhouse units in the second phase of the Sycamore Ridge Planned Neighborhood Development. Staff found the elevations complied with Section 604 of the Land Management Code and the approved design booklet. The applicant demonstrated compliance with five of the required design elements. No public comments were received. The commission unanimously approved the motion.
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Fence Modification (PC23-1410PCM, 324 Heather Ridge Drive): The applicant, Vincent Harrington, sought a modification to Section 821 of the Land Management Code to retain a six-foot-high fence that extends past the front façade of his duplex dwelling. The fence replaced a decayed one that had been permitted but built incorrectly. Staff and the Frederick Police Department supported the modification, finding it met all criteria in Sections 309 and 821. The fence is located on a unique lot with multiple private drives. The applicant stated neighbors were pleased with the replacement. The commission unanimously approved the modification.
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Let's Move Frederick: Staff presented updates to the draft transportation plan, including an executive summary, refined pedestrian project costs, and stronger language on parking minimums. Commissioner Beattie expressed concern that reducing minimum parking requirements should be studied more comprehensively before implementation, particularly in light of current infill development projects. A motion was made to recommend adoption of the plan with the additional recommendation that the parking minimum changes be studied in conjunction with infill development before any changes. The motion passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Minutes from February 12, February 20, and March 8, 2024, meetings (unanimous).
- Approved: Architectural elevations for the Devonshire townhouse units in Sycamore Ridge (unanimous).
- Approved: Fence modification at 324 Heather Ridge Drive to allow a fence beyond the front façade (unanimous).
- Recommended to Mayor and Board of Aldermen: Adoption of Let's Move Frederick, with a recommendation that minimum parking requirement changes be studied further in the context of current and imminent infill development projects (unanimous).
- Postponed: Discussion of the FY2025-2030 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) to a future meeting, as Alderman McShane recused himself from the vote.
Announcements
- The Citywide Planning Department Community Outreach Meeting will be held on March 18, 2024, at 6:00 PM at City Hall.
- The next Planning Commission Workshop is scheduled for March 18, 2024, at 2:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
So are you ready? Are you both ready? All right. The meeting is now called to order. And I would like to welcome everybody to the March 11th, 2024 meeting of the City of Fredericks Planning Commission. Before beginning tonight's proceedings, I would like to give a little bit of background on the Planning Commission and the procedures that will follow this evening. Members of the planning commission and all residents of the city are all residents of the city and are volunteers appointed by the mayor and board of aldermen. The commission is made up of five members, 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. All of tonight's cases have been appropriately advertised pursuant to section 301 of the land management code. And we're going to take the cases tonight in the following order. First, we'll have an introduction of the case, followed by the presentation of the case and initial recommendation by staff. We'll have time for the commission to question the staff, and then we will have remarks from the applicant or authorized agent regarding the case. We'll then have commission questioning of the applicant, public comment, any applicant response to public comment, and then the commission will have discussion questions and take action. Let's see, in support of the planning commission meeting, staff members from city planning department are present. Um wishes to speak publicly tonight or give testimony, including members of the public, must be all sworn in before giving their comments. So at this point, I would like to invite people who are planning to speak to stand up and be sworn in. So please raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the responses given and the statements made in this hearing before the planning commission will be the whole truth and nothing but the truth? If so, answer I do. Thank you very much. All right. Before we get started, I'll turn it over to Gabrielle and see if she has any announcements for us. Thank you very much. Um, just our two normal announcements or regular announcements. Um we have our uh citywide planning department community outreach meeting next Monday evening at 6 p.m. That is March 18th. And the purpose of that meeting is to discuss recently submitted applications. Uh so it's kind of a first glimpse for the public and and the applicant's first opportunity to uh talk with the public about their projects and present it. So that meeting will be here at City Hall in the boardroom. It's also streamed on Channel 99 and uh on our public meetings webpage. The other announcement is that same afternoon at 2 p.m. is our planning commission workshop. Uh the backup and agenda for that will be published likely tomorrow morning on the public meetings page, and we'll let the commission know when everything is available. Thank you. Thank you. All right, so the next item on our agenda is approval of the minutes, and I am looking for a motion regarding the February 12th, 2024 planning commission. Planning commission meeting minutes. So do you want to make that one when we get there? Um I move uh for the approval of the February 12th, 24 PC hearing meeting minutes second. That's a motion by Commissioner Beattie, a second by Alderman McShane. All in favor? Aye. Aye. That's unanimous. Um next to a motion on the February 20th, 2024 Planning Commission Workshop Workshop minutes. I move for the approval of the February 20th, 2024 PC workshop minutes. Second. That is a motion by Commissioner Beattie. Alderman second by Alderman McShane.
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