Frederick Planning Commission Meeting - December 9, 2024
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City of Frederick Planning Commission Meeting - December 9, 2024
The Frederick Planning Commission met on December 9, 2024, at 6:00 PM at City Hall. The meeting included approval of minutes, continuances, miscellaneous items, and two new business items: a preliminary forest conservation plan for Brickworks and a text amendment to allow hospitals in mixed-use districts. Several votes were taken, with some split decisions.
Discussion Items
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Minutes Approval: Three sets of minutes were approved: November 12, 2024 (4-0-1 abstention), November 18, 2024 (unanimous), and December 6, 2024 (unanimous).
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Continuance – Renn Quarter Phase 3, Section 2 (PC24-555PSU/FSI): The applicant requested a 30-day continuance to January 13, 2025, due to outstanding issues. The commission unanimously granted the continuance.
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Approval of 2025-2026 Planning Commission Deadline Schedules: The commission unanimously approved the submission calendars for 2025-2026.
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Summers Farm Extension (PC21-1245PSU): The applicant requested a one-year extension of the preliminary plat, citing the need for approvals from multiple agencies (FEMA, Army Corps, MDE, SHA). The commission found that the applicant had pursued development in good faith and that external agency approvals hindered completion. Unanimously approved extension to December 13, 2025.
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Kellerton Land Bays D & E and City Park Extension (PC21-515PSU/FSI): The applicant requested a six-month extension, but the commission extended it to one year (to January 12, 2026) due to unresolved title issues and a quiet title action in court. Unanimously approved.
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Fence Modification – 91-92 Blueridge Drive (PC24-655PCM): The applicant requested an 8.5-foot tall fence in a residential district to address trespassing and dumping. Staff recommended approval, finding the modification consistent with code and comprehensive plan, with tapering design as compensating feature. The commission unanimously approved with additional findings under Section 821(D2).
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Brickworks Preliminary Forest Conservation Plan (PC24-622PFCP): Two actions were considered. The first was a modification to remove 83 specimen trees (out of 95 on site). The applicant justified removal due to environmental remediation and road construction. Commissioner Beattie expressed concern about precedent and suggested limiting removal to road-impacted trees, but the motion for approval passed 4-1 (one opposed). The second action was approval of the preliminary forest conservation plan with conditions, passed unanimously.
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Text Amendment – Hospitals in MU Districts (PC24-661ZTA): The applicant, Frederick Health Village, requested a recommendation to city council to allow hospitals as a permitted use in MU-1 and MU-2 zones. Staff supported the amendment, citing consistency with comprehensive plan policies. Some commissioners expressed concerns about precedent and timing, but the motion to recommend approval to city council passed 4-1 (one opposed). Commissioner Beattie recused himself.
Key Outcomes
- Approved three sets of minutes.
- Granted continuance for Renn Quarter Phase 3 to January 13, 2025.
- Approved 2025-2026 schedules.
- Approved one-year extension for Summers Farm (to Dec 13, 2025) and one-year extension for Kellerton (to Jan 12, 2026).
- Approved fence modification for 91-92 Blueridge Drive.
- Approved specimen tree removal modification for Brickworks (4-1) and preliminary forest conservation plan (unanimous).
- Approved recommendation to city council for hospital text amendment (4-1, with one recusal).
Meeting Transcript
It's all right. It is six o'clock, and we are calling to order the um December 9th, 2024 meeting of the City of Frederick's Planning Commission. Um before we begin today's proceedings, I'd like to give everybody a little bit of background on the planning commission and the procedures that will be following this evening. Um members of the planning commission are all residents of the city and our volunteers appointed by the mayor. Ooh, and we have to change that. City Councilman. Um, 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 six two oh two of the land management code. Um you and I need just you and I need to get together and make sure that all of that information is still the same. Are we still going to be in section two oh two of the land management code? Correct. Okay, good. Um, all of tonight's cases have been appropriately advertised pursuant to section three oh one of the land management code. Cases tonight will be presented to the planning commission in the following format. Um, we will first have an introduction of the case, followed by the presentation of the case and the initial recommendation by staff with commission questioning of the staff. Then we'll have the applicant or the authorized agent make remarks regarding the case, followed by the commission's questioning of the applicant. Following that, we will have public comment. Um, and then after public comment, the applicant will have the opportunity to address or respond to public comment, followed by commission and discussion and um discussion and questions, and um, concluding with the commission action. So, in support of the planning commission, um, staff members from the city's planning department. Do we have nobody from the engineering department tonight? And legal departments are in attendance. Um, everybody who is going to be speaking before the commission tonight, um, including city staff applicants and anybody here for public comment needs to um be sworn in before we can accept the comments. So at this point, I will um if everybody will stand, I will swear everybody in. Um will be the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If so, answer I do. Thank you very much. All right, at this point, we will send it over to Gabrielle for announcements. Thank you very much. Uh just two announcements, our regular affair. Um, we have our workshop next Monday, and the agenda for the workshop and the staff reports have been posted online, so I encourage folks to check that out. And then that same evening at 6 p.m. We have our citywide planning department uh community outreach meeting, and that agenda and presentation is also available online, and that is streamed on the website live. It's also on channel 99 live and then recorded, and that showcases all of our brand newest projects um that have yet to go through the administrative process and get to the planning commission. So that's really the um latest and greatest uh things we have going on in the planning department. And that's all I have. Thank you. All right, the next item on the agenda is the approval of minutes. So we have three sets of minutes to be voted on tonight. Um, the first one is the November 12th, 2024 Planning Commission meeting minutes. I move for the approval of the November 12th Planning Commission meeting minutes uh from November 18th, 2024. November 12th second. That is that is a motion by Commissioner Beebe, a second by Commissioner Lee. All in favor? Aye. And I am abstaining, so that's four in favor and one abstain. Um next is the workshop minutes from November 18th, 2024. I move for the approval of the November 18th PC workshop minutes. Second. That is a motion by Commissioner Beatty, a second by Commissioner Valencia. All in favor?
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