Frederick Planning Commission Workshop - March 17, 2025
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Frederick Planning Commission Workshop – March 17, 2025
The Planning Commission held a workshop on March 17, 2025, beginning at 2:00 PM in City Hall, to review seven development applications. The meeting featured presentations and discussions on architectural revisions, site plans, a master plan, and multiple modifications. No formal votes were taken; items will advance to public hearings. The workshop was adjourned at approximately 5:45 PM.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Heather Goddard (East Frederick Rising) – On Brickworks Lot 5, she urged the commission to consider increasing open space on a triangular lot (potentially reducing townhome count), adding pedestrian path connections to South Street, and ensuring improved connectivity to the wider neighborhood.
- Kevin Sellner (Fifth Street) – On Brickworks Lot 4, he suggested a short wall to deter pedestrians from crossing Monocacy Boulevard at an opening near pad two, raised concerns about tree displacement onto parcel three (intended for an urban school), and pressed for progress on the Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) and mitigation plans across the six parcels.
Discussion Items
- Bloomfields (PC18-387-07MU) – The applicant presented a third architectural revision replacing four home models with new ones meeting updated IRC code requirements (two-by-six wall construction). The changes were described as minor and nearly identical in exterior appearance. Staff found no issues, and the commission had no questions.
- 27 Corporate Park (PC24-937FSI / PC24-938FSCB) – A proposal for a 12,000 sq ft mixed-use warehouse/office building on a vacant acre near Thomas Johnson Drive. The applicant requested a modification to landscape buffer requirements because of an existing county sewer easement. An archaeological assessment was submitted the day prior. Lighting will be adjusted to achieve zero spillover at property lines. Staff supported the plan pending resolution of outstanding conditions.
- ExtraSpace Storage (PC24-1003FSI / PC24-1004FSCB) – Redevelopment of a self-storage facility at 1212 West Patrick Street, demolishing two existing buildings and constructing a five-story storage building. Parking was reduced to nine spaces (from 2 currently), based on an ITE parking study. The site is in the Golden Mile; the applicant addressed the Golden Mile Small Area Plan checklist. Lighting and landscaping modifications were requested to buffer residential property to the south. Staff noted that the parking reduction is consistent with recent industry standards, and the building height complies with code.
- Taco Bell (PC24-1000FSI) – Redevelopment of the existing Taco Bell at 1314 East Patrick Street to accommodate a dual drive‑through layout. The applicant requested modifications for parking (21 spaces versus a maximum of 15), lighting (spillover onto adjacent city-owned property), and buffer requirements (due to a property line bisecting the development). FAA review is ongoing (60‑day period); Maryland Aviation Administration review will follow. Staff noted a discrepancy between the modification letter (23 spaces) and plan (21 spaces); the applicant confirmed 21 spaces. The parking lot landscaping is at 6.9% (below the 10% requirement), but compensatory landscaping is provided in a stormwater pond area.
- Frederick Health Master Plan (PC24-662MU) – A master plan for 93 acres north of the city, adjacent to Monocacy Boulevard and US 15, owned by Frederick Health. The plan includes up to 750 residential units (tested for multi‑family) and non‑residential uses focused on medical services. Conditional uses requested: senior living/retirement, medical laboratory, and domiciliary care. Parkland dedication (minimum met) and forest conservation were addressed. The applicant deferred street detail and open‑space frontage modifications to later site plan stages. The commission discussed MPDU fees (fee‑in‑lieu intended), potential rail‑trail contributions, and connectivity to the broader street network.
- Brickworks Lot 5 (PC24-834PSU/FSI / PC24-835PFCP) – NVR proposes 227 townhomes (70 at 20‑ft wide, 157 at 16‑ft wide), all alley‑loaded, on the eastern side of the Brickworks community. The plan includes 95 street trees (requirement is 51) and a modification for frontage on open space in two locations to create usable green spaces. Forest conservation exceeds the 50% on‑site requirement (2.61 acres provided vs. 2.1 required). Staff supported the plan but noted that off‑site planting credits must be allocated among lots. The commission asked for clarification on sidewalk connections and pedestrian links to adjacent areas.
- Brickworks Lot 4 (PC24-930FSI) – Greenberg Gibbons presented a revised plan for the mixed‑use center at the corner of East Street and Monocacy Boulevard, including a grocery store, retail, and two pad sites with drive‑throughs. Seven modification requests were detailed: parking setback from Monocacy (with screen wall), buffer along the common driveway with Lot 6, building orientation (pedestrian entrances away from the highway), separation distance (right‑in/right‑out entrance), lighting spillover between lots, landscape buffer, and loading space size (use of smaller 9×20 ft spaces). New renderings and a block‑and‑connectivity plan were provided. Dumpster locations were debated—staff and commissioners expressed concerns about pedestrian safety, employee access, and lighting. Commissioner Strawson and others voiced strong reservations about the pad site orientation, suggesting they should face the street per the master plan. The commission requested further study of loading, dumpster placement, and pedestrian connectivity before the hearing.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes were taken; all items remain in workshop status and will proceed to public hearings.
- Bloomfields – will move forward with minimal changes.
- 27 Corporate Park – applicant must address outstanding conditions (archaeological approval, APFO comments, lighting) before hearing.
- ExtraSpace Storage – hearing set; commission expects confirmation that no truck rentals will occur on site.
- Taco Bell – applicant to provide lighting shield data and clarify tree species with FAA. Hearing scheduled.
- Frederick Health Master Plan – commission requested more detail on MPDU choice, rail‑trail contributions, and street design. Hearing to follow.
- Brickworks Lot 5 – applicant to provide a pedestrian connection amenity plan and clarify sidewalk continuity. Hearing scheduled.
- Brickworks Lot 4 – the chair indicated that unless the applicant “does something drastic,” she is leaning against approving modifications for the pad site orientation. Staff asked for an exhibit showing lot line adjustments and a lighting plan update. Applicant will return with revised loading, dumpster, and sidewalk designs. The commission directed staff and applicant to address safety and walkability before the hearing (tentatively April).
Meeting Transcript
Comments and um between all of those we will of course have opportunity for the commission to ask questions from the applicant and the staff. Um at some point we may have sort of a three-way back and forth because we are a little less formal on workshop days, but eventually we will open this to the public comment and at some point um may start asking questions back of the the public um the comments if if the commission feels like they need to, and then of course the applicant will have the opportunity to um address or respond to public comments and um yeah that's pretty much the process. Now everybody who will be speaking before the hearing today, if it's applicants, staff, public, um need to be sworn in before we can take your comments. So at this point, I will ask everybody who's planning on making comments today to um stand and raise your right hand. And do you solemnly swear and affirm that the statements um responses given and statements made in this hearing today before the planning commission are the whole truth and nothing but the truth? If so, answer I do. Thank you. Um we generally don't have a formal opportunity for announcements from staff, but I always like to give them the chance if there's anything you need to say. This is a good time to do it. I would just remind everyone that we have air planning outreach meeting tonight in this room at six o'clock for all the new cases that are coming forward for review. Um, and like I said, uh we will be ending this meeting before that, and uh at six o'clock, then we will have that meeting. Thank you. And that being said, we have a very tight agenda today, a very big agenda. Um, so we will do our best to work its way through it, but we may run into time constraints as we get to the end of the afternoon, and at some point we may need to make some formal decision as a commission about whether to we're gonna roll um an item or two over to the next meeting, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Um so with that, the first item on the agenda is PC 18-38707 MU architectural review for Bloom Fields. Um so we're presenting our third revision to the architectural submittal for Bloom Fields. Um this proposes some very minor changes to the elevations in response to some updates in uh the residential code. Um those codes uh are not required yet in the city of Frederick, but as you know, as the architecture is updated. Um this is uh this is better for um insulation and and other requirements that are coming up in the codes. Um the exterior of the houses uh shown on the elevation still meet the um elements required for uh the original design approval. Um we see this as a as a minor change. I know we weren't supposed to say this, but uh to the extent you have questions on these, please let us know. They're um they're very similar in the look from the original architecture. Um just uh some minor changes to um some of the elements. Okay, thank you. And you are allowed to say that. You're just not allowed to say only that. Okay. Thank you. Um so we'll start first with a roll call of the commission. We'll start with Commissioner Beattie. No questions, thank you. All right, Commissioner Lencia? No, thank you. Commissioner Lewellan. No, thank you. Commissioner Lee. No questions. Commissioner Manellis. Um, just real curiosity more. So um so I saw notice that three four models were discontinued. Is there a reason for that? Or like the the reason for that will be the changes we're making. This is happening across the country with the IRC changes. Certain areas are doing it before others, so they remade these programs from or these four products from two by four to two by six. It is not changing at the same time around the country, so we changed the names of the products. So once we build the new models of the two by six, we'll del we'll eliminate the two by four, but it's essentially the same product, just replaced with slightly different uh wall sizing. Thank you. So I don't have any questions either, but um, Commissioner Beattie did just remind me that you didn't identify yourselves and your your business. So just for the record, could you do that so we have it completed?
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