Westminster Planning & Zoning Commission - Regular Meeting

Here I call the meeting to order at 6 p.m. I am the acting chair, Wendy Zanotti, and everybody please and thank you.

Daniel Hopp.

Judy Boyd.

Meredith McKinnon.

And Mark Tepo, the director of the community planning and development.

The first item on the agenda is the approval of the meeting summary for April 16, 2026. Does anyone have any comments on the minutes?

I have one comment correction on the on the

Bottom of page one, it says chair fair closed public hearing at 608. That was actually you. So, Mr. Debo, if you could just make that correction. And then I will make a motion to approve the minutes with that amendment.

Okay.

Move a second. Second. All in favor of the motion? Aye. Opposed? Okay, passed. Seeing no objections, amendments are approved. New business. Next on the agenda is a public hearing for Ordinance 2026-1, Site Plan Requirements and Procedures Text Amendment. For the record, the starting of the public hearing is 6.02 p.m. The public hearing is for an ordinance on the Mayor and Common Council of Westminster amending Chapter 164, Zoning and Subdivision of Land. The city chose Westminster article 6 train. All street parking and loading. Number 1, 6, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, on number one, six, four, nine, five, seven zoning certificate. You can form with revised site plan and simplified site plan requirements. Article 25 site plans, number one, six, four, dash, two, six. Applicability, number one, six, four, dash, two, seven. Approval required, number one, six, four, dash, two, eight. Contents of site plan, number one, six, four, dash, two, nine. Simplified site plan, number one, six, four, two, one, one. Action on site plan, To reorganize, clarify, and distinguish between the site plan and simplified site plan review, including certain exemptions and fee schedule, update and align fees, and affordability of form, mention, and text amendments. The public hearing has been properly published in the Farrell County Times. We all stay of Maryland requirements. Staff, please proceed with your report.

Thank you, and good evening. So again, this is the public hearing for ordinance 2020. For properties located in downtown Westminster, which are developed and proposed in a new use or a change of use pursuant to the City of Westminster zoning ordinance, requires a site plan and zoning certificate. For many of the downtown Westminster properties, there is no approved site plan on record. Therefore, a property that is developed and proposed in a new use or a change of use requires the property owner to submit a site plan demonstrating compliance with the zoning ordinance to review and review which would be timely and costly. In the effort to reduce the time and cost, community planning development allowed for the submission of a simplified site plan pursuant to zoning ordinance section 164.209, which was intended to be significantly less onerous and far less expensive than a standard site plan. However, as property owners were proceeding with establishing a new use or a change of use, the private costs to draft the simplified site plan was more expensive than staff anticipated. After feedback from several business owners and property owners regarding simplified site plans for developing downtown properties, the City began reviewing Article 25, Site Plan Section 164.209 for a possible text amendment, specifically the requirements of a simplified site plan. During this review, it was determined that the entire article needed to be further amended. At the January 20, 2026 Mayor and County Council Work Session, at the February 17th, 2026 Mayor and Common Council work session. City staff and the team present the draft ordinance, including revisions based on Mayor and Common Council input and further review of Article 25. The draft ordinance was further refined based on the Mayor and Common Council work sessions and additional staff research. oh wow okay um generally ordinance 20 2601 site plan requirements procedures text member proposes to amend article 25 reorganizing the article to provide for better clarification and distinction between site plans and simplified site plans amend article 25 to establish intake procedures for site plans and simplified site plans to define required contents of a simplified site plan parking area. Proposed to amend Article 16, off-street parking and loading, and Article 21, administration and enforcement, Section 164.157, zoning certificate to implement amendments to Article 25, and amend the fee schedule to update and align fees in accordance with the aforementioned text amendments. On April 13, 2026, the Mayor and Common Council introduced Ordinance No. 2601, referred and referred the ordinance to the Planning and Zoning Commission for its review and recommendation to the Mayor and County Council. The Planning and Zoning Commission Notice of Public Hearing for Ordinance 202601 was advertised on May 1st, 2026 and May 8th, 2026 in the Carroll County Times. At this time, That recommends the planning zone commission for recommendation to approve ordinance 2026 so want to know coming out so as introduced. I've ever found a couch on April 13 2026 that completes my report.

Is there anybody wishing to speak it's a please provide for the record your name and address.

I don't understand. Basically, you require someone does a change of use, not doing anything else to the building. They still need to file for a site plan. As it states today.

So it was this unusual test 22. And as I mentioned, downtown, you typically don't have site plans as you would on 140 or throughout the city.

These are order-developed properties. My biggest concern is you have, let's say, a whole building downtown on a piece of property. They usually take up the whole property and they're parking the property. I just don't see the purpose of them having a site plan. What's it going to show? It's not going to show much of anything.

And that was the feedback we were getting. They couldn't meet certain standards. There were a lot of modifications that had to be granted. So what this ordinance is doing is providing an exemption for properties in the downtown parking area, which is basically downtown. Through certain procedures, we updated procedures in the ordinance as well for site plans, amendments to site plans, and simplified site plans. Then again, adding that exemption specifically for the downtown properties. If it's a change of use, if it's existing today as a restaurant and the restaurant wants to come into that space, a new one, change of use, even that and we even add the additional allowance for the zoning administrator for those circumstances where commercial retail is still very similar in nature.

I'm just concerned.

It doesn't put a burden on business owners. Well, the whole point of the ordinance, Jay, is really that these historic properties. Obviously, if you have a whole building downtown and you're really changing the use in a significant manner, then even though they don't have parking, there's still site plan related issues that could come up related to that. But this gives staff a lot more latitude in that regard. And obviously, as we work through that, we will see how things go and get feedback.

Anyone else? With no other public speakers or additional testimony, the public hearing is going to be closed at 6.10 p.m.

I guess we probably should close that before we have the discussion, but is there any other thoughts here?

I can't hear you. Top of my head.

Well, let me just see. Can I have a motion on ordinance 2026-01? I'll hold for a second.

Move the planning and zoning commission for a recommendation to approve ordinance 2026-01. The Mayor of Common Council as introduced by the Mayor and the other council on April 13, 2026.

And I will second that motion. Is there any discussion on the motion? All in favor of the motion? Aye. Opposed? Seeing no objections, the motion is passed. Next on the agenda is an introduction of global math amended LMA 26-01. Staff, please proceed with your report.

Billings Square LLC, which is the applicant, submitted an application for zonal classification of a concept development plan titled Billings Square, which is referred to as a development plan. To amend the zoning map for property located in the city of Westminster by superimposing the compatible neighborhood overlay zone, or the CN zone, over the R7500 residential zone. Construct a mixed-use building containing 120 two-bedroom multifamily dwelling units and approximately 9,100 square feet of ground floor commercial space. Catchy. The property is located in the southwestern quadrant of the intersection of Sullivan Road and Wilmer Avenue and is bordered by Sullivan Road to the north, Wilmer Avenue to the east, and Schaefer Avenue to the west. The property currently contains several existing multifamily residential structures that predict the current zoning framework applicable to the site. conditions. So these are one-story multifamily buildings, I believe, again, approximately 12 that have anywhere between three to four apartments within each building. The property is located within the W1 water service area and the S1 sewer service area. As the request is superimposed and compatible with the overlay zone over the R7500 zone, the applicant is not required to establish the change on the state standard applicable Staff has conducted a preliminary review of the conceptual development plan, which you can see up on your screen, and is also provided in the staff report. In relation to the purposes and approval criteria of CN overlay zone, staff notes that the proposal presents several characteristics supported to the CN zone objectives, including infill redevelopment of an existing multifamily property, use development, proximate to existing commercial services, and utilization of existing public infrastructure within the city's W1S1 service areas. As stated, the applicant is proposing 122-feather multi-family dwellings in a single structure. Particular to General Ordinance Section 164.45.17b, multi-family dwellings handle permitted use in the CN zone. The applicant is also proposed in approximately 9,100 square feet of ground floor commercial space intended to serve residents of the development and surrounding neighborhood. Pursuant to zoning ordinance section 164.45.17a, accessory uses and buildings customarily incidental to any permitted use in this section is a permitted use in the CN zone. With this, the zoning administrator has preliminarily determined that limited neighborhood-serving commercial uses may be considered accessory to those residential development. This is subject to further review. Potential commercial uses may include neighborhood-oriented service and retail uses compatible with adjacent residential development subject to applicable zoning rules and operational limitations. And if you want me to go over the site, plan, I definitely throw that with you. You can see that the building is facing the intersection of Sullivan and Weimar. This is actually as you exit 140 on the Sullivan Road. This will be the first building. This will be the building you'll see, a four-story structure. The entire structure, four stories, is residential. The orange area on the screen, that is the first floor commercial.

Mr. Deepak, can I ask you a question? Do you... Was there a specific reason that the commercial was designated to be in that particular part of the building?

Do you know? I do not know. I don't have to explain that. I would think, if it was me, that this is the portion of the building that is fronted on Sullivan Avenue, the more primary road coming through, and you'd want to face the commercial on the Sullivan. But again, the applicant can further explain that. Come on, I didn't mean to upset him. So, and then privately to the rear, they do provide sidewalks and landscaping. I'll get some of those concerns as we move forward. Do you have any other thoughts about the design of the plan itself?

It's more story or five story building?

Four story building.

There's not really a lot of open space on that.

Yeah, right now. Yeah. What's the floor?

Five. I'm sorry, five. The lower level is going to be cracked. So it's a five-story building. A five-story building with an underground parking.

We can hold off the discussions. Sorry about that. You're not wrong. But thank you for answering the question. The staff report provides information related to the development design preferences as well as outstanding issues related to the development plan, which include... I'm sorry. Let's go through the architecture. I apologize. Go on. So yes, it is a five-story building. This is the view from Sullivan and Schaefer, the view from Sullivan and Weimert Avenue. So you can see the intersection here of the two. So this would be the point, essentially, of the building as you're jumping off of one corner of Sullivan. This is the view you're going to see. And then 54.

Thanks.

And this is the main entry. So this is internal to the site where the parking lot is that you're looking. This is where you've made access into the building. So if you notice, if you look at the architecture, it might look very familiar to you. When we went to the 222 East Green Street, a lot of the elements you see here are representative and comments with the type of material, the change in elevation, and the height of the building itself, the change in the height, as well as balconies and other elements. Again, so that's why it might look very familiar, and it is the same architect that did the 2-2-E screen, so that was very helpful as we move forward.

Hey, Mr. Debo, it kind of strikes me as a slightly more modern version of what we approved on feel from what we were doing on Green Street.

So it seems like a relative, but it's not an exact copy. It's not. It took elements of it and its proximity to East Green Street. It's downtown, so it had more flair of the downtown, the elements of downtown that was pushed more. This is much further away, so this is more in keeping of something you would see, you know, a little bit out of downtown or, you know, but still within the city area. get the main view again mix of material as well that was brought up and this is much better and you can see then and the height is helped because the change the top floor has changed the material to kind of provides that it kind of lessens the height of the view um Sorry. So let me get through some of the concerns that we had. One of them is, I'll just go through them. Concerns with the existing residents currently at the property. Staff is asking the applicant maybe provide some input as to how they're going to be displaced and moved if they're working with the people that are currently living in the existing apartments. And this is to the development plan. There's a lot of beautiful open space in the development plan. So again, that's something that I think we can work on as we move forward. And I have thought a little bit about that. Just for the purpose of open space, it focuses public park, is there a family park, which is approximately 1500 feet from the property, but there's no defined a safe pedestrian route to access the park from the property.

So even though that's not so much of a property issue,

There's a lack of sidewalk along the entirety of Schaefer Avenue, and the overall design of the sidewalks. You can see how Schaefer just ends. We're asking that it extends all the way through. Plus, staff is quite So and speaking of the roadway itself, the applicant, and again, this is a concept plan, so we'll move forward. So this is not a slight on the applicant or the plan at all. Looking at the streets themselves for possible parking on the street, how can we provide those and maybe some traffic common measures similar to the 222E screen where the parking is set back and at the end you have little So looking at potential improvements for the roadway itself. Staff believes there's a need for additional evaluation of the building massing and architectural compatibility, which we've talked about. Staff says there's a lack of landscaping and screening. Again, it's a concept plan and then more screening will be provided, but I think that's something that we should be looking at at this stage as we move forward. Staff is looking eventually for submission of a traffic impact analysis with the 120 units as well certain things, obviously, compliance with the development design preferences. And as we talk through the development plan and the design and the architecture, we just want to make sure that the development plan design layout is part of any planning zoning commission recommendation, as well as the architectural elevations are also part of any planning zoning commission recommendation similar to 222E3 that would go forward to the Mayor and County Council.

Mr. Debo, can I ask you a question if you go back to the slide?

It isn't that far away from Dutterer's Park.

Your concern is how do people at this part of the building get to Dutterer's Park because there's no good access right now or safe pedestrian access. So that's certainly something that we have to address because you can't have all these units here and not really have

and get access to kind of open space.

So is your thought, you know, now, admittedly, sorry. Admittedly, you could, you know, through redesign and otherwise try to get more open space on that site as well, balancing that, though you might have to change some building or whatever. But is your thought more so about the good access

address that than trying to address it on-site, or what are your thoughts on that? It's a combination of both.

I think additional open space needs to be provided on-site for the actual residents nearby, but the lack of open space, the ability for open space for this park to get to that development, I think the city is encouraging and would like to see. That proximity, the park is still closed, 12th floor, as well as downtown.

I would love that these residents a little bit further to hit downtown.

But ensuring that they have a safe path, how do we get those people to the downtown area?

I will say, having worked on the Willows and the Green Street project, I give the applicant credit for the fact that I feel like this is... We spent a lot of work sessions on that project. I feel like this is starting out... quite frankly, a better place than those two did as far as I felt there was a lot of more work. I mean, don't get me wrong, we need a public here and we need the feedback from the community. And there's some fine tuning here, but I think where we're starting out at is a better place than maybe we started out at those other two projects.

I agree. And again, this is much further ahead. I agree with that. It does provide several... in the right direction. So I would agree with that.

I do think it's interesting that we're going to have two new four- or five-story buildings in close proximity to each other. We were worried with the other one about the height. I mean, this always eliminates that worry about the height.

I feel like this one, Jay, because it has so much visibility. It does have decent, relatively decent visibility from 140. You know what I mean? So to me, the height where the willows was, I was more concerned because of the surrounding stuff.

I feel like this is kind of more anchored on 140.

towards Pennsylvania Avenue.

Well, one thing about putting new sites, the other one is basically still centered in a residential area surrounded by houses. So this here is more business around. I mean, you have car wash, car

Mr. Diba, did you have anything else? Just a recommendation. So staff recommends that ZMA 2601, as introduced for consideration for the Planning and Zoning Commission, on May 21, 2026, be scheduled to a public hearing. And just as processes, as the public hearing is held, the Planning and Zoning Commission will be asked to deliberate, which may include separate work sessions on the zoning map amendments and development plan. Council. And also the introduction of the application scheduling for public hearing should not constitute a finding regarding the ultimate merits of the application of compliance with all applicable approval criteria. And with that, that completes my report.

Is there anyone else wishing to speak? And so please provide for the record, your name, and address.

Yes, thank you. Kelly Miller, 7030 East Main Street, Westminster, Maryland, 21157.

I'm here tonight on behalf of the applicant who is also present and with us, Mr. Ernie Raphaelides. He owns the site as it is now and is the prospective redeveloper, I'll call him, of the site. Marty Hackett with CLSI is here. He has prepared some of the plans. And Hannah Weichel is here with the architecture firm. as well. And I appreciate the dialogue here tonight. That's really why we're here is to hear some initial feedback from you. I think most of you are very familiar with the site, but just to understand, you know, Ernie, have the site now. And this all kind of started because we wanted to redo the buildings on the site. And this has been a fairly long journey, but I'll credit, you guys can duke it out if you want to take credit. But Mark and Sarah said, why don't you look at other potentials for the site? Is there a greater potential here than just taking the existing buildings and one by one redoing the existing buildings the way they already are. And so that is the impetus for this plan. The existing buildings are, this is R-75 zoned, and they don't comply with today's current standards in terms of setbacks and things. So, you know, this site is already a little bit different than your typical R-75 zoning district as it sits right now. And so through significant work, Ernie came up with this sort of concept plan. And it truly is that, a concept plan. There is flexibility to this. And so we do take this opportunity very seriously to have this dialogue with you and hear some of the things that are important. And because there's room for this to be changed. This is not this exact thing to make this work. But it is important for us to get through some process as efficiently as possible. point about the existing residents, I just want to state that it's a little premature for us to start having those conversations. Even though we want to move efficiently, this is not going to be an overnight process, and we do not want the residents to think that this tonight means that next month there's going to be a demo permit or something. This is still years in the works before anything is actually being changed. So Ernie is willing to work with that. And I think that's very feasible under this existing structure and such to do that. But we do not want anybody to have the misconception that this housing product is going to change overnight. This is going to be a project. So we look forward to working with you all through the process, but really welcome any feedback that you have. I think one of our sort of questions that Marcus poses, do you like this retail concept? Do you not like it? Are other things more important to you than the retail there? Ernie has the existing site, which is residential only. So this would be a new sort of thing there, if you will. And we are truly open to your feedback in that.

Unlike some of our friends at the county, I don't No, I mean, I think a commercial element in that location makes some sense. I was a little bit curious, and you can clarify, I think the reason you wanted the commercial where you did it is because of its proximity to Sullivan and kind of more of the 1-3 area. What was the whole process there?

I mean, we wanted to add a parking garage under the presidential as well. So in order to do that, you need to It needs to go at one side so we can maximize the garage spaces. But to Kelly's point, I will add that I know that open space is of a concern. And if the open space is more important, we can move more parking in, get rid of the retail, and open up the space there to maintain the parking count. I think that was one thing that we kind of talked about internally in terms of how to satisfy some of your concerns there.

space and take away some of the on-site parking, per se, to allow for more green space, is as we come up with a plan for the parallel parking along three streets, or at least two or three. The ones that are more side streets instead of the main road. But there's people who park along solid now. So while we're doing it, we may change the configuration of curb of the building or the lot itself to where as we did that we may be able to fully sum up the part and also create green space. The other thing we may have to adjust the part in the end way to accommodate the sidewalk on not one or the other. Shaper.

Yeah, shaper.

curiosity was there any thought given to the commercial being more because you're kind of like the 140 part is right here was there any thought of the commercial being more here on that angle and then the parking being on either side and i'm not saying don't take that as i want you to do that right now i just i just was curious what the thought process was i believe we have to look at it uh

Right now, that commercial area is going to have to be at grade to get, obviously, the entrances. If we have to look at the parking grade on both sides, the issue on one side of the building versus the road grade on the other, I don't know that we're going to be able to get access to two different locations in the parking area.

It does make it more complicated.

I get that. The pallets internally designed. There's going to be, you know, a question that we're going to have to work through. We may be coming back to them and saying, well, we really, as we graded the sections, you just don't work through the building. And it's going to be part, because the part may be underground, whether it's entirely or partially. The retail space, not so much. We can't have the steps for ADA and all that. And we want to give them the ramps and everything else associated. So I think that that's, you know, as we get into this thing and work through some of the details, we're going to be having workshops on this. We've had them on previous. And I think we are close. We've got a great starting point. It's just there's a lot of details, a lot of engineering that may adjust some things that we don't see. But the main thing was to get there and sit there. You like the concept. And from there, because once we start getting into this, obviously the dollars start flowing and things start falling and the clock starts ticking. I like the idea.

Go ahead. Sorry. I do like the idea of a retail center there because in that area itself, retail is pretty limited. I mean, to get to any shopping center, you need to walk along 140. So having something like this in that area, I think that's a plus to it. I think it's a, and just for residents themselves, having that retail and grocery stores.

Well, I don't think it could be a grocery store there, but a little WDS, but there could be, there could be a lot of different.

It's only a little over 9,000.

9,000. Okay. So that's. I mean, I say only, only in context for the grocery store.

No, it's 9,000. Good size. Yeah.

I will say.

after a certain point in time.

But the other projects that came to us that we went through a similar process, I feel like sometimes we were like, we don't even think you're ready for public hearing yet. This one I feel like is far enough along. I don't feel like we need to work with it anymore before we go to public hearing. Not that there isn't more work to do here, but I think it's far enough along that it makes sense for us to move forward with it to go to public hearing. I don't know how you all feel, but that's kind of what mine. I don't think we need, I don't think we at this level need to do anything else before we recommend it to public hearing and start getting feedback. And then obviously once we get that feedback, we'll get back to that. Yes, exactly.

And we could start the workshops at that point, taking into consideration input from the community

so i will make a anyone else can i have a motion on local math amendment lma 26-01 and a second i will make a motion that we proceed forward with taking it to public hearing

Is there any discussion or a motion? I want to favor a motion. Aye. Opposed? Seeing no objections, the motion is passed. Next on the agenda is site development plan SS-26 statute 7118 west of the street. Ms. Bannon please take your seat if you'll report.

um.

Okay, thank you. I apologize. So in this case, the applicant has filed a site development plan, SS2607, the redevelopment of 118 West Main Street. The subject property is located in the intersection of West Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue and consists of an existing vacant commercial building formerly occupied by the NBC booth. The property claims approximately 0.20 acres and is zoned DV downtown business pursuant to Article 8B of the zoning ordinance. The proposed redevelopment includes the renovation of an existing commercial structure Revised site circulation, commercial improvements, pedestrian enhancements, landscaping, and exterior facade improvements associated with the establishment of a 1,256 square foot cafe within the existing building. Pursuant to zoning ordinance section 164.45.8A.39, restaurants and lunchrooms without drive-thru service is a permanent use in the deep downtown business. The proposed landscaping plan complies with applicable provisions of the landscape manual and includes enhanced landscape plantings, parking lot landscaping, screening elements, and pedestrian oriented site improvements.

And if I could, I'll just go through the site flow real quick.

Again, It's at the intersection of Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. If you're familiar with the site, there's multiple access points for Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. This plan is eliminating all access points except one for Main Street and that's where you can see your access.

Because right now there's two along Main Street, is that correct? There's basically a double one along Main and then there's one along Pennsylvania, correct?

Yes, and it's essentially cut through. So this eliminates the cut through access or ability. Anywhere there was an existing access point, that would be redeveloped with curb and gutter and sidewalk. And that's represented in the plan as well through the limits of disturbance. And there's five parking spaces on site that to swap locations so you can back out and actually exit out of the site. Of course, multiple landscaping on the site. So back to parking, the proposed cafe is to have 16 seats and four employees and is required to have six parking spaces. There is a 25% parking reduction because the property is located in the downtown parking area. it down to five parking spaces and they are provided the five parking spaces on site as i stated the applicant submitted the water and sewer allocation application wsa 2522 for the cafe and it was found that 400 gallons of water and sewer allocation is needed to serve 16 seats on may 6 2026 uh community planning development presented the proposed architectural elevations

Can I ask you a question or two about the layout of the site or the site plan? As part of this, I'm assuming because you have all these places where the Is that correct? Along both Pennsylvania and Main Street as part of this redevelopment? Yes, that's what staff is recommending.

The curb and gutter is replaced, so you eliminate that curb cut. So it would be full sidewalk. The only curb cut that would be remaining would be the one on Main Street that's shown. Okay.

And it still looks like you're putting up a couple of country polls to stop somebody on that one edge. Am I reading that right or not? They are showing some bollards here. That was a concern of backing out and hitting the bollard. So maybe the handicapped space has to be here so they can actually back out.

And I guess they're doing that because they don't want someone to jump the sidewalk. Is that the idea in that location? I'm assuming the applicant talked about that.

But you can see the limits of disturbance that's picking up the areas where the existing driveways are located. So that's where the sidewalk will be replaced?

Will they be replacing the sidewalk that's in between those two areas or not? There's a curve here already.

So you're a tree existing, a curve here.

This is the opening. There's an opening here. Okay. So they won't necessarily be replacing that part of the sidewalk then? No. So it'll be just extending the curve that's existing to match the curve on this side and also on this section here.

You know what I mean? Like, yeah. Yeah, I understand.

Yeah, the question's about the plan itself. Does anyone else have any questions about the site plan itself?

See, something's being done with it. Yes.

On May, again, on May 6, 2026, presented the proposed architectural elevations with the old stream. For the project, the Historic District Commission for advisory feedback regarding compatibility with the surrounding downtown context. Following the review of the proposed elevations, the Historic District Commission provided several recommendations intended to improve compatibility with the surrounding historic commercial character, and those comments were provided to the staff as well. Our staff believes additional refinement of the architectural elevations would improve consistency with the development material variation, pedestrian scale architecture, detailing, and historically compatible exterior features prior to final approval of the elevations. And with that, after further discussion of the elevations and rather it come back to staff, staff feels strongly that these elevations come back to Planning and Zoning Commission for review and consideration. we move forward so the the recommendation is being revised and i apologize for that the staff is recommending that the american planning commission consider continuing to the proposed site development plan s 2607 118 west main street To allow that architecture elevations come back and some of the following conditions that staff is still revealed. A carrier over with that follow up with the planning zoning Commission is one revise the again pros architectural elevations to address planning zoning Commission historic district Commission direction. by planning and development prior to signature approval to site development plan. Three, final signage shall compile applicable historic district and zoning requirements. Four, final landscape installation shall be completed in substantial performance with improved landscape plan. Five, the Pennsylvania Avenue access point shall be permanently closed. Pennsylvania Avenue main street sidewalk curb and gutter improvements completed prior to issuance of occupancy permits. to review that. Six final approved plans shall incorporate all required ADA accessible improvements shall become null and void after two years from the date of the Planning and Zoning Commission approval unless signed for approval by a designated member of the Commission and the Planning Director. This is something new we've added. The intent is that we do have applications of plans that have come through the Planning and Zoning Commission and have not moved forward after several years.

And there's water and sewer allocation applied to those projects that are being essentially held. So the concern is here that Yes.

It's not a bad thing to have, actually.

Yeah. Can you go back to the elevations? Yeah. So, Mr. Debo, like, the site plan itself, you know, that's a difficult site. You know, a corner site that was a high Um, you know, generally, you know, I'm pretty pleased with what they're doing with the site and I'm glad that the city is working with them. As far as that's concerned, because it's hard, you know, it's corner. Triangle piece, but I do have a lot of concerns regarding the elevation. We are very much trying to pay a lot of attention to our downtown and how. um you know properties kind of blend into the historic nature of downtown and no offense to the elevations up there but it looks like something i could see in a suburban retail environment um and it just doesn't the elevations don't do anything for me when it comes to trying to maintain the historic character of downtown And not to jump ahead, but I know the next thing on the agenda, I was very impressed with some of the elevations I saw on that project because they were very much trying to ground it into the historic nature of downtown. So I hope that between now and when it comes back, you can really work with the applicant to kind of give them a really good set of a sense of what

we're looking for and i don't know quite how to describe it you know what i mean but it's not that and especially with being downtown um i don't know how you guys feel but i i just that doesn't do anything for me from an elevation standpoint and that's the big orange crab is gone that where the sign was how do you live up there i think if you took that little building and you added some cute red and white awnings on it and some planters out front, I think it would fit Aaron to respond and it wouldn't take a whole lot of complex things.

No, I don't think it's, that is not it. I think there's things that you could do with the existing elevation and other things that could make it blend in better with the historic nature.

So let's see what they come up with between staff and all that. I wanted to do that, but there's a building behind it also that needs to blend in with that too.

Well, somewhat it needs to blend in, Jay, but I will say, you know, when you're downtown... I see what you're saying, but it's not right downtown.

It's not what I would say is the main downtown. Then again...

The Carol Arts Center, you can walk to the Carol Arts Center from there. Carol Arts Center is downtown. Yeah, that is downtown.

behind it made it look kind of cohesive that this thought that the thought process is that how we're trying to convert that maybe the whole site to look better for both of them. I'm lending it to you.

I think if you look at jumping ahead to the next project

historic kind of buy and and i know you this went to the historic district commission and they look at this and i agree with them as someone who lives down this is downtown and this site is really important how that that how these elevations look is critically important in the long run and i don't think we're talking about something that's hugely expensive or anything like that

and character behind him. To me, that's very plain Jane.

Looks like I'm in a suburban environment.

Should we have public comment? Yes, yes, yes, yes. Sorry, sorry. Is there anyone wishing to speak? If so, please provide for the record your name and address. Josh Royal, I'm with the Association of Associates.

I represent the client 715 Ambassador Rd in Baltimore.

Just to say, we're more than happy to work with you guys with what you would like, architecturally speaking. Just really, in the interest of time, we'd love to get specific feedback, examples of what you're looking for, because our client's been at that for a while, just trying to renovate a building and make it useful. It's been vacant. I think everybody would like it to move forward. So we're more than happy to work with you, architecturally speaking.

Anyone else? Does the commission have any more comments? Can I have a motion on site development plan SS-2600C?

Wait. I thought we were talking about continuing this.

Is that correct? Yeah. But does the commission have any additional comments? I don't have any comments themselves. I think from a design preference man's standard, there's a lot of lacking in this

Brick, not a bad concept.

This brick is seen downtown, but whether it's necessary or not, but I think there needs to be more review of reference manual standards and what the Historic District Commission recommended for architecture.

And I think we've already mentioned, and the next project is coming forward, they really took the building as is and they did improvements to the building

think the next project with the elevations is an excellent example of taking an existing building and taking what's there but kind of take it to another level um and tie it in and i think there's an opportunity to do it with the existing elevations that we have there or that when i say the existing i mean the actual existing elevations not those and and kind of take what's there and and bring in some of those other elements but i

I think they're looking for a specific direction that maybe you can sit down and kind of work with them and maybe they can stay and watch what the next project is.

Because I think the next project is a great example of taking an existing elevation and doing something with it. And I'm not saying for them to copy that one, but along those lines.

the final group of the architecture. I'm just not sure. We're not quite there yet. I think we need a lot more discussion of the architecture specifically. Staff has no issues with the site design. I think the improvements for access, we pick up additional pride being born to both those streets as we close off those access points. So that's a benefit as well. But I think it really comes down to the architecture.

up potentially i think we can create we can work on potential architecture and concepts um but i really think that maybe what we've done in the past is look at other other jurisdictions other locations that have the same type of concept and provide those examples to both the applicant the planning zoning commission to then provide a better guidance on the applicant um one design well i think we need to make a motion to continue

continue it wouldn't be the recommendation so i didn't want to make a motion i will make a motion that we continue um our our our review of site development plan ss 2607 118 west main street to a future meeting of the planning and zoning commission is that one i have a second on there all right

Next on the agenda is Site Development Plan SS-24-21, 285-287 East Moon Street. Staff, please proceed with your report.

So Site Development Plan SS-24-21, the applicant is proposing a redevelopment of 285-289 East Green Street property. The subject property is located at the intersection of East Green Street and Washingtonboro. 8 to 2 8 19 screen street uh is zoned db downtown business zone or db zone and is subject to the city of westminster's own ordinance pursuant to site development plan ss 2421 the property contains approximately 1.39 acres and includes approximately a 31 430 square feet of existing commercial building area within two structures SS 2421 proposes to raise the existing wooden building, and that's the building here that's facing East Green Street, as well as portions of the second building existing more of a concrete structure. And you can see the section along East Green Street here and the section along Washington Road that's intended to be raised as well. And the primary purpose for the removal of the building is for additional pipelines you can see to the site and to get around the site. The redevelopment, again, includes new parking area and landscaping for the commercial retail use and renovating the facade of the concrete block building. That's provided by the applicant, SS-2420. retail flex space within the remaining building area. The zoning order in section 8B, the DB downtown business zone, section 164.45.8, uses permitted, does allow for several retail uses in the DB zone. The site meets and exceeds the landscaping requirements of the landscape manual. The zoning order in section 164.111B, the applicant is required to provide 92 parking spaces. The site is afforded, again, a 25% reduction for being a downtown parking area. This reduces the number of parking spaces from 92 to 69. The applicant can provide 55 parking spaces on the property. With the redevelopment of the property, staff reviews existing sidewalks as well as the... Well, let me stick with parking. I apologize. So 55 on site, so they are short. They were just recently approved an administrative adjustment to reduce the number of parking They do own the property across the street from this, which is a commercial parking lot where I believe they picked up 11 parking spaces at that location to help serve this site and that with the additional parking reduction and eventually a parking agreement to pick up the remaining parking requirements, they will meet parking for the property and meet the zoning ordinance for parking spaces. And then with the redevelopment of the property staff to use existing sidewalks as well as the need for additional sidewalks. Final construction drawings shall demonstrate compliance with applicable ADA accessible requirements. So if you look at the existing sidewalk paths along East Green Street and Washington Road, there are some obstacles, some poles, other things that might limit the ability for handicap accessibility, but we're working with the applicant to continue to do the best we can to ensure I mean the pedestrian anti-cat movement around the site. An Alarm and Show Allocation Application WSA 2571 was submitted and with this application ends being processed for general retail uses. The allocation request is associated with anticipated general retail and commercial occupancy within the redeveloped building. Final approval of water and sewer allocation will be needed prior to final approval. And it should be noted, without stating the specific retail and so allocation application general retail we can give water to that but there's multiple types of retails that may require additional water so that would require additional water and so allocation application in the future to accommodate for that use and that's not uncommon strip centers shopping centers same thing might not anticipate a restaurant with a number of restaurants so they would submit a separate water allocation application for that specific use where we would have to allocate additional water to the property If available. So, again, we talked about the elevations, the applicants again is. Revising and improving the existing elevations of the black building. You can see multiple changes to the. The entrance area is the height added to the building as well as improvements. more about this i'm not giving it justice but it is it is quite an improvement for this corner and what we see there today and with that staff is recommended to plan zoning permission civic conditional approval site development plan ss 2421 or 285 to 289 east green street subject to follow conditions One, address all remaining city of Westminster and Carroll County government comments. Two, continue to work with the city staff to demonstrate compliance with ADA. Three, obtain final stormwater management approval from Carroll County resource manager prior to signature approval of the site development plan. Four, obtain final water and sewer allocation approval prior to issuance of permits. Five, final construction drawings shall demonstrate ADA's compliance to the satisfaction of city staff. Six, any future change in use shall require zoning approval and verification of parking compliance is applicable. And that goes for the parking agreement. There's still a continuation. Things still have to finalize for the administrative adjustment approval for the parking. And seven, site development plan SS2421 shall become null and void after two years from the date of the Planning Zoning Commission approval unless signed and approved by the designated member of the commission and the planning director. Thank you. That's my report.

Is there anyone wishing to speak? If so, please provide for the record. Good evening. My name is

184 East Main Street, Plesmas. We do have all Carroll County agency approvals, including stormwater management. We just got that recently on the 14th. The ADA issues that Mark is speaking of is along the frontage of Washington Road and Green Street. Green Street is very solid. We're providing a five-foot sidewalk Washington is a little bit more challenging, maybe more power poles, a lot of service on those poles. In addition to that, from the back of the existing sidewalk to the site, there's about a two-foot wall. So there is a big grade change between the sidewalk and the side. Right. So Mark and I, with Joe Adkins from city staff, we've looked at it. There's one power pole that creates a little bit of an issue. We can't get the 36-inch clearance.

So I think that will satisfy.

On site, we need all ADA compliance. The county's site compliance reviewer has reviewed the plan and given us approval. It's just a matter of riding the ADA pathway in the areas of those power poles.

It can be difficult at times when you're doing a redevelopment like this. You're not starting from scratch. Right. So there are some sidewall panels.

thing that have sunk, we're going to replace those and make sure that there's a clear pathway. Do you have anything else you want to add? I do have a few questions. I'm here with Mark Hoskins, the owner's representative. We're here to answer any questions.

I do have a few questions about and I commend you with Their design is great and obviously a big improvement over the existing facade, but also is very much keeps the character of the historic nature.

And, you know, with this project going on,

great benefit for for that area to count so the question so was it terribly clear to me and hopefully someone can explain when i'm looking at the existing elevations it looks like they're concrete blocks that are so is my understanding that all of this you're like brick veneering the whole world building or what's exactly happening here? Because you have paint samples, brick veneer, obviously the black metal frame windows, I understand what's going on there, but I'm not sure where the brick is or where the paint is.

The initial phase is going to not the parking lot improvements, the demolition of the ugly building along Green Street, that brown building there going away and increasing the parking and fixing the entrance to the building where it says textile, raising those door heights. That's all going to be done initially. Whether it's all the new veneer or whether it is whether that isn't honestly, the timing of that has not been decided. And only because the colors and obviously we all have to be approved, but depending where the tenant would be, might have something to say about that.

So Mr. Debo, how does that impact what we are or not approving related to this? is happening there.

I would think any change to what the architecture is being proposed, changes to the first color, I would say they have to come back to the Planned Zoning Commission for architecture review.

Okay. And the Historic District Commission, I forgot to mention, this did go to the Historic District Commission some time ago. They were also...

design and felt that it did keep with the historic district in the intent.

But it's the intent, but again, I'm not entirely clear. When I'm looking at this elevation, because it's a phoenix or all that, is that all intended to be brick or not? That's what I don't understand. I was thinking the question was supposed to be brick. It is. The brick one here, the 32 Washington Road, those elevations are to be bricked.

And then these paint colors or some of these complementary paint colors, you know, that are going to be from the side edge and otherwise. Window panels and other things as well, yes. Around the building. Yeah. And similar to see if he plays out a pretty call back with your approval. If you recall, they changed the brick color that was put up and we did bring that back to the change that elevation. So,

Mr. Debo, so when we're approving the site development plan, we're approving the new art of elevations and architecture. Yes. Okay. So I just want to be clear. What we're seeing right now is what we're approving. Yes. So that's a condition. These elevations are a condition of what we're approving. Yes. And just so everybody's on the same page, because again, those are, you know, probably crawling

but we're moving here tonight.

Again, the elevations are part of the staff report and the attachments are part of the record that's presented for the plan.

I know, but it was just a little bit we look at this. Do you know what I mean? It doesn't say there's not a little thing that says brick veneer, but I thought that was the intent. So I'm just trying to be clear with the record.

You have been selected.

right can i i think i will say again i i think the redevelopment of the site is a very attractive redevelopment and again the elevations i commend the work that you guys have done on the elevation thank you um you know i just want to be clear that as we approve this we're approving elevations at the same time so something needs to change all of that

so it's not a public hearing so i don't necessarily close it but you moved on to so if we're going to take more public comment that's okay yeah you're fine okay i'm just trying to put your comment into context that we as an example

requires a company.

And one other question for clarity.

Do you have a sense of what your intent is for the use of that building right now?

I wish we... It's just concept. Because there is an existing tenant and although the lease is well below market, we don't know how long they're going to be there.

Gotcha. Okay. So this has It's not going to be two years.

That's not going to be two years before we start. No.

And I have a motion on the site development plan, SS-23-21, and a second.

I will move that the Planning and Engineering Commission conditionally approve site development plan SS-24-21, 285-289, East Green Street, pursuant to the City of Westminster updates along with may 8 um 2026 staff reports and the seven conditions of approval listed above and just also with the clarification of the discussions that we had clarifying the elevations and that that what we're seeing is all correct is there any discussion on the movement all in favor of the motion hi

Objection, seeing no objections. So we're moving on to old business. Is there any old business?

Thank you.

Staffers, no old business.

Is there somebody from Carroll County present to provide a report? And if so, please provide your name.

Hi. Hello. Yeah, Carroll County planning liaison. I just have a few updates. I'm not sure. A lot of them are from the Board of Clinic missionaries. I'm not sure if you saw their open session today, but some of it's from that. I have not.

I've heard about it, but I have not.

It's our project. So there was... Considering... So for the deferrals and the freedom growth area, there aren't any updates for retirement villages, retirement homes, foster subdivisions, plant commercial centers, or storage centers, other than what I've previously reported to all of you, except for self-storage facilities. The decision to approve the deferrals of self-storage facilities in Freedom Area expired on March 18th. A public hearing was had on April 9th to consider extending the deferral of final approval of self-storage facilities in the Freedom Growth Area for six months to October 9th. So that passed. So today they had an open session and they discussed whether they would like to modify that deferral for any particular self-storage facilities that have reached a certain stage of development or of concept development, if they would like for those to be exempt from deferrals. But that did not go through. Or if they would like to take back the decision for the deferrals to be extended to October 9th, that did not go through. So as of right now, all self-storage facilities in the frame.

But none of these deferrals have any impact on the Westminster area or around us anyway.

I mean, not that.

you know, they don't care about.

I don't have a lot of.

We're in Westminster.

Yeah, I don't have a lot of updates for Westminster. The only thing I think that is like relevant is we're working on a zoning ordinance update for accessory dwelling units in accordance with the new office state. So accessory dwelling units will not be allowed on all single family. So yeah, so it's a little more lenient for the requirements of accessory dwelling units. So that text amendment is in process. We're working on tweaking the text amendments for that. That's really the only update I have that I think directly affects Westminster.

Otherwise, it's... Well, no, I think the impact are the water and sewer area. That's not within the municipality. You know, but not within the municipality that you could potentially have more people looking to do ADUs. Absolutely. In the county portion of our water sewer area.

Yeah. Otherwise I have, I have other like new things that are going on in the county, but they aren't necessarily Westminster related. Um, the, uh, Oh, well they use off-premises signs, um, the billboards, um, the, there was a text amendment for the, uh,

orderments are my dream yeah that was part of the conversation yeah but i think concept it would be nice to have the would be to get rid of some of the hoofboards and if that meant trying to make some of them bigger there's some billboards out there yeah better yeah it's some kind of consolidation that makes sense to me yeah higher quality yeah yeah

I'm not sure if I gave you this update already, but on February 5th, the Board of County Commissioners directed staff to work with the Planning and Zoning Commission to remove residential as accessory to planned commercial centers. It was introduced to the Planning and Zoning Commission on March 4th. And at their March 17th meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend to the Board of County Commissioners removing the residential use component from planned commercial centers in order to not make current planned commercial centers non-performing.

Yeah, it's funny. The centers they do have with residential, they've never had any problem with them, as far as I know.

So this would make it not nonconforming. It would make it conforming. And I think everything else is old news.

Does the commission have any more comments? Does the staff have any comments?

We do have a new member that will be joining us in June, correct? Yes, we do.

Okay. Robert Wack was appointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission by the Mayor of Common Council.

He was unable to make it today because he's out on vacation, I believe, but he will be at the next meeting.

Can the motion to adjourn the meeting?

So moved. Second.

All in favor of the motion to adjourn? Aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed? Seeing no objection, the meeting is adjourned at 7.24. 7.24, yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

How you doing? Lovely. Yeah, that's true. Yeah, it's really helpful. Yeah. Yeah.

Thank you, gentlemen. That's really Jason and Michael. I'm looking back to any of the ambitions. This looks how we developed this in those states as well.

Oh, that would be nice.

We have a nice group. Yeah.

Yeah, and I think the college would like this one.

One day Barney Hill came in and said, hey, that's what I read. It's right there. Yeah. There's no reason. Yeah. And I need to design need for.

Mark, what do you need? The blue signature pen. Don't talk until after.

Green.

It has to be that chart. You should be housing. That's where it transitions. She can hang out with us.

thoughts and that's what I think.

What should be done, the public assembly should be done, and then it's your turn.

Do you want to get together and talk about it?

Yeah, I think that would be great.

Let me take a look at it, and then we'll set up a time. What if we do want to be on the same page? Yeah. It sounds like

guys are you know equally kind of pushing this

Yeah. Yeah.

I don't want to put it on the planet.

You know, you can build it, you can use it, and you can throw that out there. So that will be your proof right away. Also, I don't want you to totally learn it.

I don't want them to sit out there and say, let's do it again.

have no idea that i was like yeah that's why i think how uh like sure these paths and films are made it's piece by piece and he's like i'll call him tomorrow call me tomorrow next week and we'll tell you how to fix it it's not like that it's like yeah you have to know it's not most history exactly exactly so make it like think about this no one know where to go with the movie that's the health of the city why i'm here

in the black hole for the entire side no i'm glad i noticed that yeah yeah yeah yeah because it's my i don't want to feel like i'm not trying to work with them like this i don't want to drive by that two years from now so like my comment letters don't have to i don't want to get a phone call i still would like

or whatever I say to be like in conjunction with.