Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

27 2025 our first order of business is the call to order Pledge of Allegiance Al un States of America to the repic for it stands one nation under God indivisible justice for all and as always I welcome those who have taken the time in their evening to come out uh to town hall tonight welcome and uh to those who are uh following us tonight through Facebook or uh channel 23 uh Carol County media center and thanks to Carol Media Center for their support on this evening our first order of business after the pledge is the approval of the minutes um this commission uh took a break in December so our minutes go back to the November meeting of November 25th um each commissioner has been provided a copy of those minutes so I'll pause in case there are uh any notes that you have made and after a minute or so then I will entertain a motion to approve or comments with regard to editing the current minutes do I I have a motion I'll make a motion to approve the uh November 2024 minutes commissioner Ali has motion approval is there a second I'll second it's seconded by Martina all any discussion or edits on the content in the current minutes hearing no need for edits all those in favor of the motion to approve the minutes of November 25th 2024 say I I I all those opposed none oos those the

minutes are passed unanimously thank you and thank you Deborah after the minutes uh on our agenda we always give time to those uh citizens here who wish to make public comments on any topics not seen in tonight's agenda uh and I say that so that uh everyone knows that when we get to any agenda item uh I do always allocate time for a citizen comment uh pertaining to that topic so again uh open the floor and I'll recognize anyone who wishes to come forward to the microphone in the table to make a comment on any item in the town whatsoever not related to the current agenda again a call for anyone who wish to make a public comment not seeing any I close the public comment citizen comments portion of tonight's agenda and now we'll turn to the liaison County planner ERS that we have established uh with the town from both Frederick and Carol counties those representatives are um Vanessa Moreno from Frederick County and Vanessa if you want to come on up good to see you again seems like that yeah happy New Year exactly all right so just a few um updates for you all as you may already know um the two site development plans for the quantum loophole you could just sort of bend that down out that's per there we go um as you may have already know uh the two site development plans for the quantum loophole projects have been approved by the Planning Commission um back in September um one is 111 Acres whereas the other is 55 Acres um and so that project is still is

continuing to move along um our office is currently working on the annual and fiveyear Report um that was required by the Maryland Department of planning and so we're um Gathering all our bearings at the moment and you know um doing all that uh data data Gathering um our office is also workshopping the South Frederick Corridor um form based code with the Planning Commission um and um sorry they are currently working on the Imp implementation processes and uh changes to the zoning ordinance that would have to go into place um and that is expected to head to another Workshop um in another Planning Commission Workshop in February uh the Myersville and Middletown reconciliation plans went before the County Council um on January 7th and 14th um for informational presentations and were recently approved on January 21st and just a uh brief update on Cherry Run as previously stated Cherry Run is currently in the development review process uh for a proposed subdivision of five Parcels off of Green Valley Road uh the development is to include 665 single family units and 164 to town homes um an mou with FCPS is currently in the works for a new Elementary School site off of muser Road and the site was de uh was donated by a developer and we're expecting to see Cherry Run head to the planning commissioner's um desk sometime in March and yes that's all I have for you for for this evening fantastic fantastic thank you Vanessa and then does the commission have any questions for her on this news from Frederick County I have my usual question Vanessa is there any development in the Southeast quadrant of

the county that is in what in proximity to um extremities of Mount Ary that um it may have developed or it may be underway since the last time that sure yeah uh we just um finished wrapping up um updating the fourth quarter um for the residential pipeline what is where we keep track of all the ongoing projects um New Market had no um recorded Lots or um approved site plans so there's a there's a good bit of projects in the pipeline for uh New Market but nothing has moved forward along and we're not seeing so much activity in the area as of as of now well that that's always going to be an interest of ours of course historically that's one of the fastest growing U areas of Frederick County and it's in proximity to mount Aries so course in terms of of pressure on on our our locality that's something of interest to us absolutely and I'll be sure to try and just keep an extra eye on those on that um that area and those projects for next time thank you yeah absolutely question commissioner Al can you clarify the quantum loophole yeah I didn't write too many notes down and I'm sorry for that um just that those projects were recently approved back in December dat centers or yes okay yeah the side plans for those uh I have a quick question really not so much a question but just to kind of springboard off of you mentioning Frederick County owes the state a fiveyear report that's the 5year report as the Midway of your master plan yes sorry I should have been more clear but yes no no no no no not at all I got it I just wanted to kind of mention that because we're in the midst of uh crossing the goal line with our master plan and uh and so you're common is kind of further education for the citizens of

the town that you know at the midpoint of that tenure uh for us it'll be 2028 um right because our plan goes 23 to 33 uh so in 2028 we'll be doing that similar kind of work to report back to State mdp as to how is the plan coming etc etc yeah and these changes of processes a little bit of what's required and what we are um required to submit so be happy to provide any guidance the time comes for you guys gotcha any other questions for Miss Mareno sure mayor test test uh my question is you may have said it but I might have missed it when I was back here is the Cherry is it Cherry Hill Cherry Run Cherry Run development is all that going to be annexed into New Market no there's no annexation plans in the B so it's going to be developed as a county development yes MH right that's interesting but 600 over 600 houses CL 700 yeah so in that area I mean right now New Market somewhere around 5,000 you're probably going to add close to that to it that's that's going to be like 10,000 yeah people over there yeah our pipeline is um tracking about 5,000 planned units for that area as of now so yeah so essentially you're going to have the same size as Mount ARA is going to be sitting over there at uh at Green Valley at at Highway 75 so that's a big development that's going to have an impact on us too absolutely all right thanks yeah and and and the school you mentioned associated with that development so the county is clearly seen that in conjunction with that kind of growth going to need to provide a school an elementary school it's an elementary okay all right so I was curious as to whether it was multi level uh to bring relief to lingan or or any of the the higher schools right but it's just Elementary just Elementary as of now fantastic there's a spot for the

yeah there so they're CH school oh okay yeah because I thought we heard about a high school already yeah and now it's that piece of land Green Valley from high school I'm not currently aware of the high school cool I just know that the right now we're working with um FCPS forou and trying to facilitate those conversations a little bit more so super yeah I have one question sure so you mentioned form based code I thought the county was looking into that because it wasn't working right and I thought that they were trying to do some research but it sounds like they're moving forward in yes they're moving forward just with the implementation processes and um any updates to the zoning ordinance that would have to go into place um okay so still very much in the workshopping process okay yeah still very much ongoing I'm going to throw an I'm going to throw an idea out here and see if the Commissioners would rally behind it in that is to kind of focus your good reporting uh we're we're absolutely interested in the form based code efforts because we are going to be looking at design guidelines for the town in the coming months um so I don't want to say we're not interested in those other things but if if there's kind of a spotlight in the future Vanessa with regard to this Cherry Run in the new market area I think we would enjoy that that kind of Spotlight great yeah I mean like you you mentioned Myersville and Middletown I used to live in Middletown when I was active duty in the Pentagon um but on this side of the county I think got you know what I'm saying gotta absolutely beautiful us a bit okay any other questions no well thank you again so much sure yeah appreciate it and our liaison also uh to Carol County um was Hannah but I believe Hannah has moved on and um the county has yet to name a replacement is that true John that's true replacement has

been gotcha informed IM me so so we'll be optimistic about having Carol County uh Phill Hannah's big shoes and bringing that perhaps to the February meeting and if um just as Fredrick County so did so well uh with replacing there of the aison if you get a heads up and um we want to get together and kind of do a meet and greet with that liaison before the February meeting I think that that would uh start building that bridge with them even better so just a thought I I leave it to you of course John um with that then um our agenda item number five is to take a look at the annual report that's required of the Town um all Commissioners were provided an advanced copy to take a look at um John I believe you've made some some edits um yes so I put revised copies at your desk and also add on to the table out there so if somebody you got in a packet beforehand that's not accurate what's out on the desk out there is accurate um so and and one of the one of the changes was um uh number one item uh the subdivision and site plan approvals so Dennis subdivision was currently two lots of record when it came came in uh and that's why there's only three New Lots with a total of five Lots five dwelling units so that was the change and I put an Asis down there to to mention that so that's why the numbers are sort of different there go ahead if I can just elaborate um so as we all know I believe that uh Boulevard or that street for this division is Chevrolet court is that the proposed name I think it's Chevrolet K cour of bow tie something like that yeah and so the two houses we see and the difference between those numbers are the

two existing houses that faced South Main am I correct right well yeah there was houses there many many many many years ago it's been a chly dealership but but there was two lot of Records now the two new the two new Lots at the front will be facing Main Street to simulate the P Street yeah Boulevard in in harmony with the boulevard there okay sorry for that I I just wanted to make sure everybody knew the Delta of two there sure are there any questions do anybody have any questions about it page two did you did you want to elaborate on page two uh or take us through I'm I'm I'm just looking if you could John if you don't mind just take us through each page no worries no worries yeah so Twin Bridge professional Park section two lot 18a that of course was the three lot uh industrial um business complex that'll be right across from the community garden Twin Ridge Prof professional Park section to lot 7A of course is the Cub smart um subdivision or Cub smart site plan and no residential elements right so we'll go to page three pankl annexation was the only annexation um that fell in that year right um and that's all for that page and the next page uh there's no changes to the PFO

restrictions and the new parks or Park changes uh we have the rails to Trail uh heading west from Hill Street uh the cap beautification Etc and the last one is uh before we leave go ahead yeah if I don't mind Barney you have a copy of that page yeah and so at the top where we talk about where there any new roads or substantial changes in roads um obviously we didn't include the traffic circle or the Prospect Avenue Main Street intersection um that so in reverse order would the prospec Avenue Main Street intersection qualify as a significant enough of them no it's not considered new they're usually looking for L roads we talk about gotcha State gotcha no new LS and the traffic circle doesn't qualify for entry uh possibly when um next year next year for this for this year for the report for January of back Circle we did um we did already have all backacre Circle even though we just um to the final surface of the the last section right before they have that already as part of our and that's why that was removed off of uh the original copy Goa ah okay and once they do that then it hands over to the town right okay all right sorry for that Interruption we're good page uh five well I could have swore I changed this too so were the changes to the PFA um amendments and the answer is yes not no um and again this was for the uh annexation of the Pang plan so our

boundaries changed uh through Carol County and the new maps as part of the master plan will reflect that and then the last page of course is the letter that goes back to Carol County thanks so much John and Barney and um I'm going to open to any Commission questions or comments regarding um this annual report and its draft I think we've identified one small edit on page five the yes and no under the priority funding area right which is um item item one at the top there just uncheck the no box right okay any questions again no questions then I'll make a motion that we approve the annual report with the edit on page five to uncheck the no box for the PF a amendments um motion's been made is there a second second uh commissioner Butz has seconded the motion to approve the annual report with the exception of the amendment of unchecking The no box on page five any discussion further discussion or edits hearing none all those in favor of the motion signify by saying I I any opposed the motion to accept the annual report with a small edit on page five uh John is is unanimous thank you thank you for your work on that and also with Barney and I'll sign that at some time in the coming week yeah give me a give me a quick call and I'll come down and uh we'll take care of that okay fantastic um the next item on the uh agenda for tonight is um item six uh

discussion of the possible changes to the design guidelines and um if I may John uh I'll lead off with a little bit of information on this um this agenda item is the reason why the read ahead package for the Commissioners included copies of our current design guidelines um they are in two tranches one has to deal with the design guidelines for historic Rehabilitation and one's just pure if you're coming into the town and you need some guidance on how to put together an elevation that is going to be in harmony with the town um it's it's that sort of document so there's two flavors of our current design guidelines if I'm not mistaken my research shows that those two tranches of design guidelines were generated roughly in the town Planning Commission Council deliberation in the 2010 time frame if I'm not mistaken so um it's reasonable that we undertake in the coming year as one of our tasks um bringing them up to a more contemporary set of guidelines um the master plan that's in draft for the council's consideration does include in chapter eight um an objective that the Planning Commission has decided to become the objective owner of it and it's specifically to this point that we will take on the task to um to draft new guidelines for the town to again assure that any developer coming in the town understands what is acceptable and what is is complete streets and what is green streets and all those sorts of terms now which are very popular and and very good um how to relate their design to um bringing something into the town that we will that we will enjoy and like so um that's really all I wish to say uh about the design guidelines other than the two

um the two tranches that I mentioned are in your hands Commissioners uh and if you don't have any reading already scheduled you know it's probably not a bad idea to start going through and kind of look in what's on the ground right now um and then perhaps as we move into February's meeting um and perhaps after of course the master plan is adopted by the council uh then we can start you know setting forth a plan to tackle this this task okay and I mean that's just it so kind of see where we are with reading the documents that John's provided us and then maybe we have a richer discussion in February as to how do we want to move forward on our objective for the town's uh master plan any any discussion questions elaboration on that uh any other ideas good enough John did you want to add to any of that no I was just thinking um it would be good to have some input from the Planning Commission prior to the um you know at that February meeting so I'm going to put it as an agenda item that we can at least openly discuss it um should be information that could be provided to the committee and to the moving forward so right I think it's good to leave that on the agenda gotcha yeah um I think by my last count and don't hold me to it um I think we have 26 such objectives in the current draft master plan right 26 specific Focus things that um the Planning Commission in concert with a variety of other commission boards the council the mayor um we've all kind of distilled down what are the big things we want to go after to make the town better over the next uh several years and so um you know those

are those are those things where we'll try to focus our you know limited energy and resources on so the guidelines is one of them and um the big picture is that we have a lot of work cut out for us to do so anyway thanks so much John and um no other comments then uh before we get into reports and other business um a little bit of leeway as the chair here I want to just make mention of Carol County is um embarking on writing their master plan at the county level and um John has provided back on the day or for the lobby table here copies of their efforts and um commissioner Hadley has got a copy up here and she's holding them up um I believe the town website has made these announcements um and so the bottom line being Mount Ary is being given an opportunity to talk to the county planners Carol County planners on um their broad Grand Strokes on what they want to put in their next 10year County master plan uh they're doing kind of a a round robin through the county uh our turn in that opportunity is on February February 12 February 12 and it is a walk-in between 100 p.m. and 700 pm at the library and so again uh Carol County is interested in the citizens views with regard to the future of the county to be put into their master plan and you will be given an opportunity to have that discussion on February 12th between 1 and 7 pm and there's no set agenda as I understand that they've set it up so that they'll have people

there and as you walk in and raise your discussion or your your ideas they'll engage you okay so there's not like a briefing at a certain time that you have to be seated it's it's a walk-in kind of Engagement so so um if you can fit your schedule in on February 12th then that would be a good thing to kind of give them some information I would also be transparent with um the town that uh as part of that same effort uh there's going to be a smaller group um John the Town Administrator um Heather Smith and myself have been invited to come up and talk to those same planners with an even more focus on what the town would be looking for in the grander county master plan um and so there are we have been given some specific questions in that um in that engagement that invitation and I John is it fair uh without Heather here I don't want to overstep but I think prior to that uh sit down which is scheduled in March um we're going to sit down and we're going to run our thinking so that there's a general consensus on the answers regarding the town and how we take that consensus higher within the town which would be my you know my uh I'd like to do that you know with the mayor with with perhaps the council through uh council member Evans um just so that everybody is kind of on the proverbial same page right is that fair that's affirmative y okay good all right and um it escapes me when that March meeting is with them but um I want to say March 8th but anyway so so we'll do that probably beginning of February after the council meeting great great and uh we'll get and probably what we ought to do to is just get the questions out to all those other Town

leaders so they can see you know kind of what we're exploring and then maybe as a way to kind of work our way up through the hierarchy of town leadership we would come to a consensus or what we think would be good answers and then we kind of raise it to their level for even you know richer answers or better answers they might have questions for us too that are more specific than what they gave us in their right things so I think it's good that we were going to meet yeah prior to that yeah so again for the public you know we've got this County plan um we've got opportunities for the citizen level and we also have opportunities uh Town specific level and um we hope to contribute to a really good plan for Carol County um I don't think there was any other item we wanted to kind of flex into tonight John did you no okay gotcha uh so with that um I'll move right into number seven reports and uh if councilman Evans has a report from the council uh thank you very much absolutely thank you Mr chairman uh on January 13th we had the Town Council due to the weather on the 6th and it was scheduled after the public hearing for the master plan the public hearing was scheduled at 6:30 uh there was a pretty good turnout for it um there was nothing major that needed addressing that we hadn't already addressed um as far as changing the master plan um for the town council meeting uh Mr Wayne Evans presented the Hall of Fame inductees for this year Hall of Fame banquet is March 18th starting at 5 for the Social Hour and six for the dinner tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the Blossom and basket Boutique inductees are Mary Joe brette ad Adele Connelly Matt herd Jack steel and Fran w we also said goodbye to Major R of the Civil Air Patrol as he received a promotion is moving on his replacement

is Captain John parar and he will be taking over immediately Historical Society of Mount ARA will be hosting their annual boxes and bags Bingo on September or September Saturday February 8th doors open at 5 and bingo starts at 7 um and that's at the mount Ary uh reception hall election season is here there are two Town Council seats up for election and one mayor mayoral seat nominations can be accepted at both nomination meetings on February 18th and February 25th or by contacting Holly the town clerk at Town Hall during the week of the two nomination meetings eligible individuals seeking elective office May submit a nomination eligible citizens May nominate an individual with the written consent of that nominee um as far as ordinances go we made a motion to table ordinance 202 24-24 uh we tabled it for February there was a budget amendment adding $95,000 to rails and trails East for C covert and caving modifications um please contact Town Hall if you are interested in serving on any of our commissions uh to be a volunteer our next town council meeting will be February 3rd at 7:30 on town hall and pending questions that will conclude my report for January thank you again any questions for council member Evans for the council it was a very very short meeting gotcha setting records and moving on to the uh administrator report zoning administrator report John I'm just going to let you um address those U they are in front of all of us and they do go back to November yep so we have November and December and then of course we have have the um the annual totals for the

year which sort of shows all the building permits we um put out through the town through this past year so if you have any questions let me know any questions for John regarding the year's permitting activity okay here you none John thank you so much and our last item is to make mention of the next Planning Commission meeting in February that will be on February February 24th again um that Monday evening at 7:30 here in town hall so uh please come out again February 24th uh last call down the dayis for any other topics that may be introduced seeing none then it is 800m and I adjourn this Planning Commission meeting thank you very much