Board hears from residents, prepares to discuss plan for New Market

Thursday, May 11, 2006

The Frederick Board of County Commissioners expect to discuss changes to a 20-year growth plan on Monday following two public hearings.

Commissioner Michael L. Cady (R) said he hopes the plan will be approved by the end of the month.

‘‘There will be some discussion on it on May 15, but I don’t expect any action taken at that time,” he said.

Cady said the final version of the region plan may change again.

‘‘[The plan] may be too aggressive and we may have to tailor it back due to infrastructure,” he said.

Commissioner Jan H. Gardner (D) was uncertain on Wednesday when the plan would be finalized.

She planned to propose a few changes of her own at Monday’s workshop, and that it’s possible another meeting could be scheduled for this month.

Supporters of the proposed New Market Region Plan on Tuesday repeated previous support for more development in the region, while opponents again voiced concerns about potential strain on infrastructure.

It was the second and final public hearing on the controversial topic.

On Tuesday, many New Market area residents, such as Teresa McMullin of the Oakdale Elementary School Parent Teacher Association, said they feared strains on schools and water systems if the area slated for development expanded.

But unlike the first meeting April 25 at Linganore High School, a more substantial number supporters, including developers, builders and some residents, spoke in favor of growth in the New Market region on Tuesday.

Supporters said adopting the long-term plan would not expedite development, but would provide a guideline for smaller-scale decisions. They argued new zoning does not automatically result in construction.

Real estate lawyer David Severn, who also attended the April 25 hearing, said Wednesday that he was ‘‘disheartened by the inflammatory comments” and ‘‘flat out cheap shots.”

‘‘We all know if you zone a piece of property, it doesn’t turn into buildings overnight,” Severn said. ‘‘Please go forward and adopt this plan. ... We need a decent amount of balanced growth. It doesn’t mean ‘no growth.’”

Last month, the majority of the 40 speakers and more than 125 attendees had opposed the plan, citing concerns with straining infrastructure they say is almost too weak to support the current population.

Frederick County commissioners have been trying to update the 1993 New Market area growth plan since 2002. County planners submitted their version of the region plan in 2003, and the Frederick County Planning Commission submitted a different version, that included more development, in 2005.