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 Why on Earth would the municipalities engage in a turf war and lawsuit over county-wide growth policies? 

Decisions regarding growth not only impact their individual cities and towns, but also everyone in the county. They should welcome and embrace a uniform growth policy as the only way the county as a whole can effectively work to have the infrastructure in place prior to the bulldozers digging foundations.

If you think traffic is congested now, just wait until the City of Frederick lines U.S. Route 15 with strip malls and housing developments. I say for them to enable one more vehicle to attempt to enter traffic on Route 15 is tantamount to reckless endangerment of human life and will knowingly cause increased traffic deaths.

Is the life of any of us not worth working together on growth policies to improve safety? Do we only care about our city/town?

Narrow vision seems to prevail. Good thing the 13 Colonies didn't think like this, or the USA would never have come into existence! There is strength in numbers. 

Frequently, the needs of all supersede those of a comparatively few. Having multiple policies only aids those attempting to profit from growth, and they are few in number compared to those of us who live and drive in the county. 

Heck, most of them don't even live in the county. 

For those who fear the policies might be too lax, nothing precludes the municipalities adding more stringent measures to the baseline established by the county.

We have multiple ordinances now in place, such as water and sewer, so what's the glitch about this one? The money poured into the Frederick city annexations should tell you that the development community plans to reap untold fortunes at your expense.

Just to re-cap: It has been demonstrated and published time and time again. Development does not pay its own way, let alone provide a profit to the existing residents.

Have we ever seen anything come from the previous mass of development except crime, crowds, congestion and empty storefronts? 

I haven't seen any roads lined with gold, just unsafe roads with major back-ups. The Board of County Commissioners is truly performing its function with this attempt — looking out for all of us.

Please let your town/city and the Board of County Commissioners know how you feel about uniform policies to deal with growth. Their e-mail addresses are easily found on the Internet and snail mail also is effective.

And just in case anyone questions my motivations, I am married to Frederick County Commissioner John "Lennie" Thompson Jr., who supports the countywide growth policy, but the information in this letter is my own belief and not influenced by any household member.

I have voiced the need for a uniform growth policy for years and never thought the Board of County Commissioners would have the fortitude to create one.

I have criticized them both individually and as a group on numerous occasions, but want to congratulate them and offer heartfelt thanks for staying the course and being true to the mission that put them in office — the overwhelming desire by the residents of the county as a whole to get a handle on helter-skelter development.

Suzan Eaves Thompson, Walkersville