BOCC Work Sessions on 193 rezonings scheduled for February 2012
January 1, 2012 by FofFC
Filed under Government Affairs: budget, privatization, land use policies, Public Meetings and Workshops, Share your Opinion on Policy, Take Action
There is more to life than lower taxes. If people want the lowest tax rates in the country they should move to Mississippi and enjoy their school system, poverty rate, and level of public service. - Anonymous Frederick County Resident
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BOCC Work Sessions on 193 rezonings scheduled for February 2012
How much of the over 15,000 acres will be zoned from agriculture for development?
The Young Board will decide in their upcomingPublic Work Sessions
The sessions are open to the public though any public comment will only be taken at the very end of each day’s session not after the discussion of an individual request. Any votes taken on individual requests are considered preliminary decisions at this time. All work sessions will be held in the 3rd Floor Meeting Room, Winchester Hall.
1. Tuesday Feb. 14 8:30 am to noon: Overview of 2010 County Plan and Adamstown, Brunswick and Middletown region requests // 1:00 to 4:00 pm: Frederick, Thurmont and Walkersville region requests
2. Tuesday Feb. 21 9:00 am to noon: Town of New Market Draft Plan overview, and New Market region requests
3. Thursday Feb. 23 1:30-5 pm: Urbana region requests
4. Tuesday Feb. 28 9:00 am to noon: Reserve for carry over or follow-up issues to discuss analysis of Requests
Following the work sessions where the BOCC will be making preliminary decisions, staff will then prepare a review and analysis of the requests that received preliminary approval by the BOCC. The analysis will be provided to the BOCC for their review and consideration at a subsequent work session. **What you can do:** * PLEASE ATTEND. * Write letters to the editors of the Frederick News Post and the Gazette. For more information contact: Jim Gugel, Planning Manager, Community Development Division, 301-600-1144 or jgugel@FrederickCountymd.gov.
BOCC Hearings on 193 rezonings scheduled for January 2012
Board of County Commissioners Public Hearings
All of the hearings will be held in Winchester Hall, 1st Floor Hearing Room, starting at 6:00 pm. Speaker sign-up sheets will be available at 5:00 pm for each hearing. There will be separate speaker sign-up sheets for each planning region. Each speaker, whether it is an applicant or individual citizen, will be allowed 5 minutes.
Tuesday, January 10 - Adamstown, Brunswick, Frederick regions
Wednesday, January 18 - Urbana region
Tuesday, January 24 - Middletown, Thurmont, Walkersville regions
Tuesday, January 31 - New Market region
Wednesday, February 1 – snow date
November 2011 Planning Commission Hearings CANCELLED
The Planning Commission voted 4-2 to recommend that the BOCC follow the existing Comprehensive Plan (and it’s supporting land use/zoning maps)
Between June 1 and July 15, 2011 a majority of Frederick County’s Board of Commissioners accepted requests from land owners to in red. change their zoning or land use designation. The county received 194 proposals that, if accepted, would forever alter up to 15,000 acres of open space and farmland.
You have the opportunity to express your opinion at the Planning Commission’s scheduled public hearings on these land use change requests. Please do.
When? Wednesday, November 16th, 6pm | Topic: New Market Thursday, November 17th, 6pm | Topic: Urbana THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED 4-2 TO RECOMMEND THE BOCC STICK WITH CURRENT 2010 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND IT’S SUPPORTING LAND USE /ZONING MAP – AND DISCONTINUED THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. READ MORE HERE.
October 2011:
Become aware of the potential rezoning and land use changes proposed near your home:
- Open House October 19, 4:00 – 7:45pm Urbana Public Library, Small Community Room
- Open House October 25th, 4:30-8pm Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, 4880 Elmer Derr Rd, just off 15 south of Frederick.
Keep your eyes on the Partnerships and Efficiencies Committee: Monday, Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. in the third floor meeting room in Winchester Hall. It will also be televised live on Channel 19.
September 2011: Rezoning discussions to start
Take a look at the acreage proposed for rezoning (map coming soon). If you’d like more specifics click here.
June 2011: Citizens be damned month!
The BOCC is accepting rezoning applications until July 15th to address grievances expressed from the ratification of the 2010 county rezoning map.
June 2 1o am Winchester Hall: BOCC passed the FY2012 budget. Read FoFC’s position on the FY2012 budget.
June 16 1pm, Winchester Hall: Privatization discussion based upon a 30-page report prepared by consultant, Oliver Porter, for $25000. Report is unavailable to public until that meeting – although the county will have it the day before the meeting. Read FoFC’s position on privatization here.
June 29 7pm, Winchester Hall: Public hearing before the Planning Commission on Mitigation Fees for school construction. Read FoFC’s position on mitigation fees for school construction here.
May 2011
5/19 BOCC to discuss changing the county comprehensive plan, public meeting 10am Winchester Hall, item G
5/17 Village Center Zoning under threat of change: would allow Jefferson Food Lion!
March 2011
3/9 Planning Commission to discuss land use text ammendments
3/1 at 7pm Public Hearing on Repeal of Countywide APFO for schools, vote by BOCC Citizens must come to speak out! Read more in this bulletin Your child’s public education vs developer private interest BOCC voted 401 to repeal the APFO for schools county wide on annexed land after June 23, 2009.
February 2011
2/23 1pm Planning Commission on Repeal of County wide APFO for schools: Planning Commission voted 4 against the new APFO ordinance, which is essential a repeal of the county wide ordinance (McClurken, Forrence, White, Floyd), and 3 for the new ordinance, or repeal of county wide APFO for schools (Lawrence, Wolfe, Shreve)
Privatization trip to Sandy Spring Georgia: read about towns that are voiding contracts with the same privatizing company – and why.
2/18 FoFC files request for all information on individual zoning map amendment or floating zone reclassification filed with the Zoning Administrator pursuant to Code §1-19-3.110.2.
2/18 FoFC files request for all information on Comprehensive Plan Zoning since Nov 1, 2010.
January 2011
1/31 FoFC files request for information on exchange between BOCC and Blickenstaff option or rezoning.
December 2010
December 21 8:30am: Agenda Briefing for Public Hearings Scheduled for Tuesday, January 4, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. PUBLIC HEARING
* Zoning Text Amendment #ZT-10-05, Proposed Ordinance to Amend Certain Sections of the Frederick County Code Regarding Floodplain, Commercial and Business Schools, Public and Private Schools and Boarding Stables – Larry Smith, Planning Division
December 20 7pm: Public Hearing PATH Request – Board of Appeals Meeting regarding the PATH Request for Reconsideration, Winchester Hall
December 16 3pm: CANCELLED to be rescheduled BOCC to meet with municipalities: discussion to include the APFO county-wide school test; learn more about the significance of this decision to taxpayers and school renovation, and check out this fact sheet on the impact of residential growth on schools in Frederick County.
December 15: BOCC agreed to fund special study on costs for running sewer to northern annexation properties.
December 14: BOCC voted 3-1-1 (Blaine Young voted against, David Gray absent) to repeal the ethics law. Public Hearing on January 4th 7pm, Winchester Hall.
December 11 Winchester Hall 1st floor: Proposal to repeal ethics legislation
December 9/10 at Pine Cliff Park: strategic planning with department heads starting at 9am Thursday (all day Thursday and half day on Friday) Commissioner Young announced creating a new position for a Special Project Manager to work directly with the BOCC, and filed the position with Mike Marschner, former DUSWM Director. The Young Board had the option of cutting the Assistant County Manager position – as it was left vacant by the previous BOCC (acknowledging that this BOCC wanted to CUT government) – but announced they had instead filled the position with David Dunn (Solid Waste Advisory Committee and strong proponent of WTE). We are investigating another position created to explore privatizing government departments and tasks.
December 7 BOCC meeting: discussion on base budget, revenue projections, ethic ordinance and public ethics law, Md Open Meetings Act and Md Public Information
- Commissioner Young started a new 15 minute program to be aired at 5:30 and 8:30 pm on channel 9 called “This week in Frederick County”. Commissioners and department heads are encouraged to be on the show. Robin Santangelo also noted that there are other shows on Channel 19 FCG TV “inside Frederick County, “Health” and the “Best Kept Secrets”
- Budget discussion: with county’s primary source of revenue, property taxes, falling with decrease in assessments (up to 26% decrease from 3 years ago), 11 million needs to be cut from budget. BOCC to lobby delegation for more from highway user fee and lobby MACO for state school pension money – which could be as much as 9 million for the county.
- Commissioner Shreve suggested that Frederick County doesn’t need the Ethics Ordinance, The Frederick County Ethics Ordinance prohibits all covered persons from acting in their County positions in any matter that would have a direct financial impact on them or on a close relative or business associate. Both Commissioners Smith and Shreve made comments about repealing the ethics legislation. No motion was made on said comments.
December 2 BOCC meeting:
December 1 BOCC meeting: Robert’s Rules changed to allow the president of the BOCC to make motions. From John Mathias, Frederick County Attorney: ”The parliamentary rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order cover many different types of group meetings from small entities of 3 or more members up to large organizations of thousands of members. Some of the rules are more intended for the large organizations than the smaller ones. The general rule prohibits the Chair from making a motion (although the Chair can ask the vice chair to preside temporarily while the Chair makes a motion). The purpose of the rule is to allow the chair to focus more on the role of presiding at the meeting and making objective, impartial rulings on any parliamentary procedures. Though not worded this way, the logic of Robert’s Rules seems to be that the Chair has plenty to do running the meeting without having to also make motions. These concerns are much more prominent with a large society. In fact, Robert’s Rules provides that for a board with fewer than a dozen members present, the Chair may make motions (as well as speak in debate and vote on motions) subject to the rule or custom of the particular board. (Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 10th ed., Section 49, p. 471). At the December 1 meeting, the BOCC, in effect, adopted a rule indicating that it would follow the Robert’s Rules guidance for a small board and allow the Chair to make motions.”
