Whether you’re simply curious about the growth of the city or are interested in contributing your thoughts to the process — The City of Frederick offers many opportunities for the public to learn and engage with new development projects as they enter the planning review process.
Here are a few ways you can keep track of what’s going on and help guide our community’s decisions along the way:
Comprehensive Plan
The City’s Comprehensive Plan provides a guiding framework for how the jurisdiction will continue to grow and what that growth will look like.
Development Review
The City’s Development Review Database gives local residents and business owners insight into the projects that are currently under review by the Division of Planning.
All pending projects can be viewed on a mapping tool found here.
Note — This database is a very current snapshot of the review process. Projects are removed from the map immediately following approval or denial.
Public Notice Signs - For project applications including: annexation, master plans, area plan, zoning map amendments, major & minor site plans, preliminary & final subdivision plats, preliminary forest conservation plans, fence modification, ADU modification, comprehensive plan map amendments, variances, conditional uses, temporary uses, nonconforming uses and other actions subject to the original jurisdiction of the ZBA, and HPO Review of Major Changes — public notice must also be provided via signage at the subject property in accordance to Table 301-1 of the Land Management Code.
These signs indicate the application type and case number, and feature a QR code for the general public to obtain further information about the pending application.
In many of the above cases, mailing of this information is also required to adjacent property owners (again, as described in Table 301-1).
City Wide Planning Division Community Outreach Meetings offer a regular opportunity for the public to gain additional insight into major projects within the Development Review process, in accordance to 301 of the Land Management Code.
The meetings are held on the third Monday of the month at 6 PM in the Board Room at City Hall and are also recorded. These meetings offer an overview by each applicant of the projects submitted during the previous month — sorted by location (NAC) around the City.
Past and present meetings recordings, agendas, and back-up materials can be found here. (Under “Other Boards and Commissions”)
The City’s Planning Commission meets the 2nd Monday of each month in the Board Room of City Hall to discuss new applications. These meetings are open to the public and open to public comment. Agendas and recordings of past and future meetings can be found here.
Recent Hot Projects:
Two significant mixed-use projects in the early stages of the development review process have been subject of considerable recent public interest due to their scale and strategic location:
Brickworks Property
Most Recent Agenda Item: The Applicant is requesting approval of a master plan for the development of a mixed-use project on 64.61 acres that is between 15% and 30% nonresidential, 60%-80% residential and at least 12% comprised of parks and open space.
The Applicant is also requesting modifications to Section 417 of the Land Management Code (LMC), Mixed Use Districts (MU-1 and MU-2), Section 601, Access Management, and the Standard City Details for construction in accordance with Section 611, Street Improvement Standards.
Westridge Shopping Center
Most Recent Agenda Item: In conjunction with the rezoning from GC to MU-2, the Applicant is requesting a recommendation to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen for the approval of a master plan for the partial redevelopment of the existing shopping center to establish a mixed use development with 40-60% of the land area allocated towards nonresidential use, 30%-60% allocated to residential use, and 5% of the land allocated to open space.
The Applicant is also requesting modifications to Section 417 of the Land Management Code (LMC) entitled, Mixed Use Districts (MU-1 and MU-2) and to the Standard City Details for construction in accordance with Section 611, Street Improvement Standards.
Interested in learning more about future commercial development projects in The City of Frederick? Contact the Department of Economic Development at business@cityoffrederickmd.gov.