Livable Frederick Master Plan-Adopted Plan-Opt

Frederick County, Maryland
Adopted September 3, 2019

IT IS THE YEAR 2040.
FREDERICK COUNTY IS A
VIBRANT AND UNIQUE
COMMUNITY
WHERE PEOPLE
LIVE, WORK, AND THRIVE
WHILE ENJOYING A
STRONG
SENSE OF PLACE
AND BELONGING.
The Livable Frederick Master Plan

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Contents
A Letter from the County Executive ............................................................................................................... ix
A Letter from the Frederick County Planning Commission ............................................................................... xi
A Letter from the Frederick County Council .................................................................................................... xiii
Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................................................... xiv
Key Terms.................................................................................................................................................... xvi
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1
A New Kind of Plan....................................................................................................................................... 1
Livable Frederick ................................................................................................................................................................ 1
The Livable Frederick Master Plan ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Horizon Years ...................................................................................................................................................................... 9
The Residential Development Pipeline ............................................................................................................................... 9
Maryland’s Twelve Planning Visions.................................................................................................................................... 10
Key Insights and Considerations ......................................................................................................................................... 11
A Path Forward ................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Putting The Plan To Work ............................................................................................................................. 13
The Livable Frederick User’s Guide ...................................................................................................................................... 13
Livable Frederick Comprehensive Planning ........................................................................................................................ 13
Planning Context ................................................................................................................................................................ 17
Consistency with the County Comprehensive Plan ............................................................................................................. 18
Capital Improvement Planning and Other Community Plans.............................................................................................. 19
Assessing Progress.............................................................................................................................................................. 19
Essential Implementation Principles .................................................................................................................................. 20
Summary ........................................................................................................................................................................... 20
OUR VISION ................................................................................................................................ 22
DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK ........................................................................................................ 31
Scenario Planning........................................................................................................................................ 33
The Thematic Plan ....................................................................................................................................... 36
Growth Strategy ................................................................................................................................................................. 38
The Primary Growth Sector ................................................................................................................................................ 39
The Secondary Growth Sector ............................................................................................................................................ 46
The Green Infrastructure Sector .......................................................................................................................................... 48
The Agricultural Infrastructure Sector................................................................................................................................. 60
Other Development Framework Elements ..................................................................................................... 66
Development Staging......................................................................................................................................................... 66
Mineral Resources .............................................................................................................................................................. 70
Water Resources ................................................................................................................................................................. 71
ACTION FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................... 73
A Vision for Our Community................................................................................................................................................ 74
Trends and Driving Factors for Our Community................................................................................................................... 76
Making Our Community Vision a Reality............................................................................................................................. 94
A Vision for Our Health ....................................................................................................................................................... 128
Trends and Driving Factors for Our Health........................................................................................................................... 130
Making Our Health Vision a Reality..................................................................................................................................... 140
A Vision for Our Economy.................................................................................................................................................... 150
Trends and Driving Factors for Our Economy ....................................................................................................................... 152
Making Our Economy Vision a Reality ................................................................................................................................. 160
A Vision for Our Environment.............................................................................................................................................. 176
Trends and Driving Factors for Our Environment ................................................................................................................. 178
Making Our Environment Vision a Reality ........................................................................................................................... 186
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAP ......................................................................................................... 197
Community Growth Areas .................................................................................................................................................. 198
Land Use Designations ....................................................................................................................................................... 198
Transportation Functional Classifications ........................................................................................................................... 201
Community Facilities .......................................................................................................................................................... 202
Resolution for Adoption .............................................................................................................. 205

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Action Framework Contents
Trends and Driving Factors for Our Community ............................. 76 Category: Housing Design...................................................................... 109
Goal: Communities.............................................................................. 109
Making Our Community Vision a Reality ....................................... 94 Initiative: Proximity................................................................ 109
Category: Infrastructure Design ............................................................. 94 Initiative: Streetscape ............................................................ 110
Goal: Settlement Patterns ................................................................... 95 Initiative: Active Living........................................................... 110
Initiative: Diversified Mobility ................................................ 95 Initiative: Sustainability ......................................................... 110
Initiative: Mixed Use and Density ........................................... 95 Initiative: Accessibility............................................................ 110
Initiative: Interconnectivity .................................................... 96 Goal: Buildings .................................................................................... 110
Goal: Planning Methods...................................................................... 96 Initiative: People, Planet, and Profit ....................................... 110
Initiative: Small Area Planning ............................................... 96 Initiative: Universal Design..................................................... 110
Initiative: Multi-Modal Accessibility ....................................... 96 Goal: Methods..................................................................................... 111
Initiative: Community and Economic Modeling ...................... 96 Initiative: Evidence-Based Decisions ...................................... 111
Initiative: Metrics ................................................................... 97 Initiative: Design Review........................................................ 111
Initiative: Collaboration and Coordination .............................. 97 Category: Housing Economy .................................................................. 111
Initiative: Smart Community Technology ............................... 97 Goal: Cost ............................................................................................ 111
Goal: Appearance and Usability .......................................................... 97
Initiative: Homeownership..................................................... 111
Initiative: User-Oriented Design ............................................. 97 Initiative: Development and Rehabilitation............................ 111
Initiative: Context Sensitive Strategies ................................... 98 Initiative: Workforce Housing ................................................. 112
Initiative: Compatible Uses ..................................................... 98 Initiative: Outreach ................................................................ 112
Category: Infrastructure Capacity .......................................................... 99
Category: Tradition ................................................................................ 113
Goal: Supply........................................................................................ 99
Goal: Distinctive Identity..................................................................... 113
Initiative: Needs Identification ............................................... 99 Initiative: Physical Identity ..................................................... 114
Initiative: Conflict Mitigation ................................................. 100 Initiative: Differentiation ....................................................... 114
Initiative: Capacity Expansion................................................. 100 Goal: Remembering History ................................................................ 114
Goal: Demand ..................................................................................... 101
Initiative: Creative Communication ........................................ 114
Initiative: Demand Management ........................................... 101 Initiative: Comprehensive Documentation ............................. 115
Initiative: System Management ............................................. 101 Goal: Teaching History ........................................................................ 115
Category: Infrastructure Operations....................................................... 102 Initiative: Educating the Public............................................... 115
Goal: Safety......................................................................................... 102 Initiative: Experiential Learning ............................................. 115
Initiative: Education ............................................................... 102 Goal: Heritage Tourism ........................................................................ 116
Initiative: Evaluation .............................................................. 102 Initiative: Building on Assets .................................................. 116
Initiative: Design and Operations ........................................... 103 Initiative: Small Business Support .......................................... 116
Goal: Optimization .............................................................................. 103 Initiative: Viewsheds and Corridors ........................................ 116
Initiative: Efficiency ................................................................ 103 Goal: Food and Drink........................................................................... 117
Initiative: Maintenance .......................................................... 104 Initiative: Food History ........................................................... 117
Initiative: Environment .......................................................... 104 Initiative: Local Fermentation Economy ................................. 117
Category: Housing Diversity................................................................... 105 Initiative: Food Preparation Traditions .................................... 117
Goal: Resilience ................................................................................... 105 Category: Expression ............................................................................. 118
Initiative: Maintenance .......................................................... 106 Goal: A Place for the Arts .................................................................... 118
Initiative: Housing Options..................................................... 106 Initiative: Culture Plan............................................................ 118
Goal: Equity......................................................................................... 106 Initiative: Creative and Cultural Spaces................................... 118
Initiative: Affordability ........................................................... 106 Initiative: Arts-Based Revitalization ....................................... 118
Initiative: Special Needs Housing ........................................... 107 Goal: Experiencing Culture .................................................................. 119
Initiative: Home Stability ....................................................... 107 Initiative: A Regional Niche .................................................... 119
Initiative: Generational Housing............................................. 108 Initiative: Playing to the Home Crowd .................................... 119
Initiative: Housing Justice ...................................................... 108 Initiative: Increasing Arts Consumption.................................. 119
Initiative: Visitability .............................................................. 108 Initiative: Public Art ............................................................... 119
Goal: Aspirations................................................................................. 108 Goal: Nurturing a Local Creative Economy ........................................... 119
Initiative: Creative Colonies .................................................... 108 Initiative: Spaces for Creators ................................................. 119
Initiative: Housing Continuum ............................................... 109 Initiative: Marketing A Place for the Arts ................................ 119
Initiative: Critical Mass of Creativity ....................................... 120

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Goal: Life-Long Learning..................................................................... 120 Trends and Driving Factors for Our Health ..................................... 130
Initiative: Hobbyist Spaces ..................................................... 120
Initiative: Creative Arts and Schools ....................................... 120 Making Our Health Vision a Reality ............................................... 140
Initiative: FCC Arts Training Hub ............................................. 120 Category: Healthy Habitat ..................................................................... 140
Initiative: Adult Learning ....................................................... 120 Goal: Active Places .............................................................................. 140
Initiative: Emerging Creators .................................................. 120 Initiative: Community Design ................................................. 140
Goal: Diverse Expressions .................................................................... 120 Initiative: Proximity................................................................ 140
Initiative: Participation in the Arts ......................................... 120 Initiative: Contextual Cues...................................................... 141
Initiative: Part-Time Creators.................................................. 120 Goal: Environmental Greening ............................................................ 141
Initiative: Our Newest Cultures ............................................... 120 Initiative: Green Space ........................................................... 141
Initiative: Creativity in Retirement ......................................... 120 Goal: Environmental Comfort.............................................................. 141
Category: Preservation .......................................................................... 121
Initiative: Desirable Density ................................................... 141
Goal: Documenting History ................................................................. 122
Initiative: Unpolluted Places .................................................. 141
Initiative: Local Resources ...................................................... 122 Initiative: Place Attachment ................................................... 142
Initiative: Local Archives ......................................................... 122 Category: Healthy Choices ..................................................................... 142
Initiative: Archival Resilience.................................................. 122 Goal: Good Nutrition ........................................................................... 142
Initiative: New Media ............................................................. 122 Initiative: Community Gardens............................................... 142
Goal: Economics of Preservation ......................................................... 123 Initiative: Knowledge and Awareness .................................... 142
Initiative: History and Economy.............................................. 123 Initiative: Food Availability..................................................... 143
Initiative: Local Preservation Expertise ................................... 123 Initiative: Alternative Markets................................................ 143
Initiative: Food and History .................................................... 123 Goal: Active Lifestyles ......................................................................... 143
Initiative: Financial Incentives ................................................ 123 Initiative: Group Fitness ......................................................... 143
Initiative: Low-Impact Preservation ....................................... 123 Initiative: Active Transport Support........................................ 144
Goal: The Importance of Place ............................................................. 123 Initiative: Active Children ....................................................... 144
Initiative: Distinctive Places.................................................... 123 Category: Safety and Protection ............................................................ 144
Initiative: Place-Based Experiences ........................................ 124 Goal: Injury Prevention ....................................................................... 144
Initiative: Growth Policies....................................................... 124 Initiative: Domestic Safety ..................................................... 144
Initiative: Value For All ........................................................... 124 Initiative: Highway Safety ...................................................... 144
Goal: Protecting Resources.................................................................. 124 Goal: Violence Prevention ................................................................... 145
Initiative: Critical Heritage...................................................... 124 Initiative: Sexual Violence Prevention..................................... 145
Initiative: Bottom-Up Preservation ........................................ 125 Initiative: Comprehensive Violence Prevention ....................... 145
Initiative: Preservation Tool Chest .......................................... 125 Goal: Ending Abuse ............................................................................. 145
Goal: Adaptive Re-Use ........................................................................ 125 Initiative: Childhood Experiences ........................................... 145
Initiative: Policy ..................................................................... 125 Initiative: Domestic Support................................................... 145
Initiative: Heritage Salvage .................................................... 125 Initiative: Dependent Support................................................ 145
Initiative: Creative Community ............................................... 126 Initiative: Preventing Bullying ................................................ 145
Initiative: Stopping Human Trafficking ................................... 145
Category: Support ................................................................................. 146
Goal: Behavioral Health ...................................................................... 146
Initiative: Suicide Prevention.................................................. 146
Initiative: Ending Substance Abuse ........................................ 146
Initiative: Arts-Based Programs.............................................. 146
Goal: Accessing Services...................................................................... 146
Initiative: Efficiency and Synergy............................................ 146
Initiative: Universal Design..................................................... 147
Initiative: Health Care Opportunity ........................................ 147
Goal: Seniors....................................................................................... 147
Initiative: Elder Contributions................................................. 147
Goal: Our Children............................................................................... 147
Initiative: Mentorship............................................................. 147
Initiative: Child Care ............................................................... 147
Initiative: School Readiness.................................................... 147
Initiative: After-School Programs ........................................... 148
Goal: Social Bonds............................................................................... 148
Initiative: Social Inclusion....................................................... 148
Initiative: Neighborhoods and Place....................................... 148

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Trends and Driving Factors for Our Economy.................................. 152 Trends and Driving Factors for Our Environment ........................... 178
Making Our Economy Vision a Reality............................................ 160 Making Our Environment Vision a Reality...................................... 186
Category: Strengths and Assets ............................................................. 160 Category: Land ...................................................................................... 186
Goal: Pro-Business Climate ................................................................. 160 Goal: Natural Resources and Green Infrastructure ............................... 186
Initiative: Culture of Innovation.............................................. 161 Initiative: Green Infrastructure Plan ....................................... 186
Initiative: Regulatory Environment ........................................ 161 Initiative: Tree Canopy and Forest Coverage............................ 187
Initiative: Partnerships ........................................................... 161 Initiative: Outreach for Ecology .............................................. 187
Initiative: Data-Driven Decision-Making ................................ 161 Initiative: Local Agriculture .................................................... 187
Initiative: Adaptability ........................................................... 162 Goal: Solid Waste and Recycling.......................................................... 188
Goal: Quality of Life............................................................................. 162 Initiative: Recycling and Composting ..................................... 188
Initiative: Housing .................................................................. 162 Initiative: Development.......................................................... 188
Initiative: Educational Facilities .............................................. 162 Goal: Built Environment ...................................................................... 188
Goal: Infrastructure ............................................................................. 163 Initiative: Energy Audit and Retrofit ....................................... 188
Initiative: Business Location ................................................... 163 Initiative: Environment Supportive Design ............................. 188
Initiative: Multi-Modal Transportation .................................. 163 Initiative: Evaluation of Impact .............................................. 189
Initiative: Information Infrastructure ..................................... 164 Initiative: Building Codes and Policies .................................... 189
Category: Existing Business and Industry Clusters ................................. 165 Category: Water..................................................................................... 190
Goal: Knowledge-Based Industry........................................................ 165 Goal: Quality ....................................................................................... 190
Initiative: Emerging Industries ............................................... 165 Initiative: Best Practices ......................................................... 190
Goal: Agriculture................................................................................. 166 Initiative: Brook Trout Populations ......................................... 191
Initiative: Land Use................................................................. 166 Initiative: Wetlands ................................................................ 191
Initiative: Forestry and Forest Products .................................. 166 Goal: Supply and Treatment Infrastructure.......................................... 191
Initiative: Education and Opportunities.................................. 166 Initiative: Water and Sewer Adequacy.................................... 192
Initiative: Farmland Transition................................................ 167 Category: Air.......................................................................................... 192
Initiative: Preservation and Conservation............................... 167 Goal: Air Quality .................................................................................. 192
Goal: Creativity and Industry............................................................... 167 Initiative: Air Quality Monitoring............................................ 192
Initiative: The Arts.................................................................. 167 Initiative: Mitigation .............................................................. 192
Initiative: Creative Economy................................................... 168 Initiative: Childhood Health ................................................... 193
Goal: Small Business ........................................................................... 168 Initiative: Reforestation.......................................................... 193
Initiative: Buying Local........................................................... 168 Initiative: Alternative Power................................................... 193
Initiative: Business Support.................................................... 168
Category: Climate and Energy................................................................ 193
Category: Innovation and Opportunity .................................................. 169 Goal: Climate Resiliency ...................................................................... 193
Goal: Innovation ................................................................................. 169
Initiative: Hazard Planning..................................................... 194
Initiative: Culture of Innovation.............................................. 169 Initiative: Emission Control..................................................... 194
Initiative: Value-Added Agriculture ........................................ 170 Initiative: Stormwater Impacts............................................... 194
Initiative: The Energy Economy............................................... 170 Initiative: Carbon Sequestration and Soil Health .................... 194
Goal: Opportunity ............................................................................... 171 Goal: Clean Energy .............................................................................. 194
Initiative: Tourism and Hospitality .......................................... 171 Initiative: Carbon Footprint Zero............................................. 194
Initiative: Recreation .............................................................. 171 Initiative: Energy Independence............................................. 194
Initiative: Food Destination .................................................... 171 Initiative: Transportation........................................................ 195
Category: Education, Jobs and Workforce Development ........................ 172
Goal: Access To Education .................................................................... 172
Initiative: Early Childhood ...................................................... 172
Initiative: Primary and Secondary .......................................... 173
Initiative: College, Post-Secondary and Technical................... 173
Initiative: Job Training and Retraining.................................... 173
Goal: Employment Opportunity .......................................................... 174
Initiative: Age and Employment............................................. 174
Initiative: Representing All Groups ........................................ 174

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A Letter from the County Executive
Dear Citizens,
For decades, Frederick County has grappled with questions about how and where we should
grow as a community. Livable Frederick presents a new approach to answering these questions.
The purpose of the Livable Frederick Comprehensive Plan is to identify what citizens value about
Frederick County, to build on citizens’ shared vision, and to lay out a framework for growth that
allows us to retain those elements that make Frederick so special.
Livable Frederick is about growing the county well. The process has been vision-focused,
not zoning-driven as in years past. This dynamic approach has allowed us to move beyond
contentious topics and instead focus on putting in place the community’s vision for a sustainable,
high quality of life over the next 10 to 25 years. This plan considers how people will want to
live, work and recreate. It links transportation, public health, and jobs to land use decisions, and
considers what we want to preserve for future generations. Frederick County residents have
expressed a strong desire to ensure the future viability of agriculture and the protection of our
environment and historic and cultural assets. Throughout the process, the county has actively
sought engagement from the community through surveys, social media, steering committee
meetings, and other outreach methods.
The final result is a Comprehensive Plan document that reflects the community’s vision and sets
the stage for an equitable, sustainable, healthy, and most of all livable Frederick County. Now it is
up to all of us to take action and implement the plan.
Sincerely,
Jan H. Gardner
Frederick County Executive

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Joel Rensberger, Craig Hicks, Carole Sepe, Bob White, Sharon Suarez, Terry Bowie, Sam Tressler III
A Letter from the

Frederick County Planning Commission
Dear Reader,
Maryland law requires that local planning commissions throughout the state prepare
comprehensive plans to guide development in their jurisdictions. This document, the Livable
Frederick Master Plan (LFMP), is the centerpiece of our county’s comprehensive plan.
The LFMP is based on the ideas of many Frederick County residents, sharing their thoughts by
responding to a survey that resulted in more than 15,000 comments about our county’s future and
offering ideas during two public review periods, two public hearings, and a series of community
outreach meetings held throughout the county. Others served on the Livable Frederick steering
committee and eight workgroups who developed a vision for our county’s future as well as
recommendations for achieving it. During the public review periods and hearings, we received
many suggestions for improving the LFMP. We considered every one, adopting those that we
agreed would most improve the plan.
Continued public participation is essential for ensuring that the Livable Frederick comprehensive
planning effort continues to reflect our county’s shared values and goals. We look forward to
hearing from you as we begin work on the comprehensive plan map as well as the community,
corridor, large area, and functional plans that—together with the LFMP—will offer a clear
direction for Frederick County in the face of future change.
For the Frederick County Planning Commission:

Bob White, Chair
Carole Jaar Sepe, Vice Chair
Sharon Kemper Suarez, Secretary
Terry Bowie
Craig Hicks
Joel Rensberger
Sam Tressler III

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Steve McKay, Kai Hagen, Jerry Donald, MC Keegan-Ayer, Phil Dacey, Jessica Fitzwater, Michael Blue
A Letter from the

Frederick County Council
Dear Constituent,
On behalf of the Frederick County Council, we are pleased to have been a part of the Livable
Frederick Master Plan (LFMP) process. This Plan is a new and innovative way to look at how we
plan for Frederick County’s future. It proposes no new growth areas, no expansion of existing
growth areas, and no zoning changes. This new LFMP replaces the 2010 comprehensive plan,
“Frederick County’s Future,” but does not change the Comprehensive Plan Map of 2012. The
County will now commence with an implementation process that will take place, through small
area or corridor plans.
The County Council had 11 meetings or public hearings with input from County staff, community
groups, several council members, and individual constituents. There were nearly 200 community
meetings where community input was sought, welcomed, and in many instances, those
suggestions were then incorporated into the final plan.
The County Council considered more than 50 amendments before finalizing the LFMP you see
today. We are extremely proud of the deliberative, open, transparent, and collaborative manner in
which we finalized this document.
Frederick County is truly a community that has a rich history and a bright future, and the Livable
Frederick Master Plan will aid us in setting a course for the years to come.
For the Frederick County Council,

MC Keegan-Ayer
President

xiii
Acknowledgments
County Executive Jan H. Gardner Livable Frederick Workgroups
Vision Workgroup
Dr. Connie Devilbiss
President, Ms. M.C. Keegan-Ayer Mr. Dana French
Vice President, Mr. Michael Blue Mr. Ed Hinde
Mr. Phil Dacey Ms. Ella McNeil
Mr. Jerry Donald Ms. Irene Packer-Halsey
Ms. Jessica Fitzwater Ms. Cindy Powell
Mr. Kai Hagen Dr. Marie Reeves
Mr. Steve McKay
Agricultural Economy and Land Preservation Workgroup

Frederick County Planning Commission
Mr. Richard Grossnickle
Mr. Bob White, Chairman Mr. Ron Holter
Ms. Carole Jaar Sepe, Vice Chairman Mr. Richard Jefferies
Mr. Terry Bowie Mr. Tom Mullineaux
Mr. Craig Hicks Mr. Richard Pry
Mr. Joel Rensberger Mr. Robert Ramsburg
Ms. Sharon Kemper Suarez, MPA, AICP Mr. Denny Remsburg
Mr. Sam Tressler III Ms. Barry Salisbury
Mr. Peter Vorac
Mr. Anthony Bruscia Ms. Janice Wiles
Mr. William Hall
Mr. Bill Hopwood
Economic Futures and Education Workgroup
Livable Frederick Steering Committee Ms. Elizabeth Chung

Mr. Richard Jefferies
Mr. Dana French Ms. M.C. Keegan-Ayer
Mr. Richard Grossnickle Mr. Mike Kurtianyk
Ms. M.C. Keegan-Ayer Mr. Jay Mason
Mr. Mark Lancaster Mr. Jim Racheff
Mr. Jay Mason Ms. Janice Spiegel
Mr. Scott Minton Ms. Sandy Wagerman
Ms. Shannon Moore Mr. Barry Weller
Mr. Jim Racheff (Chair)
Ms. Karin Tome
Mr. Peter Vorac Environment and Energy Workgroup
Mr. Barry Weller
Mr. Bob White Mr. Kai Hagen
Mr. Richard Jefferies
Mr. Ron Kaltenbaugh
Ms. Shannon Moore
Mr. Kevin Sellner
Ms. Karin Tome

xiv
Healthy Communities and Public Services Workgroup Transportation and Public Infrastructure Workgroup
Dr. Barbara Brookmyer, M.D., M.P.H. Ms. Carrie Anderson-Watters

Mr. Barry Glotfelty Mr. Matt Baker
Dr. Monica Grant Mr. Ron Burns
Ms. Martha Gurzick Mr. Paul Colantuno (retired)
Dr. Inga James, MSW, PhD Mr. Tim Davis
Mr. Scott Minton Ms. Meredith Hill
Ms. Margaret Nusbaum Mr. Alan Imhoff
Ms. Pat Rosensteel Mr. James Kelly
Mr. William Smith Ms. Samantha Krautwurst
Ms. Janice Spiegel Mr. Mark Lancaster
Mr. Mike Levengood
Mr. Tom Owens (invited)
Heritage & Historic Preservation Workgroup Ms. Beth Pasierb, AICP
Ms. Amanda Radcliffe
Mr. Shuan Butcher Mr. Ted Yurek
Mr. Jim Gangawere
Mr. Chris Haugh
Ms. Vivian Laxton Division of Planning and Permitting
Mr. Jack Lynch
Ms. Kathryn MacKenzie Mr. Steve Horn, Director
Mr. Jay Mason Mr. David Whitaker, AICP, Chief of Comprehensive
Mr. Nick Redding Planning (former)
Ms. Liz Shatto Ms. Anne Bradley
Ms. Janice Wiles Ms. Darlene Bucciero
Mr. John Dimitriou, RA
Mr. Tim Goodfellow, AICP
Housing Opportunity & Affordability Workgroup Mr. Dial Keju
Mr. Mike Paone
Mr. Ken Allread Mr. Ethan Strickler
Ms. Kimberly Ashkanazi Mr. Denis Superczynski, AICP
Mr. Milton Bailey
Ms. Elizabeth Day
Ms. Angie Liddiard Renaissance Planning
Mr. Kevin Lollar
Mr. Jay Mason Ms. Katherine Ange, AICP
Ms. Mary Ellen Mitchell Mr. Alex Bell, AICP
Ms. Kara Norman Mr. Jason Espie, AICP
Ms. Margaret Nusbaum

xv
Key Terms
Action Framework:
The third of three components that comprise the Livable Frederick Master Plan. Composed of a collection
of goals, initiatives, and supporting initiatives that describe aspects of county policy related to community
planning. Structured by four vision themes: Our Community, Out Health, Our Economy, and Our Environment.
Capacity:
The ability of our infrastructure and land use to perform adequately and meet present and future demand for
use. Involves planning that is focused on assessing existing supply relative to demand, i.e. overcrowding in
schools or congestion on roads, the determination and prioritization of needs relative to available resources, and
the identification of solutions and interventions that will alleviate overloaded infrastructure, facilities, and land
use. Plays a central role in community planning.
Generally consists of instrumental (implementation-oriented) planning, as contrasted with policy planning,
which is typically normative (standards-oriented) in nature. Deals with the functionality of physical systems while
policy planning deals with the strategic aspects of long-range planning.
Community Growth Area:

Defined geographic areas in the county, surrounding existing municipalities or surrounding developed county
land, where new growth is directed. Work in conjunction with other mechanisms for directing growth such
as land use designations, zoning, water and sewer provision, and funding prioritization for infrastructure
development.
Codified by the State of Maryland through planning legislation passed in 2009, which established 12 Planning
Visions. Specifically, section 1-201 Visions of the Maryland Annotated Code states that a planning commission
must implement the following visions through the comprehensive plan, with the third vision stated as follows
- growth areas: growth is concentrated in existing population and business centers, growth areas adjacent to
these centers, or strategically selected new centers.
Development Framework:
The second of three components that comprise the Livable Frederick Master Plan. Provides an illustrated
narrative to explain the important ideas and concepts regarding the geographic distribution of future growth
supported by policy. Composed of two parts: a scenario planning element and a thematic plan element (which
contains a plan diagram).
Historic Resources:
Historic resources may include buildings, structures, sites, districts, and objects that are associated with the
history of our community. Historians and archaeologists consider a broad time period when assessing historical
and cultural resources including pre‐contact periods (aka prehistoric periods), European and American
settlement periods, and the more than 240 years of history that have followed. Such resources may be important
for association with a particular event or person, for association with a cultural group, or for architectural,
engineering, landscape, or artistic design excellence. Typically, significance is evaluated for resources that are
at least 50 years old, but significance is often found in more recent historical resources. Judgment is required
to determine what is important to our history and culture. A resource that is important to our community but
might never appear on a list of nationally significant places, can be historic.
When considering specific formal designations to local registers or historic districts, the significance of historical
resources is evaluated according to the criteria specified in Frederick County’s Historic Preservation ordinance
(97‐16‐194). The criteria reflect the evaluation of resources used by the state and federal governments, but
acknowledge that some resources may be considered significant only by Frederick County. Recognizing and
conserving historic resources can help form community identity, promote economic development, enhance
property values, build citizen awareness, and maintain a legacy of Frederick County to pass to future generations.

xvi
Implementation Matrix:
A simple and straightforward chart, intended to be available online, composed of all of the goals, initiatives, and
supporting initiatives described in the Action Framework. Permits citizens, elected officials, county staff, and
business owners to identify what is being proposed in Livable Frederick, what organization or agency might
provide leadership, and how it may become reality.
Plan:
Broadly, a document that defines conditions of a current state, establishes the characteristics of a desired future
state, and provides the analysis, information, and methods required to transform the current state to the future
state. Boundaries of applicability can vary based on intent.
Policy:
Composed of ideas, concepts, principles, goals, and procedures that are endorsed as a primary means for setting
a course for future action in the county, especially concerning community planning and land development.
Establishes a normative basis to the actions of the county communicated in the Livable Frederick Master Plan
(LFMP) through three components: a Vision, a Development Framework, and an Action Framework.
Resilience:
Broadly relates to the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties and adverse impacts, be they economic,
natural, demographic, or political. A resilient system is one that reacts well to anticipated and unanticipated
adverse conditions. Such systems are designed and implemented with due consideration given to a wide range
of anticipated conditions. These must balance the cost of long term performance with the cost of allowing
adverse performance.
Scenario Planning:
The structured analysis of alternative possibilities about the future pattern and form of growth in the county.
Incorporated in the Livable Frederick Master Plan through partnership with Renaissance Planning. Involves three
steps: 1) Macro-analysis of growth involving trends projections and a variety of forecasting methodologies, 2)
Micro-analysis of locational preference and place characteristics, and 3) Outcomes analysis of impacts of various
growth alternatives.
Small Area Plans:

Also referred to as Community and Corridor Plans, these are plans that address issues of a portion of the county,
covering specific geographies that have cohesive characteristics. Allow geographically precise and focused
updates to the comprehensive plan map, which includes land use, transportation, and community facilities.
Additionally, allows updates to occur in tandem with municipal plan updates, supporting the development of
consistency between county and municipal plans. With large area and functional plans, serve as a primary means
of implementing the Livable Frederick Master Plan.
Can include two different geographic scales – communities and corridors. Communities are typically delineated
by growth areas, but may also include portions of growth areas or county land outside of growth areas,
depending on need and circumstance. Corridors may also be defined by growth areas, portions of growth areas,
or areas of the county outside of growth areas, such as along major transportation routes.
Sustainability:
In the context of this document, sustainability refers to the continuity of a system or society where the
replenishment of resources is integral to the function of the system as a whole. Describes a condition where the
long term future of a system or society is supported by two factors – systems: the quality of the system’s design,
implementation, and routine maintenance actions, and resources: the cyclical allocation and replacement of vital
resources.

xvii
Thematic Plan:
One of two components of the Development Framework. The primary instrument by which general geographic
patterns of development policy are communicated. Composed of illustrations (namely a plan diagram) and
explanatory text to communicate growth policy. Directly informed and inspired by the scenario planning effort.
Vision:
The first of three components that comprise the Livable Frederick Master Plan. Provides a description of the
characteristics of life in Frederick County in the year 2040. Generated by a collaborative process of citizen
participation. Intended to create a vivid mental image. Written as present tense statements that describe the
future condition of the county. Establishes the starting point for all policy content described in the Livable
Frederick Master Plan.
Composed of three parts: a statement, a description, and vision themes. The statement describes the future of
the county in brief. The description expands on the statement with a more detailed narrative. The vision themes
group functionally-specific vision content into four categories: Our Community, Our Health, Our Economy, and
Our Environment. These four themes organize the goals and initiatives described in the Action Framework.

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A New Kind of Plan
In
A New Kind of Plan

Livable Frederick
Livability is the sum of the factors that add up to our quality of life in Frederick County. It is the ability to easily
get where you’re going, to enjoy great parks, to benefit from great schools, to find support when you need it,
to form bonds with your neighbors, to have access to excellent stores, restaurants, and entertainment, to have
good jobs close to home, to enjoy the revitalizing qualities of our forests, rivers, mountains, and countryside, and
to be in harmony with the systems that surround, support, and underlie our ability to live happy, healthy, long,
and prosperous lives.
To preserve, sustain, and create livability, we must define and advance our shared values as they impact our built
and natural environments, our community health, our economic prosperity, our social stability and equity, our
education, and our cultural, entertainment and recreational opportunities. This is the central ambition of Livable
Frederick. It is a bold and visionary purpose, but one that is at the heart of every technical and practical effort to
plan our communities.
Livable Frederick embraces comprehensive planning that is centered on creating and sustaining livability.
The Livable Frederick Master Plan takes this concept from an urgent but somewhat vague notion to a vivid
illustration that can serve as the well-spring of our efforts to create and sustain our community in this new
century.

Livable Frederick, through the creation of the Livable Frederick Master Plan (LFMP), embodies a focus on policy
and general growth strategy in order to articulate a clear direction for Frederick County in the face of future
change. An important part of many comprehensive plans involves the charting of ideas, concepts, principles,
goals, and procedures for setting a course of future action and to establish a normative basis of action by
providing benchmarks for determining outcomes that are “good” (desirable) or “bad” (undesirable). This is a
central role of the LFMP, which together with the Comprehensive Plan Map, future community, corridor, large
area, and functional plans, and other important pieces of comprehensive planning in Frederick County, as a
whole constitute Frederick County’s Livable Frederick Comprehensive Plan. In addition, the LFMP describes
approaches to communicating and structuring comprehensive planning in Frederick County that are unlike past
planning efforts.
New Approaches
First and foremost, the LFMP is a policy-focused, as opposed to a capacity-focused, document. It stems from
a community-based vision, employed an unprecedented process to involve the participation of numerous
community members in the development of the plan, and used a sophisticated scenario planning tool to
evaluate possibilities for how we can shape our community in the future. In addition, this plan revives a once
common approach to communicating planning strategies by introducing a county-wide growth diagram that
draws inspiration from Frederick County’s original 1959 Land Use Plan. At the same time, this new plan continues
to support the important planning efforts of the past by establishing a foundational part of a living process for
planning; a process that is carefully conceived to combine the power of localized planning with the broad sweep
and long-term value of a deeply visionary document. See the inset, “New Approaches That Shaped This Plan”
(pages 6-7) for a deeper look at these new approaches.
How This Plan Is Organized

The LFMP is organized into three sections:
• Our Vision, which focuses on community aspirations, ideas, and preferences,

• The Development Framework, which focuses on the forms and patterns that will determine the physical
shape of Frederick County, and
• The Action Framework, which focuses on recommended positions, policies, and actions.

1
In A New Kind of Plan
As illustrated in the following diagram, the springboard for all of the content in this plan is Our Vision. This body
of content informed the goals and initiatives articulated in the Action Framework, and shaped the diagrammatic
general plan for the county articulated in the Development Framework.
• in-plan_structure.png
The Three Part Structure of the Livable Frederick Master Plan

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Our Vision
The first of three components that comprise the Livable Frederick Master Plan, Our Vision emerged from an
extensive process of participation and input from citizens, employers, and leaders in the first half of 2016. Our
Vision is a source of understanding about the meaning of livability in our county, and every strategy, goal, and
initiative articulated herein emerged from this source.
The vision itself is composed of three parts: a statement, a description, and a set of four vision themes. Vision
themes were derived from organizing content from the vision into four distinct, function-based groups. They
are: Our Community, Our Health, Our Economy, and Our Environment. These four vision themes are described in
the Action Framework and serve as the basis for organizing the policy content therein.
Additionally, the vision directly influenced the scenario planning process through the creation of four different
countywide development scenarios. The scenario analysis became the basis for the creation of the Thematic Plan
described in the Development Framework.
While Our Vision will serve to guide the County government in key areas of long-term and short-term public
policy, the content of the Vision statement and description can also serve as a basis for discussion, agreement,
and cooperation among other sectors with a stake in Frederick County’s future. The local business community
and its representatives, neighborhood and community groups, local and regional non-profit organizations,
local institutions (educational, religious, agricultural, etc.), may all borrow freely from the work completed in the
Livable Frederick visioning process. Our Vision can be described as ‘open source’ in the sense that we expect, and
look forward to, other organizations finding value in its content, and potentially working with the County and
others to achieve common goals.

2
A New Kind of Plan
In
The Development Framework

The Development Framework provides an illustrated analysis and narrative to explain the important ideas and
concepts regarding the preferred geographic distribution of future growth. It is composed of two parts: scenario
planning and a Thematic Plan (which contains a general plan diagram).
Scenario Planning
This plan utilized growth and development scenarios as a critical tool to evaluate Our Vision. The scenarios
provided a systematic means of comparing the likely impacts – both positive and negative – of the planning
policies articulated in the LFMP. The alternative growth scenarios modeled for this planning effort consider
the relationship between aspects of Frederick County life that are important to supporting livability for our
residents and visitors, including the economy, travel patterns, the environment, and the configuration of our
neighborhoods. While these scenarios offer different versions of what Frederick County might become in the
future, the differences are subtle. Why were the scenarios so similar to each other? The simple answer is that they
shared common ‘DNA’, most notably in the form of the following two fundamental assumptions derived from
Our Vision:
A Jobs-Based Approach to Future Growth Projections

Assumptions regarding future growth were based upon the jobs and economic activity that Frederick County
residents desire. With economic prosperity as a basis for this plan, assumptions about how and where Frederick
County will grow in future decades were made clear and became an important building block in all of the
scenarios.
Several plausible growth forecasts were considered in the development of the scenarios: Maryland Department
of Planning population growth projections, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG)
Cooperative Forecasts, and shift-share growth projections developed by Renaissance Planning. Of these, the
growth projections developed by Renaissance Planning provided the basis for the scenario analysis because
they provided detail by job and household type that was not available in other projections. Additionally, the
Renaissance Planning projections applied shift-share forecasting methods to support the community vision of
creating the jobs and economic activity that Frederick County residents want to retain, nurture, and attract.
Multi-Modal Accessibility Focus

Transportation concerns were at the top of many citizens’ lists of things that needed to be fixed in our current
and future planning documents. Commuters seek more time to spend with families and to contribute to
their communities. Parents demand safe routes for their children walking to and from local schools. Health
care professionals implore all of us to become more physically active. Hikers, hunters, and farmers – Frederick
County’s original environmental stewards - look for effective ways to protect our air, water, and land resources.
The key to addressing all of these issues revolves around providing transportation choices and the land use
patterns that support them. Automobiles, trains, buses, bicycles, and our own feet, will continue to serve us well
in the future alongside of other modes such as autonomous vehicles. Citizens recognized the need to build a
transportation system in Frederick County that supports “multi-modal accessibility,” and this assumption has
been ‘baked’ into the scenarios, giving us valuable feedback about the places where we will live, work, and play
in the future. The four scenarios modeled are:
Business as Usual: This scenario assumes that we maintain the trajectory of our current planning policies,
establishing a future direction that reflects past trends.
City Centers Rise: This scenario acknowledges the City of Frederick, and developed county land surrounding
the city, as a major regional center for business, institutions, residential living, and culture. This scenario assumes
that the growth potential of areas within and surrounding the city is maximized to create an even stronger urban
center boasting walkable neighborhoods, historic character, and thriving commercial districts.
Suburban Place-Making: In this scenario, our suburban communities are recognized as vital places, loved by
generations of Frederick County residents. This scenario assumes a pattern of reinvestment in suburban areas of
the county in order to create additional opportunities to shop, work, and play closer to home.

3
Multi-Modal Places and Corridors: This scenario focuses on our physical connections to places beyond and
within our borders. Existing rail and highway corridors connect Frederick County to the larger Baltimore-
Washington Region and this model assumes a development pattern that makes efficient use of these
transportation systems to move people, build new mixed use places, and catalyze the redevelopment of aging
retail and office developments. The two primary corridors in this model – the CSX/MARC Frederick Branch and
the I-270 Corridor – provide a framework for future development and redevelopment in the southern half of the
county.
The scenarios were not intended to function as absolute choices between different options, but rather as a
way of finding the best aspects of each to ultimately apply to the Livable Frederick Master Plan. The resulting
planning document – including the Thematic Plan – was built using the best attributes of each scenario, and in
the end, it can be said that the LFMP is the product of all four growth scenarios.
The Thematic Plan

The preferred pattern and geographic distribution of new development in the county is illustrated in the Livable
Frederick Master Plan through a combination of written narrative and diagrammatic mapping. While this plan
does not propose to eliminate the use of parcel-based land use mapping - in fact, the Comprehensive Plan Map
adopted in 2012 will remain in effect with the adoption of this document - the reliance on parcel-based land use
mapping as the sole means of communicating long-range planning goals cannot effectively serve the pursuit of
a broader vision. This current effort renews a focus on broad vision and strategy by borrowing from the planning
practice of a previous era in which the fundamental ideas for the future shape of Frederick County are presented
in a simplified map – an annotated geographical diagram that is a central piece of the Thematic Plan. The
following are five important aspects of the Thematic Plan:
• The Thematic Plan represents a vision for the entire county. The form, style, and content of the Plan Diagram
share more with the 1959 Frederick County Plan than with the 2012 Comprehensive Plan Map.
• The primary focus of the Thematic Plan is on showing and explaining the geographic aspects of growth
related policy preferences. Issues associated with capacity are addressed through the policies presented in
the Action Framework. However, capacity-focused planning is intended to occur in separate planning efforts.
• A growth and development strategy for Frederick County is shown in the form of a diagrammatic map – the
Plan Diagram. This is not a parcel-based land use map.
• The Thematic Plan keeps the focus on planning strategy, instead of planning tactics. Tactical steps that need
to be taken in order to successfully achieve our vision, are addressed as initiatives and supporting initiatives
in the Action Framework.
• The thematic, or strategic, approach to charting the future of Frederick County avoids the tendency of
citizens, elected officials, and development professionals to immediately skip over policy and begin
hammering out a revised land use or zoning map.
The ultimate strategy of the Thematic Plan is to...
…achieve a pattern of development that employs a jobs-based approach to growth and

that is centered on multi-modal accessibility in Frederick County, taking advantage
of the existing transportation systems in place, the future systems and technologies
for moving people and products, and the innovative land use patterns that support
transportation choices.
The Thematic Plan incorporates a pattern of growth that leverages the existing “pipeline” of conventional
suburban development to satisfy a significant share of the short-term future demand for residences and

4
A New Kind of Plan
In
businesses, while supporting long-term future growth patterns that do not rely primarily on automobiles for
access to jobs, shops, and homes. Finally, the Thematic Plan embraces a planning strategy that seeks to enhance
growth and development opportunities in and around the City of Frederick, taking full advantage of the
infrastructure, institutions, and magnetic appeal of our historic urban center.
The Action Framework

The Action Framework is a collection of goals and initiatives that describe county policy in support of Our Vision.
It constitutes the complex and interwoven collection of high-level concepts and policies that feeds into low-level
actions. These actions systematically describe a means of moving from the abstractions and general aspirations
of the vision to the instrumental and functional details of implementing the vision. This hierarchical approach
connects “things we need to do” to their broader purpose, with the ultimate purpose of any of the items in the
Action Framework being the realization of Our Vision. Therefore policies articulated in the Action Framework are
organized to reflect the four vision themes. Namely, they are:
Our Community: Policies within this vision theme address the underlying physical substrate of our community,
composed of the infrastructure, community facilities, housing stock, and cultural and social resources that
enable the county to function and prosper.
Our Health: Policies within this vision theme reflect a holistic attitude toward public health that integrates the
influence of the physical environment upon individual behavior, as well as the availability of services.
Our Economy: Policies within this vision theme address the inter-relationship between education, economic
growth, and social resilience, and focus on strengthening our assets while building our capacity for new and
innovative approaches.
Our Environment: Policies within this vision theme address the relationship between our own growth and
development, and the vital role of the natural, physical world as a resource and as an essential ingredient to
support vital and livable communities.
Beneath each vision theme is policy content composed of goals, initiatives, and supporting initiatives. These
were originally developed with the direct involvement of over one hundred Frederick County community
member participants, and were informed by the scenario planning process. The goals, initiatives, and supporting
initiatives within this plan are organized into categories. Goals articulate a broad purpose within specific
categories, initiatives offer more specific direction for achieving each goal, while supporting initiatives provide
an even higher level of detail.
• in-af-policy_hierarchy.png
The Policy Structure of the Action Framework

5
New Approaches That Shaped This Plan
Extensive Participation
The initial development of this plan employed a strategy of citizen involvement and collaboration
that is unique in the recent history of planning in Frederick County. This involved 1) the guidance
and detailed involvement of the Frederick County Planning Commission, the Frederick County
Council, and members of the public through a process of review and public input, 2) the strategic
oversight of a group of involved and informed citizens, 3) the translation of a community-wide
survey that garnered over 2200 responses and over 15,000 qualitative comments about the future
of Frederick County; and 4) the creation of policies that emerged from several months of discussion
and analysis among seven different policy area workgroups composed of over 100 private citizens
and public officials and reviewed and vetted by the Frederick County Planning Commission and the
County Council.
The Frederick County Planning Commission

The Planning Commission is tasked by state law with the development of a comprehensive plan
for the county. Customarily, a “staff draft” is created by Planning Commission staff that is presented
to the Commission for their review and further development. In the case of the Livable Frederick
Master Plan, there was no official staff draft, but rather a preliminary draft was developed through
the extensive involvement of a Steering Committee and eight workgroups in cooperation with
planning staff.
This preliminary draft was created and presented to the Frederick County Planning Commission
for their review and further development. While at this point the role of the Steering Committee
and Workgroups tapered, the Planning Commission continued to extensively seek participation
and input from the community by choosing to hold two separate public review periods and two
associated public hearings, where only one is required.
The Steering Committee and Workgroups

A Livable Frederick Steering Committee was appointed by the County Executive to oversee the
initial development of this plan. The Steering Committee held a convening retreat on January
29, 2016 at the Browning Building in Pinecliff Park, and held many meetings throughout the plan
development process.
To assist the Steering Committee, eight work groups were formed to examine and provide guidance
for several different focus areas for the Livable Frederick Master Plan. Some Steering Committee
members also served on one or more workgroups.
A Vision Workgroup undertook the first major task of the plan: to define a Community Vision for the
county. A survey served as the primary vehicle for establishing this vision, which asked the public
- anyone who lives, works, and plays in Frederick County - to look out 25 years and beyond and
describe their desired vision of the county.
Additionally, seven policy workgroups composed of specialists and experts in various fields met
between the months of November 2016 and January 2017 to develop recommendations for
policy content in the plan. The seven policy area workgroups were: Transportation and Public
Infrastructure, Healthy Communities and Public Services, Housing Opportunities and Affordability,
Economic Futures and Education, Environment and Energy, Agricultural Economy and Land
Preservation, and Heritage and Historic Preservation.
A Policy-Focused Plan
Comprehensive plans can address two aspects of planning: policy and capacity. Policy represents
the values and ideas behind concrete actions and guides decision-makers in the day-to-day
operation of a business, government, or other organization. Capacity deals with the finite ability
of natural and artificial systems to absorb growth and the subsequent need to manage the supply
and demand of roads, community facilities, watersheds, and wastewater treatment facilities. Both
aspects are vitally important, but plans that focus on policy rather than capacity assessments are
well-suited to implementing a community’s aspirations.
Therefore, the important challenge addressed by the LFMP is not solely one of finding new land to
designate for development, but primarily one of taking a step back, gaining some perspective, and
re-evaluating the aspirations and intentions that drive how we will shape Frederick County.

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A Community Vision
Another distinctive element of the LFMP involves the degree of effort put toward defining a
community vision that provided a legitimate reflection of the aspirations of county residents, and
especially the use of that community vision as the centerpiece of the plan document.
To define a community vision, a survey was developed and the public was invited to participate
online or in writing at any of eight county libraries. The survey was conducted over five months,
from May through September 2016. A Spanish-language survey was developed and assistance was
sought from the community groups to engage Spanish speakers to complete the survey. Ultimately,
2,223 surveys were completed by residents and business owners from across the county producing
both quantitative and qualitative answers. Over 15,000 separate qualitative comments were
obtained.
The questions in the survey were aligned with the mission of seven policy workgroups, who then
undertook the review and synthesis of public comments. Workgroup members and staff analyzed
the comments and grouped them by topic, which were then analyzed by the frequency of
occurrence to determine dominant themes.
The Vision Workgroup reviewed and summarized all the dominant themes that resulted from
the vision survey and drafted them into narrative describing the county as it would be in 2040 if
the preferred futures were achieved. These were then summarized and condensed into a single
overarching vision statement, a vivid description, and a set of four thematic vision narratives: Our
Community, Our Health, Our Economy, and Our Environment.
On September 23, 2016, a community visioning workshop was held where members of the Steering
Committee, all eight workgroups, and any other interested members of the public were invited
to review and respond to the community vision. Altogether, over 100 people were in attendance.
Feedback was gathered at this meeting and was used to make final revisions to the vision narrative.
On October 1, 2016, the draft community vision was released for additional public feedback. This
feedback informed the refinement of the draft vision. The final Common Vision was announced by
the County Executive and published at the end of October 2016.
Scenario Planning
Unlike any previous comprehensive plans, this plan employed a growth and development scenario
planning process and computer-based modelling software to evaluate a variety of possibilities.
Unlike previous growth projections employed for comprehensive planning in the county, the
scenario process provided an understanding of the possible market preferences of our growth.
In other words, the scenario process resulted in growth forecasts that connected the place-based
preferences of different employment and residential groups expected to constitute our future
growth with the types of physical places we have or could have in Frederick County.
Additionally, the modeling software employed provided a systematic means of comparing the likely
impacts – both positive and negative – of the planning policies articulated in the LFMP. Alternative
growth scenarios were modeled for this planning effort in order to consider the relationship
between aspects of Frederick County life that are important to supporting livability for our
residents and visitors, including the economy, travel patterns, the environment, and our homes and
neighborhoods.
Plan Diagram
An important element of this plan is the use of a diagram to communicate the basic concepts and
structure of future growth in the county. This diagram is a part of the Thematic Plan portion of the
LFMP, and is effectively a simplified drawing of the county showing a schematic outline of how and
where the county will grow in the future.
In past planning efforts, the ability to focus on broad issues and common themes was distracted by
site specific, parcel-based land use mapping. Often, focus would quickly turn to property specific
issues rather than to assessing the broader trends and aspirations that should influence our choices
about growth. The diagram used in the LFMP is intentionally geographically non-specific in order to
be extremely precise in terms of concept and strategy.
This approach to communicating growth has a long history in the planning field. In fact, the
original 1959 comprehensive plan map for Frederick County employed a very similar diagrammatic
approach. Recent years have shown a trend to move away from concept based mapping toward
mapping that is more geographically and property specific. However, what has been gained in
terms of detail has been lost in terms of conceptual clarity.
Both perspectives are vital. Therefore it must be clear that the Thematic Plan Diagram is
an illustration of future policy objectives for the county that does not replace the detailed
Comprehensive Plan Map. The Thematic Plan Diagram is intended to inform, but not dictate, future
changes to the Comprehensive Plan Map that would occur through community and corridor plans,
large area plans, or functional plans.

7
Categories of policy are organized by vision theme, drawing a straight line of association between the Action
Framework and Our Vision. The result presents a clear hierarchy wherein policies are organized, by their content,
into levels that go from the broad (vision) to the specific (supporting initiative) and where lower level items are
nested within higher level items that describe intent and purpose.
• in-af-theme_organization.png
The Topical Organization of the Action Framework
Vision
Themes
Vision
Our Our Our Our
Community Health Economy Environment
Infrastructure Infrastructure
Design Capacity Healthy Habitat Strengths and Land
Assets
Infrastructure Housing Healthy Choices Existing Business Air

Operations Diversity and Industry Clusters
Categories
Goal
Housing Housing Safety Innovation and Water
Design Economy Opportunity
Tradition Expression Support Education, Jobs, Climate

and Workforce and Energy
Development
Preservation
A key to understanding the Action Framework is that while there is a substantial role for Frederick County
Government, it is intended that non-governmental organizations will join with Frederick County and its
municipalities in achieving Our Vision. This can occur through partnerships or through parallel benefit resulting
from the independent implementation of organizational missions. The Action Framework was developed in
partnership with business owners, advocacy groups, and non-profit leaders, and cannot be realized without the
continued participation of citizens, developers, business owners, preservationists, farmers, environmentalists,
and community organizations.
New Approaches That Shaped This Plan
Goals and Initiatives: A Note Regarding Terminology

Aspirations, policies, goals, objectives, actions, strategies, tactics, initiatives… this kind of language for describing
intended outcomes, and the specific means of achieving them, is prevalent in the literature of technical planning
documents. The distinctions between their specific meanings can be subtle, and their meanings can vary by
situation as well. Therefore, it is prudent to define the terms being used in this document up front.
The Livable Frederick Master Plan is a “policy-based” document. Policy in this case is defined broadly. It is not
intended to refer to a prescribed set of behaviors or rules, but rather it encompasses a spectrum of goals,
actions, strategies, theories, and approaches that are embodied throughout the LFMP. For example, within the
Development Framework, policy is defined through diagrams and text. Within the Action Framework, policy is
described in terms of “goals” and “initiatives.” Indeed, in its totality, the LFMP is intended to be a clear and direct
expression of community planning policy.
As stated above, this plan uses a “goals” and “initiatives” structure to articulate policy in the Action Framework.
There are several reasons for this related to the relatively broad scope of comprehensive planning documents as
well as the implicit and explicit meanings of the term “initiative.”
The scope of this comprehensive planning document is all-inclusive. Therefore, there is limited utility in reducing
every issue down to specific objectives or actions. The intent is often to allow subsequent, more narrowly
focused plans to be developed for specific issues, projects, or places. These more detailed efforts will provide

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A New Kind of Plan
In
discrete and definitive measures for implementation. Therefore, a conventional goals/objectives/actions

framework - where goals reflect general guidelines, and objectives and actions are specific and measurable - is
not employed in this plan.
So, why is this important to our understanding of this plan? Consider that the term “initiatives” is semantically
inclusive, providing a more suitable phrase for our purposes. An initiative can include content that could be
interpreted as either an objective or action, or in some cases, as a more specific form of a goal statement. In
the Livable Frederick Master Plan, the notion of an initiative implies the flexibility needed to allow community
institutions, citizens and landowners, and elected officials to make the plan work in the real world. Livable
Frederick’s Action Framework is intended to be a community-wide reference for action, not solely a workplan for
the county government. “Initiative” implies that implementation can be “initiated” through leadership…from any
sector of our community.
Horizon Years
The LFMP is a future-focused document, but what do we mean when we talk about the future? One way to
consider the passage of time is to think of the future as the horizon. We know that the Earth extends past the
horizon, but our ability to see beyond that line is limited. We use the concept of “horizon years” to consider
specific points in time or logical dates for achieving goals. The horizon years referred to in this plan are as follows:
2025: To some the year 2025 represents a time far into the future, but in community planning terms a point in
time that is a mere six years away is not so distant. Important data available to the county during this planning
process includes 2025 as a reference point. Demographic projections, highway needs, school facility planning,
and other critical information looks at our community at the midpoint of the next decade. In terms of our own
‘development pipeline’, 2025 serves as an important gateway between development that has already been
approved, and growth that will emerge as a result of the LFMP.
2040: The primary horizon year is 2040. This is the date that the county used in answering some of the big
questions presented in the LFMP. Most importantly, Our Vision was developed with this date in mind: Where do
we want the County to be in the year 2040?
2050: In the development of growth scenarios, growth and development trends and patterns were modeled
through the year 2050 so that we could more readily understand how our proposals would affect the county as it
reaches the mid-point of this century.
The Residential Development Pipeline

The residential development pipeline is referenced throughout the LFMP. It is an important concept that is
fundamental to a complete understanding of this planning effort. When this plan talks about the residential
pipeline, it is referencing the number of houses, apartments, or condominiums that have some type of formal
approval from Frederick County through approved subdivision or site plans, planned unit development
approvals, or development rights and responsibilities agreements (DRRAs). The total as of January 2019 stands at
approximately 33,060 dwellings (countywide approved units) and 21,348 dwellings (available units).
Two measures are provided in order to create a nuanced understanding of the residential pipeline. This is
because neither the approved units nor the available units totals are fully accurate reflections of the actual
number of housing units that are available for new households in the county. There are several reasons for this,
including:
• The approved units total does not account for housing units that have been issued building permits. This
means that there are likely to be a significant number of housing units included in the approved units total
that are already constructed and occupied and are therefore not available for new households in the county.
This results in an approved units total that is an overestimation of actual available units.
• The available units total simply subtracts the number of building permits issued for a development from
the total approved units for that development. This does not account for the fact that not all units that have
building permits issued are actually constructed and occupied. In fact, there is often a lengthy period of

9
construction and marketing that occurs prior to occupancy. Also, in some cases, when a building permit
expires before construction can commence, building permits may be submitted multiple times for a single
lot. This means there can be an inflation in the number of building permits that are issued, which artificially
reduces the number of units available. Therefore the tally of available units (traditional pipeline) may
represent an underestimation of the actual number of available units.
• Some subdivisions are included in the approved units total that may not likely be developed for various
reasons. This results in a marginal increase in the number of approved units that could realistically be
considered to be available to fulfill housing needs in the county.
The pipeline is not the result of a single elected official, a single moment in time, or a single developer. In fact, it
is the sum of all of Frederick County’s planning decisions over the past half-century. The LFMP does not ignore
these existing approvals, choosing rather to incorporate those planned developments. As in past years, we know
that some of this residential development will not happen due to economic conditions, the changing priorities
of land owners, and shifting demand in the housing market. Those development plans that are best suited
to achieve the vision set forth in the LFMP will provide a ready supply of building lots for current and future
residents of Frederick County.
Maryland’s Twelve Planning Visions

The 2009 Maryland Planning Visions law created 12 Visions which reflect the State of Maryland’s ongoing
aspiration to develop and implement sound growth and development policy. The visions address: quality of life
and sustainability; public participation; growth areas; community design; infrastructure; transportation; housing;
economic development; environmental protection; resource conservation; stewardship; and implementation
approaches. These visions, listed below, are a central and underlying part of the LFMP, which endeavors to
implement them through a variety of policies and regulations. The Twelve Visions are:
1) Quality of Life and Sustainability: A high quality of life is achieved through universal stewardship of the land,
water, and air resulting in sustainable communities and protection of the environment.
2) Public Participation: Citizens are active partners in the planning and implementation of community initiatives
and are Sensitive to their responsibilities in achieving community goals.
3) Growth Areas: Growth is concentrated in existing population and business centers, growth areas adjacent to
these centers, or strategically selected new centers.
4) Community Design: Compact, mixed–use, walkable design consistent with existing community character and
located near available or planned transit options is encouraged to ensure efficient use of land and transportation
resources and preservation and enhancement of natural systems, open spaces, recreational areas, and historical,
cultural, and archeological resources.
5) Infrastructure: Growth areas have the water resources and infrastructure to accommodate population and
business expansion in an orderly, efficient, and environmentally sustainable manner;
6) Transportation: A well–maintained, multimodal transportation system facilitates the safe, convenient,
affordable, and efficient movement of people, goods, and services within and between population and business
centers;
7) Housing: A range of housing densities, types, and sizes provides residential options for citizens of all ages and
incomes;
8) Economic Development: Economic development and natural resource–based businesses that promote
employment opportunities for all income levels within the capacity of the State’s natural resources, public
services, and public facilities are encouraged;
9) Environmental Protection: Land and water resources, including the Chesapeake and coastal bays, are carefully
managed to restore and maintain healthy air and water, natural systems, and living resources;

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A New Kind of Plan
In
10) Resource Conservation: Waterways, forests, agricultural areas, open space, natural systems, and scenic areas
are conserved;
11) Stewardship: Government, business entities, and residents are responsible for the creation of sustainable
communities by collaborating to balance efficient growth with resource protection; and
12) Implementation: Strategies, policies, programs, and funding for growth and development, resource
conservation, infrastructure, and transportation are integrated across the local, regional, state, and interstate
levels to achieve these Visions.
Key Insights and Considerations

Based on the ideas presented in Our Vision, input from the Livable Frederick work groups, the scenario analysis,
and other studies of existing conditions and future trends, this planning process revealed several key insights
that influenced the creation of the Action and Development Frameworks and that will ultimately shape long
term implementation strategies, regulatory updates, and future planning:
Pipeline Growth Does Not Sufficiently Reflect The County’s Vision

As of January 2019, the residential development pipeline for both the county and municipalities included
21,348 available dwellings, with 11,789 located in the county jurisdiction and 9,559 located in municipalities.
The prevailing development patterns reflected in this pipeline follow a lower density, single-family, suburban
residential model. However, if this development reflects conventional models, the new growth will not match
the community’s aspirations as articulated in Our Vision, nor will this new development reflect changing trends
or market preferences. Pipeline growth could also present challenges to Frederick County as it works to provide
needed infrastructure - including schools, roads, and parks - to serve both new and existing neighborhoods.
This insight suggests that Frederick County needs new templates for future growth.
Multi-Modal Choices and Active Living: A New Development Model

Developing a new multi-modal transportation network for Frederick County will improve the overall
effectiveness of the system and create conditions which promote active living and improve the health of
citizens. The reliance on cars as the only transportation option for people to get from point A to point B has
created transportation challenges and led to less active lifestyles. We know that we cannot build our way out of
congestion, but we can make our system of transportation more efficient by creating a more robust network of
roads, transit services, bicycle lanes and pedestrian options. We can also create patterns of development - and
grow employment locally - to make it easier for people to get to their jobs, grab a bite to eat, or shop, by taking
a short walk, bike ride, transit trip - or even a shorter car ride. This effort could create an opportunity for a large
share of our new homes and jobs to be located in areas where there are options available to residents to walk,
bike, take transit, or drive shorter distances to reach their daily destinations.
More Housing Choices Necessary to Increase Livability

As housing affordability continues to be a strain for Frederick County citizens, the location and diversity of
housing options should also reflect a consideration of creating and maintaining different housing price points –
including housing options that remain affordable for as many citizens as possible. Where, and how, people want
to live is changing. Different types of households, and people at various stages in their lives, have different needs
and desires for the kind of place they want to call home. As the demographics of our community continue to
change, so too should our housing options. Housing located in walkable, transit accessible locations can reduce
household transportation costs, and reduce the overall housing cost burden on local families.
Reinvesting in Existing Places and Creating Great New Places

The Livable Frederick Master Plan places a premium on the future growth of our towns and villages. Each
municipality in Frederick County determines its own amount, rate, and character of future growth – both
residential and economic. Frederick County will endeavor to reinvest in its existing suburban communities while
finding ways to encourage well-designed, sensitive, residential and employment growth in older villages that
are well-suited for, and able to accommodate, appropriate levels of development and redevelopment. Older

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suburban commercial areas will not be left behind either, as Frederick County works with property owners
and neighbors to find new, complementary land uses – including residential uses – for commercial corridors
developed in the age of the automobile. Frederick County will work to develop templates for the types of new
places that can be oriented around multi-modal accessibility, provide access to jobs, and allow for increased
involvement in neighborhood activities.
Promoting Environmental Stewardship and Working Lands Preservation

Environmental stewardship refers to the responsible use and sound management of the natural environment
through conservation and sustainable practices. The policies contained in the Livable Frederick Master Plan strive
to provide a high quality environment in which to live and work. This includes the protection and conservation
of our farmland and sensitive resources including forestlands, mountains, streams, rivers and wetlands. A
pattern of growth that focuses the majority of new development in cities, towns, and villages, combined with
an enhanced multi-modal transportation network, reduces our development ‘footprint’, and relieves pressure to
urbanize our working lands and green infrastructure.
Place-Making as an Economic Development Strategy

A key part of our long term growth strategy is directly tied to creating great places. An increasing number of
companies are choosing to locate in places that have ready access to labor talent. Younger workers – particularly
those in the creative economy sectors – show strong preferences for living in great places with active main
streets and walkable neighborhoods. If we build distinctive and vibrant communities, employers – and those
who work for them – will choose to be in Frederick County. As a county that is already blessed with many great
communities, it is clear that we have a significant head start in this endeavor.
A Path Forward
Frederick County created its first Comprehensive Plan in 1958. It laid out a vision for growth that balanced the
protection of prime agricultural lands, historic places, watersheds, and mountainsides with an accommodation
for new jobs and housing, fueled from within Frederick County and from the greater Baltimore-Washington
region. This vision put in place a template for growth that reflected the times, lifestyles, environmental
conditions, and economic opportunities of its era.
Almost 70 years later, the world has changed dramatically. While many of our core values and quality of life goals
have remained, the way in which we work, live, and play has transformed significantly. There is a much greater
emphasis today on shaping growth to support more active and healthy lifestyles, sustainable communities,
transportation choices, and economic resiliency in the face of rapid technological advances, climatic changes,
longer lifespans, and economic restructuring. As such, now is the time to revisit our key policy assumptions
about how Frederick County’s tools and incentives for growth might adapt to these changing forces.
Now is the time to embrace a Livable Frederick.

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Putting the Plan to Work
In
Putting The Plan To Work

The Livable Frederick User’s Guide
A critical portion of any comprehensive planning effort is the set of instructions for how to put the plan to work.
Traditionally, planners refer to this as ‘implementation’, but a more appropriate name might be User’s Guide since
this describes the best way for users – our citizens, business owners, community leaders, and elected officials – to
get the most out of the plan.
This section provides recommendations for administering the planning process as well as creating a solid bridge
between the Livable Frederick Master Plan and the many other plans and programs routinely undertaken and
adopted by county government, including the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), the Master Transportation
Plan, and the Water & Sewer Plan. Additionally, this User’s Guide recommends steps to be taken to monitor,
evaluate, and update the plan on a regular basis – over and above any State of Maryland mandate to do so – so
that the community may adapt to changing conditions in future years. Most importantly, it provides guidance
about who may be best suited to carry out each initiative.
Livable Frederick Comprehensive Planning

The Livable Frederick Master Plan functions as a core document, guiding the continual practice of producing
and updating a collection of interrelated planning documents in Frederick County. It provides a framework for
future planning that takes into account a deep understanding of the forces shaping our future and our shared
aspirations about the kind of place we want Frederick County to be. Future planning in Frederick County will
occur under the banner of Livable Frederick Comprehensive Planning.
In many ways, this is a continuation and necessary evolution of past approaches to comprehensive planning in
Frederick County. For example, in 1998, a comprehensive plan update occurred that organized the plan into two
volumes, a policy document as known as Volume 1, and a set of region plans collectively referred to as Volume
2. Livable Frederick Comprehensive Planning is organized similarly, with the Livable Frederick Master Plan
serving as a core, policy-focused document, with a collection of other interrelated plans (such as community and
corridor plans, functional plans, and large area plans) that all stem from and support this central core document.
1998 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LIVABLE FREDERICK COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING
Functional
Thurmont Plan
Large
County-wide Middletown
Walkersville
Livable Frederick Area
Plan
Policy Document Frederick Master Plan
New Market
Brunswick
Adamstown
Urbana Corridor
Plan
Community
Plan
Volume 1: Volume 2: Note: Plan types and locations shown are purely
illustrative and do not indicate any proposed future
Policy Document Region Plans planning e˜ orts as of the time of the adoption of this plan.
• in-plan_comparison-01.png
• in-plan_comparison-02.png
As the diagram below illustrates, in 1998, a comprehensive plan update occurred that created a core policy
and technical document entitled “Comprehensive Plan Volume 1.” This included the adoption of a county-wide
Comprehensive Plan Map. This update marked the beginning of the “Region Plan Update Process,” wherein
Frederick County was divided into eight planning regions and updates cycled through each region in sequence.
As each region plan was completed, a new policy and technical document was produced that cumulatively
contributed to the overall policy and technical documentation of the Comprehensive Plan. Additionally, new
Comprehensive Plan Maps for each region were produced that served to update the overall county-wide
Comprehensive Plan Map. This was followed by a rezoning process.

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In Putting the Plan to Work
REGION PLAN UPDATE PROCESS

1998 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2009
Countywide Frederick New Market Walkersville Thurmont Middletown Brunswick Adamstown Urbana
Plan Region Plan Region Plan Region Plan Region Plan Region Plan Region Plan Region Plan Region Plan
Region Plan
Policy and
Technical
COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Documents
Comprehensive
Plan Map
Core
Policy and
Technical
Document
• in-lf_process-01.png
The Region Planning Process was discontinued in 2010 and a new county-wide technical and policy document
was created entitled “Frederick County’s Future: Many Places, One Community” (2010 Plan). This included a
countywide update to the Comprehensive Plan Map. Importantly, this plan proposed a new model for updating
the comprehensive plan that focused on small area planning known as the Communities and Corridors Process.
In 2012, another update was undertaken to revise the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map.
The Livable Frederick Master Plan replaces “Frederick County’s Future” with what represents an evolution of
the comprehensive plan’s core policy document. This new vision-based policy plan utilizes a planning diagram
- referred to as the Thematic Plan Diagram - to communicate long term growth strategy while employing a
scenario planning model to analyze options for our future. The Communities and Corridors Process is expanded
in Livable Frederick to include provisions for large area and functional planning.
According to this model, the Livable Frederick Comprehensive Plan is, and will be, composed of the Livable
Frederick Master Plan, the Comprehensive Plan Map, future Community and Corridor plans, future “large area”
plans, and future functional plans. As Community and Corridor plans, large area plans, and functional plans are
adopted, they will constitute amendments to the Livable Frederick Comprehensive Plan.
2010 2012 2018-9 FUTURE PLANNING...

Frederick Land Use Livable Frederick Livable Frederick Livable Frederick Livable Frederick Livable Frederick
County’s Map Update Master Plan Community Plans Corridor Plans Large Area Plans Functional Plans
Future
*First Introduction LIVABLE FREDERICK COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING
of the “Communities
and Corridors” Process
Livable Frederick
Policy and Technical
Documents
COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Policy Diagram
(Thematic Plan Diagram)
Comprehensive
Plan Map
Core Policy
and Technical
Document
Note: The illustrations of the Comprehensive Plan Map shown beneath “Future Planning” are
stylized depictions of the county for illustration of the general scope and distribution of potential
future plans. They are not intended to deÿne speciÿc areas in the county for future planning.

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In
• in-lf_process-02.png
Additionally, other planning elements will be adopted in conjunction with the LFMP. These include the Water
Resources element, which originally took the form of a separate chapter in the 2010 Plan. The Growth Tiers
Map constitutes another component of the Livable Frederick Comprehensive Plan. A rezoning process typically
follows comprehensive plan updates.
Local resources that are important to the history and culture of Frederick County are also addressed in Livable
Frederick Comprehensive Planning. One example is the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area (HCWHA). Frederick
County acknowledges full support for the efforts undertaken to assist the HCWHA partners in their efforts
to support heritage tourism and thus incorporates, by reference, the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
Management Plan as most recently updated and approved by the HCWHA Board of Directors.
Components of the Livable Frederick Comprehensive Plan:
• The Livable Frederick Master Plan (containing the Thematic Plan Diagram)
• The Comprehensive Plan Map
• Future Community and Corridor Plans
• Future Large Area and Functional Plans
• The Water Resources Element
• The Priority Preservation Areas Map
• The Growth Tiers Map
• Other Plans Incorporated by Reference in the LFMP
The Development Framework Thematic Plan

To be effective, a plan that purports to guide the physical development of a geographical place must include
a vivid representation of that place using visual and narrative means. The Thematic Plan component of the
Development Framework serves as a visual and narrative guide to the future growth, preservation, and mobility
patterns envisioned by citizens of Frederick County and functions as a bridge between the policies laid out in
the Action Framework, and the mechanisms through which places are created, such as zoning regulations, land
subdivision, large area and community and corridor plans, and the development of physical infrastructure.
The Thematic Plan provides an illustrated indication of where future types of development should occur, where
our most valued natural resources and fertile agricultural lands shall remain, and where we may endeavor to
provide for increased mobility options within and among our neighborhoods, towns, and employment centers.
The essential device for communicating this is the Thematic Plan Diagram (Plan Diagram).
The Plan Diagram represents a revival of past approaches to planning that made significant use of drawings that
were designed to communicate concepts, ideas, and strategies. While geographic specificity has many benefits
relative to fully understanding places and geography, it can distract from the ability to relay essential ideas. We
now need to relay essential ideas because the LFMP represents a significant redirection of planning strategy.
As a tool for decision-making, the Plan Diagram is not to be used in the same way as the Comprehensive Plan
Map. Where the Comprehensive Plan Map may be used to identify specific land use designations on specific
parcels, no such use is intended for the Plan Diagram. Instead, it functions as an information-rich geographic
diagram that provides qualitative locational information that does not stand alone, but finds its utility and
relevance in guiding future planning decisions.
The Frederick County Comprehensive Plan Map, the Growth Tier Map, the Priority Preservation Areas Map,
and the Zoning Map remain unaltered by the adoption of the Livable Frederick Master Plan. They will remain
so until such time as Frederick County seeks to specifically amend and update these documents based on
the Development Framework, the Action Framework described in this document, and future community and
corridor, large area, and functional plans developed and adopted by the county.

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The Action Framework Implementation Matrix

All of the actions and policies in the Action Framework – the goals, their associated initiatives, and supporting
initiatives – will be organized into a simple and straightforward chart that permits anyone – citizen, elected
official, county staff person, business owner – to identify what is being proposed in LFMP as well as how these
initiatives may become reality. For each action, the Implementation Matrix - an online tool for identifying
proposed initiatives - will contain specific, relevant information including:
• the individual or entity most likely to play a lead role • an indicator of the relative priority of goals and
in pursuing the initiative; initiatives; and
• a generalized estimate of the resources needed to • a means of measuring progress and success for each
carry out the initiative; initiative.
How does the Implementation Matrix work? Responsibilities are assigned at the organizational level whenever
possible and appropriate. Where multiple organizations or departments are specified, the first to be listed is
the designated lead, with subsequently listed organizations/agencies/individuals considered to be vital in a
supporting role. As in the Livable Frederick Master Plan itself, many goals and initiatives cross traditional topical
boundaries, and this is often reflected in the need to engage multiple agencies or departments in the pursuit
of a specific initiative or action. Wherever possible, responsibility for implementation is assigned to an agency,
titled position, business, or organization, thereby providing a more precise sense of who can best lead an effort
to implement a given initiative.
The Implementation Matrix should be considered a “must have” document for those seeking to make this plan
work. It can be used, in its simplest form, as a checklist or scorecard, marking our progress over the course of
time. But its true value derives from its intended use as a set of instructions for getting things done. If utilized to
establish annual work plans for county agencies, the matrix becomes a living document that will provide lasting
value as a means for organizing public efforts.
The actions outlined in the Implementation Matrix identify a substantial role for our local government. While
county leaders will be pursuing the goals outlined in LFMP using the planning, regulatory, and spending
powers of government, it is intended that non-governmental organizations will join with the county and its
municipalities in achieving Our Vision through partnerships or through parallel benefit resulting from the
implementation of their own missions. Without the support and partnership of citizens, the development
community, preservationists, farmers, business leaders, environmentalists, and community organizations, the
Action Framework will become a much less useful tool for the Frederick County community.
Place-Making: Community and Corridor Planning

A primary tool for implementation of the Livable Frederick Master Plan - and the heart of its implementation
strategy - will be Community and Corridor Planning. Conceived as a way to study small geographic areas,
neighborhoods, villages, and corridors in Frederick County, and develop detailed plans for their evolution and
growth based on the needs and goals of each individual community, the Community and Corridor Planning
Process will be thorough, inclusive, flexible, and based firmly upon the notion that the ultimate goal of any plan
is to create – or protect – a great place. We live in specific physical places in the world. Failure to fully appreciate
how our physical environments affect our health, happiness, and prosperity – Frederick County’s livability – is a
missed opportunity that is not in keeping with Our Vision.
To accomplish the goals of the LFMP, Frederick County will commit to an on-going effort to develop Community
and Corridor Plans for our future growth areas, our commercial and mixed-use corridors, our existing villages,
and our critical natural resource areas. These area-specific plans will function as amendments to the Livable
Frederick Comprehensive Plan and will be used to revise, amend, and inform Frederick County’s Comprehensive
Plan Map, the Master Water & Sewerage Plan, the Zoning Map, and the Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
The long-range plans of our municipal partners will also be integrated into this countywide planning framework.
As previously proposed in Frederick County’s Future, as each municipality initiates a comprehensive plan update
for their jurisdiction, a tandem update of the Livable Frederick Comprehensive Plan will be initiated for the area
surrounding that municipality. This will foster collaboration between the county and municipalities that may
facilitate congruence regarding land use, infrastructure, and growth.

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The Livable Frederick Master Plan - through its frameworks for action and development - will provide guidance
as more detailed analysis, physical planning, and design is provided for each community or corridor studied.
Ultimately, it is through these planning efforts – as well as through developing and updating a multitude of
relevant functional or large area planning documents like those for water and sewer infrastructure, parks,
historic preservation, and transportation – that Livable Frederick Comprehensive Planning will become the living
collection of documents that is envisioned.
Large Area and Functional Plans

Other means of amending the Livable Frederick Comprehensive Plan include large area plans and functional
plans. Large area plans will provide focus on contiguous regions of the county, such as the Middletown Valley
or the landscape and historic resources surrounding Sugarloaf Mountain. Functional plans will provide focus on
specific “infrastructure” throughout Frederick County, such as transportation, agriculture, or natural resources.
For example, the Green Infrastructure and Agricultural Infrastructure themes of the Thematic Plan are intended
to pioneer focused planning efforts that will serve to update the comprehensive plan as a whole. A Multi-Modal
Accessibility Plan could be developed as a comprehensive plan update to modify land use classifications and
road classifications, or to indicate new connections.
Another important type of functional plan update involves the ability to make plan amendments that are not
directly related to the targeted planning efforts identified above. Therefore, a “Land Use Maintenance Plan” is
proposed in the LFMP as a mechanism to evaluate land use needs throughout the county that are outside of
growth areas, and that are disengaged from specified large area plans or other functional plans. This plan is best
updated cyclically.
Ordinances and Regulations

There is an expectation with the development of any land use planning document that changes will be required
in the codes and standards comprising the rules of place-making. The Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision
Regulations are the two most prominent codes that will likely require modification in the future to allow
Frederick County to move toward Our Vision outlined in the Livable Frederick Master Plan. It is the intention
of Frederick County to pursue changes to these codes as identified in the policies of this plan and, as needed,
to address specific challenges and requirements identified in the Community and Corridor Plans. Topical
amendments to the land development codes – outside of a specific area planning process – may also be
necessary as Frederick County seeks to solve problems and meet the demands of infrastructure, housing, and
employment.
Zoning Map/Land Use Map Amendments

When needed for the creation of a Community and Corridor Plan, amendments to Frederick County’s
Zoning Map or Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map will be developed and adopted as part of that process,
or immediately following the adoption of the plan. It may also be necessary to address comprehensive plan
mapping changes to large areas or sub-areas of the county in order to ensure consistency between these maps
and the Livable Frederick Master Plan.
Planning Context
Comprehensive Planning in the State of Maryland
The Land Use Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland states that once a planning commission is legislatively
created, it has the function and duty to prepare a comprehensive plan for its jurisdiction, and to present this plan
to the local legislative or governing body for its consideration and adoption. The comprehensive plan must serve
as a guide to public and private actions and decisions to ensure the development of public and private property
in appropriate relationships. Each jurisdiction must review and, if necessary, update its comprehensive plan
every ten years.

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Property Rights
The Livable Frederick Master Plan fully supports stable and enforceable private property rights under the laws of
our county, state, and nation. Acknowledging and protecting these rights in our community plans, policies, and
regulations can provide property owners with key incentives to invest in our neighborhoods and employment
centers, bringing benefit to the broader community.
Nothing in this plan shall be construed to change the longstanding Frederick County policy of honoring and
protecting individual private property rights. Any legislation, regulations, or policies arising from this plan should
consider the rights of individual property owners.
Both the U.S. Constitution and Maryland State law support land use planning, undertaken by and for local
communities, that balances private property rights with public health, safety, and welfare. The Livable Frederick
Master Plan is a key part of Frederick County’s planning process, intended to guide our progress toward
commonly held goals in areas such as economic development, housing affordability, community health, and
transportation choice.
Consistency with the County Comprehensive Plan

The concept of “consistency” as described in the Maryland Annotated Code Land Use Article § 1-303 states that
“…when a provision in a statute listed under §1-302 of this subtitle requires an action to be “consistent with” or
have “consistency with” a comprehensive plan, the term shall mean an action taken that will further, and not
be contrary to, the following items in the plan: (1) policies; (2) timing of the implementation of the plan; (3)
timing of development; (4) timing of rezoning; (5) development patterns; (6) land uses; and (7) densities or
intensities.”
The issue of “consistency” relative to comprehensive planning in Maryland is multi-faceted. There are many
types of consistency that are considered, related to local and state construction projects, local government
land use regulation, local plan accord with state planning visions, intra-jurisdictional plans (within county), local
development decisions, and interjurisdictional planning (outside county).
According to the Maryland Office of Planning Models and Guidelines publication Achieving Consistency Under
the Planning Act of 1992 (Consistency Report), the method of examining consistency varies with the specific
type of consistency being considered. However, some universal concepts are provided. These are related to: “1)
clearly identifying what is supposed to be consistent with what; 2) identifying shared characteristics and looking
for conflict, support, or neutrality; and 3) applying principles of logical coherence and reasonableness.”
As a general rule of thumb, the following statement from the Consistency Report provides a guideline about
determining consistency relative to land use regulations: “land use regulations and land use decisions should
agree with and implement what the Plan recommends and advocates. A consistent regulation or decision may
show clear support for the Plan. It may also be neutral – but it should never undermine the Plan.”
There will often be ambiguities when judging consistency. When faced with an area of difficult judgement,
emphasis should be placed on clear contradictions, illogical connections, and notable disagreements. In the end,
determining consistency with the comprehensive plan should not be a forum for reversing adopted policies, but
rather should support development that results in an implementation, over time, of the comprehensive plan’s
vision for the future. Additionally, consistency may not be binary. Sometimes development may possess both
consistent and inconsistent aspects relative to the comprehensive plan. This may make the issue of consistency
a question of degree. If the comprehensive plan were interpreted as a “literal, exact translation from Plan to land
use law over the entire jurisdiction, undesirable results might occur.”
The Comprehensive Plan Map is a central tool in making determinations of consistency, and remains so with
the adoption of the LFMP. Given that this plan introduces a new kind of map (the Thematic Plan Diagram), some
clarification of the role of this map relative to determinations of consistency is warranted. The Thematic Plan map
is aspirational and is intended to incorporate the themes, policy, and vision of the LFMP, without being property-
specific. Its primary purpose is to inform future planning on specific issues, including growth area boundaries,
land use designations, capital facilities, and zoning.

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Capital Improvement Planning and Other Community Plans

While the Livable Frederick Master Plan is Frederick County’s policy guide for issues related to physical
development, the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is a critical mechanism utilized to plan for and fund
substantial public projects, develop new facilities, and improve community infrastructure. Public dollars will
always be limited, so there is a need to strike a balance between capital improvement priorities, and the
revenues and funding sources available for such expenditures. When updating the annual CIP, the county should
strongly consider the priorities that are listed within the Implementation Matrix as well as within other adopted
planning documents.
Several current planning documents developed and updated by the county will add value to Livable Frederick
Comprehensive Planning in future years. Some are required by statute, while others have been developed as
the best mechanism to provide guidance and direction within a specific topical or functional area of interest. As
appropriate, the following documents will continue to be updated and adopted on a regular basis and will be
informed and influenced by the Livable Frederick Master Plan:
• Transportation Master Plan

• Historic Preservation Plan
• Water and Sewerage Plan
• Bikeways and Trails Plan
• Comprehensive Energy Plan
• Sustainable Action Plan for County Operations
• Land Preservation, Parks, and Recreation Plan
• Catoctin Mountain Scenic Byway Plan
• FCPS Educational Facilities Master Plan
• The Solid Waste Management Plan
Assessing Progress
Frederick County must measure success, as well as identify challenges, in the ongoing effort to implement the
Livable Frederick Master Plan. The Department of Planning and Permitting will be tasked with preparing an
annual report to assess progress in implementing the LFMP’s recommendations and to set future priorities. This
annual assessment should be used to guide county agency programs, capital improvement budgeting, and
policy development to better achieve the goals called out in the Livable Frederick Master Plan. Assessments
should be submitted to the County Executive, the Planning Commission, the County Council, the citizens
of Frederick County, and any other relevant organizations for their review. The Department of Planning and
Permitting should make this progress report a highly publicized effort to demonstrate the important role
played by the Livable Frederick Master Plan in the decisions that most affect Frederick County’s growth and the
everyday lives of citizens. Additionally, the progress report will provide leaders with the information needed to
set priorities for implementation during each budget cycle, ensuring that the budget includes the necessary
funds or other resources needed to move forward with plan implementation. The progress report will also be
used to guide decisions regarding state and regional investments in Frederick County.
Moving forward, it will be necessary to continuously monitor the status of progress toward achieving the plan’s
vision. At a minimum, county staff, the Planning Commission, County Council, and community representatives
should review progress on plan implementation on a regular basis.

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Essential Implementation Principles

• The Livable Frederick Master Plan shall be the county’s primary policy guide for the growth and development
of Frederick County. All other county plans related to its growth and development and related infrastructure
plans must be reviewed for consistency and/or compatibility with the Livable Frederick Master Plan.
• The county’s development regulations shall be consistent with the Livable Frederick Master Plan, such that
regulations facilitate, and do not inhibit, the implementation of LFMP policies.
• The county’s regulations shall be regularly reviewed to account for any adopted Livable Frederick Master Plan
amendments, emerging issues, and market or real estate trends.
• The Livable Frederick Master Plan shall be consulted when establishing priorities within the county’s Capital
Improvement Program (CIP).
• All county departments shall submit annually to the Planning Director a list of plans and studies to be
undertaken or updated in the coming year, in order to take advantage of joint planning opportunities and to
maintain consistency with the Livable Frederick Master Plan.
• Area-specific planning studies – including Community and Corridor Plans – shall be responsive to the
needs of the neighborhood and community while continuing to support and reflect Our Vision. Planning
studies undertaken in future years should also be sensitive to economic development policies and priorities,
environmental challenges, land use market conditions, implementation challenges, available staffing
resources, and available funding. Studies such as those conceived as Community and Corridor Plans
should generally include an existing conditions inventory, a natural resources inventory, future land use
recommendations, aesthetic and functional public space improvements, circulation improvements and
transportation management, capital improvement requirements and financing strategies, the need for
zoning or subdivision code changes, and other implementation factors. If necessary due to the findings of the
area-specific plans, amendments to the Livable Frederick Master Plan should be introduced to ensure internal
consistency for the areas involved.
Summary
In summary, this User’s Guide recommends that the county put the Livable Frederick Master Plan into action by
taking the following steps:
• Review progress annually through the publishing of a Livable Frederick Progress Statement, to be brought
to the Planning Commission for review and discussion to determine if the county is making measurable
progress toward the achievement of its goals.
• Revise and incrementally update maps, codes, and strategies regularly (zoning, land use, transportation) to
maintain consistency between the vision presented in the LFMP and Large Area, Functional, and Community
and Corridor Plans adopted by the county.
• Revise and update codes regularly to maintain consistency with the vision presented in the LFMP, and to
remain consistent with adopted Community and Corridor, large area, and functional comprehensive plan
updates.
• Revise and update complementary supporting studies and plans to maintain consistency with the LFMP.
• Use the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) to ensure that county spending supports the vision laid out
in the LFMP, as well as the development or redevelopment strategies identified in Community and Corridor
plans.

20
In
• Develop a protocol for seeking collaboration between the County Executive, the County Council, and the
Planning Commission in putting forward an annual workplan for the Department of Planning which will
establish the planning efforts to be undertaken in the following fiscal year. An outline for projects in the
following 5 years shall also be a part of this workplan to encourage consistency and regularity in the planning
process for all citizens and landowners.

21
OUR VISION
Our Vision is composed of three parts: a statement, a description, and a set of four vision themes, with
each section presenting a finer and finer grained depiction of Frederick County as envisioned in 2040. The
"statement" is presented on the following page, and is intentionally succinct and broad. The "description" is on
the pages that follow, and provides a more detailed narrative. The four vision themes - Our Community, Our
Health, Our Economy, and Our Environment - are even more specific and detailed. They are presented in the
Action Framework portion of the Livable Frederick Master Plan and form the aspirational basis from which
the goals and initiatives in each section are derived.
Vision Statement
IT IS THE YEAR 2040.

FREDERICK COUNTY IS A
VIBRANT AND UNIQUE
COMMUNITY
WHERE PEOPLE
LIVE, WORK, AND THRIVE
WHILE ENJOYING A
STRONG
SENSE OF PLACE
AND BELONGING.

23
A Vivid Description of Our Vision
Our COMMUNITY enables young and old to

lead fulfilling lives. We ensure that all people
can be successful, enjoy a HIGH QUALITY OF
LIFE and are free from poverty.
Residents are energized by our UNIQUE

SENSE OF PLACE, our rich and deeply rooted
history, small towns, natural resources, and
cultural amenities.

24
Frederick County provides interesting and
fulfilling JOBS and options for everyone to
support their families.
We embrace businesses of all types and sizes to

ensure a vibrant and STRONG ECONOMY.
We value our traditional industries while

seizing the opportunities of THE FUTURE,
healthcare, biotech, advanced technology, and
more.

25
AGRICULTURE is vibrant and viable. People love fresh
food and farm to fork.
GOOD HEALTH is fundamental to our quality of life.

We value a HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT, clean air,
water, and green energy, and are good stewards of our
environmental & natural resources.
Frederick County planning enhances our towns

and neighborhoods, while preserving what we love:
FARMS, HISTORY, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, and THE
ENVIRONMENT.
26
Our transportation system is MULTI-MODAL
and diverse. It moves people, and goods both
locally and regionally, in a timely and safe
manner, and provides the ability to enjoy and
function in life WITHOUT NEEDING A CAR.
Frederick County is a SAFE PLACE to live,

work, and play due to our many committed
emergency services providers and caring
communities.

27
Frederick County offers excellence in public
EDUCATION and lifelong LEARNING
opportunities, which results in an educated
and trained workforce to ensure our long term
economic prosperity.

28
Frederick County PROVIDES GREAT PLACES
TO LIVE, from our small towns and villages, to
our urban downtown, quaint main streets, and
rural countryside.
There is SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!

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DEVELOPMENT
FRAMEWORK
Dv
Scenario Planning
This plan is a policy-focused document that employs a scenario planning process and modeling tool aimed at
reducing guesswork and creating an objective base of knowledge for consciously creating a future Frederick
County that embodies our values and aspirations. The scenario planning process allowed us to imagine a variety
of possible futures and analyze the impacts and outcomes of those futures.
The scenario planning process is not simply about projections of data or linear views of the future. At its core,
it is an endeavor in understanding how different forces interact and may help us create a future that is different
from the system of land and community development in which developers, public officials, and communities
have operated in since the rise of the automobile.
The scenarios described below are not rhetorical - they are not designed to show a predetermined preferred
option in the best light. The scenarios are also not contingency plans - they are not intended to provide one
course of action if one set of events occurs, and another equally valid set of options if a different set of event
occurs. Rather, they are analytical. They allow us to think beyond the customary “predict and plan” approach and
provide a means to explore four different, but not mutually exclusive, hypotheses about growth in the county.
The outcomes of these scenarios are measurable and provide valuable information that informs our choices
about how to grow.
The Livable Frederick scenario planning process is based on the premise that Frederick County’s growth and
economic development is influenced by both regional and local dynamics, as well as changing market demands
for both housing types and employment locations. Therefore one of the first steps in scenario development
entailed an analysis of economic and growth trends in the greater Baltimore-Washington region. Specifically,
this investigation included questions about the kinds of jobs, people, and households that would likely drive
demand for growth in Frederick County over the next several decades. A second analysis was then conducted
that involved examining how different growth patterns – scenarios of where new jobs and households
may be located in Frederick County – could be influenced by various policy decisions, Our Vision, and other
considerations. Finally, an outcomes analysis was conducted that examined a variety of impacts, such as
differences between each scenario in accessibility, land consumption, and the satisfaction of the demand for
different kinds of physical places.
The first analysis involved forecasting regional and local growth in order to derive a series of “control totals”
for the number and type of jobs and housing that may occur in Frederick between the years 2015 and 2050. A
forecasting method was employed that developed a picture of growth in Frederick County by examining trends
in the broader Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments region in which Frederick County is located. A
2015 to 2050 increment of growth for jobs and housing was developed and became the basis for the analysis of
various growth scenarios in the county. Notably, this forecast integrated an analysis of the physical, place-based
preferences of different markets for jobs and housing.
A second analysis involved determining where the increment of growth - the forecasted new jobs and
households in the county to 2050 – might be located based on the characteristics of physical places in a variety
of scenarios. The centerpiece of this analysis is CorPlan, a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) based modeling
tool developed by Renaissance Planning. More information about CorPlan can be found at Renaissance
Planning’s website here: http://www.citiesthatwork.com/corplan/.
Several scenarios were developed. First was a scenario that reflected development patterns that are currently
in place and that are currently reflected in existing comprehensive plan policies referred to as the “Business As
Usual.” Then three other hypothetical scenarios were created which support the development patterns that align
with the aspirational criteria of the vision and the demand characteristics of our forecasted growth. Specifically,
these three scenarios each supported a different aspect of a multi-modal accessibility focused development
pattern. These are “City Centers Rising,” “Suburban Place-Making,” and “Multi-Modal Places and Corridors.”

33
Dv
Business As Usual
Maintains existing policies supporting land use,
keeping our direction for future growth “as is.”
The future direction of growth in the county
develops as a continuation of the current land
use configuration following the pattern of past
trends.
• df-sc_bau.png
City Centers Rising

The City of Frederick and surrounding
developed county land form a major urban,
cultural, and activity center. Therefore, growth
potential is maximized in and around the City to
create even stronger places for walkable, urban
living and working while retaining our sense of
historic significance and connection.
• df-sc_ccr.png
Suburban Place-Making
Many of our residents love suburban living.
Therefore, in this scenario, reinvestment is
targeted toward existing suburban communities
through infill development and redevelopment
that creates additional opportunities to walk,
shop, work, and recreate closer to home.
• df-sc_spm.png
Multi-Modal Places and Corridors

Our county has existing infrastructure
connections to the greater Baltimore-
Washington Region, through rail service,
transit operations, and major highways. In this
scenario, these existing assets are leveraged to
create multi-modal corridors that help catalyze
the redevelopment of aging retail and office
areas, while creating new mixed-use places in
the southern part of the county.
• df-sc_mmp.png
Several baseline conditions established a resolute framework for the scenarios. First, pipeline development in
the county and in our municipalities was allocated as currently approved for all of the scenarios. No scenario
assumed any kind of alteration to pipeline development. Secondly, all Natural Resource designated lands (on the
Comprehensive Plan Map) in the county, as well as any other significant natural features and working lands, were
categorized into place types that limited the allocation of new development. As such, the pipeline of approved
development, natural resource features, and working lands of the county were assumed to be substantially
unaltered by the scenario analysis.

34
Dv
Outcomes
In the final step of the scenario planning process, the impact and outcomes for each scenario were analyzed.
This involved estimating the impacts of new growth on our environment, economy, and transportation system.
During this final step, the sensitivity of several indicators was evaluated relative to different growth scenarios.
This informed decisions about the public policy direction that will support Our Vision. Some specific benchmarks
that were considered include the following:
• Acreage of newly developed land • Proximity to key destinations

• Percent of new housing by type (housing choices) • Attractiveness of new growth to different market
• Acreage of agricultural lands consumed segments (household types and job types)
• Energy consumption • Percent of new development (housing and jobs)
• Acreage of green infrastructure impacted located in walkable, multi-modal centers
• Air quality • Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and mode split
• Percent redevelopment or infill (percent auto vs. non-auto travel)
The scenario process illuminated several key findings that ultimately can be incorporated into updates to the
comprehensive plan. These include the following:
• A significant amount of the county’s share of future household growth is likely to occur in currently planned
developments known as the “pipeline growth.” However the traditional suburban patterns assumed with this
growth may not be matching up with future market demands for greater housing choices and more walkable
communities. Therefore, there may be an opportunity to revisit some of the assumptions associated with the
pipeline development.
• Creating more multi-modal places and corridors (compact, walkable and transit-ready), positions the
county well for different job sectors – but doesn’t noticeably change overall travel behavior in terms of
reducing countywide Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) or use of non-auto modes (walking, biking, or transit) to
get around. Therefore, there may be certain corridors or subareas of the county where new growth, infill
or redevelopment could be targeted with more compact, mixed-use patterns supportive of a less auto-
dependent lifestyle.
• Affordability of housing within the county will continue to be an issue with demand for wealthier households
remaining high. Therefore, there may be specific opportunities where the county and its private-sector
development partners can target production of more housing options with ample access to more
transportation choices so that we can continue to attract the workforce needed for the creative economy,
healthcare jobs, and other service industries.
• All of the scenarios intentionally push development away from sensitive natural resources, green
infrastructure, and working lands. However, additional efforts may be needed to create greater incentives for
contiguous natural spaces and working lands preservation.
• Infill development within our existing suburban neighborhoods can create more amenities located closer
to where people live and provide more opportunities for walkable neighborhoods. There may be many
opportunities for this type of infill development in the county.
• The creation of job centers within walkable, multi-modal areas is aligned with the workforce talent in the
creative and high-tech industries. Therefore, there is opportunity to identify the best locations for future job
centers that can achieve these types of development patterns.

35
Dv
The Thematic Plan

The Thematic Plan derives its name from the fact that its purpose is to support the vision and its four vision
themes of Our Community, Our Health, Our Economy, and Our Environment. The Thematic Plan represents a
logical mix of the best ideas taken from each of the strategies explored during the scenario planning process,
and provides a point of reference by which the county can find solutions to the challenges it faces in future years.
Each of the studied scenarios focuses on different approaches for improving multi-modal accessibility and
providing transportation and housing choices for county citizens (with the exception of the “Business As Usual”
scenario, which considered how the county might develop in future decades if current growth policies remained
in place). This is the case for a number of reasons.
First, according to Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) Round 9.0 Cooperative
Forecasts (adopted in November 2016) 41,700 new households are projected to develop in the county and
its municipalities between 2015 and 2045 (annualized to 1,345 new households per year). As of January 2019,
the residential development pipeline for both the county and municipalities includes 21,348 available, with
11,789 located in the county’s jurisdiction and 9,559 located in municipalities. This means that countywide
(municipalities and county), about 59% of projected growth between 2019 and 2045 could be accommodated
by existing approved pipeline dwellings. These pipeline dwellings are largely auto-oriented, single-family,
suburban housing units, and while they could mathematically satisfy a significant share of the future demand for
housing, this does not mean that planning efforts can be suspended until 2045. In fact, there is a pressing need
and opportunity to augment this supply by supporting future development patterns that do not rely solely on
automobiles for transportation.
Second, the scenario planning process revealed that there will likely be a significant shift in demand for places
that are designed to support multi-modal accessibility. This trend is evident in both the employment and
residential markets. Elements that will contribute to successfully meeting this demand include having retail,
housing, and transit options in close proximity to places of work.
Third, importantly, is that the values and aspirations articulated in Our Vision and its four themes will be best
supported by development patterns that foster multi-modal accessibility. For example:
Our Community is supported by multi-modal accessibility through encouraging housing that is serviced by
transit to reduce transportation costs, and by ensuring that streets are walkable and accessible, fostering social
interaction and reducing social isolation.
Our Health is supported by multi-modal accessibility by providing walkable neighborhoods that allow for active
lifestyles and reduce reliance on the car, and by making services more accessible to those who need them.
Our Economy is supported by multi-modal accessibility by providing the types of walkable, accessible places in
which workers are seeking to reside and that employers are seeking when they make location decisions. This will
help make Frederick County communities primary centers of employment in the region, and will create the types
of livable places our future workforce demands.
Our Environment is supported by multi-modal accessibility by reducing the number of vehicle miles traveled,
supporting more efficient means of transportation, and by reducing the need for significant future expansion of
development into rural and natural resource areas.
For these reasons, the overarching strategy of the Thematic Plan is to achieve a more multi-modal pattern of
growth, while leveraging the existing pipeline of conventional suburban development. Therefore, the plan
focuses on opportunities to enhance existing places, and create new places that are less auto-dependent,
more walkable, bikable, and transit supportive, and that support progress toward commonly held goals of
housing affordability, community health, transportation choice, environmental sustainability, and economic
development.
What Is Multi-Modal Accessibility?

36
What Is Multi-Modal Accessibility?
Multi-Modal vs. Mobility vs. Accessibility
“Uni-Modal” “Just as an automobile is a machine for mobility, a city is a machine for
accessibility.”
Today, the way we get from one place in Levinson, Krizek and Gillen 2005, excerpted from the Online TDM Encyclopedia
our community to another is almost entirely published by the Victoria Transport
by means of the automobile. Other ways of Access is the goal of any transportation system, and it can be argued
getting around such as walking, biking, or that access is the central asset of developed areas, afforded by easy
taking a type of public transit like buses and and widespread mobility. Mobility involves the efficient movement
trains, are a distant second when it comes of people and goods by providing capacity and maximizing flow.
to the transportation choices we are able to Transportation that focuses on mobility is measured relative to
make. capacity and flow.
However there are other modes of From a mobility perspective, wider roads, more frequent transit
transportation available, and for various service, and more sidewalks and pathways are the goals. However, a
reasons travelers often need or prefer travel vital land use component, namely the relationship between origins
by alternative modes. For example, many and destinations, is not considered.
people cannot drive, including adolescents,
older adults, people with disabilities, and Accessibility encompasses the relationship between origins and
people with economic challenges. Non- destinations, and focuses on the ability to reach destinations, not on
drivers therefore have less ability to access movement itself. If the goal of transportation is to increase access
activities. Travelers may prefer alternative to destinations, and not simply to improve and perfect a single
modes for exercise or enjoyment, such as technology of transport, then greater consideration must be given
walking or cycling, or for efficiency and stress to other forms of transportation and the land use patterns that they
reduction through the use of public transit. support.
Society could benefit from more efficient Transportation accessibility is optimized with multimodal
management of road space that favors higher transportation and land use patterns that support more compact,
“value” trips and more efficient travel modes mixed-use, walkable communities, which reduce the amount of travel
in order to reduce traffic congestion, parking required to reach destinations.
costs, accidents, and pollution emissions. If
walking and cycling conditions, and public
transit service quality were better, how much
more would people rely on these modes, Local Road
and how much less automobile travel would

occur? Local Road
Major Road
People would not likely be able to, or choose
to, forego driving altogether. But there Other Development
Local Road
Local Road
are indications that given better transport

options and more efficient incentives, people
would rationally choose to drive less, rely SCHOOL
more on alternative modes, and be better off
overall as a result. Local Road
Major Road
For example, completing the sidewalk SCHOOL
network in a typical U.S. town on average
increases non-motorized travel 16% and
reduces automobile travel 5%. Residents of Locating an elementary school Locating an elementary school
transit-oriented communities tend to use based on accessibility: The based on mobility alone: The
alternative modes 2-10 times more frequently,
surrounding land uses make surrounding land uses make it
and drive 10-30% fewer miles, than residents
the school easy to get to by easy to get to the school by car
of automobile-oriented communities. Even
walking, biking, bus, and car. (assuming there is no traffic),
larger travel reductions occur if improvements
in alternative modes are implemented in The distance between origins but not by walking, biking,
conjunction with incentives such as more and destinations is a major or bus. The distance between
efficient road, parking and insurance pricing. factor that enables various origins and destinations is not
travel modes. considered due to the presence
This indicates latent demand for alternative of high capacity roadways.
modes - a multimodal transportation
approach. Many people would like to
rely more on alternative modes but are
constrained by poor walking and cycling
conditions and inadequate public transit
services.

37
Dv
Growth Strategy
An important task of the Thematic Plan is the re-definition of the general growth strategy for the county such
that it aligns with Our Vision. This plan’s growth strategy is proactive by identifying preferred portions of the
county for locating growth, as well as attempting to capitalize on existing assets in the county that can play
a significant role in efficiently meeting the demand for growth. The Thematic Plan represents a significant
evolution of the “Community Concept” strategy historically used to structure growth in Frederick County.
Pipeline Development
As proposed, this redefinition of growth strategy will not directly affect approved pipeline development. The
county has a significant supply of approved dwelling units, referred to as the residential development pipeline.
Of the 33,060 previously approved dwellings and 21,348 available pipeline dwellings (as of January 2019),
many have related Development Rights and Responsibilities Agreements (DRRA) that ensure their entitlements,
including their zoning. The Livable Frederick Master Plan is not a vehicle for the reversal of these approvals.
However, this significant residential pipeline presents an opportunity to re-evaluate the county’s general growth
strategy for the long term without causing significant impacts in the short term. The fact that a significant share
of projected growth can be absorbed by existing approved dwellings relieves some of the imminent pressure
to plan for significant additional development capacity. Therefore, rather than focusing on modifying land use
designations, highway classifications, and the location of community facilities on the Comprehensive Plan Map
in order to plan for sufficient growth capacity, the pipeline affords us the time needed for a re-evaluation of how
our overall growth strategy can support community aspirations and intentions.
This is not to suggest that the quest to align any possible disconnects between the development models
employed in the pipeline and the development models advocated by the growth strategy is abandoned. As
often occurs during the long time frames associated with large scale development, modifications to housing
types, use mix, and neighborhood design naturally occur. It is possible that these “organic” modifications may
trend toward a more multi-modal pattern of development, such as that supported by the LFMP, in order to be
more competitive in the housing marketplace. In other words, conventional patterns of development may evolve
over time to support market conditions that demand multi-modal accessibility.
The Community Concept

The Community Concept originated in the 1972 Frederick County Comprehensive Plan (1972 Plan), which
described an overarching strategy for structuring growth referred to as the “environmental unit concept.”
The 1972 Plan proposed a system where the county was divided into a nested mosaic of increasingly smaller
geographic areas culminating in distinct but unified communities characterized by the centralized provision
of facilities and community services. The proposed geographic structure included the following hierarchy
of boundaries: the entire county; eight separate regions within the county; districts within each region;
communities within each district; and, neighborhoods within each community.
Subsequent planning in Frederick County adhered to the provision of eight planning regions as a means of
managing the planning process for the county’s expansive geography. However, the remaining aspects of
this environmental unit concept were translated into the notion of the Community Concept, which supports
the concentration of growth in discrete areas largely served by existing infrastructure. This strategy provided
correspondence with Maryland Smart Growth legislation that supported funding for infrastructure in defined
growth areas.
The Community Concept came to describe a hierarchy of communities that was defined by population,
residential density, intensity of commercial and employment uses, and level of community facilities, among
other variables. The 2010 Comprehensive Plan began to move away from the Community Concept’s strict
hierarchical structure, but preserved the basic strategy of focusing growth in specified compact areas, with some
uniformity, throughout the county.
The Livable Frederick Master plan does not abandon the Community Concept strategy. However, it does support
the continued evolution of its function in determining the structure of our growth. Instead of playing a singular
and central role, the Community Concept is retained as an underlying strategy that augments the Thematic
Plan and is specifically identified within the Secondary Growth Sector. The underlying notion of compact

38
Dv
development around existing communities, supported by the Community Concept, remains. In addition, the
Community Concept continues to function as a centerpiece of the strategy of supporting growth within existing
municipalities.
Planning Sectors
The Thematic Plan is composed of four planning sectors, which are heavily influenced by the three scenarios-
based growth strategies of “City Centers Rising”, “Suburban Place-Making”, and “Multi-Modal Places and
Corridors.” They are: the Primary Growth Sector, the Secondary Growth Sector, the Agricultural Infrastructure
Sector, and the Green Infrastructure Sector. The identification of these four sectors is intended to provide a
distinction based more on category than on rank. Each sector has differing priorities, however all four of them
play an equally vital role in the support of livability in Frederick County.
Planning Sectors, and their related subcategories described below, function as an overlay to the existing practice
of designating Community Growth Areas. As delineated on the Comprehensive Plan Map, and as described
in the Comprehensive Plan Map section of this plan, Community Growth Areas continue to be employed as a
central aspect of our comprehensive planning.
The function of growth areas is to define an outer limit to the expansion of development into rural land. While
they function well as a means of communicating a binary distinction between areas in the county targeted for
growth versus areas that are not, they do not serve as a mechanism for identifying and articulating multi-level
and vision-based aspirations or strategies related to growth. They do not explicitly identify growth areas that are
better suited to support the vision and strategic objectives of the county.
The Thematic Plan functions as an expression of priorities for creating the types of places that will support
Our Vision. This is accomplished, in part, by defining preferred development models tied to specific areas. The
Thematic Plan references selective community growth areas identified on the Comprehensive Plan Map as a
means of prioritizing growth strategies, as well as defining preferred growth patterns connected to specific
growth areas.
• df-tp_diagram.png
The Primary Growth Sector

The Primary Growth Sector articulates the locations and types of development that are to be emphasized as the
county grows in future years. Given the significant existing pipeline of development, as well as the cumulative
land area surrounding and within existing communities throughout the county that is currently designated in
the Comprehensive Plan Map, the Primary Growth Sector may not correspond to locations where the majority
of our future county-wide growth will be directed. Therefore, a basic purpose of the Primary Growth Sector is to
support the long term strategic shift in the style and location of development that will occur in Frederick County.
The Primary Growth Sector is composed of land in and around Frederick City, including the Frederick City Growth
Area, the Ballenger Creek Community Growth Area, the South Frederick Community Growth Area, and lands
along major infrastructure corridors in the southern portion of the county that connect to regional employment
centers. These areas include the Eastalco Growth Area, the Brunswick Community Growth Area, the Point of
Rocks Community Growth Area, the Urbana Community Growth Area, and the I-270 Growth Area.
Two districts are identified within the Primary Growth Sector: the Central District and the Multi-Modal District.
The Central District is composed of major developed areas in the county that have significant access to
infrastructure and services - areas where there is high potential for development patterns that support multi-
modal accessibility, and where a significant share of development may occur through infill and redevelopment
strategies. The Multi-Modal District includes specific corridors in the county where growth potential will be
maximized by leveraging the existing assets of rail and highway infrastructure that connect Frederick County
to the greater Baltimore-Washington region. Emphasis is on building transit connectivity, centered on the
City of Frederick, and creating multi-modal corridors that catalyze redevelopment of aging retail and office
developments, while also creating new transit accessible mixed-use locations in the county.

39
Blue Ridge Summit Emmitsburg
Sabillasville
M ar yland M
Saint Anthony
idla
nd R
wa
ail
y
Foxville
Thurmont
Graceham
Rocky Ridge
Creagerstown
Ladiesburg
Wolfsville
US15
Catoctin New Midway
Mountain Lewistown
Woodsboro
Monocacy
River Johnsville
Mountaindale
South Myersville
Mountain Walkersville Libertytown
Harmony
I-7
0
Unionville
US40A North Frederick Mount Pleasant
Middletown
5
MD7
Frederick City
Fountaindale Golden Mile

RU
Catoctin East Frederick New London

RAL
Creek Braddock Heights Spring Ridge Lake Linganore

/AGR
South I-7 New Market

0
ICULT
Frederick
Burkittsville Feagaville Bartonsville Mount Airy

UR A
Je˜ erson
LC
Ballenger
Creek Ijamsville Monrovia
RID US340
OR
Araby
Petersville OR MD80 Green Valley
Rosemont Eastalco Urbana Centerville Kemptown
Knoxville Hopeland
Brunswick
I-2
Buckeystown
70
Flint Hill
ail
US15
CR
AR
MD
/M Adamstown
I-2
X
355
S
70
C
Doubs
Hyattstown
Sugarloaf e
Mountain nd scap
Point of Rocks
Monocacy e La
River e rit a g
a l H
Rur
Tuscarora tain
oun
r l o af M
Po
to S uga
ma
cR
ive
r
Thematic Plan Diagram

Primary Growth Sector Secondary Growth Sector Agricultural Infrastructure Sector Green Infrastructure Sector
E P
Primary Growth Area County Growth Area Agricultural Lands Natural Resource Lands
Transit Center
Rail Corridor Highway
Rural Hamlet / Interchange
Highway Corridor Municipal Growth Area Agricultural Support
Major Waterway
E=Existing P=Proposed
Development Focus Area
Multi-Modal Places Agricultural/Rural Sugarloaf Mountain
Suburban Retroÿt
(1/2 mile radius) Corridor Rural Heritage Landscape
E
P Multi-Modal Spokes
Dv
Central District:
The Central District (see Figure 1) includes areas in and around Figure 1: The Central District
the City of Frederick where future growth potential will be
maximized through new development, redevelopment,
and annexation, as well as areas outside of the city to the US15
Walkersville
south in Ballenger Creek and South Frederick, including the Catoctin Mountain
South Frederick Triangle (the 85/355 Corridor). Emphasis
for development is on strengthening places that support
walkable, mixed use, urban living, while retaining a sense of North Frederick
place.
Figure 1: The Central District
• df-tp_centraldistrict.png
The City of Frederick

Specific growth locations within the City of Frederick have I-70
8
been identified in partnership with the city and generally Downtown
align with their plans for future growth. Their inclusion in Rock Creek/Carroll Creek Corridor
East Frederick
the Thematic Plan does not imply that Frederick County is
advocating for an extension of county planning jurisdiction Golden Mile Transit Center
over Frederick City. Rather, the Thematic Plan is intended to I-70
Ballenger Cre
reinforce the cooperative relationship between Frederick City
r
ive
9
yR
and the county.
cac
Ballenger Creek
ek Corridor
no
Mo
South Frederick
These locations include redevelopment of industrial uses and
new greenfield development in East Frederick (1), transit- US340 10 Development Focus Area
oriented development around the existing Frederick MARC Primary Growth Area
Station (2), continued development in North Frederick (3), MD355 Suburban Retroÿt
redevelopment along Route 40 - the “Golden Mile” (4), infill County Growth Area
development throughout the city (5), and limited greenfield I-270
Municipal Growth Area
development through annexation around the city (6).
Additionally, a development focus area is identified within Urbana
Downtown Frederick City (7), which will certainly take primary

form as infill and redevelopment. Finally, a suburban retrofit 1) East Frederick (Nicodemus, Renn, et. al.)
strategy may be possible within the industrial uses along the 2) Downtown Frederick Transit Center (MARC and TransIT)
Monocacy Boulevard corridor. (8) 3) North Frederick (Market Square, Monocacy Center, Spring Bank,
Bowersox, et. al.)
4) Golden Mile (Rt. 40) Redevelopment
The South Frederick Triangle 5) Infill development throughout Frederick City
The South Frederick Growth Area (a.k.a. Frederick Southeast 6) Annexation of Frederick City
Growth Area) (9) is located to the south of Frederick City and 7) Downtown Frederick City
bounded by I-270, I-70, and MD 144. This is a predominantly 8) Monocacy Boulevard Retrofit
commercial and industrial area that includes the county’s 9) South Frederick Triangle Redevelopment
largest regional mall, corporate offices, industrial uses 10) Ballenger Creek Retrofit
including a limestone quarry, and a MARC commuter rail 11) Expansion of Ballenger Creek Growth Boundary
station. Within this growth area, centered on MD85 and
MD355, is the South Frederick Triangle (also referred to as the
85/355 Corridor).
Redevelopment is the primary mechanism for absorbing growth within the South Frederick Triangle. This is
because the area has many advantages of infrastructure and location that can support higher density, mixed
use development, as well as the fact that trends and forecasts support the relatively quick transition of land uses
associated with the types of large scale commercial uses that exist in this area.
Development in the South Frederick Triangle will emphasize mixed-use development with the introduction
of a significant number of residential dwellings and will focus on accentuating public space and walkability
attributes. This will occur primarily through the redevelopment of existing commercial uses as they approach
obsolescence. While transit-oriented development is supported in the vicinity of the existing MARC Station (see

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the discussion of the Multi-Modal District below), the extent of consideration for redevelopment will encompass
the entire South Frederick Triangle. The scope of consideration for the redevelopment of this area will help
realize its potential to become a far more urbanized landscape supporting proximity to jobs, services, and
transportation options such as walking, biking, and transit.
Ballenger Creek
The Ballenger Creek Growth Area (10) is located to the south of Frederick City and is composed of a fragmented
combination of employment, industrial, and residential uses. Residential use is predominant. In terms of the
conversion of rural land to urban/suburban land, this growth area is largely built out. Currently, there are very
few remaining “vacant” or undeveloped parcels of land in this area.
Therefore, while Ballenger Creek is identified as being within the Primary Growth Sector, emphasis in this area
will be on a suburban retrofit growth strategy. This will include a focus on making the existing infrastructure
more multi-modal, providing new infrastructure where needed to support multi-modal accessibility, and finding
opportunities for higher density redevelopment - especially in the form of mixed-use opportunities in existing
commercial areas. Additionally, limited extension of the Ballenger Creek Growth Area may occur (11).
Hub and Spokes

Development of the Central Figure 2: Spoke Hub Distribution
District will be leveraged by
supporting a “hub-spoke”
structural relationship between
the Central District and the
surrounding municipal and
non-municipal communities
throughout the county (Figure 2).
This involves supporting the role
of the Central District as a county
“hub” where the flow of people
accessing goods and services
occurs along several “spokes” that
emanate from the Central District
and connect to surrounding,
outlying communities. This
strategy achieves a form that
supports multi-modal accessibility
through implementing this
“spoke-hub” model as a transit
distribution strategy. This is a way
of distributing transit service in
which routes are organized as a
series of “spokes” that connect
outlying points (transit centers
within communities) to a central
“hub” (the Central District). This Growth Area
approach can reinforce primary
growth in the central portion Growth Area Periphery
of the county, while supporting Spokes
activity and secondary growth in Central Hub
surrounding communities.
Existing/Potential
Transit Center
Figure 2: Spoke Hub Distribution
• df-tp_hubspokes.png
Future
Existing
Transport Corridor

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Multi-Modal District:
The Rail Corridor
The Rail Corridor represents a concentration of growth within Figure 3: The Rail Corridor
a development corridor in the southern portion of the county

along the existing CSX/MARC rail line that runs from the Frederick City
Downtown Frederick Transit Center to Point of Rocks (Figure
3). Growth along the Rail Corridor will occur in the form new
development and redevelopment in a transit-oriented, mixed- 14
use fashion. The existing Monocacy MARC Station, located
behind the Riverview Plaza on MD 355, provides an opportune South
location for such future development. Frederick
Ballenger
Creek
Figure 3: The Rail Corridor
• df-tp_railcorridor.png
13
Eastalco Growth Area
A continuing focal point for development is identified in the Je˜˜ erson
erson
area surrounding the decommissioned “Eastalco” site (12)
US340 15
I-27
(identified as the Eastalco Employment Area in the 2010 plan, il
Ra
0
and including, but not limited to, land holdings of the former RC
Alcoa aluminum refinery and production plant located along MA
12 Eastalco
X/
Manor Woods Road between New Design Road and Ballenger Monocacy
CS
Creek Pike). This area is currently the largest concentration of River
12a
undeveloped land in the county zoned for general and/or light BBuckeystown
uckeystown
industrial development and presents a unique opportunity for
future development.
Potential
Existing
Transit Center
The opportunity for future development at points along this AAdamstown
damsttown
Multi-Modal Places
corridor – including the Eastalco site, South Frederick (13,
5
US1
15), and Point of Rocks (16) – will be assessed and considered Point of Rocks Primary Growth Area
carefully during the development of small area plans for each
of these places. While each small area plan will involve a study 16 County Growth Area
Municipal Growth Area

of those attributes and limitations unique to that growth area, Potom
a c Rive
many of the assessments will be similar in scope. r
12) Eastalco Growth Area

For the Eastalco Growth Area, overarching development issues 12a) Multi-Modal Development Surrounding Potential New MARC
and opportunities would require a detailed assessment of the Station
following elements as part of a future community planning 13) South Frederick Triangle Redevelopment and Multi-Modal
effort, including: Center
14) Downtown Frederick Transit Center (MARC and TransIT)
• A community outreach component that will include a 15) Potential Multi-Modal Development Within Ballenger Creek East
citizens advisory group or similar entity to ensure broad 16) Potential Multi-Modal Development in Point of Rocks in
Proximity to Train Station
community engagement;
Not shown: Brunswick City Multi-Modal Development
• A preservation component to include a review of historic
sites and archaeological resources, viewsheds and
cultural characteristics (identification, documentation,
and preservation when appropriate), including special
consideration of structures and sites associated with Charles
Carroll of Carrollton Manor;
• An infrastructure component that identifies the timing and funding of public facilities (including roads and
schools) necessary to support the efficient development of the designated growth area;
• A comprehensive study to address MARC system access and expandability with input from Maryland Transit
Authority, County Transit, and CSX;
• A green infrastructure component that includes a detailed review of environmental systems and resources
(hydrology, forests, habitat assessment), and that integrates the built environment to the natural edges,
through the placement and programming of open space and additional preservation areas;

43
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• An agricultural preservation component that examines options to encourage preservation of the valuable
farmland at the site, as well as in the surrounding Priority Preservation Area;
• A thorough, transparent and open study of industrial site contamination and subsequent post-industrial
remediation and monitoring efforts, in consultation with Maryland Department of the Environment and the
Environmental Protection Agency;
• An assessment of the potential land use mix, which could include business, retail, residential, industrial,
agricultural, open space, recreational, and institutional uses, for the growth area, including physical design,
neighborhood impacts, public facility adequacy, comparative analysis of alternate land use scenarios, unique
opportunities to address countywide planning challenges, and development feasibility;
• And finally, a thorough examination of how this existing growth area fits into the larger planning context for
Frederick County, addressing countywide growth projections, current and future transportation challenges,
and community efforts to plan effectively, consistently, and in a coordinated manner, for the Frederick County
of tomorrow.
Monocacy MARC Station
A second focal point for growth is the South Frederick Triangle (or the 85/355 Corridor) (13), particularly the area
surrounding the existing MARC station. This location represents another example of the best options for growing
in a manner that preserves our rural land and that supports multi-modal accessibility. Its current incarnation as a
suburban center for commercial retail and office belies it’s potential to be redeveloped in a more urban fashion,
one that can create a new city-like environment, centered around the existing Monocacy MARC Station, and that
includes residential development.
Few areas in the county are endowed with the degree of infrastructure investment that exists within the South
Frederick Triangle. Yet the intensity of development is relatively minimal, constrained as it is by the emphasis on
auto-centric design formats, among other factors. With proper planning, this area could become a vital urban
environment that is on par with, yet distinct from, Downtown Frederick City.
Downtown Frederick Transit Center

The Downtown Frederick Transit Center (14) is located within Frederick City near the intersection of East Street
and Patrick Street. It currently serves as a transit center for the county’s TransIT bus service and MARC commuter
rail. Access to the TransIT Station and MARC Stations, adjacent vacant land, adjacent underutilized land, and
redevelopment potential mark the area of Frederick City surrounding the Downtown Frederick Transit Center as
having high potential for transit oriented development.
South Ballenger Creek

The South Ballenger Creek area is located within the southern portion of the Ballenger Creek Community Growth
Area. This land is characterized by low density industrial and employment development with some residential
development to the north. Notably, the CSX/MARC Rail Line runs through this area. South Ballenger Creek may
present opportunities for innovative forms of development, both transit-oriented and rail-oriented, that support
multi-modal accessibility (15).
Brunswick
The Brunswick Community Growth Area is the largest growth area in the Brunswick Region. As a hub for the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in the late19th century and through the first half of the 20th century, the town
flourished until railroad operations were reduced in the 1950’s. Modern day Brunswick City functions as a
commuter hub for Washington, D.C. The downtown area is designated a Main Street community with a growing
mix of businesses and residential uses. With a combination of steeply sloping topography, direct adjacency to
the Potomac River, active rail operations, and historic building stock, the City of Brunswick possesses a physical
character and atmosphere that is decidedly unique in Frederick County.
Point of Rocks
Point of Rocks is an unincorporated community located along the Potomac River at the junction of MD 28 and
US 15 (16). It contains some commercial, industrial, and retail uses. The majority of the community is composed
of several major residential subdivisions. Most notably, the community contains an existing MARC Station.

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Much of the Point of Rocks Community Growth Area is developed in the form of low density, suburban
residential subdivisions. However, opportunities for higher density mixed use redevelopment may exist within
proximity to the MARC Station, while accounting for the significant surrounding floodplain. Therefore, emphasis
for growth within the Point of Rocks community will be on transit-oriented, mixed-use development, focused on
leveraging the presence of the MARC station.
The Interstate Corridor Figure 4: The Interstate Corridor

The Thematic Plan Diagram identifies a corridor for growth
and development along Interstate 270 leading from central
Frederick City, through the Ballenger Creek Community Frederick City
Monocacy River
Growth Area, and continuing along I-270 through the Urbana
Community Growth Area and terminating at the northern edge
of Hyattstown (Figure 4). This corridor emphasizes transit-
oriented, mixed-use development to be served by a practical 20
and affordable transit line (e.g., Bus Rapid Transit, Transitway)
(17) that parallels Interstate 270 and takes advantage of I-7
public and private infrastructure improvements extended 0
to the Urbana Community Growth Area in recent decades. 19
Additionally, the Interstate Corridor will continue to capitalize
on significant access to regional employment centers by 17
supporting policies that facilitate the development of this area
as a prime employment corridor enhanced by livable, mixed-
21
I-27
use neighborhoods between the City of Frederick and northern
0
Montgomery County.
80
Figure 4: The Interstate Corridor
• df-tp_interstatecorridor.png
Urbana MD
Highway Interchanges
Potential
Existing
Development along this corridor is identified as transit-
oriented centers primarily located at existing and planned Highway Interchange
future highway interchanges. This will occur in concert with the Transit Center
18
development of transit station locations in order to encourage
MD
Multi-Modal Places
355
multi-modal accessibility and a pedestrian-oriented growth Sugarloaf
Potential BRT Mountain
pattern.
County Growth Area 22
In and around the Urbana Community Growth Area, there is Municipal Growth Area
one existing interchange at I-270 and Fingerboard Road (MD80)
(18), and there are two planned interchanges at I-270 and Park
Mills Road (21) and I-270 and Doctor Perry/Mott Road (22). 17) Potential Future Mass Transit Corridor
As a future transit line along I-270 comes to fruition, highway 18) Urbana Multi-modal Development Surrounding Potential New
Transit Station
interchanges will function as natural locations for creating
19) Potential Multi-Modal Development at Future Mass Transit
future transit stops and corollary transit-oriented development. Station
20) Potential Future Mass Transit Stations
Within Frederick City, there are a number of existing highway
21) Potential Multi-Modal Development at Future Mass Transit
interchanges along US15 (20). Given the existing concentration Station
of development and walkability available within Frederick City, 22) Potential Multi-Modal Development at Future Mass Transit
any of these locations may be suitable for future transit stops Station
associated with a transit line along I-270.
Finally, as planning for the South Frederick Growth Area
continues, the passage of I-270 through this area suggests
that there may be long-term opportunities for the creation of
an additional transit stop. This will take the form of walkable,
mixed-use, higher density development, and will be integrated
into future plans for this area (19).

45
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The Secondary Growth Sector

As mentioned above, the identification of the four Sectors is intended to be a distinction of category rather than
rank. It is important that all of the communities in the county provide the support and infrastructure needed
to meet the demands of growth and conservation, and to develop in a fashion that is sanctioned by all those
affected. However, the distinction between the Primary and Secondary Growth Sectors does involve some
prioritization.
Blue Ridge Summit

Emmitsburg
Sabillasville
Saint Anthony
Foxville Thurmont
Graceham
Rocky Ridge
Creagerstown
Ladiesburg
Wolfsville
US15
New Midway
Catoctin
Mountain
Lewistown Woodsboro
Monocacy Johnsville
River
Mountaindale
South Myersville
Harmony
I-7
0
Unionville
US40A Mount Pleasant
Middletown
5
MD7
Frederick City
Spring Ridge Lake Linganore
Fountaindale
Catoctin New London
Creek Braddock Heights
I-7
0 New Market
Burkittsville
Feagaville Mount Airy
Je˜ erson Ballenger Creek
Bartonsville
US340
Ijamsville Monrovia
Eastalco Araby
Urbana MD80
Petersville
Rosemont Centerville Kemptown

Knoxville Hopeland
Green Valley
I-2
Brunswick
70
Buckeystown Flint Hill

US15
MD
Retroÿt D istrict
I-2
35
70
Doubs
Adamstown
Hyattstown
Sugarloaf
Point of Rocks Monocacy Mountain Community Districts

River
Tuscarora County Growth Area
Po
to ma
cR
ive
r Municipal Growth Area
Figure 5: The Secondary Growth Sector

46
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This is due to the fact that it is a central strategy of this plan to support multi-modal accessibility, and to leverage
this by focusing on areas within the county that have significant existing infrastructure, such as Frederick City,
the CSX Rail Line, and Interstate 270. This existing infrastructure is concentrated in the southeastern portion of
the county, which will be under the greatest pressure for new growth and development due to its proximity to
Washington D.C. and urbanized areas within Montgomery County. Therefore, a priority has been placed on those
areas that can support the core strategy of the LFMP and that are under the greatest pressure for growth.
However, this is not meant to imply a lack of support of the continued ability of other areas within the
county, especially our municipalities, to grow and develop. As described below, two types of districts within
the Secondary Growth Sector have been identified to provide a framework for the continued growth and
development of these areas of the county.
Figure 5: The Secondary Growth Sector
• df-tp_secondarygrowth.png
Retr��
tricts
A community value to minimize the conversion of rural land to suburban/urban land, the rising preference for
walkable, mixed-use places, the dwindling availability of major greenfield sites, a potential escalation in the
number of vacant “greyfield” properties, and the presence of a number of older and conventional suburban
developments in the county that could be made more walkable and could include small areas of mixed-
use, are all factoring into the potential that one of the next major development projects in the county in the
coming decades will be the retrofitting of our suburbs. Retrofit Districts are intended to support and improve
existing suburbs to make suburban communities stronger by reinvesting in them with infill development and
redevelopment that creates more opportunities to walk, shop, work and recreate closer to home. (Figure 5).
Retrofit Districts can include: the coordinated funding and construction of sidewalks; finding opportunities for
road diets and complete streets; improving bikability; finding locations for mixed-use; and, making development
more ecologically sustainable. Specific strategies involved in planning for Retrofit Districts will be identified in
community or corridor plans. Some potential Retrofit District locations include Ballenger Creek, Fountaindale,
Lake Linganore, Spring Ridge, Bartonsville, and Green Valley.
Community Districts
As described above, the Community Concept is the growth strategy that has historically guided and structured
growth in the county. Community Districts are the continuation of the traditional Community Concept strategy
of directing growth into existing communities, many of which are municipalities, that are served with water and
sewer. In fact, this approach continues as the underlying strategy for all growth and development in the county.
Community Districts align with the many Community Growth Areas identified on the Comprehensive Plan Map.
Most of these growth areas are designated around the many existing municipalities in the county. They focus on
the creation of distinct places that: keep agricultural and natural landscapes intact; maintain safe, healthy, and
vital neighborhoods; provide robust systems of public infrastructure; provide ample and convenient connections
to parks, trails and natural landscapes; and, ensure excellence in design and efficiency.
Inherent to Community Districts is the intent that a share of future growth and development will continue to
occur within and around existing communities and municipalities. Cities, towns, and unincorporated places will
continue to grow and thrive with new growth and redevelopment opportunities.

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The Green Infrastructure Sector

As the amount of developed land has increased, natural areas have not only decreased in quality and quantity,
but have undergone significant fragmentation. Locally, this can negatively impact the vitality of the ecosystem
and the health and happiness of county residents. At a regional and state level, the ability of Frederick County to
protect its green infrastructure will benefit the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. The Green Infrastructure
Sector is therefore identified to support the conservation of natural resources and environmentally sensitive
areas in the county, to direct urban/suburban growth away from green infrastructure and sensitive areas, and to
ensure the protection and integration of green infrastructure where it exists within areas targeted for growth.
(Figure 6) This sector will be further implemented through the development of a Livable Frederick Green
Infrastructure Sector Plan.
CE
SECTIO OVIN
ntain
N
R
PIEDMONT LSI O G R A P HIC P
ROVINCE
Mou
OWLAND
GRAPHIC P
ctin
P HY
Cato
er
y Riv
in
T P L AT E AU
E
GE PHYSIO
unta
I O N O VINC
ocac
h Mo
C T PR
Mon
PIEDMON
BLUE RID
S E PH I C
Sout
ND A
L A GR
UP SIO
NT PHY
AU
LATE
PIEDMO
D M ONT P
eek
Rock Creek/ Carroll Creek

Catoctin Cr
PIE
Ballenger Creek
Sugarloaf
Mountain Natural Resource Lands
Poto
mac R
Sugarloaf Mountain
iver Rural Heritage Landscape
Figure 6: The Green Infrastructure Sector

48
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The Green Infrastructure Sector can include two components: the green infrastructure network, and
environmentally sensitive areas (and potentially others, such as energy). Green infrastructure networks contain a
wide variety of natural features, but are composed primarily of two components, hubs and links. Environmentally
sensitive areas often overlap but may also occur outside of identified green infrastructure networks.
Figure 6: The Green Infrastructure Sector
• df-tp_greeninfrastructure.png
Green Infrastructure Network

Within a green infrastructure network, hubs are defined as large, ecologically significant natural areas that
provide habitat for animal and plant species that cannot thrive in small patches of forest or meadow. They are
large enough to provide a functional habitat for species that forage over large areas and heterogeneous enough
to satisfy the unique habitat requirements of species that are specialized to particular environmental niches.
Links, or corridors, are linear configurations of natural lands such as forested stream valleys and mountain ridges
that allow animals and plant life (seeds, pollen, spores, corms) to move from one area to another, linking hubs
together. Links and corridors function to connect isolated hubs of wildlife habitat that have been fragmented by
development or agriculture.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR) prepared a Green Infrastructure Atlas and a Statewide
Green Infrastructure Assessment in 2006. These identified large, contiguous blocks of ecologically significant
natural areas and corridors with which to maintain or create a statewide network of natural resource lands.
The development of a county green infrastructure network must: enhance and complement the statewide
network; identify gaps in a green infrastructure network and strategies to fill the gaps; identify and highlight
the county’s natural resources and sensitive areas to garner support for - and generate - protective measures;
support the achievement of state and county natural resource conservation goals; support the desired
development pattern of the county described in the Livable Frederick Master Plan; and, facilitate Maryland’s
Smart Growth policies.
While green infrastructure networks may contain a wide variety of environmentally sensitive resources, their
primary natural features are mountains, forestlands, wetlands, and stream valleys. These function together to
conserve the natural ecosystem, sustain clean air and water, and provide a wide array of benefits to people and
wildlife, such as: storing and cycling nutrients; filtering and cooling water in streams and aquifers; conserving
and generating soils; pollinating crops and other plants; sequestering carbon and purifying the air; protecting
areas against storm and flood damage; and, providing wildlife habitat.
Forests: The majority of the forest in Frederick County is located on Catoctin Mountain, South Mountain,
Sugarloaf Mountain, and within the Monocacy Natural Resources Management Area. Other areas in the county
are also identified on the State’s Green Infrastructure Atlas. However, many other much smaller forested tracts
exist in isolated patches scattered throughout the county and some county forest cover located within certain
stream corridors are not included in the State Green infrastructure Atlas.
Mountains: There are three mountain areas in Frederick County. They are Catoctin Mountain, South Mountain,
and Sugarloaf Mountain. The Catoctin Mountain runs north south in the west-central part of the county and
South Mountain runs along the boundary with Washington County. Sugarloaf Mountain is located in the
southern part of the county along the boundary with Montgomery County.
Stream Valleys: Three major stream valley systems comprise this portion of the county’s Green Infrastructure;
the Potomac River, the Monocacy River, and Catoctin Creek. Other stream valley resources include the thousands
of miles of streams and their associated wetlands and floodplains throughout the county.
Parkland/Protected Lands: Frederick County has over 28,000 acres of land under public ownership in
various park and open space uses. The following types of protected lands are included in the county’s green
infrastructure network: federal parks; state parks and natural resource lands; county regional and district parks;
municipal owned watershed properties; privately owned lands with MET easements, which are adjacent to other
resources; and, significant privately owned lands with protection, such as Sugarloaf Mountain (Stronghold Inc.).
• df-tp_ginetwork.png

49
Dv
Emmitsburg
I
u
Thurmont
Woodsboro
Myersville I
u
! y
$
a
" I Walkersville
Libertytown
Middletown
Frederick City
!
$
a
"
!
$
a
" New Market
I
u Mount Airy
Jefferson
K
³
(
g
&
% Urbana
Brunswick
I
u
Adamstown
Point of Rocks
While e orts have been made to ensure the

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK
accuracy of this map, Frederick County accepts
no responsibility for errors, omissions, or
positional inaccuracies in the content of this
& SENSITIVE SPECIES AREAS
map. Reliance on this map is at the risk of the
user. Tax maps are a product of the Maryland Sensitive Species Areas Green infrastructure Hubs
Department of Planning, may not be current
State of MD Listed
and may contain positional inaccuracies
Green Infrastructure Corridors
DNR Listed (unofficial status)
0 1.5 3 4.5 6 Miles
Federally Listed

50
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Environmentally Sensitive Areas

Environmentally sensitive areas may occur within or outside of areas identified as being within a green
infrastructure network. These include environmental features identified under Md. LAND USE Code Ann. § 1-101,
which describes the Sensitive Areas Element of Comprehensive Plans.
Streams and Stream Buffers

Streams are grouped into a hierarchical system—first order, second order, third order, etc.—from the smallest
headwater stream to the Monocacy and Potomac Rivers in Frederick County. Streams and their buffers perform
a wide variety of functions and have numerous environmental benefits. The buffer or riparian area of a stream
is part of the stream ecosystem whose boundaries often depend on conditions of slope, soil, ground cover, and
hydrology. The buffer encompasses parts of the stream ecosystem that are often dry, yet integral to the stream’s
health. Stream buffers include:
• Floodplains, where most stream wetlands are located and where energy dissipation, natural filtration,
floodwater storage occur.
• Stream banks and adjoining steep slopes that help to prevent erosion from clogging the streambed and
provide plant and animal habitat.
• Streamside forests, which provide habitat, stabilize banks, provide shading, control temperatures, filter
pollutants and produce leaf-litter, which supports a variety of aquatic organisms.
Stream Use Designations

The federal Clean Water Act requires states to develop water quality standards to protect and improve surface
waters. These standards are based on a particular water body use, function, goal or “designated use,” such as
supporting trout populations or protecting public water supplies. Criteria to support these designated uses
include specific limits or amounts of dissolved oxygen, bacteria, temperatures, toxics, and turbidity (clarity) in the
particular stream. The State of Maryland has defined designated uses of surface waters as shown below:
Use Class I: Water Contact Recreation and Protection of Use Class III-P: Nontidal Cold Water-Natural Trout Waters
Nontidal Warmwater Aquatic Life and Public Water Supply
Use Class I-P: Water Contact Recreation and Protection Use Class IV: Recreational Trout Waters (these waters
of Nontidal Warmwater Aquatic Life and Public Water have the potential for or are capable of holding or
Supply supporting adult trout for put and take fishing)
Use Class II: Support of Estuarine and Marine Aquatic Use Class IV-P: Recreational Trout Waters and Public
Life and Shellfish Harvesting Water Supply
Use Class III: Nontidal Cold Water-Natural Trout Waters
High Quality (Tier II) Waters

Tier II waters indicate exceptional water quality, in-stream and riparian habitat conditions as measured by the
health of the biological community—fish and insects—in a stream. In order to be classified as Tier II, waterways
must have high values in the following measures of biological health:
• Fish Index of Biotic Integrity (FIBI) – a measurement of the composition, diversity, pollution tolerance, habitat,
and feeding characteristics of fish.
• Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (BIBI) – a measurement of the composition, diversity, pollution tolerance,
habitat and feeding characteristics of stream insects, called benthic macro invertebrates.
Four stream segments and their watersheds in Frederick County have been identified by the State as high quality
Tier II waters: Big Hunting Creek, High Run, Weldon Creek, and an un-named tributary to Talbot Branch.
• df-tp_tierii.png

51
Dv
Toms Creek
Owens Creek
Hunting Creek
Middle Creek
Little Pipe Creek
Fishing Creek
Glade Creek
Israel Creek
Tuscarora Creek
Upper Linganore Creek

Carroll Creek
Catoctin Creek
Lower Linganore Creek
Ballenger Creek
Lower Bush Creek Upper Bush Creek
Little Catoctin
Creek South
Monocacy
Direct SW
Bennett Creek
Potomac Direct
TIER II STREAMS AND

STREAM CLASSIFICATIONS
While e orts have been made to ensure the
positional inaccuracies in the content of this
user. Tax maps are a product of the Maryland
Tier II Watershed Tier II Stream Segment
and may contain positional inaccuracies
IV-P III-P I-P
0 1.5 3 4.5 6 Miles

Watershed

52
Dv
To protect these high quality Tier II waters, the State has adopted an anti-degradation policy and regulatory
protections. To implement this policy, state regulations require a Tier II anti-degradation review be performed
if proposals for wastewater, stormwater or other discharges result in a new discharge or modifications of an
existing discharge into Tier II waters. The regulations also apply to discharges in the watershed located upstream
of identified Tier II segments in order to protect downstream water quality. The Maryland Department of the
Environment’s Water Quality Infrastructure Program is responsible for coordinating the review of applications for
discharges into Tier II waters.
100 Year Floodplain

The 100-year floodplain is the portion of the landscape adjacent to streams and rivers that is subject to
inundation by a flood event having a 1% chance of occurring in any year. Floodplains are generally comprised
of rich alluvial soils formed by many years of deposition of soil, gravel, sand, rock, leaves, twigs, animal and other
plant materials caused by the continual ebb and flow of water in and out of the stream or river channel.
Floodplains are a natural part of the aquatic environment and can contain diverse ecosystems. A key function of
floodplains is to hold excess water and allow a slow release into groundwater and back to the waterway. Streams
and rivers carry higher suspended sediment during flood events; the floodplain acts as a ‘sink’, trapping and
settling these particles. The soil microbial community is active in floodplains, processing and cycling nutrients.
Unique plants that can tolerate episodic high water are present in floodplains along with a variety of animal
species that contribute to high biodiversity.
Habitat of Endangered and Threatened Species

Frederick County’s diverse landscape supports high biodiversity, the variety of plant species, animal species and
all other organisms found in a particular environment. The protection of habitats that are critical to maintaining
biodiversity contributes to the protection of rare, threatened and endangered plant and animal species.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources – Natural Heritage Program - has identified 26 animal species
and 74 plant species in Frederick County in their current inventory of Rare, Threatened, and Endangered
Species. Of these, nine animal species and thirty-five plant species have been determined to be endangered
statewide. Two of these endangered species, the Yellow Lance (a freshwater mussel), Elliptio lanceolata and
Torrey’s Mountain-Mint, Pycnanthemum torrei, are cited as globally rare. Seven plant species are identified by
the state as extirpated. The species “was once a viable component of the flora or fauna of the State of Maryland,
but for which no naturally occurring populations are known to exist in the state.” The Maryland Department of
Natural Resources’ Fisheries Division also maintains an official list of game and commercial fish species that are
designated as threatened or endangered in Maryland.
These rare species serve as bellwethers for the health of the ecosystem that we rely on and share with them.
Many of these species serve us directly. They may have medicinal applications or utility for research and
education, or cultural significance. The challenge in Frederick County and all of Maryland is how to balance
population growth and land development with our responsibility to protect Frederick County’s array of unique
habitats and species.
The primary state law that governs endangered species is the Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation
Act (NESCA), which contains the official State Threatened and Endangered Species list. The NESCA reads:
“It is the policy of the State to conserve species of wildlife for human enjoyment, for scientific purposes, and
to insure their perpetuation as viable components of their ecosystems. Species of wildlife and plants normally
occurring within the State which may be found to be threatened or endangered within the State should be
accorded the protection necessary to maintain and enhance their numbers.”
The Natural Heritage Program (NHP) is the lead state agency responsible for the identification, ranking,
protection and management of nongame, rare and endangered species and their habitats in Maryland. Data
collected by NHP provide the scientific foundation for the Threatened and Endangered Species lists mandated
by the Act. NHP researchers conduct inventory and monitoring activities on nongame wildlife, rare species
populations and natural communities, documenting trends in population and habitat health and viability.
Information gathered through this research guides land management decisions and regulations designed to
protect and conserve the state’s biological diversity.

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No exact locations are provided for any of the listed rare, threatened and endangered species (as a means
of protecting the listed species), although GIS data depicting generalized habitat/species locations has
been provided to the county by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for land use planning and
development review purposes.
Steep Slopes
Steep slopes are defined as having an incline of 25% or greater. Protecting the natural terrain and vegetative
features present on steep slopes prevents flooding, stream siltation, and the alteration of natural drainage
patterns. Preserving steep slopes protects the natural environment, man-made structures, and the safety of
all citizens. Steep slope protection also provides aesthetically attractive open space/view sheds and maintains
local biodiversity found on many of these slopes. Preservation of steep slopes adjacent to watercourses is
especially important because of the impact to water quality and in-stream aquatic habitat from soil erosion and
sedimentation when slopes are graded, cleared or disturbed. Historically, many of these steeply sloped areas
have not been disturbed, as they are very difficult to farm, graze, log or develop.
Frederick County’s distinct landform regions, called Physiographic Provinces, can be used to describe the
county’s overall topography. The Blue Ridge Physiographic Province includes Catoctin Mountain at the
eastern boundary and South Mountain at the western boundary. These mountain ranges contain the largest
concentration of steep and moderate slopes in the county.
The Piedmont Plateau Province includes all lands in Frederick County east of the Catoctin Mountain range and is
typified by rolling terrain and low ridges. Steep and moderate slopes exist along many streams in the Piedmont
in Frederick County. Steep slopes are evident along Bush Creek, Linganore Creek and its tributaries south of MD
26. Numerous steep ridges and bluffs are also present adjacent to the Monocacy River as well as Catoctin Creek.
In addition to the mountain ranges, Frederick County has a Monadnock (a mountain or rocky mass that has
resisted erosion and stands isolated in a plain): Sugarloaf Mountain. It rises 800 feet above the Piedmont Plateau
Province to an elevation of 1,282 feet.
Forest Lands
Forests provide countless benefits including: air quality, water quality, health, scenic beauty, wood products,
wildlife habitat, recreation, flood control and erosion control. According to the Maryland Department of Natural
Resources Forest Service, the predominant forest cover type in Frederick County is the Oak-Hickory complex
(oaks, hickories, red maple, beech, tulip poplar, white ash). Other forest cover types found in the county include
the Northern Floodplain: elm, black walnut, ash, sycamore, willow; Northern Hardwood: sugar maple, beech,
hemlock, basswoods, white ash, red oak; and others such as pine plantations and early succession forests.
Presently, the major forested areas of the county lie in the mountain areas, including Catoctin Mountain, South
Mountain and Sugarloaf Mountain and its immediate vicinity. The forest cover in the eastern county area,
however, is much more fragmented, interspersed with large agricultural fields or residential development. Some
forestland is also present in the Monocacy River and Potomac River riparian areas. Some forestland in the county
is publicly owned and the remainder is privately held with the potential for some commercial timbering and
harvesting.
Monocacy Scenic River

The Monocacy River is Maryland’s largest tributary of the Potomac River. The River’s headwaters are formed by
the confluence of Marsh and Rock Creeks in Pennsylvania and flow 58 miles to the Potomac River. The Monocacy
River bisects the county as it flows south of Miller’s Bridge (MD 77) at Rocky Ridge. North of MD 77 the river
divides Carroll County from Frederick County. The Monocacy drops just 170 feet along its course, giving it an
unusually gentle gradient for a Piedmont River.
The Monocacy is a unique and vital resource in the county, used for public water supply (City of Frederick, Ft.
Detrick), effluent disposal, recreational pursuits and scenic enjoyment. The Maryland DNR has identified several
areas in the Monocacy River corridor that contain habitats of rare, threatened, or endangered species. The river’s
riparian area also contains numerous Wetlands of Special State Concern. These wetlands have exceptional
ecological value and often contain the last remaining populations of native plants and animals.

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The Maryland Department of Planning included the Monocacy in its 1970 study, Scenic Rivers in Maryland, and
identified the Monocacy as a significant State resource, worthy of immediate study, and a prime candidate for
State Scenic River designation. The Monocacy River was designated and added to the Maryland Scenic and Wild
River System in 1974. A Monocacy Scenic River Local Advisory Board was formed in 1976, comprised of citizens
from both Carroll and Frederick Counties, and appointed by the respective Boards of County Commissioners.
The role of the river Board is to provide advice and recommendations to the Frederick and Carroll County
Governments on land use, land development proposals and resource management issues that impact the
Monocacy River and to serve as advocates for the river and its varied resources.
The River Board in conjunction with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources prepared The Monocacy
Scenic River Study and Management Plan in 1990. Both Carroll and Frederick Counties jointly adopted the Plan
in May 1990.
Limestone and Karst Areas

Limestone is a very common sedimentary rock. It is composed mostly of the mineral calcite and can have
varying amounts of clay, silt, and sand as layers within the rock. Metamorphosed, fairly pure limestone forms
marble. High calcium limestone and its metamorphic equivalent, marble, are used in the manufacture of
Portland cement, agricultural lime (a soil amendment), and in addition to their use as crushed stone used as
aggregate. A carbonate rock, limestone is subject to erosion by groundwater and the formation of solution
channels and sinkholes. While these channels are capable of carrying substantial quantities of groundwater that
can be tapped for water supply purposes, they can also serve as conduits for groundwater contaminants.
A belt of limestone conglomerate runs north from the confluence of the Monocacy and Potomac Rivers, through
City of Frederick to the Town of Woodsboro. This area, known as the Frederick Valley, is underlain by two main
limestone formations—the Frederick Limestone and the Grove Limestone. The Frederick Limestone formation
is a dark, impure limestone characterized by thin layers with many shaly interbeds, which tend to make the
formation unfit for crushed stone. Grove Limestone is quarried at several locations in the Frederick Valley: two
operations near Woodsboro, one at Lime Kiln near Buckeystown, and one just southeast of Frederick City.
Sinkholes
Karst topography may be prone to the formation of sinkholes, which is a gradual and sometimes sudden
collapse of the topsoil into a void. Sinkholes may be triggered by human activity such as excessive pumping
of groundwater, which creates voids in the limestone rock and the discharge of storm water from roads or
development that erode the limestone. Most sinkholes that form suddenly occur where soil that overlies
bedrock collapses into a pre-existing void. Their presence indicates that additional sinkholes may develop in the
future.
Environmental concerns include the introduction of contaminants and pollutants into the groundwater;
catastrophic collapse and gradual subsidence of the lands surface; and flooding during or following intense
storms. In fact, stresses induced by human activity in areas of karst topography result in environmental
problems that are much more acute than those that would occur in terrains underlain by other types of rock.
However, urbanization is increasingly affecting many areas that have karst topography, resulting in several
karst-related environmental problems. Karst topography, particularly that of moderate to high sinkhole density,
imposes constraints on land use. Mismanagement of areas of karst topography through unsound development,
poor farming practices, improper waste disposal or other means, can damage ground water resources,
subterranean ecosystems of cave networks, or man-made structures.
Changes to surface drainage may alter the rate at which the underlying karst aquifer receives it normal recharge
(groundwater inputs). Vegetation slows runoff from storms and allows water to percolate into the soil. However,
runoff from impermeable surfaces (cement drains, roads, parking lots, rooftops) may rapidly be funneled
through sinkholes into the aquifer. Artificially filled sinkholes may become blocked inputs. Increasing the rate
of runoff and/or blocking input points may cause surficial water to pond or flood, unless it’s diverted away from
its natural sink point (thereby altering the recharge at yet another sink point). This may drastically affect the
amount of groundwater available for use in the immediate vicinity.
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Groundwater Quality
The most important current and future environmental issue with respect to areas with karst topography is
the sensitivity of karstic aquifers to groundwater contamination. The effect of human activity on areas of
karst topography is most severe in cases where polluted surface waters enter karst aquifers. There is a general
lack of public understanding of groundwater behavior, particularly in areas with karst topography. Karstic
aquifers cannot filter contaminated groundwater sufficiently to render it potable at the discharge sites (e.g.,
springs emerging on the landscape). Water travels rapidly through solution conduits because recharge points
(groundwater input areas) are directly connected to discharge points. Sinkholes are natural funnels that convey
toxic substances directly into the karstic aquifers.
Wetlands
Wetlands are a unique type of ecosystem and are also referred to as marshes, swamps and bogs. They are
generally identified based on the degree of flooding, the existence of unique plant communities, and by
special soil characteristics. Wetlands may be permanently flooded by shallow water, permanently saturated by
groundwater, or periodically inundated for periods during the wet season.
Frederick County has inland wetlands, as opposed to coastal or tidal wetlands. Inland wetlands are most
common within floodplains along rivers and streams (riparian wetlands), in isolated depressions surrounded by
dry land, along the margins of lakes and ponds, and in other low lying areas where the groundwater depth is
shallow. The benefits of wetlands are described below:
Plant and Animal Habitat – Many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians rely on wetlands
for breeding, food supply, cover, wintering and stopover during migration. They create numerous
microenvironments for wildlife. Wetlands also provide unique habitat for many rare and endangered plants and
animals.
Water Quality – Wetlands play a less conspicuous but essential role in maintaining high environmental quality,
especially in aquatic habitats. They do this in a number of ways, including purifying natural waters by removing
nutrients, chemical and organic pollutants, and sediments, and by producing food that supports aquatic life.
Flood Control – The more tangible benefits of wetlands include flood and storm water protection, erosion
control, and water supply and groundwater recharge, harvest of natural products, livestock grazing and
recreation.
Protection Measures
As of the adoption of the LFMP, the following protection measures are used by the county to address the
protection of natural resources and the sensitive areas.
Waterbody Buffer Ordinance: A countywide waterbody buffer ordinance (contained within the Zoning
Ordinance) was adopted in 2008 that applies to all perennial and intermittent streams in the county, excluding
the municipalities. The ordinance is applied at the subdivision review stage and regulates construction and
grading activities on new residential, commercial and industrial subdivision lots.
Floodplain Regulations: The county’s Zoning Ordinance regulates development in the 100-year floodplain,
historic floodplain, and flooding soils. These regulations apply to all of the county’s zoning districts and are
implemented through the development review process and the review of building permits for existing lots. The
regulations prohibit grading and the construction of buildings or impervious surfaces within FEMA floodplains
and within a specified distance measured from the floodplain boundary.
Zoning Ordinance: The identification of steep slopes on all site development plans and subdivision plats is
required by the zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations. Septic systems are prohibited within steep slopes
due to the surfacing of effluent regardless of soil type or depth of leachate trenches.
Wetlands and flooding soils (soils with characteristics of temporary inundation) are regulated in the Floodplain
District section of the Zoning Ordinance. Development, impervious surfaces, grading, or in-filling is not
permitted in wetlands or the FEMA 100-year floodplain. A specified setback is required from all wetlands. Both
the Maryland Department of the Environment and the US Army Corps of Engineers are involved in designating
wetlands.

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Wellhead Protection Ordinance: In 2007 the county adopted wellhead protection legislation that regulate
hazardous substance storage tanks. Any tank within certain distances of community groundwater supply wells
must be above ground with 100% catchment basins or double-walled containment and spill protection alarms.
The wellhead protection regulations also prohibit certain land uses and activities within wellhead protection
areas.
Forest Resource Ordinance: The county’s Forest Resource Ordinance (FRO) was adopted in 1992 and is applied
through the development review process to subdivisions and site plans. The FRO allows for on-site or off-site
afforestation, purchase of forest banking credits, or a fee-in-lieu payment into the forest fund. The highest
priority for meeting FRO requirements is the afforestation of stream valleys within the particular development
or at least within the same watershed. Further, FRO afforestation and forest ‘banking’ priority areas are stream
valleys on agriculturally-zoned land.
Resource Conservation Zoning: The Resource Conservation (RC) Zoning District is applied throughout the
county, with the largest portion comprised of the forestlands on and around Catoctin Mountain, South Mountain
and Sugarloaf Mountain. The RC Zone limits new residential subdivision lots to 10 acres in size and prohibits
development on slopes of 25% or more. The RC zone does not permit the construction of new public streets as
part of residential subdivisions. Timber harvesting is permitted in all zoning districts with an approved logging
permit. The Frederick County Forestry Board must also review and approve proposals for timber harvesting in
the Resource Conservation zone to ensure sound forestry best management practices are employed.
Development Review Process: The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has an opportunity to review
proposed subdivision and site plan applications to determine the existence of threatened and rare species on a
subject site.
Stream Restoration: The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program (also known as the county’s
stormwater permit) requires water monitoring, watershed assessment, public education, and the restoration of
degraded stream corridors. The county’s first restoration project was completed in 2007 and involved stream
channel rehabilitation and riparian buffer plantings along a portion of Ballenger Creek at the Ballenger Creek
Elementary School.
Natural Resource Comprehensive Plan Designation: The Natural Resource land use plan designation is applied
in the county to mountain areas with contiguous forests and to stream corridors. Stream corridors include
major streams defining the county’s 20 subwatersheds. Also included within mountain/forestlands and stream
corridors are 100-year floodplain, plant/animal habitats, steep slopes, and wetlands. A purpose of the land use
plan designation is to identify and highlight these features relative to growth areas. The plan designation itself is
not a regulation, but it does provide the basis for considering the application of Resource Conservation zoning.
Public Ownership: Public ownership of parks and natural resource protection areas provides the greatest degree
of protection for any sensitive area feature. There are over 25,000 acres of predominantly forested land under
municipal, state, and federal ownership. Municipal ownership is comprised of watershed protection lands
primarily in the Catoctin Mountains. State lands include Catoctin and South Mountains. While forestland is the
predominant feature under public ownership, also included within these areas are steep slopes, streams, habitat
of threatened and endangered species, and wetlands.
Sugarloaf Mountain Rural Heritage Landscape

The area surrounding, and including, Sugarloaf Mountain – located along Frederick County’s southern edge in
the largely undeveloped wedge of land between the Interstate 270 corridor and the CSX Rail line (Frederick spur)
– continues to maintain its locally iconic status. This valued rural preserve, punctuated by the visual prominence
of the mountain’s dual peaks, and grounded by the beauty and history in the surrounding fields and forests, is
recognized as a special place even in a county that is home to many special places.
The Sugarloaf area has already been demarcated as the Sugarloaf Mountain Historic Survey District which covers
approximately 10,500 acres of land including the 3,200 acres which make up the mountain itself and have been
preserved by Gordon Strong and his heirs under the Stronghold Trust. Immediately west of the Sugarloaf district
is the Carrollton Manor Rural Historic District (9,300 acres), the Washington Run Rural Area (2,715 acres) and,
across the Potomac River in Loudoun County, Virginia, the Catoctin Rural Historic District, a 25,000-acre National

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Register District. In addition, Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve district – with its tens of thousands of
acres of permanently protected farmland is located along the Frederick-Montgomery County line, immediately
adjacent to the Sugarloaf area.
Several long-term protective easements have also been established in and around the Sugarloaf area including
those held by the Maryland Environmental Trust, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Maryland
Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation, the U.S. Government, and Frederick County, through its Installment
Purchase Program (IPP).
As a cherished Frederick County locale, the Sugarloaf Mountain area highlights the natural, historical, and
cultural features that are closely associated with the rural pace, majestic beauty, and quality of life that is one of
the centerpieces of Our Vision. However, the area remains vulnerable on several fronts:
Land Protection: Much of the acreage in and around the mountain is not protected by long-term easements.
While the underlying zoning laws provide some protection from intense residential construction, equally
disruptive possibilities exist to forever alter the area through insensitive, large-lot development, fragmentation
of agricultural or environmental resources, or operations and uses available to landowners under the current
regulatory regime.
Environmental Disruption: Some land uses available to property owners may still allow for impacts that
fragment and degrade natural resources and that could greatly diminish the quality of the natural environment.
Environmental degradation can include noise pollution, rural road overload, and development.
Viewshed Degradation: Even low-density, low-intensity development could result in the degradation or
destruction of cherished views and vistas that have been enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of citizens over the
decades.
One approach to the challenge of maintaining the Sugarloaf Mountain region as a truly special place in Frederick
County for ourselves and for future generations may involve the establishment of an overlay district. Such a
district – established in the Zoning Ordinance – would be drawn and constructed based on environmental
stewardship and the Sugarloaf area residents’ vision for this area. This might include: Restrictions on building
size or height; Standards or guidelines for building location so as to minimize visibility from prominent locations
on or around the mountain; Standards for environmental quality related to livability such as noise, vibration,
traffic impacts, or forest removal; Standards for new development to allow for a more traditional pattern based
on small crossroads villages and hamlets; Prohibition of certain land uses otherwise available in the Agricultural,
Residential, Village Center, and Resource Conservation zoning districts; and Maintaining and protecting the
ecological integrity and functionality of the area.
A thorough analysis of the Sugarloaf Mountain area – beginning with the completion of a visual resources
analysis and a natural resources inventory – would set the stage for any discussion regarding the drafting of
specific guidelines, policies, or regulations.

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The Agricultural Infrastructure Sector

The Agricultural Infrastructure Sector is identified to support continued and innovative agricultural
development, such as regenerative farming practices, and direct urban/suburban growth away from agricultural
resources (Figure 7). Development of rural and agricultural activity is supported, especially within existing rural
hamlets identified on the Thematic Plan Diagram.
Frederick County has one of the strongest agricultural economies in Maryland. This economic strength
derives from several key components, each of which remains healthy only because Frederick County citizens
demonstrate a strong commitment to maintaining the practice and culture of farming.
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The collection of resources, activities, systems, and knowledge necessary to nurture a healthy agricultural
economy is called our Agricultural Infrastructure. This Agricultural Infrastructure must be diligently maintained,
improved or expanded when necessary to respond to changing market demands or evolving technologies,
and physically deployed in such a way as to serve the needs of farmers throughout the active agriculture areas
in Frederick County. This sector will be further implemented through the development of a Livable Frederick
Agricultural Infrastructure Sector Plan. The main components of this plan are as described below.
Figure 7: The Agricultural Infrastructure Sector
• df-tp_aginfrastructure.png
Farmland Preservation
Several programs are at work to permanently preserve farmland in order to maintain a critical mass of
agricultural acreage for our farm economy. State, county, private non-profit, and at times, federal programs have
thus far contributed to the preservation of over 60,000 acres of farmland in Frederick County.
Rural Reserve
The purpose of the Rural Reserve is to identify and promote the rural agricultural characteristics of the county
and potential for agricultural- and resource-based industries. The county’s Rural Reserve is designated for
those areas outside of the community growth boundaries and encompasses lands in the county designated as
Agricultural/Rural. Resource protection tools such as Agricultural Preservation easements, restrictive agricultural
zoning, and agricultural economic development are some of the methods used to protect this resource. The
Rural Reserve is not to be considered as residual land left over after the delineation of our growth areas, but as
specifically identified land areas set aside for the purpose of maintaining the rural character of the county valued
by so many of its citizens. The Rural Reserve is intended to remain predominately intact for the future with only
minor boundary revisions anticipated in future comprehensive planning efforts.
Priority Preservation
Priority Preservation Areas (PPA) are mapped geographic areas where the county targets and prioritizes its
farmland preservation easement purchases and other incentives in order to create large contiguous blocks
of preserved farmland and to maintain a critical mass of farm acres to support viable agriculture. With nearly
100,000 acres currently identified in five PPA’s, the county will also ensure that its other planning activities do not
infringe on lands that provide the foundation for current and future farmers.
MD Code Ann. § 5-408 requires that counties seeking state certification of their agricultural land preservation
program include a Priority Preservation Element in their comprehensive plan. The primary component of the
Priority Preservation Element is the delineation of PPA’s, which provide a focus for establishing agricultural
preservation easements.
According to MD Code Ann. § 2-518, a Priority Preservation Area (PPA) shall: contain productive agricultural or
forest soils, or be capable of supporting profitable agricultural and forestry enterprises where productive soils
are lacking; be governed by local policies that stabilize the agricultural and forestland base so that development
does not convert or compromise agricultural or forest resources; and, be large enough to support the kind of
agricultural operations that the county seeks to preserve, as represented in the comprehensive plan.
PPA’s are established within the Rural Reserve to target and prioritize land preservation easement purchases
and other incentives to preserve land. Further, the purpose of the PPA’s is to target land preservation efforts and
build critical masses of protected lands on the highest priority properties. In addition the Priority Preservation
legislation builds on earlier State efforts through the Rural Legacy Program to concentrate land preservation
efforts in those areas deemed to be most important by the county. As such, most of the acreage within the two
approved Rural Legacy areas; the Mid-Maryland Rural Legacy Area and the Carrollton Manor Rural Legacy Area
has been included within Priority Preservation Areas.
The criteria for establishing Priority Preservation Areas include: land containing prime farmland soils as identified
in the USDA Soil Survey for Frederick County; land with existing clusters of agricultural preservation easements;
land with the predominance of large farm parcels (100 acres or more); and, land containing high value
agricultural enterprises such as dairy farms, wineries, and greenhouse/nursery operations.

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Frederick County has a large agricultural land area - over 250,000 acres - with many high-value areas, most of
which could be considered for priority preservation. However, in order to truly prioritize preservation efforts
and to create an achievable preservation plan, the Priority Preservation Areas are reasonably constrained. The
methodology for identifying the PPA’s involved the mapping of characteristics including size of parcels, prime
farmland soils, existing preservation easements, zoning, comprehensive plan growth boundaries, and high value
agricultural enterprises. In total there are 99,038 acres – nearly 40% of the county’s farmland - included in the
five Priority Preservation Areas described below.
Mid-Maryland Priority Preservation Area

This PPA predominately consists of the Mid-Maryland Rural Legacy area and encompasses approximately 17,500
acres west of Catoctin Creek, east of South Mountain, extending north of US 340 to Myersville. This is an area
of significant prime farmland including two of the three best farmland soils in the county with Myersville and
Fauquier loams. This PPA contains the largest contiguous block of preserved farmland in the county, with 8,983
acres (51% of the total PPA and 60% of Undeveloped Land in PPA) under easement.
Carrollton Manor Priority Preservation Area

This PPA contains approximately 18,000 acres located south of Ballenger Creek, east of US 15, west of the
Monocacy River extending south to the Potomac River. The MD 85/New Design Road corridor contains the
largest concentration of preserved farmland in this PPA and is characterized by larger farms on relatively flat
terrain, with some of the most productive agricultural soils (Duffield) in the county. There are 4,213 acres (23 %
of the total PPA) under easement and 26% of the undeveloped land remaining within this Priority Preservation
Area.
Walkersville Priority Preservation Area

This PPA encompasses approximately 11,000 acres virtually surrounding the Town of Walkersville and extending
north to the Town of Woodsboro. The PPA also extends west of US 15 including the Crum and Thatcher
properties, which were annexed into the City of Frederick in 2009. The area includes the highest concentration
of prime farmland anywhere in the county and includes 1,955 acres (18% of the total PPA) under easement.
This PPA encompasses the Town of Walkersville’s growth area that would accommodate potential annexation
into the Town for residential or employment development. Currently there are 980 acres of undeveloped land
within the corporate limits of Walkersville, which at a density of 3.5 dwellings per acre could yield approximately
2,335 dwellings. This is important in order to recognize the Town of Walkersville’s future expansion needs that
can be accommodated within the current municipal boundary. As proposed, this PPA will enable Walkersville
to maintain its identity - separate from Frederick City to the southwest, and from the Town of Woodsboro to the
north.
Middletown/Jefferson Priority Preservation Area

This PPA encompasses 6,000 acres and is west of Braddock Heights and east of Catoctin Creek extending south
from Middletown to Jefferson. This PPA was delineated based on the predominance of prime farmland soils and
the high percentage of farm parcels greater than 100 acres in size within the Middletown Valley, outside of the
Mid-Maryland Rural Legacy area. There are 1,570 acres (27% of the total PPA) under easement, which is 30% of
the undeveloped land remaining within the PPA. There are 27 parcels of land that are larger than 100 acres that
encompass over 3,960 acres.
Eastern County Priority Preservation Area

This PPA is the largest, encompassing 45,956 acres east of MD 75, west of the Carroll County line and extending
south to the Town of New Market. The northern extent is MD 194 north of Ladiesburg. The area includes
approximately 11,000 acres (23% of the total PPA) under easement, which is over 27% of the undeveloped land
remaining in the PPA. The predominance of prime farmland and existing preservation activity are visible in this
area. With the high degree of preservation in neighboring Carroll County, this PPA results in a large regional land
preservation area.
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Point of Rocks Carrollton Manor PPA
This map is provided solely for illustrative

purposes to indicate the extent of agricultural
preservation in Frederick County at the time of
AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION
the original adoption of the Livable Frederick
Master Plan The o cial map showing Priority
Preservation reas is a separate document that
is adopted in con unction with this plan but that
can be updated independently Information
shown on the o cial Priority Preservation rea Rural Legacy MALPF District Priority Preservation Areas
Map governs in cases where there are conflicts
with the map shown on this page FFP MALPF Easement County Held
IPP ISTEA CREP
0 1.5 3 4.5 6 Miles Other Gov. Easements Critical Farms MET

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Rural Agricultural Hubs

Our rural hamlets have served historically, and continue to serve, as primary locations for farm support
businesses as well as ag-related organizations such as Grange and Ruritan. These small crossroads communities
are geographically distributed around the county and many emerged originally to serve local farmers.
Importantly, these places provide opportunities for the growth and development of a diverse network of
agricultural support businesses while providing the social infrastructure necessary to enhance the lives of farm
families. These include farm cooperatives, seed and feed companies, industry trade organizations, agriculture
insurers, and food processors, places of worship, and small shops. The county supports the development and
maintenance of farm support businesses in our rural hamlets, while committing to provide services to farmers
through its economic development and planning departments.
Viable Transportation Options

Transportation facilitates agricultural development, allowing production to be specialized, rural communities
to develop, and economies to grow. A safe and efficient network of rural roads and highways provides
connections locally and to markets outside of Frederick County. Freight transportation is critically important
to the distribution and marketing of agricultural products and goods, as well as for the provision of necessary
farm supplies. Freight rail service is provided via two lines: the Maryland Midland RR in the northern end of the
county, and CSX which provides rail service in the southern half of the county.
Trucking transportation is readily available throughout the county and offers flexible service. The majority of
agricultural products are distributed by trucks on our local roads, as well as our state and interstate highways.
Therefore capacity and investment in rural roads, bridges, and other facilities are vital in supporting our
farm economy. Trucking’s efficiency, and its linkages to other forms of freight transportation (railroads and
port services in Baltimore), enables the county to be competitive in the regional and global marketplace for
agricultural products.
��
owth Areas
Managing the county’s future growth in a way that is respectful of agricultural resources remains an on-going
challenge for citizens and elected leaders. Livable Frederick acknowledges the need to focus most of our growth
in existing cities and towns as well as in new compact communities. Our Community Growth Areas also serve as
a vital component of local agriculture infrastructure by providing local markets for home-grown farm products.
Agricultural land preservation is an essential component of Frederick County’s plan to ensure that agriculture
operations remain economically viable by protecting a critical mass of undeveloped prime agricultural land.
Often, when land preservation occurs in proximity to growth areas, this priority aligns with the “Smart Growth”
objective of curbing suburban sprawl and re-focusing development into existing downtowns and other areas
with appropriate infrastructure. In some cases, the proximity between growth boundaries and permanently
protected farmland does not present clear advantages for either growth management or commercial agricultural
viability. As such, a rigorous and data-driven assessment of the relationship between growth boundaries and
agricultural land preservation that can be applied in case-specific scenarios is warranted.
The Rural/Agricultural Corridor

Located in the southwestern corner of the county, the Rural/Agricultural Corridor designates a broad swath
of land stretching from our border with Montgomery County, in the shadow of Sugarloaf Mountain, to the
hallowed battlefields of South Mountain, above the Town of Burkittsville. This corridor is a reflection of a swath of
agricultural and rural land initially conceived through the Maryland Rural Legacy Program as a key segment of a
larger tri-county corridor connecting Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve with the farmlands surrounding
Washington County’s Antietam Battlefield. This vision of the Rural Legacy Program was partially implemented
in Frederick County through the designation of the Mid-Maryland Rural Legacy Area and the Carrollton Manor
Rural Legacy Area.
The Rural/Agricultural Corridor identified in the LFMP is a conceptual extension of the Rural Legacy corridor,
and is not connected to a specific program or funding mechanism. It is intended to signify a broad corridor of
important rural/agricultural land that should be carefully addressed through the development of future land use.
This area includes the Sugarloaf Mountain Historic Survey District, the Carrollton Manor Rural Historic District,

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the Washington Run Rural Area, three Priority Preservation Areas (Mid-Maryland, Middletown Valley/Jefferson,
and Carrollton Manor), and thousands of acres of permanently protected land at Burkittsville/South Mountain.
This agriculturally productive, culturally rich, and visually attractive area of the county is identified as a key
component of our Agricultural Infrastructure due to its broad regional value and its thorough representation of
local farming practices and resources. Future growth and redevelopment within this corridor is limited primarily
to those community growth areas identified along the transit corridors, and in existing and planned Community
Growth Areas.
Rural Roads Program

The Frederick County Rural Roads program was established in 2002. The purpose of the Rural Roads Program is
to help protect the scenic and historical qualities of the roads and the adjacent landscape; support, preserve,
and enhance the agricultural and rural character of the county; and contribute to a comprehensive, county-wide
inventory of rural and scenic qualities. There are roughly 60 roads in the Rural Roads Program, including 45 miles
of gravel sections which highlight the rural character of Frederick County history.

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Other Development Framework Elements

Development Staging
The purpose of the development staging strategy described herein is to link the timing of development with the
provision of adequate infrastructure and community facilities through comprehensive planning, especially in the
form of future community and corridor plans. These staging concepts apply primarily to unincorporated growth
areas where the county controls zoning, the development review process, and the provision of public water and
sewer services. Within municipal growth areas, the primary staging tool is the annexation process itself, which is
under municipal control.
Staging principles described below establish broad policies for managing the timing of growth and
development. Priority Growth Tier designations will link policy to specific staging mechanisms through
community and corridor planning. These staging mechanisms, described below, include specific tools that are
available for possible use.
Staging Principles
The following general staging principles provide a framework within which the county can develop more
detailed – and parcel specific – development staging policies as individual community and corridor plans are
prepared.
Principle #1 – Coordination of development with public infrastructure at the comprehensive planning stage.
Managing the timing and funding of infrastructure is necessary to support the best and most efficient
development of designated growth areas. This shall be done as part of the comprehensive planning process in
order to provide a high degree of predictability about when and where this development may occur.
Significant infrastructure needs – including but not limited to, schools, roads, water and sewer service, parks, and
public safety facilities – shall be identified in the appropriate long range planning documents.
A critical mass of land for development in community growth areas is required to facilitate the provision of
infrastructure improvements. The scale and intensity of development in these areas must be planned such that
the costs to develop and maintain the infrastructure can be reasonably borne by the development.
The county will utilize its Capital Improvements Program (CIP) to strategically allocate its resources to support
appropriate growth and redevelopment.
Principle #2 – Funding for infrastructure improvements.

Both the county and the land development community are responsible for providing the funding necessary for
infrastructure improvements in Community Growth Areas.
Approval of development in Community Growth Areas is conditioned on the ability of land developers to fund a
significant portion of the cost of infrastructure improvements and identify funding mechanisms and sources.
Principle #3 – Public water and sewer infrastructure

The county is committed to establishing consistency between the water and sewer system capacities and the
overall development capacity of individual community growth areas. These efforts shall also be coordinated
with countywide growth and development potential so that public services and facilities can be made sufficient
to serve both residents and employers.
Key elements of community infrastructure shall be planned – and constructed – during the build out of
community growth areas, with the understanding that current community growth boundaries may, in future
generations, expand beyond those currently envisioned.

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The county shall incorporate into its infrastructure planning efforts – and preserve during the engineering and
construction of such systems and facilities – the opportunity to provide additional water and sewer capacity
beyond that necessary to serve current or short-term needs. Additional efforts will continue which increase
the efficiency and performance of our wastewater treatment plants, furthering our ability to maintain clean
waterways and extend plant capacity by remaining within the limits of our MDE discharge permits.
Principle #4 – Balance residential and employment development

Assuring the provision of infrastructure that provides for predictable and planned development opportunities
for both residential and employment uses throughout the life of this plan, and beyond, is critical as the county
strives to provide an equitable allocation to both job and housing sectors.
The county’s growth staging policies and tools should respond to varying short and long term demands for
residential and employment development and should be used to focus the limited collective resources of the
county and the land development community to create high quality, well-balanced, vital neighborhoods and
communities.
The Priority Growth Tier System

In considering the many complex and necessary mechanisms by which planners, land owners, developers
and elected officials may exercise control over the staging of development, the following Priority Growth Tier
(PGT) system is presented as a guidance tool for establishing the preferred order in which development should
occur within the county’s Community Growth Areas. The system also serves as a framework for additional, or
alternative, development staging policies that may emerge during the life of this planning document. Examples
include:
Reference to the Priority Growth Tier could be used when considering an application for a floating zone or
overlay zoning designation within an area slated for growth (Planned Unit Development PUD or Mixed Use
Development MXD, for example);
Incorporation into future regulations of preferences – or preconditions – regarding a parcel’s Priority Growth
Tier designation in order to steer such development into preferred areas or to prevent extensive ‘leap-frog’
development;
The Priority Growth Tier may also be considered as part of revisions to other planning tools – such as the
Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, or innovative zoning tools – in order to create incentives and encourage
development or redevelopment in appropriate areas.
The application of a Priority Growth Tier (PGT) system will occur as part of community and corridor plan updates
and will result in the mapping of PGT’s to specific properties based on the ability to serve those properties
with adequate facilities and services. As a non-regulatory staging mechanism, the PGT concept can be used
to identify the specific infrastructure needs necessary for a property to progress to a higher tier, and thereby
assume a higher priority in the county’s land development plans.
Priority Growth Tier 1

Character of Growth: Primarily Infill and Redevelopment of vacant or underdeveloped lands and structures
Infrastructure: Existing and adequate (or easily upgraded) infrastructure.
Timeframe: Present to 6 years (consistent w/ CIP)
Application: Properties within current municipal boundaries or within, or immediately adjacent to, previously
developed lands in County Growth Area Communities. Includes Priority Redevelopment Areas. Will have existing
zoning.

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Character of Growth: Undeveloped lands utilizing proposed infrastructure.
Infrastructure: Not presently served or adequate, but planned
Timeframe: Mid-term, 10-25 years
Application: Most likely in planned annexation areas of municipalities and in planned unincorporated County
Growth Area Communities

Character of Growth: Maintain current agriculture and/or open space lands. Land Banking for future generations.
Infrastructure: Neither currently served nor planned
Timeframe: Long term, beyond 25-year timeframe of this Plan
Application: Within Growth Area Communities (municipal or unincorporated) but within a Future Growth Area
i.e. designated Agricultural/Rural.
Staging Mechanisms
Staging Mechanisms are the primary tools used to ensure that development activity does not outpace the ability
to adequately serve it with critical services. These mechanisms can employ either regulatory devices or policy
level strategies to determine when development should occur relative to the availability of infrastructure and
community facilities. The regulatory means, which act as staging mechanisms to control the timing of planned
development, are generally employed once a property is proceeding through the development review process.
Policy level strategies, such as the establishment of Community Growth Areas, the application of land use plan
designations, or the identification of Priority Growth Tiers, seek to establish staging mechanisms well before the
development review process. Below is a summary of staging mechanisms for development.
Community Growth Area

The delineation of Community Growth Areas (CGA’s) is the first step in development staging. Properties falling
within a Community Growth Area are expected to develop at some point in the future. The CGA boundary is
not meant to delineate an ultimate limit for development but is generally sized to accommodate projected
residential, commercial, and employment needs for period of approximately 20 years.
Land Use Plan Designation

The application of land use plan designations may be used within Community Growth Areas to differentiate
between properties expected to develop within the time horizon of the Comprehensive Plan versus properties
that may be considered for development beyond that time frame. The application of a land use plan designation
other than Agricultural/Rural, such as residential, commercial, industrial, or institutional indicates that
development is appropriate on those properties within a 20-year timeframe subject to completion of other
staging mechanisms.
“Future Growth Areas” are indicated by properties within CGA’s, but that are designated Agricultural/Rural. This
condition indicates development will occur beyond a 20-year timeframe. This reference identifies appropriate
growth needs beyond 20 years in order to provide predictability about where future growth will occur when
adequate infrastructure and community facilities are available to serve those properties.
Zoning
The application of specific zoning designations on lands within Community Growth Areas allows the county
the greatest degree of control over land development while providing optimal leverage in requiring developer-
funded infrastructure improvements. However, this leverage is severely limited - if not eliminated - when
Euclidean zoning is applied through a comprehensive zoning process. Floating Zones, such as the Planned

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Unit Development (PUD) and Mixed Use Development (MXD) zones, are not applied during the course of a
comprehensive process and thus offer the greatest opportunity to control the development timing as well
as require infrastructure improvements by the land developer. Properties that fall within a CGA and that are
assigned a land use plan designation indicating a plan for future growth may, in some cases, remain zoned
Agricultural and are considered ‘Future Growth Areas’.
Water and Sewerage Plan

The primary purpose of the county’s Master Water and Sewerage Plan is to provide for public water and
sewer service. The classification system employed provides an indication of timing for the extension of public
water/sewer service to a particular property. The plan also provides a strategic framework for maximizing the
performance of our existing water and sewerage systems by providing information about planned upgrades
and improvements to the physical infrastructure. In concert with the Capital Improvements Program and NPDES
Watershed Protection and Restoration Program, the Master Water and Sewerage Planning process allows for an
on-going analysis of our water and sewerage needs considering system capacity, environmental impacts, and
system costs.
Public Facility Financing Plan

The level of infrastructure improvements needed for the development of a Community Growth Area should be
identified at the comprehensive planning level. A Development Staging Plan for a community growth area will
identify specific infrastructure improvements necessary for development or redevelopment to proceed in that
area.
Land developers proposing significant land development projects must prepare financial plans as part of their
rezoning applications in order to provide clarity about how and when public facilities and infrastructure will be
funded and constructed.
A financial plan includes the following elements:
• Land dedication (CDA) subject to appropriate county and state

• Cash contributions to the county for specific public authorizations.
facilities/infrastructure • Identification of facility/infrastructure
• Specific facility/infrastructure improvements to be improvements proposed by the county in its CIP.
constructed by the developer • Identification of other funding sources and/or
• Proposal for an additional property assessment projects by the State.
i.e. a Community Development Assessment
Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance

The Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) serves as a staging mechanism at the point that a project
reaches the development review process. Ultimately, approval of a planned development, a preliminary
subdivision plan, or a site plan is contingent upon having adequate school, road, and water/sewer capacity
as defined in the APF ordinance. APFO approval for specific land development proposals generally establish
phasing conditions that are linked directly to the provision of adequate infrastructure. This approval is
formalized through the execution of a Letter of Understanding between the developer and the county
government.
Priority Redevelopment Areas

Alternative APFO standards, or differentiated APFO testing benchmarks, may be considered for properties
located within a county-designated Priority Redevelopment Area. This approach can be useful in efforts to
create an attractive environment for the infill and redevelopment activity crucial to the revitalization of older
neighborhoods and corridors within Community Growth Areas.

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Mineral Resources
Frederick County has a long history of mining mineral resources. While the mining of minerals such as iron ore
and copper are no longer active, other resources such as limestone have been mined in Frederick County since
the early 1900’s and still have 50 or more years of life in current mining operations.
Limestone, Shale, and Crushed Stone

The Grove and Frederick Limestone formations follow the Frederick Valley from just north of the Town of
Woodsboro to the Potomac River. High-calcium limestone and its metamorphic equivalent, marble, are used in
the manufacture of Portland cement and agricultural lime, in addition to their use as crushed stone.
Shale is used for the production of brick and terra cotta products such as pipe and tile and is found in Frederick
County throughout the Triassic Upland areas. A type of shale found along the eastern margin of the Frederick
Valley is used in the manufacture of lightweight aggregate. The Gettysburg Shale, found only in the western
part of the northern Triassic Upland, is the most promising source of material for brick and tile. At present, this
formation is mined near Rocky Ridge for brick manufacture.
Lightweight aggregate is produced from shale, which has the special property of expanding when heated. The
resulting material is a light, sponge-like product, which has a high compressive strength, suitable for use as
aggregate in structural concrete and concrete block. Lightweight aggregate is currently produced at a plant near
Woodsboro.
Several types of rock in Frederick County are suitable for crushed stone, but at present only limestone and
marble is being mined for this purpose. These rocks are most desirable because of the relatively low operating
costs of extraction and processing as compared with other rock types. The Grove Limestone, which occurs
in a strip along the center of the valley, is quarried at an operation located south of Interstate 70 and east of
Interstate 270 near Frederick City and at an operation located in Woodsboro. The Wakefield Marble occurs in
narrow bands within the phyllites and metavolcanic rocks of the Piedmont Upland area south of Union Bridge in
Carroll County.
Planning Measures
Active mining operations have been designated on Frederick County’s comprehensive plans since the
adoption of the first land use plan in 1959. The Mineral Mining land use plan designation has been applied to
active mining areas and to lands that are targeted for the expansion of mining operations. Any land with an
Agricultural/Rural land use plan designation is eligible for an application of Mineral Mining zoning. There have
not been any proposals to develop entirely new mining operations since the late 1980’s.
Active mining operations in the county are currently zoned Mineral Mining (MM) with the exception of an
operation to the east of Thurmont along Rocky Ridge Road, which is zoned General Industrial (GI). The GI zoning
district permits mineral extraction and mineral processing as permitted uses. The MM zoning district also
permits mineral processing. Beyond the existing and proposed mining operations the county does not identify
future mineral extraction areas.
Deep pit quarries have potential for significant impacts on the ground water if they extend below the water
table. De-watering of the pit can cause nearby wells to go dry, and in karst terrain, can induce the formation of
sinkholes. State legislation calls for delineation of “zones of de-watering influence” (ZOI) around certain quarries
and the quarry operator is required to remedy certain damages within the zone. These zones of de-watering
influence have been delineated around four quarries in Frederick County.
Even though most large quarry operations intend to extract materials for many years, eventually, mining
will cease and some sort of reclamation must be achieved. Deep pit quarries present unique challenges and
opportunities for reclamation. Consideration must be given to the safe re-use of these properties once mining
has ceased.

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Water Resources
Water Resources are addressed in a separate document as a component of the Livable Frederick Master Plan. This
separate document serves as the county‘s Water Resources Element (WRE) as required by Md. LAND USE Code
Ann. § 1-410. The WRE will be updated with subsequent updates of the county Comprehensive Plan to reflect
demographic, economic, and development conditions. The latest official version of this document is hereby
adopted as a component of the Livable Frederick Master Plan.
Water and Sewer

Most Frederick County residents obtain their water from publicly-owned community water systems - water
supply systems that serve at least 25 people or have at least 15 service connections for a minimum of 60 days per
year. In 2013, 27 different water systems located throughout Frederick County served approximately fifty-nine
percent of the population. Seven are regional systems that are owned and operated by the Frederick County
Division of Utilities and Solid Waste Management. Nine are owned and operated by municipalities. One system
is federally owned and serves Fort Detrick, and another privately owned institutional system serves Mount St.
Mary’s University. The remaining five serve individual subdivisions and residential developments. In addition,
there are several smaller publicly-owned and privately owned community water systems.
Frederick County has 13 major sewer service areas served by 17 sewer systems. Eight of these sewer systems
are owned and operated by municipalities. A system owned and operated by the federal government services
Ft. Detrick. Frederick Count owns and operates 10 waste water treatment plants with a total average capacity of
16.43 million gallons per day. In addition, there are six, small, publicly-owned, sub-regional community sewerage
systems outside of sewer service areas.

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ACTION
FRAMEWORK
IT IS THE YEAR 2040...
A Vision
OUR LIVABLE FREDERICK IS A
place and a community that
offers the freedom and the equity
for Our
of opportunity necessary for
everyone who lives and works
here to proposer and thrive
throughout their lives.
Community WE ARE A DIVERSE

community of healthy, self-
sufficient, contributing members
of society.
WE ARE A CONNECTED
community. Cooperation and
communication exists among the
many interest groups in Frederick
County. We work collaboratively
to ensure that fairness and equity
are interwoven in providing for
the housing, services, health,
safety and livelihood needs of all
citizens and groups.
FREDERICK COUNTY IS A SAFE

place to live, work, and play.
Our law enforcement agencies
protect and serve us honorably,
fairly, and ethically, and are
appreciated by the public. Crime
levels are consistently low and
people feel safe as they conduct
their daily lives. Active living is
fostered by easy access to places
to be physically active and by a
built environment that promotes
safe travel by walking, bicycling
and non-motorized means of
travel.
THIS IS A PLACE WHERE together to provide sustainable COMMUNITIES ARE
different people from all green places for living, working, aesthetically pleasing, with
backgrounds live, work and play learning and recreation, with a quality housing options
together. It is a place where all high quality of life. including a balance of mixed
citizens have a voice and no one use and single family units with
is left out. There is no cultural WE ENSURE THAT OUR a focus on green, solar, and
or racial hatred or prejudice – children learn our local history sustainable alternative energy
Frederick County is a community and heritage to give them a features. The environments in
of inclusion. Under-represented sense of pride in our community. which we live, work, learn, play
communities are fully engaged and age are built to support
partners. THE COUNTY HAS A good health and active living.
comprehensive master plan that
THE PEOPLE OF FREDERICK balances growth and shapes THE ARTS ARE CRITICAL TO
are well informed, highly the locations of businesses our healthy, prosperous society.
motivated to speak up for and homes. As development Access to substantive arts and
themselves and feel comfortable occurs, the support structures cultural experiences enriches the
doing so. Interested, engaged for transportation, parks, water quality of life for both residents
citizens collaborate with supply, sewage, schools, and of and visitors.
government and community public buildings are in place.
organizations to make their Planning is a collaborative THE TRANSPORTATION
desires known and to solve endeavor with the community, systems of today have made
problems. All people in Frederick developers and builders automotive gridlock a thing
County fully participate in public combining expertise and of the past. We now have a
decision-making. experience to meet the needs varied, balanced, and complete
of the community in a way multimodal approach composed
THE COUNTY’S MANY that results in predictable and of driving, transit, walking, and
distinct places - rural villages and profitable growth and makes biking. It has taken on a new
towns, cities and their suburbs, Frederick truly livable for all. form; one that is not limited
historic neighborhoods, farms, to those who can drive or can
mountains and rivers – each FREDERICK COUNTY HAS afford a car, but that is open and
contribute to the vitality and meaningful and affordable easily accessible to every person
identity of this community and housing choices for everyone and supports active living. All
provide value to our lives. - all income levels, all classes, residents have easy access to
while offering older adults the private and public sector
NEIGHBORHOODS, WHETHER with affordable housing and amenities and services. There
rural or urban, have a unique supportive services. Housing, are many well-maintained parks
sense of place and support active both rural and urban, is focused connecting Frederick City and
living. toward existing activity centers, Frederick County that cater to
towns and villages and is in close the different needs of citizens.
WE HAVE A LIVABLE BUILT proximity to shopping, schools Regional connectivity now flows
environment where all of and other town activities. in both directions, providing the
its elements, including land Reuse of existing structures and inflow of workers and consumers
use, transportation, housing, neighborhoods is emphasized. that support Frederick’s
energy, and infrastructure, work strengthened role as a regional
hub of jobs and goods.
Trends and Driving Factors for Our Community
N ationally, and locally we are driving a little less...

Nationally, younger people use alternative forms of
transport and drive less. Some younger people are
choosing to reduce driving based on values, such as 1980-2005 VMT: +49%
minimizing their impact on the environment. Many Vehicle miles traveled per capita in Frederick
are avoiding or postponing car ownership and County increased 49% between 1980 and 2005.
licensure.
In general, more and more people are choosing to

live in places that offer transportation alternatives. 2005-2015 VMT: -7%
In addition, many jurisdictions have been enacting Between 2005 and 2015, Frederick County has seen
more strict requirements in order to acquire a a decline in vehicle miles traveled per capita (VMT)
drivers license. for the first time in almost 30 years.
Collaborative types of consumption for transport, Maryland State Highway Administration Annual Vehicle Miles of Travel Re-
port, http://www.roads.maryland.gov/OPPEN/Vehicle_Miles_of_Travel.pdf
such as ride sharing and on-demand transport, are
providing previously unavailable options. More and U.S. Census, State and County Intercensal Estimates (1990-2000), https://
www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/1990-2000/intercensal/
more, car ownership is seen as unaffordable. st-co/co-est2001-12-24.pdf
U.S. Census, County Intercensal Estimates (2000-2010); https://www.census.

gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/intercensal-2000-2010-counties.
html
Maryland Department of Planning State Data Center, Table 1A. Total Resident
Population, 4/1/2010 - 7/1/2017, http://planning.maryland.gov/MSDC/Docu-
ments/pop_estimate/Estimates/county/county17table1A.pdf
Vehicle Miles Traveled (V.M.T.): A measurement of miles traveled by vehicles

within a specified region for a specified time period. Measured on an annual
basis by the State of Maryland State Highway Administration. VMT per Capita
divides the total miles traveled by the total population to determine a mea-
sure of the amount of driving per person in a specified region.
Millennials in Motion: Changing Travel Habits of Young Americans and the

Implications for Public Policy, U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education
Fund, 2014, https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/reports/Millennials%20in%20
Motion%20USPIRG.pdf
U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Nation-

al Household Travel Survey, 2001and 2009, https://nhts.ornl.gov/2009/pub/
stt.pdf
Disruptive Trends That Will Transform the Auto Industry, Paul Gao, Hans-Wer-
ner Kaas, Detlev Mohr, and Dominik Wee, McKinsey & Company, January
2016, https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/
our-insights/disruptive-trends-that-will-transform-the-auto-industry

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Af
...however, the single occupant vehicle remains the dominant travel choice...
90% TRAVELED BY CAR
Of all commuting trips, either originating in or
outside of Frederick County to destinations in or
outside of Frederick County, the share that drove
alone or carpooled was 90.4%.
For jobs with residence origins and work

destinations located within Frederick County,
modes of travel such as walking or biking were
far more common than for out-of-county jobs,
while public transit use was minimal. For out-of-
county jobs, public transit played a bigger role.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2009-2013 American Community Survey, Table 2. FREDERICK COUNTY COMMUTER FLOW BY MODE
Residence County to Workplace County Commuting Flows by Travel
Mode for the United States and Puerto Rico Sorted by Residence Geogra- .3% .8% Residence Origin: Outside of Frederick
phy: 5-Year ACS, 2009-2013
13.6% Work Destination: Frederick
Mode split data is not available prior to the 2009-2013 data set.
28,336 Car, truck, or van: Drove alone
“Public Transportation” category includes the following modes: Railroad, 4,530 Car, truck, or van: Carpooled
Bus or trolley bus, Ferryboat, Streetcar or trolley car, Subway or elevated. 85.3%
90 Public transportation
“Other Travel Mode” category includes the following modes: Taxicab, 276 Other travel mode
Worked at home, Bicycle, Walked, Motorcycle, Other method.
2.2%
7.4%
11.8%
All Commuters Destined For Residence Origin: Frederick
and Originating From Frederick 1.2% 15.2% Work Destination: Frederick
Car, truck, or van: Drove alone 121,713 9.9% 52,058 Car, truck, or van: Drove alone
Car, truck, or van: Carpooled 18,356 6,965 Car, truck, or van: Carpooled
Public transportation 3,343 73.7% 882 Public transportation
Other travel mode 11,498 10,756 Other travel mode
78.6%
4.6%
.9% Residence Origin: Frederick
The five-year ACS estimates for 2009-2013 represent concepts that are
fundamentally different from those associated with data from the decen- 13.4% Work Destination: Outside of Frederick
nial census. While the main function of the census is to provide counts of 41,319 Car, truck, or van: Drove alone
people for congressional apportionment and legislative redistricting, the
primary purpose of the ACS is to measure the changing characteristics 6,861 Car, truck, or van: Carpooled
of the U.S. population. Moreover, while the decennial census provides 81.0% 2,371 Public transportation
a “snapshot” of the U.S. population once every 10 years, the ACS has
been described as a “moving video image” that is continually updated. 466 Other travel mode
Finally, while the census provides “point in time” estimates designed to
approximate an area’s characteristics on a specific date, the ACS provides
“period” estimates that represent data collected over a period of time.
The five-year estimates therefore are data collected over the five-year (or
60-month) period from January 2009 through December 2013. These
ACS estimates are not averages of monthly or annual values, but rather
an aggregation of data collected over the five-year period.

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...even as the way we get around is beginning to change.
As national trends shape the demand
characteristics of our national and local
transportation future, new forms of information and
transportation technology are shaping the supply
side.
The impending rise of autonomous vehicles

promises a major structural shift in one of the
most fundamental systems underlying the basic
operation of our communities. The impact to
Frederick County, and to our region as a whole, will
be fundamental.
Congestion problems may be mitigated by the

potential ability to safely drive at close distances,
thus using roadway space more efficiently. Self-
driving cars could reduce the number of accidents
helping to save lives. The need for parking may
decrease.
Consumer value can be gained from the ability to

work while commuting or from the convenience of
performing other tasks instead of driving. The need
to own a vehicle may decrease and the needs of
those who can’t drive could be better served.
Preparing a Nation for Autonomous Vehicles: Opportunities, Barriers and
Policy Recommendations, Eno Center for Transportation, Daniel Fagnant and
Kara M. Kockelman, 24 pp., 2013.

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We are tied to the region, but we're not a bedroom community...
INTRA-COMMUTERS: 46% The estimates shown in the diagram below are not
averages of monthly or annual values, but rather
Of all commuters in the U.S. that traveled within, an aggregation of data collected over a five-year
to, or from Frederick County, the 2009-2013 period.
percentage of county residents that commuted to
locations within the county was 46%. Based on the ACS five-year period estimates for
2009-2013:
Of 154,910 total
OUT-COMMUTERS: 33%
33,232
commuters
Of all commuters in the U.S. that traveled within, within, into, and 33,232 commuters are
to, or from Frederick County, the 2009-2013 out of Frederick, traveling from origins
outside of Frederick to
percentage of county residents that commuted to work locations within
locations outside the county was 33%. Frederick,
70,661 commuters are
traveling from origins - C o mm u t e r s
Int ra
IN-COMMUTERS: 21%
within Frederick to
desitinations within
Frederick, and
Of all commuters in the U.S. that traveled within,
- Co m m u t e
to, or from Frederick County, the 2009-2013 Out r
percentage of non-county residents that commuted
s
to locations within the county was 21%.
70 , 661
U.S. Census 2009-2013 5-Year American Community Survey Table 1. County to
County Commuting Flows for the United States and Puerto Rico
In- Co m m uters
51,017 commuters are

traveling from origins
within Frederick to
work locations outside
Frederick.
51,017

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our local roads are less interconnected...

Since the first half of the twentieth century, we have
been designing our roads as branching networks
that funnel traffic onto a few major arteries with
emphasis on maximizing the flow of vehicles on
those arteries.
This "trunk road" or "funneling" approach works

well when there are many origins and few
destinations.
Ballenger Creek Connectivity Index
1.2
However, people are seldom in this situation. More
often, we have many different destinations, and
we're coming from many different origins.
We planned roads in the past as interconnected

networks of a variety of road types that spread the
load, making destinations more accessible to a
variety of travel modes.
Connectivity Index: the density of connections in a road network. A higher

index value means better interconnectivity. Well-connected networks have
many short links, numerous intersections, and minimal dead-ends (cul-de-
sacs). As connectivity increases, travel distances decrease and route options
increase, allowing more direct travel between destinations, creating a more
accessible and resilient system.
Frederick City Connectivity Index
1.7
Calculated as the number of links divided by the number of nodes.
TDM Encyclopedia Victoria Transport Policy Institute December 2015

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...and congested roads remain a problem.

2013 Congestion Maps: This Congestion The Congestion Assessment used methods for
Assessment was conducted by the Maryland State developing either a Travel Time Index (TTI) or a
Highway Administration. The maps below and Level of Service (LOS) value for measured roads.
on the adjacent page show generalized levels
of congestion on all major state roadways in the
county on an average weekday, during the morning
(AM) and evening (PM) peak hours.
AM
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TTI is defined as the ratio of the travel time for a trip Heavy congestion, shown in red, equates to a Level
in congested conditions compared to the same trip of Service (LOS) of E or F and a Travel Time Index
in free flow conditions. (TTI) of 1.3-2.
LOS is a qualitative measure used to analyze Moderate congestion, shown in black, equates to
traffic flow and assign levels of flow based on an LOS of D and a TTI of 1.15-1.3.
performance measure like speed and density.
PM
HEAVY CONGESTION
MODERATE CONGESTION

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Our school age population is growing as fast as our county population...

Compared to our total county population, the share In the short term, the percentage of school age
of our school age population will keep pace with versus non-school-age population in the county
population growth. was projected to decline, but increase in the long
run.
In 2018, the projected increase between 2010 and
2025 in public school enrollment was
5,423
72% 74% 77% 79% 79% 77% 76%
Board of Education Approved Educational Facilities Master Plan Annual

Update, June 2018, Figure 4A: Total Enrollments 1980-2027
Non-School Age Population

School Age Population
In 2018, the most significant projected student
enrollment increase between 2017 and 2027 was at
the high school level.
2017-2027 ES: +1,034

28% 26% 23% 21% 21% 23% 24%
2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040
Between 2017 and 2027, public elementary school
2010 POPULATION: 234,196

enrollment was projected to increase by 1,034.
Estimated county population in 2010 was 234,196.
2017-2027 MS: +732

Between 2017 and 2027, public middle school 2025 POPULATION: 288,700
enrollment was projected to increase by 732. The 2017 projected county population in 2025 was
288,700.
2017-2027 HS: +1,855

2025 Population Projections, Maryland Department of Planning, Revised
August 2017
2010 ENROLLMENT: 40,236

Between 2017 and 2027, public high school
enrollment was projected to increase by 1,855.
Total school enrollment in 2010 was 40,236. 17% of
Board of Education Approved Educational Facilities Master Plan Annual Up- the total 2010 county population was enrolled in
date, June 2018, Figure 4C: Equated Enrollment Growth by School Level - 2017
to 2027, Table 4A: FCPS Equated Enrollment Projections
public school.
2025 ENROLLMENT: 45,695

The 2018 projected school enrollment in 2025 was
45,695. 16% of the projected total 2025 county
population was projected to be enrolled in public
school.
Board of Education Approved Educational Facilities Master Plan Annual

Update, June 2018, Figure 4A: Total Enrollments 1980-2027

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..and capacity in our school system remains a big challenge...
We’ve made some improvements system-wide. Elementary School
But specific areas in the county still have serious
school capacity challenges, with individual school
capacities in some areas exceeding
150% BES
!
BES
The maps to the right were originally produced by Frederick County Public
Schools and Frederick County GIS. They are reproduced here from 2017 FCPS
EFMP.
2016 Actual School Capacity by District 2026 Projected School Capacity by District
Middle School
BMS
!
High School
Percent of State Rated Capacity

<80% 80-99% 100-119% ≥120%

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..however, we’ve made strides to meet the demand on our schools with
school buildings that are designed and equipped for learning.
Between 1995 and 2017, system-wide capacity Recent school designs support the planning
improved. The elementary school level went from strategy of providing common areas and breakout
102% to 98%. The middle school level went from spaces for group learning.
97% to 83%. The high school level went from 92%
to 86%. Our new schools are designed and built according
to green building standards and are sustainable
'95-'17 ES CAPACITY GAIN: 4% throughout their life cycle: including siting, design,
construction, operation, maintenance, renovation,
'95-'17 MS CAPACITY GAIN: 14% & demo.
'95-'17 H S CAPACITY GAIN: 6% STANDARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FLOOR PLAN

1995 Frederick County Public Schools Educational Facilities Master Plan; 2017
Frederick County ublic Schools Educational Facilities Master Plan
Our schools are working to keep up to date with

changing technologies, such as the provision of
wireless internet connectivity for all schools and the
TYPICAL SECOND FLOOR PLAN

deployment of digital devices to students.
FCPS faces challenges in maintaining the State

of Maryland recommended five-year cycle for
the replacement of outdated devices. Funding
for educational technology has seen a decrease
between 2009 and 2017.
As of 2012, the share of computers in FCPS schools

that are older than five years was
57%
012-2016 Frederick County Public Schools 5 Year Technology Plan
Building design affects attendance, concentration,

& performance. Designs that provide good
acoustics, quality indoor air, and plenty of daylight
TYPICAL FIRST FLOOR PLAN
support learning.
A holistic, multi-level analysis identifying the impact of classroom design on

pupils’ learning, Peter Barrett, Yufan Zhang, Joanne Moffat, Khairy Kobbacy,
School of the Built Environment, Maxwell Building, University of Salford,
Salford M5 4WT, UK

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Our public libraries are thriving and their importance has increased...
1995-2015 CIRCULATION: +205%
2000-2017 CIRCULATION: +146%

Total circulated items in Frederick County Public
Libraries is:
1995: 924,815 Bookmobiles are traveling branches of the library
2000: 1,150,378 system and have serviced Frederick County for over
2006: 1,610,223 45 years. It goes to where the people are, taking
2015: 2,829,482 library services to neighborhoods and senior citizen
facilities that are underserved by branch libraries.
5X FASTER TH AN POPULATION
Between 1995 and 2015, Frederick County's total
population grew by 39%. In the same time period,
library circulation growth outpaced population
growth by a factor of 5.
The total number of library cards issued through

Frederick County Public Libraries is:
1997: 81,000
2000: 61,985
2007: 120,000
2015: 140,809
In the 18 years between 1997 and 2015, this is an

increase of 74%. Between 2000 and 2017, the total
number of library cards issued increased by 127%.
Between 1998 and 2017, 8 public libraries have

been built or renovated, totaling an additional
156,250 SF
Frederick County Public Libraries (FCPL); 1995 U.S. Census Population
Projections by County; 2015 U.S. Census Population Projections by County.
Circulated items include all materials - books, audiovisual, etc.

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...while our library buildings are adapting to changing demands.
Our modern libraries are so much more than The world wide web and digital technology have
buildings and books, and they remain highly valued driven the evolution of the library. The growth of
community facilities that are important to our personal electronic devices & social networking,
quality of life. has given the library the dual role as a place where
people go and as a resource that “goes” to people.
Our libraries now serve our community as tech
hubs, meeting places, locations for quiet study,
places for retreat from hyper-abundance, and
centers of lifelong learning through activities and
2001 DIAL-UP AT HOME: 41%
Nationally, in 2001, the share of adults who had a
events. dial-up internet connection at home was 41%.
Our libraries continue to have all of the resources
and technology we expect: large community
meeting rooms, STEM labs, computer stations, and 2013 DIAL-UP AT HOME: 3%
wireless web connections. In 2013, the share of adults who had a dial-up
internet connection at home declined to 3%,
Library design now emphasizes access to the
outdoors, flexibility, daylighting and interspersed
reading spaces. Also, new one-stop service desks
are being added to support efficiency and customer
service.
2001 BROADBAND AT HOME: 3%

In 2001, the share of adults who had a broad band
connection at home was only 3%.
2013 BROADBAND AT HOME: 70%

while the share of adults who had broadband at
home rose to 70%.
Libraries Transformed: Research on the Changing Role of Libraries, Lee Rainie,
Director, Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project, October
2012
Changing Needs, Changing Roles: How Public Libraries are Expanding

Traditional Service Models to Best Serve Their Communities, Journal of the
American Library Assocaition, Volume 54, Issue 3, Spring 2015.
Pew Internet and American Life Surveys, March 200-May2013, Pew Research
Center, http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/08/21/3-of-americans-
use-dial-up-at-home/
Pew Research Center, Broadband vs. Dial-up Adoption Over Time, http://www.
pewinternet.org/chart/broadband-vs-dial-up-adoption-over-time/
Pew Research Center, Libraries 2016: Trends in visiting public libraries have
steadied, and many Americans have high expectations for what their
local libraries should offer, John B. Horrigan, http://www.pewinternet.
org/2016/09/09/libraries-2016/

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Our community is active, and our parks serve citizens countywide...

The county’s focus for new park development has Emphasis has been on developing a park system
been on large regional parks and recreation centers that can serve the broad geography of the county.
serving as locations for events, activities, and The development of parks that are smaller in size
organized athletics. In addition, our schools serve as that may serve local neighborhoods has not been
vital community resources providing a wide range a focus.
of recreational amenities available to the public.
Smaller neighborhood parks, which are most often
Park facilities include: Baseball Fields, Basketball owned and maintained by private community
Courts, Football Fields, Gymnasiums/Auditoriums, groups, are provided throughout the county.
Multi-Purpose Fields, Outdoor Stadiums, Soccer However, in the county there are few requirements
Fields, Softball Fields, Tennis Courts, Tot Lots/Play for parks in new development, even as the health
Equipment, Running Tracks, and Volleyball Courts. benefits of parks and greening are more greatly
understood.
Frederick County Division of Planning and Permitting

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R egionally, our housing affordability is competitive...

The Price to Income Ratio is a coarse measure of The 2016 price-to-income ratio in Frederick County
housing affordability relative to homeownership. It is lower than in all adjacent Maryland counties.
is the ratio of the median house price to the median
income.
2016 Median Income 2016 Median House Price
FREDERICK $90,043 FREDERICK $307,045

WASH INGTON $54,250
H WAS INGTON $205,000
CARROLL $90,343 CARROLL $315,000
OWARD H
$120,941 OWARD $424,000
MONTGOMERY $99,763 MONTGOMERY $422,774
Maryland State Data Center, U.S. Census Bureau, American Community, 2016 Median Residential Sales Values By Type For Maryland's Jurisdictions ,
1-Year Estimate, December 2016. ACS Table B19013. Maryland Department of Planning, Planning Data Services, October 2017.
The median house price is the midway point of all the houses/units sold at
market price; the housing units include all types of houses on the market:
condominiums, single family attached and detached, and does not take into
account the size of the property.
Washington
Carroll
3.78
Frederick 3.49
3.41
Howard
Montgomery 3.51
4.24

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...however locally, we have an affordability gap in our housing supply.
In the year 2000, households earning lower than
$25K/yr faced a gap in the number of affordable
homes that were available in the county. The RENTAL UNITS: -46%
The total number of rental units has declined from
housing gap expanded by 2014 to include
households earning $50K/yr. 13,236 units in 2000 to 7,152 units in 2014. This is an
overall decrease of 46%.
2000 AFFORDABILITY GAP: $25K/YR

2014 AFFORDABILITY GAP: $50K/YR RENT: +77%
Rents have risen faster than income in Frederick
County between 2000 and 2015. Between 2000 and
A decrease in naturally affordable rental housing 2015, median rent has increased by about 77%.
in Frederick County has contributed to the growth
INCOME: +40%
of the housing gap. Naturally affordable housing
(or naturally occurring affordable housing) refers
to private, unsubsidized housing with market rate Between 2000 and 2015, median household income
rents that are affordable to low- and moderate- has only risen by 40%.
income households.
Frederick County Affordable Housing Needs Assessment, Frederick County,
MD, November 2016, HR&A Advisors, Inc., Frederick County Department of
Housing and Community Development
Four key areas of housing need were identified in the 3) Generational And Special Needs Housing The county’s
2016 Housing Needs Assessment. They are: senior population has increased by 80% since 2000
and will continue to increase in future decades.
1) Access To Affordable Homes Attaining – and maintaining In terms of supportive programs (rent, insurance,
- home residency in Frederick County continues to be utilities, mentoring, life skills education), both
a challenge for many families with moderate income. younger and older residents - particularly those
Today’s families need a broader and richer mix of experiencing slow wage growth and those desiring
dwelling unit types designed to meet impending to age in place – will require increased efforts by
demographic changes and shifting demands in the county in coming decades. Affordable housing
the marketplace. The size, location, accessibility, for those with special or targeted needs is also a
and physical design of existing housing units may challenge locally. Transitional housing, housing for
not meet the county’s future needs. Embracing the people with physical challenges, emergency shelter,
concept of the housing market’s “missing middle” and housing for homeless citizens (or those at high
may assist the county in its affordable housing efforts risk of becoming homeless) will continue to be an
while providing new opportunities for developers and important part of any overall housing strategy in
builders in existing and emerging communities. Frederick County.
2) Workforce Housing Unlike the situation in previous 4) Operational Support For Rental Housing Frederick
decades, the affordable housing gap has expanded County’s rental housing stock that is affordable
to include households with low- to moderate-income to families in the severely low-income category is
(up to $50,000). In economic terms, County citizens insufficient. The housing market needs to provide
are finding it harder to find affordable places to quality housing, not only at an affordable price, but
live while employers must increasingly rely on an with the supporting programs – guidance, education,
imported workforce. There is a growing need for more mentoring – that enable families to remain in a stable
housing options that are affordable to those who living environment. The county must continue to
tend the bar, build our homes, and teach our children. seek ways to utilize both public and private capital to
maintain or create an adequate number of homes for
those of limited means.

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Our county values its rich history...
3 CERTIFIED JURISDICTIONS 92 NATIONAL REGISTER SITES

There are three jurisdictions in the county that 92 of 1,559 total National Register sites in
maintain Certified Local Government (CLG) status. Maryland are located within Frederick County.
These are the City of Frederick, the Town of New Two of Maryland's National Historic Landmarks
Market, and Frederick County. Federal and State (Schifferstadt and Monocacy Battlefield) are within
authorities formally recognize historic preservation Frederick County.
efforts in CLG communities and provide incentives
and allowances not generally available to other
jurisdictions. 3,000 MD INVENTORY SITES
3,000 of Maryland’s 53,000+ Maryland Inventory of
Historic Places sites are in Frederick.
Frederick City’s Historic District was established in
1952 and is one of the earliest historic districts in Five of eighteen Maryland Scenic Byways have
the U.S. It covers 40 city blocks in the county seat. significant portions within Frederick County:
• Historic National Road
• C&O Canal
• Journey Through Hallowed Ground
17 NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS • Antietam Campaign
There are seventeen National Register districts • Old Main Streets
in jurisdictions throughout the county. These are
located in Brunswick, Burkittsville, Emmitsburg, There are two federally designated roads:
Frederick, two in Middletown, Mount Airy, and New • Journey Through Hallowed Ground National
Market. Scenic Byway (National Scenic Byway)
• Historic National Road (All-American Road)
14 COUNTY REGISTER DESIGNATIONS There are several private historic preservation

There are fourteen sites in Frederick County that are organizations in Frederick County:
listed on the Frederick County Register of Historic • Frederick Co. Landmarks Foundation
Places (since 1998). • Heritage Frederick
Six of these sites were placed on the register • Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership
between 2012 and 2019. Nearly half of listed sites • Heart of The Civil War Heritage Area
are in active commercial use. • African American Resources, Culture and History
(AARCH)
• Frederick Historic Sites Consortium
• Dozens of local historical societies, museums, and
organizations
National Park Service, US Department of the Interior, National Register of
Historic Places Program

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...and our history adds value and attracts people from the region.
For properties in historic districts or with verified 75% of all visitors to Frederick County in 2015 were
historic connections to people and events from the destined for Frederick City. In 2017, there were
county’s past, buyers pay a premium. 113,820 visitors to the Monocacy Battlefield alone.
OFFER PRICE > LISTING PRICE Between 2006 and 2013, attendance for the
Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick City has
Overall, sales of historic homes brought an average
offer price over the original listing price 97% of the more than doubled, a growth rate of over 100%. In
time. the same period, county population grew by 8%.
Attendance at the Weinberg grew over 12 times
faster than the county population.
H ISTORIC PREMIUM: +$173,955 Five of Maryland’s 23 main street programs are

located in Frederick County. They are Frederick,
In 2016, the average sales price of a home in one of
Frederick County’s historic districts was $481,000. Brunswick, Middletown, Thurmont, and Mount Airy.
This is $173,955 more than the Frederick County
median home sales price in 2016.
PRESERVATION TAX CREDITS
Between 1996 and 2015, Frederick County
10-15% VALUE RETENTION businesses received $5.3 million in preservation tax
credits, or about 20% of the program funding not
During the 2007-2009 recession, the amount of
value loss for historic properties versus other committed to projects in Baltimore.
properties was less by 10% -15%. A 2009 study by the Abell Foundation found that
for each dollar Maryland invested in preservation
Frederick County Planning
tax credits, the state yielded $8.53 in total economic
output related to these preservation projects.
1,814,100 COUNTY VISITORS U.S. Census Bureau, Table 1A. Total Resident Population for Maryland's Juris-
dictions, April 1, 2010 through July 1, 2017, Table 1. Intercensal Estimates of
the Resident Population for Counties of Maryland: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2010.
In 2015, the number of visitors to Frederick County
was over 1,814,000. Main Street Maryland, Maryland Department of Housing and Community
Development, https://dhcd.maryland.gov/communities/pages/programs/
mainstreet.aspx
SPENDING $1,070,000/DAY
In 2015, the amount of spending per day at local
shops, hotels, and destinations. was an average of
$1.07 million. This is an increase of 26% since 2009
and double the amount spent in 2000.
8TH IN TOURISM SPENDING

Frederick County ranks 8th in the State of Maryland
for tourism spending.
The Economic Impact of Tourism in Maryland Report, 2015, Tourism Econom-

ics, a partner of Oxford Economics

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93
Making Our Community Vision a Reality
The Our Community theme supports the following State of Maryland Visions: Quality of Life and Sustainability, Public Participation, Growth Areas, Community
Design, Infrastructure, Transportation, Housing, Economic Development, Environmental Protection, Resource Conservation, Stewardship, Implementation
Category: Infrastructure Design

Goals in this category concern the planning, collaboration, and technical
problem solving that ensures that the design of the physical form and spatial
patterns of our transportation and public infrastructure provides the best
match for the desired function, behavior, or outcome.
1) Street type classi cation and complete streets manual
2) Master transportation plan with multi modal accessibility focus
3) Transit hubs and local regional transit connectivity
4) Countywide spoke hub transit distribution paradigm
5) Transit friendly design guidelines
Diversi ed Mobility
6) on motorized transportation plan
7) Road diets and bike pedestrian retro ts
8) Complete and green streets in ordinance
9) ike and pedestrian acceptance and outreach
10) utonomous vehicles and Mobility As A Service
1) Thematic plan based growth centers
e lement 2) Central places, colocation and town centers
a erns 3) Public art to leverage transit use
4) Design guidelines for high density and mixed use development
Mixed Use and Density 5) Mixed use and in ll opportunities and impediments
6) Transit oriented development zoning
7) Existing infrastructure maximization and expansion
8) Redevelopment plans and supportive zoning strategies
9) Mix of park types support of neighborhood parks
1) Connectivity standards
2) on motorized connectivity and walkability improvements
Interconnectivity 3) Plans for local street networks
4) Interparcel connections
5) Stream corridors within growth areas as parks greenways
Small Area Planning
Multi Modal Accessibility 1) Multi modal component in travel modelling
Community and Economic Modeling
Metrics
1) ike and pedestrian advisory commi ee
lanning 2) Central role for LFMP in CIP
3) Cross urisdictional collaboration for planning and capital budgets
et s 4) Maintain close working relationships with public space groups
Collaboration and Coordination
5) Consistency between county and municipal plans
6) Municipal County Planning greement for annexations
7) County comp plan update concurrent with municipal update
8) Municipal county planning commission collaboration
Smart Community Technology
1) Streets as public space
2) County wide way nding
3) User and research based signage ordinance
User riented Design 4) ative species in landscaping
5) Usable open space in new development
6) Public art integrated with public facilities
7) rtists and public facility design
1) Rural roads support
earance an 2) Context sensitive landscaping and lighting requirements
3) Continuity of historic bridges
sa ility Context Sensitive Strategies
4) Deviations from standard buildings
5) Park development with natural and cultural resources
6) Scenic byway plans in ordinances
1) Countywide noise ordinance
2) Highway noise overlay district
3) Sensitive siting of noise generating uses
Compatible Uses
4) irport land use tools
5) oise and land use impact evaluation
6) Air pollution mitigation and reduction

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Goal: Settlement Patterns

Create a system of land use, transportation and public infrastructure that prioritizes
access through diver�� ed mobility and integrated land use planning.
Initiative: Diver��
ed Mobility
Support, initiate, and plan for changes to the physical form of our transportation and public infrastructure
systems that enable a balanced mixture of transportation choices that emphasize walking, biking, and public
transit.
Supporting Initiatives:
1) Develop a street type classification system for local street networks that augments the traditional highway functional classification
system of the Comprehensive Plan. This can be supported through development of a complete and green streets manual and
implemented through “small area” community and corridor planning.
2) Update the Master Transportation Plan (MTP) to address and incorporate the goals and initiatives of Livable Frederick.
3) Support the development of fixed heavy rail, light rail, and bus rapid transit including connections between existing and proposed
local and regional residential and commercial development centers.
4) Continue the implementation of a countywide spoke-hub distribution system for transit shuttle services connecting growth areas
throughout the county to Frederick City.
5) Support the implementation of the Transit Friendly Design Guidelines for development at all levels of review.
6) Re-conceptualize the Bikeways and Trails Plan as a non-motorized transportation plan, with specific emphasis on the inclusion of
planning for pedestrians and walkability throughout the transportation system.
7) Employ the ‘road diet’ strategy to create systemic transportation improvements through lane reductions or road re-channelization
to address how on-street bicycle and pedestrian improvements can be retro-fitted to existing roads, while thoughtfully integrating
practical design elements to maintain a viable local transit system.
8) Create a complete and green streets policy that is supported by an ordinance and by design guidelines that augment or replace the
Streets and Roads Design Manual.
9) Provide opportunities for bicycle and pedestrian safety education and enforcement.
10) Prepare for the mobility growth and travel pattern changes resulting from the anticipated rise of mobility services and
autonomous vehicles.
Initiative: Mixed Use and Density

Promote land use patterns that support accessibility and diversified mobility through the geographic
concentration of multi-functional uses, activities and destinations.
1) Support policies that direct growth to Growth Areas and that correspond to the growth strategies described in the Thematic Plan.
2) Support policies and capital expenditures that result in the creation and enhancement of central public places within growth areas
through the centralization and concentration of public community facilities, mixed land uses, and private development.
3) Support the use and appeal of transit and non-motorized transportation options through art projects, in any media, sited in
community places that are open to the public that enhance public spaces and communities.
4) Develop environmentally protective design guidelines and best practices documentation for high density, mixed use, and transit
oriented development that can be supported and reinforced by the county code and development review process.
5) Identify opportunity sites and determine impediments to mixed use development through consultation with the county’s
economic and environmental agencies and representatives of the development industry.

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6) Establish appropriate Transit Oriented Development (TOD) zoning regulations in growth areas that are served by or could be served
by rail service, local and regional bus transfer points, shared-use paths and ride-sharing facilities, maximizing both residential and
employment densities at these prime locations.
7) Prioritize development - especially infill development and redevelopment - that maximizes the use of, or extension of, existing
infrastructure systems while minimizing the creation of new infrastructure and loss of existing natural resources.
8) Prepare corridor and community plans for the redevelopment of targeted areas and provide appropriate zoning strategies, such as
redevelopment overlay zones and form-based codes, to support implementation of plans.
9) Develop the park system with a variety of park sizes and types that balance active use and passive use, while supporting the
provision of smaller, centrally located parks within neighborhoods.
Initiative: Interconnectivity
Promote the interconnectivity of the transportation system for all travel modes and at all levels of the
transportation network and public infrastructure, especially for schools and libraries.
1) Develop connectivity standards and supplement with guidelines to assist in development review.
2) Focus non-motorized connectivity improvements to services, schools, parks, civic uses, regional connection and commercial uses,
with an emphasis on interconnections between central places to residential areas.
3) Create community and corridor plans that focus on the development of cross-parcel local street networks that support and
emphasize non-motorized transportation and that minimize fragmentation of natural resources and habitats.
4) Require, where practicable, new development and redevelopment projects to provide interconnected street networks with small
blocks and external inter-parcel connections.
5) Consider stream corridors within Community Growth Areas for development as public linear parks to allow for greenway/trail
linkages both within and between these areas.
Goal: Planning Methods

Employ and develop up-to-date and appropriate methods to provide accountability as
well as eff�� cient, resilient, and innovative planning and design.
Initiative: Small Area Planning
Implement small area planning through the Community and Corridor planning process that targets areas that are
within growth areas or along transportation corridors between growth areas.
Initiative: Multi-Modal Accessibility

Maintain a travel demand model of the existing and proposed highway network to assist with identifying and
assessing highway needs and analysis of corridor and community plan recommendations.
1) Incorporate multi-modal analysis and modeling tools and methods to augment the impact and effectiveness of the roadway
demand model.
Initiative: Community and Economic Modeling

Incorporate the use of planning, environmental, and economic modeling tools in future corridor and small area
planning.

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Initiative: Metrics
Develop and maintain a system of metrics for measuring Livable Frederick Master Plan progress and
accountability.
Initiative: Collaboration and Coordination

Foster cooperation, participation, and coordination within and between government agencies including
municipalities, citizens, and other interested organizations when developing plans.
1) Establish a bicycle and pedestrian advisory group in the county and coordinate with private organizations.
2) Establish a central role for the Livable Frederick Master Plan in the development of the Capital Improvements Program.
3) Foster a collaborative process between the county and municipalities when developing plans and capital budgets.
4) Maintain a close working relationship with all organizations that have an impact on the quality of public and community
environments, including the Frederick Arts Council.
5) Maintain consistency between municipal comprehensive plans and the county’s Comprehensive Plan.
6) Include the preparation of a Municipal – County Planning Agreement that would address concurrence on annexation areas, water/
sewer service and other relevant issues as part of updates of a municipal comprehensive plan as coordinated with the county.
7) Initiate a review and update of the county portion of Growth Areas around municipalities concurrent with the respective municipal
comprehensive plan update.
8) Ensure frequent and appropriate collaboration between the Frederick County Planning Commission and municipal planning
commissions in Frederick County.
Initiative: Smart Community Technology

Use information and communication technologies to improve quality of life, efficiency of urban operation and
services, and competitiveness.
Goal: Appearance and Usability

Design and plan infrastructure to support the character and cultural history of the
county in a way that is satisfying to the user.
Initiative: User-Oriented Design
Support the design of transportation and public facilities that addresses human oriented and public space
attributes of streets and public buildings, that contributes to “spatial problem solving,” and that attracts, engages,
and widely appeals to users.
1) Advocate for and support the design of street systems that afford use as shared community spaces, through the incorporation of
pedestrian amenities, comfortable exterior spaces, and art projects in any media that are sited in community spaces that are open to
the public.
2) Encourage a countywide wayfinding program that builds on the wayfinding program developed by the City of Frederick.
3) Update the county Zoning Ordinance section addressing signage to support research-based design and safety criteria.
4) Develop and encourage tree planting, screening, and landscaping projects using native species along roads and public facilities.
5) Develop standards and requirements for new development that support usable open space.
6) Support programs that integrate artists into the design process of public facilities and infrastructure.

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7) Support the public art master plan recommendation to use public art such as landmark features, gateway features, and sculpture
exhibitions in planned developments and by supporting programs that integrate artists into the design process for public facilities and
infrastructure.
Initiative: Context Sensitive Strategies

Employ context-based strategies to ensure that transportation and public infrastructure developments are
compatible with and sensitive to adjacent land uses, communities, and development.
1) Continue to support the preservation and use of rural roads in agricultural and resource conservation areas through the application
of context sensitive design and the consideration of the local context.
2) Revise the design requirements of the Zoning Ordinance to provide context dependent requirements for landscaping and lighting
along streets, bridges, and roads and encourage flexibility where feasible.
3) Continue to support the preservation and continued use of historic bridges.
4) Support deviations from standardized building designs for schools and other public buildings in context-specific cases and when
practical.
5) Develop parks in a manner that is sensitive to and protective of natural resource and environmentally sensitive features and that
prioritizes the preservation of archaeological and historic sites and structures.
6) Incorporate the Catoctin Mountain Scenic Byways Corridor Management Plan and Corridor Partnership Plan for the Historic
National Road recommendations into appropriate ordinances, programs, and plans, and retain the natural and historic character of
state and national scenic byways through landscaping using native species, preservation, and maintenance.
Initiative: Compatible Uses

Minimize or eliminate adverse ambient environmental impacts on people, sensitive land uses, and the natural
environment that are caused by transportation, industrial uses, or building operations.
1) Update regulations to address transportation, industrial, and construction noise sources as appropriate.
2) Consider the development and implementation of a Highway Noise Overlay District that addresses noise-sensitive land uses
adjacent to highways.
3) Locate new transportation or new industrial noise-generating uses in areas where impacts to sensitive land uses would be
minimized.
4) Consider the development and implementation of appropriate land use tools that address environmental impacts in the vicinity of
the Frederick Municipal Airport.
5) Address the need to consider the impacts of noise on community character, agricultural conservation and preservation areas,
parklands, habitat preservation areas, and residential neighborhoods and develop noise abatement strategies if needed.
6) Reduce the impact of air pollution by supporting the reduction of per capita vehicle miles traveled (VMT) , as well as the use of
alternative, non-polluting fuel sources for transportation and building operations.

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Category: Infrastructure Capacity

Goals in this category deal with the practice of ensuring that the supply
of and the demand for our transportation and public infrastructure are
continually in balance.
1) Evidence based master transportation plan
2) Road needs inventory and prioritization
3) Data driven prioritization for road pro ects
4) on motorized transportation prioritization
5) Barriers to accessibility
eeds Identi cation 6) Park and ride and transit centers
7) Prioritize existing de ciencies
8) Pupil needs study
9) Parkland and recreation amenity standards
10) Public safety needs review
11) School site speci cations
1) Access and transportation system management
2) Cycling awareness
3) Freight trucking & agriculture conflicts
Conflict Mitigation
4) irport land use tools
5) Transportation agency coordination
6) Wildlife bridges over ma or infrastructure
ly 1) Regional commuter transit
2) Transit service around Frederick City
3) Transit based road improvements
4) lternative fuel vehicle fleet and infrastructure
5) Scheduling improvements for MARC and reverse service
6) Shared use paths in rights of way
7) Developer provided shared use paths
8) Landowner incentives for trails
9) Parking standards
Capacity Expansion
10) Realistic metrics for school capacity
11) Concurrence in dequate Public Facilities rdinance
12) Early site identi cation for public facilities
13) Public facility building design and site use maximization
14) County municipal partnerships for capital facilities
15) County and municipal dequate Public Facilities rdinance coordination
16) Renovation and adaptive reuse for public facilities
17) Prepare planning studies for transportation corridors
18) Deploy water and sewer infrastructure to advance planning goals
1) Transportation Demand Management Plan
eman Demand Management
Goal: Supply
Reduce the congestion and overcrowding of transportation and infrastructure through a
diver�� ed approach of short-term and long-term strategies to improve capacity.
Initiative: ��
cation
Employ ongoing capacity needs identification and prioritization processes for transportation and public
infrastructure.
1) Update the Master Transportation Plan to better integrate a decision making process that is based on evidence to prioritize
assessed needs and recommendations.
2) Develop a roads needs inventory to list and prioritize capital improvements such as spot safety improvements, intersections, and
new road alignments.
3) Consider existing and projected traffic volumes, crash history, level-of-service, and planned land use patterns in prioritizing
roadway and bridge improvements in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

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4) Systematically prioritize bicycle and pedestrian network implementation as identified in the Bikeways and Trails Master Plan
(or future non-motorized transportation plan), based on providing safe and functional transportation connections between
complementary uses such as: housing, workplaces, parks, shopping, schools and transit centers.
5) Address barriers to accessibility in county maintained public rights of way through supporting the implementation of the
American’s With Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan.
6) Assess needs and identify locations for existing and future park and rides, intermodal transportation centers, and carpool lots.
7) Work with the State Highway Administration (SHA), the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), local transit, municipalities, and
surrounding jurisdictions to prioritize funding for those capital projects that remedy existing deficiencies.
8) Update the pupil yield factor study every two years.
9) Establish comprehensive standards for the provision of recreational and natural environment amenities for residential
development, as well as amenities servicing commercial and employment projects.
10) Periodically undertake comprehensive reviews of public safety needs based upon future growth projections to establish minimum
standards for police and fire/rescue protection.
11) Establish acceptable criteria and planning processes for school sites – including the development of a protocol for the early
identification of prime school sites - as recommended by the Frederick County School Construction Work Group (SCWG).
Initiative: Conflict Mitigation

Maintain optimal capacity in our transportation and public infrastructure systems by identifying and reducing
conflicts and functional impediments to operations.
1) Improve safety, flow, and efficiency along roadways by employing access-management and transportation system management
principles.
2) Support optimal travel conditions by creating an outreach campaign to raise awareness, acceptance, and knowledge about urban
and rural cycling among drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
3) Support the accommodation of freight rail and trucking to enhance development of a broad base of industrial and commercial uses
by providing adequate infrastructure and the designation of industrial or freight rail dependent land uses along the rail lines.
4) Consider the development and implementation of appropriate land use tools that address safety and conflict mitigation in the
vicinity of the Frederick Municipal Airport.
5) Continue to cooperate with the State of Maryland, The City of Frederick, and other local municipalities on planning and
implementing the transportation network.
6) Study methods to mitigate the conflict between wildlife and motorists by examining the concentration of wildlife crash incidents
along county and state roads, and by examining potential solutions implemented by other jurisdictions, to determine if these may be
effective and efficient solutions.
Initiative: Capacity Expansion

Improve and expand capacity in our transportation and public infrastructure systems where needed and where
strategically targeted. This may include roads, transit, charging stations, rail, bikeways, schools, and other
supporting infrastructure.
1) Support expansion and improvement of local and regional multi-modal commuter options, especially efforts to provide commuter
relief along Interstate 270 in the form of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), as well as possible express toll lanes and rail-based solutions.
2) Support TransIT’s vision for future service provision surrounding Frederick City.
3) Prioritize transit-based road improvements as supported by TransIT.

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4) Support the expansion of the electric and alternative fuel vehicle fleet, including Transit fleet vehicles, and explore the expansion of
covered charging stations for fleet as well as private electric vehicles.
5) Explore and coordinate scheduling improvements and stop options for MARC trips at Frederick, Point of Rocks, Germantown,
Gaithersburg and Rockville; and make direct links between MARC and Metro at Shady Grove.
6) Pursue the shared use of existing and proposed publicly and privately owned utility right-of-ways for the purposes of establishing
shared use path facilities.
7) Ensure commercial and residential development constructs shared-use paths and on-street bikeways designated in county non-
motorized transportation plans that pass through or are adjacent to their proposed development site.
8) Create options and incentives that encourage voluntary landowner participation in the establishment of greenways and trails.
9) Evaluate the Zoning Ordinance regulation changes regarding reductions in the required number of parking spaces, a range based
requirement for number of parking spaces, the provision of on-street parking, and permitted reductions in redevelopment areas or in
areas where Transportation Demand Management strategies are employed.
10) Develop realistic metrics to gauge the overall capacity of the school system at each level and throughout all geographic areas of
the county, in cooperation with FCPS.
11) Revise the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) to fully support concurrence of public facilities with development.
12) Support policies for the systematic and integrated identification of suitable development sites for public facilities, especially sites
that can accommodate standardized school designs and colocation criteria, and sites that can accommodate future expansion, where
appropriate.
13) Maximize the use of school sites through the construction of multi-use and multi-story buildings when feasible, to reduce
building footprints and environmental impacts, and emphasize bicycle and pedestrian access to minimize parking needs and bus
transportation.
14) Support partnerships with municipalities for funding the design and construction of transportation and public facilities such as
libraries, parks, and public safety buildings.
15) Work collaboratively with all municipalities to adopt APFOs that complement the county APFO and that support incentives for
development to locate within municipalities.
16) Pursue opportunities for the renovation, upgrade, and reuse of existing buildings.
17) Prepare preliminary planning and feasibility studies for priority county and state highway corridor upgrades.
18) Ensure that the provision of water and sewer infrastructure fulfills county planning goals and policies and that expansion of water
and sewer system capacity maximizes efficiency, addresses public health issues, enhances opportunities for sustainable economic
development, and respects the stewardship of natural resources.
Goal: Demand
Reduce congestion and overcrowding of transportation and public infrastructure
systems by managing and diversifying demand and flow characteristics.
Initiative: Demand Management
Employ Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies to increase transportation efficiency by
influencing changes in travel behavior.
1) Create a Transportation Demand Management Plan.
Initiative: System Management

Use demand-based transportation system management (TSM) opportunities to reduce congestion.

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Category: Infrastructure Operations

Goals in this category deal with the continual practice of providing reliable,
saf�� cient, and well-maintained public infrastructure.
1) Safety education outreach

Education
2) Safety taskforce
1) Land use surrounding airport
2) Monitoring
3) pportunities for safety
Evaluation 4) Toward Zero Deaths
5) Safety task force
a ety 6) Enhanced tra c signal lighting for deaf individuals
7) Enhanced cross walk installations for accessibility
1) Defensible space
2) Police presence in public spaces
Design and perations 3) Tra c calming
4) Air safety
5) Safe routes to school
1) Sidewalk maintenance waiver
2) lternative energy sources for buildings and fleet
3) Standardized designs for county facilities
4) Road transfer agreement process for annexations
E ciency 5) Landscape maintenance e ciency
6) Revenue producing public facilities
7) bsolete capital facilities
8) olunteerism especially re and rescue
mi a n 9) alue engineering
1) Preventive maintenance
Maintenance 2) Pavement program with green building
3) School facility quality
1) Green building certi cation
2) Regional air quality programs
Environment 3) Continue transition to alternative fuel vehicles
4) Public health emergency preparedness and well septic
5) Infrastructure impact on wildlife habitat
Goal: Safety
Provide public infrastructure systems that minimize the risk of injury and maximize
protection from harm.
Initiative: Education
Educate and encourage citizens about public and transportation safety and make a commitment to support a
culture of safety.
1) Work with county agencies to promote public education programs that teach people safety skills for public spaces and for using
transportation systems.
2) Create a Community Traffic Safety Task Force charged with promoting traffic safety.
Initiative: Evaluation
Assess risks, identify and control hazards, and continually evaluate and improve our transportation and
infrastructure systems.
1) Consider the development and implementation of appropriate land use tools that address safety issues in the vicinity of the
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2) Continually identify and monitor safety problems and issues for transportation and public space by using data from the Maryland
Highway Safety Office, local law enforcement, and through public input and coordination with municipalities.
3) Maximize the opportunities to manage the safe and efficient movement of trucks through coordination with municipalities, the
State of Maryland, and local businesses.
4) Support the “Toward Zero Deaths” vision of moving towards zero traffic related deaths by developing a local highway safety plan
that supports safety through a combination of legislative action, police enforcement, and public education as a way to end driver,
pedestrian and bicyclist deaths.
5) Create a Community Traffic Safety Task Force charged with evaluating traffic safety in the county.
6) Evaluate the feasibility and, where appropriate, conduct pilot installations of enhanced traffic signal lighting to aid deaf drivers in
situations where emergency vehicles are approaching an intersection.
7) Evaluate the feasibility and, where appropriate, conduct pilot installations of enhanced crosswalk signaling devices, providing
visual, tactile or auditory interfaces to ensure full accessibility for the safety of all pedestrians.
Initiative: Design and Operations

Include and encourage safety in the design and operations of all transportation and public infrastructure projects.
1) Support the design and restructuring of the physical layout of communities and public buildings to allow greater occupant control
and surveillance of their surroundings.
2) Ensure that public spaces have adequate and appropriate police presence.
3) Assess and update the neighborhood traffic calming policy.
4) Protect air safety by permitting expansion of public general aviation operations only at Frederick Municipal Airport.
5) Support the “Safe Routes to School” initiative and require Safe Routes to School planning for all existing and proposed county
schools to address coordinated education, enforcement, encouragement, design, and school siting to provide for safe bicycling and
walking options for students.
Goal: Optimization
Ensure that transportation and public infrastructure investments provide maximum
value, sustainability, and resilience to citizens through responsible stewardship and
continuous, deliberate improvement.
Initiative: ��
ciency
Maximize efficiency and seek opportunities for cooperation to minimize operating costs for transportation and
public infrastructure.
1) Revise language in the roads and bridges ordinance to preclude the responsibility of sidewalk maintenance (as well as the grass
strip between the sidewalk and the road curb) requirements by abutting property owner(s) in certain cases where there is no nexus
between the need of the land owner and the service that the sidewalk provides.
2) Assess the efficiency benefits of alternative energy sources for fleet and facility operations and implement alternatives as
warranted.
3) Support standardized designs to accommodate additions, support colocation, and reduce design and construction costs in county
facilities where appropriate.
4) Identify a process for executing road transfer agreements between the county and municipalities when annexations occur.

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5) Assess efficiency gains and cost savings in roadside management that would result from employing alternative landscaping and
sustainable roadside mowing practices.
6) Promote the development and operation of revenue-producing public facilities.
7) Reuse, redevelop, or liquidate obsolete or surplus public buildings (such as unused schools) or sites.
8) Support efficiency gains and community investiture gained through volunteerism in all forms, especially in the coordinated
volunteer and professional system of fire and rescue services.
9) Support value engineering in county projects to reduce construction and life cycle costs while maintaining quality and efficiency,
and limiting environmental impact.
Initiative: Maintenance
Prioritize preventive maintenance and strategic capital resource replacement practices to ensure that our public
infrastructure, including roads, rail, schools, libraries, parks and other public infrastructure, remains operational
and keeps pace with state-of-the-art technologies and practices.
1) Employ preventive maintenance of fleet and public transit vehicles to preserve continuity of operations, minimize potential future
capital costs, and maintain resale value as part of an overall life cycle management strategy.
2) Enable effective road resurfacing and reconstruction by supporting the County’s Pavement Management Program and apply
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Low Impact Development (LID) guidelines where appropriate.
3) Maintain and improve the quality of schools, libraries, parks, and other community facilities.
Initiative: Environment
Support environmentally responsible management and maintenance practices.
1) Identify and employ appropriate green building standards to guide the development and renovation of county facilities.
2) Support regional air quality conformity efforts by participating in the regional air quality conformity assessment process based on
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations.
3) Continue to purchase alternative fuel vehicles to replace aging diesel Transit fleet vehicles.
4) Support public health emergency preparedness through the re-evaluation of policies for the provision of public water and sewer to
address failing well and/or septic systems.
5) Evaluate infrastructure projects in terms of their capacity to facilitate wildlife survival by preserving contiguous habitats and
connecting habitats that are fragmented.

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Category: Housing Diversity

Goals in this category concern the effort to build a varied housing stock in
order to support fairness, equity, and resilience for our community and that
serves the needs of present and future residents.
1) Character of existing older communities
2) Targeted rehabilitation in older neighborhoods
3) Multi generational living in existing dwellings
Maintenance 4) High quality and resilient new homes
5) Technical support for renovation
6) Weatherization programs
Resilience 7) Financing accessibility for seniors and disabled citizens
1) Housing type diversity design guidelines
2) lternative housing type regulations
Housing ptions 3) Planning for alternative housing types
4) Developer assistance for alternative housing types
5) ccessory apartment dwellings
1) ordable housing for low to moderate incomes
2) Land acquisition subsidies
3) Discouragement of displacement
4) Worker ownership and rental housing incentives
5) egative perceptions
6) Moderately Priced Dwelling nits for less than % of Area Median Income
ordability
7) Inclusionary housing programs for sites
8) Review fees in capacity areas
9) Container buildings
10) MPDU fee aggregation and on site o site disbursement
11) Fast track for critical housing needs
12) ordable housing clearinghouse
1) Transitional housing
Special eeds Housing 2) Gaps in special needs housing
3) State delegation and a ordable housing
1) Housing rst strategy
E ity 2) on pro t support for homeless school children
3) Strategic plan for ending homelessness
Home Stability 4) Support services for homeless
5) Supply expansion of a ordable housing
6) Storage options for homeless people
7) Homelessness prevention programs
1) ging in place and Emergency Rehab Fund
2) Low income senior support services in proximity
Generational Housing 3) Maryland uali ed llocation Plan for targeted low income housing
4) Regulations for low income in mixed use
5) Senior housing for extended families
1) Support Human Relations Department
2) ordable housing for most in need
Housing ustice
3) Livability code enforcement
4) Eviction prevention
Visitability 1) Visitability standards in new and renovated homes
1) Live work artists housing near creative centers
2) Live work spaces within buildings
Creative Colonies
3) Regulatory flexibility for mixed use
4) rtist in residency programs
s ira ns 1) Design type, form and nancing a ributes for constituents
2) pportunity in challenged or emerging neighborhoods
Housing Continuum
3) Housing focus on resident needs
4) Service continuum for special needs populations
Goal: Resilience
Improve the ability of the county to respond to changing long-term economic and
demographic conditions by ensuring that a wide range of housing types are preserved
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Initiative: Maintenance
Encourage and incentivize the maintenance and restoration of existing housing to support the longevity of
decent and affordable housing stock.
1) Maintain the distinct characteristics and scale of our existing traditional, urban, suburban, village, and rural neighborhoods.
2) Invest in targeted rehabilitation programs that increase the livability and longevity of existing homes and neighborhoods in older
suburban and rural communities.
3) Consider strategies that enhance the usability of existing residences for multi-generational living.
4) Promote long-lasting and resilient new home construction through materials, techniques, and craftsmanship that prevents
obsolescence and deterioration - today’s new homes are tomorrow’s affordable dwellings.
5) Provide technical support to homeowners seeking to renovate existing older housing.
6) Assist with weatherization programs/energy efficiency improvements to reduce utility bills in older, poorly insulated homes.
7) Continue to provide funding or consider tax credits for installing or upgrading accessibility for seniors and disabled citizens in older
housing.
Initiative: Housing Options

Support the development of a broader and richer mix of dwelling types, unit sizes, and tenancy conditions
throughout the county.
1) Provide design guidance for new development on housing type diversity that specifically addresses the housing needs of Frederick
County.
2) Reorganize and recalibrate regulatory documents to place a greater emphasis on alternative housing types.
3) Utilize comprehensive and community planning efforts to demonstrate the benefits of alternative residential forms.
4) Seek developer assistance in creating a marketplace conducive to housing types other than just single-family detached dwellings.
5) Explore amendments to zoning and other regulations to increase the number of accessory apartment dwelling units and to allow
for a greater variety of dwelling types.
Goal: Equity
Ensure that housing options are available to all county residents, regardless of income,
race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, familial status,
source of income, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Initiative: Affordability
Close the affordable housing gap in the county through the continued development of affordable housing
options.
1) Expand public and private development efforts across the county to create housing that is affordable to working households
earning low to moderate incomes.
2) Explore the ability to reduce the burden of land cost for low to very low income housing through public or private subsidization of
land acquisition.
3) Discourage the displacement of existing affordable rental and ownership housing units during the development or redevelopment
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4) Incentivize homeownership and rental housing opportunities for police, fire fighters, emergency services, teachers, nurses, and
other essential workers in the community.
5) Work to change negative public perceptions about affordable and rental housing.
6) Deploy Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit (MPDU) resources strategically by using available funds, as well as the dwelling units
constructed by developers under MPDU regulations, to target all households earning between 50% and 80% of Area Median Income
(AMI).
7) Increase access to land for affordable housing through the exploration of inclusionary housing programs that focus on land
donation or long-term lease agreements in order to acquire appropriate affordable housing sites.
8) Review fees, policies, and programs for impacts on housing affordability in areas with substantial infrastructure capacity.
9) Update local codes to permit for the use of alternative building systems such as the ‘container building’ concept.
10) Allow for the aggregation of MPDU developer obligations that would permit for the construction of affordable units both on-site
and off-site.
11) Establish a ‘fast track’ permitting and review system for residential projects meeting critical housing needs as identified by the
county.
12) Explore the establishment of an affordable housing clearinghouse.
Initiative: Special Needs Housing

Ensure that households and individuals who require special considerations are supported.
1) Support development of transitional housing that provides housing for citizens as their needs change over time and through
circumstance.
2) Identify gaps in specialized housing for citizens with special needs and work with private and non-profit partners to fill these gaps.
3) Work with the state delegation to address the need for low-income housing for targeted special needs populations and
recommend that Maryland’s Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) incentivizes related development.
Initiative: Home Stability

Support comprehensive efforts to end homelessness and provide safe and stable housing for both parents
and children to improve overall well-being, health, education, and future employment opportunities and to
strengthen our community.
1) Embrace the “Housing First” strategy adopted by housing advocates nationwide to provide stable, safe, and permanent housing
followed with supportive services.
2) Support non-profits in their efforts to provide clothing, funding for extracurricular activities, and emergency shelter to homeless
children in the county school system.
3) Support the strategies outlined in the Strategic Plan for Ending Homelessness in Frederick County, or evaluate the need to develop
a county plan for ending homelessness.
4) Provide support services to homeless individuals to overcome barriers to housing, such as poor credit history, housing
discrimination, lack of regular and consistent income, transportation, and poor tenant history.
5) Expand the supply of affordable, supportive housing.
6) Support creative ways for people experiencing homelessness to transition to stable housing and keep their personal belongings
throughout this transition.
7) Support the prevention of homelessness through the development of programs providing rental, utility bill, and eviction or
foreclosure prevention assistance, as well as budget and debt counseling.

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Initiative: Generational Housing

Support housing for older adults that supports the present and future needs of seniors.
1) Expand the Emergency Rehab Fund program to include non-emergency universal design improvements in existing residential
units.
2) Ensure that appropriate support services are available to low-income seniors in proximity to their homes.
3) Work with the state delegation to amend Maryland’s QAP (Qualified Allocation Plan) to incentivize development of targeted low-
income senior housing.
4) Seek changes to state or local regulations that might prevent or complicate the development of low-income senior housing in
conjunction with mixed use development.
5) Identify and remove barriers to enable caring for seniors in housing that accommodates extended and multi-generational families.
Initiative: Housing Justice

Support a housing market in Frederick County where a person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age,
marital status, disability, familial status, source of income, sexual orientation, or gender identity does not
arbitrarily restrict access to safe, decent, and affordable housing.
1) Support the Frederick County Human Relations Department to ensure fair and just access to housing.
2) Support affordable housing for Frederick County residents with an emphasis on special needs populations, senior citizens, persons
with disabilities, and low to moderate income workforce households.
3) Support the enforcement of the Frederick County minimum livability code to protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents.
4) Support preventative strategies that help residents avoid eviction and provide tools and information to help navigate the process.
Initiative: Visitability
Promote home design standards which ensure full mobility for people with disabilities to remove barriers and
prevent isolation from the community.
1) Support efforts to increase the percentage of new and rehabilitated homes meeting the visitability standard set by the
International Code Council (A117.1, Type C).
Goal: Aspirations
Pursue the development of housing alternatives that provide flexible and affordable
options for an array of targeted populations including creative professionals, emerging
small-business owners, on-site caretakers, and others whose living spaces need to be
located in proximity to work spaces.
Initiative: Creative Colonies
Encourage creative colonies of artists and creative professionals by working with the private sector to establish
housing close to workshop and studio spaces.
1) Encourage development of live-work artists’ housing near creative centers.
2) Support the development of housing and work spaces provided in the same structure following traditional models as well as newer
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3) Consider additional regulatory flexibility to provide opportunities for vertical and horizontal mixed use development in growth
centers, existing villages, and suburban re-investment centers.
4) Support artist-in-residency programs in conjunction with the public art master plan.
Initiative: Housing Continuum

Establish a Housing and Supportive Services Continuum (HSSC) - a local collaborative structure for managing a
holistic approach to sustainable housing in Frederick County.
1) Encourage the HSSC consortium partners, including county agencies, to work with the housing development community to
establish design, type, form, and financing attributes of housing that is best suited to meet the needs of constituents.
2) Encourage multidisciplinary service providers to work toward the common goal of building and nurturing educational, healthcare,
economic, employment, social, and housing opportunities within challenged or emerging neighborhoods.
3) Encourage HSSC partners to work with DHCD to ensure that new, redeveloped, or preserved housing units are meeting the needs of
local residents.
4) Encourage HSSC partners to design and implement care and service continuums for constituent populations including seniors,
veterans, former offenders, mentally or physically impaired citizens, persons with HIV/AIDS, and other special needs populations
requiring housing and supportive services.
Category: Housing Design

Goals in this category concern the planning, technical methods, and
forecasting that ensure the provision of appr�� gured housing
types and allocation of housing throughout the county.
Proximity
Streetscape
ctive Living
1) Small scale energy production
C mm ni es Sustainability 2) Ecodistricts
3) Maryland Sustainable Communities designation
1) niversal design retro t in neighborhoods
Accessibility
2) Escrow accounts for universal design retro t
1) Green building in new construction
People Planet and Pro t
2) Green building incentives
il ings 1) Income quali cations for Emergency Rehab Loan Program
niversal Design
2) Tax credit for housing accessibility
Evidence ased Decisions
et s Design Review
Goal: Communities
Ensure that the location and layout of housing development in the county supports the
creation of diver�� cient neighborhoods by implementing planning
policies that support a diverse housing stock, multi-modal transportation networks,
energy conserv�� ciency, and open space.
Initiative: Proximity
Ensure that a range of affordable housing is located near transportation centers and mixed use areas offering a
variety of public and private services within walking distance.

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Initiative: Streetscape
Promote the design of communities that employ housing types that create walkable street frontages.
Initiative: Active Living

Promote community design that encourages physical activity by providing walkable, interconnected streets
where multiple modes of transportation are available and where non-motorized modes of travel are emphasized.
Initiative: Sustainability
Design communities that support sustainable development/redevelopment and the reduction of ecological
footprints through design strategies involving layout, smart infrastructure, behavior, and environmental context.
1) Pursue small-scale energy production at the block or neighborhood level to reduce the costs of utilities while supporting energy
resiliency by assuring a continuous supply of energy for residents.
2) Explore the implementation of the ecodistrict strategy in defined areas of the county.
3) Pursue opportunities to apply for the Sustainable Communities designation through the State of Maryland Department of Housing
and Community Development to support sustainable communities and to enable application to state programs such as Community
Legacy and the Strategic Demolition Fund.?
Initiative: Accessibility
Promote the adoption of universal design standards to allow accessibility in residences and neighborhoods.
1) Consider providing resources for aggressive universal design retrofit for pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods.
2) Study the viability of escrow accounts for a universal design neighborhood infrastructure retrofit program (similar to APFO roads
escrow system).
Goal: Buildings
Support innovative designs f�� cient, reflect
community values, and ensure quality construction.
Initiative: People, Planet, and Pr�t
Account for the full cost of housing construction by considering triple bottom line sustainability (social costs,
environmental costs, and financial costs) in the design of new housing in the county.
1) Encourage the construction of homes that are designed to minimize the long-term cost of inhabitation by incorporating, to the
extent feasible, green building characteristics with the highest return on investment.
2) Adopt green building incentives such as tax credits/abatements, “fast track” plan review and approval, and the provision of
green building technical assistance, to encourage the use of environmentally-responsible and energy/material efficient design and
construction strategies.
Initiative: Universal Design

Promote the adoption of universal design standards, even where not required by regulation, to allow diversity in
residential environments.

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1) Consider expansion of Emergency Rehab Loan Program to reach households with broader income qualifications.
2) Continue to provide funding or consider tax credit for installing or upgrading housing accessibility.
Goal: Methods
Employ evidence-based design and planning methods that emphasize participatory
processes and regional cooperation.
Initiative: Evidence-Based Decisions
Encourage evidence-based decision making for determining housing needs in the county through the
development of a housing database and demand forecasting model.
Initiative: Design Review

Explore the expansion of design review procedures in the county to ensure quality development and lasting
aesthetic appeal.
Category: Housing Economy

Goals in this category concern the regulator�� nancial context of
managing the production and risk of providing new and future housing stock
in the county through construction, ownership, and occupancy.
Homeownership
1) Group home regulatory fee waiver
2) Condominium subdivision in regulations
Development and Rehabilitation
3) Granny flats and tiny houses
4) Housing mix requirements
1) Yearly review of MD QAP
C st 2) Tax abatement standards
3) Impact fee exemptions for a ordable housing
Workforce Housing
4) MPDU fees for Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) pro ects
5) Local sources of funding
6) Tax credit for broader incomes
utreach
Goal: Cost
Support the mitigation and subsidy of housing costs in the county for the development
of new housing stock, the rehabilitation of existing housing stock, the acquisition of
property, and the acquisition of units, where appropriate.
Initiative: Homeownership
Expand the range of housing and homeownership opportunities for county residents.
Initiative: Development and Rehabilitation

Support the development and rehabilitation of housing so that it remains affordable, through subsidies, grants,
and public financing options.
1) Explore the provision of a waiver of regulatory fees for group homes.

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2) Revise the subdivision ordinance to create provisions for condominiums.

3) Analyze the regulatory context in the county to identify possible revisions needed to support innovative alternative affordable
housing options such as “granny flats” or “tiny houses.”
4) Require the provision of a mixture of residential dwellings in the Euclidean and floating Mixed Use zoning districts, with emphasis
on providing multi-family housing and with exceptions for small sites, infill, and redevelopment.
Initiative: Workforce Housing

Expand rental housing opportunities that are affordable to the workforce in the county by leveraging state and
federal funding programs.
1) Continue a yearly review and audit of the Maryland Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) conducted by the Affordable Housing Council
and the Department of Housing and Community Development.
2) Develop standard eligibility criteria for Frederick County’s tax abatement policy, an established process for approval, and provide an
as-of-right tax abatement policy for all Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects.
3) Continue Frederick County’s policy of exempting impact fees for affordable housing.
4) Consider dedicating at least 50% of the collected Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit (MPDU) fees to support LIHTC projects and
award funding on a schedule that aligns with the State’s scoring of LIHTC proposals.
5) Explore additional local sources to support affordable housing, such as a variety of available tax credit programs.
6) Expand the tax credit program for renters in the county to apply to a broader range of incomes.
Initiative: Outreach
Support programs and events that educate citizens on managing housing costs.

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Category: Tradition
Goals in this category concern the notion that the county’s heritage and
traditions remain rooted in its agricultural past and natural landscapes,
while understanding that other forces in the region have “set the table” for a
lucrative, healthy, and inspiring future in Frederick County.
1) Historic preservation ordinance update
2) ominations for national and state historic registries
3) ominations goal for local historic registries
Physical Identity
4) Incorporation of preservation into development processes
is nc e 5) Preservation processes for development
6) Documentation of resources through development
en ty 1) Marketing history for economic development
2) gricultural industry as distinct asset
Di erentiation 3) Small town culture placelessness
4) Local possession of traditional material culture
5) Public art pro ects
1) Diversity of media
2) Diversity of documentation resources
Creative Communication 3) Information sharing
4) Partnering with artists
Remem ering 5) Public art
1) Information quality and Maryland Inventory of Historic Places
ist ry 2) Historic inventory database
3) Documentation of the recent past
Comprehensive Documentation
4) utreach for under represented populations
5) Primary historic documents
6) Funding sources for documentation
1) Local history in schools
2) New technology for broader educational experience
Educating the Public
3) utreach for community events
4) Frederick Arts Council
1) Local history eld trips on site) in local schools
eac ing ist ry 2) Educational programming at historic sites
3) Collaboration with local schools for on site, pro ect based learning
Experiential Learning
4) Participation of older residents in historic preservation
5) Technical assistance for historic societies
6) Communication between older and younger residents
1) Invest in protection of local resources
2) Scenic byway's and roads tourism
3) Civil War heritage tourism
uilding on Assets
4) Infrastructure for tourists
5) Public private coordination
6) Tourism based small business development
eritage rism 1) Heritage tourism training
Small usiness Support 2) Regulatory flexibility for heritage tourism
3) daptive reuse of older structures
1) iewshed identi cation and documentation
iewsheds and Corridors 2) Protection of viewsheds
3) Collaboration with national and other organizations
1) Local food traditions
Food History
2) Local food history and restaurant culture
1) Event planning and marketing for local producers
Local Fermentation Economy
2) Celebration of local distilling brewing traditions
an rin 1) Local food preparation skills
2) Local food and drink history as a gateway to learning
Food Preparation Traditions
3) Food based businesses in historic structures
4) Farm to school initiatives
Goal: Distinctive Identity

Ensure that the places, buildings, and environments that exemplify the distinct identity
of Frederick County continue to thrive as important elements of our community.

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Initiative: Physical Identity

Locate, designate, and then protect and maintain Frederick County’s most important historic structures and
districts, archaeological sites, distinctive natural features, and cultural landscapes.
1) Update the historic preservation ordinance to provide better protection for critical historic and archaeological resources.
2) Encourage nominations to the National Register of Historic Places and increase listings on the Maryland Inventory of Historic
Places.
3) Encourage nominations to the county Register of Historic Places and set a goal of increasing the number of listed properties to 30
by the year 2025.
4) Incorporate the preservation of important historic buildings, structures, archaeological resources (including historic burial sites and
cemeteries), and contextual environments into all planning and development processes.
5) Develop processes and guidelines for development proposals to ensure that the evaluation and documentation of potentially
historic above-ground and archaeological resources is made part of the application process for new development seeking
development review approval by the county.
6) Ensure that, if preservation of the historic or archaeological resource is not physically possible, the history and local significance of
the resource is preserved through documentation, interpretation, and other approved methods or techniques.
Initiative: Differentiation
Strengthen efforts to differentiate Frederick County from other communities through the maintenance and
promotion of its distinct historic character.
1) Market and promote the county’s historic places, not only for heritage tourism purposes but to embrace local historic character as
an attractant for economic and institutional investment in the community.
2) Embrace our agricultural roots and take necessary actions to maintain future farming activity in the county.
3) Celebrate small town culture, building on existing strong community ties to inoculate our neighborhoods from the “placelessness”
infecting many communities in the region.
4) Maintain local possession of our traditional material culture.
5) Support public art projects to highlight our unique historic and cultural character per the Public Art Master Plan.
Goal: Remembering History

Inspire and educate residents and visitors through investing in new and creative ways to
communicate our stories to future generations and reinforce their value and meaning
through vigorous documentation.
Initiative: Creative Communication
Find new and creative ways to tell our stories to future generations.
1) Promote local history efforts that tell local stories to future generations through oral histories, personal diaries, presentations, or
new media (digital film, social media, and animation).
2) Develop and support private sector, non-profit, and local government efforts to identify, document, and archive local history.
3) Promote and support the efforts of local partners - such as the Heritage Frederick, the C. Burr Artz Library (Maryland Room), and
the Frederick County Landmarks Foundation - to share information and resources.

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4) Partner with local artists to find creative ways to educate about preserving the presence of our local traditions, such as music and
handicrafts.
5) Use art projects, in any media, sited in community places that are open to the public as a tool for promoting local history and to tell
local stories for future generations.
Initiative: Comprehensive Documentation

Comprehensively document our county’s physical heritage and places of historic significance.
1) Continue to update and improve the quality of information included in the Maryland Inventory of Historic Places (MIHP) to bolster
local understanding of historic and cultural resources.
2) Produce a geographically complete Inventory of Historic Places (MIHP) and Frederick County Register database that would allow
the county to identify significant historic structures and resources that remain unacknowledged.
3) Support efforts to document the recent past to build a local historic record of events such as the Cold War, the Civil Rights
Movement, and the Great Depression, and places such as Camp David, Fort Detrick, and our post-war suburbs.
4) Engage in outreach efforts which target under-represented county populations, seeking to broaden our knowledge of local
experiences while telling a more complete and truthful story about who we are as a community.
5) Work with county and state agencies to protect and digitally archive primary historic documents under county ownership.
6) Evaluate potential funding sources to be used for documenting Frederick County history.
Goal: Teaching History

Foster public education and greater appreciation and understanding of historic and
archaeological resources, and public support for heritage preservation in Frederick
County.
Initiative: Educating the Public
Work with our libraries and the Office of Economic Development to provide opportunities for public education
and appreciation of our history, heritage, and culture.
1) Encourage the study of the history of Frederick County and its architectural and historical resources in our public and private
schools.
2) Integrate new technologies into the history education environment to allow for a broader sensory experience.
3) Develop a historical and cultural preservation outreach plan for key community events.
4) Support the Frederick Arts Council as a primary partner in providing opportunities for public education and appreciation of our
history, heritage, and culture.
Initiative: Experiential Learning

Capitalize on the “power of place” to illustrate and teach how our places and physical surroundings have shaped
our thoughts, actions, and emotions throughout our history.
1) Provide on-site opportunities for education and appreciation of historic, natural, and archaeological resources by integrating field
trips into the local educational curriculum.
2) Encourage educational programming at historic sites to provide critical context for older structures and landscapes.

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3) Investigate collaborative efforts between local students and local historic sites to combine on-site learning and project-based
participation in the restoration of older buildings, structures, and landscapes.
4) Nurture a life-long appreciation for local Frederick County history by providing opportunities for older residents to participate in
local preservation and interpretation efforts.
5) Provide technical assistance to the historical societies and museums in Frederick County in their public education and preservation
efforts.
6) Provide additional opportunities for older residents to share personal experiences with young students in order to build a stronger
connection between our friends and neighbors and the events of historic import that they experienced and helped to shape.
Goal: Heritage Tourism

Support tourism geared toward experiencing the places, artifacts and activities that
authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present in Frederick
County, including cultural, historic, and natural resources, while maintaining the
integrity of those irreplaceable resources.
Initiative: Building on Assets
Maximize the use of our historic and natural assets toward the economic benefit of our county through
investment, access, and marketing.
1) Invest in the heritage tourism economy by protecting and maintaining the integrity of local historic resources.
2) Promote tourism associated with Maryland’s Scenic Byways program, the Historic National Road, and the multi-state “Journey
Through Hallowed Ground” initiative.
3) Promote tourism associated with the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area (HCWHA).
4) Support efforts to provide a robust infrastructure for heritage tourists visiting Frederick County, including the development of
educational programs in the hospitality sector through Frederick County Public Schools and Frederick Community College.
5) Nurture strategic partnerships between private sector, non-profit, and local governments to enhance heritage and ecotourism
tourism efforts.
6) Support local small-business development in the tourism sector while maintain the integrity of local historic resources.
Initiative: Small Business Support

Maintain a thriving ecosystem of small businesses serving the heritage tourism industry in Frederick County
while maintaining the integrity of local historic resources.
1) Invest in the people that are the foundation of our heritage tourism economy by providing educational and training opportunities
through our local schools (Frederick County Public Schools Career and Tech Center and Frederick Community College).
2) Ensure that county regulations, when feasible, provide flexibility for heritage tourism-related businesses operating within an
historic structure or site, while maintaining clarity of purpose.
3) Encourage the adaptive re-use of older and historic structures to provide an economic means by which owners can invest in their
continued maintenance and upkeep.
Initiative: Viewsheds and Corridors

Protect and maintain the integrity of the grand views and critical corridors within our working and historic
landscapes.

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1) Document and assess the quality of viewsheds that are critical to the heritage tourism industry in Frederick County.
2) Support the protection of the most important viewsheds.
3) Work with public and private partners such as the National Park Service and Civil War Trust to leverage local resources in the
preservation and protection of critical landscapes.
Goal: Food and Drink

Celebrate Frederick County’s rich heritage of food production, meal traditions, and the
culinary and fermentation arts.
Initiative: Food History
Document and preserve our “edible past” composed of the recipes, local historic food dynamics, stories, and
experimentation that have characterized our food history.
1) Celebrate local traditions centered on food preparation and the family table, and support the documentation of recipes and
cooking techniques passed down through the generations.
2) Promote and nurture a rich and innovative restaurant culture in Frederick County to build upon the success of Frederick’s downtown
“foodie” culture.
Initiative: Local Fermentation Economy

While ensuring the protection of adjacent farms and communities, provide policy support for local breweries,
distilleries, and vineyards throughout the county. The maximization of economic gain must meet the test of the
triple bottom line of social, environmental, and financial factors.
1) Support local food and drink tourism in Frederick County by encouraging events, marketing, and programming that links local
producers to eager customers.
2) Support efforts that celebrate our local traditions of fermented beverages, as well as those traditions arriving in recent years from
around the nation and the world.
Initiative: Food Preparation Traditions

Teach local traditions surrounding the preparation of food and drink.
1) Establish or support programs and initiatives that teach local food preparation skills to hobbyists and professionals through
mentorship, community kitchens, church feasts, FCC/CTC educational programs, Frederick Farm To School initiatives, and cultural
organizations.
2) Exploit the interest in food culture in Frederick County to teach related lessons in local history and heritage by using food and drink
as an alternate gateway to learning.
3) Support regulations that encourage food-based businesses in historic structures through policies and regulations that encourage
and incentivize adaptive re-use.
4) Create greater opportunities for hands-on experiential learning regarding food production, meal traditions and the culinary arts
to enhance classroom education related to food, health, agriculture and nutrition in area schools through Frederick Farm to School
initiatives.

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Category: Expression
Goals in this category concern providing the fertile ground to allow further
development of the visual, industrial, and performing arts communities and
to differentiate Frederick in the regional economy.
Culture Plan
1) Permanent local museum collection
A lace r t e 2) Mid size regional music venue
Creative and Cultural Spaces
rts 3) Full range of community creative spaces
4) Tool and technology center
Arts ased Revitalization
A Regional Niche
E eriencing Playing to the Home Crowd
1) Casual arts expression
C lt re Increasing Arts Consumption
2) lending cultural and culinary arts
Public Art 1) Public art pro ects
1) ordable work spaces
rt ring a cal Spaces for Creators 2) ordable housing
Crea e 3) Maker spaces
Marketing A Place for the Arts
Ec n my Critical Mass of Creativity
Hobbyist Spaces
i e ng Creative Arts and Schools
earning FCC Arts Training Hub
dult Learning
Participation in the Arts
i erse Part Time Creators
E ressi ns ur Newest Cultures
Creativity in Retirement
Goal: A Place for the Arts

Maintain and build upon Frederick as a center of arts and culture in the region.
Initiative: Culture Plan
Support the development of a county-wide arts and culture plan to map creative and cultural assets and develop
steps to facilitate neighborhood cultural initiatives and expand neighborhood cultural assets.
Initiative: Creative and Cultural Spaces

Work to fill the gaps in the current array of cultural arts venues, performance venues, and other creative spaces to
provide a diversified and sustainable arts economy in the county.
1) Seek and develop a permanent local museum collection of fine art to supplement local galleries.
2) Investigate the demand for a mid-size regional music venue that does not require a trip to Washington, Baltimore, Columbia, or
Fairfax
3) Encourage the establishment of a full range of models for community creative spaces, such as maker spaces, that may be led by
artists and other creative professionals.
4) Investigate public or private interest in the development of a tool and technology center that would create opportunities for
professional mentoring, business skill development, and innovation incubation while also serving the demand for hobbyist access to
equipment and workspace that remains out of reach for many citizens.
Initiative: Arts-Based Revitalization

Utilize the energies of local creative professionals to spearhead arts-based neighborhood revitalization.

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Goal: Experiencing Culture

Create an economic and social environment where the fruits of our creative endeavors
are shared with visitors, available to our own citizens, and representative of both old and
new culture in the county.
Initiative: A Regional Niche
Explore and develop a strong regional market niche in the cultural arts while maintaining a broad array of
opportunities for artistic expression and consumption.
Initiative: Playing to the Home Crowd

Work to maintain a loyal “home crowd” for local arts venues and programs.
Initiative: Increasing Arts Consumption

Provide a broader and deeper array of cultural arts programming to increase overall arts consumption, create a
“deeper bench” of future artists, and nurture local creative upstarts.
1) Broaden opportunities for casual arts expression (see it, hear it, touch it) in the community by supporting programming geared to
non-artists and hobbyists.
2) Support public policies that encourage the blending of cultural arts and culinary arts.
Initiative: Public Art

Support the development of art projects in any media sited in community places that are open to the public to
represent Frederick County as a place where creativity and innovation are celebrated as part of our communities
and culture.
1) Utilize the Public Art Master Plan to identify, develop, and support potential public art projects.
Goal: Nurturing a Local Creative Economy

Provide a practical framework of support for a local industry of artists, performers, and
creators.
Initiative: Spaces for Creators
Support the local creative economy through policies that induce the production of affordable spaces for the arts
community for gathering, teaching, exploration, and living.
1) Encourage development of affordable work spaces (studios, rehearsal rooms, workshops) for creators.
2) Establish affordable housing opportunities for creative professionals.
3) Support development of “maker spaces” that serve as business incubators for burgeoning creative professionals.
Initiative: Marketing A Place for the Arts

Support marketing efforts that frame Frederick County and its communities as “a place for the arts.”

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Initiative: Critical Mass of Creativity

Establish policies that support the maintenance of a critical mass of creative enterprises.
Goal: Life-Long Learning

Promote educational opportunities in the creative arts for citizens of all ages.
Initiative: Hobbyist Spaces
Establish a local community “maker space” for hobbyists and professionals that can function as an incubator for
the local creative economy.
Initiative: Creative Arts and Schools

Increase the presence and relative standing of creative arts in public and private school systems (K-12).
Initiative: FCC Arts Training Hub

Build upon the existing resources at Frederick Community College (FCC) and create an arts training hub that
targets new business development.
Initiative: Adult Learning

Expand public and private adult learning opportunities in the creative arts.
Initiative: Emerging Creators

Establish mentoring systems for emerging artists and creators.
Goal: Diverse Expressions

Increase the opportunities for creative expression in the broader community.
Initiative: Participation in the Arts
Increase all forms of public participation in the visual, performing, and industrial arts.
Initiative: Part-Time Creators

Encourage the development, and realize the benefits, of part-time creators.
Initiative: Our Newest Cultures

Create a welcoming environment for the expression of Frederick County’s new and emerging cultures while
maintaining existing cultural institutions and traditions.
Initiative: Creativity in Retirement

Mine the rich skills, knowledge, and resources of our post-retirement population.

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Category: Preservation
Goals in this categor�� cation and protection of
Frederick’s historic places, landscapes, and valuable heritage resources to
provide economic and cultural opportunities that might otherwise be lost to
future generations.
1) Protect county owned historic structures
2) Full time sta for historic preservation
Local Resources
3) Digital media presence of County Register and local historic districts
4) Frederick County Cemetery Commission
1) Program for information sharing
2) Collecting and archiving at Maryland Room
Local rchives 3) Documentation on frican merican community
c men ng 4) Local genealogy
5) urial grounds and cemeteries
ist ry 1) Digitization and back up of historic records
2) Local material culture
rchival Resilience
3) Access for those with disabilities
4) eeds and partnerships for archives
1) nline access
2) Creative communication
New Media
3) Connecting to local recreation
4) Public art at tourist destinations
History and Economy
1) Preservation training center
Local Preservation Expertise 2) Registry of preservation professionals
Ec n mics 3) Training for volunteers
reser a n Food and History 1) Regulatory incentives and food service
1) Public education about availability
Financial Incentives
2) Dedicated funding
Low Impact Preservation 1) Program for displacement support
1) Local land use ordinance protection
2) Preservation of context
3) Signage for historic villages
Distinctive Places 4) Public art to enhance distinctiveness
5) Protect rural roads
e m rtance 6) Countywide inventory of rural roads
lace 7) ppropriate maintenance of rural roads
1) n site interpretation of historic resources
Place ased Experiences 2) Strengthening of heritage tourism
3) Place based public art
Growth Policies 1) Sensitive in ll and redevelopment
alue For All
1) County historic district
2) Retain farm landscape elements
3) County registry goal
Critical Heritage
r tec ng 4) uilding easement program
5) iewshed easement program
Res rces 6) Incentives for listing properties
o om Up Preservation 1) Opt in rural historic districts
1) Historic standards in zoning
Preservation Tool Chest
2) Multi tiered system of designations
1) Redevelopment without demolition
2) Regulatory incentives for adaptive re use
Policy
3) County register for county owned properties
4) Financial incentives for adaptive reuse
a e Re se Heritage Salvage
1) Keep it local discount for architectural salvage
2) Tax credit for local salvage
1) Input from local artists artisans about preservation
Creative Community 2) rtist housing workspaces in historic buildings
3) ational Park Service training

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Goal: Documenting History

Support the county’s efforts to document our historic resources.
Initiative: Local Resources
Acknowledge, identify, and protect locally important historic and cultural resources.
1) Identify and protect historic structures under county ownership or management.
2) Provide full and adequate staff support for historic preservation efforts in Frederick County.
3) Expand the digital media presence of county register and local historic districts, including the development of a publicly-accessible,
digital, county inventory of historic places.
4) Establish a Frederick County cemetery commission.
Initiative: Local Archives

Locate, preserve, and expand local history collections.
1) To expand and promote the collection policies of the Maryland Room (C. Burr Artz Library) to encourage information sharing
among our citizens, such as through the donation of original or scanned copies of privately held photos and documents related to local
culture and history.
2) Support collecting and archiving efforts at the Maryland Room (C. Burr Artz Library) through adequate funding and staffing.
3) Focus effort on the documentation of the history of the African-American community in Frederick County.
4) Support and utilize as a resource local genealogical collecting efforts.
5) Partner with local preservation organizations to develop a program and process to document and monitor older burial grounds and
cemeteries.
Initiative: Archival Resilience

Ensure that local historical records have adequate archival protection and the necessary tools to enhance
accessibility and preservation, especially through the backing up and future-proofing of digital assets.
1) Digitize historic records and ensure off-site back-up of data.
2) Preserve and archive historic items that document local material culture.
3) Provide access to historic records for those with disabilities.
4) Determine Frederick County’s needs for archival storage and consider partnerships with public and private organizations that can
enhance the county’s ability to preserve, and make publicly-accessible, its historical/cultural resource collections.
Initiative: New Media

Explore new ways to share history with citizens and visitors.
1) Enhance online access to local historic material.
2) Identify creative ways to educate citizens and share local history in our day-to-day lives.
3) Partner with hobbyists to connect local history themes to thriving recreational pursuits.
4) Explore the provision of local history based art projects in public places and at tourist destinations.

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Goal: Economics of Preservation

Support the preservation economy by amplifying the economic gr�� ts of history
and culture as a quality of life enhancement and driver for attracting residents and
businesses.
Initiative: History and Economy
Leverage Frederick County’s unique historic character and environments as a magnet for business investment by
fostering economic development strategies that support history as an economic asset.
Initiative: Local Preservation Expertise

Nurture local preservation expertise - keep preservation jobs in the county.
1) Establish a preservation training center geared to the specific needs of the local work force and the types of restoration work
prevalent in Frederick County.
2) Maintain publicly accessible registry of preservation professionals working in the region, with differentiation by location and
expertise.
3) Support training for volunteers in historic preservation, archeological documentation, document conservation, and as docents for
museums, historic sites, natural areas, and tours.
Initiative: Food and History

Support the creation of venues for dining and drinking in historic settings and structures.
1) Provide regulatory incentives for adaptive reuse of historic structures for the purpose of establishing a restaurant, tavern, bar, or
food shop.
Initiative: Financial Incentives

Encourage the preservation of historic resources through the use of tax credits and property tax abatements.
1) Increase public education about existing public and private programs.
2) Consider establishing dedicated local sources of revenue for the purpose of enhancing preservation efforts in the county.
Initiative: Low-Impact Preservation

Minimize citizen displacement due to historic preservation efforts.
1) Establish a program to support residents and businesses displaced through such historic preservation efforts as adaptive reuse and
the establishment of historic districts.
Goal: The Importance of Place

Adopt policies which emphasize and bolster the importance of place.
Initiative: Distinctive Places
Maintain and enhance the historic and unique character of the county’s rural towns, villages, neighborhoods, and
corridors.

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1) Re-tool local land use ordinances to more aggressively protect distinguishing features of smaller communities that are the focal
points for infill and redevelopment activity.
2) Adopt plans, policies, and programs that result in the maintenance of the historic or traditional physical context of a place – avoid
preserving the exceptional structure at the expense of its immediate surroundings.
3) Explore ways in which the county may identify and sign the smaller crossroad villages and forgotten places located throughout our
community.
4) Support art projects, in any media, sited in community places that are open to the public as a tool to create an experience of place
that celebrates the individual distinctiveness of locations while enhancing the unity of the county.
5) Protect the scenic, agricultural, and historical qualities of rural roads and the adjacent landscape.
6) Develop a comprehensive, countywide inventory of rural/scenic roads.
7) Provide appropriate continuing maintenance of gravel roads, allowing for context-sensitive, localized, and necessary safety
accommodations that do not degrade the historic character of rural roads.
Initiative: Place-Based Experiences

Encourage historic experiences in the county that illustrate and emphasize the connections between historic
events and physical places.
1) Seek to interpret historic resources in the places where they originate; avoid off-site interpretation when feasible.
2) Continue to strengthen Frederick County’s heritage tourism efforts by providing adequate resources to ensure continued
maturation of the industry.
3) Support art projects in any media that are sited in community places that are open to the public as a key place-making tool and
primary contributor to the communication of history.
Initiative: Growth Policies

Encourage growth policies that are respectful of local history.
1) Balance historic character of growth area neighborhoods while encouraging infill and redevelopment in areas served by existing
infrastructure.
Initiative: Value For All

Acknowledge, strengthen, and preserve the human connection to our physical history by avoiding the use of
strategies that result in the displacement of residents, businesses, and institutions at the center of an historic site
of neighborhood.
Goal: Protecting Resources

Be vigilant in preserving and protecting our historic sites and structures.
Initiative: Critical Heritage
Preserve critical historic and archaeological resources.
1) Establish the county’s first historic district (within the county’s program and jurisdiction) by 2020.

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2) Retain those elements of the county’s farm landscape that contribute to the aesthetics, historic character, and economy of
agricultural areas.
3) Set target to grow the County Register to include 30 sites by January 1, 2025.
4) Establish an easement program to secure preservation of key historic features of a building or site (façade easement, frontage
easement, etc.).
5) Create a viewshed easement program (temporary and perpetual).
6) Develop recognition programs that publicize the county’s preservation programs and that acknowledge the efforts of property
owners who undertake outstanding preservation activities.
Initiative: Bottom-Up Preservation

Expand and create a set of voluntary historic preservation tools, such as voluntary historic districts and
architectural easements, to create new and better avenues for historic preservation.
1) Pursue the establishment of “opt in” rural historic districts that preserve character of some of the county’s crossroad villages, pike
towns, and rural hamlets.
Initiative: Preservation Tool Chest

Work to increase the number of tools and options available to implement county preservation policies.
1) Adopt standards for protection and treatment of historic resources in appropriate zoning districts.
2) Establish a multi-tiered system of county register and historic district designations providing various levels of oversight and
protection.
Goal: Adaptive Re-Use

Vigorously pursue context-sensitive adaptive re-use of historic properties through
creative development strategies, grants, tax relief, consistent funding mechanisms, and
through cooperation with the development community.
Initiative: Policy
Support adaptive re-use strategies through policy and regulatory channels, and through the production of design
guidelines.
1) Pursue growth policies that allow for infill and redevelopment yet provide disincentives to wholesale demolition of older
structures.
2) Provide regulatory incentives for adaptive re-use projects in historic neighborhoods or landscapes.
3) Encourage County Register of Historic Places listing of structures in county ownership where appropriate (parks, libraries, bridges,
civic buildings).
4) Consider the use of tax relief or other financial incentives to encourage adaptive re-use of historic structures.
Initiative: Heritage Salvage

Encourage local re-purposing of local materials to preserve local historic connections, imagery, and references, as
well as to support sustainable building and development.

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1) Work with local construction salvage to provide a “keep it local” discount for architectural salvage material certified to remain in the
community.
2) Consider expansion of the local tax credit program by offering a credit to owners who certify that local salvage is integrated into a
county structure or site.
Initiative: Creative Community

Pursue links between the creative community and historic structures.
1) Pursue input from local artists and artisans regarding preservation efforts.
2) Encourage development of artist housing and work spaces in restored historic structures.
3) Partner with the National Park Service (NPS) training center (or replicate this model) to link restoration/preservation training to
actual adaptive re-use projects.

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127
A Vision for
FREDERICK COUNTY HAS IT ALL:
beauty, prosperity, convenience,
sustainability, and safety. It
Our Health
continues to offer a small town
feel with 21st century, urban
opportunity. We are a model for
other communities.
ALL PEOPLE IN FREDERICK

County fully participate in
public decision-making and
underrepresented communities
are fully engaged partners.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR

community is more productive,
resilient, and successful when the
physical and mental health of all
of our residents is optimal. There
is availability and access to high
quality and affordable physical,
mental, and dental health care
and to prescription medication for
all in need. Our community has
access to state-of-the-art hospitals
and clinics that attract top health
professionals with a variety of
specialties, especially geriatric
and behavioral health specialists.
Medical professionals choose
to live and work here because
our people take responsibility
for maximizing their health and
fitness for their whole lifetime.
PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS ARE

recognized and all people have
equal access to the opportunities
necessary to be healthy and have
a good quality of life. Healthy
eating is made possible by access
to healthy, affordable food. Active
living is fostered by easy access OUR COUNTY HAS AMPLE, FREDERICK COUNTY IS A
to places to be physically active modern, universally designed community that takes care of
and by a built environment that recreation facilities and parks our people, especially those
promotes safe travel by walking for our residents. Our libraries who are experiencing crisis. Our
and bicycling. There is access for serve as platforms to maintain comprehensive social services
everyone to affordable health and grow cultural curiosity and system provides a safety net
care and health insurance, tolerance. for anyone in need - vulnerable
safe neighborhoods, a healthy children, seniors, adults, and
natural environment that reflects IN UNPRECEDENTED people with disabilities – and
the practice of environmental numbers, we are living longer helps them regain stability
justice, and efficient public with a level of energy and and recovery. Services are
transit. good health. The value of this coordinated and accessible with
emerging elder sector of our a client-centric focus.
HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND community is recognized as a
healthy responses to adverse positive resource. There is great POVERTY IMPACTS HEALTH
life events are promoted from value to communities in elders and we have minimized poverty
an early age. Environmental retelling their stories and their by learning new and better
hazards, including toxins, roles in history. New roles and ways of providing support to
pollutants and ambient applications are being created those who experience it. We
environmental stress, have for and by elders that match recognize that it is important
been identified, mitigated, or their abilities and interests for all residents to gain personal
eliminated. with the needs of businesses, and financial security and the
communities and entrepreneurs, increased dignity and confidence
OUR CHILDREN AND YOUTH both as volunteers and for pay. that it brings.
have quality opportunities and
experiences for their healthy BETTER, SYSTEMIC BARRIERS THAT HAVE LED TO
development. They have many innovations have emerged to poverty have been corrected
options for quality outreach make the last years comfortable or improved. Further, as a
programs, activities and and dignified. community, we have learned to
entertainment that are open and better recognize and minimize
available to them all. ACCESSIBLE AND SUITABLE precursors of poverty in order to
affordable housing, existing, prevent it in the first place.
WE FOSTER HEALTHY FOOD new, and rehabilitated,
retail environments that accommodates a variety of HOMELESSNESS IN OUR
encourage the purchase needs and allows elders to stay in communities is rare and brief,
and consumption of fruits, their homes and age in place. and the number of children
vegetables, water, and other born into poverty is decreasing
nutritious products in our schools with each generation. People
and our communities. take pride in being community
assets and are able to contribute
positively to their communities
and to society.
Trends and Driving Factors for Our Health
Compared to previous generations, we are much less active...

Nationally, compared to our parents and In the 20 years between 1995 and 2015, total screen
grandparents, we are spending more time sitting time has increased dramatically.
down, at work, home, and in our cars.
In 2010, the average daily amount of time spent
sitting and watching television was four hours.
SEDENTARY JOBS: +83%

In the 65 years between 1950 to 2015 the number In 2003, 60% of working adults primarily used a
of sedentary jobs in the US has risen by 83%. computer on the job and 90% of children used
computers in school.
In 1960, the percentage of the U.S. workforce that
had physically active jobs was 50%. Between 1989 and 2009, the number of households
with computer and Internet access rose from 15%
In 1970, 20% of workers had sedentary jobs while to 69%.
30% percent of workers had physically active jobs.
In 2000, 40% of workers had sedentary jobs while

20% percent of workers had physically active jobs.
50%
PH
YSIC
ALL
40%
RY JO B S
Y
NTA
ACT
SEDE In 2016, 40% of drivers had a commute longer than

IV
E JO
30 minutes and drive to work alone.

BS
30%
20%
10% Sedentary Behavior: Emerging Evidence for a New Health Risk, Neville Owen,
PhD, Phillip B. Sparling, EdD, Geneviève N. Healy, PhD, David W. Dunstan, PhD,
and Charles E. Matthews, PhD
0% Screen Time: Time spent using computers, watching television, playing video
games
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
Trends over 5 Decades in U.S. Occupation-Related Physical Activity and Their

Associations with Obesity, Timothy S. Church, Diana M. Thomas, Catrine
Tudor-Locke, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, Conrad P. Earnest, Ruben Q. Rodarte, Corby
K. Martin, Steven N. Blair, Claude Bouchard, Pennington Biomedical Research
Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United
States of America, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Montclair State
University, Montclair, New Jersey, United States of America, Arnold School of
Public Health, Departments of Exercise Science and Epidemiology/Biostatis-
tics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina United States of
America

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...and rates of being overweight or obese are increasing while our
communities are becoming less walkable.
OVERWEIGHT ADULTS: +5.8%

Between 2011 and 2014, the percentage of
Frederick adults who are overweight has increased
from 33.5% to 39.3%, or by 5.8%.
This is greater than the percentage who are

overweight in the State of Maryland as a whole.
OBESE ADULTS: +3.2%

Between 2011 and 2014, the percentage of
Frederick adults who are obese has increased from
25.5% to 28.7%, or by 3.2%.
NOT OVERWEIGHT: 9%
In the same time period, the percentage of
Frederick adults who are not overweight has
decreased from 41% to 32%, or by 9%.
Frederick County 2016 Community Health Assessment, Frederick Memorial

Hospital and Frederick County Health Department - Centers for Disease
Control Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Data, Question: Had any
leisure time physical activities such as running or walking for exercise during
the last 30 days
Prior to World War II, much of our non-rural

residential development in the County was
walkable. However, most land development
in Frederick county that was constructed after
World War II prioritized the car over other types of
transport.
PLACES ARE LESS WALKABLE

Today, the ratio of non-rural residential
development built after 1945 (auto-oriented) to
non-rural residential development built before 1945
(walkable) in the county is roughly 6 to 1.
Frederick County GIS analysis. Ratio of dwellings built prior to 1945 in existing
growth areas versus dwellings built after 1945 in existing growth areas.

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H owever, we’re starting to be more physically active, and we’re

supporting health with nature and local foods.
PH YSICAL ACTIVITY: +6.3% EXISTING TREE CANOPY: 43%
The percentage of residents in Frederick County The percentage of Frederick County land area that
who engage in regular exercise and physical activity is covered by existing tree canopy is 43%.
increased from 75.8% in 2011 to 82.1% in 2014, a
total percentage increase of 6.3%.
420.3 FOREST ACRES PER YEAR
+8% However, between 2001 and 2014, an average of
ACCESS TO EXERCISE: 420.3 acres per year of forest cover has been lost.
This represents a 5,464 acre loss in forest cover in
Access to exercise opportunities within Frederick
has increased. In 2014, the percentage of the the County since 2001, nearly a 4% reduction in
county population that lived near exercise forest lands over 13 years.
opportunities was 86%. This increased to 94% in
2014, Axis Geospatial LLC digitized from 2014 MD Statewide aerial photog-
2016. raphy.
2005, Infotech Enterprises of America digitized from 2005 aerial imagery.

County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, Bringing a Culture of Health,
Data collected from 6 inch ground resolution, true color orthophotography
County by County, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute in
captured between March 15, 2005 and April 9, 2005.
collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Burness. www.
countyhealthrankings.org
2001 digitzed generalized forested areas for planning purposes from Mary-
land DNR.
Measures the percentage of individuals in a county who live reasonably close
to a location for physical activity. Locations for physical activity are defined as
parks or recreational facilities. Parks include local, state, and national parks.
Recreational facilities include businesses identified by the following Standard
Industry Classification (SIC) codes and include a wide variety of facilities
including gyms, community centers, YMCAs, dance studios and pools.
42.5% IN AGRICULTURAL USE
In 2012, 42.5% of total county land was stated to be
in active farming use, equaling 181,512 acres.
FRESH, ORGANIC, AND LOCAL

In 2013 there were 11 farmers markets in the
county and 86 out of 1,442 farms sold goods locally.
22 farms are certified organic in Frederick as of
2017 and 21 farms are certified USDA organic in
Frederick as of 2017. 13 farms in 2017 sell through
Community Supported Agriculture.
USDA, U.S. Census of Agriculture, 2012. Maryland Food System Map, Johns
Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, 2014, www.mdfoodsystemmap,org

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We
In 2016, Frederick County residents were surveyed
struggle with a variety of barriers to our health...
(GW Survey) about barriers they experienced in

obtaining health care. BARRIER: COST
The barrier of cost varied based on age, with cost
PERCEIVED BARRIERS TO HEALTH CARE being a bigger barrier for those under the age of 64.
60
BARRIER: INCOME
% Who Agree/Strongly Agree
50
Interpreting services and transportation as a barrier

40
to access to health care varied based on income.

30
20
BARRIER: RACE
10
0
Awareness of health issues and available services,

Insurance Status
Cost of Obtaining
Prescriptions
Awareness of
Available Services
Employment
Challenges
Transportation
Child Care
Mistrust of Programs
or Services
Language Translation
Concerns
Culturally Competent
Programs
mistrust of services, and communication barriers

varied based on race.
The GW Survey showed that barriers to care differed

by age, income, race, educational attainment, and
BARRIER: EDUCATION
Transportation availability, employment, insurance
insurance status. status, awareness, and mistrust of services also
varied based on level of education.
Frederick County 2016 Community Health Assessment, Frederick County
Health Department
Frederick County 2016 Community Health Assessment, Frederick County
GW Survey: Frederick Memorial Hospital, Frederick County Health Depart- Health Department
ment, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health
(GW) to collect qualitative data in the form of in-person surveys and focus
groups conducted by GW from October 2015 to February 2016 focusing on
health priorities and barriers to access.
CHILD POVERTY 2010-2014 LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH 2005-2014
% in Poverty Years
17.6 - 52.3 % 74.5-78.1
7.5 - 17.5 % 78.2 - 79.7
3.2 - 7.4 % 79.8 - 81.1
0.0 - 3.1 % 81.2 - 87.5
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Indicators Project, Virginia

Commonwealth University Center on Society and Health, 10/26/2018

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...while the older segment of our population is growing...
The proportion of Frederick County’s population In terms of sheer numbers, by 2025, the total
that is older is growing larger, with the highest number of adults age 65+ is projected to exceed
projected increase occurring in the 85+ age group the total number of school-age children (ages 5-19)
in total number of people as well as in share of total in the county.
population.
2010-2045 SCHOOL AGE VS. AGES 65+ POPULATION
Ages 5-19
TOTAL ESTIMATED AND PROJECTED
75,674
74,916
Ages 65+
65
71,413
POPULATION BY AGE
64,389
2040 70
25,000 2015
53,738
66,574
60
50,293
49,953
64,159
48,471
Thousands of People
58,441
50
52,260
49,727
20,000 40
41,748
30
33,146
25,914
20
15,000 10
0
2010
2015
2020
2025
2030
2035
2040
2045
10,000
5,000 AGE 65 YEARS AND UP: 192%

Between 2010 and 2045, the 65+ age group is
+
projected to increase from 25,914 to 75,674. This is
0
an increase of 49,760 people or 192%.
0-4
5-9
5,571 10-14
4,584 15-19
4,184 20-24
3,308 25-29
2,902 30-34
6,213 35-39
8,803 40-44
5,284 45-49
893 50-54
-539 55-59
1,501 60-64
2,511 65-69
6,326 70-74
9,331 75-79
10,575 80-84
85+
Between 2010 and 2045, the share of the total

6,839
6,466
13,785
+ + + + + + + + + + + - + + + + + + population composed of residents aged 65+ is

projected to increase from 11.1% to 22%.
PERCENT OF TOTAL ESTIMATED AND PROJECTED
+
POPULATION BY AGE
2040
AGE 70 YEARS AND UP: 250%

8% 2015
7% Between 2010 and 2045, the 70+ age group is

6%
projected to increase from 17,541 to 61,554. This is
an increase of 44,013 people or 250%.
5%
Between 2010 and 2045, the share of the total
4% population composed of residents aged 70+is
projected to increase from 7.5% to 17.9%.
3%
+
2%
1% AGE 85 YEARS AND UP: 395%

Between 2010 and 2045 the total number of people
0%
in Frederick County in the 85 and over age group
0-4
5-9
-0.4% 10-14
-0.7% 15-19
-0.6% 20-24
-0.8% 25-29
-0.9% 30-34
0.1% 35-39
0.7% 40-44
-0.7% 45-49
-2.2% 50-54
-2.3% 55-59
-1.2% 60-64
-0.6% 65-69
1.0% 70-74
2.1% 75-79
2.6% 80-84
85+
will quadruple, going from 3,757 to 18,614.

0.3%
0.1%
3.4%
+ + - - - - - + + - - - - - + + + + Between 2010 and 2045, the share of the total

population composed of residents aged 85+ is
projected to increase from 2% to 5.4%.
2017 Total Population Projections for Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic

Black, Non-Hispanic Other and Hispanic by Age and Gender (January 2018),
Maryland State Data Center, https://planning.maryland.gov/MSDC/Docu-
ments/popproj/TotalPop-Race-Age-Gender.xlsx

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...and while mental health support and awareness is a growing concern.
Behavioral and mental health remains a significant
and growing problem in the county.
ANXIETY DEPRESSION STRESS: 1 IN 5

Approximately one in five George Washington
University (GW) survey respondents reported
having anxiety (19.9%), depression (18.8%), or stress
(17.2%).
MENTAL HEALTH IS AN ISSUE: 53%

Only 5% of respondents to the GW survey reported
+
suffering from mental illness. However, 53% of
respondents to the GW survey identified mental
MENTAL HEALTH VISITS: 0.7% health as an issue in the health of county residents
The rate of visits to the emergency department in general.
at Frederick Memorial Hospital (FMH) for mental
and behavioral health issues in 2010 was 3,725 per Frederick County 2016 Community Health Assessment, including George
Washington University (GW) Survey: The Frederick Memorial Hospital and
100,000 or 3.7%. In 2011 this rate increased to 4,422 Frederick County Health Department partnered with The George Washington
per 100,000 or 4.42% University Milken Institute School of Public Health to collect qualitative data
in the form of in-person surveys and focus groups. These were conducted by
The George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health
+2.1%
from October 2015 to February 2016 to survey a representative sample of
county residents to identify the health priorities of residents and the barriers
MENTAL H EALTH REPORTS: they encounter in accessing health care in the county.
In 2016, the share of Frederick County adults who

reported “not good” mental health for 8-29 days in
the past 30 days was 10%. This increased from 7.9%
in 2011.
The percent of adults suffering from an anxiety

disorder has remained consistent from 2012 at 14%
to 2014 at 14.1%. This is a higher percentage than
Maryland where 13.3% were reported in 2014.
DEPRESSION DIAGNOSIS:
Depression diagnoses have risen from 2012
+3.6%
(13.5%) to 2014 (17.1%), or by 3.6%. This is a higher
percentage than Maryland statewide where 15.9%
were reported in 2014.
AGES 18-39 SEEK MOST CARE

In 2016, the highest volume of patients seeking
care at FMH were between the ages of 18-39. This
accounted for 42% of all mental health visits.

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M ortality and chronic disease patterns are shifting...

H EART DISEASE AND CANCER: 60%
The leading cause of death in Frederick County 2012-2014 FREDERICK COUNTY MORTALITY RATES
PER 100,000 POPULATION
for 2012-2014 is heart disease. The second leading
Heart
166.5 Disease
Cancer
Stroke
CLRD
Accidents
In˜ uenza/Pneumonia
Septicemia
Suicide
Alzheimer's
Diabetes
cause of death in Frederick County for 2012-2014
is cancer. 60% of deaths in Maryland are caused by
heart disease and cancer.
151.3
36.1
35.8
23.6
18.1
13.8
13.5
10.4
10.2
2016 Frederick County Community Health Assessment, Frederick Memorial
Hospital and Frederick County Health Department
Frederick County continues to work toward the

Maryland State Health Improvement Process (MD
ARTHRITIS, GOUT, LUPUS, FIBROMYALGIA: 25% SHIP) 2017 Goals to:
The share of adults in Frederick County (25%) and Reduce heart disease mortality to 166.3 deaths
Maryland (26%) who were told by a doctor that per 100,000 and reduce cancer mortality to 147.4
they had arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, deaths per 100,000;
or fibromyalgia in 2014 was 1 in 4, or 25%.
and the Healthy People 2020 Goals to:
ASTHMA INCREASED 2.3%

Reduce cancer mortality to 161.4 deaths per
100,000 and reduce diabetes mortality to 66.6
The percentage of adults in 2014 who had asthma deaths per 100,000.
was higher in Frederick County than in MD and
increased from 7.5% in 2011 to 9.8% in 2014, a total Maryland SHIP: Maryland State Health Improvement Process, provides 39
measures in 5 areas to achieve positive health status in Maryland.
increase of 2.3%.
Healthy People 2020 of the federal Office of Disease Prevention and Health
COPD DECREASED 1.7%

Promotion provides science-based, 10-year national objectives for improving
the health of all Americans. Establishes benchmarks and monitored progress
over time.
The share of adults in Frederick County with chronic

obstructive pulmonary disorder has decreased from
2011 (7.1%) to 2014 (5.4%), which was slightly lower
than MD (5.7%).
DIABETES DIAGNOSIS DOWN 1.2%

The share of adults in Frederick County who were
diagnosed with diabetes fell from 9.4% in 2011 to
8.2% in 2014, which was less than in MD (10.2%).
This is a total decrease in Frederick of 1.2%.

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...and substance abuse is a growing problem in our county...

Substance abuse related visits to Frederick In 2016, prescription opioid-related deaths
Memorial Hospital in 2014 and 2015 are as follows: decreased from the peak of 21 deaths per 100,000
in 2011.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE ER VISITS:

The percentage increase in substance abuse visits
+17.6%
to Frederick Memorial Hospital (FMH) between
2014 and 2015 was 17.6%.
OPIOID RELATED: 20%

In 2015, 20% of substance abuse visits to the
Frederick Memorial Hospital Emergency Room were
+
opioid related. From 2014 to 2015, opioid abuse
visits to FMH increased 20%. THE HEROIN DEATH RATE TRIPLED
+13%
The overdose death rate for heroin more than
tripled from 3.5 deaths per 100,000 in 2007 to
ALCOH OL RELATED: 10.7 deaths per 100,000 in 2014, with the most
significant increases seen since 2012.
In 2015, 65% of substance abuse visits to the
Frederick Memorial Hospital Emergency Room were The overdose death rate for heroin in Frederick
alcohol related. From 2014 to 2015, alcohol abuse County is higher than in Maryland (9.7 per 100,000)
visits to FMH increased 13%. in 2014.
2015 SUBSTANCE ABUSE VISITS TO FMH BY AGE GROUP

All Other Ages: 5% ALCOH OL DEATH RATE DOUBLED
Ages 18-39: 10% Overdose death rate for alcohol doubled from
2.2 deaths per 100,000 in 2011 to 4.9 deaths
Ages 60-79: 41% per 100,000 in 2014. However, chronic drinking
decreased from 5.7% in 2001 to 4.2% in 2014, a
decline of 1.5%.
Drug- and Alcohol-Related Intoxication Deaths in Maryland, 2016, Annual

Ages 40-59: 44% Overdose Death Reports, Maryland Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene
Over half of patients seeking care at FMH for opioid

abuse are between 18-39 years old.
SMOKING DOWN BY 6.1%

The percentage of people who smoke in the county
has decreased from 17.2% in 2011 to 11.1% in 2014,
a total decrease of 6.1%.
2016 Frederick County Community Health Assessment, Frederick Memorial

Hospital and Frederick County Health Department

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...as substance abuse related deaths in Frederick County have risen.

HERION DEATHS OXYCODONE DEATHS COCAINE DEATHS
50 50 50
40 40 40
30 30 30
20 20 20
10 10 10
0 0 0
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
OPIOID DEATHS FENTANYL DEATHS BENZODIAZEPINE DEATHS
50 50 50
40 40 40
30 30 30
20 20 20
10 10 10
0 0 0
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016

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ALCOHOL DEATHS METHODONE DEATHS The trend lines for all of these
charts are sloping upward, some
50 50 more than others. This overall
upward slope indicates a rising
40 40 occurrence for a wide range of
substance abuse related deaths in
30 30
Frederick County and a pressing
need for intervention and support.
20 20
Drug- and Alcohol-Related Intoxication Deaths in
Maryland, 2016, Annual Overdose Death Reports,
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
10 10
0 0
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016

139
Making Our Health Vision a Reality
The Our Health theme supports the following State of Maryland Visions: Quality of Life and Sustainability, Public Participation Community Design,
Infrastructure, Transportation Environmental Protection, Resource Conservation, Stewardship, Implementation.
Category: Healthy Habitat

Goals in this category concern the interaction between the built environment
and public health, and the degree to which the habitat we build supports and
corresponds to our biological needs.
1) Multi modal accessibility development pa erns
Community Design 2) Interconnected street systems
3) Mixed use and higher density walkable communities
1) Park requirements for new development
c e laces Proximity 2) niversal design in parks
3) Zoning for all types of active uses
1) Informational health based signage
Contextual Cues
2) Public art promoting physical activity
1) Landscape planning
En ir nmental 2) Stormwater systems and passive parks
Green Space 3) Community gardens
reening 4) Landscaping requirements
5) Green infrastructure and parkland
Desirable Density
En ir nmental 1) utreach about pollution and toxic substances
npolluted Places 2) Review air quality regulations
C m rt 3) Going eyond Code incentives
Place achment
Goal: Active Places

Ensure that the physical design of all of our communities, new and old, facilitate
physical activity as an integral component of daily life for people of all ages.
Initiative: Community Design
Make physical activity more possible, convenient, and enjoyable by supporting the development of walkable,
mixed use, and accessible communities that emphasize non-motorized transportation.
1) Focus on development patterns that create multi-modal accessibility supportive environments composed of walking, biking,
transit, as well as driving.
2) Advance the development of street systems that are fully interconnected, where travel is not funneled onto a few main routes but
is rather distributed across a network of connections providing multiple options for reaching origins and destinations and spreading
the travel load across a wider geographical area.
3) Support the development of communities that are mixed use and higher density, where the distance between origins and
destinations is compressed, thus allowing access by means other than automobiles.
Initiative: Proximity
Increase the percentage of individuals in the county who live close to a location for physical activity, such as
parks, hiking and biking trails, health clubs, fitness centers, and recreational centers.
1) Create local active park requirements and standards for new development.
2) Ensure that all parks are accessible to people of all age groups and ability levels.
3) Review the Zoning Ordinance to accommodate for all types of uses that can provide for physical activities such as health clubs,
dance studios, tennis clubs, fitness or recreational centers, and civic community centers.

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Initiative: Contextual Cues

Support place-based strategies that influence people’s choice to be physically active.
1) Support the installation of informational signage at strategic locations, such as stairwells or in parking lots, which describe the
health benefits of physically active choices.
2) Support the use of interactive art installations in any media sited in community places that are open to the public that promote
physically active choices in strategic locations.
Goal: Environmental Greening

Evaluate and increase the opportunity if necessary t�� t from the positive health
outcomes tied to exposure to nature by ensuring that all communities provide plentiful
green space.
Initiative: Green Space
Increase the number of parks and other green environments throughout the developed areas of the county.
1) Provide and maximize native species natural landscaping and planting within street rights-of-way at commercial and residential
development and within public and private open space as a part of community specific and corridor specific planning in the county.
2) Combine accessible passive green space with stormwater management and natural resource areas in new and existing
developments in the county.
3) Increase the development of community gardens within new and existing communities to increase access to green environments.
4) Reform landscaping requirements through the development of a unified development code or form-based codes to support a
wider range of development contexts and to support site-specific recommendations made in community and corridor plans.
5) Support the preservation and development of green infrastructure as part of a larger countywide effort for natural resource
protection and increased parkland.
Goal: Environmental Comfort

Ensure that ambient environmental stressors that adversely impact health and well-
being are reduced or eliminated.
Initiative: Desirable Density
Create and implement density-based design standards to ensure that higher density development maintains
healthy livability.
Initiative: Unpolluted Places

Mitigate and reduce exposure to all forms of pollution and toxic environmental substances impacting health.
1) Pursue the development of outreach and public education programs to inform property owners and citizens about potential
environmental hazards and ways to reduce hazard exposure.
2) Review and update Frederick County Codes that regulate air pollution, such as Chapter 1-3: Air Quality Control.
3) Consider and expand “Going Beyond Code” incentives to create effective green building programs for energy efficient and
sustainable communities.

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Initiative: Place Attachment

Acknowledge and pursue a greater understanding of the role that the physical environment plays in supporting
“place attachment.”
Category: Healthy Choices

Goals in this category concern the degree to which the factors and
ingredients needed to improve and support health are available to people,
making the healthy choice the easy choice.
Community Gardens
1) Provision of local foods in schools
nowledge and wareness 2) Promotion of healthy foods in schools
3) utrition education and hunger relief
1) New grocery stores
2) Farmers markets
Food vailability 3) Mobile markets
tri n 4) Fruit and vegetable gleaning
5) Mapping food deserts
1) Local food hubs
2) Local food co ops and buying clubs
3) Community supported agriculture
lternative Markets
4) Farmer s markets
5) Fresh food diversion
6) Farm to school initiatives
1) dequate recreational facilities
Group Fitness
2) Recreational sports leagues
1) Multi component workplace supports
ctive Transport Support
2) Walking school buses
c e i estyles 1) ctive classrooms
2) Goal of 60 minutes of activity per day
ctive Children
3) Screen time interventions
4) ctive learning in county parks
Goal: Good Nutrition

Facilit�� cial physical and mental health outcomes of eating healthy foods by
ensuring that healthy food choices are widely available, accessible, and affordable to all
citizens.
Initiative: Community Gardens
Promote the development of community gardens within new and existing communities to increase access to
fresh and nutritious food choices.
Initiative: Knowledge and Awareness

Support the awareness of nutrition and the availability of healthy food choices.
1) Support the incorporation of locally grown or prepared foods into school meals and snacks, and combine with visits from food
producers, cooking classes, nutrition and waste-reduction efforts, and school gardens.
2) Support efforts to modify lunch food environments to prominently display, market, and increase the convenience of healthy foods
and provide healthy options.
3) Collaborate with local hunger relief organizations and agencies to ensure the connection of hunger relief efforts with nutrition
information.

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Initiative: Food Availability

Eliminate food deserts in the county by pursuing strategies to provide more widespread availability and
affordability of fresh and healthy food choices.
1) Support the provision of new grocery stores in under-served areas by ensuring that appropriate zoning exists to serve these uses.
2) Work with our economic development and agricultural partners to support the widespread provision and expansion of farmers’
markets where producers sell goods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy items, and prepared foods directly to consumers.
3) Support mobile markets and fresh food carts or vehicles that travel to neighborhoods on a set schedule to sell fresh fruits and
vegetables and that accept a variety of payment methods.
4) Institute cooperative programs to support fruit and vegetable gleaning where food is left in fields after a primary harvest,
where secondary harvesting is not profitable, and where excess produce from orchards, packing houses, or agriculture sites can be
economically distributed.
5) Implement a mapping effort to identify food deserts in the county.
Initiative: Alternative Markets

Support secondary and localized agricultural markets for fresh food.
1) Support the development of local “food hub” businesses or organizations that aggregate, distribute, and market local food
products.
2) Support the development of food buying clubs and co-ops that offer opportunities for group purchase and distribution of grocery
items at reduced prices.
3) Expand community supported agriculture partnerships between farmers and consumers in which consumers purchase a share of a
farm’s products in advance of harvest.
4) Support the provision of farmers markets throughout the county.
5) Explore opportunities to partner with local grocery stores and restaurants to make unused or unsold fresh food available.
6) Increase market diversification and long-term revenue stream opportunities for local farmers by fostering positive relationships
with local private and public schools’ food and nutrition programs through the Frederick Farm to School initiatives.
Goal: Active Lifestyles

Increase the opportunity for physical activity through supportive programs and strategic
interventions.
Initiative: Group Fitness
Support organized efforts to promote fitness among all segments of the population.
1) Ensure adequate recreational lands and locations to support fitness programs for all ages that can be offered in a variety of
community settings including schools, community centers, parks, and senior centers.
2) Ensure adequate recreational space to support sports leagues that provide opportunities for adults of all ages to play at beginner,
intermediate and competitive levels in a variety of sports to encourage participation regardless of skill.

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Initiative: Active Transport Support

Support programs that promote and encourage safe and convenient active transportation.
1) Promote the provision of multi-component workplace health that supports active commuting.
2) Encourage the creation of “walking school buses” or other options to promote the reduction of childhood obesity and reduce the
amount of driving needed for school transport.
Initiative: Active Children

Encourage strategies that support increased physical activity in children.
1) Support physically active classrooms that incorporate physical activity breaks, classroom energizers, or moving activities into
academic lessons and that can be implemented within an existing curriculum at all public and private schools in the county.
2) Support a goal of physical activity a day in all settings, such as a 60 minute period.
3) Explore possible screen time interventions for children that encourage them to spend time away from TV and other screen media.
4) Explore opportunities to leverage everyday experiences at county parks and natural areas as learning opportunities.
Category: Safety and Protection

Goals in this category concern the degree to which we are free from the
short-term and life-long consequences of intentional and unintentional
bodily and emotional harm caused by people to themselves and to others.
Domestic Safety
n ry re en n Highway Safety
i lence Sexual iolence Prevention
re en n Comprehensive iolence Prevention
Childhood Experiences
Domestic Support
En ing se Dependent Support
Preventing ullying
Stopping Human Tra cking
Goal: Injury Prevention

Establish prevention strategies that minimize the risk of injury from accidents in homes
and communities and that maximize protection from harm.
Initiative: Domestic Safety
Help prevent the occurrence of domestic, occupational, and recreational accidents that result in injury.
Initiative: Highway Safety

Adopt the “vision zero” and/or “towards zero deaths” goals for highway safety and support the creation of a local
strategic highway safety plan in cooperation with the Maryland Highway Safety Office.

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Goal: Violence Prevention

End the occurrence of assault in all forms in our community and provide support to those
affected by assault.
Initiative: Sexual Violence Prevention
Promote evidence-based sexual assault prevention strategies to stop sexual violence before it occurs, short-
term interventions that provide immediate, effective response to protect survivors, and access to resources that
support healing.
Initiative: Comprehensive Violence Prevention

Promote comprehensive violence prevention and personal safety strategies within families and communities that
emphasize education and outreach, community cooperation and integration, safety-supportive environmental
design, and community-based law enforcement.
Goal: Ending Abuse

End the occurrence of abuse in all forms in our community and provide support,
protection, and refuge to those in situations exposed to violence.
Initiative: Childhood Experiences
Support the developmental health of Frederick County citizens across the lifespan through targeted prevention of
the types of adverse childhood experiences that impact brain development and function.
Initiative: Domestic Support

In order to attempt to stop intimate partner abuse before it begins, support outreach strategies that promote
healthy behaviors in relationships, and support comprehensive services for victims of abuse.
Initiative: Dependent Support

Support programs and organizations that target the prevention of abuse of children, seniors, and individuals with
disabilities.
Initiative: Preventing Bullying

Prevent bullying in schools by employing evidence-based, comprehensive strategies that promote a culture of
safety, inclusion, and respect between and for all members of the school community.
Initiative: Stopping Human Tr��

cking
Eliminate forms of violence against all women and children in the public and private spheres, including trafficking
and sexual and other types of exploitation.

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Category: Support
Goals in this category concern the level of instrumental, informational, and
emotional support that is available to those in need.
e a i ral Suicide Prevention

Ending Substance buse
ealt Arts ased Programs
1) dministrative hub
2) nline portal
ccessing E ciency and Synergy
3) Geographic hubs
er ices 4) Mobility coordination
niversal Design
Health Care Opportunity 1) Health enterprise zones
eni rs Elder Contributions
Mentorship
r C il ren Child Care
School Readiness
Social Inclusion
cial n s eighborhoods and Place
1) Design of places
2) Places for teens
Goal: Behavioral Health

Provide a strong mental health and addiction safety net in Frederick County that focuses
on prevention and intervention strategies, support services, and the empowerment
of individuals, families, and communities to help end the occurrence of suicide and
substance abuse.
Initiative: Suicide Prevention
Support programs and organizations that target the prevention of suicide by reducing factors that increase risk
and increasing factors that promote resilience and that provide support for individuals, families and communities
impacted by loss.
Initiative: Ending Substance Abuse

Support effective strategies for the prevention of substance abuse through evidence-based early intervention
approaches and treatment and recovery programs.
Initiative: Arts-Based Programs

Reinforce the connection between art, healing, and public health by supporting organizations that employ art
based therapy for mental health intervention.
Goal: Accessing Services

Ensure that services are accessible to all members of the community in need.
Initiative: ��
ciency and Synergy
Enhance the efficiency and synergy of service delivery through the centralization and coordination of services and
through the identification of opportunities that maximize the access to and availability of resources.
1) Improve service coordination to individuals at highest risk for poor health outcomes through implementation of an administrative
community hub model of service delivery.

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2) Develop a virtual presence for the coordination of social services.

3) Provide geographically concentrated service hubs that are collocated with public buildings as a means to provide more convenient
access to service centers throughout the county.
4) Pursue the implementation of mobility management and coordination services for the transportation needs of seniors and people
with special health care needs.
Initiative: Universal Design

Support the development of barrier free and universal design retrofit where needed in homes, public buildings,
and public spaces.
Initiative: Health Care Opportunity

Address barriers to care, including the barriers of language and communication, as well as barriers of belief and
perceptions by increasing the understanding of how belief and culture affect perceptions of health and illness.
1) Pursue the application of Health Enterprise Zones in eligible areas of the county.
Goal: Seniors
R��ne aging in Frederick County as the beginning of a new stage of life where
seniors play positive and meaningful roles in society while their health and well-being is
supported and sustained through accessible and affordable services.
Initiative: Elder Contributions
Develop senior contribution programs that take advantage of the skills and experience of our seniors.
Goal: Our Children

Improve the lives of all children by ensuring that no child is prevented from achieving
�� lling their potential, or taking part in their community.
Initiative: Mentorship
Support mentorship programs that unite role models of our community with at-risk youth to provide
encouragement, and support.
Initiative: Child Care

Support efforts to make high quality child care geographically and financially available to all children in the
county.
Initiative: School Readiness

Support school readiness for all children in the county such that all children are ready for school, families are
ready to support their children’s learning, and schools are ready for children.

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Initiative: After-School Programs

Support after-school and out-of-school community programs for all children regardless of economic level that
boost academic performance, reduce risky behavior, promote physical health, and provide safe, structured
environments for children of working parents.
Goal: Social Bonds

Explore ways to promote the creation and maintenance of strong social bonds, starting
from a young age, t�� ts of increased life expectancy through reduced
health risks throughout a person’s life.
Initiative: Social Inclusion
Support interventions and delivery of services that identify and target social isolation in seniors, teens,
individuals with disabilities, and other segments of the community.
Initiative: Neighborhoods and Place

Explore ways to enhance and design the physical environment as a means of fostering commitment to
neighborhoods and supporting the significant influence of the immediate locality on people’s well-being.
1) Create places that are compact, mixed use, and walkable that afford social interaction and support safety and human comfort.
2) Focus efforts to create a social and recreational infrastructure geared toward teens through the provision of such amenities as
pocket parks, public informal gathering spaces, and public broadband access.

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149
FREDERICK COUNTY
continues to be a great place to
live, work and raise a family. It is
A Vision for
a place where creativity meets
innovation, where educated
workers find employment
opportunities in world-class
Our Economy
bioscience and advanced
technology sectors, and where
manufacturing and agriculture
traditions blend our rich heritage
with our cultural amenities.
OUR QUALITY OF LIFE ASSETS

make Frederick County a very
desirable place for business and
industries to grow and thrive.
Businesses provide worthwhile
goods and services, while
valuing and compensating their
workers. Full time work provides
sufficient compensation and
benefits to cover the cost of living
here. The county maintains
a business-ready climate,
adapting to changing economic
conditions and maximizing
opportunities, by using data-
driven strategies to diversify our
existing enterprises and be an
incubator and accelerator for
new ones.
OUR SMALL BUSINESSES

bring innovation to the
community and help stimulate
our economic growth by
providing employment
opportunities and attracting the
talent to invent new products
or implement new solutions
for existing ideas. Our larger
businesses also often benefit
from our small businesses with competitive salaries. public eating habits and
through local outsourcing Schools support active living market opportunities. Many
and synergy. and are a hub for community of the agricultural products
activities with easy access for consumed by county
FREDERICK COUNTY IS A sports, the arts and meeting residents are locally grown.
desirable place to work and space.
everyone who needs and THE COUNTY SEAT, THE CITY
wants to work in Frederick COLLEGES, APPRENTICE of Frederick, is a historic jewel
County can find meaningful programs, and other with a downtown that is
employment opportunities educational institutions economically, culturally, and
and sustain a high quality are graduating students socially vibrant. Downtown
of life. Our economy is to be innovative and is home to dozens of thriving
shaped and sustained by the entrepreneurial to prepare restaurants and stores.
talent and enterprise of our them for the kinds of Carroll Creek Park is a
residents. employment opportunities mixed-use attractive center
found in Frederick County and for cultural affairs, dining,
FREDERICK COUNTY’S beyond. Ample opportunities shopping, and recreation
schools set benchmarks exist for employees to retrain for citizens and tourists. Our
for learning, discovery, and or refresh job skills to adapt to towns and village centers
innovation and are designed changing employment needs. retain their uniqueness and
to provide a pipeline of future Businesses locate in the are centers of economic
workers in Frederick County. county because of the quality and cultural activities. New
The quality of the first years of of our workforce. construction blends in with
life has a profound influence the old. Frederick’s historic
on whether a person will FREDERICK COUNTY architecture, public art, rural
thrive as an adult. The county maintains its strong heritage, natural amenities,
has a strong role in preparing agricultural history, and quaint uniqueness are
children for their future as Maryland’s largest preserved.
development. Schools are agricultural County, with
diverse environments that the most number of farms THE VIBRANT AND
respect and enable teachers, and farmland acres. expanding arts community
enhance children’s lives, and Agriculture is important to in Frederick County plays
provide adequate space and our economy and quality of a vital role in supporting a
small class sizes with a focus life, and we have ensured creative diverse population
on quality learning. Students our agricultural future with that fosters the development
have access to a wide range more than 150,000 acres and integration of new ideas,
of high-quality educational of farmland in permanent while maintaining a strong
programming, from birth preservation. We continue connection to our heritage
through adulthood. County to have profitable diversified and history. The arts are a key
schools attract and retain farms that have benefitted driving sector of Frederick’s
highly-qualified teachers from changes in soil science, economic success.
Trends and Driving Factors for Our Economy
Our regional workforce and economy is strong...

Frederick County is part of both the Washington
D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan regions, and its
economy is closely tied to these regional centers.
The county is a member of the Metropolitan
Washington Council of Governments.
Frederick Harford
Carroll County
County County
Baltimore
County
Frederick City
Baltimore
City
6TH IN TH E U.S.
Howard
Montgomery County
County
Loudoun
County Anne Arundel In 2014, the U.S. rank of the size of the metropolitan
County economy and the strength of the gross regional
product of the Washington D.C. region is 6th.
Fairfax
7TH IN TH E U.S.
County
D.C.
Arlington
Prince
Alexandria George’s
County
In 2014, the Washington D.C. region was ranked
Prince William
seventh in the U.S. for business, financial,
County professional, and local services.
Charles
County
Baltimore
Metropolitan Council JOBS PER CAPITA: .6
The Washington D.C. Region has about 5,300,000
Metropolitan Washington
Council of Governments people and an employment base of about
3,200,000 jobs. This is a regional jobs per capita rate
of .6.
BACH ELOR'S DEGREE: 50%

The D.C. region is among the top markets for
millennials and has one of the highest rates of
educational attainment in the U.S. The percentage
of the 2016 regional population with a bachelor’s
degree or higher is approximately 50%. The
national average is 30%.
2016 State of the Region: Economic Competitiveness Report, MWCOG
Our metropolitan region as defined by MWCOG Member Jurisdictions.

MWCOG represents 22 local governments in the multi-state metropolitan
Washington region.

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...and jobs and businesses are growing.
100,000 JOBS
Between 2015 and 2016, 1,636 jobs were added
to the Frederick County economy in high growth
industries.
In 2017, Frederick County contained over a
quarterly average of 102,604 jobs. Between 2011 JOBS FROM HIGH GROWTH INDUSTRIES 2015 - 2016
and 2017, the quarterly average increased by 12%,
from 91,420 to 102,604. 12 26
80
NUMBER OF BUSINESSES: +4.5% 726

277
The total number of businesses in Frederick County
in 2016 was 6,440. From 2012-2016, this is an
increase of 4.5%.
515
FREDERICK COUNTY JOB GROWTH
100,428
99,281 Leisure and Hospitality Financial Services
Education and Health Services Manufacturing
Construction Trade, Transportation, Utilities
95,979 96,092 Frederick County Office of Economic Development 2016 Annual Report, Mary-
land Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, 2nd Quarter Data
Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, Total Employ-

93,472 ment - Fourth Quarter 2017 - Employment and Wages by County - Maryland’s
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) - OWIP
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS: +2%

In 2011, 79% of all jobs in the county were in the
private sector. In 2016, this percentage rose to 81%.
PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES: +5%

The total number of businesses rose from 6,071 in
the year 2011to 6,369 in the year 2015, an increase
of 5%. In 2016, 91 jobs were created by small
business and 17 small businesses were started.
The average unemployment rate in Frederick

County in 2016 was 3.8%.

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Our economy is diverse...

The most common job groups, by number The occupational classification reflects the type of
of people living in Frederick County, MD, are job or work that the person does, while the industry
Management, Business, Science, & Arts, Sales & classification reflects the business activity of their
Office, and Service. Below is the share breakdown employer or company.
of the primary jobs held by residents of Frederick
County, MD. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5 year estimate, 2015, via
DATA USA
The most common industries in Frederick County,
MD by number of employees are Professional,
Scientific, Tech Services; Healthcare & Social
Assistance; and Educational Services. To the right
is the breakdown of employment by industry in
Frederick County.
FREDERICK COUNTY 2015 EMPLOYMENT BY OCCUPATION
Management Education, Administrative Sales Food Personal

Training, and Care and
and Library Serving Service
6.9% 4.8% 3.3%

Arts and Education, Training,
Healthcare Support
12.7% Recreation and Library
Business and Financial
Legal
2.4% 3%
Community Law Enforcement Fire Fighting
and Social Service Supervisors Supervisors
6.3% 1.7% 1%
Computer and 13.3% 9.6% 1.5% 1% 1.7%
and Social Science
Life, Physical,
Health
and Engineering
Architecture
Mathematical Practitioners
Material Moving
Construction Installation, Production
and Extraction Maintenance,
and Repair 2.9%
3.7%
Health Transportation
Technicians 3.6%
5.4% 2.3% 2.2% 1.6% 4.8% .5% 2.6% 1.3%
Farming, Fishing,
Management, Business, and Forestry
Service
Science, and Arts
Production and
Sales and O˜c e
Transportation
Natural Resources,
Construction, and Maintenance

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The largest share of firm 2012 FREDERICK COUNTY FIRM OWNERSHIP

ownership in Frederick County 2,124
in 2012 is by non-minority, non- 3,606
11%
veteran men. However, the share 7,203 18%
of firm ownership between men 39%
11,432
and women in the county is 61%
16,623 17,875
slightly more balanced than for 82% 89%
minorities or veterans.
Men-owned ÿrms Minority-owned ÿrms Veteran-owned ÿrms
Frederick County Office of Economic Development
Women-owned ÿrms Nonminority-owned ÿrms Nonveteran-owned ÿrms
2016 Annual Report
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5

year estimate, 2015, via DATA USA
2015 FREDERICK COUNTY EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY

Professional Health care Educational
scientiÿc, and and social services
technical services assistance 13,658
15,402 14,616 11%
12% 11%
Retail trade Public Construction

12,841 administration 10,245
10% 11,728 8%
9%
Accommodation and food services Other services, except public administration Admin. and support and
7,727 6,215 waste mngmnt. services
6% 5% 5,226
4%
Manufacturing
7,616 Information Wholesale trade Arts, ent., & rec.
6% 3,227 2,533 2,225
3% 2% 2%
Finance and insurance Transp. and warehousing Real estate, rental &
6,585 2,941 leasing
5% 2% 2,003 2%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 170 <1%

Management of companies and enterprises 98 <1%
Utilities 697 1%
Agriculture, forestry, ÿshing and hunting 1,352 1%

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...and industries are growing, while old industries are active.
2016 CRAFT BEVERAGE COMPANIES IN FREDERICK
The craft beverage industry has

added 6 new businesses in 2016
In 2016, there were 35 craft

Breweries Wineries Distillaries
beverage companies in Frederick.
New in 2016 Frederick County Office of Economic Development

2016 Annual Report
The average office rental rate in 2016 was $21.39
CAPITAL: $77,000,000 per square foot. This is 5% lower than the 2011
office rental rate, but 2% higher than in 2014.
In 2016, the total capital investment in commercial
and industrial building in the county was
$77,000,000.
CONSTRUCTION: $162,000,000 Average flex rental rates in 2016 were $10.61 per
square foot, which was 7% higher than in 2011.
In 2016, construction spending for commercial and
industrial projects was almost $162,000,000.
A total of 988 commercial and industrial permits for

construction were issued in 2016.
Average retail rates in 2016 were $18.36 per square
COMMERCIAL VACANCY: -9% foot, which is 4% higher than in 2011.
Commercial vacancy rates have declined from

approximately 15% in 2012 to a 2016 rate of
approximately 9%.
Frederick County Office of Economic Development 2016 Annual Report

Frederick County Office of Economic Development 2016 Annual Report
Frederick County Maryland Rating Agency Presentation, May 2016

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We continue to support our vital farming community...
PRESERVED ACRES: 55,000

As of September 2016, the total number of
farmland acres preserved in the county was over
FUTURE FARMERS
Established in 1928 as the Future Farmers
55,000. The total of 20,000 acres in Frederick County of America, FFA is an intercurricular student
are preserved through the Maryland Agricultural organization for those interested in agriculture and
Land Preservation Fund (MALPF). leadership and is one of the three components of
an agricultural education that include:
In 2007, 250 acres of agricultural land in Frederick
County were converted to non-agricultural use. In CLASSROOM/LABORATORY INSTRUCTION
2015, 500 acres of agricultural land was converted
to non-agricultural use. SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE
STUDENT LEADERSH IP ORGANIZATIONS
(National FFA Organization, National Young
RURAL LEGACY GRANT MONEY: 2ND Farmer Educational Association and National Post-
In 2018, Frederick County ranked second in the secondary Agricultural Student Organization).
State of Maryland for total grant money awarded Students are prepared for careers in the production
since the start of the Rural Legacy Program in the of food and fiber, as well as in managing the natural
county's Mid-Maryland Rural Legacy Area. resources systems that support farming. Members
are future chemists, veterinarians, government
officials, entrepreneurs, bankers, international
MALPF PRESERVATION: 5TH business leaders, teachers and premier
professionals in many career fields. FFA programs
As of 2018, Frederick County ranks fifth in the State
of Maryland for total preserved acreage and total provide students with opportunities for leadership
amount of expenditures in the MALPF program. development, personal growth and career success.
Funding levels (budgeted) for agricultural Maryland maintains a high participation rate in FFA
preservation in the county in 2016 were between with over 3,000 students, in 47 Chapters, statewide.
$6 to 7-million dollars. County funding was the Within the state program, Frederick County
highest in 2008 at $12,000,000. accounts for 10 of these chapters – operating at 9
of the County’s high schools and at the Career and
Between 2006 and 2016, the highest expenditure Technology Center (CTC) - with Frederick County
(amount spent) for agricultural preservation was FFA members occupying 4 of the 6 current student
$11,000,000 in 2010. The lowest expenditure was in governing officer positions (2019).
2013 for just under $3,000,000.
Department of Planning and Zoning, Agricultural Preservation
HISTORIC AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION FUNDING AND EXPENDITURES

COUNTY FUNDING EXPENDITURES
Highest
$12M
Highest
$10M
$8M
$6M
$4M
Lowest
$2M
$0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016

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...as agricultural production in the county is evolving.
As of 2017, there were over 1,300 farms in Frederick
County. This is an increase from 1,273 farms in 2002
but a decrease from the 1,442 farms in 2007.
The market value of farmland per acre declined

from $8,344 per acre to $7,595 per acre between
2007 and 2012.
Barley, grain corn, sorghum, and soybean

TOTAL SALES PER FARM: +31% production are increasing. Rye, wheat, winter wheat
production, and hay are declining.
From 2007 to 2012, average total sales per farm
increased from $88,095 to $115,030, an increase of
31%.
In Maryland, Frederick County is 1st in the number
of certified organic farms, 2nd in acres of certified
PRODUCTION EXPENSE: +26% organic farmland, and 2nd in gross sales statewide.
From 2007 to 2012, average total production
expenses per farm increased from $81,194 to
$102,013, an increase of 26%. Frederick County is the 1st in Maryland for the
number of honey bee colonies and the pounds of
TOTAL CROPLAND: -12%

honey collected.
From 2007-2012 total reported cropland fell from

143,661 to 127,130 acres, a decrease of 12% and the
number of crop farms fell by 207 farms.
GRAZING MANAGEMENT: 2ND

Frederick County is second in Maryland in the
number of grazers implementing rotational or
management intensive grazing systems.
The number of dairy farms and the overall number

of cows has decreased in the last ten years. Beef
AVERAGE FARM SIZE: -10%
Between the years of 2002 and 2012, the average
cattle farming has remained stable over the last farm size decreased from 154 acres to 139 acres,
decade. or by almost 10%. Smaller farms between 1 and 9
acres in size grew from 111 in 2002 to 171 in 2012,
or an increase of 54%.
2012 -2002 Census of Agriculture

Department of Planning and Zoning, Agricultural Preservation
Maryland Grown III, 2015, Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future

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Making Our Economy Vision a Reality
The Our Economy theme supports the following State Visions: Quality of Life and Sustainability, Public Participation, Growth Areas, Infrastructure,
Transportation, Economic Development, Resource Conservation, Stewardship, Implementation
Category: Strengths and Assets

Goals in this category involve maximizing the County’s strategic advantages,
infrastructure, and quality of life assets to attract and retain businesses,
foster job creation, and ensure a skilled and educated workforce in Frederick
County.
1) Innovation ecosystem
Culture of Innovation 2) Responsiveness to change
3) Diversi ed support for entrepreneurship
1) Fast track business development
2) Regular regulatory review cycle
Regulatory Environment
3) Commercial and industrial uses regulatory review cycle
4) Regulatory process assistance for business
r siness 1) Communication between sectors
2) Reciprocity to eliminate redundancy
Climate Partnerships
3) Technical assistance for business
4) Mentorships apprenticeships and internships
1) Data analysis tools to target growth
Data Driven Decision Making
2) nline tool for business growth
1) Diversi ed industries
2) Marketing county advantages as amenities
daptability
3) Fiscal policy to encourage new investment
4) Trends and market research
1) dequacy of resources for new development
Housing
2) Diversi ed housing options near obs
1) Centralized facilities and multi modal accessibility
2) Strategic land acquisitions for schools
3) Pro ection methodology
ality ie 4) Community and corridors process for site identi cation
Educational Facilities 5) Development based funding
6) Supportive land development regulations
7) Coordination of long term infrastructure planning
8) Educational public private partnerships
9) Colocation of public facilities
1) Development readiness assessment
usiness Location 2) In ll development and redevelopment
3) Regulatory flexibility
1) Master transportation plan
2) Passenger rail service
3) Multi modal accessibility as competitive edge
4) on motorized transportation plan
Multi Modal Transportation 5) Educational transportation component
n rastr ct re 6) Structural changes in transportation
7) n demand transport ride hailing and autonomous vehicles
8) Electric vehicle charging infrastructure
9) Expansion of freight infrastructure
1) Publicly owned broadband networks
2) Strategic options for expansion of broadband networks uses
Information Infrastructure 3) Strategic options for expansion of broadband networks locations
4) Public private partnerships for information infrastructure
5) Encourage private investment
Goal: Pro-Business Climate

Attract, retain, and grow opportunities to create a business climate in Frederick County
that is attractive t�� tive of the many diverse groups of people, with
diverse expertise and experiences, who wish to live and work in Frederick County.

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Initiative: Culture of Innovation

Create a culture of innovation among county and municipal offices of economic development, tourism, and other
partner organizations to promoting Frederick County as a great place to live and work.
1) Employ strategies that will enable Frederick County to be an Innovation Ecosystem – a place where the economic, environmental,
technological, political, and inter-organizational systems integrate to foster a climate for sustained economic growth.
2) Continuously work to realign the county’s resources, in order to be responsive to changing internal and external forces and
conditions, to keep Frederick County on the cutting edge of technology and innovation.
3) Develop a diversified approach to support small businesses, start-ups, entrepreneurship, and where appropriate, home based
businesses, through the continuation of direct investment to protect and sustain the county’s cultural, environmental, and historic
amenities, business culture, and other critical assets that support and attract diverse business opportunities.
Initiative: Regulatory Environment

Evaluate existing regulations and review processes to identify and mitigate any barriers to business operations
and to facilitate business growth while ensuring the protection of public health, safety, welfare, and the
environment.
1) Support existing strategies, and develop new strategies where appropriate, to fast-track the development review and permitting
process to ensure a streamlined process.
2) Establish a regular cycle of review of development-related ordinances and processes with the aim of ensuring an efficient,
transparent and predictable process.
3) Conduct a regular review of the types of commercial or industrial uses permitted under current zoning to ensure the zoning is
adequately flexible to attract and accommodate emerging industries and businesses.
4) Develop a process to assist businesses with navigating and meeting the regulations and requirements of state and local regulatory
agencies, such as the Frederick County Health Department, the Frederick County Liquor Board, and others.
Initiative: Partnerships
Foster relationships and formal partnership agreements with and between non-profit agencies, businesses,
governments, educational institutions and others to maximize resources and take advantage of shared-
investments between public and private stakeholders in the economic vitality of Frederick County.
1) Encourage regular and sustained communication between public, private, and non-profit stakeholders and Frederick County
Government.
2) Work with state and municipal leaders to develop an information sharing and reciprocity system to assist with eliminating
repetition and redundancy in the process of setting goals, maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements, and advancing the
economic interests of Frederick County.
3) Provide technical assistance and guidance that is supportive of business startups, commercialization enterprises, incubator
programs, and accelerators in partnership between county agencies, economic development partners or partner organizations, and
local educational facilities - such as ROOT - and work to expand those opportunities and resources in other areas of Frederick County.
4) Foster a supportive environment to expand or develop mentor, internship, apprenticeship, and other types of partnerships between
the County’s educational institutions and the local business community.
Initiative: Data-Driven Decision-Making

Support the inclusion of data-driven decision-making into all aspects of economic development, when
appropriate.

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1) Utilize data-analysis tools, such as the Growth Opportunities (GO) Strategy, to identify and target specific areas that Frederick
County should grow, develop, or better align strategies and programs to maximize our economic advantages and assets.
2) Develop an online tool to facilitate new business growth in coordination with land planning.
Initiative: Adaptability
Utilize strategies that will assist the county with adapting to changes in employment opportunities or workforce
demographics to keep pace with an ever-changing business landscape, to attract new and developing industries,
and strengthen the county’s ability to respond to economic change and uncertain economic futures.
1) Support the ability of our local economy to easily rebound and adapt to changing economic conditions by encouraging and
supporting a diversity of industries in Frederick County.
2) Identify, analyze and actively promote the advantages for business investment or expansion opportunities in Frederick County, and
market those advantages as amenities to encourage additional business opportunities.
3) Explore fiscal policy options, such as the use of business tax credits, to provide incentives for investment, growth, and development
in strategically identified non-residential areas of the county to attract new businesses.
4) Employ robust market research to determine the needs of businesses within the county, as well as those of businesses that the
county seeks to attract, in order to stay current with trends and changes in the business climate.
Goal: Quality of Life

Ensure that quality of life assets that are important to residents, businesses, and
visitors, especially those that assist Frederick County with attracting and retaining a
high-quality workforce, are maintained for the future to ensure our sense of place.
Initiative: Housing
Ensure that housing options are available and accessible for people of varying income levels desiring to live, work,
raise a family, and retire in Frederick County.
1) Ensure that residential development occurs in county designated growth areas with minimal harm to the environment and
adequate water, sewer, transportation choices, schools, and other county infrastructure needed to support a high quality of life.
2) Ensure access to a variety of affordable and workforce housing options to meet the needs of a diversified workforce by enacting
ordinances and regulations that encourage and support the development of these housing options near and around job centers and
businesses.
Initiative: Educational Facilities

Support a diversified system of public and private educational infrastructure and access to programming to
provide educational opportunities and workforce development at all age levels and in all relevant locations in the
county, as well as to provide secondary benefits to the community stemming from allied and reciprocal utilization
of facilities.
1) Ensure that our development standards support the centralized location of schools in communities and within county growth
areas, and support multi-modal transportation accessibility for students, staff, and faculty.
2) Assist the county and FCPS in acquiring strategically located land for new school sites in designated growth areas, including within
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3) Employ solid projection methodology to develop estimates for the number of schools needed by level and location for the next 25
years.
4) Employ the communities and corridors planning process to evaluate and identify specific locations for future school sites.
5) Explore the use of diversified development-based funding through escrows or dedicated budgeting for the acquisition of school
sites.
6) Ensure that land development regulations do not negatively impact the timing or approval of school facilities.
7) Support and coordinate long-term land and infrastructure planning between the county and all public and private local
educational institutions, such as working with our local colleges and the Frederick County Board of Education, as their master plans
are updated.
8) Partner with educational institutions, when possible, to expand, explore, or develop public private partnerships to increase
opportunities for additional educational facilities and programming, such as CREST (Center for Research, Education, Science and
Technology) and LYNX (Linking Youth to New Experiences).
9) Support and expand opportunities for shared community space and uses at county-owned schools, libraries and other buildings to
maximize the investment in public infrastructure and to expand the range of resources available.
Goal: Infrastructure
Ensure that infrastructure needed to support and maintain Frederick County as a
great place to live and work is in place to meet the needs of residents and the business
community by expanding, augmenting, or creating new infrastructure as opportunities
expand to live and work in Frederick County.
Initiative: Business Location
Ensure the availability of a diverse inventory of appropriate potential business locations to meet the demands of a
growing and diverse business community.
1) Work in conjunction with appropriate Frederick County agencies and government to create a development-ready assessment that
the county could use as a tool to evaluate potential areas or sites for future business development and work to ensure that those sites
are located appropriately for business expansion.
2) Prioritize infill development and redevelopment within designated business growth areas, commercial corridors, and existing
business communities to maximize investment in public infrastructure.
3) Ensure that the County’s land use and zoning ordinances allow adequate flexibility to adapt to changing commercial and industrial
needs for existing and emerging businesses.
Initiative: Multi-Modal Transportation

Ensure that the County provides access to a sustainable and resilient multi-modal transportation network to
move people, goods, and services to support the needs of Frederick County residents and economic, business, and
educational activities throughout Frederick County.
1) Prepare and adopt a Master Transportation Plan that prioritizes a full range of transportation infrastructure needed to support a
variety of travel options in communities and designated growth areas.
2) Evaluate the potential need for expansion of passenger rail service that may include future growth areas and other areas not
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3) Support transportation systems that foster multi-model accessibility in order to maximize economic competitiveness for attracting
jobs and talent.
4) Adopt a non-motorized (bicycle, trails, and pedestrian) transportation plan that prioritizes connections to public transit,
commercial districts, employment centers, and schools.
5) Develop an educational transportation component to the county’s Master Transportation Plan and potential future non-motorized
transportation plan.
6) Support industries that are tied to the ongoing structural changes in the transportation industry and assess the impacts these
changes will have on Frederick County.
7) Evaluate the potential impacts of on-demand transport/ride hailing and autonomous vehicles on local business and future
economic growth.
8) Support the development of an electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the county.
9) Find opportunities to expand the economic footprint of freight transportation in the county through the support of existing freight
rail lines in the county.
Initiative: Information Infrastructure

Evaluate the technological needs of local businesses, educational and research institutions, health care facilities,
and homes in partnership with appropriate government agencies and private sector representatives.
1) Study working examples of publicly owned broadband networks, evaluating performance, reliability, and cost.
2) Determine strategic actions for expanding advanced telecommunications services to support businesses and future business
growth opportunities, schools, libraries, and other educational and research institutions, and other underserved areas.
3) Determine strategic actions for providing affordable access to advanced telecommunications services in rural and underserved
areas.
4) Support solutions for developing public-private partnerships to strengthen information infrastructure.
5) Encourage the expansion of private investment in technological infrastructure.

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Category: Existing Business and Industry Clusters

Goals in this category target opportunities and innovation to support,
attract, and grow business prospects and industry clusters that traditionally
are a foundation of the local economy and are part of the culture of the
broader Frederick County community.
1) usiness incubators
n le ge 2) Flexible regulatory tools
Emerging Industries
ase n stry 3) Maker spaces
4) Technology transfer
1) Regulatory support
2) Incompatible uses
3) Regulatory process support
Land Use
4) Regional agriculture
5) Diversi cation of farming
6) Preservation and growth boundaries
Forestry and Forest Products
1) gricultural action program
2) Training programs for new farmers
3) Public outreach program
Education and pportunities 4) Promotion and marketing support for farms and farmers markets
5) gricultural support businesses
gric lt re 6) gritourism support
7) Technical support for farmers
1) Review or and or expand farmland transition program
Farmland Transition 2) Critical farms support and or expansion
3) gricultural preservation as estate planning
1) Explore new funding possibilities
2) Explore new program possibilities
3) Land trust
Preservation and Conservation 4) Strengthen local land trusts
5) Regional partnership for conservation
6) gricultural impact assessment
7) Evaluate transfer of development rights
1) Film industry partnerships
Crea ity an The Arts 2) Municipal partnerships
3) Regulatory obstacles
n stry 1) Clustering of creative industries
Creative Economy
2) Creative workforce development
uying Local 1) Small business opportunities
mall siness usiness Support
1) Mixed facilities for a ordable options for small business
2) Distinguish small business challenges
Goal: Knowledge-Based Industry

Work to expand opportunities in knowledge-based industries – those industries where
production and services are based on a vas�� c skills,
with workers highly skilled in those areas – such as information technology, life and
natural sciences, and other new and emerging technical business opportunities.
Initiative: Emerging Industries
Support and actively seek opportunities to attract and expand technology, life and natural sciences, advanced
manufacturing, and other highly technical jobs and career opportunities in Frederick County.
1) Work to find space and encourage the development of additional business incubators and accelerators, such as the Frederick
Innovative Technology Center, Inc. (FITCI), which provide assistance to start-up companies and entrepreneurs by offering office and lab
space, business services, and other strategic support and contribute toward the success of knowledge-based industries.

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2) Develop flexible zoning and planning tools to stay current with the rapid pace of change in knowledge-based industries so that
start-up companies and entrepreneurs can grow or expand quickly.
3) Provide additional maker-space opportunities in Frederick County, in addition to the space at the Monroe Center, to cultivate
developing ideas and talents.
4) Work to expand Frederick County’s tech transfer opportunities to capitalize on the rich research and development assets available
in Frederick County and to create new or additional commercial products.
Goal: Agriculture
Support and protect Frederick County’s agricultural community and existing and
emerging agricultural industries, to promote an environment where agriculture
operations continue to be competitive, sustainable and pr�table in Frederick County.
Initiative: Land Use
Minimize non-agricultural land uses within the agricultural zoning district in order to protect the land for food
and fiber production and maintain the viability of agricultural operations, while allowing for diversification of
farms.
1) Ensure that zoning and other regulations support agricultural related businesses in rural areas of the county.
2) Support agricultural industries by evaluating the compatibility of uses within the Agricultural Zoning District.
3) Develop planning and permitting procedures to assist agricultural business development and agricultural entrepreneurship.
4) Work with the Washington Council of Governments on regional agricultural issues and initiatives.
5) Support the diversification of farming innovations, such as regenerative agriculture, and ensure flexibility to allow for emerging
and next generation farm operations.
6) Develop a rigorous and data-driven assessment of the relationship between growth boundaries and agricultural land preservation
that can help inform land preservation practices in case-specific scenarios.
Initiative: Forestry and Forest Products

Support the multiple benefits of forested conditions that can be sustained over time in a cost-effective manner
through viable forest products markets and good forest management.
Initiative: Education and Opportunities

Ensure that opportunities exist in Frederick County to protect, maintain, and teach the community about
Frederick County’s rural agricultural heritage, culture, and role in maintaining a healthy natural environment.
1) Coordinate with the Office of Economic Development to create an “Agricultural Action Program” to promote and market agricultural
industries and agricultural support industries.
2) Partner with the University of Maryland Extension office or other entities for training programs that support educational
opportunities for new and beginning farmers in Frederick County.
3) Develop a program to educate the public and the farming community on planning and agricultural issues.
4) Continue to promote and market local farms and farmers markets through providing technical assistance and marketing
publications, such as Homegrown Frederick.
5) Provide support for the development of agricultural support businesses in Frederick County by actively promoting farms, resources,
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6) Explore expanding agritourism operations, including the manufacturing and marketing of agricultural products from local to
international arenas, and support rural businesses through development regulations geared toward those opportunities.
7) Evaluate the need and address the benefits of offering additional resources and technical support to farmers.
Initiative: Farmland Transition

Assist with the transition of farmland from one generation to the next to ensure the continuation of the family
farm concept.
1) Partner with appropriate agencies to review existing transition programs and evaluate expansion possibilities.
2) Continue to support the Critical Farms Program, while exploring new programs beyond critical Farms that help the next generation
of farmers get on the land.
3) Promote easements and agricultural land preservation as an estate planning tool or a catalyst for transferring farmland to future
generations or young farmers.
Initiative: Preservation and Conservation

Maximize the present and future viability of our agricultural assets through the permanent preservation of a
minimum of 100,000 acres of land in the county by 2040 and the retention of a total agricultural land base of at
least 200,000 acres.
1) Evaluate alternative and increased funding options for agricultural land preservation programs or tax credit programs targeted at
increasing the number of acres in permanent preservation.
2) Explore other programs that provide funding for easements, such as the federal preservation program.
3) Support the development of a functional and active land trust that works to preserve land through obtaining land preservation
funds from the private sector, including foundations.
4) Strengthen our local land trust network and/or evaluate the potential for combining existing land trusts in a regional effort to have
an accredited land trust.
5) Partner with the Maryland Environmental Trust to form a regional partnership for land conservation that includes the Middletown
Valley and Catoctin Creek Watershed for conservation, and provide technical assistance for the initiative as needed.
6) Explore the development of some form of agricultural impact assessment tied to new development.
7) Evaluate the potential for a private Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program.
Goal: Creativity and Industry

Support the development of businesses, enterprises, arts and technologies that focus
on creativity, innovation, and alternative business models and that encourage vibrant
business activity and growth in Frederick County communities.
Initiative: The Arts
Find innovative ways to employ the arts to improve and strengthen communities and businesses in Frederick
County.
1) Encourage local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and municipalities to develop close working partnerships with the Frederick
film industry to promote the county as a film-friendly location and to promote a film and media hub within the county.

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2) Develop partnerships with municipalities, the county and the state to support the development and promotion of local arts and
entertainment districts.
3) Examine regulatory obstacles to the arts industry and pursue changes if needed.
Initiative: Creative Economy

Support entrepreneurship and small business that is focused on creativity and the generation of new knowledge
or information, and on the use of creativity and imagination to create economic value.
1) Establish enterprise zones, arts or cultural districts, or overlay zoning that encourages businesses in the creative industries to
cluster together and integrate with surrounding neighborhoods.
2) Provide entrepreneurial and workforce development training programs that serve artists, writers, designers, and other creative
industries professionals.
Goal: Small Business

Build on existing and explore new ways to support the growth and longevity of locally-
based small businesses in the county.
Initiative: Buying Local
Support buying local through promotional campaigns to encourage residents to buy from local, small, and
independent businesses and retailers in the county, as well as through the prioritization of local government
purchasing.
1) Explore small business opportunities for local food processing and preservation for institutional markets such as public and private
schools.
Initiative: Business Support

Explore and build on existing direct measures to help small businesses in the county, such as assistance for
improving facilities and increasing energy efficiency, and through training and counseling such as that offered by
the Frederick County Small Business Development Center.
1) Support mixed-use commercial facilities that offer affordable options to small business owners.
2) Recognize the distinct challenges faced by small business in the county, as compared to larger businesses, and explore ways to
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Category: Innovation and Opportunity

Goals in this category relate to identifying and supporting advances in new,
emerging industries and/or clusters of industries that will become economic
opportunities for Frederick County in the future.
1) alance between regulation and innovation
2) Supportive industry blending
Culture of Innovation
3) Technology needs assessment
4) Access to arts education
1) Technical assistance
alue dded griculture 2) on traditional agriculture
3) rtisan and local food distribution
1) lternative power technology
2) Energy retro ng opportunities
nn a n 3) Financing energy saving opportunities with PACE commercial)
4) Green energy development education
5) mending local plans to focus on green obs
6) Increase market activity of green obs
The Energy Economy
7) Regulatory support
8) District scale sustainability pro ects
9) Green economic development strategy
10) Education about green economy obs
11) Environmentally preferable purchasing
12) Green business transition
1) Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
2) Impact of growth on tourism resources
Tourism and Hospitality 3) atural resource protection
4) Protection of cultural resources
5) Public art and tourism
1) Support public and private parkland
2) Recreational amentias in new development
rt nity 3) on motorized transportation plan
Recreation 4) Connecting parkland to centers
5) Study economic impact of parks
6) Fishing destination
7) Public art and non motorized transportation
1) Develop and identify food destination opportunities
Food Destination 2) Food industry commi ee
3) Farm to fork opportunities
Goal: Innovation
Develop and sustain a supportive cultural, legal, and economic environment for small
business, creative industries, and entrepreneurship in Frederick County.
Initiative: Culture of Innovation
Look for opportunities for industry convergence to maximize business viability, opportunities, and resources and
to create a forward-thinking business culture that takes risks.
1) Continually work to achieve a balance between protecting the health, safety, and welfare goals of the regulatory environment and
supporting the dynamics and challenges of small, entrepreneurial, and start-up businesses.
2) Explore additional opportunities to co-locate and blend complementary industries to maximize resources and enhance job
opportunities, such as blending life sciences with manufacturing.
3) Evaluate technology needs and opportunities at Ft. Detrick, such as Technology Transfer, which can be supported by private sector
businesses and partnerships with educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and municipal and county governments.

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4) Ensure that students of all ages have access to arts education and project-based learning that turns our county into a creative
learning laboratory by partnering schools with cultural organizations.
Initiative: Value-Added Agriculture

Support the growth of value-added agriculture that expands customer base and makes more revenue available to
producers through production methods, processing, or product identity preservation.
1) Provide technical assistance to new or existing agricultural operators that seek opportunities to embrace agricultural innovations or
value-added operations.
2) Evaluate the county’s agricultural district to determine the feasibility of non-traditional agricultural, entrepreneurial, and rural
heritage uses and their potential economic impact to Frederick County agriculture.
3) Work with the agricultural community, nonprofits and local entrepreneurs to develop artisan and local food distribution
sites, including farmer’s markets, to build economic activity between local growers and county consumers to open new market
opportunities for county agricultural producers.
Initiative: The Energy Economy

Support growth opportunities in industries created by emerging and innovative energy technologies that are
designed to make communities more efficient, resilient, and sustainable.
1) Evaluate the benefits and costs of energy efficiency, combined heat and power, microgrids, and alternative power technologies
(e.g. solar, wind, biomass gasification) for farms, municipalities, businesses, and homes.
2) Seek job opportunities that will come as a result of commercial energy retrofitting or other energy-related industries as they
develop and expand.
3) Expand tools to assist with financing energy-saving opportunities and technologies associated with the new energy economy,
such as financial incentives that are offered by utility companies and the Maryland Energy Administration and other state and federal
agencies, and the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program for commercial properties.
4) Explore opportunities to increase the development of green energy technologies in Frederick County, including the enhancement
or expansion of existing certificate/degree programs in sustainable energy technologies at Frederick Community College.
5) Amend existing local economic plans and strategies to focus market demand for green jobs, technology, products and services.
6) Adopt policies and regulations that increase overall market activity for green buildings and associated materials, renewable energy
products and infrastructure, and recyclable products.
7) Review and amend zoning regulations to remove barriers or provide flexibility for green businesses.
8) Establish regulations or zoning that incentivize district-scale sustainability projects.
9) Partner with other local governments, community groups, electric and gas utilities, and other private entities in the region to
adopt an overarching sustainable economic development strategy and work collaboratively to increase demand for green products
and services.
10) Create educational materials to define the larger vision of economic sustainability as one that proactively fosters green
businesses, green jobs, and green practices.
11) Create environmentally preferable purchasing for local government procurement of safe, healthy, and environmentally
responsible products.
12) Create programs that directly help businesses transition to new green practices and implement a green business promotion
program.

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Goal: Opportunity
Identify and pursue opportunities t�� ciently grow economic sectors in the county that
blend the advantages provided by local assets with the possibilities offered by regional
and global economic trends.
Initiative: Tourism and Hospitality
Support the development of local and regional tourism and hospitality opportunities, and protect Frederick
County’s existing tourism resources and attractions, to maintain and capitalize on Frederick County’s unique
historical, cultural, and natural resources.
1) Implement the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Management Plan in concert with Washington and Carroll counties.
2) Work with tourism organizations to evaluate local growth and development proposals so as to lessen impacts on county tourism
sites and opportunities.
3) Examine regulations in concert with private and governmental agencies to ensure that appropriate regulations exist to protect
Frederick County’s natural resources.
4) Utilize strategies and regulations designed to protect and ensure the long-term viability of the numerous cultural, historical,
recreational, natural, local, and regional assets available to residents in Frederick County.
5) Support art projects, in any media, sited in community places that are accessible to the public for their role in driving tourism.
Initiative: Recreation
Maintain and expand the county’s recreational areas, parks, bike and walking trails, and other recreational
infrastructure that contributes toward improving county residents’ physical and mental health and promotes
economic opportunities associated with recreational activity.
1) Support the development of, and regionally promote the continued use of, public and private parkland in the county to attract local
economic and recreational activities.
2) Ensure that new residential development contributes to recreational amenities and supports access to natural features in Frederick
County.
3) Adopt, refine, and update a non-motorized transportation (biking and walking) plan that implements biking, running, and hiking
tourism opportunities throughout the county and municipalities including defined connections to our neighboring jurisdictions.
4) Pursue strategies to require or incentivize the creation, maintenance, and connection of public parkland and natural areas to both
residential and business districts.
5) Conduct a study regarding the economic impact of public parklands and natural areas on the local economy to understand their
contributions to community satisfaction and tourism.
6) Capitalize on the wide range of warm water and cold water fishing opportunities in the county by adopting supportive land
management practices and promoting opportunities throughout the region.
7) Support the development of public art along county walking trails and bike paths to enhance the experiences of visitors and
residents in our natural areas.
Initiative: Food Destination

Leverage economic activity in the county by supporting and enhancing Frederick’s regional status as a local food
and dining destination.

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1) Identify suitable locations for the development of “Food Destination” opportunities and centers, working in partnership with
appropriate agencies, area restaurants or hotels, municipalities, and other local nonprofits.
2) Consider creating a committee that will focus on identifying trends in the food destination industry to keep abreast of changing
regulations and to assist in attracting and incentivizing opportunities to locate food destination businesses in Frederick County.
3) Develop planning regulations that encourage the development of local food businesses and local “farm to fork” opportunities
within county municipalities and communities.
Category: Education, Jobs and Workforce Development

Goals in this category look to maximize job opportunities in Frederick County,
by having a highly trained, educated, and prepared workforce that can adapt
to changing job markets via training, workforce development and other
opportunities, so that residents have access to job opportunities allowing
them to live and work in Frederick County.
1) Provision of space for early childhood education
Early Childhood 2) Streamlined approvals for early childhood education facilities
3) Expand county run early childhood education
1) Support Science Technology Engineering Arts, and Math (STEAM) education
2) Environmental sciences in curriculum
3) Increase a ainment
4) Support Career Technology Education (CTE) programs
Primary and Secondary
5) Specialized educational programming
ccess 6) Collaboration between schools and business
7) gricultural education in primary and secondary schools
E ca n 8) Arts opportunities
1) Training for current labor demands
2) Education for older adults
College Post Secondary and Technical 3) Workforce training opportunities
4) Colocation of ob training and government facilities
5) io tech research employment
1) Diversi ed educational options
ob Training and Retraining 2) Education programs for workers
3) Industry led training and ob development
Em l yment Age and Employment
1) utreach for under represented employment
rt nity Representing All Groups
2) Minority business expansion
Goal: Access To Education

Ensure that all students, regardless of age, have access to high quality educational
opportunities and programs available in Frederick County to prepare them for jobs of the
future or to enable them to become part of the workforce, contribute to the economy,
and maintain a high quality of life.
Initiative: Early Childhood
Expand opportunities for early childhood education programs and services in the county to ensure that all
children have access to high quality early educational programs, which are predictors to success later in life.
1) Work in collaboration with the public school system to plan and provide adequate facility space for public school early educational
programming, especially as the needs for those program opportunities expand in the future.

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2) Examine regulations to ensure that the process to approve private school or business-located early childhood educational facilities
is streamlined and meets all mandated educational standards.
3) Expand the number of county-run early educational facilities to increase the number of opportunities available and the number of
students who have access to county or FCPS early childhood educational programming.
Initiative: Primary and Secondary

Continue to place top priority on the provision of outstanding educational facilities and opportunities to assist
students in preparing for work and post-secondary education.
1) Support efforts to increase opportunities for students to be trained in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to
encourage students to pursue careers in those areas that will provide the workforce of the future.
2) Support continuous student exposure throughout K-12 education to the environmental sciences to instill a value for nature in
future decisions about careers, life choices, and informed participation in public policy development.
3) Support strategies than can increase the percentage of individuals within specified racial, ethnic, gender, age, and military groups
that have obtained high-quality post-secondary educational degrees or credentials.
4) Expand opportunities for additional Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs that will prepare students for a wide range of
high-wage, high-skill, and high-demand jobs.
5) Seek opportunities to co-locate specialized educational programming regionally or within area colleges and universities.
6) Encourage and actively support the collaboration between schools, colleges, businesses, and other training organizations, such as
with the LYNX program at Frederick High School (Linking Youth to New Experiences), in order to expose and encourage students to
train for new businesses and industries emerging in our region and to tailor training and education to meet labor demands.
7) Extend agricultural educational opportunities into primary and secondary schools and encourage partnerships, such as with the
Great Frederick Fair, on agricultural education initiatives.
8) Support arts centers and robust arts opportunities during and after school, which can pay dividends in ensuring students are
skilled, optimistic, and positively engaged and prepared for today’s economy.
Initiative: College, Post-Secondary and Technical

Ensure that Frederick County has a skilled workforce that possesses the technical skills and training needed to
support new and existing industries by supporting local colleges, training centers, and adult learning.
1) Encourage and facilitate collaboration between business and training resources to tailor training and education to meet current
labor demands.
2) Support and expand educational opportunities for older adult learners, both through skills advancement and retraining.
3) Provide opportunities for those currently in the workforce to advance and maintain relevant job skills.
4) Explore additional opportunities to co-locate job training opportunities with governmental agencies and partner educational
institutions to support workforce training and development and maximize resources.
5) Work with Maryland colleges and universities to develop locations to house bio-technical research employment opportunities.
Initiative: Job Training and Retraining

Support efforts to maintain and develop a pipeline of skilled workers that are trained or retrained to support
employment and entrepreneurial activity in Frederick County.
1) Support a diversified system of educational opportunities and workforce development at all age levels and in all relevant locations
in the county.

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2) Evaluate and expand educational programs to assist workers with updating their skills and knowledge applicable to meet the
needs of employers in Frederick County, as needed.
3) Support strategies that allow for industry-led job development and employee training programs.
Goal: Employment Opportunity

Encourage businesses to provide meaningful employment opportunities in Frederick
County that are free from barriers and appeal to a wide-range of potential skilled
employees.
Initiative: Age and Employment
Work to develop incentives and outreach opportunities geared toward attracting and supporting workforce
participation from adults of all ages, with a focus on young adults with recent knowledge and expertise and
seniors with a lifetime of knowledge and expertise.
Initiative: Representing All Groups

Work with Community-based organizations, government agencies, and businesses, including those with
expertise in areas relating to underrepresented groups living in Frederick County, to identify and work to
eliminate any barriers impacting a person’s ability to secure or retain meaningful employment in Frederick
County.
1) Encourage county wide employment outreach efforts to employ underrepresented groups of workers (such as, minorities, women,
Veterans, and others) to better reflect and mirror the changing demographics of Frederick County.
2) Encourage programs and incentives and other targeted strategies to support minority business expansion.

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175
A Vision
for Our
Environment
IT IS THE YEAR 2040... WE HAVE ENSURED THAT THE
contributions of natural resources
WE LIVE IN A COUNTY, A PLACE, to human well-being are explicitly
of great physical richness and recognized and valued. We are
beauty. We are fulfilling our committed to preserving and
stewardship by making Frederick improving their health and being
County an environmentally in harmony with nature, and
sustainable place with clean our county is greenhouse gas
air, clean water, healthy soil, negative.
protected farmland and open
space. WE CONTINUE TO PROTECT AND
enhance Catoctin Mountain,
OUR COUNTY HAS MAINTAINED the Monocacy River, and all of
the commitment to respond to Frederick County’s watersheds
our ongoing climate change for residents and visitors alike.
crisis in a manner that reflects the Our county supports efforts in
magnitude of the threat to our Maryland and the region to foster
community and our share of the clean air and water resources. We
responsibility for the problem. We support reduced carbon, heavy
have been resolute and innovative metal, and other toxic emissions
in our efforts to reduce our into air, soil, and water through a
contribution to greenhouse gas variety of energy, transportation,
emissions, to sequester carbon, building, agricultural, and active
and to be adaptive and resilient living initiatives.
in the face of the changes and
challenges associated with our FREDERICK COUNTY HAS IT ALL:
changing climate. beauty, prosperity, convenience,
sustainability, and safety. It
WE SUPPORT FLEXIBLE AND continues to offer a small town
efficient electric grids by enabling feel with 21st century, urban
the integration of growing opportunity. We are a model for
deployments of distributed energy counties nationwide.
resources powered by renewable
energy resources. These improve
the reliability and resiliency of the
county’s electrical grid.
WE ARE SHEPHERDS OF OUR

county and leave to successive
generations healthy soil that
sustains our agricultural bounty,
clean air and water, lessons from
our rich heritage, and the fruits
of our planning together for an
intentional future.
Trends and Driving Factors for Our Environment
Our forests and green infrastructure need room to grow...
TOTAL FOREST COVER: 33% ROOM FOR MORE TREES

As of 2018, there is a total of 142,706 acres of forest There are 12,591 potential acres of tree canopy
cover within Frederick County. This comprises 33% expansion area on residential land in Frederick
of the total land area in Frederick County. County. 27% of the 35-foot stream buffer could
accommodate additional tree canopy and, 46% of
FOREST COVER LOST AT 420.3 AC/YR the 300-foot stream buffer could accommodate
Between 2001 and 2014, 5,464 acres of forest land additional tree canopy. The Monocacy River
cover has been converted to non-forested land. This corridor is 50% possible tree canopy with 1% being
is a 4% reduction in forest lands over 13 years, or unsuitable land for establishing tree canopy.
420.3 acres of forest land/year from 2001 to 2014.
The difference in temperature between 0% and
Frederick County GIS, 2018 from 2014 Maryland Statewide aerial photog- 100% imperviousness was 9 degrees Fahrenheit in
raphy digitized by Axis Geospatial, LLC, 2005 Maryland Statewide aerial
photography digitized by Infotech Enterprises of America, and 2001 data from
Frederick County in September 2015.
Maryland DNR - Forest cover is defined at edge of tree mass of 10,000 square
feet or greater, not less than 35’ in length and following along outer edge of
Tree Canopy Report for Frederick Maryland, 10/14/2016, prepared by the Uni-
tree trunks.
versity of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory in cooperation with the Forest
Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. - Tree canopy refers to the extent
of the outer layer of leaves of an individual tree or group of trees, whether over
10,200 AC. PROTECTED FOREST pervious or impervious surface.
Tree canopy and forest cover are different measurements. According to the
Currently, there are 10,200 acres of forestland Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service, "tree canopy is
in permanent protective easement in Frederick any area covered by trees when viewed from above. This includes forests,
trees in a yard or park, trees in an urban setting, orchards, and trees where
County through the Forest Conservation Act, a state animal grazing or other agricultural operations may be taking place below."
law with mandated local adoption enforcement On the other hand, forest is a subtype of tree canopy, and is defined by the US
Forest Service as: an area of trees with at least 10% tree canopy cover that is
to address the loss of forest resources from land at least 1 acre in size, is at least 120 feet wide when measured from stem to
development activities. stem." In addition to quantitative measurement, a forest is also a dynamic and
complex community of plants, animals, and micro-organisms, with trees as
the key component of the ecological system.
Frederick County ranks 9th among all counties in
the State of Maryland for the share of land area that https://dnr .maryland.gov/forests/pages/forest -tree-data .asp
is defined as forest land coverage.
2015 Existing Tree Canopy
Frederick County ranks 6th among all counties in
the State of Maryland for the total amount of gross
land area that is defined as forest land coverage.
Maryland Land Use / Land Cover by County, 2010, Maryland GIS Data
Catalog, Maryland Department of Planning - Forest area includes deciduous,
evergeen, and mixed forest, as well as brush areas. Information was derived
using derived using the National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) high
resolution Aerial Imagery in conjunction with parcel level information and tax
maps from the 2008 edition of Maryland Property View.
TOTAL TREE CANOPY: 43%

43% of total county land is covered by existing
tree canopy, equating to 180,968 acres. 72% of
land within the 35-foot stream buffer is covered by
existing tree canopy. 52% of land within the county
300-foot stream buffer is covered by existing tree
canopy. 49% of the Monocacy River corridor is
covered by existing tree canopy.

178
Emmitsburg
Af
Thurmont
The County has 128,773 acres of significant 33% of all of the county's green infrastructure
natural resources known as green infrastructure in does not have a "natural resource" or “public
unincorporated areas. parkland/open space” comprehensive land use plan
designation to reflect its significance.
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE The share of green infrastructure within current

growthWoodsboro
areas is 14.6%.
All of Frederick County's natural resources and
landscape elements are valuable and contribute
to a high qualityMyersville
of life for residents. Green
infrastructure describes an area's most valuable
natural resources and the connection and corridors
Emmitsburg
Libertytown
Walkersville
between them.
uI
Frederick County's green infrastructure was developed by using the Maryland
Thurmont
Department of Natural Resources' base Green Infrastructure Map, then
Middletown
adding areas that are environmentally significant in Frederick County, based
Frederick City
on sound ecosystem science. For example, forestlands that can support forest
interior dwelling bird species; waterways of high quality, based on data from
the Maryland Biological Stream Survey and brook trout studies; wetlands that
support diverse populations of plants, amphibians and birds, as well as other Woodsboro
sensitive species habitats.

Myersville uI
New Market
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
$a"! yI Walkersville
Libertytown
Mount Airy
Jefferson
Green infrastructure 'hubs' are portions of the Middletown

Frederick City
landscape with the highest environmental $a"!

quality in terms of size, function and location and Urbana
$a"! New Market
provide multiple environmental benefits, and

Brunswick uI Mount Airy
Jefferson
protect biodiversity and ecologicalAdamstown

systems. These K³
%
&
g(
"ecosystem services" include: Urbana
Fred-
Brunswick
uI
Adamstown
erick
Point of Rocks
County Division
FILTERING AND COOLING WATERS Point of Rocks
of Planning, 2018
IN STREAMS AND AQUIFERS While efforts have been made to ensure the
STORING AND CYCLING NUTRIENTS

While efforts have been made to ensure the Department of Planning, may not be current
accuracy of this map, Frederick County accepts Forest
no responsibility for errors, omissions, or 100-year FEMA Floodplain
0 1.5 3 4.5 6 Miles
SEQUESTERING CARBON
Forest
PURIFYING TH E AIR
0 1.5 3 4.5 6 Miles 100-year FEMA Floodplain
CONSERVING AND GENERATING SOILS
ENH ANCING PROTECTION

AGAINST STORMS AND FLOODS
Environmental features include such landscape elements as streams, rivers
& their buffers; wet lands; floodplains; forestlands; mountain lands; steep
slopes; habitats of rare, threatened and endangered species; limestone/karst
topography
PROVIDING WILDLIFE H ABITAT

FOR INSECTS, BIRDS, MAMMALS, AND POLLINATORS

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...and managing waterbody quality and storm flow has been a challenge...
STREAM HEALTH: FAIR TO POOR Frederick County is one of the most popular fresh
water fishing destinations in the state. Largemouth
Since 2008, the quality of some Frederick County bass, Smallmouth Bass, Trout, Catfish, and Sunfish
waterbodies has been declining in biological health are the most sought after fish species by Maryland
from Fair to Poor. The Benthic Index of Biological anglers and they are all prevalent within Frederick
Integrity mean score for the county was 2.85 (Poor). County. The Potomac and Monocacy Rivers
17% of stream miles scored Very Poor, 37% scored attracted anglers targeting warm water species,
Poor, 29% scored Fair, and only 17% of stream miles while the streams of the Catoctin Mountain attract
scored Good. trout fishermen. Nearly 22,500 fishing licenses were
STREAMS BY BENTHIC INDEX OF BIOLOGICAL INTEGRITY sold in 2015, ranking the county 6th in the state for
Very Poor Poor Fair Good recreational fishing license purchases.
Catoctin Creek
Monocacy Direct SW Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Upper Linganore Creek
Lower Linganore Creek
Israel Creek
Carroll Creek
Upper Bush Creek
Lower Bush Creek
Bennett Creek
Ballenger Creek
Tuscarora Creek
Toms Creek
Owens Creek
Hunting Creek
Glade Creek
Fishing Creek
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percentage of Stream Miles
Frederick County Stream Survey Report, 2013-2016, 4 Year Report, Versar Inc.
The Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (benthic IBI or BIBI) is a stream assessment
BROOK TROUT DECLINING
tool that evaluates stream biological integrity based on characteristics of the
Brook trout populations are declining in Frederick
various benthic organisms present at a site. County. Current predictions indicate that warming
water temperatures could eliminate brook trout
According to a study used by the U.S. EPA's statewide except for Garrett County by 2100.
Chesapeake Bay Program, a riparian, or stream- Loss of brook trout from an area indicates negative
side, forest buffer needs to be at least 100 feet in changes to the habitat and overall system. The
order to adequately perform critical functions like Maryland DNR has listed brook trout as a "species of
shading the stream, stabilizing the streambed, greatest need of conservation."
filtering pollutants, and providing habitat. For
the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Water Quality Brook trout have become extinct in 62 percent of
Improvement Initiatives, such as agricultural best their historic habitat in Maryland. In watersheds
management practices, a buffer must be at least where human land use exceeds 18 percent, brook
35 feet in width to provide even the most basic trout cannot survive. If impervious (hard) surface
environmental function for pollution reduction. exceeds 0.5 percent in a watershed, brook trout
Wider buffers provide enhanced ecological typically go extinct.
function; however, the benefits diminish as the
buffer widens. Trout Unlimited Maryland Chapter, Frederick News Post, 2014
Sweeney, B.W., and Newbold, J. D. Streamside Forest Buffer Width Needed To

Protect Stream Water Quality, Habitat, and Organisms: A Literature Review.
Journal of the American Water Resources Association 50 (3):560-584. 2014

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TH REE GOALS MET

As of 2018, Frederick County has reduced enough
pollution to the Chesapeake Bay to meet goals for INCREASING STORM VOLUMES
nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment. The stormwater criteria of the Maryland Stormwater
Management Act of 2007 prioritizes the use of
Nitrogen-million lbs/yr environmental site designs that capture and retain
2015 Load: 3.9 2025 Goal: 3.9 enough rainfall so that the runoff leaving a site
is reduced to a level equivalent to a wooded site
Phosphorus-thousand lbs/yr in good condition for the most frequent storm
2015 Load: 204 2025 Goal: 230 events. This is determined using United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource
Sediment-thousand tons/yr Conservation Service (NRCS) methods (e.g., TR-55).
2015 Load: 82 2025 Goal: 92 The increasing size of flooding events projected by
2040 could require a reexamination of this standard
The Maryland Department of the Environment at the county and/or state level.
(MDE) set goals for the reduction of nitrogen,
phosphorus and sediment going to the Chesapeake
Bay from Frederick County making them part
of its Phase II Watershed Implementation Plan. IMPERVIOUS SURFACE: 5.6%
These goals were met through a combination of 5.6% of the land area in the county is impervious to
restoration practices, wastewater treatment plant water percolation. The percentage of impervious
upgrades, and land use changes. MDE is currently cover in developed areas is a leading indicator
working to create Phase III goals. of waterway health. Impervious lands are areas
where water cannot percolate due to hard surfaces
Frederick County Office of Sustainability
such as roads, parking lots, compacted soils, and
buildings. Impervious cover of greater than 10% to
land draining to a stream usually makes it unable
FREDERICK COUNTY LAND USE/LAND COVER ˜ 2010 to support fish and healthy bugs. In brook trout
Agriculture Medium Density Residential watersheds, this can be true at 1% impervious cover
Forest Commercial or less. The areas with the greatest urbanization
Low Density Residential Other Developed Lands
are the most threatened, particularly where there
Very Low Density Residential Institutional
High Density Residential is old development that does not have practices
Water designed to trap and hold stormwater before it
Transportation
Industrial reaches streams.
Barren Land
Wetlands
Frederick County GIS, Division of Planning and Permitting, and Office of
Sustainability and Environmental Resources
9.13%
29.61%
.78%
1.14%
6.42% .76% .01%
1.36% .64%
.13%
1.47% .42%
2.74%
45.39%
Maryland Land Use / Land Cover by County, 2010, Maryland GIS Data Cata-
log, Maryland Department of Planning -

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...while we continue to strive to maintain the quality of the air we breath...
In 2008, the Metropolitan Washington Council of FREDERICK COUNTY TOTAL EMISSIONS BY ACTIVITY
Governments (WashCOG) and local governments Wastewater Commercial O˜ -Road Mobile
across the metropolitan Washington D.C. area Treatment Airline Combustion Transportation
collaboratively established the regional greenhouse Solid Waste
Treatment
HFCs RCI Fuel Electricity
gas (GHG) emission reduction goals of
10% BELOW BUSINESS AS USUAL PROJECTIONS BY 2012

4
(BACK DOWN TO 2005 LEVELS);
20% BELOW 2005 LEVELS BY 2020; AND 3
MT CO˜e (millions)
80% BELOW 2005 LEVELS BY 2050.
WashCOG and its member jurisdictions are working 2
toward these goals, and the region as a whole was
able to meet the 2012 target, demonstrating that 1
GHG reductions are possible even as the region's
population and economy grows. 0
2005 2012
GHG are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide Despite population growth, overall and per capita
equivalent (mt c02e). GHG emissions in Frederick County decreased
between inventory years in large part due to
efficiency improvements and fuel switching across
GREENH OUSE GAS: -19% all sectors. Frederick County also saw the closing
of an industrial facility, Eastalco that was a large
GHG emissions across all sectors in Frederick
County decreased by 19% between 2005 and 2012; electricity user.
from 4,676,245 mt c02e to 3,771,288 mt c02e. Changes in regional GHG emissions were also
due to fuel switching from coal to natural gas in
electricity generation.
PER CAPITA EMISSIONS: -24% Future reductions will come from Maryland's
Per capita emissions decreased 24% between 2005 standards for utility company renewable portfolios;
and 2012; from 21.3 mt c02e to 16.1mt c02e.the improvements in existing building energy
regional average was 14.6 mt c02e per capita in consumption from retrofits and conservation;
2005 and 13.1 mt c02e in 2012 . newer, more efficient vehicles; and more electric
In 2015, mobile transportation composed 41% and vehicles.
electricity (residential and commercial) 52% of total
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory for Metropolitan Washington
GHG emissions in the Metropolitan Washington D.C.
region. The remaining sources included process and Community-Wide GHG Inventory Summary Factsheet, Frederick County
Maryland, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
fugitive emissions (leaks), solid waste (methane),
and wastewater treatment (biological processes). MT CO2e : Metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. The unit "CO2e" represents
an amount of a greenhouse gas (GHG) whose atmospheric impact has been
standardized to that of one unit mass of carbon dioxide (CO2), based on the
global warming potential (GWP) of the gas.

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38 FEWER H IGH -OZONE DAYS

Since 1998, there have been almost 38 fewer high-
ozone days.
The American Lung Association produces an annual

air quality report. Between 2001 and 2016, Frederick
County was given an F rating for air quality by the
American Lung Association. In 2017, the county was
given a B, and in 2018, a C.
COAL FIRED PLANTS

Many of Frederick County's ground level ozone
air quality challenges are due to coal-fired electric
generating plants in neighboring states.
2018 State of the Air Report, American, Lung Assocaition, http://www.lung.

org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/sota/city-rankings/states/maryland/Frederick.
html
FREDERICK COUNTY TOTAL UNHEALTHY AIR DAYS BY GROUP

Older Adults and Children Asthma and Lung Disease
Active Outdoors Heart Disease All Others
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
AirNow.com, The data summarized in this website come from the EPA's Air
Quality System (AQS) Data Mart. The AQS Data Mart contains outdoor air
pollution data collected by EPA, state, local, and tribal air pollution control
agencies from thousands of monitors.

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...even as our energy use is starting to get cleaner.
SOLAR POWER PRODUCED: 1.57%
In 2015, the share of the energy produced by solar
infrastructure in the county was1.57%.
GREEN POWER GOAL: 3%

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) green
power goal for a jurisdiction our size is 3%.
MD RENEWABLE GOAL: 2%
The Maryland Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard
Program goal for the share of energy produced by
solar by 2025 is 2%.
SOLAR ENERGY: 44,928MW

In the year 2015, the county generated an
estimated 44,928 megawatt hours of clean energy
from solar. •
•
•
•
•
•
SOLAR ENERGY JOBS: 141

The total number of jobs in the solar industry in
Frederick County in 2015 was 141.
MWH consumed from MWCOG data held by Jeff King with Climate and
Energy staff. Consumption projections from EIA and RPS. KW capacity from
general Attribute Tracking System. Projections from EIA, RPS. Solar jobs
projections based on Solar Foundation

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Our efforts for recycling and waste diversion are on track.

In Frederick County in 2015, 202,735 tons of waste Frederick County exceeds the 35% recycling target
was created. Between 2012 and 2015, the waste currently mandated under the Maryland Recycling
produced per capita remained approximately .8 Act.
tons per person.
Frederick County is on track to meet a goal adopted
2012-2015 FREDERICK COUNTY WASTE BY TYPE by county government to have a waste diversion
Residential Commercial Institutional Construction rate by 2025 of 60%.
Other Yard Waste Recyclables “Other” includes: Significant improvement will be needed to achieve
Tree Stumps
Bulk Waste a 60% food waste recycling target for 2025, which
3% Asbestos
Tires
Sludge
represents recovery of 15,000 tons annually.
5% Dead Animals
Miscellaneous
2016 FREDERICK COUNTY RECYCLING BY MATERIAL
12%
32% Non-MRA Recyclables Compostables Glass
Metals Paper Plastic Misc.
20%
19%
30% 2%
50% 3%
Frederick County Solid Waste Management Plan, 2018-2037
RECYCLING RATE: 50%

Curbside recycling began in Frederick County in 3% 1%
22%
1991. In 2014, 134,069 tons of waste material was County Recyclables by Commodity in Tons for 2016, Maryland Department of
recycled, resulting in a recycling rate of 50.4%. the Environment
WASTE DIVERSION GOAL: 60%

The county has a waste diversion goal of 60% by
the year 2025.
In the same year, the waste diversion rate for

municipal solid waste in 2015 was 55%. Waste
diversion includes source reduction activities.
Resident's Guide to Solid Waste Management in Frederick County, 2016,

Frederick County Division of Utilities and Solid Waste Management
Waste Diversion: material removed from the waste stream through recycling,
composting and other strategies.

185
Making Our Environment Vision a Reality
The Our Environment theme supports the following State of Maryland Visions: Quality of Life and Sustainability, Public Participation, Community
Design, Growth Areas, Infrastructure, Transportation, Housing, Economic Development, Environmental Protection, Resource Conservation, Stewardship,
Implementation
Category: Land
Goals in this category concern preserving and protecting our land systems
from degradation due to natural forces and human interventions and
increasing their resilience.
1) Regular review cycle for green infrastructure
2) Green infrastructure in growth areas
3) Parkland in green infrastructure
Green Infrastructure Plan
4) oluntary and incentive based protection of resources
5) Site plan review
6) Invasive species control
1) umerical goal for forest coverage
at ral 2) Riparian forests along waterways
Res rces an Tree Canopy and Forest Coverage 3) Signi cant resources in growth areas
4) Forest Resource rdinance for resources in growth areas
reen 5) Programs for forest coverage
n rastr ct re 1) MS4 permit and outreach expansion
utreach for Ecology 2) utreach with educational institutions
3) Educational elements in parks
1) Environmentally friendly agriculture
2) Community information sharing network
Local griculture 3) Local distribution incentives
4) Waterway protection in farming
5) Regenerative agriculture
1) Solid waste program expansion
li aste an Recycling and Composting
2) Source pollution reduction
3) Inspections and clean up for dumping sites
Recycling 4) mortization for dumping sites
Development
1) Energy conservation program expansion PSC
2) Energy conservation program expansion MEA
Energy udit and Retro t 3) Sustainability sta ng
4) Green remodeling incentives
5) Smart technologies in county facilities
1) Construction techniques sinkholes
2) Sinkhole education and outreach
ilt Environment Supportive Design 3) Critical open spaces
4) atural resource preservation
En ir nment 5) Wildlife and pedestrian crossings at ma or infrastructure
1) Comprehensive review of natural resources
Evaluation of Impact
2) Protection of green infrastructure
1) High performance green building program
2) Energy e cient criteria for capital pro ects
uilding Codes and Policies 3) Incentives for sustainable construction
4) dopt green building code
5) Revise code for climate
Goal: Natural Resources and Green Infrastructure

The natural environment and its habitat provision and ecosystem services are critical to
our quality of life, and so they should be the primary consideration in all land planning
and governmental decision-making processes.
Initiative: Green Infrastructure Plan
Develop and implement a functional green infrastructure plan to protect, connect, and enhance the county’s
natural assets and support their role in ensuring future resiliency in the county.

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1) Establish a regular cycle of review of environmental protection and conservation ordinances and processes with the aim of ensuring
protections for clean air, land, and water.
2) Critically examine the land use designations and zoning applied to Green Infrastructure and other sensitive environmental
resources within Community Growth Areas.
3) Incorporate natural resource protection and restoration in addition to active recreational elements in the development of all county
parkland.
4) Enhance the protection measures for significant natural resources and highly sensitive environmental features through regulatory,
voluntary, and incentive based programs.
5) Improve the site plan review process to identify, confirm, and protect natural resources.
6) Control and mitigate invasive and exotic species (flora and fauna) to help maintain the diversity and health of forestlands, native
plants, animal populations, waterways, and habitats.
Initiative: Tree Canopy and Forest Coverage

Increase tree canopy coverage and riparian forest acreage in Frederick County.
1) Analyze and identify a numerical goal to achieve – primarily through the voluntary efforts of Frederick County landowners - an
increase in the 2040 forest coverage in Frederick County to enhance forest corridors and hubs.
2) Develop goals to increase and enhance the performance of riparian forests and vegetation along Frederick County’s waterways for
years 2025 and 2040 through voluntary and incentive-based programs.
3) Examine our Community Growth Areas for the presence of significant natural resources and develop enhanced measures to
minimize their degradation and loss.
4) Enhance the Forest Resource Ordinance for development occurring in growth areas to protect significant and connected forestlands.
5) Expand and fully utilize voluntary and incentive-based programs, including the county’s Creek ReLeaf program, to increase tree
canopy and riparian forest acreage in the county.
Initiative: Outreach for Ecology

Increase the public’s general knowledge about ecology and environmental sustainability.
1) Expand public outreach for the county’s Stormwater Program (MS4 Permit) and communicate ways to reduce nutrient and
sediment loads in areas dominated by non-point source pollution.
2) Develop and implement an effective public outreach program with the Board of Education, libraries, and other educational
institutions.
3) Work with the Division of Parks and Recreation to include educational elements in county parks.
Initiative: Local Agriculture

Support locally produced agricultural products and sustainable and innovative farming practices, such as
regenerative farming, which build healthy, biologically active soil and protect water resources.
1) Draw on State resources to create or enhance an outreach and educational program for farmers regarding new agricultural
practices that increase soil organic matter and have less intensive chemical applications.
2) Create a farming community information sharing network.
3) Provide incentives to the local farming community to sell products locally.

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4) Assist farmers to develop practices that reduce inputs and protect waterways by building healthy, biologically active soil, such as
agroforestry cover cropping, multi-species pasture, compost application, and permaculture.
5) Support programs that encourage the transition of agricultural acreage to regenerative agricultural practices.
Goal: Solid Waste and Recycling

Plan for a “zero waste” future by 2040.
Initiative: Recycling and Composting
Increase recycling and composting for all residential dwellings, businesses, and institutions.
1) Expand the county’s Solid Waste Program to include operational facilities for materials recovery and recycling, food waste
composting, and yard trimmings composting.
2) Promote source reduction from manufacturers to generate less waste.
3) Increase inspection for dumping sites and salvage yards, including clean-up and enforcement actions.
4) Develop an amortization schedule for grandfathered dumping sites and salvage yards.
Initiative: Development
Increase the practice of material salvaging and reuse within the development industry.
Goal: Built Environment

Increase ener�� ciency and environmental standards in existing and new built
infrastructure.
Initiative: Energy Audit and Retr�t
Establish large-scale energy audit and retrofit programs to reduce energy consumption and increase economic
efficiencies.
1) Encourage the Public Service Commission (PSC), which requires electric and gas utilities under its jurisdiction to offer energy
efficiency programs to their retail customers, to expand the funding of energy audit activities in their programs by offering financial
incentives for professional energy audits.
2) Encourage the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) to offer incentives to qualified engineers to provide energy audits to
customers of utilities who are not served by a utility under PSC jurisdiction.
3) Ensure that the Office of Sustainability and Environmental Resources staff, and any contractors they hire, are trained in the
principles of energy efficiency and conservation, and are familiar with the available incentives.
4) Provide incentives for green remodeling and redevelopment.
5) Explore the use of “smart” technologies in county facilities and systems.
Initiative: Environment Supportive Design

Ensure that the location and scale of the future built environment preserves green infrastructure and other
sensitive environmental resources.

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1) Research, develop, and employ construction techniques designed to protect roads, buildings and utilities in areas prone to develop
sinkholes.
2) Develop an education program to inform the public about how to identify, prevent, and avoid the three types of sinkholes:
solution, subsidence, and collapse.
3) Protect critical open spaces within the built environment.
4) Preserve natural resources during the development process.
5) Advocate for wildlife and pedestrian connections, especially at I-270 at the Monocacy River, in the design and construction of
future I-270 improvements.
Initiative: Evaluation of Impact

Evaluate land development’s overall ecological “footprint” and minimize its environmental impact and
externalities.
1) Include a comprehensive review of natural resources during the creation of community and corridor plans and during the
development review process.
2) Ensure Frederick County’s Green Infrastructure is protected through the adoption and implementation of a functional green
infrastructure plan.
Initiative: Building Codes and Policies

Foster sustainability and resiliency through the improvement of ordinances, building codes, and environmentally
supportive policies.
1) Create a Frederick County High Performance Green Building Program.
2) Establish energy efficient criteria and requirements for all capital projects that are funded with state or county resources.
3) Create incentives for sustainable and resilient construction practices.
4) Consider adopting the International Green Construction Code and the Energy Conservation Code, as used in surrounding
jurisdictions.
5) Explore revisions to codes, ordinances, and policies to address Frederick County’s changing climate to 2040 and beyond.

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Category: Water
Goals in this category seek to ensure the protection of water sources for
human consumption, enhancement of water quality for aquatic and human
life, and viability of water supplies for future population growth.
1) Watershed implementation plans
2) Pollutant loads
3) Development in sensitive areas
4) Water quality protection fee
5) n site sewage disposal practices
6) Stream survey program expansion
7) Waterway impacts during mass grading
Best Practices
8) Compaction and fertilizer use
9) Water ltration on agricultural land
10) Road crossings and bu ers
11) Road salt management
ality 12) Standards to protect resources from septic systems
13) Regular maintenance of septic systems
14) Functional water planning
1) High quality waters protection
2) Conservation design in sensitive areas
rook Trout Populations
3) Impact on Class II and IV streams
4) Maryland Stormwater Design Manual
1) Identi cation through site plan process
2) Stability and viability through development
Wetlands 3) atural resource protection in parkland
4) atural resources in growth areas
5) Invasive and exotic species control
ly an 1) Protection strategies for water supply land
2) Supply and treatment capacity based development
reatment Water and Sewer dequacy
3) Greywater and rainwater reuse
n rastr ct re 4) dvanced ltration technology
Goal: Quality
Improve and protect water quality for human and environmental health by eliminating
impairing levels of pollution to local waterways and by adequately funding and
implementing water quality restoration and protection efforts.
Initiative: Best Practices
Implement best management practices (BMPs) in all land use sectors and activities to improve water quality, in-
stream, and riparian (stream-side) habitat.
1) Engage the Watershed Implementation Plans to guide future land use and development.
2) Calculate pollutant loads from new development during the review and approval process and evaluate their relation to pollution
reduction.
3) Critically examine future land uses and future development patterns within wellhead protection areas, areas of karst geology, and
other sensitive areas in Frederick County.
4) Investigate the feasibility and implications of a stormwater utility or water quality protection fee to help fund stream restoration,
protection, stormwater retrofits, as well as inspection and enforcement operations.
5) Promote enhanced pre-treatment systems and soil-based BMPs for new or replacement on-site sewage disposal systems (septic
systems) within wellhead protection areas, areas of karst geology, and other sensitive areas in Frederick County.
6) Expand the county’s stream survey program to include monitoring of local ground water conditions and aquifer recharge areas to
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7) Explore new techniques, technologies, and regulation to reduce the impacts to waterways (sedimentation and soil erosion) during
mass grading for land development.
8) Promote and support voluntary watershed-wide best practices to ameliorate water quality impacts (run-off and over enrichment)
from compaction and fertilizer use on lawns and turf grass.
9) Increase water filtration on agricultural lands through farmer outreach, education, and incentives.
10) Minimize road crossing and maintain adequate buffers between roads and stream valleys.
11) Work with SHA and DNR to develop a sound road salt management strategy that minimizes salting by developing temperature
and precipitation criteria for salting as well as considering alternative deicing agents.
12) Develop standards and procedures to protect wellhead protection areas, areas of sensitive geology, surface drinking water
sources, and local waterways from biological and nutrient pollution from septic systems.
13) Require regular pump out and maintenance of septic systems.
14) Develop and implement functional planning for water resource protection, conservation, and flood mitigation.
Initiative: Brook Trout Populations

Protect and re-stabilize brook trout populations in local waterways.
1) Protect headwater streams, high quality waters, and catchments (Tier II) through policies, actions, and the zoning and subdivision
approval process, including minimizing impervious surface runoff to these waterways.
2) Institute conservation design principles and enhanced water quality best management practices for land development in
watersheds that have greater than 10% impervious cover and in areas with brook trout populations.
3) Generate data about and evaluate the presence, location, and extent of future surface construction near cold water habitat
streams, including Use Class III and IV, which support or could support trout populations.
4) Promote adherence to the Maryland Stormwater Design Manual recommendations for all streams.
Initiative: Wetlands
Continue to protect wetlands and support their restoration.
1) Improve site plan process to identify, confirm, and protect natural resources.
2) During the development review and approval process, ensure that the functional viability and stability of wetlands will be
maintained.
3) Incorporate natural resource protection and restoration in addition to active recreational elements in the development of all county
parkland.
4) Fully examine and evaluate the presence of natural resources within Community Growth Areas and support measures to minimize
their degradation and loss.
5) Promote and practice control of invasive and exotic species (flora and fauna) to help maintain the diversity and health of wetlands.
Goal: Supply and Treatment Infrastructure

Ensure groundwater and surface water remain safe, reliable, and sustainable sources
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Initiative: Water and Sewer Adequacy

Ensure that wastewater and water supply infrastructure is adequate, sound, and efficient to provide for current
and future populations.
1) Identify and implement protection strategies for lands critical to the quality of public water supplies, including easements, fee-
simple acquisition, transfer of development rights, and changes to County Code or operational policy.
2) Thoroughly evaluate the location and size of areas designated for growth and development based on the adequacy of and impacts
to drinking water supplies and wastewater treatment and conveyance capacities.
3) Promote practices to reuse and recycle greywater, rainwater, and stormwater in order to conserve raw water resources and lessen
overall water usage.
4) Ensure that wastewater treatment and water treatment plants have appropriate technology to remove algal toxins, priority
pollutants, microplastics, and endocrine disrupting compounds.
Category: Air
Goals in this category concern the protection of the health of our natural and
built environment through the reduction and elimination of air pollution.
1) on leaded aviation fuel

2) Evaluation of air quality
Air uality Monitoring 3) Source impact assessment
4) Pollution reduction e orts
ir ality 5) dvanced technologies
Mitigation
Childhood Health 1) Regional source assessment
Reforestation 1) Map areas with poor air quality
lternative Power
Goal: Air Quality

Continue to meet or exceed federal pollution standards in order to promote a healthy
living environment and satisfy the most basic human health need.
Initiative: Air Quality Monitoring
Expand, in coordination with the appropriate governmental entities, the air quality monitoring network in
Frederick County.
1) Coordinate with the City of Frederick and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) to encourage transition to non-leaded
aviation fuel at the Frederick Municipal Airport by 2020.
2) Identify and evaluate historical and current air quality and sources of pollution.
3) Research the activities and pollution sources that have the largest impact on local air quality.
4) Promote and support pollution reduction efforts among all industries and sectors.
5) Incentivize the application of advanced technologies and state of the art mitigation measures to control air pollution.
Initiative: Mitigation
Improve mitigation practices for concentrated activities such as construction.

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Initiative: Childhood Health

Develop programs to reduce rates of childhood asthma in the county.
1) Identify and assess the regional and local sources of pollutants that cause or aggravate asthma or other diseases.
Initiative: Reforestation
Coordinate with reforestation effort to reforest in areas with compromised air quality.
1) Identify and map areas in Frederick County with poor air quality.
Initiative: Alternative Power

Support the provision of clean energy systems, such as wind and solar, in the county to replace or supplement
conventional power supply.
Category: Climate and Energy

Goals in this category concern affordable and scalable solutions to address
resiliency from extreme weather events and changing weather patterns.
Hazard Planning 1) Recovery planning

Emission Control 1) Codes and greenhouse gas
1) Increased precipitation and stormwater
Stormwater Impacts
Climate 2) Stormwater infrastructure adequacy
1) Farmer outreach
Resiliency 2) Support existing regenerative practices
Carbon Sequestration and Soil Health 3) Assess sequestration potential in soils
4) Monitor practice of regenerative farming
5) Regenerative farming program
1) Financial incentives for clean energy
Carbon Footprint Zero
2) Per capita consumption reduction
1) Distributed energy generation
2) Grid resiliency
Energy Independence 3) Clean energy net exporter
4) Localized micro energy grids
5) Energy independence in county facilities
1) Multimodal transportation
Clean Energy 2) Electric vehicle readiness
3) Petroleum use reduction
4) Incentives for electric and autonomous vehicles
5) Transport parallel to CSX line
Transportation
6) Increase transit service
7) Charging stations in county parking
8) Walkable communities
9) Telematics for county fleet
10) Commuting alternatives
Goal: Climate Resiliency

Plan and prepare for the impacts to public infrastructure, human health, private
property, and the environment from increasing fl�� res, droughts, crop and tree
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Initiative: Hazard Planning

Thoroughly examine, evaluate, and implement the resiliency, adaptation, and mitigation actions needed to
prepare the county for future climate related impacts.
1) Develop a post-disaster and crisis recovery plan that focuses on critical infrastructure.
Initiative: Emission Control

Evaluate all public and private projects for greenhouse gas impacts and mitigation strategies to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions from these projects.
1) Evaluate other opportunities to amend codes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Initiative: Stormwater Impacts

Plan for and anticipate the impact of increased stormwater flows.
1) Explore and implement efforts to reduce compaction of lawns in new residential development, and to increase overall stormwater/
Green infrastructure capacities to address the implications of increased precipitation (greater than 1”rainfall events).
2) Ensure infrastructure is designed to accommodate new storm flows and is resilient to increased severity of weather events.
Initiative: Carbon Sequestration and Soil Health

Capitalize on the mutually reinforcing benefits of soil health and carbon sequestration to reduce or prevent the
emission of greenhouse gasses.
1) Improve soil health and increase soil carbon sequestration in Frederick County through farmer outreach and incentives.
2) Promote and support existing programs that help farmers with regenerative practices (e.g. Grazers Network, Future Harvest CASA,
Community FARE).
3) Assess the potential for increasing the soil organic matter and carbon sequestration on all Frederick County agricultural lands.
4) Assess and monitor percentages on land in Frederick County where regenerative agriculture practices are applied.
5) Establish a pilot program in Frederick County’s Agricultural Preservation Program to establish, support, and showcase regenerative
agriculture operations.
Goal: Clean Energy

Lead in the use of clean energy sources, such as solar, wind, geothermal, biofuels, and
hydropower.
Initiative: Carbon Footprint Zero
Strive to be greenhouse gas neutral in energy production and consumption.
1) Support and promote clean energy initiatives, investment, business, and jobs through tax breaks, rebates, and other programs.
2) Promote plans, programs, and initiatives to achieve a reduction in per capita consumption of energy in Frederick County.
Initiative: Energy Independence

Strive for energy independence and security in Frederick County.

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1) Develop distributed energy generation.
2) Develop electrical grid resiliency.
3) Become a net exporter of clean energy.
4) Support the creation of localized microgrids.
5) Institute energy independence in county facilities by installing solar panels and smart building technology in county buildings,
exploring the use of smart lighting for roads and parking lots, and employing best practices for green construction in county buildings.
Initiative: Transportation
Transition to a cleaner and more efficient transportation system, with electric vehicle (EV) readiness and
accommodation of autonomous vehicles incorporated into public and private projects.
1) Promote the use of multi-modal transportation options such as Autonomous Vehicle (AV) transit and ride sharing choices.
2) Include Electric Vehicles (EV) readiness for future charging infrastructure in new development.
3) Develop a new goal to reduce petroleum consumption by Frederick County vehicles.
4) Provide incentives to use Electric Vehicles (EV) and Autonomous Vehicles (AV).
5) Work with state government to develop a transportation system parallel to the CSX rail line to provide all day service to and from
Germantown, Gaithersburg, Rockville and Washington DC.
6) Provide more transit service throughout the county with regular stops at senior centers, apartment complexes, shopping centers,
medical services, and employment centers.
7) Install solar powered charging stations at county-owned parking garages and parking lots.
8) Incentivize development of communities where residents can walk to shops, dental and doctor’s offices, and general services.
9) Explore the use of county fleet vehicle systems to optimize routing and reduce fuel consumption.
10) Reduce greenhouse gas emissions tied to roadway congestion by working with regional employers to shorten or eliminate
commute times by developing incentives for telecommuting, staggered work schedules, car and van pools, and shuttles for
employees.

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COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN MAP
Cp The Comprehensive Plan Map
The Comprehensive Plan Map depicts the officially adopted pattern of land uses, growth area boundaries,
transportation networks, and community facilities. Provided below are explanations of the various components
of the Comprehensive Plan Map.
Community Growth Areas

The purpose of a community growth area is to define an outer limit for the expansion of urban/suburban
development into rural land. Growth boundaries identified in the county plan that are designated around
municipalities function differently than growth boundaries identified in areas where there is no municipality.
Municipalities
Municipalities exercise autonomous planning authority and therefore may identify growth boundaries
independent of the county. They generally include a municipality and environs that are planned for future
expansion of their municipal boundary through annexation. A county comprehensive plan also independently
designates growth boundaries on county land surrounding municipalities. The function of county growth
boundaries surrounding municipalities is different than county growth boundaries that do not surround
municipalities, largely due to post-annexation municipal control of land use, zoning, and infrastructure.
Municipal growth areas identified on the Comprehensive Plan Map are:
• Brunswick • Middletown • New Market • Woodsboro
• Emmitsburg • Mount Airy • Thurmont
• Frederick • Myersville • Walkersville
County
County growth boundaries are designated around existing, unincorporated communities where the county is
responsible for public infrastructure such as water and sewer service, as well as primary land use regulations
such as zoning. Growth areas are also identified in other types of locations in the county where transitional
development may occur for employment centers, mixed use transit corridors, or new residential neighborhoods.
These may include under-developed commercial corridors and former industrial lands that would benefit from
targeted physical planning efforts as part of a corridor planning process. County growth areas identified on the
Comprehensive Plan Map are:
• Adamstown • South Frederick • Libertytown • Spring Ridge /
• Ballenger Creek (formerly Frederick • Linganore Bartonsville
• Buckeystown Southeast) • Monrovia • Urbana
• Eastalco • Holly Hills • Point of Rocks
• Fountaindale • Jefferson
Land Use Designations

Described below are the land use designations that are illustrated on the Comprehensive Plan Map, with
description about the intent of the designations, their relative land use intensity or density, their general
placement guidelines, and the zoning districts to be applied to each designation in order to implement the
county’s land use policies.
Agricultural and Rural Designations

Natural Resource
The purpose of the Natural Resource designation is to identify significant natural resource features to provide
guidance for the application of the Resource Conservation Zoning District and other resource protection
strategies. The Natural Resource designation also supports the delineation of boundaries for growth areas and
helps to identify potential greenway linkages within and between growth areas. The primary features that are
designated Natural Resource include mountain areas, contiguous forest, major streams defined by the county’s
20 subwatersheds, and the State’s Green Infrastructure features.

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The Comprehensive Plan Map
Cp
Corresponding zoning districts include Agricultural (A) and Resource Conservation (RC). The RC zone permits all
agricultural uses in addition to limited residential subdivision based on a 10-acre minimum lot size. Since other
protection measures are applied to some features, such as stream corridors, it is not necessary to apply the RC
zoning district to all properties designated Natural Resource.
Public Parkland/Open Space

This designation is applied to lands primarily under public ownership for local, state, or federal parklands,
publicly-owned open space devoted to watersheds that protect public water supplies, and may be applied to
large property holdings under private ownership that have some degree of protection from development. The
corresponding zoning districts include Resource Conservation and Agricultural and various residential zoning
districts.
Agricultural/Rural
This designation is applied to areas outside of growth areas that include active farmland, fallow lands, and
residential lots and subdivisions that have been developed under the Agricultural zone. The corresponding
zoning district is Agricultural (A). In addition to permitting agricultural activities the Agriculture zoning district
permits limited residential subdivision for original tracts that existed as of August 18, 1976. Original tracts may
be subdivided into three (3) lots plus a remainder with a minimum lot size of 40,000 square feet. Additional
cluster rights are available for original tracts greater than 25 acres permitting an additional right for every 50
acres.
Rural Community
Rural Communities are small, compact villages located throughout the county’s agricultural areas, and generally
comprising homes, a church or other community organization, and on occasion, some small businesses. These
communities, often located at the intersection of rural highways, developed in large part, prior to the twentieth
century as centralized locations for area farmers to meet and trade.
This designation recognizes existing rural communities that have historically developed as crossroad
communities with an identifiable concentration of residences and in some cases still support commercial uses.
Their designation as Rural Community serves to maintain the rural and historical character and permits some
limited infill development that would rely on individual well/septic systems. They are not identified as growth
areas. The corresponding zoning districts include R-1 Low Density Residential, Village Center (VC), and General
Commercial (GC).
Agricultural support businesses such as farm equipment repair, farmer’s supply stores, and feed and grain
operations are critical to the farming community, providing access to needed materials, equipment, and
ultimately, access to markets beyond the borders of the county. Rural Communities often provide advantageous
locations for these types of uses and should be accommodated where feasible.
Rural Residential
The intent of a Rural Residential designation is to recognize areas of existing major residential subdivisions on
well/septic, which are zoned Agricultural and R-1 (1 dwelling/acre) outside of growth areas. Rural Residential
areas are not intended to be served by public water/sewer, should only allow for continued build-out and
infill of existing lots/subdivisions, and should not be expanded into surrounding agricultural properties. The
corresponding zoning districts are R-1 and Agricultural.
Residential Designations
Low Density Residential
This designation is only applied within growth areas and where public water/sewer is available or planned. The
targeted density range is 3 – 6 dwellings (du)/acre to better support smart growth policies. This designation is
applied to older developments within a growth area that may still rely on individual well/septic systems.

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Corresponding zoning districts include R-3, R-5 and PUD. The R-3 district permits single-family detached
dwellings at a density of 3 du/acre with public water/sewer. The R-5 district permits single-family detached,
duplexes, and townhouses at a density of 5 du/acre. The Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning district is a
floating zone that can only be applied to properties designated residential on the Comprehensive Plan Map.
While the gross density of PUD developments is typically 3-4 du/acre, the net density is typically higher.
Medium Density Residential

This designation has a density range of 6 – 10 dwellings/acre with public water/sewer, generally resulting in
attached dwellings such as townhouses. Corresponding zoning districts include R-8 and PUD. The R-8 zoning
district permits all dwelling types, with smaller minimum lot sizes than the R-5 district. The PUD floating zone
can be applied to upon this designation allowing a gross density of 6 – 10 dwellings/acre and a mix of dwelling
types.
High Density Residential

The intent of this designation is to provide for multi-family housing and to encourage opportunities for
moderate priced housing. The density range is >10 dwellings/acre. Corresponding zoning districts include R-12,
R-16, and PUD.
Mixed Use Designations

Mixed Use Development
This land use designation is intended to facilitate redevelopment and transit oriented development (TOD)
opportunities in existing developed areas adjoining underutilized commercial, industrial, and employment
areas, and vacant or underutilized commercial/employment corridors. This designation supports mixed use
development that includes residential, commercial, office/employment, and institutional uses, and medium to
high densities especially within TOD projects. Uses may be integrated both vertically (different uses within the
same building) and horizontally, on the same property and/or within the same project limits.
This designation is intended to work in conjunction with Community and Corridor plans to determine an
appropriate mix of uses. Application of the mixed-use designation is not intended for general application
throughout the county and should be carefully considered. Corresponding zoning districts include the Mixed
Use Euclidean zone and the Mixed Use Floating Zone.
Village Center
The intent of the Village Center designation is to accommodate a mix of low intensity commercial uses and
residential uses within existing communities. The Village Center designation has a broad application to both
growth areas where public water/sewer is available and to Rural Communities that rely on individual well/
septic systems. Its application to the “main streets” of smaller growth areas, which have historically developed
with a mix of residential and commercial uses, supports the continued mix of appropriate uses. Residential
development can be developed at densities up to 5 dwellings/acre. Within Rural Communities residential
densities are limited to 3 dwelling/acre based on well/septic restrictions. The corresponding zoning district is
Village Center (VC).
Commercial and Employment Designations

General Commercial
The General Commercial designation provides for general retail, small-scale office, business/personal service
uses, and highway services. General Commercial uses are primarily provided within growth areas, with the
exception of existing, isolated commercial uses. The corresponding zoning district is General Commercial (GC).
Commercial land uses can also be located within Planned Unit Developments (PUD’s), which are designated
residential, Mixed Use Developments (MXD’s), which may be designated Office/Research/Industrial or Limited
Industrial, and Village Center (VC) zoned properties.

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Office/Research
The intent of this designation is to support business, professional and corporate office uses as well as research
and development uses. The Office/Research designation is primarily applied on properties that have visibility
from interstate highways and are in close proximity to interstate highway interchanges.
The corresponding zoning district is Office/Research/Industrial (ORI). This designation allows for the application
of the Mixed Use Development (MXD) floating zone.
Limited Industrial
This designation represents warehousing, wholesaling, and limited manufacturing uses in addition to corporate
office and research/development uses. The predominant application of this designation is within growth areas
where public water/sewer is available, but is also applied to areas outside of a growth areas served by well/septic
systems. Limited Industrial designated land should have close access to an arterial road. The corresponding
zoning district is Limited Industrial (LI). This designation allows for the application of the MXD floating zone.
General Industrial
This designation supports heavy industrial and manufacturing uses in addition to uses typical in Limited
Industrial developments. Due to the potential intensity of use, these land areas should generally be separated
and appropriately buffered from residential uses. The corresponding zoning district is General Industrial (GI).
The GI district also permits mineral mining activities.
Mineral Mining
This designation is primarily applied to areas under active mining operations and more recently has been
applied to areas where future mining and associated activities may occur. The corresponding zoning district is
Mineral Mining (MM), which is a floating zone that can only be applied as a piecemeal rezoning process. The MM
zoning district also permits associated processing uses related to mining such as asphalt plants and concrete
block manufacturing. Several existing mining operations are zoned GI.
Other Designations
Institutional
The purpose of the Institutional designation is to identify public and governmental uses such as schools,
libraries, public safety facilities, and water/sewer facilities. This designation is applied to properties owned
either by the county or the Board of Education, even if they are undeveloped, both private and governmental
institutional uses such as Mount St. Mary’s University, the State’s Victor Cullen Center, and the Daughters of
Charity complex in Emmitsburg, as well as to private elementary and secondary schools. The corresponding
zoning is Institutional (I), while some may be zoned residential and PUD.
Transportation F��
The Comprehensive Plan Map identifies new road alignments, realignments of existing roadways, and future
interchange improvements. Many of these roads will be developer-funded and constructed as part of the land
development process or as combined county, state, municipal & developer projects. Proposed road alignments
are conceptual in nature and will be subject to further engineering and feasibility studies to determine specific
alignments.
The Comprehensive Plan Map applies a functional classification to roads within the county including those
maintained by the state and the municipalities. The functional classification is based on several factors such
as traffic volume and speed, trip length of those driving on the road, and the degree of access control. The
following are the current definitions and characterizations of the highway functional classifications:

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Freeway/Expressway
Divided highways that carry a high volume of traffic at high design speeds for interstate and inter-county travel.
They connect major centers of activity, provide uninterrupted flow (no signalized intersections) from origin to
destination, and access is fully controlled by grade separated interchanges. Freeways in Frederick County include
I-70; I-270; US 15 and US 340.
Major Arterial
Carry high traffic volumes for travel within the county, or for travel to and from adjacent counties. Access is
typically allowed from intersecting streets but not directly from adjoining parcels.
Minor Arterial
Carries moderate to high volume of traffic usually for travel within the county. These roads typically provide
access to the interstate system.
Collector
Collects and distributes traffic from neighborhoods to the arterial system. They may allow some direct access to
adjacent properties such as community shopping areas, schools, parks, and residential developments.
Transit Easement/I-270 Transitway

A transitway has been proposed along the I-270 corridor since 1972, connecting Frederick with the Shady Grove
Metro station. The alignment for the transitway was developed in the I-270 Corridor Cities Transit Easement
– Frederick County Extension Study prepared for Montgomery and Frederick Counties in 1991. This study
identified several alternative alignments for a transitway between Clarksburg and Frederick. The I-270/US15
multi-modal study carried forward only detailed assessments of the portion of the Corridor Cities Transitway
(CCT) between Shady Grove Metro and Clarksburg.
The Frederick Extension study concluded that the light rail transit (LRT) or bus rapid transit (BRT) modes would
be the most feasible in the corridor versus either heavy rail (Metro) or commuter rail. The preferred alignment
follows along the east side of I-270 with an optional route through the Urbana PUD. This alignment would
continue into downtown Frederick and terminate at the MARC station.
Additional items would need to be considered prior to moving forward with this project including an updated
design/engineering and environmental review of the master plan alignment, right-of-way requirements, specific
station/stop, locations for a yard and shop facility and updated cost estimates.
Community Facilities
Community facilities including schools, parks, libraries, and other facilities require a significant public investment
to construct and maintain. Given that many facilities will continue to serve our communities for several
generations it is critical that they be located to effectively serve both current and future residents. It is also
important to understand the role facilities such as schools and libraries play in creating a civic focal point and
an identity for our communities. The following principles are meant to provide guidance in locating facilities to
maximize the efficient use of public funding and to support their long term use in the community.
• Community facilities should be located within Community Growth Areas where infrastructure is available
(water and sewer facilities, roads, sidewalks, and public transit).
• Focus community facilities with other activities such as commercial areas and in the physical center of the
community where the buildings themselves can help to establish a civic and community identity.
• Community facilities should be located within Community Growth Areas where the greatest population is
concentrated to maximize pedestrian, bicycle, and transit access to the facilities.

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• Community facilities should support the joint use of buildings and sites to consolidate services and better
serve the surrounding community.
• Development proposals should incorporate into their plans and contribute to the construction of community
facilities as identified in County Plans.
In addition to these principles, the location criteria for some community facilities have unique requirements
or special emphasis. For example, the location of schools emphasize pedestrian and bicycle accessibility to
the surrounding residential areas of the community. Regional parks are destination parks with large land area
requirements, and should be located in urban or rural areas with a service area extending 10 or more miles. The
locations indicated on the Comprehensive Plan Map are approximations and are not fixed on specific parcels.
Community facilities include schools, parks, libraries, fire stations, police stations, and other facilities as identified
on the map.
Schools
The Frederick County Public School Board of Education has defined both minimum and preferred school site
selection criteria for the construction of new schools. At minimum, the following acreages are required:
Elementary School: 15 acres (serving approximately 700 students)
Middle School: 25 acres (serving approximately 900 students)
High School: 50 acres (serving approximately 1600 students)
Parks
Frederick County has a very diverse system of parks comprised of municipal, county, state, federal, and privately
owned sites. The local parks under the county and municipal jurisdictions are primarily oriented to active park
uses including playing fields, playgrounds, and picnic areas. The state and federal parks are oriented to resource
protection though they also provide active uses such as camping and hiking. As the county and its communities
continue to grow, the role and function of parks may also evolve. Park system functions may include:
Active Recreation Uses – oriented to playing fields, hard court sports, playgrounds, swimming pools, and
recreation center buildings.
Passive Uses – walking/hiking/bicycling trails, picnic areas, gardens, informal open/play fields.
Natural Resource Protection – Protection of environmental features such as mountain and forestlands, wetlands,
stream valleys, and watersheds.
Historic Preservation – Focus on protecting/preserving a historic site or structure.
Civic/Community Focal Point – Provide social gathering space, host festivals and cultural events.
Depending on the size of a given park, several different functions may be provided in a single park. For county
parks the emphasis has been to develop fewer but larger park sites that are able to accommodate many different
functions.
The following is a park classification based on amenities, size, and the geographic service/catchment area
surrounding the park.
Park Type Acreage Range Service Area
Neighborhood 1 to 10 acres 1/2 mile
Community 30 to 100 acres 2+ miles
Regional 100+ acres 10+ miles
Special Use 1 to 50 acres Countywide
Conservation/ Resource 1,000+ acres Countywide

203
Libraries
For the purposes of planning for new library facilities the county classifies libraries as either regional or branch
libraries. The type of library as described below will be determined by the size of the surrounding community,
available land, and opportunities for joint uses.
Branch Library:
• Building size - 2,500 - 15,000 square feet. Stand-alone or multi-use building
• Parcel size – 2-3 acres
• Supports small communities at pre-school through twelfth grade educational levels.

Regional Library:
• Building size – 25,000 square feet minimum
• Parcel size – 3-4 acres
• Able to accommodate joint use

204
Resolution for Adoption of the
Livable Frederick Master Plan
Resolution for Adoption

205
206
207
208
209
210
211
Image Credits:
Cover: Sunrise view of Sugarloaf Mountain by Xavier Ascanio
Page ii: aerial photo of Middletown Valley in Frederic County, MD by Mike Procario, https://www.flickr.com/photos/procario/
Page iv: Frederick County staff
Page v: Frederick County staff
Page 6: Frederick County staff
Page 24: View from Chimney Rock in Catoctin Mountain Park by Zack Frank
Pages 30-31: Frederick County Pictometry
Page 32: aerial view of Frederick City, MD from https://ggwash.org
Pages 52-53: Monocacy National Battlefield by Zack Frank
Page 54: Roddy Road Covered Bridge by Mike Procario https://www.flickr.com/photos/procario/
Page 102: Street scene in Frederick City by steheap
Page 123: Aerial photo of Frederick by Scott Borgsmiller, http://borgsmiller.net/scott/aerial.htm
Page 144: Flowing to the Monocacy by Mike Procario, https://www.flickr.com/photos/procario/
Icons from the Noun Project, including:

Lemon Liu, Juan Pablo Bravo, Peter Van Driel, Viraj, Tyler Payne, Gilbert Bages, Mani Amini, Diego Naive, Artem Kovyazin, Oliviu Stoian, Simon Child, Jens Tärning,
Korawan.M, Alexandr Cherkinsky, Alexander Smith, Mister Pixel, Sasha Willins, David Lamm, Arancha R, Kick, Creative Stall, i cons, Hopkins, Oksana Latysheva, Laymik,
Ricardo Cardoso, Symbolon, Juraj Sedlák, Gregor Črešnar, Artem Kovyazin, Delwar Hossain, Becris
LFMP document architecture and graphic design by G. John Dimitriou

Frederick County Government
30 North Market Street
Frederick, MD, 21701
(301) 600-1138
livablefrederick@frederickcountymd.gov

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Frederick County, Maryland

Adopted September 3, 2019

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

A Letter from the

For the Frederick County Planning Commission:

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

A Letter from the

For the Frederick County Council,

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

Agricultural Economy and Land Preservation Workgroup

Livable Frederick Steering Committee Ms. Elizabeth Chung

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

Dr. Barbara Brookmyer, M.D., M.P.H. Ms. Carrie Anderson-Watters

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

Community Growth Area:

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

Small Area Plans:

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

A New Kind of Plan

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

How This Plan Is Organized

• Our Vision, which focuses on community aspirations, ideas, and preferences,

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Three Part Structure of the Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Development Framework

A Jobs-Based Approach to Future Growth Projections

Multi-Modal Accessibility Focus

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Thematic Plan

…achieve a pattern of development that employs a jobs-based approach to growth and

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Action Framework

The Policy Structure of the Action Framework

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Frederick County Planning Commission

The Steering Committee and Workgroups

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

The Topical Organization of the Action Framework

Infrastructure Housing Healthy Choices Existing Business Air

Tradition Expression Support Education, Jobs, Climate

Goals and Initiatives: A Note Regarding Terminology

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

discrete and definitive measures for implementation. Therefore, a conventional goals/objectives/actions

The Residential Development Pipeline

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

Maryland’s Twelve Planning Visions

The Livable Frederick Master Plan

Key Insights and Considerations

Pipeline Growth Does Not Sufficiently Reflect The County’s Vision

Multi-Modal Choices and Active Living: A New Development Model

More Housing Choices Necessary to Increase Livability