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Photo by Travis Pratt
Jan Gardner |
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The Frederick County Commissioners decided Thursday that 9.5 acres in Jefferson should not be rezoned in the county's draft comprehensive plan to allow a supermarket.Commissioners are reviewing the plan in public workshops. On Thursday, they considered public comments submitted on the plan. The draft plan initially suggested the Jefferson land be rezoned to allow for a supermarket. Residents of Cambridge Farms, a neighborhood directly across from the property, said the rezoning could open the property for a warehouse or other commercial use. Many residents said the area is not suitable for a supermarket, let alone a warehouse. The commissioners' move Thursday means the land will remain village commercial, which could allow for markets up to 8,000 square feet. The entire comprehensive plan is expected to be formally adopted in March. The property owners of the Jefferson parcel had suggested building a 45,000-square-foot Food Lion on the site. "We received more input on this particular property than any other in the county," said Commissioners President Jan Gardner. Last year, commissioners approved a proposed rezoning of the land for the initial draft plan to gauge public opinion, she said. The new comprehensive plan will replace one adopted in 1998. County planners have worked on the draft document for two years. The commissioners also decided Thursday that a narrow, triangular piece of land between Brunswick and Rosemont should be put into the Brunswick growth area. The land is sandwiched between Md. 17 (Burkittsville Road) and Rosemont Drive. Some properties in the old village area of Adamstown are proposed for the village center designation. Gardner said there were no comments from affected property owners. Commissioners also decided not to change a recommended rezoning of a property at the interchange of Md. 180 and U.S. 340 from general commercial to agricultural. The property owner had hoped to retain a general commercial zoning, and had indicated that village commercial would be acceptable. The reason behind the rezoning was the lack of public utilities available to the property. The commissioners considered comments made about the Adamstown, Brunswick and Frederick regions on Thursday. The Middletown, New Market, Thurmont, Urbana and Walkersville regions will be considered in that order next week. The commissioners will reconvene to discuss those regions at 9 a.m. Monday in the third-floor hearing room in Winchester Hall.
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