Carroll County, MD Carroll County Planning and Zoning Commission, 6 Apr 2022

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From YouTube: Planning & Zoning Commission of Carroll County, MD April 6, 2022

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https://www.carrollcountymd.gov/government/boards-commissions/planning-zoning-commission/

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2022 planning his own commission meeting to order. uh We are virtual this evening and.

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uh Welcome everyone on to the meeting nice to see you uh could we establish a quorum? Please.

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Mr waters, I am here miss kirkner here, mr lester here, mr hoff, here mr kane here, commissioner whale.

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Physically here mentally, I'm not sure, I'm in the middle of budget.

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Secretary eisenberg here, mr chair, please let the record reflect that six members are present and.

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We do have a quorum thanks very much. uh Let's stand for the pledge of allegiance, please I.

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Pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands.

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One nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

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Moving on to uh item four review and approval of the agenda are there? Are there any other.

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Changes to the agenda this evening: oh there are no changes to this evening's agenda.

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They're going to be happy to uh entertain a motion for approval.

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I move that we approve the agenda a second all right. We have a motion in a second all in favor.

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Anyone opposed very good unanimously approved.

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um Next item review and approval of the minutes from march 15 2022. anyone have any.

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Edits or corrections that need to be made to those, if not be happy to entertain a motion for approval.

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I move, we approve the minutes from march 15th.

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Is there a second? Second all right? We have a motion in a second all in favor.

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All right anyone opposed they stand approved. uh Moving on to item six administrative report, madam.

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Secretary, um so not just an administrative report, I'm just going to do a quick introduction actually.

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We have two exciting topics for you this evening. um One is the agricultural conservation, zoning.

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Text this is the last of it folks. This will finish up the review and necessary amendment amendments.

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To our zoning code, we would have hit all the topics as well as parts of chapter 155, which are.

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Our subdivision and state plan, so this has been a multi-year process, so we're happy to bring to you.

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um The beginning of the end of the comprehensive rezoning effort price wagner will go ahead and.

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Tell you what we've been doing over the last uh six months or so with that and then finally,.

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A program that we are extremely proud to be kicking off in carroll county, the finksburg.

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Facade improvement program. Claire stewart will be presenting that to you. I'm really excited to.

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Bring this opportunity to the finksburg community for renovations, exterior renovations to a lot of.

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The commercial businesses along the 140 corridor, so she'll show you that um and uh what we've been.

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Doing in that community um and then that's it so we'll keep won't, keep you too late tonight and I.

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Appreciate you all being here um and that's all, I have very good. Thank you unless there's any other.

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Administrative matters: we will move on to item seven agriculture and conservation. Zoning text.

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uh The introduction introduction is to be provided by uh price wagoner said mr wagner, we'll send it.

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Over to you yeah so before price gets started. So again, as I said, this is the end of our several.

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Year long effort to get the zoning code um amended and rewritten in areas and to really just bring.

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Things up to date, bryce is going to share with you. What came out of the work group, um commissioner,.

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Wants had this exact presentation the other week in front of the board of county commissioners.

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So they're up to speed as well, but now it's time to be with the planning commission. So the.

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Process, as we've done in the past, is what we've called concept team or some type of work group.

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For the commercial, industrial and employment campus we reached out to various business.

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Members surveyors in the community to get their feedback with the residential text.

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We worked with the community to get their input prior to coming, to planning, commission and just.

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Like with those two efforts, this effort we had in agricultural conservation work group so chris is.

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Going to walk you through the last six months with that group um and what their recommendations are.

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With the plan to the planning commission and what we call the concept team, which.

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Is our internal working team? That's gonna, get into the nitty-gritty um in order to get this.

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Effort complete before these commissioners step down. um We think it's really important that we.

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Parallel this process, with our internal concept team, so we'll be bringing items to as soon as.

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They've been discussed with our internal concept team so that way we can keep moving this along.

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And get this to this board of county commissioners and plenty of time before their terms end. So with.

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That chris wagner, who was really the project lead on this, is going to give you the report.

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Of what's been going on, so thank you price. Thank you linda. As she said. Yes, uh we briefed.

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The county commission uh last week gave us an overview of what our work group talked about.

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Over the last six months- and this is pretty much as you said- the exact same presentation.

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For this portion, what we all talked about some of the ideas concerns that came about.

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So, as obviously as linda said, you all know, agriculture and conservation.

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Is the bigger portion of our zoning districts in the county with roughly.

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88 percent of our counties own either agricultural or conservation.

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And we had our work group that started and they're pretty much as linda said, their their task was to.

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Bring in recommendations and to the concept, team and those recommendations, recommendations came.

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About from the research that staff did on areas that we thought appear to have sometimes issues or.

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Concerns to see, if there's anything that needs to be changed so right now, concept team is going over.

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Those recommendations to look at the text and make changes as needed based on those recommendations.

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And also as well as look at the use table and and update the use tables so we'll be bringing things.

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Back to the planning commission and of course, obviously, the final thing will be for the planning.

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Commission to make a recommendation after multiple work groups to the biller county commissioners.

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For them to move forward and, hopefully doing a work group, it's not work. Sorry um work sessions to.

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Adopt the the text amendments we were looking to do so as linda said. Yes, we had multiple areas.

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Of people involved, we had farm bureau and ag prez carroll county bar association.

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We had the university of maryland ag extension. We had the carroll county, realtors associations.

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Grow and fortify somebody from carroll county economic development, particularly in the.

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Agritourism, section sector carroll county ag credit program again.

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We have that twice for some reason, uh but ag prez board.

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And was members also the same as the farm bureau, member department of land and resource management.

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Zoning administration, the attorneys county attorney's office, the health department of.

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Course, the department of planning and finally, we had a representative from the board of zonin.

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Appeals and commissioner weaver sat in a couple of our our meetings, probably uh for the four to six.

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So the biggest things were the trends and challenges that we looked at.

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That came about were contractor equipment, storage, yards.

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Country ends commercial channels, solar energy, agritourism, temporary seasonal uses, commercial.

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Camping and accessory dwelling units we actually sort of went in that in that order.

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As for the big challenge for contractor equipment storage, you know we were noticed.

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We were receiving a lot of variances that came with with somebody applying to the vca.

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For contractor equipment storage, so the fault was: should we introduce a minimum light size and in.

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The shorter things the work group did decide. Yes, let's recommend a minimum light size be brought to.

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The concept team and for us to talk about you, know introducing the middle and lot size.

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Also, the other big thing was screening requirements for the contract equipment.

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Storage yards uh right now they the way our code is written, is adjacent. The similarities, land uses.

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Require screening, obviously, contract equipment, storage against anything that is residential.

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Private public roads that type of thing uh would need screening, but the screening requirements are.

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A little bit different, a class a is required if it's against any adjacent or adjacent to a.

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Public or private street but, however, if it's adjacent to residentially, zoned properties,.

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As they're only looking to be a 15-foot landscape strip, whereas a class a is considered a full.

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Whether it's a fencing or full opaque, not able to see at all.

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So we're looking to bring that up to date and bring those requirements the same so the same as.

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Against adjacent to public and private streets or commercial industrial areas, we're looking to bring.

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The residential portion up to the same stringent or the same uh requirements so.

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Anything that's the contractor. Current storage, hopefully, would have more screening.

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Than less when it comes to something that's based against to a residential aerial.

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And going back to why we're looking at maybe doing we're increasing the light size in these two maps.

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As you'll see, uh the number of variances that were requested were 25 and out of those 25 um majority.

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Of those were on properties that were five acres or less so, the the thought from the work group.

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Brought forward to concept team is okay; let's, let's look at a minimum lot size of five acres for.

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Contract equipment, storage to hopefully minimize the number of variances that may come about.

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So again, so we're going to introduce a minimum light size of five acres.

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Indoor and outdoor contract equipment storage are treated the same.

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And then the screening requirements for residential uses.

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And zones should align with requirements for industrial and public private street screening.

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Another big one that we that we focused on, or we we had you know talk about- is.

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You know somebody on plan commission have uh know, is the country ends the big challenge.

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Is the distinction between countries and bed and breakfasts also thinking of creating a standalone.

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Use and definitions from event facilities and then requests are still coming in so you'll sort of see.

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In our our definition for country and bed and breakfast they are relatively the same. So the.

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Big recommendation is to potentially combine those two definitions, but when it comes to country ends,.

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Remove the aspect of providing catering facilities for banquets and the like.

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So again, here's the recommendation combined the country and bed and breakfast and I believe we.

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Actually, just now think our concept team has talked, I think, we're just going to call it bed.

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And breakfast instead of country and slash dmv, it's going to be just bed and breakfast.

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um Remove the providing meals to non-guest requirement from combined country and bed.

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And breakfast that goes along with the aspect of catering facility. That type of thing for events.

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And we're looking to create a new standalone use called event and banker facility.

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Based on the definition we already have in our code, which is the catering establishment.

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Banko facility the facility uh will be closed to the public and, by invitation only.

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And then it will be a conditional use in the ag zone and prohibited in the conservation.

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Zone, that is the recommendation from the work group to the concept team.

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Commercial kennels sort of the same looking at should we introduce a minimum lot size. Obviously,.

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When it comes to the neighbor, the complaints about dogs barking, zoning really has that didn't have.

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Much uh ability to look into that, so the big one was introducing minimum lot sizes, but also looking.

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At potentially should anything: should commercial kennels be broken into two separate sections after.

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Multiple talks, the work group decided at this time. No changes are needed or recommended because.

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We believe everything works well, the way it is right now when it comes to the commercial kennel.

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Aggregators and seasonal uses we sort of combine those two together, at least when it comes to.

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Thought process so sort of talk about you know: how can we encourage agritourism and seasonal uses.

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In the zoning code and should agrotourism be defined in the code and how would we implement.

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The definition in the code we talked about this again at length and the end result was.

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You'll see that in a second is pretty much not to make any changes at this time with agritourism.

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And seasonal uses, um this is just sort of a map that we have showing where the act where some of.

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The seasonal active tourism uses are, and, of course, the barn quilts you see that map on the right.

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And again, no changes were recommended when it comes to agritourism and seasonal uses.

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Commercial camping, commercial, commercial, campgrounds- this is already in our in our.

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Code as a as a conditional use in the ag zone and is not permitted in the conservation zone.

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So pretty much you can do commercial camping as long as you.

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Meet the requirements and the big one is when it comes to.

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The well and septic aspect of things, because commercial campaign is a bigger operation.

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So this is needs to be. You know anything over two-tenths.

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Pretty much means it'll be a commercial camping operation and they would have to go through.

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The site plan process, so we looked at this to see, should we allow anything smaller.

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And after multiple talks and looking in different areas with you know, dealing with looking at.

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Aggress aspect: looking at land resource management, the health department, we decided that at this.

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Time, no changes are recommended in commercial camping is an allowed conditional use and so.

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If you want to do anything greater, you know more than than two tenths you will. You know.

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I think it's two tenths or more, you would have to do a site plan. Anybody can have. I believe.

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Is one tent on their property for camping purposes, and somebody wants to camp on a farm.

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They are able, I believe, they're allowed to have a tent one tent uh one site for camping. So no.

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Changes were recommended due to the fact that it is a conditional use in our code at this time.

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We put solar energy in here because it's always changing.

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And there's always things coming about, um but after we talked.

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We decided, since we just introduced the the community solar the code at this point in time.

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Let's see how that pilot program goes and if things need to be updated in the future.

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We will revisit it, but in this point in time the solar energy in the ag conservation zone is.

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We're looking to keep it the way it is based on the community, solar.

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Ordinance that the commission adopted.

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So again, no changes are recommended. Another big challenge accessory dwelling units.

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A couple things is our code too restrictive with detached accessory dwellings.

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Should detach accessory drawing units be able to be rented out.

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And you know: we've we've talked about it, so when it comes to the attached we have up, we.

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Are updating the definition itself? um The wording is not exactly like this, but it's pretty much just.

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In addition to be accessed via.

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Not addition, I'm sorry, but the access is via a heated and or cooled livable space, no more than.

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15 feet from the primary dwelling and I believe also in the concept team. They have looked at a.

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uh Party wall type could also be considered a attached dwelling, depending on how it looks.

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But the reason we said 15 feet is that is actually sort of the way zone. He looks at it today.

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Is 15 feet is a decent number, so you notice one of those you can't say. Well, I have a a 45 foot.

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Patio or 45 foot deck that will totally enclose and put you know heating unit in there to keep.

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It warm in the winter and have that as a test, so 15 feet is a a good round number that we thought.

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Other says: okay, yes, that that makes sense, and it goes along with what the zoning administration is.

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Currently doing today when it comes to the attacks attached aspect, so we wanted to add that in there.

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Just to get a little bit more clarification and people understand when it comes to an attached.

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Now detached that was a lot of discussion, no consensus, there's considerable disagreement.

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On how to proceed so that one is still in the talks- and I believe actually that may be one of.

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The things you'll see on the on the uh you may see on the agenda that next month we come back when I.

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Come back on the 19th! I'm sorry, not next month on the 19th that will bring forward some areas that.

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Really maybe has some guidance from planning commission on and the detached accessory.

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Dwelling units may be one of those items to to see what we, what what kind of faults the.

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Planning commission has that could help guide the concept, team and moving forward with that aspect.

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And we also the other big thing- is just the conservation district.

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I know we talked a lot about the ag and everything is ag conservation.

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But the big part, big thing is, I mean: should the uses of the conservation district be re-evaluated.

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If you read over the purpose statement, the way it reads it is geared, it appears to be geared more.

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Toward you know more conservation, you obviously have areas that are hard to develop because.

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Of water supply woodland areas, environmental features, streams, steep slopes, that type of thing.

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But if you look at the use table and see some of the things that are in there.

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Under conservation, some of those- maybe it it could sound contradictory contradictory to the.

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What the purpose of our conservation district appears to be, so that is another thing. We're.

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Looking at to look at the use table- and we did- and we did that as a group as a work group, both.

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Conservation and ag looked at the use tables to re-evaluate to see if those uses still make sense.

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In in the zones that are being reviewed, so that's what we're looking at we're doing is.

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Re-Evaluating the conservation zone and we'll align the the uses more with the conservation.

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Land and environmental restrictions that come with the way our purpose statement reads and what our.

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Our current lands that are zone conservation, how those have the environmental restrictions to make.

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More aligned with what what we believe is the purpose of the conservation zone.

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And then clustering clustering obviously isn't allowed in the conservation zone a minimum of.

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One acre total number of lots and dwelling units will not exceed the number that are.

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Permitted if you would develop it conventionally, so if you have nine acres, obviously you can't do.

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You know three houses total, because you have three, you know one acre lots. You have to have.

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A road there somewhere but give or take so you'd only be able to do roughly three lots.

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And again, individual lights shall be designed and located and minimize.

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Potential environmental degradation of natural resources.

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So again, you know looking to have hopefully more.

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Open space areas for subdivision trails, that type of thing.

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So what we came up with is the recommendation from the work group is to mandate clustering in.

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The conservation zone, and so a lot of the feedback we've got is, is a lot of the developers who are.

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Coming, who are looking to do subdivisions in the conservation zone are currently preferring to do.

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The clustering aspect, however, we did put in there that you know potentially that we would allow.

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Variances could be requested if a developer wishes not to cluster, um so we have that in there, but.

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Again, we're going to make man mandate clustering in the conservation zone is the recommendation.

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So this is just sort of goes over everything I just talked about. um I am happy to read it.

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Or if you want, you can sort of look every glance or anything over of everything we.

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Went through so you got the contractor equipment storage. We talked to. We have reviewed and talked.

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About with work group country ends, you'll see the events and banker facility. That is a new.

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Use and definition that we're looking to implement commercial, kennels, agritourism and seasonal uses.

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No recommendations same thing with commercial camping, the accessory dwelling units again.

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The biggest thing was the disagreements and no consensus when it comes to the attacks.

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I'm sorry the detached accessory dwelling units uh solar energy- again, we just we just had the brand.

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New code or ordinance in place so we're going to leave it as is and see how that that goes, and then.

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It should changes need to be occurred down the road. We'll do that then look at the conservation.

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Zone purpose itself and bring the the uses in aligning with what the purpose appears to be.

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And then, of course, just general recommendations are made to look at the conservation. The ag and.

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Conservation news table today to see, if there's any updates anything that needs to be. You know.

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Added or moved around, so those are just general recommendations.

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And then clustering in the conservation zone, district.

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So, like linda said we're in the process of doing our concept, team uh meetings and we're going. I.

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Believe uh doubling up at least two a month now so in april today, I'm introducing uh in briefing.

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You all you know, the 19th is where I'll come back and have ad conservation. Zoning concerns.

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Discussion um and linda and uh and barry will probably get we'll get together to just sort of.

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Make sure we have the just the concerns that we need to bring forward so in june, through august.

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Looking to do four planning commission work sessions on the proposed draft legislation.

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Which concept team is is currently doing looking to transmit in august, transmit the peace plan.

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Commission will transmit their recommendations to the board of county commissioners.

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The board of county commissioners through september and october will have their.

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Work sessions in late october, we'll conduct our public hearing and then in november is.

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The goal is to hopefully have our the board county commissioner, to adopt the new ordinance or ag.

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Conservation, zoning text, and that is it for what the high level quick briefing um we're talking.

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About right now, with ad conservation and I'll, be happy to answer any questions, if you have any.

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So price this is jeff. uh I think that's a great overview. It's nice to know sort of how.

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The timeline is going to work. It's it's somewhat familiar to us now, uh as we've been through this.

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uh Involving the other areas of the zoning code, although for mike kane, this is all new.

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So we certainly want to make sure you have every opportunity to ask any questions and get oriented.

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And I, like I mean, there's some repetition here built into the multiple work sessions. We're.

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Going to have so, I think that um that's going to be useful and as we try to work.

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Through some of the things where there's not a consensus, maybe we can raise some questions and.

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Have a have a nice debate about some of these things and flesh out the pros and cons around.

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Around some of that and certainly hear what uh what those in the community might might think.

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About it as well, so it seems like a really good process, very transparent, good group of people.

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You've got in your work session too. We've got a lot of voices coming in from a lot of perspectives.

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So uh certainly appreciate all the work that they're doing you're doing you're leading.

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um You and your staff so uh with that to uh do any of the other members of the commission.

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Have any questions at this point regarding the sort of introduction we've gotten this.

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Sounds pretty quiet pete I would ask. I would ask one question.

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And this is kind of obscure price, and but at what point is a farmer.

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Running a banquet facility versus just throwing frequent.

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Companies for his rowdy friends, at what point do you make that determination.

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Well, that's we looked at that, it was along the lines of and it didn't have to be.

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Particularly a farmer, because, typically the ones when we had the country that came about I'm not.

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Sure, if you've had, if you had any countrymen, that have come forward since you've been on uh pete.

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But it's typically people, even though this is ag conservation land or in that case ag land.

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It's not it's, usually not the former per se asking to do this. uh Somebody who.

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Either just found something they think would be good and they want to do this.

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So that could be. That could be something we could bring back, just as a thought to our concept. Team.

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And work group, but typically it's the bankrupt facilities, everything we've we've seen it's more.

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They want to do weddings is what it is. That's the big thing. um It's not having you know a super bowl.

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Party or a national championship party, it's it's the place to me. I guess you could potentially rent.

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It for that aspect, but it's mostly weddings. It's just a big aspect right and I guess.

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I have a friend who had a horse farm and she used to board horses for people and then she uh that.

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Gradually, the horses you know kind of they got tired of doing that and then her daughter got.

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To the age where she was going to get married and well, let's fix up the barn and do it and.

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um I I'm just curious as to at what point does that become a business where she needs.

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Someone like that needs to you know it's a banquet facility. What point does that happen? So just a.

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Couple things so with anything whether it's a banquet facility or under our country and under.

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The current code, you need a site plan so for it to be officially something a site plan needs to be.

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um You know submitted and adhered to. You know those other things you have. People are going.

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To refurbish a bar and use them for their own personal family parties and get togethers, I mean.

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We're not policing that um you know. Obviously, if things are crazy and you see that you know.

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Neighbor sees that people are having events all the time. You know that would have to be.

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A zoning uh administrator call on that, um but I wouldn't focus too much on them doing that.

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Because again, if it's going to go beyond their personal use, a cycling has to be put forward.

A

All right, any other questions, just just a comment: uh bryce thanks nice meeting you over the.

C

Go-To meeting um is there a way for me to get some additional detail? In the backdrop.

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Of these initiatives and these discussions just so I can, you know, get a little bit better.

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Understanding of things, particularly, uh it sounds like that. The uh the adu discussion on detached.

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Units is a little heated I'd like to learn more about that and are there links or websites or.

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Notes or uh resources, I could look at to learn some more about these yeah there's I'll go with.

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Linda, I'm sure, there's things we were able to um I'll go through the stuff. The presentations.

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That I did for the work group um that I created for that. I'm sure um I can share those to give.

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You some some background as what we were talking about of how things came about.

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With, like you said, the adus and that type of thing, especially the detached, but I'm sure yes,.

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I'll be happy to get that stuff together for you, that'd be great. I look forward to reading.

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I'm sorry so yeah so, and it's also on our website mike um we've been putting.

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Just as we did with our other efforts under carol, rezoning.org.

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Is the mission statement of the work group, um the booklet that was prepared for that work group.

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um And we also have some meeting notes. We can definitely share so you can understand how the.

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Work group came to some of the recommendations and where some of the discourse was within the.

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Group so again, that's on our carol zoning.org under the ag gotcha. Okay, great. Thank you.

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Anyone else with any questions at this point.

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Hearing none uh price. Thank you very helpful. Thank you.

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So with that uh price, I think we can turn you loose this evening.

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And move on to uh item eight, which is the the finksburg facade improvement program.

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And uh linda did you want to introduce that as well and then we've got claire, I think, coming.

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In to do the actual presentation, yeah absolutely so um a little bit of background on finksburg.

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We, the planning commission, adopted a new finksburg plan in 2013. um the finksburg area, the original.

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Plan was for over six thousand acre area. It's one of our growth areas um in carroll, county.

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And the air is originally envisioned to have water and sewer um fast forward. Third, I think a 30-year.

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Difference between the first plane in the 80s and the 2013 amended plan.

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Contracted the area from 6 000 plus acres to 640 acres, really focusing on the commercial corridor.

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Of the thingsburg area, finksburg has a really great community organization. That's very strong.

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But the area needs a little help cosmetically so over the past few years,.

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We've been really working hard to implement the finksburg community comprehensive plan.

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And one of the main things that we did to help that was to get them a sustainable community's.

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Designation and basically it's that tool and the toolbox of grants and other funding source.

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Opportunities from the state that the county and property owners within the finsburg area.

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Can take advantage of to enhance and promote the area so with that there was a grant opportunity.

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To apply for a facade improvement program, claire stewart's been the lead on this project along.

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With tiffany fawcett claire has done such an outstanding job. Getting this program up and.

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Running and now doing the next phase, which is that facade improvement program, I'm very, very proud.

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Of the work that staff has done and this program and the possibilities that this program holds for.

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Improvements to the look of the things for area so with that, I'm going to turn it over to claire.

H

All right good evening, planning, commission good evening so as linda said, this is the.

H

Finksburg facade improvement program and I'm just going to run through um what this program.

H

Is and just our next step, so I'm going to turn my camera off while I'm presenting.

H

Okay, everyone can hear me: okay,.

A

Yes, we can hear you.

H

Okay, so in fiscal year 22 the board of county commissioners were um was awarded 50 000 um to.

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Fund a facade improvement program in the finksburg designated sustainable community and linda was.

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Mentioning a little bit about that designation prior to this, so the funding is from maryland.

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Department of housing and community development's community legacy program- and this is one of two.

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Funding programs that are offered strictly to those areas designated as sustainable communities.

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So the goals of this program are to encourage renovation of building facades and signs.

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uh Improve the appearance of the pinksburg corridor, leverage private improvements by making.

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Revitalization efforts, affordable and community based and preserve and enhance economic vitality.

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Of commercial services, so this is a newly created program. It will offer matching grant funds to.

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Eligible property owners in finksburg to improve the appearance of their building facades and signs.

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And it's an implement implementing the sustainable community action plan for finksburg, so the program.

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Will offer an incentive dollar amount up to 50 of the total cost of facade and sign.

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Of renovations in return for the property owner or business owners, 50 or greater investment. So that's.

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A maximum grant match of ten thousand dollars and a minimum of five thousand or five hundred.

H

I'm sorry that gives um business and property owners uh a wide range of what kind of funding.

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They can use for projects and it will be offered on a rolling basis, broken down into grant periods.

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For two years or as funding is available- and hopefully this funding flies off the shelf.

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And we can reapply next year, so on top of the matching grant, we can incentivize property owners.

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To make improvements by allowing them to pair on this program with economic development's.

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Gateway renovation, tax, credit and it's very similar to this program, except for it's a tax.

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Credit but the program permits redevelopment and revitalization of the things corridor.

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So I've been working closely with um paige sunderland who, uh who administers the tax credit.

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For economic development, so that we can really get the maximum benefit to the property owners.

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And then some eligible improvements are building facades and signs.

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And these projects can include anything from.

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New or replacement awnings um lighting, windows and doors, hardscaping, um and so on.

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The project also supports new signs, sign, repair and removal of outdated signs.

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And then go to the next slide.

H

All right, so this is the map showing um the.

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uh The a little bit of a greater finksburg area and then the eligible applicants for this program.

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So if you can see my cursor um 140 is the darker red line with the reservoir over.

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Here to the east and then 90 91, so the 140 and 91 is really our crossroads right. There.

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um The lighter red line that goes around the perimeter is the designated sustainable community.

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And then the eligible applicants for this are those properties that are um basically highlighted.

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In green with the yellow, so that is um any any commercial or industrial property that fronts 140.

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Or is adjacent to a property that fronts 140 within the sustainable community boundary, so we've.

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Went ahead and created this map and highlighted this property so that it's easily identifiable.

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um For business and property enters as to whether they're eligible or not.

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And then just wrapping everything up throughout the process. We've um partnered with the.

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um Finksburg planning and citizens council- um and they are very active.

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In their community actually through the whole sustainable community effort um with getting.

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The designation and drafting the action plan they've been really great in in assisting us.

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And partnering with the county um so we're accepting applications now through may 31st.

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um And we have a website where all of this information can be found. It's finksbergfip.org.

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On the website is contact information, we have program guidelines, um a checklist, an application.

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That's easy to to read through for for anyone who's interested in applying, and we have this.

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The previous map that I just showed you there's a lot of useful links to other county agencies that.

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They may need through the process, um so that is all I have for you. Do you guys have any questions.

H

Actually claire can I um share the billboard picture. Yes, let me spot my screen share. Okay,.

I

Okay, there you go organizer can make me presenter. Thank you.

E

um This, I just thought was really fun that we were able to do this through the chambers website. um If.

E

You can see my my picture, my email picture here. This is what's on 140 in finsburg area. um It is.

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Sponsored by the chamber, so they allow chamber members to have um billboard time. It's 10 seconds.

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On a 240 second rotation, so this will be up here from april 1 to september 30th. So anyway,.

E

I was just I thought that was really exciting, that we were able to do that within our budget.

A

Well, this looks good. You know. We've talked about this before back when we dealt with the.

A

Finksburg plan and so forth, but um finksburg in many ways is one of the gateways into.

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Carroll county- and it makes a first impression for some folks as they're.

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Leaving baltimore county and coming into carroll county, so I'm a big fan of you know.

E

See my family looks great, um so I'm a big fan of this. I think it's really nice that.

A

We can do anything to help the pittsburgh community, uh create. You know an even better.

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First impression, as folks are traveling into our county, so claire really appreciate the.

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The work that's being done on this and the grants and the.

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It you know, helps to facilitate uh business owners um and really just.

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Local folks being able to improve uh how the community looks, that's really good. Thank you.

A

Any other any other comments from the commission members on this.

D

C

You know I live in finksburg and very familiar with the area that you're talking about.

C

It's not, um it is the gate, it is a gateway, a major.

C

And gateway businesses along there are pretty strong, I believe, there's not vacant buildings.

C

Or anything like that, it's just a matter of trying to pretty things up and get them on the.

C

Same page, I guess that's really my question: how do you get them all on the same.

C

Page to have you know, similarities and appearance, and things like that. I don't know how that will.

C

Work, that's a challenge, I guess, but uh it does need some cleanup. Some scrubbing and you know.

C

Things like that, but I'm all for it so mike you make a good point about that and.

E

Years and years and years ago, prior to the adoption of the finksburg plan, there.

E

Were design guidelines for the finksburg area? That's something we've resurrected um with this.

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Effort as a tool, so as people go forward, property owners and say hey, what can we.

E

Do what should we do? What would look good? We have those design guidelines as a suggestion.

E

For them to follow so that way, we have some more of that uniformity and look excellent. Yes,.

G

That's great to hear, because again I think that's one of the things that.

G

When you think about finksburg and even the freedom uh district, I think that's one of the.

G

Complaints, I get is that your dad gummit, you know we're running out of out of an opportunity here to.

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Create a sense of place and some homogeneity and all that, and so it's great to hear that we have.

G

Those guidelines- and you know I I just I wish there was a way to- and I guess this is where I.

G

Think we need to be coached up as a planning and zoning commission just how how strongly do we want.

G

This thing as a group, because you know I think most of us- are property rights people. You know.

G

It helps create a sense of community in place. You know that we're not.

G

uh I don't know what to say other than to say I think it's great, that we've got it and and again.

G

I think I could use a little education in terms of what we're expected to do and what what really we.

G

Want to do as a group- and I don't want to create some sort of group- think here, but we kind of need.

G

To be in concert in terms of you know, this is what we aspire to be as a county. You know, and.

G

Have those conversations about you know, do we want to force people to use brick rather than.

G

Metal on sightings of buildings, or at least on the front facing side portion of the building.

G

Again, I'm meandering as I do, um but but again I couldn't handle being coached up in terms of what.

G

What our our aspirations and and and how far do we want to? How strongly do we want to voice that.

G

And inform, as a commission that makes sense am I am I making sense.

A

Yeah, I think so dude you know it's and it's one more. It's another example of a balancing.

A

Test you know everything in life seems to be a balancing test. Certainly everything we deal with here seems to be a balancing test, um and so there's a tension between.

A

You know individual rights people want to come in and exercise their own freedoms.

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To do what they want not have the government interfere and, in this case, we're the government.

A

But at the same time, communities benefit from some um consistency and some standards.

A

uh That that tend to make the community feel more like a community, so um I think you know anything.

A

That staff can do to help educate us around how we can what those issues are. Maybe in more detail.

A

And how we can be aware of that, um as we try to balance those out, I think, would be very helpful.

D

My turn go ahead. Okay, um so guidelines are guidelines. I don't think um that we as a.

D

Group can say you need to do brick or um citing or whatever, but but there are some guidelines.

D

That people can at least look to. I do notice that on the corner of 91 and 140, where the old.

D

I guess bank used to be and there's some other things they're doing a big renovation. There.

D

So is that part of um anything clear have they put anything in for this? This facade.

H

uh Yeah I've spoken to the property owner, and um so this this program calls for approval of an.

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Application prior to any improvements being made so um and in this, this project on the corner of.

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1491 is actually, fortunately um for the community unfortunate for them being able to use the grant.

H

Money will be completed um pretty soon so um for what they have going on right now. No, but.

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Any any improvements that haven't been been made yet to sign or facade.

H

um We would more than welcome an application um to look over okay.

I

All right janice do you have any other, any other comments or questions.

A

All right, matt and any questions or comments mike anything further. No, I'm good pete anything further.

A

All right, I don't my screen is pretty small. Did I miss anybody.

A

um You have it all all right claire. Thank you. Great presentation really appreciate it.

A

Very good. The last item tonight is general public comment. Do we have anybody um who wishes to make.

A

Any comments do we know if anybody's on the line? No, we do not have any callers in for this evening.

E

Okay, very good, um then. At this point I would be happy to uh entertain a motion for a german move.

A

We adjourn a second second all right. We have a motion to second all in favor of adjournment.

D

Aye, it looks like it's unanimous mike thanks for uh we're adjourned mike. Thank you for joining us.

A

I think you're doing this from your vacation right yeah, but you know I'm early on and all this and I.

C

Am you know it's a learning curve for here for me and I'm still on the bottom? So that's okay,.

C

Well, we appreciate you, uh you calling in no worries all right. Thank you all have a great.