Recommendations abound when it comes to local developer Matan Cos.’ plans to develop the Renn Farm property in east Frederick.
The rezoning from light industrial to mixed-use, which will pave the way for a combination of residential and commercial use on the site, has sparked interest from local and national groups.
City staff from multiple departments, project team members, the Planning and Airport Commissions, elected officials and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association have all weighed in, suggesting a variety of conditions to attach to the rezoning or opposing it altogether.
One previously discussed condition — to give notice to homeowners of the new residences on the land’s proximity to the Frederick Municipal Airport — is off the table.
During previous workshop discussions, several aldermen said they didn’t think this condition could be adequately enforced. But Airport Commission members, who feared that residents’ noise complaints could jeopardize the airport’s future, agreed that some type of notice could ease their concerns if the rezoning goes through.
That won’t fly with the Land Management Code though, which limits rezoning conditions to those that relate directly to property improvements or the land itself, said Gabrielle Collard, the city’s division manager of current planning.
“We can’t condition on the behavior of individuals,” she said.
What’s left for rezoning conditions? City planning staff recommended five stipulations, including to construct a shared use path connecting the east Frederick site to the city’s downtown, and to prohibit development on the northern edge of the property due to its location within the Runway Inner Safety Zone.
The board of aldermen will vote on these conditions at a public hearing Thursday. They could oppose the rezoning altogether, but not because the conditions aren’t adequate. Instead, they must agree that changing the zone doesn’t fit with the city’s comprehensive plan, Collard said.
If they move forward with rezoning, however, they can only vote on the conditions Thursday. The rezoning itself won’t come until a later meeting — the developers have up to 90 days to accept or reject the rezoning conditions before that decision.
Pro-Renn contingent gets another member
The Airport Commission and AOPA stand against the rezoning of the Renn Farm. Matan Cos. and the Planning Commission have lined up in favor of the rezoning, though the commission’s recommendation included the nixed condition.
Another organization will join the ranks of the “pro-Renn” group — the Downtown Frederick Partnership. Executive Director Kara Norman said she planned to submit a letter to the city supporting the project, including the necessary zoning change.
The partnership typically sends letters of support for “significant projects” that impact downtown, according to Norman. And the benefits Matan Cos.’ project will bring to the downtown community are many.
The planned shared use path would give pedestrians and bicyclists a way to easily travel from the east Frederick Farm to downtown. The dedicated 73-acres of city parkland, another recommended condition of the rezoning, will create complementary recreational opportunities to the existing Baker Park, Norman said.
And the 1,050 residences planned for the site will fill the growing demand for housing near downtown, a need that is the focus of a new strategic plan the partnership will unveil next month.
“One of our big initiatives is working to increase the number of people who live in downtown,” Norman said.
As of Thursday, Norman said the contents of the letter were still in her head, but she planned to send it by the Sept. 17 hearing.
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