Planning commission conditionally approves Meadow Branch Industrial Park preliminary subdivision

The City of Westminster Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 21 conditionally approved preliminary subdivision plan M 240027, Meadow Branch Industrial Park 5, to divide about 15.755 acres into three industrial lots.

Staff told commissioners the property, in the IR (restricted industrial) zone, is northwest of the Meadow Branch Road/Meadow Creek Drive/Criders Church Road intersection and identified by tax map numbers referenced in the staff report. Planning Division staff said the proposal would create Lots 9, 10 and 11 and that Lots 9 and 10 would share an access easement; no access was proposed for Lot 11 at this preliminary stage.

Commissioners were told the subdivision proposes to dedicate roughly 0.7795 acres (partial A) of right-of-way along Buckshot to the city and about 0.68096 acres (partial B) of right-of-way along Meadow Branch Road to Carroll County. Staff noted that Meadow Branch Road currently involves right‑of‑way owned partly by the city and partly by the county and said coordination between the two governments will continue as the project advances.

Staff recommended approval with conditions that require: (1) relocation of proposed easements that conflict with zoning ordinance section 164‑57 or otherwise prevent required landscape buffers; (2) prohibition of access to Meadow Branch from Lots 9–11 as depicted; and (3) resolution of all remaining City of Westminster and Hanover Land Services comments. Staff also flagged a 30‑foot landscape easement along the IR district boundary and asked that utility easements not prevent required plantings in that buffer.

The commission moved, seconded and approved the preliminary subdivision plan by voice vote. The record does not show a roll-call tally; staff recorded the approval as conditional on the stated requirements.

The commission and staff clarified that the final plan and any subsequent site plans for individual lots will return to the commission for detailed review and to confirm consistency with the approved preliminary subdivision. Staff said parking, detailed site layout and water/sewer allocations will be determined during future site‑plan review.

Commission discussion also noted an existing paper right‑of‑way for Criders Church Road that will require abandonment for the portion that falls within the site; the portion along Meadow Branch would be dedicated to the county as part of the larger right‑of‑way coordination.

The approval does not authorize development of Lot 11, which staff said will be reviewed when a development plan or site plan is filed. The commission’s action was limited to conditional preliminary subdivision approval.