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Frederick County amends zoning rules to ease gravel requirement for special-event parking
Summary
The Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to Chapter 165 of the zoning ordinance to remove a blanket gravel parking requirement for special-event facilities and allow alternative stabilized surfaces, with conditions for emergency access and high-frequency uses.
The Frederick County Board of Supervisors voted Jan. 8 to amend county zoning rules for special-event facilities, removing a strict requirement that all off-street parking for those uses be surfaced with gravel.
County planning staff said the change, to Chapter 165 (zoning ordinance) part 204 section 30, was proposed after applicants and staff raised concerns that mandatory gravel parking forces property owners to gravely large areas of productive farmland and imposes substantial upfront costs for facilities used infrequently.
Under the approved amendment, parking for special-event facilities must be provided on stable ground, kept free of mud and maintained with stabilization techniques (for example, vegetative stabilization). Travel aisles and access ways necessary for emergency response remain required to be graveled or have an approved equivalent surface at the discretion of the fire marshal. The board retained authority through the conditional-use permit (CUP) process to require gravel, double prime and seal, or another dust-free surface for any specific project when warranted.
Brenda Edwards, who identified herself during the public hearing as operator of a small farm event venue (Ramey Wolf Farm LLC), told the board she expects about 10–26 event days a year and asked that parking be allowed to remain a grassy meadow to avoid damaging pasture and hay production. “The large gravel area would be a general eyesore in our 62 acres of natural acres and would impact the use of livestock for hay farming,” Edwards said.
Staff and board members said the amendment aims to support small agritourism and event businesses while preserving public-safety access. County staff noted some existing CUPs already included conditions requiring gravel or paving; those CUPs remain governed by their specific conditions. The county will work administratively with event operators who previously installed gravel parking to evaluate options if they wish to restore pasture or change the surface, officials said.
After discussion, the board voted 7–0 to approve the zoning amendment affecting special-event facility parking. The Planning Commission had recommended approval in December 2024.
