Washington County commissioners approve $800,000 grant application, property acquisitions, lease extension and interagency MOU; license granted for charity tour

The Washington County Board of County Commissioners on May 20 approved a package of routine but consequential items: a motion to submit and accept a Community Legacy Grant application for $800,000 to support phase 1 rehabilitation of Building 603 at Fort Richey; property acquisitions and easements for a culvert replacement and road realignment on Hopewell Road; acceptance of surplus school property to pass through to the town of Boonesborough and the BOE for the Chase 6 Boulevard project; a lease extension proposed by Vertical Bridge for a cell tower on Fort Richey property; an updated memorandum of understanding with the Hagerstown Eastern Panhandle Metropolitan Planning Organization (HEP MPO) and Region 9 planning authority; and a license agreement allowing the Community Free Clinic to stage an annual charity tournament on county-owned land at 520 Western Maryland Parkway in Hagerstown.

The most prominent item was a request from the Department of Planning and Zoning to submit a grant application and to accept funding, if awarded, from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development's Community Legacy Grant Program on behalf of Cascade Properties LLC. "The Department of Planning and Zoning is requesting a motion to submit a grant application to and accept funding awarded from the Department of Housing and Community Development's Community Legacy Grant Program on behalf of Cascade Properties, LLC," said Jennifer Kinzer, deputy director, Department of Planning and Zoning. Kinzer said the request is for $800,000 to help cover costs for phase 1 of rehabilitating Building 603 to facilitate future development on the former Fort Richey property; she said the grant does not require county matching funds and that "any remaining balance on the project will be the responsibility of Cascade Properties." Kinzer described plans to convert Building 603 into a boutique hotel as part of the Fort Richey revival and noted the building is roughly 30,000 square feet in size. She said the phase 1 cost estimate is just over $1,600,000 and the total project cost is just over $3,200,000.

On transportation and right-of-way matters, Todd Moser, real property administrator in the Division of Engineering, presented an option agreement and ordinance for partial acquisition of property and easements for work on Hopewell Road. Moser said the acquisitions include fee simple and temporary and perpetual easements at specific parcels identified in the record and explained the work is "for a culvert replacement on Hopewell Road and road realignment of right road to raise the road out of the flood plain." The record lists parcel descriptors and square-foot amounts for the fee and easement areas; acquisition costs were stated in the staff memo.

Moser also presented an ordinance to accept conveyance of approximately 1.61 acres from the Washington County Board of Education to Washington County, to be conveyed at no cost ("for 0 consideration") onward to the town of Boonesborough and SHA as part of the Chase 6 Boulevard and Campus Avenue realignment project. Moser said the county's "sole purpose and intent in accepting the transfer of the proposed surplus property is to act as a pass through entity to facilitate transfer of proposed surplus property to the town of Boonesborough and BOE for the Chase 6 Boulevard project," and that the project is expected to improve vehicle and pedestrian safety around the local high school and middle school.

Regarding Fort Richey property matters, Moser presented a proposed second amendment to the land lease with Vertical Bridge (which holds a cell tower lease with Fort Richey 1 LLC). Staff said Vertical Bridge proposed a lease extension consisting of five additional five-year renewal periods beginning in February 2034, with a stated rent increase of $300 at commencement and continued 3% annual escalation; staff told commissioners the tenant covers property taxes, maintenance and utilities and county staff reported no other current use for the site.

Jill Baker, director of the Department of Planning and Zoning, and Matt Molineux of the HEP MPO presented an updated memorandum of understanding between the Board of County Commissioners and the Region 9 planning authority in West Virginia that governs HEP MPO staff arrangements. Baker explained that HEP MPO staff are paid through Region 9 and reimbursed via federal grants, that the agreement had not been updated in roughly 18 years, and that the update clarifies roles and institutes an annual review process. Molineux said the revisions are "fairly boilerplate" but provide needed clarifications for duties and an annual review.

Andrew Eshelman, director of public works, asked the board to approve a license agreement allowing the Community Free Clinic to use county-owned property at 520 Western Maryland Parkway for its annual mud-volleyball charity tournament; Eshelman said the parcel is undeveloped and offers sufficient parking and site needs for the event. Eshelman noted the tournament is an important fundraiser for the clinic and this year would mark its 25th anniversary.

Motions to approve each item were made and seconded; the meeting record shows the board called for the voice vote and commissioners responded "aye." No roll-call tallies or named vote counts were recorded in the audio excerpt provided.

Votes at a glance

- Community Legacy grant application (Cascade Properties LLC / Building 603, Fort Richey): motion to submit and accept funding if awarded; requested amount $800,000; outcome: approved (motion carried by voice vote). Source: Jennifer Kinzer. - Hopewell Road property acquisition (10833 Hopewell Road; Parcel 704 Lot 1; fee simple and easements): ordinance and option agreement to acquire property and easements for culvert replacement and road realignment; outcome: approved (motion carried by voice vote). Source: Todd Moser. - Acceptance of surplus school property for Chase 6 Boulevard project (approx. 1.61 acres): adopt ordinance declaring property surplus and authorize conveyance to town of Boonesborough and SHA at no cost; outcome: approved (motion carried by voice vote). Source: Todd Moser. - Fort Richey salt tower lease amendment (Vertical Bridge / Fort Richey 1 LLC): approve lease extension with five additional five-year renewal periods beginning Feb. 2034, initial $300 increase and 3% annual escalator; outcome: approved (motion carried by voice vote). Source: Todd Moser. - Memorandum of understanding: update to agreement between Washington County and Region 9 planning authority / HEP MPO to clarify roles and annual review; outcome: approved (motion carried by voice vote). Sources: Jill Baker, Matt Molineux. - License agreement: Community Free Clinic charity tournament at 520 Western Maryland Parkway; outcome: approved (motion carried by voice vote). Source: Andrew Eshelman.

No new county matching funds were committed on the record for the Community Legacy grant; staff said the county would enter a subrecipient agreement with Cascade Properties if the grant is awarded to define roles and responsibilities and that Cascade Properties would be responsible for any project balance not covered by the grant.

The board heard each presentation, asked a few clarifying questions and approved the items. Several presenters noted next steps such as executing documents, recording a lot consolidation plan for the transit site (a separate item discussed later in the agenda), and pursuing federal reimbursement or grant awards where applicable.