Taneytown planning commission reviews community survey showing concerns about development, downtown vitality and traffic safety

The Taneytown Planning Commission on Wednesday reviewed results from a community survey that drew 537 responses, representing about 1,689 Taneytown residents and roughly 23.4% of the town population, city staff said.

The survey showed broad support for downtown revitalization and local businesses, repeated interest in parks and library services, and recurring concerns about the pace of residential development, perception of rising crime, and traffic safety at the MD-194/MD-140 intersection. Planning staff told commissioners the responses will be used to refine the draft comprehensive plan and to guide public outreach at upcoming open houses.

Emily, a planning staff member who presented the results, said the survey collected 537 responses and that 55% of respondents live in the town’s Zones 1 and 2. "82% of people think that the quality of life in Taneytown is good or better," Emily said. She summarized other headline findings: 49% of respondents reported living in Taneytown for more than 15 years; about 70% of open-ended comments flagged the MD-194/MD-140 intersection as a traffic and safety concern; and many respondents expressed support for the planned Greenway but reported limited awareness of the project's status.

Commissioners and staff discussed housing responses at length. Emily said 49% of respondents had lived in Taneytown more than 15 years while about 33% had lived in town five years or less, and that answers about "affordable housing" appeared to reflect different meanings for residents who moved from higher-cost counties. Commissioner Dan said the term "affordable housing" is interpreted differently by residents and urged clearer definitions in the plan. Paul, a city staff member who helped distribute the survey, described a resident he met who moved from Prince George's County because housing prices made Taneytown comparatively affordable, and relayed the resident's remark: "I just hope I don't have to go back to work," meaning she valued telecommuting and the local schools.

Survey responses also showed strong support for parks and the library. Emily said the library received a 94% adequacy rating in the survey. Respondents split over whether more programs were needed: many asked for more adult and young-adult programming while others said events exist but are not sufficiently visible. Commissioners discussed printed community publications as a way to raise awareness; several noted that some residents still prefer hard-copy notices.

Downtown economics and commercial mix were recurring themes. The presentation noted 77 business owners answered the survey and many respondents said they prefer to "spend our dollars locally" but drive to other towns because local retail and dining options are limited. Commissioners discussed barriers to downtown businesses, including property owners converting storefronts to apartments to guarantee rental income, which reduces available retail space. Several commissioners pointed to the Stone House bakery/café and local wedding venues such as Antrim 1844 as examples of businesses that bring customers into downtown.

Traffic, pedestrian safety and infrastructure also drew sustained discussion. Emily said pedestrian and bicycle safety, traffic calming, and maintenance of roads and bridges were top transportation priorities in the survey. A staff member cited data showing roughly 3,000 vehicles per day on Trevanion (spelling in survey) Road with about 10% exceeding the speed limit by 12 miles per hour or more; commissioners said that motivates camera and crosswalk improvements. The commission noted that Baltimore Street is a state road and that pedestrian improvements there require coordination with the Maryland State Highway Administration.

Housing type questions showed respondents tended to oppose additional multifamily rental and low-income housing in some survey answers, and strongly supported enforcing minimum standards for rental properties and restoring historic houses. Commissioners and staff discussed examples of larger, well-managed rental developments in other jurisdictions and said community education will be needed to distinguish different housing models and management approaches.

Commissioners asked for additional data breakdowns. Emily and Paul agreed to produce further cross-tabulations on household size by age and to provide more map detail for transportation project names cited in the survey (Key Crossing, Starboard Drive extension, Stumptown realignment). Paul said a few background data items still await agency releases but the background work is essentially complete.

Next steps: staff said the planning effort will include public open houses starting in February; the team plans an open house at the Taneytown Library on Feb. 19 with a 1–7 p.m. schedule for public drop-in comments. Commissioners were asked to provide short written definitions of what they mean by a "small-town atmosphere" to help shape the plan’s vision statements.

Formal actions on the workshop agenda were limited to routine business. The commission approved the prior meeting minutes by voice vote, and later moved to adjourn; both motions passed by voice vote with no detailed roll-call published in the record.