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Frederick County planner briefs Mount Airy commission on proposed data-center overlay and Newmarket rezoning talks
Summary
A Frederick County planner told the Mount Airy commission on June 30 that the county has introduced a proposed overlay to limit data-center development on about 1,000 acres near Adamstown and that the planning commission will review the map beginning July 9.
Vanessa, a Frederick County planner present at the June 30 meeting, briefed the Mount Airy Planning Commission on ongoing county-level planning work that could affect the town.
Vanessa said County Council members introduced proposed legislation to establish an overlay district to limit further large data-center development on the East Alco site near Adamstown, an area of roughly 1,000 acres. The Frederick County Planning Commission will review a proposed map at its July 9 meeting and hold additional sessions (noted for July 16 and July 23) to receive public comment; the county's planning commission recommendation will then go to the state for a 60-day review period before the County Council considers adoption. Vanessa said that, as of the briefing, no rezonings were proposed and that a moratorium on new data-center development remains in place under County Executive Jessica Fitzwater.
Vanessa also described a staff workshop held June 18 under an "Investing in Workers and Workplaces" initiative: county staff are exploring rezoning a handful of parcels in the Newmarket area from general commercial and Office/Research/Institutional (ORI) to light industrial to support businesses that need loading/industrial space near interstates. Those rezonings are still under discussion and will return to the county planning commission for further workshops.
Commissioners pressed for more local information about an adjacent large residential project (Cherry Run) that they said could generate traffic and water/wastewater impacts for Mount Airy. Vanessa said Cherry Run's application, for roughly 1,000 dwelling units, was approved in May and that county staff would provide available traffic and water-study materials to Mount Airy staff for review. "I can definitely reach out to our development review planners," Vanessa said. She agreed to email the county's materials and a link to the Carroll County Master Plan to John for distribution to the commission.
Why it matters A county overlay or rezoning near Mount Airy could affect cross-border infrastructure demand, traffic, and future annexation and land-use decisions. The moratorium and public-review windows give municipalities and residents time to comment.
Next steps Vanessa will send the documents referenced (county master plan link and any available studies) to John for distribution to the commissioners; county planning hearings on the data-center overlay are scheduled for mid-July.
