Planning commission recommends annexation of 30.52-acre Optimum Properties site

The City of Westminster Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend approval of annexation 83, a 30.52-acre petition from Optimum Properties LLC, forwarding the item to the mayor and county council with a favorable recommendation.

The parcel, described by planning staff as part of Waddell Ridge section 9 and adjacent to the Stonegate development, is currently zoned R-20,000 in Carroll County and was petitioned for R-10,000 in the city. Andrea, a city planning staff member, told the commission the property sits inside the city’s W1 and S1 water and sewer service areas and that the county granted a zoning waiver allowing the annexation to proceed. Andrea said the petition anticipates a potential yield of roughly four to seven residential units under the concept plan submitted with the petition.

Kelly Shaffer Miller, attorney for the applicant, said the developer pursued a water and sewer master plan amendment to add the parcels to the service area before filing for annexation, and that the master plan amendment received county and Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) approvals. Miller said the reason for requesting R-10 zoning is to align setback and bulk requirements with the applicant’s concept plan, not to increase density beyond what existing site constraints would permit.

Commissioners asked about roadway connections between the new development and existing Stonegate and Woodside Drive. Andrea and other project representatives said the design concept included a public right-of-way connection to the existing stub at Stonegate; whether internal streets would be public or private will be determined during subdivision review.

After public comment closed, the commission moved and seconded a motion to forward Resolution 24-11 (Optimum Properties LLC / annexation 83) to the mayor and county council with a favorable recommendation. The transcript records the motion was seconded and the commission responded “all in favor, aye.” The record does not list individual roll-call votes in the transcript excerpt.

Why it matters: Annexation would bring the parcel into the city’s planning, zoning and service jurisdictions and allow the developer to proceed toward preliminary subdivision and site plan reviews under Westminster’s standards. The water and sewer master plan amendment and county waiver are key prerequisites the applicant cited as enabling the annexation to proceed.

What’s next: The commission’s favorable recommendation will be transmitted to the mayor and county council; the item was scheduled for a public hearing on the council agenda on the 27th (month not specified) according to the staff packet referenced at the meeting.