Residents urge supervisors to block Woodside substation, question industrial land shading in Ridgeway Estates
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Summary
Multiple residents told the Frederick County Board of Supervisors they oppose a proposed Woodside substation, say the plan conflicts with the county comprehensive plan and raised separate concerns about a lot in Ridgeway Estates shaded for industrial use and requests for a transferable development rights workshop.
Several residents used the public-comment period at Wednesday’s Frederick County Board of Supervisors meeting to oppose a proposed Woodside substation and to request review of comprehensive plan designations they said do not match existing neighborhood use.
Janice Dixon of the Stonewall District told the board she opposed the Woodside substation, saying the project “does not meet the comprehensive plan” for Clearbrook and will harm neighboring property values. “This substation does no benefit for anything but for the millionaire's data center in Loudoun County,” Dixon said, asserting the facility would primarily serve out-of-county users.
Teresa Guirsey of Levittsville reiterated concerns that the site’s industrial shading and a proposed 500 kV substation would be incompatible with an area she described as residential. Resident Steve Payton, who said he lives on Jolene Drive in Ridgeway Estates, requested a formal review of the Frederick County comprehensive plan’s designation for Lot 24 of Ridgeway Estates, saying the lot is shown as a future industrial area though it is in a single-family subdivision. “I would like to respectfully request a review of the Frederick County comprehensive plan, specifically Lot 24 of Ridgeway Estates and the Northeast Land Use Plan being designated as an industrial area,” Payton said.
Ken Dondero of the Red Belt District urged the board to schedule a work session on transferable development rights (TDRs) and asked whether staff had been directed to begin that work. “Has anyone directed staff to start the process of getting that work session to begin?” he asked.
Alfred Giorzi of Lubbockville told the board he believes the attorney’s role is to support the board regardless of the board’s decision and said the board is not bound by its attorney’s legal opinion. “I don't think you're bound by his legal opinion,” Giorzi said.
Board members took no formal action on the Woodside substation or the Ridgeway Estates land-use requests during the meeting; supervisors said items could return for further review. The public-comment period concluded with the clerk noting the list of speakers had ended.