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Rustic Roads Commission shifts to phased outreach with March soft launch at Catoctin Creek
Summary
The Frederick County Rustic Roads Commission approved a shift from a single large meeting to phased, user-group-focused outreach beginning with a March soft launch at Catoctin Creek and a social media campaign to build support ahead of a countywide presentation.
Beau Lockard, Historic Preservation Planner with Frederick County Division of Planning and Permitting, said the commission's Education, Promotion and Tourism Subcommittee has changed its outreach approach from one large meeting to a phased strategy centered on small user-group engagement.
Lockard told the commission the timeline begins with a soft launch in March 2026 at Catoctin Creek, where the program will be integrated into a Parks and Recreation history talk to frame rustic roads as historical assets. He said the subcommittee will hold meetings with targeted stakeholders — such as cyclists and birders — to gather feedback, refine presentation materials and build partnerships. "By 'piggybacking' on established events like the America 250 Celebration, the Maryland Iron Festival, and the Tour de Frederick," Lockard said, the commission hopes to increase visibility while preparing for a countywide presentation.
Lockard described a supporting social media campaign that will feature local photography and resident quotes to educate the community on the program’s value. The phased approach is intended to produce more targeted input from regular users of rustic roads and community groups before presenting broader proposals to the public and the Planning Commission.
The commission did not take a formal vote on the outreach plan at the Feb. 11 meeting; subcommittee members will return with refined materials and partnership plans at a future meeting.
