Walkersville Commission eyes Main Street Maryland designation to boost downtown businesses

The Walkersville commission discussed pursuing the Main Street Maryland program, a state grant and technical‑assistance program meant to help downtowns fund revitalization, after the chair said the town has “a little bit of momentum” with prospective businesses. The chair said the key precondition is creating a walkable commercial district around Pennsylvania and Maple avenues before the town can be considered for the program.

“For anybody who’s not familiar with that, it is a program through the state of Maryland where you can apply for grants and funding to get things done in your town,” the chair said. She pointed to several commercial assets and vacancies — the old feed store (a potential tenant), the bowling alley, the train station and small cafés — as factors that will influence whether Walkersville can meet Main Street Maryland’s district standard.

Commission members agreed the commission’s role is to encourage business occupancy and to promote the town to prospective tenants, while decisions about specific uses and land‑use compliance remain subject to zoning rules. One committee member raised concerns about a roofing company moving into a commercial storefront, and the chair said zoning and any necessary hearings would determine permitted uses rather than the commission.

The commission discussed outreach steps: circulating flyers, using vendor and business contacts, and updating a map of commercial spaces to guide recruitment. No formal motion or vote to apply for Main Street Maryland was recorded; commissioners said they would monitor tenant interest and return to the issue once the commercial corridor more clearly meets the program’s walkability requirements.

The commission did not provide a timeline for a formal application and indicated additional data (tenant commitments and a defined walkable district) is needed before proceeding.