Commission approves West Frederick library plan and multiple modifications including expanded parking

Planning staff presented the West Frederick Public Library project (PC26-64/65): a proposed 15,420-square-foot public library at the former Hillcrest Park site, plus a combined forest-stand delineation and preliminary forest conservation plan. Three modifications were requested: removal of one specimen tree (T28) for safety and site layout reasons, an increase in the parking schedule to provide 91 spaces where the code maximum is 23, and a parking-lot lighting modification to allow up to 0.8 foot-candles of spillover along McCain Drive. Staff said the applicant addressed modification criteria and proposed compensating features including screening shrubs, a bioretention area, and an 8-foot shared-use path to enhance multimodal access.