Sugarloaf Alliance

It was an overflow crowd at Winchester Hall for the County Council’s Sugarloaf Plan public hearing on Tuesday night, 9/27. The Council’s view was a sea of green shirts; the opposition was small in number. Sugarloaf Alliance’s testimony introduced our research regarding the Amazon Web Services Project Holiday data centers, which we believe includes area inside the Sugarloaf Plan boundaries. Our attorney addressed the secret and illegal county meetings when data centers in the Sugarloaf Plan area were discussed. Many green-clad residents came to the podium to testify, often passionately, on behalf of the Plan and preservation. Click here to watch the hearing video.  Read the WFMD report about the public hearing.

 

Read on to learn what comes next.

 

 

Council to Vote, Monday, 10/3

Winchester Hall, 12 E Church St, Frederick

 

The Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Management Plan is a complex mix of policy guidance and implementing county legislation. There are several moving parts, and it can be challenging to follow each track (but here goes….):

 

• We have confirmed with the County Council staff that on Monday, 10/3, beginning at 5:30pm, the County Council is set to vote on both the “Private Park” bill and the “Overlay District” bill along with the amendments to those bills (click here to access the County Council meeting agenda, which links to the amendments). If the amendments are approved by a majority of the Council, then another public hearing on those bills will be required. 

 

• As for the Sugarloaf Plan itself (the policy guidance part), on 10/3 the Council will vote only on amendments to the Plan. There are 16 amendments previously introduced by Members McKay and Dacey, and there may be new amendments introduced based on testimony at the 9/27 hearing. 

 

In order to achieve the Plan’s preservation goals, Sugarloaf Alliance Supports:

• The Plan’s I-270 boundary from Montgomery County to the Monocacy.

• Applying the Overlay to the entire boundary area.

The Sugarloaf Alliance has not taken a position on the Private Park legislation.

 

A majority on the Council is four votes. WE CANNOT YET COUNT FOUR VOTES SUPPORTING THE PLAN OR THE OVERLAY with the I-270 boundary. Please keep sending your comments and coming to Council meetings when you can (wearing green, of course*). We recommend you send comments directly to Ms. Fitzwater, Ms. Keegan-Ayers, and Mr. Blue, with a copy to councilmembers@frederickcountymd.gov. See details below. 

 

 

 

* SUGARLOAF ALLIANCE HAS T-SHIRTS! 

The Sugarloaf Alliance now has beautiful t-shirts, green of course! And perfect for supporting the Sugarloaf Plan at Council meetings and in public! You can get yours for a minimum donation of $20. We’re working on how to connect through the website; for now reply to this email to make arrangements to get yours. :-)

 

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If You Can’t Be At Council Meetings in Person….

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• The County Council will take phone calls. We recommend that you call in and record your comments AFTER the meeting begins at 5:30: Call 855-925-2801 and enter code 8365. You will be prompted to press * for more options. Press 2 to record a voicemail message that will be played during the meeting.

• Watch the meeting online: https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/1225/FCG-TV

 

• Email your comments to the County Council at councilmembers@frederickcountymd.gov.  

 

• Email or call your Council Member, the At-Large Members, and County Executive Candidate Fitzwater:

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Steve McKay (District 2), SMcKay@frederickcountymd.gov, 301-600-1034

Michael Blue (VP, District 5) MBlue@FrederickCountyMD.gov, 301-600-1034

Jerry Donald* (District 1), JDonald@FrederickCountyMD.gov, 301-600-2336

Jessica Fitzwater (District 4), JFitzwater@FrederickCountyMD.gov, 301-600-2336

M.C. Keegan-Ayer (Pres., District 3), MCKeegan-Ayer@FrederickCountyMD.gov, 301-600-1101

Kai Hagen (At Large), KHagen@FrederickCountyMD.gov, 301-600-2336

Phil Dacey (at Large), PDacey@FrederickCountyMD.gov, 301-600-1034

 

* The Sugarloaf Plan area is within Councilman Donald’s district.

 

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THANKS EVERYONE!!!

!!!Well done!!!

 

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