Sugarloaf Alliance
Preservation * Smarter Growth * Transparency in Government
Development near Sugarloaf (west of I-270 and north to the Monocacy River) should remain protected and free from commercial and industrial development. Check one
Strongly agree
Most of this area would not be conducive to this type of intensive development due to topography and lack of adequate public facilities. High density residential development as well as commercial and industrial development should be limited to areas where public water and sewer can be practically extended and adequate road improvements can be be made.
A Green Infrastructure Plan should be completed and adopted before approving major new industrial rezonings. Check one.
Strongly Agree
New industrial or any type of higher intensity development should be dependent on adequate public facilities being in place or an iron clad plan being in place to provide adequate public facilities. I would not make it dependent on "green" infrastructure as opposed adequate infrastructure. Certainly "geen" infrastructure methodologies that have a proven track record could be incorporated into such a plan. Adequate public facilities being provided should be the baseline this type of development.
If elected, do you pledge to never sign an NDA with a data center developer or other developer, nor to be bound by an NDA signed by another county official with a data center developer or any other developer? Check one.
Yes
If it is government business and does not involve litigation requiring non-disclosure, than anything you do as an elected official should be public information.
County legislation should be developed to prohibit County Council members, the County Executive, and county staff from signing any NDA that restricts their ability to inform the public, deliberate openly, or carry out their public duties. Check one.
Strongly agree
For the same reason stated for previous question. If it is government business than it should be public information.
Frederick County should fund a thorough, independent cost-benefit analysis of data center impacts, specifically on Frederick County, regardless of any analysis that may be conducted by the State of Maryland on State level impacts. Check one.
Strongly agree
This should have been done prior to any of the existing approvals. The impact on County residents should take priority over the State's desire to develop data center revenue. If the data center revenue projections prove wrong. Future County budgets could be severely impacted. The impact on the County public water and sewer system must also be thoroughly analyzed to understand the impact on these systems. Impact on electric rates must also be considered.
How many data centers should be built in Frederick County? Check the answer closest to your position.
4 (allow only the data centers currently under construction in Adamstown)
The answer is really dependent on the analysis that has not been done to date. It is highly unlikely that the data centers already under construction would be stopped. Before any additional approvals, the County must fully vet any impacts on County residents' electric rates, public water and sewer, and roads as well other environmental impacts. Maximizing the data centers is not likely in the County's overall best interest.
What new county data center legislation would you endorse? Check all you support.
Increased distances to residences and public uses, Stricter noise limits, Stricter water use limits, Stricter design, height, and screening limits, Efficiency and power consumption limits, Full disclosure of electricity consumption, water consumption, height and footprint, backup generation capacity, noise and lighting impacts, and infrastructure needs and requirements of proposed data centers., Mandatory corrective actions within a defined timeframe, with meaningful penalties or operational restrictions if compliance is not achieved (if post-construction monitoring shows a data center exceeds approved limits).
Common sense regulation that would better balance the competing interests is needed. The County and State should be on top of any monitoring without a third-party expense. That is what your tax dollars are supposed to be used for day in day out.
What are your thoughts concerning environmental issues, preservation, development, transparency in government, and data centers in Frederick County? Describe any priorities, tradeoffs, or concerns that guide your thinking.
The County no longer practices sound comprehensive planning. The focus is more on gimmicky names for planning such as Livable Frederick and Investing in Workers and Work Places ( IW2) and flowery text in the narratives rather than sound comprehensive planning. The process by which IW2 has been carried out does not engender any public trust in the process. The advertising and posting for IW2 was not done in a way intended to notify and educate the public. Rather it has been to push through the IW2 plan, which was primarily for the benefit of well connected property owners on the County advisory group who had a vested interest in directing zoning to certain properties. This was not in the public's best interest. Sound and common sense environmental practices should start with the comprehensive plan and be carried out through the development review process. Transparency should be a given.