Ingrid Mezo

During a public workshop last Tuesday, the developer of the Myers Farm (potentially to be annexed into Thurmont), his planner, and his attorney made their initial proffer to the town of building their own sewer treatment plant, supplying their own water, and ponying up $2.6 million in direct financial incentives to help pay for repairs to the town’s sewer system or whatever else the town wants to use the money for.

During the workshop, Developer Tom Hudson of Hudson Land gave three reasons for why he chose to develop the Myers Farm.

"The development is easily accessed by Rt. 15," he said. "What we will propose will cause minimal stress on [the town’s water and sewer facilities.] It is close to natural resources."

Hudson said that the development would be self-sufficient, and that he would provide the necessary infrastructure there. His company is looking into how water could be provided on site, possibly by buying a well from a resident whom he has already talked to. He proposed to treat wastewater, generated by homes on the development, by building a separate sewer treatment plant to serve the homes there. The sewer treatment plant would comply with newly enacted State of Maryland enhanced nutrient capacity laws. In addition, Hudson said he was willing to look into using environmentally friendly materials that would allow rainwater runoff to evaporate back into the environment more quickly.

"We feel like we’re going to bring some substantial economic incentives, [with] $4.4 million in impact fees and $2.6 million in direct financial incentives," he said.

Planner for the development and landscape architect Shawn Davis said that open spaces on the development requiring environmental protection would be preserved.

In addition, Hudson said that the type of development he has in mind would generate 123 new jobs, and provide $8 million more in business sales. The development, once complete, would create a net positive fiscal benefit on a yearly basis, he said.

Mayor Martin Burns, during a Saturday phone interview, said that Hudson would have to sweeten the pot the next time he came before the town. While Burns said that the open dialogue that occurred during the workshop was exactly what he wanted to see, "This is just [Hudson Land’s] initial offer, and they obviously want to lowball us, not highball us," he said. "It can only get better, it can’t get worse."

Commissioner Wayne Hooper reiterated concerns about U.S. Route 15 that come up during the workshop. "They haven’t addressed the Rt. 15 situation at all, and I don’t see them adding anything other than an interchange, and they’re not going to pay for that," he said.

Burns said he could understand why Hudson would not have done more detailed work as far as conducting a traffic study to analyze what could potentially become a traffic nightmare if an interchange is not placed there.

"He should not go any further until he knows more," Burns said. "I would expect long acceleration and deceleration lanes [like those in use elsewhere throughout Frederick County.]"

Burns pointed out that it would cost between $8 and $10 million for a bypass, and he did not see Hudson and the State Highway Administration being amenable to such a high-cost project. "Middletown’s been trying for 30 years," he said.

In addition, while Burns said Hudson’s offer to build a separate sewer treatment plant to serve the development was a "nice touch," he pointed out that such a facility would only cover the Myers Farm development and not the rest of the town. The town still has between $4.2 and $4.6 million in repairs to make to its sewer system, he said. One option for the town if the Myers Farm annexation request is approved and not voted down by referendum would be to expand the sewer treatment facility built there for use elsewhere in the town, Burns said.

Town resident Randy Cubbedge, during the meeting, asked who would staff the separate sewer treatment plant. Burns responded that it would be the town’s responsibility to staff the separate sewer treatment plant and that the town would have to conduct a cost analysis to see if paying for additional water treatment plant staff would be feasible.

Burns then defined how user and impact fees differ from taxes.

"State law says that enterprise funds [such as water and sewer] have to be self-sustaining," he said. The town gets $2,500 each for connections to the town’s water and sewer systems. "That connection fee can only be used for water and sewer. I can’t take it and use it for electric or a generator. From impact fees, a certain amount can go to water, sewer and roads. I don’t increase your taxes to build a sewer treatment plant. What I have to do is raise your sewer fees." More homes and, therefore, a greater base of people who pay for such services provided by the town can help offset the cost to individual users.

"I understand everybody is saying they don’t want growth, but their rates could really go up," Burns added. "And, I’m not saying that’s going to happen. If I don’t have to grow one bit, I don’t want to."

During a recent town meeting, town officials discussed plans for several new buildings, including a new town hall. Burns previously described the one currently being used as an "embarrassment."

Commissioner Bill Blakeslee during the workshop asked if the development would be allowed to accrue 35 homes a year, even if no actual home construction started until 2012.

"The residents definitely will not tolerate more than 70 homes a year," Burns said.

Hudson said that while he would expect the number of homes to build up on a yearly basis, he would consider working out an arrangement with the town to make the construction more palatable to residents.

"What I’m trying to do is find common ground…," Burns said. "My desire is not to force people [to accept these annexations]. I really want to do what the people want us to do, but the only way to do that is through a referendum. This is too important. You can’t take it back if you were to approve anything."

The way Burns said he would like to find out what all residents want as far as the annexation proposals are concerned, is by conducting an unofficial election that would function like a referendum prior to the board voting on the annexations.

"Legally we can’t have a referendum on this until we vote for or against it," he said. "Well, I don’t like that, so I want to take the state language and put together a life-like petition—something that’s factual, but not trying to steer people one way or another."

Burns said he is still trying to figure out how to word the document to achieve the desired effect.

A partial list of upcoming meetings on Thurmont annexations include:  December 12, 2006 — a joint public workshop of Thurmont Board of Commissioners and Planning Commission to consider lawyer annexation; December 28, 2006 — Thurmont Planning Commission public hearing to consider Myers annexation; January 17, 2007 — Frederick County Planning Commission consideration of Myers annexation (tentative date subject to county scheduling); January 25, 2007 — Thurmont Planning Commission public hearing to consider lawyer annexation. A complete list of annexation meetings and other Thurmont annexation information can be found online at http://thurmont.com/html/annexation_information.html.