Present: Acting Chairman - Tim O’Donnell, Glenn Blanchard, Patrick Boyle and Patrick Joy. Also present Sarah Franklin of Jakubiak and Associates.  Chairman Larry Little was absent.

Call to order  Acting Chairman - Tim O’Donnell called the December 13, 2007 Planning Commission Meeting to order at 7:30 PM.

Approval of Minutes: The minutes of the November 26, 2007 Planning Commission Meeting were approved as presented.

Mr. O’Donnell: Reminded everyone when addressing the Planning Commission with comments or questions to speak directly to the Planning Commission and not the planner.

Mr. Blanchard: Said the first two sections of the Comprehensive Plan are now on the town web site for public access.

He also said copies of what is presently being discussed by the Planning Board are posted on the bulletin board at the back of the room.

Mr. Blanchard stated he had asked Dave Haller, Town Manager to attend the January 28, 2008, Planning Meeting to do a presentation on water units, water availability and the allocation process. Mr. Haller was agreeable to that.

Patrick Boyle: Stated he is still part owner of Silver Fancy Farms and the owners have signed a letter of intent to sell Silver Fancy.

Agenda Items:

Mr. O’Donnell: Questioned Sarah Franklin concerning when the process would be completed. Sarah stated that if they could keep to this time line they could have the public hearing draft ready for review by the end of March.

Sarah Franklin: Addressed several concerns from landowners of Mt. Saint Mary’s University and Barbara Welty Martin, as they relate to changing the growth boundary.

After discussion by the Planning Commission Sarah was asked to come back to the next meeting with an existing growth boundary map, a map with the information she presented here tonight and a map showing the growth boundary that Frederick County is looking at.

Mr. Blanchard: Stated again that Mr. Haller will be coming to the next meeting to discuss water resources.

Patrick Boyle:  Expressed concern that the well "J" information was not in the packet.

Sarah Franklin: Stated that the well "J" calculations can be added later. That without that information the Commission can still do the water planning.

Public Comment:  Chris Staiger: Asked that the board not try to recreate the water management plan in the comprehensive plan. "Since the state has made us develop as a municipality a stand alone municipal water plan, my hope as a Commissioner is that it will be referred to in numerous other packages. You could layout the course of development and the course will be controlled by the water resources that are available. The water resources plan will be the document that details that."

Mr. O’Donnell: Questioned Sarah concerning several properties and their acreage.

Public Comment: Elizabeth Briggs: Asked for the formal definition of in-fill. She stated the July 17 letter written by the owner concerning the preservation area was approved as it stands. She would like the Planning Commissioners to revisit this letter. She feels this will alter the EDU’s.

At this point the planner and Planning Commissioners had a lengthy discussion concerning the calculation of the acreage used for the preserved corridor for the Briggs parcel of land.

Motion: To correct the chart to say 80 acres and put in the caveat of the request that 30 acres is planned not to be developed or will be woodlands or however it was phrased as well as updating the map accordingly so it is reflective of what was agreed to and voted on in that request.
Vote: 4-0 in favor

Mr. Boyle:  Had concerns about the number of EDU’s set aside for commercial development.

Mr. Blanchard:  Asked that any questions the Planning Commission had concerning EDU’s and water capacity be collected and emailed to Mr. Haller in advance of the January 28, 2008 meeting.

Chris Staiger:  Stated that he thought the board was engaging in site plan and development review. "You are supposed to be doing land use designations. I can’t support a document that basically conducted site plan and development review by making agreements on lots (parcels) of property in the absence of official site plans."

Jim Hoover:  Stated that the water resource element puts a tremendous burden on the plan.

Tim O’Donnell:  Read the letter and grammatical errors were corrected.

Copy of letter attached to minutes.

Motion: Made a motion to accept the letter as modified.
Vote: 4-0 in favor

Public Comments:  None

• Presentation by Town Manager regarding Water Resource Plan including present and future water availability and resources
• Municipal Growth Boundary
• Land Use Designations

Meeting Adjourned