Stephanie Long
(9/4) After countless hours of work
and years of meetings and workshops, the
Thurmont Planning and Zoning Commission has
finished work on the town’s master plan and
has sent it to the Thurmont Board of
Commissioners.
“I’m very pleased,” said John Kinnaird,
chairperson of the planning commission. “It’s
a good master plan that will guide the town
for the next few years.”
Commissioner liaison Glenn Muth went
further and said, “It’s the best plan this
town has ever done.”
A unanimously approved motion at the Aug.
28 meeting took the plan out of the hands of
the planning commission and sent it to town
commissioners. During the work on the plan,
which has spanned just over two years, much
was discussed and debated regarding boundary
changes, land use designations and such.
One of the main accomplishments of the
commission’s work was the creation of two new
land use designations. The Mixed Use Village
designation was created, “to encourage small
businesses to build and use existing
buildings,” Kinnaird said. The designation
also allows for small businesses and homes to
be built on the same property. The commission
also adjusted the growth boundary to “smooth”
it out and included some properties in the new
growth boundary.
Even though the plan has been passed on to
the town commissioners and will eventually
make its way to the Frederick County
Commissioners, the planning commission still
has the opportunity to tweak it in the future
if necessary, Kinnaird said.
The planning commission will meet with town
commissioners to discuss the document before
it is officially presented at a town meeting.
The date of that town meeting is unknown.
Mayor Martin Burns said during the Sept. 1
town meeting that he would like the
commissioners to consider setting aside a
definite amount of time during each town
meeting to go over the draft master plan bit
by bit.
“I want to be able to say that we looked at
every single line they have in there,” Burns
said.
