Town considers acquisition of open land

(3/24) At the March 22 town meeting, commissioners circled back to an ongoing discussion about the potential acquisition of land behind the Walkersville bowling alley. The plot runs between Glade Creek and the Walkersville Southern Railroad, stopping short of Community Park.

Although the land is highly desirable for businesses, with the town office receiving inquiries weekly, its nature as a floodplain makes it difficult to construct upon. Instead, the town hopes to purchase the land with funds from Frederick County’s Project Open Space (POS) and maintain it as an open recreational area.

If acquired by the town, the land could potentially be used for future extension of the Frederick and Pennsylvania Line Railroad Trail from Fountain Rock Park to Woodsboro. This would reduce the challenges of trying to find an adequate pathway through or around the central part of town.

Because the F&P Railroad Trail is a county project, the acquisition of the land under a POS grant would also be beneficial to the county, increasing the likelihood that, if requested, funding would be provided in its majority or entirety. Moreover, according to Town Manager Sean Williams, Walkersville has not requested acquisition funding from the county in many years.

Currently, the cost of the property is $295,000. This may change after the completion of two independent appraisals which are required for POS funding requests. Commissioners agreed at the March 22 meeting that the appraisals should be completed prior to the POS request at the expense of the town due to the property’s value and hopes of an efficient POS request process.

Commissioners Mike McNiesh and Tom Gilbert questioned whether a letter of intent to purchase would need to be filed with the property owner prior to appraisal, engaging the council in new conversation about whether the town would be prepared to pay for the property either in part or in its entirety if POS funds are not granted. The Town Manager reiterated the high likelihood that most or all of the requested funding would be granted.

The council has decided to move forward with obtaining the property appraisals and will then return to the topic. POS begins accepting requests in May.