A worksession on proposed changes to the Frederick County Comprehensive Plan  Update is scheduled for Thursday afternoon. The Commissioners ordered that the plan adopted in 2010 by a previous board be revisited. "This was a process initiated by the Board of Commissioners in May of last year in response to the downzonings from our 2010 Comprehensive Plan Update," says Jim Gugel, the county's Comprehensive Planning Manager.

During the campaign, Board President Blaine Young decried the downzonings, claiming citizens were robbed of the use of their properties.

Gugel says the county received 204 requests to restore the previous zonings, and 163 were approved. He says if these changes in the Comp Plan Go forward, it could mean 12,688 new homes being constructed. "But it's also important to realize that these proposed dwelling units will be built out over a very long time frame," he says. That "long time frame" could be up to 20 years, Gugel says.

He also says most of these rezoning requests come from property owners in the Urbana and New Market Regions, including the areas of Monrovia and Lake Linganore.

The analysis prepared by the county staff says five new schools will need to be constructed.

The worksession on Thursday will take place at 1:00 PM in the 1st floor hearing room at Winchester Hall. Gugel says after  he expects the Commissioners will schedule one more public hearing, and another worksession before taking a vote on the revised Comp Plan.    A decision could come in mid-July, he says.