By:  Sherry Greenfield with the Gazette

Mayor Randy McClement (R) and the Frederick Board of Aldermen will begin a review next month of two annexation proposals that, if approved, could lead to the construction of 2,050 homes on about 555 acres of farmland north of the city.

The aldermen will hold two workshops on the Crum and Keller properties on Aug. 1 and Aug. 15. The hearings are at 3 p.m. in the City Hall boardroom, at 101 North Court St., in downtown Frederick.

The board on Thursday briefly discussed the annexation plans for the two sites, but no final decisions were made. There was no public comment on the plans.

Supporters of the Crum development say it will bring new jobs to the area.

Both Crum and Keller are slated to bring new homes, which could also bring in revenue from city and county property taxes. New parks, green space, a new school and walking trails also are planned.

Opponents, however, say they oppose plans to develop what is now vacant farmland. They argue that the roads cannot handle further congestion brought on by more people moving to the county.

Alderman Michael O’Connor (D) said that the plans should accurately state what services - roads, water, sewer and schools - the city will provide to the two developments.

"We need to account for that," said O’Connor, who is concerned about the economic impact to the city.

In 2009, the city annexed 285 acres of Crum property from the county for the construction of 1,200 homes and a mix of businesses. The property sits west of U.S. 15, south of Sundays Lane and north of Willowbrook Road.

The applicant, Crum Farm Land LLC of Rockville, is now asking the city to annex another 253 acres that sit adjacent to the 285 acres annexed in 2009. However, the additional land is not slated for more homes, with the 1,200 homes now spread across both properties.

The 302-acre Keller property, which is currently zoned for agriculture in the county, sits at the intersection of Yellow Springs, Rocky Springs and Walter Martz roads.

The Keller Corp. is asking the city to annex the land and rezone it to allow for 850 homes.

Alderman Karen Young (D) questioned Joe Adkins, the city’s deputy director of planning, at the Thursday meeting, as to whether the annexation plans adequately address the needed infrastructure, such as schools, roads, water and sewer.

Adkins indicated that they did.

For example, an agreement between the city and the developer already prohibits development on the Crum property, until an interchange is built at Biggs Ford Road and U.S. 15. Development can proceed with between 350 and 450 homes on the Crum Farm, pending the building of the interchange.

Developers are contributing about 25 acres for the Biggs Ford Road interchange, but are not yet bound to any funding contribution, under the agreement with the city.

The city and the developer want state funding for the interchange, which is expected to cost $60 million. However, the state has not committed to fund the project.