Annexation Request To Come Before The Frederick County Council

The board will vote on whether to grant the England Woods incorporation express approval.Frederick, Md (KM) The Frederick County Council on Tuesday afternoon  will hold a public hearing on whether to allow express approval for the England Woods development to go forward, or have it wait for five years.The 93.739-acre parcel was annexed into the Town of New Market in November, 2022. Councilman Steve McKay says the property is located in an agriculture area which surrounds a Food Lion supermarket. “I was surprised that they were even  able legally annex it.,”: he says. “For a municipality to annex land, it supposed to be contiguous to the municipality, and this property isn’t.”Plans are to add about 500 new homes to the property.The parcel is located along Route 144 (Old National Pike) near Route 75 (Green Valley Road). “I guess my primary concern is what it’s going to do for traffic at the intersection of 144 at 75 which already is pretty challenged, and backed up,” McKay says. “The westbound 144 at 75 backs up routinely every morning.”If the Council gives the annexation express approval, that would mean the developer could begin construction as soon as possible. But McKay says the Council could instead put a five-year hold on any construction. “That is zoned ag {agriculture} right now. It’s not zoned for residential in the county. So that is why we have the ability to say ‘no, you can wait five years.’ So that we have time–we being the county–we have time to make sure  that the infrastructure will be there,” says McKay.The Council’s meeting, which includes this public hearing, is scheduled to begin at 5:30 PM.By Kevin McManus