MEETING MINUTES December 17, 2024 Carroll County Planning and Zoning Commission Location: Reagan Room, 003 Michael Kane, Vice Chair Ralph Robertson Matthew Hoff Pete Lester Steven Smith Richard J. Soisson, Alternate Members Present: Janice R. Kirkner, Chair Members Absent: Tom Gordon III, Ex-officio Present with the Commission were the following persons: Amy Barko, Bureau ofl Development Review; Denise Beaver and Paige Sunderland, Department of Economic Development; Hannah Weber and Carlisle Fillat, Comprehensive Planning; Christopher Heyn, Department ofPlanning & Land Management; Daphne Daly, Planning Commission Secretary; and, Gail Hawkins, Clerk. CALLTOORDERDER/WELCOME PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ESTABLISHMENT OF QUORUM Madam Chair Kirkner called the meeting to order at approximately 9:00. AM. Ms. Hawkins took attendance and noted that seven members were present, and a quorum was established. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS A. COMMISSION CHAIR On motion of Mr. Lester, seconded by Mr. Kane and carried, the Agenda was approved. Chair Kirkner shared the approval of Sandymount Elementary School Pre-K Addition, S-23-0032, was signed on November 19, 2024. B. EX-OFFICIO There were: none. C. OTHER COMMISSION MEMBERS There were no other reports. Planning and Zoning Commission Official Minutes December 17, 2024 ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT A. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Secretary Daly shared with the Commission that Michelle Ostrander, attorney, no longer will be attending meetings. Liz Moore, Assistant County Attorney, will be the full-time Ms. Daly reported that several months' worth of minutes will be forthcoming from the Lastly, Ms. Daly stated that two text amendments were approved by the Board of County Commissioners: Housing - State Legislation and Solar Design Standards. The Board of County Commissions made a change in the Solar Design to the setbacks, from 200 feet to legal counsel for the Planning & Zoning Commission. transition in the Clerk's position. 400 feet. EXTENSIONS There were none. C. BZA CASES B. Ms. Fillat reported two BZA cases for this upcoming meeting. The first case is #6535. This is for a conditional use for a religious establishment at 3814 Boteler Road, located in the County's Conservation zone. Planning staff find this request for a conditional use is The second BZA case is #6536. This request is for a conditional use for a commercial dog kennel, 10ori fewer dogs at 4645 Author Shipley Road, located in the County's Agricultural zone. Planning staff finds this request for a conditional use is consistent with the Carroll BZA Case #6535 and #6536 are subject to a Public Hearing on January 7,2025. consistent with the Carroll County Master Plan, as amended in 2019. County Master Plan, as amended in 2019. D. OTHER Public Comment: There were none. TEXT AMENDMENT: DEVELOPMENT ALLOWANCES Ms. Daly presented a PowerPoint with additional information regarding the Development Allowances for Chapter 155-2 25 lots recorded per residential subdivision per fiscal year and Chapter 156-25 single family residential building permits per subdivision per fiscal year and 50 multi-unit residential building permits per fiscal year. Discussion: Mr. Hoff asked ift this was put in place when the State mandated no more than seven lots without having public wastewater. 2 Planning and Zoning Commission Official Minutes December 17, 2024 Mr. Heyn explained this predates the adoptions of tiers. Senate Bill 236 (2012) limited development to seven lots without public wastewater. However, it is possible to create a larger Chair Kirkner asked if recording the entire parcel will allow the builder to put the roads in for the subdivision ifyou have a multi-parcel property. development. Mr. Heyn confirmed that is correct. Mr. Lester asked ifa developer pulls 25 building permits, but the schools come back and say our Ms. Daly explained that Concurrency Management is what affects the timing oft the construction. The builder would not be allowed to build more than 25 units ift the facilities cannot absorb the school system cannot handle the extra growth, what happens. extra units. Mr. Lester stated this is a limiting factor for the builder. Mr. Heyn confirmed that is correct. The. Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) limitations are separate from this issue. The APFO regulations occur during the approval process. Mr. Robertson asked ift the municipalities are subject to Concurrency Management. Mr. Heyn explained the municipalities are not subject to the County's Concurrency Management; Chair Kirkner asked ifv we aware of what the surrounding counties have for their codes. Ms. Daly explained we can get the information and report back to the Commission. they have their own APFO codes to follow. Public Comment: two to three years. Jason VanKirk, a developer in the county, said he is concerned about the permit restrictions on developers. The other problem is on the lender side, since they want the loan to be paid within Alex Andelsman with the Maryland Builders Association said his organization is concerned about the continuing drop in building for Carroll County. Att the end ofthe third quarter ofFY24 Carroll County had authorized less than 100 new housing units for construction. Carroll County authorized over 500 new housing units per year in 2010 and over 1,000 housing units per year in the early 2000s. Maryland Builders Association believes the County should increase the building David Bowersox, attorney in Westminster, said the permit cap needs to change. Itis a different market. He also noted that Chapter 156 language needs to be consistent with Chapter 155if permits per year. The 25-building permit limit per. year is outdated. changes are made by the Commission. 3 Planning and Zoning Commission Official Minutes December. 17, 2024 Richard Williams with Site Land Development and Engineering Surveying stated the 25-building permits per year is very difficult. When staff reviews 25 building lots, it takes up a lot of time. They could review 100 building lots, unlimited, or another number oflots that the builder chooses. Chair Kirkner asked ift the building permits for lots in the municipalities go through the County. Mr. Heyn confirmed yes, all building permits go through the County. Taylor Faris, developer in the West Friendship area said that with the cap at 25 building permits, itreduces the efficiencies ofbuilding, which drives up the cost of contractors and staffing a model home. It also slows the revenue stream for the County. Decision: The Commission agreed to table Item #7 to a later date to receive more information. CONCURRENCY MANAGEMENT REPORT Amy Barcroft presented a PowerPoint presentation on Chapter 156. Ms. Barcroft advised the Commission, more information will be forthcoming in their January 21, 2025, meeting. Discussion: age-restricted housing. Mr. Lester asked how many units we have approved in the County over the last three years for Ms. Barcroft explained age restricted data is in the report. There is a chart explaining the age- restricted data, number ofu units, name oft the plan, and when it was approved. Public Comment: There were none. MASTER PLAN-I DISCUSSION WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Denise Beaver and Paige Sunderland presented a PowerPoint with information regarding Carroll Ms. Sunderland explained to the Commission they use the CoStar database for Commercial Real Estate for the existing building inventory in Carroll County and Baltimore metropolitan market. The commercial market vacancy rate int the! Baltimore metropolitan areai is 7.5%, in Carroll County itis1.9%. Forretail, the Baltimore metropolitan vacancy rate is 5.3% and in Carroll County it is 2.2%. The office vacancy rate in the Baltimore metropolitan area is 11.6% and in Carroll County County's economy. itis3.8%. Discussion: Klees Mill Road. Chair Kirkner asked whether there is any activity associated with the employment campus off Ms. Sunderland explained that there is nothing to date. The Carroll County Commissioners own the property. The Industrial Development Authority (IDA) has looked at the property and they are 4 Planning and Zoning Commission Official Minutes December. 17, 2024 interested in it; however, the employment campus is not thriving post-Covid. The IDA would be interested in a Light Industrial zoning. This would widen the market interest. Chair Kirkner asked what is considered light industrial. Ms. Sunderland explained it is high tech manufacturing. An example would be the Westminster Mr. Robertson asked fort the next 10 years, with the Commission working on the Master Plan, what Economic Development's wants, needs, and highest priorities are regarding zoning. Should Ms. Sunderland confirmed we need both. The Department is working with our municipalities and Mr. Kane asked what the property size is that potential light industrial developers are looking for. Ms. Sunderland stated they want at least 5 acres. The market is typically 5 acres or more. Technology Park. industrial areas be expanded, do we need new areas, or both? towns to see what their goals are in the coming year. Mr. Kane asked why the County is steering away from warehousing. Ms. Sunderland explained the County is not steering away from warehousing, the product is just not there. For instance, in Hampstead, the zoning regulations limit building size tol less than 150- 200,000: square feet under one: roof. The larger warehousing interests that have come to the County have been eliminated because of the zoning regulations. Public Comment: There was none. RECESS MASTER PLAN-UPDATES AND WORK GROUPS DISCUSSION/RESOLUTION Ms. Daly provided an update to three topics: responses /1 feedback on the Master Plan survey, the status of organizing Open Houses, and a Resolution on Work Group formation. Ms. Weber presented al PowerPoint presentation on the multichoice Master Plan survey responses Ms. Daly presented a PowerPoint presentation on the status of Open Houses being organized. Open Houses hopefully will take place from the end of. January to the beginning ofFebruary, from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm, but dates and locations are still being confirmed. Once they are finalized, Lastly, Ms. Daly discussed forming Work Groups to create an advisory committee for Economic Development, Housing, and Agriculture. The Work Groups would come back to the Commission sO far. those dates will be shared with the Commission. to give their recommendations for the Master Plan. 5 Planning and Zoning Commission Official Minutes December 17, 2024 Once a resolution to form the Work Groups is approved by Liz, up to two Commission members can be assigned to each at the January gth meeting. Mr. Kane asked who else would be in the Work Groups. Discussion: Ms. Daly explained staff, serving as facilitators, with a recommendation on who should serve on the Work Groups. Mr. Kane asked ift the role of the Commission is to oversee the Work Group. Ms. Daly explained that two Commission members would serve on each of the Work Groups, to serve as a bridge between the Work Group and the Commission. Each Work Group would come back to the Commission with theirrecommendations for the Master Plan. Planning staffwould be the coordinators of those Work Groups. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT There were none. ADJOURNMENT 12 noon. On a motion ofMr. Kane, seconded by Mr. Robertson and carried, the Commission adjourned at Kabrw Secretaty f 6