MEETING MINUTES Carroll County Planning and Zoning Commission April 2, 2025 Location: Reagan Room, 003 Members Present: Janice R. Kirkner, Chair Michael Kane, Vice Chair Ralph Robertson Matthew Hoff Peter Lester Steven Smith Richard J. Soisson, Alternate Members Absent: Tom Gordon III, Ex-officio Present with the Commission were the following persons: Chris Heyn and Mary Lane, Planning & Land Management; David Becraft, Development Review; Elizabeth Moore, County Attorney Office; Daphne Daly, Planning Commission Secretary; and, Gail Hawkins, Clerk. CALL1 TO ORDER/WELCOME Vice Chair Kane called the meeting to order at approximately 6:00 PM. ESTABLISHMENT OF QUORUM Ms. Hawkins took attendance and noted that six members were present, and a quorum was established. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA On motion of Mr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Lester and carried, the Agenda was approved. REVIEW AND APPROVED OF MINUTES On motion of Mr. Kane, seconded by Mr. Hoff and carried, the Minutes from February 18, 2025, were approved. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS There were none. OTHER There were none. Planning and Zoning Commission April 2, 2025 Official Minutes CONCEPT SITE PLAN - EVAPCO CONTRACTOR STORAGE YARD S-24-0009 SUBJECT: S-24-0009 = EVAPCO Contractor Storage Yard LOCATION: East side ofCrouse Mill Road, west of Allendale Lane; C.D.01 OWNER: EVAPCO, Inc., 5151 Allendale Lane, Taneytown, MD 21787 DEVELOPER: Same as owner ENGINEER: DDC, Inc., 184 East Main Street, Westminster, MD 21157 ZONING: Agriculture, Light Industrial (I-1), and Commercial Medium (C-2) ACREAGE: 78.8536 acres WATERSHED: Upper Monocacy River FIRE DISTRICT: Taneytown MASTER PLAN: Industrial = 2010 Taneytown Community Comprehensive Plan BZA CASE: 6469 - Conditional Use for Contractor's Equipment Storage Yard PRIORITY FUNDING AREA: Outside DESIGNATED GROWTH AREA: Taneytown Action Required: The plan is before the Planning and Zoning Commission per Chapter 155 oft the Code of Public Local Laws and Ordinances of Carroll County for review of a concept site plan. No action is required. The Planning Commission may consider delegating approval of the final site plan to the Planning Commission Chair. Existing Conditions: The property in its entirety is 78.8536 acres and is split two times; once by Crouse Mill Road and once by the railroad. The subject property is that 54.2894-acre portion of land east of Crouse Mill Road and west ofthe railroad. The subject property is undeveloped with areas of farmland and the remaining areas being forested. A stream crosses the property along the eastern property boundary with a 100-year FEMA floodplain designation. The property has frontage onto Crouse Mill Road and Francis Scott Key Highway. Taneytown Greenway, a Planned Major Street, is shown crossing the subject property. The property lies outside of the priority funding area but is within Taneytown's designated growth area. 2 Planning and Zoning Commission April 2, 2025 Official Minutes The property to the north is zoned Residential Industrial and is the EVAPCO World Headquarters within the City of Taneytown municipal limits. The property to the east, across the railroad tracks, is split zoned Agriculture and Light Industrial (I-1), is undeveloped, and is owned by EVAPCO, Inc. To the immediate west lies properties zoned Agriculture that are fixed with private dwellings. The southern adjoining property is zoned Agriculture and hosts a private dwelling and associated farm. The subject property and all adjoining properties are outside the public water and sewer service area, excluding the northern adjoining property within City limits. Plan Review: The developer proposes to establish a 3-acre outdoor storage yard located on the southwest portion of the subject property. The proposed storage area will support the main business to the north by storing equipment while awaiting shipment. Access to the facility is by way ofa proposed 25'wide paved access drive from Crouse Mill Road. The location of the storage yard and the access to Crouse Mill Road will not have any adverse effects on Taneytown Greenway, a planned major street. The storage area will utilize a gravel groundcover and will be surrounded by a chain-link fence. No lights or free-standing signs are proposed with this development. A contractor equipment storage yard is a conditional use within the agriculture zoning district. On September 26, 2023, the request of conditional use was brought before the Board ofZoning Appeals (decision attached). The request was approved with 3 conditions: 1). There will be no lighting at the site, 2). The hours at the site will be from 7 AM to 6 PM from Mondays to Fridays with occasional work on Saturdays with the same hours, and 3). There will be no manufacturing conducted on the site and it will solely be used for the storage of equipment. Along with a request of conditional use, distance variances from neighboring properties and a size variance for the storage area were also requested and approved. The concept site plan was received on March 26, 2024, and was subject to citizen involvement at the April 22, 2024, meeting of the Technical Review Committee. Citizens were present and voiced concerns of traffic to the site as well as view oft the proposal. With the anticipated traffic to the site, a traffic impact study (TIS) was not required. The proposed access to Crouse Mill Road was reviewed by Engineering Review and was granted concept approval with additional information needed on the final plan. The Landscape Manual requires a landscape screen between the site and public rights-of-ways, between the site and properties used non-residentially, and between the site and adjoining properties used residentially. A landscape plan is provided within the plan set on sheet 5. The landscape proposed meets requirements, with a surplus above and beyond the requirement along the frontage to Crouse Mill Road and adjacent to residential-used properties. Landscape Review has granted concept approval of the plan. Forest Conservation will be addressed by on-site forest retention on that portion of property to the west, across Crouse Mill Road, which has been conceptually approved. Water Resources and Floodplain have granted conceptual approval of the plan with additional items being required with the final plan. The Bureau of Resource Management has granted concept Stormwater Management approval. Stormwater management will be addressed with three submerged gravel wetlands. In conjunction with the three facilities, the existing storm drain piping under Crouse Mill Road will be upgraded to not inhibit the flow of water. 3 Planning and Zoning Commission April 2, 2025 Official Minutes The site plan will be tested and reviewed for adequacy of public facilities in accordance with Chapter 155 of the Code of Public Laws and Ordinances of Carroll County Maryland. Discussion David Becraft presented the staff report. Jim Mathias, Engineer with DDC, Inc. was presented along with Chad Reindollar with Evapco. Mr. Kane asked the gravel parking area will have tractor trailers parked with equipment inside. Mr. Mathias explained the finished cooling units will transported from the main facility to the storage area waiting to be delivered across the country. Mr. Kane asked do the tractor trailers have to leave the main factory facility to get to the gravel parking area. Mr. Mathias explained the tractor trailers would come out onto Route 194 and then turn left onto Crouse Mill Road. Mr. Kane confirmed a traffic study was not completed. Mr. Becraft stated that is correct, no traffic study was completed because the frequency to and from the storage area did not require a traffic study. Mr. Lester asked will there be parked vehicles at the storage area. Do we need to be concerned about oil and gasoline run off. Mr. Mathias explained Evapco does pressurize the units, but it will evaporate in the air. Mr. Lester asked will the landscaping around the storage area be substantial growth when planted. Mr. Mathias stated they will be planting substantial trees and bushes, no five-gallon container size plants. Mr. Robertson asked will there be much excavation done to the storage area. Mr. Mathias explained the land slopes from Crouse Mill Road to the back. All ground will stay Onsite. There are no plans to haul in any ground. The only thing that will be hauled in is the stone. Mr. Hoff asked is the City of Taneytown considering aligning Crouse Mill Road. Mr. Becraft stated conversations are still ongoing to see where the best location is to align Crouse Mill Road. 4 Planning and Zoning Commission April 2, 2025 Official Minutes Mr. Hoff shared he has concerns about the realignment of Crouse Mill Road and the proposed storage yard. Mr. Hoff asked if conversation between DDC, Inc and City of Taneytown have occurred about the realignment of Crouse Mill Road. Mr. Mathias explained they have talked with City ofTaneytown about the realignment of Crouse Mill Road. The Town is proposing to use as much of Crouse Mill Road before making the alignment. Public Comment There were none. MASTER PLAN: PRESENTATION ON HB 236 (2012) AND GROWTH TIERS Ms. Daly reviewed the history ofSB 236 and the deliberation the Board of County Commissioners took in 2012. Ms. Daly explained the four Growth Tiers for residential growth. The tiers are Tier 1: currently served by sewer; Tier 2: planned for sewer; Tier 3: large-lot development and Rural Villages on septic. No public sewer; and Tier 4: areas in preservation or conservation. No major subdivisions on septic. The legislative goal for SB 236 when it passed on April 1, 2012, was to limit the disproportionate impacts of large subdivisions on septic systems on farm and forest land, streams, rivers, and Chesapeake and Coastal Bays. Next, Ms. Daly reviewed the difference between Minor VS. Major Subdivisions in the County's Code. A minor subdivision is up to three lots, a major subdivision is four or more lots. The County's Code conflicts with what the State's definition of a minor VS. major subdivision. The State says a minor subdivision is up to seven lots and a major subdivision is eight or more lots. In 2012, the Board of County Commissioners did not adopt the Growth Tiers. The County added to its code a definition for septic minors for the purpose of addressing SB 236, instead of changing the County's codes and procedures. All the municipalities in Carroll County have adopted the Growth Tiers except Mt. Airy. Discussion Ms. Soisson asked Ms. Daly ifshe had any conversations with the Board ofCounty Commissioners regarding the Growth Tiers. Ms. Daly stated, no not at this time. Ms. Kirkner stated most ofthe Growth Tiers are in Agricultural and Conservation zoning districts. In the Agricultural district you can cluster the lots together to make them smaller. Ms. Daly explained ifthe Growth Tiers were adopted, and the land is in Tier 3, they would be able to have more than 7 lots. 5 Planning and Zoning Commission April 2, 2025 Official Minutes Mr. Robertson asked Mr. Heyn whether a 200-acre farm with a multi-parcel deed would be affected by the 7-lot limit under Growth Tiers. Mr. Heyn stated yes it would, since the 7 lots are per parcel. Ms. Kirker stated we are looking at affordable housing. She asked if smaller lots off a larger parcel would mean affordable housing for homeowners. Mr. Heyn stated yes, but typically development in the Agricultural district has restrictions on the lot sizes for septic. We are looking at larger lots, around 1 acre in size. Mr. Heyn noted that the Agricultural zone has a lot yield of 1 lot for every 20 acres, and the Conservation zone yield is 1 lot for every 3 acres. Ms. Kirkner stated you usually see conservation lots located next to rivers, streams, some place next to water. These are premium lots for a developer. Mr. Lester asked if anyone has brought a legal challenge against SB 236. Ms. Daly explained she is unaware of any challenges to SB 236 since 2012, when this was adopted. Mr. Lester asked to clarify that out of 23 counties in the State, six counties did not adopt the tiers, and we are one ofthe six. Mr. Daly confirmed, that is correct. Mr. Heyn explained that in 2012, the Board of County Commissioners did not adopt the Growth Tiers because they were cautious about possible lawsuits from private citizens. This meant that everything outside of our growth areas automatically became Tier 4. This decision meant that development potential in these areas was affected by the 7-lot limit. Public Comment There were none. MASTER PLAN DATA HANDBOOK, PART II Ms. Lane shared with the Commission Part II ofthe Data Handbook. In Ms. Lane's overview she shared the six areas that are the focus of! Part II. The six areas are: Transportation, Public Safety, Land Use & Development, Farm Demographics, Infrastructure, and Management & Budget. The transportation section shows most of the County's workforce leaves the County for employment. Approximately 36% ofthe working residents travel more than 45 minutes to work. The highest traffic volume roads are MD 30 near Manchester, US 70 near Mt. Airy, and MD 140 in Westminster. During the Master Plan Open Houses many citizens also noted the congestion on these roads. The Public Safety section highlights that the crime rate for Carroll County is low compared to otherjurisdictions. The County also evaluates ifFire and EMS is adequate based on the percentage 6 Planning and Zoning Commission April 2, 2025 Official Minutes of late calls, average response time, and the adequacy of roads and bridges along the route. There are several fire stations that are inadequate or approaching inadequate. Over the past 10 years Use and Occupancy Permits have been mostly residential, only 245 Use and Occupancy Permits were commercial, which includes permits in the municipalities. Ms. Lane stated that currently the Bureau of Comprehensive Planning is working on a detailed existing use of land inventory that will provide more insight into how land currently is being used. The Farm Demographics section highlights that most of the farms in Carroll County are family farms and less than 49 acres. The County'stop crops in 2022 were soybeans and corn. The highest livestock was broilers or other meat type of chickens and cattle. Highlights ofthe Infrastructure section included information about public schools. She noted that in the next six years, Freedom Elementary and Sykesville Middle will be inadequate. Both schools are in the County's Community Investment Plan (CIP) to address this problem. In Management and Budget, there is a shift in the categories of spending over the next 10-years, primarily due to the County's Fire and EMS Department. The data in the handbook indicated that there is no reduction in spending in any areas,, just different percentages being allocated. Discussion Mr. Lester asked ifthe County has land reserved for expansion for County's schools. Ms. Lane explained the County has no land reserved for new schools or additions. Ms. Kirkner asked the difference between "public schools" and "education other" in the budget section Ms. Lane explained "education other" would be the community college. Ms. Lane stated she will double check to make sure this is correct. Mr. Kane asked how non-residential acreage is measured. Ms. Lane explained commercial property is measured by acreage. Ms. Daly explained at the Open Houses there was a map showing what acreage is zoned commercial and residential, and how much is already developed VS. land available for development potential. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT There were none. 7 Planning and Zoning Commission April 2, 2025 Official Minutes ADJOURNMENT On a motion of Mr. Hoff, seconded by Mr. Soisson and carried, the Commission adjourned at 7:33 PM. - Anu A Kuborie Secretary Approyed 8