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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-23 Statement of JustificationJordan Springs – Statement of Justification CPPA June 1, 2023 Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment ONLY The applicant seeks to amend the Comprehensive Plan Map to extend the boundary of the SWSA and UDA to comprehend the approximately 231 acre Jordan Springs property and identify the portions of the Jordan Springs property currently zoned RA (Rural Areas) as intended for future residential development. Currently, the SWSA includes the historic Jordan Springs hotel building surrounded by a ten (10) acre Historic Overlay designation that was previous obtained voluntarily by the applicant. However, the hotel building is outside of the UDA and all of the remaining Jordan Springs property is outside of the UDA and SWSA. This existing hotel building and surrounding Historic Overlay portion of the applicant’s property, as well as the parcel across Old Charlestown Road from the hotel building (next to the pump station property the applicant exchanged with Frederick Water in order to obtain connections to the sewer and water system that currently crosses the properties) is currently zoned B2, with proffered use exclusions that pertain to the hotel building. The remainder of the applicant’s property is currently zoned RA. The property is adjacent to the existing Snowden Bridge planned use development and other historic, small- lot subdivisions. The current application is prompted by the recent interest in the property by Christopher Land, L.L.C., a residential development company seeking to develop the Jordan Springs property as an all-inclusive, age restricted, active adult community with associated assisted living, independent living, and nursing facilities. As illustrated by the concept plan submitted with this application, the intention is to preserve and maintain the existing historic hotel building as the focus of the community and its amenities. The amenities are intended to foster and maintain access to the unique natural resources located on the property that include the historic hotel building and grounds, the beautiful “Devil’s Backbone” overlook area, and the Redbud Run watershed. The planned amenities would include extensive trail networks allowing access to these resources as well as a nine-hole “pitch and putt” golf course, swimming pool and ball courts to encourage outdoor recreation in the natural surroundings. Ultimately, if the County were to amend the UDA and SWSA boundaries as requested, the applicant would seek to rezone the RA portions of the property to the R5 Residential Recreational Community designation with the commercial parcels being used for assisted living and nursing facilities, restaurants and other community-oriented services. The proposed uses for the property squarely fit within the policies stated in the Comprehensive Plan. Under the current Comprehensive Plan and both versions of the NELUP update that are under current consideration by the Board of Supervisors, the applicant’s property has no particular future land use designations that restrict the current request. Indeed, the Comprehensive Plan states that “[t]he boundary of Frederick County’s UDA should be examined regularly to ensure that it is absolutely sized to accommodate future growth and offer a diversity of housing types” (Comp. Plan at 3). As the County is aware, there is currently a high demand for residential housing in Frederick County and a very limited inventory of buildable lots and choice of housing unit types. By including the Jordan Springs property into the UDA and SWSA, the County will be able to serve this demand and effect the goals stated in the Comprehensive Plan. Numerous goals stated in the Comprehensive Plan would be met by amending the UDA and SWSA boundaries to include the entire Jordan Springs property. The stated development goals and objectives in the Comprehensive Plan that would be fulfilled by approving the instant application include: 1. Allowing for a mix and integration of a variety of uses and housing opportunities (Comp. Plan at 4); 2. Allowing for increased density, walkability and connectivity (especially if the trail networks are allowed to be connected with the existing and planned networks in the Snowden Bridge and Stephenson Village developments) (Comp. Plan at 4); 3. Allowing for high quality architecture with community focal points (Comp. Plan at 4); 4. Helping preserve environmental quality (Comp. Plan at 4); 5. Focusing development around walkable centers to afford people the opportunity to work, live, shop, and play in locations that are near each other (Comp. Plan at 4); 6. Incorporating Neighborhood Design principles to improve the sense of community and promote close knit, walkable communities where residents have greater opportunities to live, work, and play in the same area(Comp. Plan at 5); 7. Developing internal transportation systems that de-emphasizes the automobile, allowing residents to walk or bike to destinations (Comp. Plan at 5); 8. Promoting the location of community facilities as focal points (Comp. Plan at 6); 9. Ensuring the Bicycle Plan included as part of the Comprehensive Plan provides for trail facilities (Comp. Plan at 6); 10. Encouraging new developments to provide interconnected trail networks (Comp. Plan at 6); 11. Allowing the natural landscape to be used as the background of development with a greater emphasis placed on conservation design for growth, including new recreational opportunities (Comp. Plan at 12); 12. Allowing the clustering of residential development to further preserve agricultural land (Comp. Plan at 13); 13. Preserving the desired physical characteristics of the rural areas (Comp. Plan at 13); 14. Allowing natural systems and open spaces to be incorporated into new residential development, designed to preserve the natural and environmental features of the property in close proximity to dwellings with an emphasis on the provision of useable open space for resident use and enjoyment (Comp. Plan at 19); 15. Limiting impacts on public facilities due to age-restricted nature of intended final use for the property and by directing uses within the UDA (Comp. Plan at 57); 16. Allowing residents to be within walking distance of a recreation area (Comp. Plan at 65); 17. Creating green infrastructure with specifically designed open spaces as amenities to off-set higher densities (Comp. Plan at 93); 18. Preserving wooded areas (Comp. Plan at 93); 19. Establishing a “greenway” along Redbud Run utilizing, in part, the existing Frederick Water utility easements, to link people to the area’s natural, recreational and cultural resources, as well as providing a system of natural linkages for wildlife areas to preserve biodiversity and protect habitats and preserving and protecting buffers along Redbud Run which can help protect biodiversity and help filter pollutants (Comp. Plan at 93-94); 20. Providing recreational opportunities such as hiking or bicycling and nature studies such as plant and animal behavior, as well as simply raising awareness of the environment (Comp. Plan at 94 ); 21. Promoting the economic and cultural importance of historic resources (Comp. Plan at 100); 22. Protecting historical resources1 (Comp. Plan at 100); and 23. Increasing the rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, or restoration of historic structures to maintain character of community (Comp. Plan at 101). Given the current need in the County for additional housing units of various types and the policies stated in the Comprehensive Plan encouraging a particular type of environmentally sensitive residential development, the applicant submits that the instant map amendment application to extend the boundaries of the UDA and SWSA to the immediately adjacent Jordan Springs property (part of which is already included in the SWSA) is not only justified by objectives stated in the Comprehensive Plan, it brings them to fruition by allowing continued smart growth in the County. Allowing the amendment will help preserve important historic and natural resources while also serving the housing demands of the community in conformity with the stated objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. 1 The applicant submits that, unless she is able to monetize the property through development, it will become too costly to maintain the historic building and access to the natural amenities available on the property and the buildings and property risk falling into disrepair.