Frederick Commissioners Overturn Downzoning

In 2010 the Frederick County Commissioners enacted legislation which downzoned many properties or reduced the values of others through zoning changes.  The new county commissioners are overturning those decisions.

Commissioners President Blaine Young said he wants to revisit the comprehensive plan because the present board was elected in November on a pledge to revisit downzonings made by the previous board.

"I'm only going to deal with those that were downzoned or declassified by that previous board and had their property rights robbed," Young said.

Throughout Maryland, the state government has placed pressure on counties to downzone properties in rural areas and strip citizens of their property rights.  Currently, the state’s PlanMaryland proposal is attempting to strip county governments of their historical role in regulating land usage.

Last year a similar attempt was made in Wicomico County.  The proposal was narrowly defeated because one downzoning supporter (Sheree Sample-Hughes) would not support a less aggressive compromise.  Downzoning became a major issue in the 2010 campaign. Every county council member who supported downzoning, except one, left office.  County Executive Rick Pollitt, who supported downzoning of ag lands has not brought up the issue in 2011.