Also introduced on June 17 was Bill 25-09, which proposes the creation of a Critical Digital Infrastructure (CDI) Overlay Zone. I am sponsoring this bill on behalf of the County Executive. A public hearing for Bill 25-09 will be held on Tuesday, July 15, at 7 at Winchester Hall.

This bill represents the beginning of a larger legislative process, which will include multiple opportunities for public input. The initial zoning text amendment was introduced at the June 17 meeting. Future steps will include a comprehensive plan amendment (not yet introduced) and a zoning map amendment to formally define the overlay boundaries (not yet published).

Overlay Zone Process

At our May 27 workshop, the Administration presented a roadmap for this process. The Division of Planning and Permitting will first provide a recommendation for the map amendment, which will be reviewed by the Planning Commission. Criteria for determining which parcels may be included in the overlay include:

• Proximity to industrial-zoned land

• Location within or near the county’s designated growth area

• Access to necessary infrastructure

• Parcel size

A 1% cap on total County land is proposed in this bill. To be clear, this is an upper limit, and it does not mean that 1% of County land will automatically be included in the overlay. Currently, approximately 5,000 acres of industrial-zoned land are already eligible for data center development without any zoning changes. Under Bill 25-09, the maximum possible land included in the overlay would be 4,284 acres, which includes the 2,200-acre East Alcoa site.

Please be aware that any maps or claims about specific overlay acreage currently circulating in public forums are not official and likely originate from advocacy groups promoting inaccurate information.

Stay Informed and Involved

I urge all residents interested in this matter to follow the County Council and Planning Commission meetings for accurate and timely information. The public hearing for Bill 25-09 will be held on Tuesday, July 15 at 7, and your voice is important in shaping this policy.

The Frederick County Council welcomes public input at all stages of the legislative process. You can:

• Speak in person at our Tuesday meetings

• Leave a voicemail to be shared with all Council Members

• Email us anytime at councilmembers@frederickcountymd.gov

• The Frederick County Council holds regular meetings on Tuesday evenings at 5:30 p.m. at Winchester Hall, located at 12 East Church Street in downtown Frederick. All meetings are open to the public, and we strongly encourage community participation. Residents are welcome to attend in person or call in to join. Every meeting includes an opportunity for public comment, where individuals may speak for up to three (3) minutes on a topic of their choice.

Visit our website at www.frederickcountymd.gov/countycouncil for the latest agendas, legislation, and meeting schedules.

Council Members also attend community events such as business openings and anniversaries. If you would like to invite us to an event, please contact us at the above email.

Summer Recess Notice

The Council will be on Summer Recess beginning July 29. There will be no meetings on July 29, August 5, or August 12. Regular meetings will resume on Tuesday, August 19.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact me directly at BYoung@FrederickCountyMD.gov or call my office at 301-600-1108.