(7/2020) Summertime is here! This month we celebrate our nation’s founding 244 years ago. Independence Day may feel a little different because of coronavirus. There will be no large crowds or gatherings, but the meaning of the day remains strong in the hearts of all Americans. Enjoy the traditions of the Fourth of July with your family this year. Be safe and do your part by staying physically distant from other households as you watch the fireworks display over Walkersville. Wear face coverings while you wait for your meal at the Carriage House Inn or any of the area’s fabulous restaurants. Do your part to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Author Kim John Payne once said, "Independence isn’t doing your own thing; it’s doing the right thing on your own." So do the right thing this Independence Day. Health metrics in Frederick County and across Maryland have shown great improvement since our peak in early May. Our challenge is to keep it this way! We don’t want to follow the lead of other states that are seeing record numbers of COVID-19 cases.

One step all of us can take is to get tested. Testing is free and easy. You don’t have to be sick, and you don’t need a doctor’s note or an appointment. The Frederick County Health Department is bringing testing clinics to Thurmont and Emmitsburg. Every Tuesday, the Seton Center on Lincoln Avenue is hosting clinics from noon to 2:30 p.m. On Fridays, testing will be available outside the Thurmont municipal building on East Main Street from 5 to 7 p.m. To find a calendar of other community clinics, visit Health.FrederickCountyMD.gov/coronavirus. If your organization would like to host a testing clinic, contact the Health Department’s Director of Community Testing Danielle Haskin at DHaskin@FrederickCountyMD.gov.

Every county in Maryland has been challenged to test at least 10% of their population. Frederick County is closing in on that goal, at over 9%. Help us reach our goal by getting tested.

Supporting Agriculture

Throughout the public health emergency, regular county business has continued. That includes finding ways to support one of Frederick County’s leading industries, agriculture. I recently announced several initiatives to ensure that agriculture remains a viable industry in our community.

I introduced a bill last month to help farm families that want more than one generation to live on the family farm. There is a longstanding tradition in the ag community of carving off housing lots so children can stay on the farm to help the family operation. Current law allows children of farmers to apply for a waiver of an impact fee if they build on these lots. My legislation creates a more transparent process for the waiver. It also allows additional family members to apply, including parents and siblings who support the farming operation. Among other changes, the bill also clarifies that farms owned by a trust or limited liability corporation may be eligible.

Family support is imperative to many agricultural operations in Frederick County. This bill is one step to help ensure that future generations can have a long-term bright future. Take action by telling the County Council you support changes to the farm lots legislation.

Forests and Historic Assets

Frederick County values its rich history and environment. We need to take action now to prevent the loss of forest cover and protect our historic and cultural amenities now into the future. That’s why I re-introduced two bills designed to protect our forests and our environmental resources and historic assets. Earlier versions of these bills expired when County Council meetings were paused this spring.

The first bill strengthens the County’s Forest Resource Ordinance. The goal is to protect existing forest cover and ensure we do not lose forest as the result of new development. Under my proposal, the Forest Resource Ordinance would require that an acre of forest be planted for every acre of forest cleared for new development. Trees can be planted within a new development, or there are options for planting off-site. The ordinance focuses on new developments, not individual homeowners. Agricultural operations are exempt from the Forest Resource Ordinance. Also exempt is the transfer of land to children, known as child lots, if less than 20,000 square feet of forest are cleared.

The second piece of legislation I proposed updates the county zoning ordinance so that forests, environmentally sensitive areas, and historic assets must be considered prior to a property being rezoned. . These resources would have to be identified, along with ways to avoid or minimize any impact on these resources, before rezoning the properties. The bill also adds criteria to better define what constitutes an adequate transportation network. Protecting our history and environment puts the community’s values first.

All of my bills are designed to protect Frederick County’s forests and farmland for future generations to enjoy so we can preserve what we cherish about our community.