Frailey Farm annexation could see 175 homes and possible by-pass

The Frailey Farm, located off the west side of Emmitsburg’s town boundary, could potentially serve as the site of 175 single-family homes if current plans to develop this 115-acre property comes to fruition.

Town Planner Zach Gulden told the News-Journal that before anything could happen in the way of development, as far as Emmitsburg would be concerned, is that the land would initially have to be annexed to the town.

Gulden said that, if the site were to see 175 homes (a number of homes suggested by an engineering firm), the property, once annexed, would have to be rezoned R-1 which would allow for low density residential. An R-1 designation for the Frailey Farm has been recommended in the municipal Comprehensive Plan.

In addition, if the project should move forward, the town planner stated that the town does not presently have sufficient water-taps to supply such a development, and thus the developer would be required to build another water treatment plant for the town.

The Frailey Farm site has also been considered as a location for a portion of the Emmitsburg bypass and has even been included in the town's comprehensive plan "since at least 2009," Gulden said. The bypass was envisioned to start on West Main Street, go through the Frailey Farm, Community Park, then the Daughters of Charity property, and end at South Seton Ave.

The current plan is to have the commissioners review whether the board wants to keep the bypass in the compressive plan at the July town meeting. If the commissioners elect to do so, "We will require the developer (if the site is ever developed) to construct this road," he stated.

McNair property could see housing mix

As per development of the Frailey Farm, the 23-acre McNair property, located off North Seton Avenue, would also have to be annexed to the town before any development could occur, according to Town Planner Gulden.

"We are being told by an engineering firm that this property can fit a max of 29 townhomes and 34 single-family dwellings (also not confirmed by staff)," the town planner stated.

However, that could only prove true if the property were re-zoned as R-2 (medium-density housing). The property is presently shown in the town Comprehensive Plan as being R-1 (low-density residential) should it become annexed. The property is still listed for sale for just under $4 million.

Daycare ‘cans’ Emmitsburg plans

A child daycare center that was to open at East Main Street will instead be located in Thurmont.

Miss. B’s Child Care had received all of their town approvals, clearing the way for the operation to do business. However the owner decided to move her business to Thurmont, because she found a move-in ready location.

The 3,448 square-foot building was constructed in 1935. The town planner noted that the now-vacant site is for sale, listing at $215.000. The property has seen a number of uses in the past, including the Emmitbsuurg Feed Co., the Emmitsburg Food Bank, and the Catoctin Pregnancy Center.

Gulden said the town has been approached by "a few people" regarding establishing a business in the now-vacant building, but not with any proposal he would regard as being "official," further noting that among the suggested possibilities, "The most promising sounded like a creamery (ice cream)."

Sidewalks/ramps to cost nearly $700,000

Emmitsburg presently has 130 sidewalk and curb areas which are not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and bringing those areas into compliance will likely run just shy of $700k.

The sidewalks and curbs to be targeted are old, cracking, too steep, and not ADA-compliant, thus creating unsafe conditions for residents and visitors, especially the elderly, disabled, wheelchair-bound, and sight and hearing impaired.

The ADA mandates that infrastructure, such as curbing and sidewalks, must be made accessible to people with disabilities, so that they may travel throughout a municipality in a safe and convenient manner.

The effort to bring the non-ADA compliant sidewalks and curbs into compliance is to be funded through several sources, including a $686k Community Development Block Grant, $1,800 in homeowners’ association donations, $10,000 from the town, and $10,000 in-kind from the town. "In-kind" means town staff will perform some of the proposed work in lieu of contractors.

q"We are currently bidding the project, and we expect to award the project to a contractor at the June 7 commissioner’s meeting," Gulden stated. Construction is expected to commence in July, and all of the problematic sidewalk and ramps brought into compliance by April 2022.