Comments or Questions

At the public hearing regarding the proposed amendment to the Town’s master plan regarding the extent of New Markets growth area, the Planning Commission left the record open for comment until Jan. 22, 2009 by 8:00pm.
The proposed amendment is in italic’s in the following:
(Beginning on pg 22 of Plan)…

As defined by the County in 1992 and unchanged in the 2004 Draft, the community growth limits for the Town of New Market “extend north to existing development abutting the Town of New Market, east to the New Market/Monrovia service area boundary, south to Bush Creek and west to Boyers Mill Road...”

New Market supports these Plan proposals but strongly recommends that the northern boundary of its growth area be expanded. The current boundary splits the 638-acre Casey property (designated as a Planned Unit Development and in the W-5 water category and S-5 sewer category) into two parts and excludes the 282-acre Blentlinger property (designated low density residential). These parcels, if designed as PUD’s, have a development potential of approximately 2500 dwelling units (at a density of roughly 3.5 du/acre) and 125,000 sq. ft. of commercial space.

New Market also strongly recommends that the western boundary of its growth area be extended to include the Cline and Smith properties. These parcels are surrounded by the Linganore PUD to the north, the Greenview residential development to the west, and the Town to the east. These properties have water and sewer infrastructure abutting their property lines and are ideal candidates for infill growth under Maryland’s Smart Growth initiatives. Development of both parcels would add a projected 925 units on 264 acres. (See accompanying map.)

The expansion of New Market’s growth area holds the key to providing a northern bypass road connecting in the vicinity of Summerfield Rd. on the west to Rt. 75 on the east (very close to the location shown in the County’s 20 Year Plan). The need for an alternate route parallel to Main Street was recognized as early as 1969, when the New Market Master Plan included a bypass north of the Town. Currently, existing and planned development obstructs that proposed route. Royal Oak Drive, the collector road at one time proposed as a bypass, now is a dead-end and will not divert traffic from Main Street (known as Route 144 outside the Town limits). In view of the substantial development planned for the Lake Linganore PUD and other areas to the west of New Market, this is the transportation issue of greatest importance to the Town.

Submit a Questions/Comments below to: Karen Durbin

2009 New Market, Maryland. Designed by Shane Rossman.