Transforming the east side into a vibrant “smart growth” community

A Message From the Founder

In the fall of 2009, the connection to I-70 will become a brand new gateway to the heart of one of the most significant downtowns in the country, and market forces will be in play — even in this down economy.

The approximate 1100 acres that has been treated like the ‘wrong side of the tracks’ will now be vulnerable to what has been the norm — bottom-line, super-sized, disjointed development…unless the community comes together and creates a common vision that includes green buildings, mixed-use, mixed-income, walkable alternatives with most of the development in the hands of small and medium sized local businesses and individuals–like the old city was built prior to WWII and the depression.

Frederick is poised to be the beacon for reinventing a community and vitalization that complements the areas that should be left natural and rural, and takes pressure off places that don’t need or want density and intensity or extra, expensive infrastructure costs.

We have been joined in and supported in this effort by the City of Frederick – specifically the Mayor’s Office, the Planning Department, and the City and County Economic Development Departments — to coordinate the visioning and planning of the sector plan in coordination with the Comprehensive Plan which is currently under revision. We have already met with the primary property owners on April 24, 2009, and on Thursday, June 11 we had a very successful larger meeting with a broad range of citizens. These meetings were not an end all — be all, but just the kick-off of this grand continuing conversation which will always be posted here and disseminate wherever Fredericktonians gather or just bump into each other, since this is such a pertinent subject.

Our purpose is to be truly inclusive, transparent and involve all those that are interested, so we have true stakeholders in this venture where the best ideas come from anywhere and everyone based on a continuing community conversation.

The east side of Frederick should become the major receiving area for many who come to Frederick because of its economic, natural and cultural assets. And our aim is to accommodate people in a way that enhances rather than destroys those very things that are attracting them in the first place.

Alan Feinberg, RA, AICP