NIMBY!

Any chance her farm was built on a farm?

Rosemont Ave. should have been five lanes, the center lane being a turning lane, when that road was updated many years ago. Most of Frederick's traffic problems come from poor intersection design. There should be a turning lane in most directions. Instead, Frederick decided to have only the eastbound traffic go, then westbound, then northbound, etc. Traffic at most intersections only moves in one direction, instead of two, at one time. This design is not efficient but it is less expensive.

I live in Worman's Mill, built up and crowded when I moved in four years ago but there was a park area in the middle of the development, about three blocks worth. No more. For more than a year there have been cranes and jackhammers and construction vehicles rolling through the neighborhood, seven days a week, building more housing and a retail area (which will probably stay vacant - I don't know what fool hasn't noticed that retail is shrinking, not growing). Every vacant square foot in the area is being built up. All the additional housing, of course, leads to additional vehicles in a large subdivision where there are only 3 ways out, and 2 of them lead to overcrowded Route 26 (Liberty Road). As for a view, not much around here unless it's of the building next door or a parking lot. It's tough to move though. The rest of Frederick either already looks the same or is getting that way. I calm myself by accepting the trade-off - somebody else mows the lawn and shovels the snow, but of course, I pay hundred of dollars a month, every month, for the favor.

Section 8 coming to a farm near you

Again, tearing down everything in site. Frederick city has given the green light to every developer to plow it all over. No stopping them now. Make sure you create a museum so future kids will know what wildlife and natural trees use to be.

I don't understand the argument that people should accept OVER-development because their own residence possibly had to be built on what was existing farmland. Nobody wants to hear jackhammers and bulldozers in their neighborhood. Of course, I realize that people who are away from their homes during the day aren't particularly affected by the noise. In my working years, I honestly couldn't have cared less about the wildlife where I lived. I digress, but I understand Mrs. Johns' comment about the cows. They provided an element of peace and quiet. It also was a nice learning experience for the children with the effect of learning and respect of animals and just nature, in general.

Back to the issue of development changing the living experiences, nobody who has been in a quiet area (e.g., residents of the Mt. Olivet area who have lived in those houses for 30-some years, people who live in the Linden area who are against possible multiple-floor senior housing in lieu of that existing house, all that housing to be added in the western area of Frederick, and so on) wants the noise and then increased traffic and crime wherever they live.

The local politicians are all for development and indicate that it's okay as long as various fees are paid by the developers. They don't realize or care that that isn't the only issue that people have. It's the lower quality of life that comes with over-development, not just whether a road is widened or a light is put into place.

And this thing where the developers have meeting(s) and say that they care about the existing residents' concerns is absolute nonsense. All it is is a smokescreen that makes hapless people think that they are being listened to. It's all about the money, as jerseygirl stresses in her various commentary.

A few words about West Virginia: I love "the real" WV - meaning NOT Martinsburg and Harper's Ferry, which are now considered part of the greater Washington, D.c. areas. I mean like four or more hours away from Frederick. The maternal side of my family have lived in WV for many generations and a lot of them still live there. While I've always felt that WV has a certain comforting feeling of getting away from it all, it has its drawbacks in terms of housing. It's an area where handicapped issues are not even addressed, so any potential residents need to be aware of that. I could write my own article on that subject, so I'm going to end here.

I wish Mrs. Johns and the others the best of luck on her fight.

Has anyone asked her if she cared what the people on Rocky Springs road thought when they built her house?

Anyone ever heard of a republican environmentalists?
Anyone ever heard of a democrat developer?
[tongue]

If we continue to allow developers to construct new homes for young people we are not going to be a country anymore.

Why are the Democrats in the city government able to approve town homes all the time and never face backlash from anti-growthers. Hypocritical. Hold Michael accountable!

This is what happens when abortion becomes illegal millions of fetuses mature and require housing.

She’s entitled to the final frontier.

Community activists who oppose free market capitalism are usually Trump supporters

This development is in the City of Frederick, which according to Maryland law, controls all land use decisions within it's boundaries.

Agree with all post and CD your right, West by God Virginia here I come!! In the market now looking for a 100 acres of land with a pine grove. Will build a smaller house in the middle of the property (cutting back on mowing) holster up, place signs on property line that reads: NO TRESPASSING and don`t worry about a dog cause a bear lives here by the name of smokey and if you meet SMOKEY you trespassed on MY property[smile]

"Johns also said that she was not told when she moved in that the land next to her was set for development, which was a concern as well." 19 years ago the property still belonged to the farmer. When the next generation won't or can't farm, what's to become of it? They weren't putting cows on it for you. My sister bought the land around her farm to put into easements. No one's thanked her yet, but I bet she'd hear if she developed it instead.

face it people unless it is already park land, open space is going to be turned into housing

All I can say is un-f'-believable. I remember when none of those subdivisions out there existed, when it was all just farmland, woods, and an occasional house here and there. So, Ms. Johns, how do you think the people in those scattered houses felt when the former farmland where your house is now was destroyed to make room for it and your neighbors? You say you weren't told when you moved in that the land next to you was set for development? Well, that's not exactly a selling point that a real estate agent is going to bring up, even if they were aware of it. If your roots run so deep in the Frederick area you should know that all of that area is going to be developed eventually, that's just simple common sense. And in what way are they putting 101 town homes in that makes it so "crazy?” You want to look at cows? The quit being a NIMBY and move to the boondocks of West-by-God-Virginia.

101 Townhomes built on 10 acres. More Condensed housing. More of the same problems. Will County & City Government Leadership ever learn. More intrastructure to be financed by the County taxpayers.

Nobody is owed, or kas a right to a view. If you want to keep the view, team up with other individuals and buy the property, then enter it into the Maryland land preservation program.

I love the "my house was ok but now I don't want any more" argument! I'm sure her development was also protested against before it was built. This is one of the oldest hypocritical topics that you hear all the time. There's plenty of cow pastures in the northern part of the county. maybe she can relocate? once her property value rises, thanks to these new homes.