(2/2022) Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. It’s a time for us to celebrate love and those we hold dear. I love my husband, my parents, my children, and I take great joy in my grandchildren. And I love our community.
It is easy on cold winter days to forget about the warmth and love that surround us. Frederick County is blessed with many loving, caring people, like our dedicated volunteers, hard-working public servants, and our friends and neighbors who lend us a hand, shovel our walks, or offer kind words.
I hope everyone takes a moment this month to focus on the love around us.
Farm Stands
Agriculture is one of the oldest industries in Frederick County and is a major part of our rich history. Our farmers proudly produce food and fiber for our region. We lead the state with 1,300 farms and over 180,000 acres of farmland. One of my priorities is to ensure that we leave a legacy of agriculture for future generations. That means we have to preserve our best and most productive farmland, and we have to make sure that agriculture remains economically viable.
We are making great progress when it comes to preserving farmland. Frederick County has preserved more than 70,000 acres. We continue to add acres into our preservation programs every month. We are able to do this because we dedicated a portion of funds that we collect on real estate transaction and use that money to preserve more farmland.
In addition to preserving land, we need to keep agriculture viable. Hard work and resilience only go so far to offset the reality of global low commodity prices and unpredictable weather. I asked industry leaders what the County could do to help. They told me they needed to add value to their existing operations. That conversation led to the launch of our incredibly popular and award-winning Agriculture Innovation Grants Program.
Several farmers also asked that we all make it easier for them to sell produce and other farm products on site. So last month I introduced legislation to make it easier for farmers to open roadside stands. We know residents want to buy locally produced food, so this proposal is a win-win for everyone.
The bill streamlines the approval process and allows stands under 600 square feet to be constructed without a building permit. It changes two key areas of the County’s zoning laws.
First, it allows value-added processes to take place on parcels as small as 10 acres. Currently the minimize size is 25 acres. Second, roadside farm stands smaller than 600 square feet would not require a building permit. Stands up to 1,500 square feet would have an expedited review process.
To qualify for the streamlined process, at least 51% of products sold at the farm stand must be produced by the owner, and the products must be produced within Frederick County and in the immediate neighborhood of the stand. This gives farmers more flexibility about where to locate their stands.
The County Council will hold a public hearing on my legislation soon. Once a date has been set, the Council will advertise how and when people can comment on the bill. Stay tuned!
Free Masks
County residents can stop by their local Frederick County Public Libraries branch to pick up a free pack of KN95 masks, while supplies last. Masks are important to helping us slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
As I write this, cases and hospitalizations from COVID-19 are on the decrease, but they are still higher than we saw during last winter’s surge. Sadly, more county residents died from the virus this January than in any other month since the pandemic began. In one week alone, we lost 26 of our neighbors from the virus.
You can pick up a pack containing five masks at any library branch during regular operating hours. You do not need a library card to pick up masks. Visit fcpl.org for library hours and locations.
A Board of Health resolution requires that masks be worn in all indoor public settings in Frederick County. The requirement remains in effect until the county’s seven-day average of new cases drops below 20 cases per 100,000 residents. As of January 28th, the case rate stands at 65.89.
Previously, the Frederick County Health Department provided N95 and KN95 masks to essential workers in our municipalities, as well as to health care providers and others who are at high risk. The recent arrival of nearly 100,000 more masks allowed us to offer them to all residents. To learn more, visit www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/Masks.
The County has ordered at-home rapid test kits to distribute to residents, as well, to supplement the limited supply we have received from the State. When those kits arrive, we will hand them out at our library branches, as well as through community partners. In the meantime, every household is able to order four test kits at no cost by calling 1-800-232-0233.
The pandemic is still here and we must keep up our guard. Wear a mask. If you have symptoms or plan to travel, take a test. And get vaccinated and boosted for the strongest possible protection.
The Health Department is offering vaccines every Tuesday in February between 4 and 6 p.m. at the Vigilant Hose Company Activities Building. In Thurmont, vaccines will be offered on Mondays from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Thurmont Regional Library. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are available. Walk-ins are welcome, or you can pre-register at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/CovidVaccine. They will also conduct COVID-19 tests at the Thurmont Town Office every Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. and at the Emmitsburg Senior Center every Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m.
