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2010 County Comprehensive Plan
In January 2008 the Division of Planning began the update of the 1998 Countywide Comprehensive Plan which also included a countywide comprehensive zoning process. In addition to updating goals, policies, and action recommendations, this plan initiated a new planning process that has created a countywide land use plan map that consolidates what had been previously identified within the 8 separate region plans that were updated between 1997 and 2008. The 2010 plan also includes new state mandated elements for a Priority Preservation Area and Water Resources Element.
The Comprehensive Plan and a comprehensive Zoning Map were adopted on April 8, 2010.
Previous Comprehensive Plans – brief overview of when previous plans were prepared. (see tab above)
Comprehensive Plan
- Executive Summary
- County Comprehensive Plan Text Document (see tab above)
- Comprehensive Plan Atlas - as amended September 13, 2012
- Comprehensive Plan Map
- General Plan Map
- Zoning Atlas - as amended September 13, 2012
- Zoning Map
All maps are available in large format and hard copy at the Planning and Permitting Division offices at 30 N. Market Street.
Other Related Reports
- Water Resources Element
- Residential Needs and Development Capacity Report
- Trends and Issues Report - April 2008
Background Reports
- Community Issues
- Community Survey Results
- Compiled Goals, Policies, and Actions
- Final Plan Adoption Presentation
- Redevelopment in Frederick County
BoCC Draft Review Workshops
Community Growth Area Maps
These maps illustrate the changes that have occurred in respect to the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning.
Adamstown
Brunswick
Frederick
Middletown
New Market
Thurmont
Urbana
Walkersville
2010 Comprehensive Plan Text Document
Complete Text Document - Large file, please be patient while opening.
Individual Text Document Chapters
- Cover Page
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Planning Framework and Background
- Conserving Our Natural Resources and Green Infrastructure
- Protecting & Preserving Our Heritage
- Preserving Our Agricultural and Rural Community
- Providing Transportation Choices
- Serving Our Citizens
- Supporting a Diversified Economy
- Assessing Our Water Resources
- Managing Our Growth
- Community and Corridor Plans
- Implementation
- Implementation Matrix
Previous Comprehensive Plans
The county’s 1st comprehensive plan was adopted in 1959 and consisted of a highway plan map and a much generalized land use plan map. This plan coincided with the adoption of the county’s 1st zoning ordinance and zoning map. A subsequent update of the Countywide Plan occurred in 1972, which included the preparation of a plan document supported by individual reports covering highways, community facilities, and land use among others. The 1972 plan did include a countywide Land Use Plan Map.
In 1984, the Countywide Comprehensive Plan was updated as a general policy document, referred to as Volume I: Countywide Plan, with the detailed land use plans included in separate region plans for each of 8 planning regions. These region plans were all adopted in 1984 as a Volume II: Regional Plans. The Countywide Plan has gone through subsequent updates in 1990 and 1998 solely as policy documents, while starting in 1990 the region plans have been updated in a separate process and schedule. Generally the county updated 2 region plans at a time with the last region plan completed for the New Market Region in October 2008.
The 2010 County Comprehensive Plan with a countywide land use plan map now supersedes all of the previous region plans.