Sugarloaf Stewardship

09/01/2024

Starting Sunday

Something to look forward to in the neighborhood.

“Poetry in the Sky” will be on display through Sunday February 18, at Locals Farm Market. Join us for an artist reception on Sunday, January 14, 4-6pm. This show is the tenth Riverworks “Artist in the House” exhibition to be featured on the second floor of the historic house at Locals.

Focusing on winter-themed oil paintings created especially for this show, “Poetry in the Sky” features expansive, luminous views of a season with its own unique tension of shadow and light. Newcomers to Howard’s work will notice that her winter skies have a special texture and depth, an effect she achieves through skilled use of a palette knife. The result is a series of paintings that span the many emotions of winter, a time when restlessness is eased by the promise of coming renewal.

Locals Farm Market: 19929 Fisher Avenue, Poolesville, Md.

29/11/2022

Reunited!!! 11/29/2022 FOUND German Shepherd at intersection of Old Hundred and Thurston Roads. DM us if you believe it's yours.

09/10/2022

It's that time of year again! Whether you want to get in a little early holiday shopping or needing some time in the shadow of Sugarloaf, come on out!

Art Event today! Dusty Road Pottery ( stop 7 ) on the fall art tour. A self driving tour to art studios in Maryland. Open 10 - 5 today.

07/05/2022

It’s that time of year again! OPEN to the public.

https://www.potomachuntraces.com/passes.html

06/04/2022

This is one of many lovely events on or around the mountain.

With the Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard near by and the Comus Inn open you can make a day of it!

We are pleased to announce that has joined the and will be a new stop on the upcoming Spring Art Tour. April 22-24 10:00-5:00 each day. Come find beautiful quilts showcased in the restored dairy barn at historic Darnell Farm in Poolesville, Md. 🌸

17/09/2021

UPDATE: Please LIKE and SHARE.
For now it appears we can breathe a little easier after an alarming few weeks following the publishing of the draft Sugarloaf protected area plan. During that time residents from both the Frederick and Montgomery County sides of the mountain banded together and shared discoveries of non-disclosure agreements being signed, activity on the Natelli parcels (removed from prior versions of the draft plan), etc.

Many residents and non-residents sent in countless emails and letters to both the Planning Commison and the County Council. In those communications they shared observations about the draft and how the intention of the plan was in direct conflict with the action to remove 490(+/-) acres zoned agricultural and resource conservation from it.

But GOOD news! On Wednesday, the Frederick Planning Commission voted to restore the previous boundary, bringing the 490 (+/-) acres carved out in the draft plan back under the protections being discussed for the Sugarloaf overlay area.

The Commission made a point of saying that any future cutout must be discussed openly.

Please continue to convey your thoughts about the plan. A thank you or show of appreciation for the recent decision could go a long way in ensuring all provisions in the plan are applied to the region evenly.

We look forward to seeing the revised maps and supporting documents to their latest action. For now, the website has the outdated maps.

07/09/2021

📣 TONIGHT @5:30 PM BEGINS the next phase of the approval process in approving The Sugarloaf Large Area Plan (aka: The Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Management Plan).

❓ HOW MUCH we will learn and how transparent the proceeding will be remains a LARGE concern; given the signing of supposed NDAs. Find out first hand by listening to and watching Frederick County Planning Commission on Channel 19, or online at http://frederick.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=59 or www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/CouncilMeetings.

IMPORTANT: To give public comment during that portion of the meeting, please call 855-925-2801, enter Meeting code: 8365 and press *2 to leave a voicemail to be played at the end of the speakers or press *3 to give 3 minutes of live comments.

04/09/2021

BREAKING: We have it on good authority that on August 16th there was a closed Frederick County Council Meeting Frederick County Council Watch for which, all members were required to sign NDAs. Frederick County Executive Jan H. Gardner

The listing of attendees included 10 "Heavy Hitters from Amazon." Amazon is in talks with Natelli to build a Data Communication Center on the Alcoa property.

Do we know the 490 acres removed from the Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Management Plan was on the table, as a possible location for one or more of their data sites, in the closed AMAZON meeting? No we do not. Do we think the County is conducting the process with the level of and commitment to transparency expressed early on in the process? No we do not.

Have you sent your letters in on Urbana development to East of 270?!

Please direct them to:
[email protected]
[email protected]

24/08/2021

A week later. Here's what we have learned from the hearing and neighbors of the 490 (Natelli track 389 acres) removed from the working plan; keep it in mind as you read the article.

1) Natelli applied for a permit in March to demolish the existing farm buildings on the 380 - acre property adjoining Thurston Road. The bulk of his acreage removed from the plan.

2) In July he filed a 4 page document that redraws the existing plats. The replating is very specific; indicating he has specific intentions in mind for the property.

3) Input from a neighbor who observed active surveyors on Natelli's property - when the neighbor inquired as to why they were there, what was the purpose; the surveyors responded that Natelli was planning to develop it.

REMEMBER: Some of the acreage is zoned Agricultural and some is Resource Conservation. Protecting these zoning classifications in the Sugarloaf area is one of the intentions of creating the overlay.

If this feels all too familiar, it's because it is; one set of rules for some and another for others. Frederick County Executive Jan H. Gardner

There is time to share your voice and concerns via email.

Please direct them to:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

During a series of virtual open houses for a proposal to enhance preservation of Sugarloaf Mountain and its surrounding area, county residents voiced disapproval that an area near Thurston Road

16/08/2021

AGAIN TONIGHT!! NOT TOO LATE TO HEAR THE PLAN

!!ACTION ALERT!! Here We Go Again... After the defeat of the proposed military-style gun range in 2014 Frederick County Executive Jan H. Gardner began talking with local residents about the possibility of creating an overlay to protect the precious resource that brings over 250,000 tourists to the area each year. Tourists who support local ag based businesses.

❓ WHY then have over 490 acres been removed and the boundary line changed? The vast majority (380+ acres) of the acreage is held by Natelli; the developer responsible for Urbana. His holdings are on the West side of 270 (EAST of 270 the approved boundary for The Villages of Urbana) with several outlets along Thurston Road.

❓ WHEN was the acreage removed? We use "removed" because all versions of the DRAFT boundary area circulated before the July 2021 printing of Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Management Plan included the acreage.

❓ WHY would they remove acreage that carries the zoning (Agricultural and Resource Conservation) that this overlay is designed to protect?

❓ WHY would you not include property that borders THURSTON ROAD?

MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD: HERE'S HOW

1 - Like and Share this post to spread the word.

2 - Attend one or both virtual planning presentations.

Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Virtual Meeting
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Call: 1-855-925-2801 and enter meeting code 9006
Live stream: Go to www.publicinput.com/A8632 to listen and provide comment.

Thursday, August 19, 2021
Virtual Meeting
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Call: 1-855-925-2801 and enter meeting code 9006
Live stream: Go to www.publicinput.com/A8632 to listen and provide comment.

3 - Email comments to:
[email protected]
[email protected]

4 - Email questions about the plan:
[email protected]

Your public portal for access to meetings and information and to provide comment and feedback.

04/03/2020

Good beautiful sunny morning to you. Frederick County Livable Frederick created a page to answer the 7 Key Questions. They are the same questions we posted to Sugarloaf Alliance Group. Please get the word out! Thanks a million.