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Local News |
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| Planned retirement center faces hurdles |
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| By Jennifer Jiggetts, Times Staff Writer |
Friday, January 02, 2009 |
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Two local business partners are proposing an assisted living and retirement center in Sykesville on land they may have trouble accessing.
Mike McGinnis, of Woodstock, and Mark Frizzera, of Marriottsville, said their center would have up to 150 beds and would be located off Schoolhouse Road and Oklahoma Avenue on a 17-acre parcel, some of it outside of town limits.
But Town Manager Matt Candland said McGinnis and Frizzera have several challenges in the way of the developing the property.
First, the property is zoned conservation, which means that senior housing facilities are not permitted in the town’s conservation zoned areas. It’s zoned that way because there are steep slopes on the property, Candland said.
The conservation-zoned areas allow agriculture, forests, parks, water supply works and detached single-family homes on a minimum lot size of three acres and public buildings of a recreational, cultural, administrative or public service type.
“Zoned conservation doesn’t allow a lot of dense use,” Candland said. “Zoning wouldn’t permit this kind of development.”
Candland said the developers could either seek a zoning change by the town or a text amendment that would allow senior housing facilities on the property.
Second, Candland said the hilly topography makes the property difficult to develop, and that is why developers haven’t built there. Also, the developers would have to get an easement from private landowners if they want a driveway to the facility, since they’d have to cross private property, Candland said.
McGinnis said he’s in the process of purchasing the property now and he couldn’t reveal a price because the deal isn’t yet negotiated.
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Despite the land challenges, McGinnis said he is still hopeful about his plans.
“It just depends on how you access it,” McGinnis said. “You have to find a way to make it work.”
McGinnis said the center would help to bring some business to downtown and add more diverse retirement options for seniors.
“There’s a bunch of different facilities out there, but they cater to different groups,” McGinnis said. “We thought there was a gap in care and felt like it’s a good fit for where the town is going.”
Sykesville’s Planning Commission will review the plan at its next meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 in the Town House.
Reach staff writer Jennifer Jiggetts at 410-857-7873 or jennifer.jiggetts@carrollcountytimes.com.
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