2. Discussion of a request to amend the Resolution 09-23, which annexed 52 +/- acres on the eastern side of the City, south of I-70 and north of MD 144, known as the “Gateway Property”
Allen Schaeffer- Frederick MD. Please carefully review the Letter from the National Park Service Monocacy Battlefield submitted as part of the related rezoning case.Excerpts: "The integrity of its landscape—including its topography, viewsheds, and historic structures—is essential to conveying the full meaning and military significance of the events that took place here. In this case, the proposed development could irreversibly impact that integrity. In December 2024, the Secretary of the Interior approved an official update and boundary expansion to the Monocacy Battlefield.The proposed cricket stadium complex—intended to seat up to 25,000 spectators and include hotel, retail, and recreational amenities—would be constructed within the original 1973 NHL boundary and near historic features such as the Jug Bridge abutments, Toll House, and portions of Reich’s Ridge. The American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) identifies this area as a core battlefield zone, where Union forces defended the Jug Bridge and Confederate troops clashed with them across the open floodplain. The open terrain, natural topography, and sightlines from Reich’s Ridge across the Monocacy River valley were decisive in shaping the battle and remain critical to the landscape’s interpretive integrity today. The proposed stadium would disrupt this historic setting by altering the topography, introducing large-scale modern structures, and blocking views essential to understanding troop movements and battlefield strategy. In addition, there is a high potential for archaeological resources on the project site. Period maps document battle activity within and adjacent to the area, and state records indicate that the 47-acre site has not been systematically surveyed for either historic or prehistoric resources. Notably, Site 18FR55—located just 200 meters south of the project area—has already been determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. National Historic Landmarks are sites that possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating the heritage of the United States and are the nation’s most important historic places. The integrity of its landscape—including its topography, viewsheds, and historic structures—is essential to conveying the full meaning and military significance of the events that took place here. In this case, the proposed development could irreversibly impact that integrity.
A vote to approve the annexation and rezoning is a vote to destroy history.
Allen Schaeffer- Frederick MD. Please carefully review the Letter from the National Park Service Monocacy Battlefield submitted as part of the related rezoning case.Excerpts: "The integrity of its landscape—including its topography, viewsheds, and historic structures—is essential to conveying the full meaning and military significance of the events that took place here. In this case, the proposed development could irreversibly impact that integrity. In December 2024, the Secretary of the Interior approved an official update and boundary expansion to the Monocacy Battlefield.The proposed cricket stadium complex—intended to seat up to 25,000 spectators and include hotel, retail, and recreational amenities—would be constructed within the original 1973 NHL boundary and near historic features such as the Jug Bridge abutments, Toll House, and portions of Reich’s Ridge. The American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) identifies this area as a core battlefield zone, where Union forces defended the Jug Bridge and Confederate troops clashed with them across the open floodplain. The open terrain, natural topography, and sightlines from Reich’s Ridge across the Monocacy River valley were decisive in shaping the battle and remain critical to the landscape’s interpretive integrity today. The proposed stadium would disrupt this historic setting by altering the topography, introducing large-scale modern structures, and blocking views essential to understanding troop movements and battlefield strategy. In addition, there is a high potential for archaeological resources on the project site. Period maps document battle activity within and adjacent to the area, and state records indicate that the 47-acre site has not been systematically surveyed for either historic or prehistoric resources. Notably, Site 18FR55—located just 200 meters south of the project area—has already been determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. National Historic Landmarks are sites that possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating the heritage of the United States and are the nation’s most important historic places. The integrity of its landscape—including its topography, viewsheds, and historic structures—is essential to conveying the full meaning and military significance of the events that took place here. In this case, the proposed development could irreversibly impact that integrity.
A vote to approve the annexation and rezoning is a vote to destroy history.