I recognize and support the City’s effort to secure new tax revenue and strengthen our local economy through data center development.
However, this growth must be managed responsibly to protect our neighborhoods.
For many residents, buying a home represents a lifetime of hard work and savings, and local zoning must safeguard that investment.
While the developer’s proposed 500-foot residential setback might work for light commercial use, peer-reviewed science proves it is entirely inadequate for data centers due to continuous, low-frequency noise (LFN) and infrasound.
Please consider the following data-backed realities before voting:
The 1,640-Foot Physics Baseline: A 2026 study in Frontiers in Climate established that the 24/7 low-frequency "drone" from data center chillers easily penetrates standard walls and windows. Researchers found that a minimum setback of 500 meters (1,640 feet) is required to safely dissipate these wavelengths below harmful public health thresholds.
The 0.5-Mile Vibration Radius: Academic analysis published on ResearchGate (Infrasonic and Low-Frequency Noise Exposure from Large Data Centers) demonstrates that standard "A-weighted" (dBA) noise metrics fail to measure deep structural vibrations. These unmitigated hums are routinely felt inside homes up to 0.5 miles away, causing chronic sleep disruption.
The 500-Foot Failure: Approving a 500-foot setback captures less than a third of the distance required by acoustic physics, exposing homeowners to severe industrial adjacency effects.
We can achieve a win-win scenario that secures the City's financial future without sacrificing our residents' peace and property values. I urge the council to responsibly amend the text to require a minimum 1,640-foot residential setback and mandate C-weighted (dBC) noise monitoring to properly capture low-frequency impact.
I urge you to reject the request from Trammel Crow to adopt a text amendment allowing data center construction on land within Frederick City. It is neither necessary nor appropriate.
Allowing the establishment of this kind of industrial site within the city limits would inevitably contribute to the erosion of the quaint, historic nature that makes Frederick a desirable place to live - and for thousands upon thousands to visit. It is not worth trading potential short-term gains for what would be a permanent loss of a this fundamental element of Frederick's identity.
My children's 6th great grandparents called Frederick home nearly three hundred years ago, as did the early ancestors of many, many other local residents. That history should be revered and protected. Already, the unchecked, special interest driven development of the past few decades has surpassed our infrastructure's ability to function sustainably and left many long-established families, new residents, and those considering Frederick as a possible home, concerned about the changes that are happening and fearful that many of the elements that make Frederick so special are at risk.
Growth can be managed sustainably. More revenue isn't the only answer.
What matters more is recognizing the remarkable gifts that surround us in this place and realizing that protecting them, protects us all.
Chaz Packan
Candidate for County Council District 4
6539 North Shore Way New Market MD
I oppose the rezoning of gas house pike for a proposed data center due to community concerns both in the city and where I live in Lake Linganore concerning water usage and quality of life we’ve seen in Adamstown how residents there have been negatively impacted by the data center being built there. We must take into account these concerns including the negative impacts that have already occurred in an area like Adamstown before considering this proposed data center in addition to the rezoning proposal.
Thank You,
-Chaz Packan
Chad DiMarzo, Frederick Maryland
Dear Board/Council,
I recognize and support the City’s effort to secure new tax revenue and strengthen our local economy through data center development.
However, this growth must be managed responsibly to protect our neighborhoods.
For many residents, buying a home represents a lifetime of hard work and savings, and local zoning must safeguard that investment.
While the developer’s proposed 500-foot residential setback might work for light commercial use, peer-reviewed science proves it is entirely inadequate for data centers due to continuous, low-frequency noise (LFN) and infrasound.
Please consider the following data-backed realities before voting:
The 1,640-Foot Physics Baseline: A 2026 study in Frontiers in Climate established that the 24/7 low-frequency "drone" from data center chillers easily penetrates standard walls and windows. Researchers found that a minimum setback of 500 meters (1,640 feet) is required to safely dissipate these wavelengths below harmful public health thresholds.
The 0.5-Mile Vibration Radius: Academic analysis published on ResearchGate (Infrasonic and Low-Frequency Noise Exposure from Large Data Centers) demonstrates that standard "A-weighted" (dBA) noise metrics fail to measure deep structural vibrations. These unmitigated hums are routinely felt inside homes up to 0.5 miles away, causing chronic sleep disruption.
The 500-Foot Failure: Approving a 500-foot setback captures less than a third of the distance required by acoustic physics, exposing homeowners to severe industrial adjacency effects.
We can achieve a win-win scenario that secures the City's financial future without sacrificing our residents' peace and property values. I urge the council to responsibly amend the text to require a minimum 1,640-foot residential setback and mandate C-weighted (dBC) noise monitoring to properly capture low-frequency impact.
Thank you for your time and leadership.
Citations:
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/climate/articles/10.3389/fclim.2026.1648912/full
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/404091160_Infrasonic_and_Low-Frequency_Noise_Exposure_from_Large_Data_Centers_A_Proposed_Analytical_Framework
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6136790
Frederick City Council members,
I urge you to reject the request from Trammel Crow to adopt a text amendment allowing data center construction on land within Frederick City. It is neither necessary nor appropriate.
Allowing the establishment of this kind of industrial site within the city limits would inevitably contribute to the erosion of the quaint, historic nature that makes Frederick a desirable place to live - and for thousands upon thousands to visit. It is not worth trading potential short-term gains for what would be a permanent loss of a this fundamental element of Frederick's identity.
My children's 6th great grandparents called Frederick home nearly three hundred years ago, as did the early ancestors of many, many other local residents. That history should be revered and protected. Already, the unchecked, special interest driven development of the past few decades has surpassed our infrastructure's ability to function sustainably and left many long-established families, new residents, and those considering Frederick as a possible home, concerned about the changes that are happening and fearful that many of the elements that make Frederick so special are at risk.
Growth can be managed sustainably. More revenue isn't the only answer.
What matters more is recognizing the remarkable gifts that surround us in this place and realizing that protecting them, protects us all.
Keith Whitaker
Chaz Packan
Candidate for County Council District 4
6539 North Shore Way New Market MD
I oppose the rezoning of gas house pike for a proposed data center due to community concerns both in the city and where I live in Lake Linganore concerning water usage and quality of life we’ve seen in Adamstown how residents there have been negatively impacted by the data center being built there. We must take into account these concerns including the negative impacts that have already occurred in an area like Adamstown before considering this proposed data center in addition to the rezoning proposal.
Thank You,
-Chaz Packan