Town of Boonsboro, Maryland
2009 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
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Acknowledgments
Mayor and Council
Charles F. “Skip” Kauffman, Mayor
Howard W. Long, Asst. Mayor
Kevin M. Chambers
Richard E. Hawkins
Natalie J. Mose
Barbara B. Wetzel
Cynthia J. Kauffman
Planning Commission
Robert Snyder, Chairman
W. Carvel Wright, Jr., Vice-Chairman
Julie Green, Secretary
David Ambrose
Thurston Faulder
Kim Koerting
Robert Maricle
Town Manager
Debra Smith
Town Staff
Megan Clark, Town Planner/Zoning Administrator
Robert Mose, Town Superintendent
Rick Painter, Water/Wastewater Operator
Barbara Rodenhiser, Town Clerk and Tax Collector
Jeff Hewett, Chief of Police
Kimberly Miller, Administrative Assistant
Other Contributors
Oley Griffith, Chief, Boonsboro Volunteer Fire Department
Richard Keesecker and George Messner, Economic Development Commission
William Wantz, Town Attorney
Consultant
Environmental Resources Management, Inc.
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Chapter 1: Plan Introduction .......................................................................................1-1
Legal Context for the Comprehensive Plan.................................................................1-1
Plan Preparation...........................................................................................................1-2
Plan Structure...............................................................................................................1-3
Town History...............................................................................................................1-3
Demographics..............................................................................................................1-4
Chapter 2: Municipal Growth Element.......................................................................2-1
Population Projections.................................................................................................2-1
Past Growth Patterns....................................................................................................2-1
Future Land Needs.......................................................................................................2-3
Impacts on Community Facilities and Services...........................................................2-7
Chapter 3: Land Use Element ......................................................................................3-1
Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................................3-1
Existing Land Use........................................................................................................3-1
Issues and Opportunities..............................................................................................3-6
Policies and Implementation Actions........................................................................3-10
Chapter 4: Water Resources Element..........................................................................4-1
Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................................4-1
Interjurisdictional Cooperation....................................................................................4-1
Drinking Water Analysis .............................................................................................4-1
Wastewater Analysis....................................................................................................4-6
Nonpoint Source Analysis .........................................................................................4-10
Total Nutrient Loads and Assimilative Capacity.......................................................4-12
Policies and Implementation Actions........................................................................4-14
Chapter 5: Community Facilities Element..................................................................5-1
Goal..............................................................................................................................5-1
Inventory of Community Facilities..............................................................................5-1
Issues and Opportunities..............................................................................................5-6
Policies and Implementation Actions..........................................................................5-9
Chapter 6: Transportation Element.............................................................................6-1
Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................................6-1
Inventory of Transportation Facilities and Systems ....................................................6-1
Issues and Opportunities..............................................................................................6-7
Policies and Implementation Actions........................................................................6-10
Chapter 7: Economic Development Element ..............................................................7-1
Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................................7-1
Existing Economic Conditions ....................................................................................7-1
Historic Resources in Boonsboro ................................................................................7-4
Issues and Opportunities in the Downtown.................................................................7-8
Other Issues and Opportunities..................................................................................7-10
Policies and Implementation Actions........................................................................7-11
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Chapter 8: Housing Element.........................................................................................8-1
Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................................8-1
Background..................................................................................................................8-1
Issues and Opportunities..............................................................................................8-2
Policies and Implementation Actions..........................................................................8-4
Chapter 9: Sensitive Areas and Mineral Resources Element....................................9-1
Goal..............................................................................................................................9-1
Inventory of Environmentally Sensitive Areas............................................................9-1
Issues and Opportunities for Sensitive Areas..............................................................9-6
Mineral Resources .......................................................................................................9-6
Policies and Implementation Actions..........................................................................9-7
Table of Tables
Table 1.1: Public Participation.........................................................................................1-2
Table 1.2: Comparison of Age Distribution ....................................................................1-5
Table 2.1: Population Projections....................................................................................2-1
Table 2.2: Population Growth, 1970-2006 ......................................................................2-2
Table 2.3: Residential Zoning Capacity...........................................................................2-3
Table 2.4: Boonsboro Development Capacity.................................................................2-5
Table 2.5: Development Capacity on GC-Zoned Land...................................................2-7
Table 2.6: Average Student Yield, Washington County..................................................2-7
Table 2.7: New Students in Boonsboro, 2008-2030........................................................2-8
Table 3.1: Existing Land Uses.........................................................................................3-3
Table 3.2: Future Land Uses..........................................................................................3-12
Table 3.3: Future Land Use ...........................................................................................3-13
Table 4.1: Current and Projected Public Water Supply and Demand..............................4-3
Table 4.2: Demand and Capacity in the Boonsboro WWTP...........................................4-8
Table 4.3: Point Source Nutrient Loads...........................................................................4-8
Table 4.4: Total Nutrient Loads, Existing and Projected...............................................4-12
Table 5.1: School Enrollment and Capacity in Boonsboro..............................................5-4
Table 6.1: Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT), Boonsboro......................................6-6
Table 7.1: Jobs Held by Residents, 2000.........................................................................7-2
Table 7.2: Median Household Income and Unemployment, 2000..................................7-2
Table 7.3: Employer Location, Boonsboro Residents, 2000...........................................7-3
Table 7.4: Nearby Park Visitation by Year......................................................................7-3
Table 8.1: Housing Type and Tenure, 2000 ....................................................................8-1
Table 8.2: Age Distribution and Housing Demand, 2000 ...............................................8-2
Table 8.3: Monthly Housing Costs as a Percentage of Household Income, 2000...........8-3
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List of Maps
Map 2.1: 2006 Annexations.............................................................................................2-4
Map 2.2: Boonsboro Zoning............................................................................................2-6
Map 3.1: Existing Land Use ............................................................................................3-2
Map 3.2: Future Land Use.............................................................................................3-11
Map 4.1: Boonsboro Water Service Area and Supplies ..................................................4-2
Map 4.2: Boonsboro Sewer Service Area........................................................................4-7
Map 5.1: Community Facilities .......................................................................................5-2
Map 6.1: Boonsboro’s Road Network.............................................................................6-2
Map 9.1: Sensitive Areas.................................................................................................9-2
List of Figures
Figure 1.1: Regional Setting............................................................................................1-3
Figure 1.2: Age Distribution, Year 2000 .........................................................................1-5
Figure 7.1: Boonsboro TIZ..............................................................................................7-7
Appendix
Municipal Growth Element…………………………………………………………….A-2
Water Resources Element………………………………………………………………A-3
Transportation Element……………………………………………………………….. A-7
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Chapter 1: Plan Introduction
This Comprehensive Plan directs and manages the future development of the Town of
Boonsboro, Maryland through the year 2030. This plan updates the 1997 Comprehensive
Plan, and focuses specifically on the impacts of the Town’s annexation of more than 980
acres of land in 2006—annexations that more than doubled the town’s geographic size.
Legal Context for the Comprehensive Plan
The 2008 Boonsboro Comprehensive Plan meets the requirements for local government
planning in Maryland, pursuant to state enabling legislation and the requirements
contained in Article 66B of the Annotated Code of Maryland. In 1992, the Maryland
Economic Growth, Resource Protection, and Planning Act (the Planning Act) amended
Article 66B to establish land use visions for Maryland’s future. In 2009, the General
Assembly adopted “Smart, Green, and Growing” legislation (Senate Bill 273/House Bill
294), which, among other initiatives, replaced the eight visions of the Planning Act with
twelve (12) new visions. Under the Act, the state visions must be implemented when a
local comprehensive plan is prepared. The twelve visions are:
1. Quality of Life and Sustainability: A high quality of life is achieved through
universal stewardship of the land, water, and air resulting in sustainable
communities and protection of the environment;
2. Public Participation: Citizens are active partners in the planning and
implementation of community initiatives and are sensitive to their responsibilities
in achieving community goals;
3. Growth Areas: Growth is concentrated in existing population and business
centers, growth areas adjacent to these centers, or strategically selected new
centers;
4. Community Design: Compact, mixed-use, walkable design consistent with
existing community character and located near available or planned transit options
is encouraged to ensure efficient use of land and transportation resources and
preservation and enhancement of natural systems, open spaces, recreational areas,
and historical, cultural, and archeological resources;
5. Infrastructure: Growth areas have the water resources and infrastructure to
accommodate population and business expansion in an orderly, efficient, and
environmentally sustainable manner;
6. Transportation: A well-maintained, multimodal transportation system facilitates
the safe, convenient, affordable, and efficient movement of people, goods, and
services within and between population and business centers;
7. Housing: A range of housing densities, types, and sizes provides residential
options for citizens of all ages and incomes;
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8. Economic Development: Economic development and natural resource-based
businesses that promote employment opportunities for all income levels within
the capacity of the states natural resources, public services, and public facilities
are encouraged;
9. Environmental Protection: Land and water resources, including the Chesapeake
and Coastal Bays, are carefully managed to restore and maintain healthy air and
water, natural systems, and living resources;
10. Resources Conservation: Waterways, forests, agricultural areas, open space,
natural systems, and scenic areas are conserved;
11. Stewardship: Government, business entities, and residents are responsible for the
creation of sustainable communities by collaborating to balance efficient growth
with resource protection; and
12. Implementation: Strategies, policies, programs, and funding for growth and
development, resource conservation, infrastructure, and transportation are
integrated across the local, regional, state, and interstate levels to achieve these
visions.
Article 66-B was amended by House Bill 1141 in 2006 to include several new
requirements for Comprehensive Plans, including a new Municipal Growth Element and
a Water Resources Element. This Plan meets those requirements, and has been prepared
consistent with and in consideration of ongoing efforts in Maryland in support of smart
growth.
Plan Preparation
Pursuant to Article 66-B, the Plan was prepared for the Boonsboro Mayor and Council by
the Boonsboro Planning Commission. The Planning Commission was assisted by town
staff (see acknowledgements). The Plan was prepared between June 2007 and September
2008, recommended for approval by the Planning Commission on May 27, 2009, and
adopted by the Mayor and Town Council on July 6, 2009. Table 1.1 lists the public
meetings that were held for the Comprehensive Plan.
Table 1.1: Public Participation
Date Meeting Purpose
June 27, 2007 Public Meeting
Plan Kickoff for the Planning Commission and the
public
January 10, 2008
Issues and Policies
Work Session
Discussion of major issues that the
Comprehensive Plan will address, and proposed
policies and actions to address those issues.
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June 3, 2008
June 10, 2008
June 17, 2008
July 1, 2008
July 8, 2008
August 12, 2008
October 1, 2008
Planning Commission
Work Sessions
Planning Commission review of Preliminary Draft
Comprehensive Plan; refinement for state-
mandated Interagency Review.
October 1, 2008
Planning Commission
Work Session
Presentation of Planning Commission Draft
Comprehensive Plan, forwarded for state-
mandated interagency review.
March 25, 2009
Planning Commission
Work Session
Discussion of state and public comments on
Planning Commission Draft Comprehensive Plan.
July 6, 2009
Joint Planning
Commission/Mayor
and Council Public
Hearing
Public comment on the Planning Commission
Draft Comprehensive Plan.
In addition to these formal opportunities for participation, the public was kept informed
about the Comprehensive Plan process through the Town’s website,
www.town.boonsboro.md.us. This website provided copies of major project milestones,
including the Summary of Issues, and draft and final versions of the Comprehensive Plan.
Plan Structure
This Comprehensive Plan is divided into nine elements:
• Land Use
• Municipal Growth
• Water Resources
• Transportation
• Community Facilities
• Economic Development
• Housing
• Historic Resources/Downtown
• Sensitive Areas/Mineral Resources
For each element, the Plan describes relevant issues, trends, and planning considerations
facing the Town. A series of goals, policies, and implementation actions outline the
Town’s approach to those issues, and will guide future decisions about the use and
management of the Town’s land, infrastructure, and other resources in the years
following Plan adoption.
Town History
Nestled at the foot of South Mountain between Hagerstown and Frederick, the rural town
of Boonsboro was founded in 1792 by George and William Boone, cousins of noted
frontiersman Daniel Boone. The land where the town is located was once part of two
tracts of land, Beale's Chance and Fellowship. Originally named Margaretsville in honor
of William Boone’s wife, the town’s name evolved several times throughout the years
from Margaretsville to Margaret Boone’s Ville, to Boonesborough, and finally to
Boonsboro. The Town was officially incorporated and held its first election in 1831.
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Boonsboro’s early growth and prosperity was spurred in part by the construction of the
National Road, the nation’s first publicly financed road, which connected Baltimore to
the Ohio River valley. Construction of the National Road (now US Alternate 40) reached
Boonsboro and the terminus of Shepherdstown Pike (now MD 34) in 1810. Other major
roads were subsequently routed through or near Boonsboro, creating a road network that
endures today. Maryland routes 66, 67, and 68, US Alternate 40, and I-70 to the north
make Boonsboro accessible to a wide variety of local and regional population and
employment centers (see Figure 1.1).
Figure 1.1: Regional Setting
This accessibility combines with rural charm. Boonsboro is surrounded by a picturesque
countryside that in many ways has changed little in appearance over the decades. These
attributes have always combined to make Boonsboro a very desirable place to live. The
town grew at a slow but steady pace through the 20
th
century, generally through small
annexations, primarily along the Main Street (US Alternate 40) and Potomac Street (MD
34/Shepherdstown Pike) corridors. Beginning in approximately 1990, the pace of growth
increased, primarily due to expansions in regional employment opportunities and
improved transportation connections to those opportunities. In 2006, the Town made an
ambitious move to significantly increase its size, annexing nearly 1,000 acres of new land
(much of it undeveloped agricultural land). These annexations more than doubled the
Town’s geographic size.
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Planning History
Boonsboro prepared its first Comprehensive Plan in 1975. In 1990, the Planning
Commission and Town Council requested assistance from the Maryland Office of
Planning (now the Maryland Department of Planning) to update the 1975 Plan due to
growth-related issues then facing the Town. That update was adopted by the Mayor and
Council in 1991.
The 1997 Update of the Boonsboro Comprehensive Plan was undertaken to fulfill the
requirements of the 1992 Planning Act, particularly to include the state’s seven (now
eight) visions and the various required Comprehensive Plan elements. Many of the
changes between the 1991 and 1997 Comprehensive Plans were subtle, since the state’s
Visions were, in most cases, already a part of the Town’s planning approach.
Demographics
This section summarizes some of the broad demographic information that relates to
several elements of the Comprehensive Plan. Additional demographic data are found in
the individual elements.
Population
In 2006, Boonsboro had 3,252 residents, making it the second-largest municipality in
Washington County.
1
Since 1970, the town has grown by approximately 2.3 percent per
year. A more detailed discussion of past population growth, as well as the
Comprehensive Plans’ population projections is found in Chapter 2, the Municipal
Growth Element.
Age and Gender
Analysis of a town's age composition helps in forming plans and policies related to
community facilities and public services, and transportation. It also helps the town
anticipate future needs regarding housing and employment. The age structure of
Boonsboro's population and the long-range trends in total population are thus important
considerations. The age distribution of the Town’s population in 2000 is shown in Figure
1.2. Table 1.2 compares the Town’s age distribution with that of the County and state.
1
Source: Maryland Department of Planning. 2007 estimates were not available at the time of publication.
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Figure 1.2: Age Distribution, Year 2000
Age Distribution, 2000
68
93
103
92
53
77
121
95
78
77
52
84
64
58
69
96
91
142
87
99
129
96
61
54
73
100
138
94
63
53
57
54
61
26
23
22
Under 5
5 to 9
10 to 14
15 to 19
20 to 24
25 to 29
30 to 34
35 to 39
40 to 44
45 to 49
50 to 54
55 to 59
60 to 64
65 to 69
70 to 74
75 to 79
80 to 84
85 and over
Age
Population
Female: 1,513
Male: 1,290
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Table 1.2: Comparison of Age Distribution
Age Boonsboro Washington County Maryland
Under 18 25% 23% 26%
18 to 64 55% 62% 63%
65 or Older 20% 14% 11%
Source: 2000 US Census
Boonsboro, in 2000, had a higher percentage of persons over the age of 65 than did
Washington County or the state, a trend that has amplified since 1970. In 1970, residents
aged 65 and over comprised 12 percent of the Town’s population, compared to 20
percent in 2000. A major reason for the large number of older persons in Boonsboro is
probably the presence of Reeders' Memorial Home for the elderly.
At the same time, the 17 and under portion of the Town's 2000 population increased
(from 23 percent in 1990 to nearly 25 percent in 2000). This is a reversal of previous
downward trends in the younger portion of the population from 1970 to 1990.
Boonsboro also has a higher "dependency ratio" than do most other Washington County
towns and the County as a whole. This ratio is computed by combining the percentages
of persons in the relatively "dependent" ages of 1-17 and 65 and over. In Boonsboro,
more than 45 percent of the population falls within the “dependent” category, compared
to 37 percent in Washington County and the state.
Children and adolescents ordinarily are not a significant factor in a community's labor
force. In an economic sense, they are more dependent for necessities than productive in
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their own right. Likewise, senior citizens generally can and do enjoy their earned right to
retire from the compelling need to be economically productive.
These relationships are not absolute, but it is generally true that the young and the elderly
depend upon the labor of the remaining population (ages 18-64) to provide the services
and the income they need for their support. This need extends beyond economics to
include physical facilities such as schools, health care, and public transportation.
Accordingly, it is appropriate to consider the balance between the relatively productive
and the relatively dependent segments of the population to assure that the resources of the
former are adequate to support the needs of the latter.
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Chapter 2: Municipal Growth Element
This element evaluates land consumption and impacts on public facilities that can be
expected as the result of projected population growth in Boonsboro through
approximately 2030.
Population Projections
The Town’s projected population through 2030 is shown in Table 2.1. Boonsboro’s
population is expected to grow more than 60 percent during that time period, from
approximately 3,310 in 2007 to 5,339 in 2030.
2
Assuming a household size of 2.4
people, this population growth equates to approximately 845 new residential dwelling
units by 2030.
Table 2.1: Population Projections
Year Population
2007 3,310
2010 3,523
2015 3,909
2020 4,337
2025 4,812
2030 5,339
Change, 2007-2030 2,029
Percent Change, 2007-2030 61%
Annual Increase, 2007-2030 2.1%
Much of this population growth will occur in portions of the 981.8 acres that the Town
annexed in late 2006. These annexations, combined with the nutrient cap on Town’s
wastewater treatment plant (see Chapter 4, the Water Resources Element) create a unique
situation with regard to municipal growth. The 2006 annexations contain more than
adequate land to support not only the likely growth in the town through 2030, but also the
maximum amount of growth that is possible, given the constrained sewer system. Thus,
Boonsboro does not intend to pursue additional annexations through 2030.
3
Past Growth Patterns
Population Growth
Unlike other municipalities in Washington County (notably Hagerstown), Boonsboro has
experienced steady population growth since the early portion of the 20th century. In
1930, Boonsboro’s 894 residents made it the fourth-largest town in Washington County,
a ranking that did not change through 1970. Since then, however, Boonsboro’s
population growth has become more rapid, as shown in Table 2.2. This rapid increase
2
The 2007 population is estimated based on trends since 1970. This data will be updated once the Census Bureau
releases its official estimates for 2007 population. The methodology and assumptions used to generate these
projections are included in the Plan Appendix.
3
The exception to this statement would be in cases where public health concerns due to failing septic systems or wells
make annexation (and provision of water and sewer service) necessary.
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has been spurred by the growing economy and high housing costs in the Baltimore-
Washington metropolitan area. As the metropolitan area expands, Boonsboro is
increasingly seen as attractive to commuters, especially those who work in Montgomery
and Frederick Counties.
As a result of these trends, Boonsboro is now the second-largest municipality in
Washington County, behind only the City of Hagerstown.
Table 2.2: Population Growth, 1970-2006
Population Boonsboro
Washington County
Other Municipalities
Washington
County Total
1970
1
1,410 43,449 103,829
1980
1
1,908 41,782 113,086
1990
1
2,445 42,230 121,393
2000
2
2,803 45,104 131,923
2006
3
3,252 48,418 143,748
Number 1,842 4,969 39,919
Change, 1970-2006
Annual Increase 2.4% 0.3% 0.9%
Number 807 6,188 22,355
Change, 1990-2006
Annual Increase 1.8% 0.9% 1.1%
Number 449 3,314 11,825
Change, 2000-2006
Annual Increase 2.5% 1.2% 1.4%
Sources:
1: 1997 Boonsboro Comprehensive Plan
2: U.S. Census Bureau
3: Maryland Department of Planning
Land Use Change
From the 1970s through 2006, Boonsboro increased its geographic size moderately.
During this period, the Town annexed approximately 260 acres of land, more than 160
acres of which is the site of the Town’s wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and the
undeveloped Town Farm property (the large parcel east of Monroe Road). Of these
annexations, only the 66-acre Boonsboro West tract resulted in large amounts of new
development. This area is now the site of the Weis supermarket shopping center and the
Fletcher’s Grove neighborhood, which has been platted for nearly 200 single-family
homes and townhouses.
With the exception of the Boonsboro West annexation (now known as Fletcher’s Grove),
the Town’s land use pattern has changed little since the 1970s. The Town is
predominantly residential in character, and most homes are single-family detached in
nature. Aside from the Weis shopping center, commercial uses in Boonsboro are
concentrated along Main Street, typically in proximity to the Square—the intersection of
Main Street and Potomac Street.
Some older apartment units are located on the upper floors of commercial buildings along
Main Street. In addition to the townhouses in Fletcher’s Grove, the only other significant
cluster of townhouses and apartment units is the Valley View neighborhood and the
Country Village apartments near the intersection of St. Paul Street and Orchard Drive.
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2006 Annexations
In late 2006, the Town annexed nine additional properties, totaling nearly 982 acres, as
shown in Map 2.1. These annexations more than doubled the Town’s geographic size.
The 2006 annexations encompass much of the Town Growth Area established in the late
1980s as the result of a joint study by Boonsboro and Washington County. Many of
these properties, such as the King Road and TT&K properties, had indicated interest in
annexation (and eventual development) since the 1997 Comprehensive Plan. The Town
pursued these large annexations to ensure that they would be developed in a manner that
was consistent with the Town’s existing character, and that new development was
supported by appropriate water, sewer, and transportation infrastructure.
4
As of 2009, no new development had occurred on the 2006 annexation properties. In
January 2008, the Town approved a concept plan for 48 townhouses (single-story homes
designed for senior citizens) on a portion of the Fletcher’s Grove property. In addition,
the US Alternate 40 property contained several existing businesses. The remainder of the
2006 Annexation land remains undeveloped.
Future Land Needs
As shown in Table 2.1, Boonsboro’s population is projected to grow by approximately
2,000 people, with a projected population of 5,339 residents in 2030. These projections
reflect past growth trends in Boonsboro (Table 2.2), including the availability of land, the
housing market in 2009, and availability of future water and sewer capacity.
Residential Zoning
Table 2.3 shows the per-acre development capacity of each zoning district in Boonsboro.
Map 2.2 shows current zoning in Boonsboro.
Table 2.3: Residential Zoning Capacity
Zoning
District
1
Description
Maximum Density
(DU/acre)
2
Density Yield
(DU/acre)
3
SR Single Family Residential 2.9 2.2
TR Mixed Residential 12.1 9.1
TC
4
Town Center 14.5 10.9
MR Multifamily Residential 12.1 9.1
1: The Zoning Ordinance also contains a RR (Rural Residential) district, with maximum density of 1.5 acres. However,
no properties are in this district.
2: Based on minimum total lot size, as listed in the Zoning Ordinance.
3: Assumed to be 75 percent of maximum allowed density
4: Residential component only.
4
The Town received “express approval” from the Washington County Planning Commission for the portions of the
annexed land whose proposed zoning was substantially different from the 2002 County Comprehensive Plan’s land
use designation. Please see the two Washington County Planning Commission letters in the Plan Appendix for a
more detailed description of this process.
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Map 2.1: 2006 Annexations
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Future Residential Development
Most platted residential lots in Boonsboro are occupied by residential structures. A few
larger parcels with residential zoning remain, notably a few agricultural uses along
Potomac Street (although the landowners have not expressed interest in developing those
parcels). However, the bulk of the Town’s developable land is on the parcels annexed in
2006.
For the purposes of estimating the Town’s capacity to support projected growth, this
Comprehensive Plan assumes that all new growth would occur on the 2006 Annexation
parcels (excluding the portion of the Fletchers Grove and Battlefield Estates parcels
already planned for development). Table 2.4 shows the development capacity of the
vacant portion of the 2006 Annexation parcels.
Table 2.4: Boonsboro Development Capacity
Zoning District
Density
Yield
1
Undeveloped
Acreage
Potential
Dwelling Units
Potential
Population
2
Suburban Residential
(SR)
2.2 8.6 19 46
Town Residential (TR) 9.1 273.7 2,491 5,978
Town Center (TC)
3
10.9 358.1 3,903 9,367
Multi-Family
Residential (MR)
9.1 119.8 1,090 2,616
Total 760.2 7,503 18,007
1: From Table 2.3.
2: Assumes a household size of 2.4 people.
3: Includes the portions of the King Road property zoned TC(R)—Residential use only, with TC densities.
With capacity for 18,007 new residents, the Town has adequate zoned capacity to
accommodate its projected 2,029-person population growth through 2030. No additional
annexation of undeveloped land is needed or envisioned through 2030 to accommodate
projected residential growth.
The theoretical density yields in Tables 2.3 and 2.4 are higher than as-built densities in
the Town (especially for the TR, TC, and MR zones). Another important consideration is
that the zoning for the 2006 annexation properties was put in place before the Town was
made aware of the nutrient caps (and resulting cap on treatment capacity) at the
wastewater treatment plant. Thus, the zoning in Map 2.2 reflects the expansive pre-2007
housing market and infrastructure assumptions, and may have to be revised to reflect
current conditions.
Assuming a household size of 2.4 persons and a gross residential density of 3.5 units per
acre (the minimum allowable density in a Priority Funding Area), the projected
population increase of 2,029 residents (equivalent to 845 new housing units) could be
accommodated on approximately 242 acres of land. The Land Use Element (Chapter 3)
recommends a future land use pattern (and accompanying zoning) that channels this
projected growth to appropriate areas.
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Map 2.2: Boonsboro Zoning
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Future Non-Residential Development
Approximately 270 acres of land in Boonsboro are zoned General Commercial (GC) or
Town Center (TC). Clusters of active commercial uses are spaced along Main Street (US
Alt 40): near the Square, at the intersection of Main Street and MD 67, and surrounding
the intersection of Main Street and MD 68. Approximately 72 acres of undeveloped GC-
zoned land exists on the Flook, TT&K, and King Road parcels. Table 2.5 shows the
amount of retail/commercial development that this undeveloped land could support,
depending on the intensity of development (as measured by Floor Area Ratio, or FAR).
Based on a FAR of 0.15 (a relatively intense, but not unreasonable upper boundary for
commercial development), the Town’s existing supply of commercial land could support
nearly 500,000 square feet of commercial and retail development (equivalent to several
medium-sized grocery stores). This amount of development, combined with existing
commercial and retail development in Boonsboro and other vacant parcels (on the US
Alternate 40 annexation and within the existing commercial clusters), should be adequate
to serve the projected population increase through 2030.
Table 2.5: Development Capacity on GC-Zoned Land
Undeveloped GC Acreage
72 72 72
Assumed FAR
0.05 0.10 0.15
Gross Square Footage
157,000 314,000 471,000
In addition to the GC and TC areas, the Town Farm property to the west of the TT&K
property is zoned as an Employment Center. This zoning reflects previous efforts to
attract a business park to Boonsboro. While development on this property for such uses
could still be considered, the Town Farm property’s environmental constraints, its
distance from the Town’s core, and limited available sewer capacity make this property a
lower priority for development than was anticipated in the 1997 Comprehensive Plan.
Impacts on Community Facilities and Services
In addition to consuming land and water resources, new development also places new
demands on public services provided by the Town and Washington County. This section
describes those impacts. A more detailed description of these facilities is provided in
Chapter 5, Public Facilities.
Public Schools
Boonsboro is served by one Elementary School, one Middle School, and one High
School (all of which are named for the Town). Projected population growth in
Boonsboro will increase the number of students attending these schools. The 2007
Washington County Public Schools Educational Facilities Master Plan uses the factors
shown in Table 2.6 to estimate the number of new students that will be generated by new
development.
Current residential development in Boonsboro is approximately 75 percent single-family,
15 percent apartment, and 10 percent townhouse. Assuming that projected development
follows this trend, the 845 new housing units in Boonsboro would generate the number of
new students shown in Table 2.7.
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Table 2.6: Average Student Yield, Washington County
Elementary Middle
High
Single-Family
0.38 0.21 0.22
Townhouses
0.30 0.08 0.10
Multifamily
0.13 0.57 0.66
Source: WCPS 2007 Educational facilities Master Plan.
Table 2.7: New Students in Boonsboro, 2008-2030
Total Annual Increase
Elementary
283 13
Middle
212 10
High
231 11
Boonsboro Elementary School
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Boonsboro Elementary School is over capacity, with 608 students, 118 percent of the
facility’s state-rated capacity of 514 students. Enrollment is projected to increase to
1,016 by 2017, nearly double the state-rated capacity. The 13 additional students per
year from projected development in Boonsboro are likely a component of these County
projections.
The County is considering redistricting that would relieve some of this enrollment
pressure, but there may be a need for a second elementary school to serve the greater
Boonsboro area. The Town recognizes this potential need and this Comprehensive Plan
identifies land within the Town that would be appropriate for a new school.
Boonsboro Middle School
Boonsboro Middle School has 753 students, 86 percent of the facility’s state-rated
capacity of 872. The County projects that Boonsboro MS will have 907 students by
2011, placing it at 104 percent of capacity. The 10 additional students per year from
projected development in Boonsboro are likely a component of these County projections.
Boonsboro High School
Boonsboro High School has 1,018 students, 99 percent of the facility’s state-rated
capacity of 1,030. Enrollment is projected to increase moderately to 1,060 by 2011,
placing it at 103% of capacity. The 11 additional students per year from projected
development in Boonsboro are likely a component of these County projections.
Libraries
The new Boonsboro branch of the Washington County Free Library on Potomac Street at
the intersection of King Road opened in 2008. The town expects that this new library
5
Enrollment and capacity data for all Boonsboro schools is from the Washington County Board of Education, as of
September 2007.
6
All projections from the 2005 WCPS Educational Facilities Master Plan
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will be adequate to serve the Town’s 2030 population, as well as residents of the
surrounding area.
Public Safety
For a small community such as Boonsboro, the International Association of Chiefs of
Police (IACP) recommends 2.2 police officers per 1,000 new residents. The Town
currently has a full-time staff of four officers for a population over 3,000. The Town’s
police department, supplemented by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and
Maryland State Police provide 24-hour police coverage. Using IACP standards, the
Town will need a full-time police force of approximately 12 officers to serve the
projected population of 5,339 residents.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that a jurisdiction the size
of Boonsboro have 10 personnel available to respond to a fire within 10 minutes.
7
Calls
for service increased approximately 36 percent between 2005 and 2007.
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To serve the
Town’s projected population by 2030, the VFD would need the equivalent of as many as
15 personnel, with a 9-minute response time. Boonsboro’s Volunteer Fire Department
has two paid positions, and relies on volunteers for the remainder of its fire response.
Like all volunteer fire departments, Boonsboro VFD constantly works to attract and
retain volunteers.
Water and Sewer Facilities
Public water and sewer service is available to all properties in the Town. A detailed
discussion of existing water and sewer facilities, available sources of drinking water, and
discharge limits from the Boonsboro Wastewater Treatment Plant is included in Chapter
4 the Water Resources Element.
With existing withdrawal permits, the Town can provide drinking water for
approximately 920 new EDU, in addition to existing customers.
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This is adequate to
support projected residential growth of approximately 845 housing units. However, it
may not be adequate to support accompanying non-residential development, or projected
development in Keedysville, which shares the same water system as Boonsboro (see
Chapter 4). An expanded groundwater appropriation permit will likely be necessary to
accommodate projected development in the two towns.
In 2009, the Boonsboro Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) was upgraded to
Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) technology. As a “minor” facility (as defined by
MDE—see the Water Resources Element), the Boonsboro WWTP’s nutrient discharges
will be limited after upgrade. With these limitations, and without subsequent capacity
expansions, the Boonsboro WWTP will be able to serve approximately 960 new EDUs,
in addition to existing customers. This figure is not adequate to support projected
7
Source: NFPA. 2004. NFPA 1720. Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations,
Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments. Quincy, MA.
Table 4.3.2.
8
Source: Oley Griffith, Chief, Boonsboro VFD, 2007.
9
This figure takes into account water for new development in the Town of Keedysville.
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development (845 new housing units, plus additional future non-residential development)
through 2030. The Water Resources Element contains a detailed description of the
Town’s options for accommodating projected demand.
To further ensure adequate drinking water capacity, the Town is investigating various
opportunities to increase the capacity of its water system. Recommendations of this
Comprehensive Plan include (but are not limited to) reduction of system water loss (to
serve new development without increasing actual withdrawals), acquisition of additional
recharge areas, and water conservation requirements for new development. These
initiatives are discussed in detail in Chapter 4, the Water Resources Element.
Stormwater Management Systems
Most new development through 2030 will occur on land annexed in 2006, particularly
south and west of the Town’s existing core. The land cover in these areas is
predominantly agriculture and forest, meaning that residential development could
adversely alter the flow characteristics of nearby streams—all of which are tributaries to
Little Antietam creek.
To address stormwater issues, the Comprehensive Plan recommends that development
ordinances be updated to incorporate the provisions of the Maryland Stormwater Act of
2007, notably the requirement that new development use Environmentally Sensitive
Design (ESD) practices. In addition, the Future Land Use Plan in Chapter 3, and the
Sensitive Areas Element (Chapter 9) direct future development away from streams,
wetlands, and their buffers.
Additional detail on stormwater management can be found in Chapter 4, the Water
Resources Element.
Recreation
Shafer Park is the Town’s primary recreation facility. The 53-acre park contains ball
fields, picnic facilities, and a community center. In addition, Greenbriar, Gathland, and
Washington Monument State Parks, Devil’s Backbone and Little Antietam Watershed
County Parks, Mt. Briar Wetland Preserve, and the Appalachian Trail are in close
proximity to the Town.
The State of Maryland recommends that jurisdictions provide 30 acres of park and open
space land per 1,000 residents, of which 15 acres per 1,000 residents should be active
recreation uses (parks, recreation facilities, etc). Between Shafer Park and the public
school property,
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there are approximately 106 acres of recreation land in Boonsboro.
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State guidelines allow jurisdictions to include 60 percent of Board of Education property in local calculations of
recreational acreage.
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This equates to approximately 32 acres of recreation land per 1,000 existing residents, far
exceeding the state’s goals. Based on projected population, these existing facilities
equate to 20 acres per 1,000 residents in 2030. When considering future recreation land
in the 2006 annexation properties (including at a potential new school site), and the
amenities provided by nearby state, county, and regional parks, the Town will meet the
state’s recommended acreage goal for future population.
Anticipated Financing Mechanisms to Support Necessary Services and
Infrastructure
New development in Boonsboro will require a variety of infrastructure and services.
Major infrastructure needs include the expanded and upgraded wastewater treatment
plant (WWTP), and Warrior Boulevard—a new road that will eventually link Maryland
Routes 67 and 68 (see the Transportation Element). New development will also require
additional emergency services, public services (e.g., town administration) and school
facilities.
Water, Sewer, and Transportation Infrastructure
As part of the annexation agreements signed in 2006, the owners of the properties shown
on Map 2.1 (except for the US Alternate 40, Shepherd, and South Main properties) will
fund the WWTP upgrades through tap fees for each new EDU of wastewater capacity.
The owners of the King Road, and TT&K properties are also conditioned to fund and
construct (without financial assistance from the Town) Warrior Boulevard as a public
road. The owners of the Fletcher’s Grove annexation are also conditioned to construct
Chase Six Boulevard from US Alternate 40 to MD 66. Please see the Water Resources
and Transportation Elements for more details about these facilities.
Schools
The three schools serving the Town are Boonsboro elementary, middle, and high schools.
These are co-located on the 98-acre Boonsboro Educational Complex campus fronting
MD 66 in the northeastern part of Town.
Playgrounds and pavilions in Shafer Park. The park is the Town’s primary recreation facility.
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Construction of new public schools in Washington County is funded in part through a
building excise tax. The excise tax is collected for all units, including those in
municipalities. It is $3.00 per square foot of habitable gross square footage for residential
dwellings, and may increase depending whether nearby schools and roads are affected.
Because the Town’s Growth Management Ordinance is substantially similar to the
County’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, the Town is able to recoup 28 percent of
this excise tax to use for roads, parks and recreation facilities, water and sewer
infrastructure, and public safety facilities.
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King Road Associates has initiated discussions with the Washington County Board of
Education to determine whether all or a portion of the excise tax for development on their
property could be waived in exchange for donation of land for a school site and/or
construction of a new school to address the Boonsboro area’s school capacity needs.
Financing Concerns
If development on the 2006 annexation properties proceeds as anticipated, the major
infrastructure and service needs should be met without requiring additional funding
commitment from the Town’s existing residents. The owners of several annexation
properties have already entered into agreements to prepay for sewer taps through 2014:
• King Road: 102 taps
• TT&K: 56 taps
• Easterday: 40 taps
• Fletcher’s Grove: 18 taps.
The recession of 2008-9 (and the resulting downturn in the regional housing market)
creates some concern about the ability of the Town to sell all of the taps allocated to
annexation properties. Owners of the annexed properties have also raised concerns that
the number of sewer taps available for new development may not be adequate to make
new development financially feasible.
If this becomes the case, the Town would likely have to pass the costs of the WWTP
upgrade on to its citizens (likely through higher sewer fees). Such a scenario makes it all
the more important for the Town to find creative ways to maximize the WWTP’s
capacity through water conservation measures, nutrient trades, and other initiatives.
(Warrior Boulevard would only be constructed to support new development on 2006
annexation properties, and would thus not be a financial obligation for the Town if such
development fails to materialize).
Rural Buffers and Transition Areas
As shown in the Land Use Plan, development on the 2006 Annexation properties is
encouraged in areas closer to the Town’s historic core. The outer edges of those
properties are not envisioned as being fully developed through 2030, and would be held
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Source: Washington County Building Excise Tax Ordinance, Section 8.
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as a transition area (agriculture, forest, or open space) between the Town and the
surrounding unincorporated portion of Washington County.
Burdens on Municipally Provided Services and Infrastructure Lying
Beyond the Town
Boonsboro’s water system draws some of its source water from a spring in the Town of
Keedysville, approximately one mile to the southwest. As described in the discussion of
water and sewer facilities, as well as the Water Resources Element (Chapter 4) the Town
has considered Keedysville’s growth needs in estimating future water system capacity.
The Town also provides water and sewer service to some parcels adjacent to but outside
its corporate boundaries along Mountain Laurel Road. Service to these properties is
included in the data in Table 4-1.
The Town is not responsible for any other major infrastructure outside of its boundaries.
Protection of Sensitive Areas in and Near the Town
The Sensitive Areas Element of this Comprehensive Plan catalogues and describes the
streams, wetlands (and associated buffers), floodplains, sensitive species habitat, and
areas of steep slope in and around the Town. Most of these sensitive areas are associated
with tributaries of Little Antietam Creek and the western slope of South Mountain.
Policies to protect those resources are primarily described in the Land Use, Water
Resources, and Sensitive Areas Elements of this Comprehensive Plan, as well as the
Town’s development ordinances. These policies and ordinances emphasize the
concentration of development in environmentally suitable areas to minimize adverse
impacts to sensitive areas in and around the Town.
Relationship of Future Development to the Town’s Character
While the Town of Boonsboro has annexed enough land to support new development for
the foreseeable future, very little of this annexed land is in the “pipeline” for immediate
development as of 2009. Thus, the Town is in the enviable position of being ahead of the
curve, with regard to being able to plan for future growth and development.
A major emphasis of this Comprehensive Plan, as described in the policies of the Land
Use, Economic Development, and other Elements, is to ensure that new development
complements and supports the desirable elements of the Town’s existing character. The
density of new development would be sufficient to meet criteria of the state’s Priority
Funding Areas Act. New development would contain housing unit types that
complement existing portions of the town, and would be connected to the Town center by
roads and paths in appropriate locations.
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Chapter 3: Land Use Element
This chapter sets forth land use policies and recommendations to help the Town of
Boonsboro maintain its historic, small-town character, while recognizing opportunities
for growth and economic development. Land use guidance for the nearly 1,000 acres of
land annexed at the end of 2006 is particularly important, as is the relationship between
this annexed land and the remainder of the Town.
Issues related to annexation, growth, and demand for public services are discussed in
detail in Chapter 2 (the Municipal Growth Element), while the adequacy of public water
and sewer service is discussed at length in Chapter 4, the Water Resources Element.
Goals and Objectives
1. Promote new development on the annexed properties that is in keeping with character
of the Town’s current residential development, and support the Town’s economic
development and other goals.
2. Ensure that future development avoids environmentally sensitive areas.
3. Encourage appropriate amounts and types of commercial development at appropriate
locations in the Town.
Existing Land Use
Boonsboro’s existing land use pattern, shown in Map 3.1, is a diverse mix of residential,
commercial, institutional and undeveloped areas. Table 3.1 summarizes the type and
amount of existing land uses. Boonsboro is primarily residential in nature, with
commercial activities in nodes along US Alternate 40 (Main Street).
Residential uses are generally single-family detached in nature, with some townhouse,
multi-family, and apartment developments. Commercial areas are generally small in size,
and cater to the needs of the local population or to the Town’s tourism industry. The
exception is the 50,000 square foot Weis supermarket on Chase Six Boulevard, which
opened in 2005. Before Weis opened, Boonsboro residents typically did their major
shopping in Hagerstown or Frederick.
The County public school complex (containing Boonsboro Elementary, Middle, and High
Schools) along MD 66 (Maple Avenue) comprise most of the Town’s institutional uses.
The Londontown Manufacturing Company (a clothing factory), south of the school
complex, was Boonsboro’s only major industrial activity, but it closed in the early 1990's.
The Londontown site is currently occupied by Gesac, Inc, and remains appropriate for
light industrial or employment-focused activity.
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Map 3.1: Existing Land Use
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Table 3.1: Existing Land Uses
Land Use Acres Share of Total
Agriculture/Undeveloped 1,066 54%
Low Density Residential (<2 units per acre) 145 7%
Medium Density Residential (2 to 8 units per acre) 326 17%
High Density Residential (>8 units per acre) 19 1%
Institutional 196 10%
Commercial 108 6%
Park/Open Space 57 3%
Town Center (mixed use) 35 2%
Industrial 5 0.3%
Total 1,957 100%
Since 1970, much of the Town's growth has been in the form of suburban-style single
family detached residential developments on the periphery of the Town’s historic core
(generally along Main Street and St. Paul Street). The largest concentration of
townhouses and multi-family units is generally found in the Town Center (see below), in
the Fletcher's Grove area (along Chase Six Boulevard), and near the intersection of St.
Paul Street and Orchard Drive. From 1990 to 2007 the number of housing units in the
Town increased by nearly 500, from 901 to 1,390.
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Prior to the 2006 annexations, the land in the incorporated area of Boonsboro was largely
developed or committed for development. Most of the remaining land in the “pre-
annexation” portion of the Town is undevelopable due to environmental constraints.
The following discusses in more detail the land use pattern in Boonsboro, focusing on
five general areas.
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Town Center
The popular image of Boonsboro as a historic settlement is closely related to the visual
appearance of the Town's core area, centering on the intersection of Main Street and
Potomac/St. Paul Streets. The Town Center includes the general area between Park
Drive and Center Street and extends along Main Street from High Street (specifically,
Trinity Lutheran Church) to approximately Stouffer Avenue.
The majority of the Town’s historically significant (and potentially significant) buildings
are within this core area. A few of these buildings date from Boonsboro's earliest
decades when the Town prospered as a stage stop along the National Pike, now US
Alternate 40 (see Chapter 7, the Economic Development Element for more detail). Most
of the other buildings along this central portion of Main Street are compatible in scale
and proportion with these older structures, although some facades and signs are not in
character with the historic setting. The result is a generally consistent and harmonious
streetscape along Main Street that defines the Town’s distinctive identity.
12
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
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Map 6.1 in the Transportation Element shows all of Boonsboro’s public streets.
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Besides embodying the Town’s historic character, the Town Center also contains the
widest variety of land uses. Major public and institutional uses in the Town Center
include the Town Hall, Boonsborough Museum of History, the Boonsboro Volunteer Fire
Company, the Post Office, and several churches.
Many of Boonsboro's commercial establishments are located within the Town Center.
While some of these establishments occupy their own buildings, most are part of mixed-
use buildings, with residences located above or to the rear of the primary commercial
establishment. These businesses are intermingled with residential properties along Main
Street.
Residential land uses in the Town Center are evenly distributed between single and multi-
family dwellings. The latter appear primarily in the northern and southern ends of the
area. The majority of residential and commercial buildings in the Town Center occupy
small, regularly-shaped lots arranged in a grid pattern.
Potomac Street Corridor
This portion of the Town includes the area along Potomac Street (MD 34) west of Park
Drive to the Town boundary at Monroe Road.
East of Monument Drive, almost all of the developed land in this area is residential in
nature. The neighborhood south of Potomac Street, along Young Avenue, is one of the
Town’s many suburban-style neighborhoods with only single-family detached homes.
Further west along Potomac Street is the Crestview subdivision, another major suburban-
style residential area developed in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Most of Boonsboro’s historically significant buildings, such as the Boone Hotel
building shown above, are located in the Town Center.
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North Main Street Corridor
This corridor extends along North Main Street from Ford Avenue to the US Alternate 40
annexation. It also includes all development between Main Street and Maple Avenue.
Development in this area is primarily single family residential, with a large number of
residences found in the Graystone Hills Subdivision and on the east side of Main Street in
the vicinity of Stouffer Avenue. A small cluster of commercial use exists between Ford
and Stouffer Avenues, while a much larger commercial node is found at the intersection
of Main Street and MD 68 (Lappans Road). The main commercial development in this
area is the Weis shopping center on Chase Six Boulevard and Auction Square on US
Alternate 40.
The variety of homes in this area represent the different periods of development in the
Town’s history. The oldest residences, built before the late 1800’s, are located along the
east side of Main Street, and are situated close to the road on small, narrow lots. Homes
built between the late 1800’s and early 1900’s are mixed among the older residences and
line the west side of Main Street (see Chapter 7 for a discussion of historic resources in
Boonsboro). This development pattern represents an early form of "suburban"
expansion, most likely influenced by the interurban trolley line from Hagerstown that ran
along the west side of Main Street.
Maple Avenue/Mountain Laurel Road Corridor
This area is bounded by Center Street to the west, Maple Avenue (MD 66) to the
northwest, and the Town boundary to the north and east. The area's southern limit
includes all the land uses up to and southeast of St. Paul Street as it proceeds northwest
and intersects with Boonsboro Mountain Road. This portion of town is primarily
residential and institutional in nature.
Until the early 1970's, most residential development in the area was older single family
homes. However, considerable multi family construction has occurred since then. The
32-unit Country Village was built along Orchard Drive in 1982. In 1985, the 28-unit
Mountain View apartment complex was built adjacent to Country Village, and the 32-
unit Schoolhouse Manor apartment opened, providing subsidized housing for the elderly
and disabled.
Since 1975, this area has also seen significant single-family residential construction
including the 90-unit Kinsey Heights development along the south side of Maple Avenue,
the 20-unit Campus Grove development on Grove Lane, and additional construction
along Orchard Lane. In 1986, a 22-unit single-family (attached) development was
constructed off of Valley View Court. This complex was developed immediately
adjacent to a 12-unit townhouse development that faces St. Paul Street.
Large amounts of land in this area support public and semi-public uses, including a
church on Lakin Avenue and the Boonsboro Educational Complex. This 135-acre
property contains Boonsboro Elementary, Middle, and High School buildings situated in
a campus type environment.
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This area was home to the Londontown Manufacturing Company until its closure in the
1990s. The Londontown site is on the north side of Orchard Drive (designated as
Industrial on the Map 3.1).
Much of the land east of St. Paul Street is steeply sloped, making it undevelopable. Land
to the north of the electric transmission line in the northeast portion of Town is owned by
the County Board of Education and is reserved for future school expansion.
South Main Street Corridor
Like the North Main Street Corridor, this area (along Main Street to the south of the
Town Center) developed linearly along the Old National Pike, with most structures
dating from the 1800's or early 1900's. Except for the historic Boonsboro Cemetery, all
of the development is situated immediately along Main Street.
Development in this corridor is mainly residential but also includes a few mixed
residential/commercial properties, several commercial uses, two churches, Reeders
Memorial Home (a private nursing home), and the Town's sewer pump station.
Reeders Memorial Home is the Town's major employer. Since 1975, the Home has
expanded twice. In 1994, Reeders annexed approximately 25 acres. Much of the
undeveloped land east of Reeders is undevelopable or has limited development potential
due to steep slopes.
Issues and Opportunities
Infrastructure limitations, Smart Growth requirements, and the Town’s
existing character will guide the amount, location, and density of new
development in the recently annexed areas of the Town.
The limited capacity of the Town’s public water and especially sewer systems (discussed
in detail in Chapter 4, the Water Resources Element) limits the amount of development
that can occur on the properties annexed in 2006. In 2008, based on these limitations, the
Town offered owners of these annexed properties one sewer allocation per acre of
annexed land.
This allocation reflects available sewer capacity, but does not indicate the Town’s vision
for development density on the annexed parcels. Indeed, the Town’s primary land use
goal for these areas is to promote new development on the annexed properties that is in
keeping with character of the Town’s current residential development. Thus, new
development should be of similar density to the established portions of the Town—
particularly the medium-density areas close to the Town Center—and should be
concentrated in a way that avoids sensitive areas and is as contiguous as possible with
existing Town development. This will allow new development and densities to blend
with and complement the Town’s existing development pattern.
The Town (including the annexed properties) is also a Priority Funding Area (PFA), as
defined in the Maryland Smart Growth Priority Funding Areas Act of 1997 (the PFA
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Act). PFAs are areas that are designated for growth, and are eligible for state
assistance—including economic development, transportation funding, housing, and other
funds that are not available outside of PFAs. To receive this funding, the zoning for new
development must permit a minimum of 3.5 residential units per acre.
Development flexibility is particularly important in light of the downturn in the housing
market that began in 2007. The Town has shown a willingness to work with the
owner/developers to consider creative approaches to development on this land. Zoning
and subdivision regulations reflect this collaborative approach, allowing for a mix of
single-family detached, attached, and multi-family units within the same development,
while encouraging a minimum overall density of at least 3.5 units per acre.
Development in the recently annexed areas of the Town should
incorporate Smart Neighborhood principles.
Smart neighborhoods are designed to provide an alternative to single-use, low-density
developments, and to accommodate growth while minimizing the effects of growth on
the environment and the cost of infrastructure. Smart neighborhoods are relatively self-
contained new communities with a compact mix of residential and non-residential land
uses and range of housing choices, with a layout that fosters pedestrian and bicycle
activity, public safety, environmental protection, long-term investment, efficient use of
infrastructure, and efficient provision of public services.
The goals of smart neighborhoods are:
1. Efficient use of infrastructure. Proximity to infrastructure can minimize demand
for new services, and compact, mixed-use design reduces the cost of on-site
infrastructure.
14
2. Socioeconomic diversity. Provision of a range of housing types encourages
socioeconomic diversity within communities and brings people closer to jobs.
3. Transportation choice. Compact, mixed-use design improves access to daily
destinations for people who cannot or do not wish to drive. Development design treats
pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile travel as equally important.
4. Environmental quality. Compact, mixed-use design reduces excess consumption of
land and loss of natural resources, reduces regional vehicle miles traveled, and
improves regional air and water quality.
5. Sustained economic health. Compact, mixed-use design creates a mutually
reinforcing relationship between residential and commercial uses. Residents provide a
market and employees for businesses, and in turn, businesses provide desired
amenities and employment opportunities for residents.
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6. Sense of community. Compact, mixed-use design helps create a level of connection
to a mix of housing, and commercial, retail and cultural amenities and promotes
pedestrian orientation, which can enhance a sense of community.
7. Logical extension and integration of communities. The connectivity of pedestrian
and vehicular networks, natural systems, and open space networks can disperse
traffic, promote efficient movement for all modes of transportation, enhance
environmental protection, increase access to nature and recreation, and provide
existing communities with needed amenities. Provision of civic, commercial,
employment, residential, and open space uses can fill unmet needs of surrounding
communities.
To further encourage development on the 2006 annexation properties that is consistent
with the Town’s existing character and this plan’s land use policies, the Town should
create a Smart Neighborhood floating zone for these properties.
Growth in the older portion of the Town is limited to infill and
redevelopment.
Because there is little developable land in the older, built-up area of Town, any growth in
these areas will come in the form of infill and redevelopment. Consequently, the pattern
of land uses here will remain largely unchanged. Scattered development of vacant
residential lots will continue. Any infill and redevelopment should complement the
character of the surrounding neighborhood. New development and redevelopment in the
Town Center should aid the Town’s economic development and tourism interests. To
this end, vacant or underutilized buildings in the Town Center should contain uses that
will attract foot traffic and promote the downtown as a center for tourism and
entertainment.
The overall amount and arrangement of commercial uses in the Town
should support the Town’s economic development and tourism goals.
Commercial development in the Town Center should enhance the Town’s tourism trade
(see Chapter 7, Economic Development). Uses such as restaurants and entertainment
establishments, lodging, and specialty retail stores are particularly encouraged. Major
commercial uses should be concentrated to the north and south of the Town Center on US
Alternate 40, away from both the downtown and the Town’s older neighborhoods.
Commercial development along Warrior Boulevard should be oriented toward businesses
serving local community needs such as drug stores, beauty and barber shops,
laundromats, and hardware stores. The businesses serving local needs should not
generate large volumes of traffic through nearby neighborhoods.
The character of new development should be complementary to the
Town’s existing development pattern and visual character.
New development should take into account the historic, rural character of the Town, and
should maintain this character in regard to the density and design of new development—
particularly residential development. Future residential growth should primarily occur at
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densities typical of the Town’s existing neighborhoods (including the denser residential
areas surrounding the Town Center).
The Town Farm property remains an asset.
The 1997 Comprehensive Plan called for the Town Farm property (along Monroe Road,
west of the TT&K annexation property) to be reserved for a potential business park. The
2009 update of the Plan no longer supports this concept for the following reasons:
• The Town Farm property has extensive environmental constraints, such as
floodplains, wetlands and buffers, making development on the site difficult.
• The property has a large amount of forest cover. This forest land is a valuable asset
to the Town to offset nonpoint source nutrient flows from future development (see
Chapter 4, the Water Resources Element).
The Town Farm property should retain its current Employment Center zoning, but the
zoning language should be amended to allow active and passive recreation, further
augmenting the Town’s potential supply of recreational facilities.
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Policies and Implementation Actions
1. Future land uses in the Town of Boonsboro will be consistent with the designations in
Table 3.2 and the locations shown in Map 3.2.
2. Future residential development should meet the minimum density requirements of the
PFA Act, in order to ensure efficient provision of public water and sewer service.
3. New development using wells or septic systems will not be allowed.
4. The Town should work closely with County and State agencies as well as private
developers in implementing the land use plan.
5. The Town should consider Smart Neighborhood zoning provisions, either through a
floating zone or as a Special Exception to existing zoning requirements. Such
provisions would encourage development according the Smart Neighborhood
principles described in this chapter.
6. Specific land use policies for the Town Center are:
• Continue to encourage a mix of residential, commercial, and employment uses,
including a mix of residential and non-residential uses in the same building.
• Continue to encourage higher residential densities and non-residential land use
intensities in the Town Center.
• Encourage non-residential land uses that bring tourism and entertainment to the
downtown.
• Ensure that new development has lot sizes, setbacks, building heights,
architectural character, and other elements that complement the character of
existing development.
7. To maintain the Town’s existing character, the Town should consider adopting design
guidelines for new development and redevelopment. These guidelines should address
site design elements, building materials, external finishes, and architectural styles,
using as examples existing development in the Town whenever possible. Careful
application of such guidelines can help to enhance Boonsboro’s sense of place.
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Map 3.2: Future Land Use
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Table 3.2: Future Land Uses
Residential – Low Density (RL)
These are existing residential neighborhoods comprised primarily or exclusively of single
family-detached homes, with an overall density of two or fewer units per acre. The Crestview
subdivision along Potomac Street and the residences to the east of St. Paul and High Streets
are the only existing RL areas in the Town. Crestview is built out, while development potential
in other RL; areas is limited by steep slopes.
No new large-scale RL uses are envisioned by this Comprehensive Plan, although lower-
density single-family detached units could be built as part of overall Medium Density residential
development (see below) on 2006 annexation parcels.
Residential – Medium Density (RM)
Recognizes areas where residential development is at densities of two to eight units per acre.
RM uses constitute the bulk of residential development and neighborhoods in the Town of
Boonsboro. The predominant use in this category is single-family detached residential units,
although some townhouse units are present, notably in Fletcher’s Grove.
New development in RM areas is envisioned, at a density of 3.5 units per acre or greater. This
new development will be primarily single-family detached homes, although other residential
unit types (including townhouses or apartments) could be permitted, particularly as part of new
development on the 2006 annexation properties. New non-residential uses are not envisioned
for RM areas.
New development in RM areas should have access to the Town’s major transportation
facilities, but should be buffered from the thoroughfares themselves, to lessen the impact of
traffic in these neighborhoods.
Smart Neighborhood Overlay
Identifies the 2006 annexation properties with RM land use, where additional development
guidance (beyond what is provided in the zoning ordinance) is desirable to guide future
development. Provisions of a Smart Neighborhood overlay zone or Special Exception would
encourage development to adhere to the Smart Neighborhood principles described in this
chapter, focusing particularly on development that encourages multiple modes of transportation
and minimizes impact to sensitive environmental features.
Residential – High Density (RH)
Recognizes existing apartment buildings and multi-family development at densities greater
than eight units per acre, as well as areas where new multifamily or apartment development at
similar densities would be appropriate. In general, RH development should be immediately
adjacent to major existing or planned roads, in close proximity to commercial services, and in
areas with few environmental constraints.
Commercial (C)
These areas are appropriate for a wide variety of commercial and retail uses that serve the
Town and the surrounding area, and that require larger amounts of automobile parking.
Typical uses might include professional offices (doctors, lawyers, etc.), restaurants, retail
stores, and gas stations in appropriate locations. Commercial areas are generally along the
Town’s major existing and planned transportation routes, and intersections of those
thoroughfares. This includes the northern and southern ends of Main Street and along Warrior
Boulevard.
Institutional (IN)
Recognizes large portions of the Town dedicated to major existing or planned public facilities,
such as schools and public infrastructure such as the Town’s Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Private institutional uses shown on Map 3.2 include churches, Reeders Nursing Home facilities
and land owned by the Boonsboro Cemetery Association.
Employment Center (EC)
Applies to the Town Farm property. Employment Center zoning regulations should be revised
to permit active and passive recreation.
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Table 3.2: Future Land Uses
Industrial (I)
This land use indicates properties that are suitable for light-industrial and office development
due to their proximity to major roads and previous activity of a similar nature. In particular, the
former Londontown Manufacturing Company site is designated Industrial.
Park/Open Space (P)
Indicates existing or planned public parks or community open space intended for recreational
activities (as opposed to the “undeveloped” portions of the Town). For the 2006 annexation
properties, Map 3.2 shows locations identified by owner-developers for future public parks and
open space. Additional parks and open space on 2006 annexation properties are encouraged.
Town Center (TC)
The Town Center includes the mix of uses in Boonsboro’s downtown that help define the
Town’s historic and aesthetic identity. The Town Center is characterized by medium- to high-
density residential development mixed (often in the same building) with commercial, office, and
institutional uses.
Table 3.3: Future Land Use
Land Use Acres Share of Total
Low Density Residential (<2 units per acre) 176 9%
Medium Density Residential (2 to 8 units per acre) 1,085 55%
High Density Residential (>8 units per acre) 19 1%
Institutional 228 12%
Commercial 198 10%
Employment Center 136 7%
Park/Open Space 75 4%
Town Center 35 2%
Industrial 5 < 1%
Total 1,957 100%
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Chapter 4: Water Resources Element
The purpose of the Water Resources Element, as defined in Maryland House Bill 1141, is
to establish a clear relationship between existing and proposed future development, the
drinking water sources and waste water facilities that will be necessary to serve that
development, and measures to limit or control the stormwater and non-point source water
pollution that will be generated by new development. This chapter identifies drinking
water sources and wastewater treatment facilities needed to support existing and future
development described in the Municipal Growth Element (Chapter 2), as well as the non-
point source impacts of that development.
Goals and Objectives
1. Maintain a safe and adequate water supply and adequate amounts of wastewater
treatment capacity to serve existing development and projected growth.
2. Protect and restore water quality in nearby streams.
Interjurisdictional Cooperation
At the time of publication of the 2009 Boonsboro Comprehensive Plan, Washington
County, MD was evaluating options to complete the countywide Water Resources
Element requirements. The Town anticipates working closely with the County to achieve
their common Water Resources goals.
Drinking Water Analysis
All residences, businesses, and institutional uses in the Town of Boonsboro (as well as
the Town of Keedysville and some unincorporated areas along Mountain Laurel Road)
receive drinking water from the Boonsboro/Keedysville Regional Water System, which is
managed by the Boonsboro Municipal Utilities Commission. This system’s service area
is shown on Map 4.1. Water for the regional water system is drawn from the following
sources, all in the Tomstown aquifer:
• The Warrenfeltz spring, located in Shafer Park
• An additional well in Shafer Park
• Well #8 in the Graystone Hills subdivision
• Keedysville spring, located in the Town of Keedysville.
Water from these sources is treated via chlorination and/or filtration before being
distributed to the Towns. The Boonsboro and Keedysville water distribution systems are
linked via a 12-inch water line along MD 34. Excess system water is pumped to
Boonsboro’s 1.3 million gallon in-ground concrete reservoir on Boonsboro Mountain
Road to provide for emergency, fire, and system equalization storage.
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Map 4.1: Boonsboro Water Service Area and Supplies
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Reservoir levels are maintained to meet system pressure and fire protection requirements
for both Boonsboro and Keedysville, and systems are in place to prevent overflow.
The regional water system is an innovative approach to providing safe and reliable
drinking water supplies to the two towns. The system was constructed with federal
funds, with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) serving as a broker
between the two towns. The Town of Boonsboro, which had previously been responsible
for providing Keedysville’s water, received the US Environmental Protection Agency’s
2006 Award for Sustainable Public Health Protection for its efforts to develop the
regional system.
Water System Capacity
The maximum permitted capacity of the regional water system is approximately 683,000
gallons per day (gpd). In 2006, Boonsboro withdrew an average of approximately
235,000 gpd from its three sources, while Keedysville withdrew an average of
approximately 218,000 gpd from its spring—a total system demand of 453,000 gpd.
15
Table 4.1 summarizes public water supply and demand in Boonsboro. This analysis
shows that the Boonsboro/Keedysville Regional Water System falls just short of adequate
permitted capacity to support projected growth through 2030. The projected deficit of
approximately 65,400 gpd could lead to development restrictions if not addressed.
Table 4.1: Current and Projected Public Water Supply and Demand
gpd EDU
1
System permitted capacity 683,000 2,732
Current Demand
2
453,000 1,812
Available Capacity, 2009 230,000 920
Total Projected demand from Keedysville, 2030
3
31,500 126
Projected residential demand for Boonsboro, 2030
4
211,250 845
Projected non-residential demand for Boonsboro, 2030
5
52,650 211
Total projected demand for Boonsboro, 20306 263,900 1,055
Total projected demand for Boonsboro and Keedysville, 2030 295,400 1,182
Available system capacity (deficit), 2030 (65,400) (262)
1: One Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU) is 250 gpd, the estimated amount used by one household. EDU allow
comparisons of residential and non-residential water and wastewater use.
2: Based on 2006 water audit. Includes demand from Keedysville and Boonsboro, as well as properties
outside of Town boundaries that receive public water service.
3: Estimated based on page 1-3 of “Town of Boonsboro Water Audit” (see footnote on this page).
4: Source: Based on Comprehensive Plan population projections, see Page 2-1
5: The Town estimates that future non-residential demand would be approximately 15 percent of future
residential development, based on demand prior to the 2006 annexations.
6: Totals reflect rounding error.
Additional Drinking Water Resources
In order to serve projected development, the Town will need to find additional water
sources. This section summarizes the most likely potential sources of additional drinking
water.
15
CDM. 2006. Town of Boonsboro Water Audit, Water Conservation, and Best Management Practices.
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Surface Water
Surface water is not currently a source of drinking water for Boonsboro and Keedysville,
in large part due to the lack of significant bodies of water in the region. Little Antietam
Creek flows through Keedysville, while Antietam Creek is just west of Keedysville.
Neither is likely to be a major source of drinking water, and any surface water would
require considerable treatment before it is safe for public consumption. However, the
Municipal Utilities Commission should investigate the option of using surface water
withdrawals to supplement the system’s overall capacity.
Groundwater
All of Boonsboro’s current drinking water comes from groundwater wells and springs. In
2007, the Town commissioned a study of groundwater resources (a summary is included
in the Comprehensive Plan Appendix) to determine the maximum sustainable yield of the
water-bearing formations underlying the Boonsboro/Keedysville water service area. The
analysis concluded that groundwater resources could sustainably support approximately
1,255 additional EDU of development in Boonsboro and Keedysville. This is enough to
serve projected demand in the service area, but the Town would need a new or expanded
MDE groundwater appropriation permit to withdraw this amount of water.
To serve development beyond 2030, or if actual development outpaces projected
development), Boonsboro and Keedysville would need to find significant additional
water resources, most likely from groundwater. However, the Town cannot simply drill
additional wells. The sustainable groundwater supply described above is based on the
amount of recharge provided by the land area covered by the Boonsboro/Keedysville
water service area.
16
To expand groundwater withdrawals, Boonsboro and Keedysville would therefore need
to expand their groundwater recharge areas. The Town is currently working with the
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to investigate the possibility of
claiming some of the land in Greenbriar State Park as recharge area for the Town. The
Town could also consider purchasing and preserving (but not necessarily annexing)
nearby property—preferably with forest cover—as a municipal water recharge area.
Other Drinking Water Considerations
System Water Loss
Of the 453,000 gpd of water produced by the Boonsboro/Keedysville system,
approximately 35 percent never reaches a metered faucet, hydrant, or other discharge
point. This “system water loss” is a significant problem for Boonsboro, since it
represents water that should be available for existing and future public consumption.
MDE considers system water loss rates higher than 10 percent to be significant, and
requires additional planning and monitoring to reduce water loss below 10 percent. The
Town’s 2006 Water Audit identified (and led to the repair of) a few small to moderate
system leaks, but did not ultimately find the source of large-scale water loss.
16
In fact, wells drilled in the Fletcher’s Grove and Crestview subdivisions have not been put into production, due to
the lack of sufficient recharge area.
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Some of this water loss may come from unmetered water use, such as water used for fire
fighting, as well as other permitted and illegal uses. The Town is also investigating the
possibility that the high system water loss rates are due to inaccurate accounting (that is, a
math error, rather than a leak or other engineering problem).
Regardless of the source, reducing system water loss to 10 percent or less, either through
repairs or through improved water accounting, should be the Town’s top priority with
regard to water capacity. This water could be used to serve future development while
reducing the need to find additional water sources or recharge area. The Town should
also meter (but not necessarily charge for) all water use, including fire fighting flows.
Source Water Protection
Source water protection policies identify and protect the area surrounding existing
drinking water sources through buffer and setback requirements, land use restrictions,
and other measures. The Town currently sends water samples to EPA to monitor
potential contaminant levels. However, Boonsboro has no existing source water
protection policies. Developing such policies would help to ensure the safety and
reliability of water supplies for the Boonsboro/Keedysville region. Chapter 9, the
Sensitive Areas and Mineral Resources Element, describes potential source water
protection policies.
The Town sits atop the Tomstown Formation, one of the most productive aquifers in the
County.
17
While the exact nature of the specific rock structure around Boonsboro is not
known, the Maryland Geological Survey states in Bulletin 24 that the local Tomstown
Dolomite "is probably highly fractured and probably contains many underground solution
channels" in the territory near its contact with the Antietam Formation east of Town.
18
The cracks and underground channels in the Tomstown Formation make its groundwater
extremely vulnerable to pollution from septic systems, agricultural wastes, fertilizers, and
treated effluent from spray irrigation. Septic systems and even treated effluent are a
threat because the cracks in the limestone allow effluent to percolate rapidly, reaching the
underground water before it has been cleansed by the action of the bacteria in the soil.
Water Conservation
The Town’s Water Conservation Ordinance requires that all new development and major
renovations use low-flow water fixtures and toilets. Additional water conservation
measures—particularly retrofits of existing homes—could significantly increase the
Town’s ability to serve future development. The groundwater study described above
found that if each existing and future customer in the Boonsboro/Keedysville could
reduce water use by 20 percent (from 250 gpd per EDU to approximately 200 gpd per
EDU), the Town’s existing groundwater resources could support nearly 2,100 additional
EDUs—more than enough to support development through 2030 and beyond.
17
For additional information about the geology and soils in the Boonsboro area, please see the Water Resources section
of the Comprehensive Plan Appendix.
18
Source: Maryland Geologic Society
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Wastewater Analysis
All residences, businesses, and institutional uses in the Town of Boonsboro send
wastewater to the Town’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The WWTP discharges
to an unnamed tributary of Little Antietam Creek, as shown on Map 4-2. As of 2009, the
WWTP used an aerated lagoon treatment system with a permitted capacity of 460,000
gpd.
WWTP Upgrades
Nitrogen and phosphorus (more generally referred to as “nutrients”) from WWTPs and
from stormwater and other “non-point sources” are the primary contributors to degraded
water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. To help improve water quality in
these tributaries, including Little Antietam and Antietam Creeks, Maryland has
established Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy point source caps for all WWTPs. These
caps are numerical limits on the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus that WWTPs can
discharge to the Bay and its tributaries (expressed as pounds per year of nitrogen and
phosphorus).
To meet these caps, and to improve water quality in Little Antietam and Antietam
Creeks, the Boonsboro WWTP was upgraded in 2009 to Enhanced Nutrient Removal
(ENR) technology, the most advanced wastewater treatment technology available
19
. The
upgraded WWTP’s permitted capacity is 530,000 gpd, with a design capacity of 650,000
gpd. Its tributary strategy point source caps are 6,100 lbs/year of nitrogen and 457
lbs/year of phosphorus.
Demand and Capacity
Table 4.2 shows the relationship between the upgraded WWTP’s available capacity and
projected demand through 2030. Average daily flows (ADF) to the existing WWTP
during the two-year period between 2006 and 2008 were approximately 404,000 gpd.
This figure includes a substantial amount of Inflow and Infiltration (I/I), as well as direct
flows into the treatment lagoons from rainfall and runoff. These direct flows will be
eliminated once the ENR facility comes online. The Town will need to address Inflow
and Infiltration separately (see discussion below).
The Upgrade Study for the Town’s WWTP
20
assumed an ADF of 300,000 gpd for the
new WWTP’s “opening day,” of which as much as 10 percent could be Inflow and
Infiltration. The discharge permit application for the new WWTP calculated existing I/I
of approximately 117,000 gpd (see Appendix). Using the two-year ADF of 404,000 gpd
listed above, this indicates that the true sewage demand for the facility may be closer to
290,000 gpd. For this reason, Table 4.2 shows 290,000 gpd as the current ADF.
19
Source: http://www.mde.state.md.us/PressReleases/963.html. ENR can reduce nitrogen concentrations from 18
mg/L of effluent (discharged by the lagoon system) to 3 mg/L, and can reduce phosphorus from 6 mg/L to 0.3 mg/L.
20
Source: CDM. 2004. Town of Boonsboro, MD Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion and Upgrade Study and
Conceptual Design. See Appendix.
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Map 4.2: Boonsboro Sewer Service Area
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After upgrades, and assuming that most I/I can be reduced, the WWTP should be able to
serve most new growth in Boonsboro through 2030. Projected growth would exceed the
WWTP’s permitted capacity—although not its design capacity—by nearly 24,000 gpd.
Table 4.2: Demand and Capacity in the Boonsboro WWTP
gpd EDU
1
Total available WWTP capacity after ENR upgrade 530,000 2,120
Total existing demand
2
290,000 1,160
Existing Net Capacity 240,000 960
Projected additional residential demand by 2030 211,250 845
Projected additional non-residential demand by 2030
3
52,650 211
Total demand, 2030 553,900 2,216
Net available capacity (deficit) in 2030 (23,900) (96)
1: One Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU) is 250 gpd, the estimated amount used by one household. EDU
allow comparisons of residential and non-residential water and wastewater use.
2: The Town estimates that existing demand calculations will decrease with the removal of the existing
lagoon system and opening of the new WWTP.
2: The Town estimates that future non-residential demand would be approximately 15 percent of future
residential development, based on demand prior to the 2006 annexations.
Point Source Nutrient Caps
Table 4.3 shows the Boonsboro WWTP’s likely nutrient discharges by 2030, compared to
its Tributary Strategy Point Source Cap. Using ENR technology, the Boonsboro WWTP
will regularly attain treatment levels of 3 mg of nitrogen and 0.3 mg of phosphorus per
liter of discharged effluent. Using these rates, the WWTP would meet its nitrogen cap,
but would slightly exceed its phosphorus cap.
However, it is not inconceivable that the Boonsboro WWTP could achieve phosphorus
concentrations as low as 0.25 mg/L. As shown in Table 4.3, achieving those lower
concentrations would allow the Boonsboro WWTP to accommodate projected growth
without violating its nutrient caps. This would be in addition to any potential nutrient
trades or offsets pursued by the Town (see discussion below).
Table 4.3: Point Source Nutrient Loads
Nutrient Load (lbs/year) 2030 Cap Overage
(Surplus)
Nitrogen 5,056 6,100 (1,044)
Discharges
(standard assumption)
1
Phosphorus 506 457 49
Nitrogen 5,603 6,100 (1,044)
Discharges
(efficient operation)
2
Phosphorus 421 457 (36)
1: Assumes discharge concentrations of 3 mg/L nitrogen, 0.3 mg/L phosphorus.
2: Assumes discharge concentrations of 3 mg/L nitrogen, 0.25 mg/L phosphorus.
Options to Increase Wastewater Disposal Capacity
Even though adequate physical capacity in the Boonsboro WWTP will exist to serve
development through 2030, MDE is not likely to grant an expansion of the Town’s
discharge permit without a corresponding nutrient offset or trade. Thus, to serve
projected growth, as well as long-term growth beyond 2030, the Town will need to find
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alternative methods of obtaining additional discharge capacity. Obtaining enough credits
or offsets to expand the WWTP to its 650,000 gpd physical capacity will allow the Town
to serve projected demand (1,056 EDU), plus an additional 380 EDU
The following section discusses alternatives that the Town should consider.
Water Conservation
Water conservation can help to reduce sewer demand, as well as water demand, and
should be a primary element of any effort to maximize the WWTP’s capacity. By
encouraging citizens to use less water, the Town can reduce wastewater flows, thus
preserving capacity in the WWTP and delaying (or avoiding) the need to find offsets for
future demand.
Inflow and Infiltration
Inflow is water from storm events entering the system through roof drains, sump pumps,
and similar direct attachments to the sanitary sewer (although illegal, such connections
are present in almost every public sewer system). Infiltration is groundwater entering the
system through broken pipes, manholes, and other elements of the collection system.
Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) takes up sewer capacity that should be reserved only for
wastewater, effectively limiting the system’s overall capacity.
The Boonsboro WWTP experiences significant levels of I/I from a number of sources.
Upgrade of the WWTP will remove lagoon-based I/I. The Town also plans to inspect
some of its older sewer lines with cameras beginning in 2010 to identify and correct other
sources of I/I. Such inspections and repairs are an absolute necessity in order to access
the full permitted capacity of the WWTP.
Nutrient Trading
One way to increase capacity would be to participate in a “bubble,” or nutrient trading
concept. MDE has established official guidance for participation in point-to-point
nutrient trading, which would allow Boonsboro to purchase excess WWTP capacity from
another WWTP in the Potomac Trading Region, which stretches from Garrett County to
St. Mary’s County. Washington County has also considered the possibility of creating a
Countywide trading policy. MDE is in the process of establishing guidance for nonpoint-
to-point trading, as well.
21
Nonpoint-to-point trades would enable Boonsboro to gain
wastewater treatment credits for removing or reducing nutrient loads from nonpoint
sources such as farms.
Tertiary Treatment Wetlands
In a tertiary treatment wetland system, treated effluent from the WWTP would be
discharged into a series of constructed, vegetated (typically, forested) wetlands. These
wetlands purify the effluent to the point where the eventual discharge is essentially free
of nutrients and other pollutants. The best-known application of this technology occurs in
Clayton County, Georgia. In this system (which treats 9.3 million gallons of wastewater
21
Nutrient trading regulations can be found at http://www.mde.state.md.us/Water/nutrientcap.asp
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per day on a 4,000 acre site), the wetland-treated effluent is pure enough to be used for
drinking water.
22
Other smaller applications of tertiary treatment wetlands can be found throughout
Maryland. These facilities are typically used at schools and other institutional uses.
Implementation of such a facility would depend heavily on soil characteristics and other
conditions, but should be investigated. In particular, the Town should determine whether
the Town Farm property might be an appropriate location for such a system.
Spray Irrigation
Spray irrigation refers to the application of treated wastewater effluent directly to the
ground, where nutrients are taken up by crops or filtered through the soil. In many parts
of the state, spray irrigation is a useful alternative to surface water discharges. That does
not appear to be the case in Boonsboro.
As discussed above, the Tomstown formation, the source of the Town’s drinking water, is
particularly vulnerable to contamination. These geologic conditions have potentially
serious consequences in the case of Boonsboro because the water supplies for the Town
and Keedysville are fed by the groundwater around Boonsboro. Pollution in the
groundwater here could put these wells at risk. The County Health Department has found
well pollution in areas around Boonsboro (including the US Alternate 40 annexation
property—which was annexed specifically to replace contaminated wells with water from
the public water system) suggesting that water resources are indeed vulnerable. County
Health has strongly warned against the proliferation of individual wells and septic
systems near Boonsboro, recommending instead that new development be served by
public water and sewerage. The Town's and the Boonsboro Municipal Utilities
Commission's policy requires all new construction to be served by public utilities. In
addition, a major impetus for the adoption of a County-approved Town Growth Area in
the 1997 Plan was to ensure that future growth in the Boonsboro area is served by public
utilities.
Nonpoint Source Analysis
As its name implies, nonpoint source pollution refers to degradation of water quality (in
this case, due to nitrogen and phosphorus) from sources other than wastewater treatment
plants or similar “point” sources. Nonpoint sources of nutrients typically include
stormwater runoff from urban and agricultural areas. This section characterizes the
Town’s policies related to stormwater management and nonpoint source pollution.
Maryland Stormwater Design Manual
The 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual, Volumes I & II is incorporated by
reference into the Town’s Stormwater Management Ordinance, and serves as the official
guide for stormwater principles, methods, and practices.
22
For more information, see http://www.ccwa1.com/operations/water.reclamation.aspx
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In 2007, the General Assembly passed the Maryland Stormwater Management Act,
which mandates substantial revision of the Stormwater Design Manual. The most notable
provision of the Stormwater Management Act of 2007 is the requirement that new
development use Environmental Site Design (ESD) techniques, which are intended to
“maintain predevelopment runoff characteristics” on the site.
23
MDE’s regulations in
support of the 2007 Act, including the revisions to the Stormwater Design Manual, took
effect in May 2009.
24
The Town should revise its Stormwater Management Ordinance to incorporate the
revised Maryland Stormwater Design Manual and other enhanced stormwater
management policies recommended by MDE, pursuant to the Stormwater Management
Act of 2007 to ensure that new development generates as little nonpoint source pollution
as possible.
Other Stormwater Management Considerations
Many Town streets have curbs and gutters, feeding into the drainage systems along Main
Street and MD 66. That system discharges stormwater to tributaries of Little Antietam
Creek in Shafer Park and at the southern end of Town near the Easterday property. The
Town operates stormwater management ponds in the Graystone Hills subdivision (at the
end of Thompson Court) the Crestview subdivision along Warrior Boulevard, and will
eventually assume control of two ponds in the Fletcher’s Grove area.
These stormwater facilities reflect the stormwater regulations in place at the time of
construction—which, in some cases, precede the 2000 Stormwater Design Manual.
Stormwater retrofits can significantly decrease nonpoint source pollution. However,
these retrofits can be quite expensive and difficult to implement in already developed
areas. No such retrofits are planned, and any future retrofits should be targeted to protect
the most environmentally sensitive areas.
Requiring ESD for new development and pursuing stormwater retrofits where feasible
can help to protect Little Antietam Creek, and are consistent with the state’s Tributary
Strategies for urban nonpoint source pollution.
25
Existing Septic Systems
The US Alternate 40 annexation property contains approximately 15 properties that use
septic systems. Many of these properties have been experiencing drinking water
contamination from inadequate or failing septic systems, which prompted the Town’s
annexation (and extension of the Town’s public water system). These properties will be
connected to the public sewer system, and will consume approximately 85 EDU of
WWTP capacity (this figure is included in the “Projected additional non-residential
demand, 2030” data in Table 4-2). No other active septic systems exist within Town
boundaries or the proposed sewer service area.
23
Source: MDE. http://www.mde.state.md.us/assets/document/act%20-%20a%20state%20perspective.pdf
24
The revised regulations are available at:
http://www.mde.state.md.us/Programs/WaterPrograms/SedimentandStormwater/swm2007.asp
25
For more information, see http://www.dnr.state.md.us/bay/tribstrat/exec_summary_5_6_2.pdf
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Total Nutrient Loads and Assimilative Capacity
This section discusses the implications of the Comprehensive Plan’s Future Land Use
Plan (Chapter 3) on point source (WWTP) and nonpoint source nutrient loads and
impervious surface.
Combined Loading
The nonpoint source nutrient loads were evaluated using a Nonpoint Source (NPS) model
developed by the Maryland Department of the Environment, and modified by the Town
to reflect recent land use changes and a revised methodology. More detail on the NPS
evaluation methodology is presented in the Water Resources section of the
Comprehensive Plan Appendix.
As shown in Table 4.4, nutrient loadings are expected to drop significantly after the
WWTP upgrades are complete. The Future Land Use Plan recommended in Chapter 3
would result in higher nonpoint source nitrogen and phosphorus loading compared to
existing land use, due largely to the conversion of undeveloped (primarily agricultural)
land to residential and other uses. This new development would comply with the ESD
provisions of the revised Maryland Stormwater Design Manual (see above), which would
minimize nonpoint source nutrient loads from development.
Table 4.4: Total Nutrient Loads, Existing and Projected
Nutrient Load (lbs/year) 2007 2030 Change
Nitrogen 19,164 5,603 (13,560)
Point Source
Phosphorus 3,194 373 (2,820)
Nitrogen 4,871 6,520 1,649
Nonpoint Source
Phosphorus 377 506 129
Nitrogen 24,035 12,123 (11,912)
Total
Phosphorus 3,571 879 (2,692)
Impervious Surface Coverage
Impervious surfaces are primarily human-made surfaces, such as roads, rooftops, and
sidewalks, which do not allow rainwater to enter the ground. The amount of impervious
surface in a watershed is a key indicator of water quality. Water quality in streams tends
to decline as watersheds approach seven to ten percent impervious coverage, and drops
sharply when the watershed approaches 25 percent impervious coverage.
The entire Town of Boonsboro lies within the Little Antietam Creek watershed (and
occupies approximately 20 percent of the 10,000-acre watershed), which generally
stretches from Keedysville to South Mountain. Based on MDE’s model, projected
development in Boonsboro through 2030 would add approximately 87 acres of
impervious surface, equivalent to slightly less than 1 percent of the watershed’s 10,000
acres. Given that the watershed was already at approximately 4.6 percent impervious in
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2002,
26
this added impervious surface would not likely push the watershed over the seven
percent threshold.
However, to help protect the Little Antietam Creek watershed, the Town should
encourage minimization of impervious surface in new development, through careful
guidance of development projects.
Relationship of Future Land Use to Assimilative Capacity
Land use and water quality are closely linked, and a key result of the loading analysis
summarized in Table 4.3 is the way in which current and future nutrient loads relate to
the assimilative capacity of Little Antietam Creek—the body of water that receives the
Town’s point and nonpoint source nutrients. Assimilative capacity refers to the amount
of nutrients that the stream can receive while still maintaining acceptable water quality
One measure of assimilative capacity is a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), which is
set when a body of water is determined to be impaired by one or more pollutants. A
TMDL is the maximum amount of pollutant (in this case, nutrients) that a water body can
receive without causing a water quality impairment. In essence it quantifies an upper
threshold on pollutants. The TMDL accounts for all point and nonpoint sources of the
given pollutant, and typically establishes separate caps for point source and nonpoint
source discharges of the impairing pollutant.
Antietam Creek, the larger watershed into which Little Antietam Creek feeds, is impaired
by nutrients, but a TMDL addressing nutrients has not yet been prepared by MDE.
Although Boonsboro does contribute to nutrient loads in Antietam Creek, the Town
occupies less than 2 percent of the Antietam watershed, and is downstream of the City of
Hagerstown, whose 8 MGD WWTP and nonpoint source loads are much larger factors in
the overall health of Antietam Creek. Antietam Creek is also impaired by bacteria,
biological contamination, and sediments.
Another important consideration is antidegradation. Maryland’s antidegradation policy
significantly limits new discharge permits that would degrade water quality.
Choice of Land Use Plan
As described above, future nutrient loads from Boonsboro will be dramatically decreased
due to WWTP upgrade. In selecting a future land use pattern, the Town evaluated
several options and chose the least impactful option—one that encourages medium-
density development on newly annexed parcels. However, even considering this effort,
the increase in nonpoint source nutrients is worth noting. It reinforces the need for new
development to adhere to ESD standards, and for the Town to consider stormwater
system upgrades where prudent. Overall, increased nonpoint loading will be offset by
reduced point source loading. This net drop in nutrient loading indicates that future
development, as a whole, would not threaten assimilative capacity in Little Antietam
Creek. Therefore, the Town’s future land use plan is consistent with its goal of
protecting and restoring water quality.
26
2007 land use/land cover data were not available at the time of publication.
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Policies and Implementation Actions
27
1. All new and existing development in the Town will be connected to public water and
sewer infrastructure. No new development will be allowed on individual wells and
septic systems.
2. Public water and sewer service will only be made available within the Town
boundaries, except to address health and safety concerns (e.g., failing septic systems).
The Town will work with MDE to ensure that it receives nutrient credits for any such
connections outside of corporate limits.
3. Evaluate the potential to withdraw drinking water from Little Antietam Creek or
Antietam Creek in Keedysville.
4. Work with MDE to ensure that the Town’s groundwater appropriation permit is
expanded or amended to allow maximum use of the sustainable groundwater yield.
5. Continue to work with DNR to identify groundwater recharge areas for the Town
within Greenbriar State Park.
6. Identify source water protection areas, and amend the Town’s development
ordinances to establish source water protection buffers (see Chapter 9, Policy 1).
Work with Washington County to implement similar measures outside of corporate
boundaries.
7. Resolve system water loss issues and reduce system water loss to 10 percent or less
by continuing to evaluate the integrity of the water distribution system, evaluating
and correcting water accounting practices where necessary, and metering all water
use in the Town, including fire fighting flows.
8. Actively pursue opportunities to participate in point-to-point or nonpoint-to-point
nutrient trading, or “bubble” systems to secure additional wastewater capacity for the
Town.
9. Continue to fund and conduct water leakage and I/I testing, and correct any problems
that are identified by these tests.
10. Amend the Town’s Stormwater Management Ordinance to adopt the Maryland
Stormwater Design Manual, as revised by MDE to reflect provisions of the
Stormwater Management Act of 2007 (anticipated to be completed by 2009), as the
Town’s governing stormwater regulations for new development.
11. Encourage innovative stormwater management techniques such as tree conservation
areas, buffer strips, rain gardens, vegetated swales, and dry wells to reduce the
quantity of runoff from development sites.
27
Policies and actions related to drinking water assume continued cooperation with the Boonsboro/Keedysville
Regional Water Board.
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12. In reviewing development plans, particularly potential Smart Neighborhood
development on the 2006 annexation properties, emphasize minimization of
impervious surface.
13. Amend the Town’s Zoning Ordinance to reduce the maximum allowable impervious
surface in shopping centers and similar uses to reduce stormwater runoff and achieve
more infiltration into groundwater.
14. As part of the next Comprehensive Plan review, update the nonpoint source loading
analysis described in this element using more recent land use data and updated
nutrient loading factors.
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Chapter 5: Community Facilities Element
This chapter addresses community facilities in the Town of Boonsboro, including parks,
schools, and police, fire, and emergency services. Map 5.1 shows the Town’s major
public facilities.
Goal
1. Provide a system of community facilities that will adequately meet the needs of the
present and future growth of the Town.
Inventory of Community Facilities
Recreation
Shafer Memorial Park
In 1939, the citizens of Boonsboro created Shafer Memorial Park, along Park Lane and
Park Drive and Potomac Street on the western side of the downtown, as the focal point of
the Town. Shafer Park remains the central gathering spot for residents of Boonsboro and
the surrounding area. It hosts major public events such as Boonesborough Days, The
Great Boonsboro Rescue Company Carnival, and The Founder’s Day Celebration.
Shafer Park’s facilities include ball fields, picnic shelters, a bandstand, restrooms, a
paved and lit basketball court, horseshoe pits, playground equipment and open space.
Another small, privately-owned building in the Park is used by the local Boy Scouts
organization.
The park is also home to
the Eugene C. Smith
Community Center. The
center is used as an indoor
recreation facility, and
hosts public meetings
conducted by the Mayor
and Council, and the
Town’s appointed
Commissions. Until mid-
2009, the center also
housed the offices of the
Town's Police Department.
The Park is owned by the Town with maintenance provided by Town employees. The
Park Board, appointed by the Town Council, develops policies, programs, and activities
at the Park. The park was expanded from its original 11.5 acres to its present 53-acre size
with the addition of the six-acre Sinnisen Tract, and the 1999 purchase of an additional
35.5 acres from an adjacent land owner.
The Eugene C. Smith Community Center
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Map 5.1: Community Facilities
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A 1.2-acre portion of the newly-acquired park land was dedicated as a site for the new
Boonsboro branch of the Washington County Free Library. The remainder of the park
expansion area will be developed in phases for active park uses. When completed, the
new section of Shafer Park is anticipated to include a Little League size baseball field, a
full-size soccer field, bleachers, parking areas, a paved entrance and deceleration lane
from MD 34, a pavilion, a gazebo, a second soccer/football field, a fishing pond, an
enclosed aquatic center, walking trails, a dog park, a tot lot, two restroom facilities and a
concession stand. A portion of the King Farm House—which is , owned by the Mayor
and Council and is located on Potomac Street directly adjacent to the new phase of
Shaffer Park and the new library—will likely be used to house Park maintenance staff.
Boonsboro Historical Park
Boonsboro Historical Park is a two-acre park on the west side of North Main Street, near
Knode Circle. This park contains historical markers describing key aspects of the
Town’s history, including its relationship to the National Road, a description of the
Washington Monument (visible from this point), and the Town’s Civil War History.
Town Little League Park
The Little League Park, located along Monroe Road, is part of the Town Farm property.
The park has two ball diamonds and dugouts, a T-ball field, a graveled parking area and a
multi-purpose building with concessions, an announcing booth, and storage. The
facilities are used by the South Mountain Little League program.
Other Recreation Facilities
The Boonsboro Educational Complex located off of MD 66 offers a variety of facilities,
such as a lighted stadium with a football field and bleachers, a full-sized baseball field,
paved basketball and tennis courts, an archery range, and a track. The elementary,
middle and high school also have gymnasiums and playing fields which are used by local
recreational programs.
A variety of recreational attractions are located close to Boonsboro. These include,
Greenbriar, Gathland, and Washington Monument state parks, Devil’s Backbone and
Little Antietam Watershed county parks, Mt. Briar Wetland Preserve, the Appalachian
Trail (which runs along South Mountain), and South Mountain State Park and Antietam
National Battlefield. Lying near the Town on MD 34 is Crystal Grottoes, Maryland's
only commercial underground caverns.
Schools
Three schools serve the Town of Boonsboro: Boonsboro Elementary School (ES),
Boonsboro Middle School (MS), and Boonsboro High School (HS). The three schools
are co-located on the 98-acre Boonsboro Educational Complex campus fronting MD 66
in the northeastern part of Town (see Map 5.1). The Complex is owned and operated by
the Washington County Board of Education and is a part of the Washington County
Public School System.
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Total enrollment, existing capacity, and future
projected student population for the three schools
serving the Town of Boonsboro are shown in Table
5.1. During the 2007-8 school year (the most recent
for which data are available) the elementary school
was over the state rated capacity (118 percent) and
the high school had almost reached capacity (99
percent). The middle school capacity (86 percent) is
under the state rated capacity.
School enrollment from the Town is expected to
increase over the next ten-year period. Part of this
increase will come as a result of new residential
development in the annexed portions of the Town
(see the Municipal Growth Element). However, most
of the projected increase in enrollment will be
generated by development outside of Boonsboro,
particularly development in the area south of
Hagerstown. The overall enrollment at Boonsboro ES is projected to grow by more than
400 students by 2017, according to the Washington County Board of Education.
Development in Boonsboro would account for approximately 130 of those students while
the remaining 270 students would come from areas other than the Town.
Table 5.1: School Enrollment and Capacity in Boonsboro
Existing Enrollment (2007) Projected Enrollment (2017)
School
State-
Rated
Capacity
Enrollment
Percent of
Capacity
Enrollment
Percent of
Capacity
Boonsboro ES 514 608 118% 1016 198%
Boonsboro MS 872 753 86% 997 114%
Boonsboro HS 1030 1018 99% 1237 120%
Source: Washington County Board of Education
Emergency Services
Police
Police protection for the Town of Boonsboro is provided by the Boonsboro Police
Department. The police department is staffed by four full-time officers: the Chief of
Police, one staff sergeant, and two officers. In mid-2009, the Police Department moved
to the King Farm House property.
Fire Protection
The First Hose Company of Boonsboro (Station 6), located on Saint Paul Street, provides
volunteer fire protection services, as well as medical assist, accident, and hazardous
material response for Boonsboro and a large portion of southeastern Washington County,
ranging from Mapleville and Breathedsville in the north to Gapland in the south. Station
Boonsboro High School
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6 owns one fire engine, one ladder truck (with a 75 foot aerial ladder), one tanker, a brush
truck, a utility/medical assist vehicle, and a chief/duty car. The Company receives funds
from the Town Council and Washington County, and also conducts fundraising activities.
The First Hose Company also operates Station 8, south of Rohrersville. Station 8 has two
fire engines.
Ambulance/EMS
Boonsboro Ambulance and Rescue Services, Inc. is a combination (volunteer and paid)
independent, non-profit service. The Rescue Company provides both emergency medical
transportation and heavy rescue squad service to southeastern Washington County,
including the Town of Boonsboro. This rescue service has three ambulances and one
rescue vehicle. The service is headquartered on US Alternate 40 north of the intersection
with Lappans Road (MD 68).
Solid Waste
Weekly trash pickup and twice-yearly bulk pickup is performed under contract issued by
the Town. The Town also has a centralized area for recycling located at the intersection
of US Alternate 40 and MD 67 in the southeastern portion of Town.
Other Facilities
Library
In 2008, the Boonsboro branch of the Washington County Free Library moved from its
building adjacent to the Town Hall on Main Street to a new library building on Potomac
Street at the intersection of King Road. In addition to a much larger facility, the
Boonsboro library features public internet access, a dedicated children’s area, and special
programming for teens and senior citizens.
Town Hall
The Town Hall, located at 21 N. Main
Street, contains offices for the Mayor,
Town Manager, Administrative
Assistant, Town Clerk, Town Planner
and Zoning Administrator. Virtually
all municipal business is conducted at
the Town Hall, with the exception of
public meetings held at the
Community Center. The Town plans
to convert the former library space to
conference room space.
A 33-space municipal parking lot and handicap access to the building are located in the
rear of the Town Hall. The municipal lot provides parking for business conducted at
Town Hall and town center business via a pedestrian sidewalk adjacent to Town Hall.
Boonsboro Town Hall on Main Street
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Issues and Opportunities
Future growth will necessitate enhanced emergency faculties, equipment,
and staffing.
Based on projected growth,
the Police Department will
need to hire several
additional officers (see
Chapter 2, the Municipal
Growth Element, for more
detail). To accommodate
these staffing increases, the
Police Department will
need larger facilities. The
Police Department’s move
to the King Farm House
(see above) addresses these
needs in the short term, but
may not be a permanent
solution.
At the same time, the Volunteer Fire Station needs upgrades, including a new roof and
insulation. Response times are hampered by the narrow geometry of St. Paul Street, and
the station’s proximity to the Town Square intersection.
One potential solution to these problems is the creation of a Public Safety Complex, a
building or group of buildings that would house the Town’s police, fire, and, if desirable,
ambulance services in a single location. Co-location would allow for greater
coordination and sharing of resources among the Town’s emergency services providers.
The Future Land Use Plan (Map 3.2) reflects this concept, as indicated by the
Institutional land use along Warrior Boulevard on the TT&K property. Locating the new
Public Safety Complex on Warrior Boulevard (or on another major artery away from the
downtown) would allow emergency personnel to bypass the Town Square intersection,
reducing response time.
The Fire Department’s equipment also limits emergency response. The Fire Department
will need to replace two of its fire engines (as required by NFPA and federal standards).
Its ladder truck can reach 75 feet, while a 100-foot reach would be preferable to access
the newer multi-family and townhouse development in Town. The Fire department also
reports that it does not have 360-degree vehicular access to some of these townhouses, a
concern that would need to be addressed by the Town’s development regulations.
The electrical wires along major thoroughfares in Town also make fire response more
challenging, since firefighters must ensure that ladders, hoses, and other apparatus do not
come in contact with live wires. The placement of electrical and telephone lines are
The Boonsboro fire station on St. Paul Street
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determined by the utilities that own those structures (in the case of electrical wires,
Allegheny Power).
The Town’s long-term goal should be to relocate utility wires. Doing so would also
increase safety, and would improve the aesthetic character of the downtown (see Chapter
7, the Economic Development Element). The Town should continue to consult with
utility companies and State Highway Administration, which is responsible for the right-
of-way on state highways, to investigate future opportunities to move electrical wires.
Another issue faced by the fire and emergency service is the decline in volunteerism, a
national trend that impacts Boonsboro’s fire and EMS providers. The Fire Department’s
75 active members are responsible not only for emergency response, but also for
maintenance of vehicles and facilities, training and testing, recruitment, public safety
education programs, and fundraising programs (which comprise more than half of the
Fire Department’s annual budget). The Town should work with these entities to help
promote volunteerism.
Finally, the Town and its emergency service providers are concerned that the emergency
service demands of new development in Boonsboro could exceed available police, fire,
and EMS budgets. One potential solution is to amend the Town’s Adequate Public
Facilities Ordinance (APFO) to include provisions related to emergency services. As part
of such revision, the Town would need to define the standards against which emergency
services are to be measured (the IACP and NFPA standards used in Chapter 2 are
examples, but need not be the ultimate standard), and the fee to be paid by development
that would exceed those standards.
As the Town grows, the distribution of its park land is an important
consideration.
As described in the Municipal Growth Element, the Town will have more than adequate
park acreage to serve its existing and projected population. However, that park land is
concentrated in two large facilities: Shafer Park in the center of the Town, and the
Educational Complex in the northeast portion of the Town.
Although Boonsboro’s future land use pattern strives to preserve the Town’s compact
urban character, these park facilities may be difficult for some residents to access (due to
distance, or to the presence of major roads). Thus, the Town should work with the
developers of 2006 annexation parcels to ensure that neighborhood-scale parks are
included in development plans, and that those parks are dedicated to the public upon
completion. These neighborhood parks will help to reinforce neighborhood cohesion,
while adding to the amount and variety of recreational resources in the Town.
Although cutbacks in state funding will delay the full development of Shafer Park—with
its proposed athletic fields, aquatic center, fishing pond, and other amenities—the Town
should nonetheless consider the completion of these facilities to be a high priority. These
unique facilities will be an important addition to the recreational resources of the Town
and the surrounding region.
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Finally, linkages between the Town’s park and recreation facilities are important. New
and existing parks should be linked via sidewalks or paths, with clearly marked
pedestrian crossings on major streets (see Chapter 6, the Transportation Element for more
detail).
Boonsboro will need additional elementary school capacity to serve
projected enrollment through 2017.
Boonsboro Elementary School was at 118 percent capacity at the start of the 2007-8
school year, and is projected to approach 200 percent capacity by 2017. To address this
problem, the Washington County Board of Education will need to consider redistricting
of existing schools and/or the construction of a new elementary school to serve
Boonsboro.
Although the County has not selected a site for this school, the Town supports this effort
to build the new school in Boonsboro. The owner-developer of the King Road property
has also contacted the Board of Education, offering to set aside the necessary land for a
new Elementary School. The Future Land Use Plan (Map 5.2) sets aside Institutional
Land use near the intersection of Warrior Boulevard and MD 67 for this purpose.
The Town’s recycling program.
Boonsboro currently has a central collection point for all residential recycling program
provided by Washington County at the park-and-ride site on MD 67. Some residents
would like to see more recycling options considered.
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Policies and Implementation Actions
1. Require developers of newly annexed property to dedicate new parks on those
properties as public neighborhood parks.
2. Ensure that parks are linked to the rest of the Town via sidewalks and paths (see
Policy 8 in the Transportation Element).
3. Work with the Washington County Board of Education and the owner-developers of
the King Road property (or other properties who wish to participate) to identify an
appropriate site for, and support the development of a new school.
4. Set aside land for a Public Safety Complex, to house Police, Fire, and (if desired)
ambulance functions. The Public Safety Complex would preferably be located on
Warrior Boulevard. Work with the County and the state (including the local General
Assembly and Congressional delegations) to obtain funding for such a facility.
5. Pursue funding for additional police officers, with the goal of providing 24-hour
service.
6. Assist the Boonsboro Volunteer Fire Department in pursuing grants for a new ladder
truck with at least a 100-foot reach.
7. Amend the Town’s development regulations to mandate 360 degree emergency
equipment access to all townhouses and multifamily units, and to require that all
development plans are submitted to the Fire Department for comment.
8. Work with SHA, Allegheny Power, and other utilities to relocate utility wires
underground or behind buildings on major thoroughfares.
9. Support efforts to recruit and retain volunteer fire and emergency services staff.
10. Consider revising the Town’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance to include
provisions related to Emergency Services (police, fire, and EMS).
11. Consider options for curbside recycling services.
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Chapter 6: Transportation Element
Land use patterns and transportation infrastructure are closely related. The location and
design of transportation facilities can often channel growth, thus shaping land use
patterns. At the same time, existing and anticipated development can shape the location,
type, and magnitude of new and upgraded transportation infrastructure.
The latter case is particularly relevant to Boonsboro. The Town’s projected growth—
particularly the growth in the 2006 annexation areas—will place additional pressure on
the existing road network. This element of the Comprehensive Plan evaluates the Town’s
transportation system to identify upgrades and new facilities necessary to accommodate
future transportation needs.
Goals and Objectives
1. Provide for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods in and through the
Town.
2. Promote multi-modal transportation solutions, including pedestrian, bicycle, and
transit services, where appropriate.
Inventory of Transportation Facilities and Systems
The present circulation system in Boonsboro consists of a network of local streets and
alleys that are interlaced with State thoroughfares. The State roads radiate from the
center of Town, providing convenient access to I-70 and major employment centers in
Maryland and adjoining states. Existing and planned roads described in this chapter are
shown in Map 6.1.
State Road Network
US Alternate 40/Old National Pike/Main Street
As described in Chapter 1, Boonsboro’s history is deeply rooted in the development of
the National Road, now known as US Alternate 40, or Main Street within the Town.
Although most east-west traffic through Washington County now uses I-70, US Alternate
40 remains an important arterial highway.
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It is the only direct link between Boonsboro
and I-70 in the direction of Frederick, Washington, and Baltimore.
US Alternate 40 is a major commuter road for residents of Boonsboro and surrounding
areas who work in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan areas, and is an important link
to Frederick and Hagerstown. US Alternate 40 is also the primary route to MD 67, which
provides linkage to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, and points in northern Virginia.
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“Arterial” refers to the road’s functional classification—the system that describes the purpose and traffic volumes on
various roads in the Town, as well as how those roads are maintained. The functional classification system for
Boonsboro, and the associated road design standards, is included in the Comprehensive Plan Appendix.
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Map 6.1: Boonsboro’s Road Network
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The “Town Square” intersection of Main Street with St. Paul/Potomac Streets (MD 34)
incurs significant traffic during morning and evening peak hours. During the evening
peak, in particular, traffic turning from westbound US Alternate 40 onto westbound MD
34 backs up due the heavy volume of traffic turning left and the absence of a by-pass lane
near the intersection (which leaves limited space for westbound through traffic to bypass
the queue of turning cars). Much of this traffic is comprised of non-Boonsboro residents
who pass through the town on the way to other destinations.
Maryland Route 34/Potomac Street/Shepherdstown Pike
Potomac Street forms the western leg of the Town Square intersection, and proceeds
southwest out of Boonsboro, where it becomes Shepherdstown Pike. The highway passes
Keedysville and continues through Sharpsburg and across the Potomac River to
Shepherdstown, West Virginia. In conjunction with West Virginia Route 45 (which
begins in Shepherdstown), MD 34 forms an important link between south-central
Washington County and the employment centers in West Virginia’s eastern panhandle.
Inner Potomac Street (close to Town Square) is very narrow compared to the traffic
volume it carries—more than 6,000 vehicles per day. Its curb-to-curb width at Town
Square is only 28 feet, with parking permitted along the south curb.
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Much of the traffic
that uses Potomac Street is pass-through traffic, originating in and destined for locations
other than Boonsboro. Two very narrow streets—Park Drive and Park Lane—intersect
Potomac Street near Town Square. These intersections have limited sight-distances and
tight turning radii, creating potential safety hazards and reducing the capacity of those
intersections.
Widening of Potomac Street is not feasible or desirable due to the presence of building
facades within a few feet of the curb, especially in the area close to Town Square. This is
the historic center of Boonsboro, and Potomac Street’s narrow right of way reflects
development patterns that precede the automobile.
Maryland Route 66/Maple Avenue/Mapleville Road
Maple Avenue begins at North Main Street and becomes Mapleville Road (MD 66),
proceeding northeast to intersect US 40 and I-70 before terminating in Smithsburg, MD.
Maple Avenue is the primary access to the Boonsboro Educational Complex. Like
Potomac Street, Maple Avenue is relatively narrow in Boonsboro. While the
right-of-way width is 30 feet, the actual paved surface is approximately 27 feet with
intermittent paved shoulders.
Traffic on MD 66 has increased significantly due to residential development and
increased economic activity in the Hagerstown area. The State Highway Administration
has identified the need to widen that portion of the road between Boonsboro and a point
0.6 miles south of I-70. However, no budget or timeline has been set for this project.
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Source for all road widths: 1997 Comprehensive Plan.
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Maryland Route 67/Rohersville Road
This thoroughfare is important as a link to Harper's Ferry and other points in southern
Washington County and northern Virginia. It provides linkage for commuter traffic from
the southern part of the county to the Washington metropolitan area via U.S. 340 and the
MARC train service from nearby Brunswick, MD.
In 1990 the State Highway Administration completed a 68-space park and ride facility on
MD 67 near its intersection with US Alternate 40.
Maryland Route 68/Lappans Road
Beginning at US Alternate 40 in the northern portion of the Town, MD 68 is a connector
road through southwestern Washington County that connects to other major roads such as
MD 65 (Sharpsburg Pike), MD 632 (Downsville Pike), I-81 at Williamsport and I-70 at
Clear Spring.
Town Streets
The Town’s street network, including alleys, totals approximately 19 miles of which
approximately 4.9 miles are State roads and 14.1 miles are Town owned.
Saint Paul Street
This street constitutes the eastward extension of Potomac Street and is a direct link from
the center of Town to Mountain Laurel and Boonsboro Mountain Roads. Its first block
(between Main and Center), is very narrow—only 20 feet between curbs. Due in part to
the Fire Department’s need to use this block of St. Paul Street, no parking is permitted
between Main Street and Center Street.
Orchard Drive
This street is an important "cross-town" link for traffic between Main Street and St. Paul
Street. Its first block (Main to Center) has a curb to curb width of 30 feet; the remainder
is an open section roadway with a 30-foot paved width that is adequate, because the
homes along Orchard Drive have off-street parking.
Stouffer Avenue and Thomas Drive
The entire Graystone Hills subdivision (north of Shafer Park and west of North Main
Street) is accessible at only two points: the intersections of Thomas Drive and Stouffer
Avenue with Main Street. Thomas Drive is platted at adequate width within the new
subdivision, but its first half block length (west of Main Street) is essentially a one-lane
alley to North Main Street. Its intersection with Main Street is potentially very
hazardous, due to topography and its proximity to the Maple Road intersection. This
alley cannot be widened due to the presence of homes within a few feet of the road.
The only other access to the subdivision is at its southern edge via Stouffer Avenue.
Stouffer Avenue's intersection with Main Street is wider and safer, but given traffic
volumes on North Main Street, it would not be desirable to encourage additional traffic to
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use Stouffer Avenue, particularly to access development on the TT&K property, located
behind Graystone Hills.
Park Lane/Reeders Alley
Shafer Park Drive is the primary access point for Shafer Park, and has been upgraded
(including sidewalks) to serve this purpose. South of the park, Park Drive runs parallel to
Main Street, connecting to Potomac Street. Opposite of the Potomac/Park Drive
intersection is Reeders Alley. This 12-foot roadway also runs parallel to Main Street,
before turning and intersecting Main Street near Reeders Memorial Home. Traffic on
Reeders Alley is one-way northbound, due to the width of the alley.
Center Street
Like Park Drive, Center Street parallels Main Street and is sometimes used by north-
south traffic. The greatest volume of traffic on this street occurs where it is narrowest,
between Lakin Avenue and St. Paul Street. The street cannot be widened due to the
presence of buildings at the edge of the right-of-way.
Other Town Streets
The remaining local streets in Boonsboro provide access to adjoining properties.
Transit and Other Motorized Transportation Options
Boonsboro has no local taxicab company or daily commuter bus service. Until 1996, the
Washington County Transportation Commission operated a fixed route service twice
daily on Wednesday and Saturday with service covering a route including Hagerstown,
Keedysville, Sharpsburg, and Boonsboro. The commuter service was discontinued due to
a lack of ridership and budgetary reallocation by the County. The County maintains a
Taxi-Voucher Program which provides a demand-response service to the elderly and
disabled residents.
Commuter service to the Washington metropolitan areas is provided by Maryland Transit
Administration (MTA) bus route 991 during weekdays at peak morning and evening
hours. The service operates from the I-70/MD-65 park and ride lot (near Hagerstown) to
the Shady Grove Metro Station in Montgomery County.
The MARC Brunswick commuter rail line terminates in Brunswick, MD, approximately
16 miles from Boonsboro. The Brunswick line carries passengers to Washington, D.C.,
via Frederick and Montgomery Counties.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities
Sidewalks are found along most streets in the Town Center area, including Main Street
from Knode Circle to Mousetown Road. The sidewalk system is not present in all areas
of the Town. Until the 1990s, some of the Town’s suburban-style residential
subdivisions were permitted to be developed without the construction of sidewalks. The
more recent Campus Grove, Fletcher’s Grove, and Crestview subdivisions were
constructed with sidewalks.
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As part of renovations to Shafer Park, the Town constructed a pedestrian walkway that
connects the Park to existing sidewalks on Main Street. Sidewalks will run along
Potomac Street from the Town Center to the Library. The state will also install sidewalks
along Maple Avenue, from North Main Street to 500 feet north of Campus Drive.
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US Alternate 40, MD 34, and MD 67 are designated by SHA (with posted signs) as on-
road bicycle routes, although no marked bicycle lanes are provided. No other on-road or
off-road bicycle ways currently exist in the Town.
Traffic Trends
The regional accessibility provided by Boonsboro’s road network makes the Town
attractive to a commuting population and contributes to its desirability as a place to live.
However, much of the vehicular traffic in Boonsboro is pass-through traffic—vehicles
originating in and destined for places other than Boonsboro. Due in large part to
commuting patterns to the Washington metropolitan area, annual average daily traffic
(AADT) has increased steadily on Boonsboro’s major roads in recent years. Table 6.1
shows these trends. The chart indicates the increasing traffic flows on the Town's
perimeter as they converge on Main Street.
The decrease in traffic on US Alternate 40 east of MD 67 and west of MD 68, combined
with the increase in traffic on Main Street in downtown Boonsboro, reinforces the notion
that Boonsboro is increasingly used as a waypoint in long-distance commutes, with
traffic entering and exiting along the various state highway spokes that radiate from Main
Street.
Table 6.1: Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT), Boonsboro
AADT Growth Rate
1
Total Growth
Highway Location 1996 2000 2007
Since
1996
Since
2000
Since
1996
Since
2000
US Alt. 40 Downtown Boonsboro 9,325 11,350 12,620 2.8% 1.5% 35% 11%
US Alt. 40 East of MD 67 5,525 7,600 5,550 0% -4.4% 0% -27%
US Alt. 40 West of MD 68 7,025 6,900 6,270 -1.0% -1.4% -11% -9%
MD 34 West of US Alt. 40 5,425 5,800 6,252 1.3% 1.1% 15% 8%
MD 66 Northeast of US Alt. 40 2,525 2,800 4,882 6.2% 8.3% 93% 74%
MD 67 Southeast of US Alt. 40 4,525 4,700 5,590 1.9% 2.5% 24% 19%
MD 68 West of US Alt. 40 1,425 1,900 2,270 4.3% 2.6% 59% 19%
Source: Maryland Department of Transportation, State Highway Administration
1: Indicates the compounded annual growth rate
Note: 2007 Data not available
Residents of Boonsboro contribute to this commuting pattern. The “Journey to Work”
statistics from the 2000 US Census indicate that a majority of the working residents of
the Town commuted significant distances. The 2000 data show that 44% of Boonsboro's
work force of 1,253 had a travel time of 30 minutes or more. None of these workers
reported using public transportation, and slightly more than 10 percent car pooled (down
from approximately 20 percent in 1990).
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Source: SHA: Highway Needs Inventory for Washington County.
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Planned Roads
Two roads are already planned or under construction as of 2009, as shown on Map 6.1
and described below. These roads are in addition to any local roads that would be built to
serve development on the 2006 annexation properties.
Warrior Boulevard
The potential development of the 2006 Annexation properties—particularly the large
King Road and TT&K properties—creates the potential for additional traffic on the state
highways that intersect in Boonsboro, particularly the Town Square intersection. To
minimize potential traffic, the Town has planned (since the 1975 Comprehensive Plan)
for the construction of a new major collector that would connect MD 68, MD 34, and MD
67 in a rough half-circle to the east of the downtown.
The major collector, known as Warrior Boulevard would be built by developers of
annexed properties. Development of these properties will not start until Warrior
Boulevard is under construction.
To help preserve traffic capacity on MD 34, the landowners are required to connect
Warrior Boulevard to MD Routes 68 (from TT&K) and 67 (from King Road), prior to
connection with MD 34. The goal of this condition is to funnel traffic from the
annexation properties away from MD 34 and onto US Alternate 40, the higher-capacity
roadway. It is expected that some commuter traffic will utilize this roadway system to
avoid slower traffic on Main Street.
Chase Six Boulevard
Chase Six Boulevard forms the fourth leg of the intersection between Main Street and
MD 68. It serves the newer development in the northern section of the Town, including
the Weis Market shopping center, and the Fletcher’s Grove residential area. As of 2009,
Chase Six Boulevard ends approximately 600 feet from MD 66. The developers of
Fletcher’s Grove are required to complete Chase Six Boulevard to MD 66. This
completed route will provide additional radial connections among the state highways that
intersect in Boonsboro. These radial connections will serve traffic that would otherwise
use the Town Square intersection, thus reducing volume at that intersection.
Issues and Opportunities
Improvements to the Town Square intersection are necessary.
Boonsboro is in the somewhat ironic position of having good road access to regional
population and employment centers many miles away, while simultaneously having more
difficult road access to areas near and within its own boundaries. The layout of the state
road system makes Boonsboro a focal point of regional traffic, particularly during
morning and evening peak hours. Traffic passing through the Town often has no choice
but to travel through the Town Square intersection.
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Heavy traffic volumes and curbside parking close to the traffic signal create peak-hour congestion at
the Town Square intersection.
This congestion along Main Street is one of Boonsboro's most pressing concerns.
Warrior Boulevard and the completion of Chase Six Boulevard will give local and
regional traffic options to avoid the Town Square intersection. However, even if traffic
through the Town Square intersection does not increase, the intersection will still perform
poorly during peak hours. In particular, traffic turning from westbound US Alternate 40
onto westbound MD 34 creates long queues along South Main Street. These backups are
due in part to the intersection geometry and on-street parking that leave very little space
for westbound traffic to bypass the turn lane in order to continue on US Alternate 40.
Public parking
There are more than 500 public parking spaces in or within walking distance of the
downtown, many of which are on Main Street. The 2003 Downtown Revitalization
Study found that these spaces are adequate in number to support downtown businesses
and economic development efforts, but signage directing drivers to those spaces could be
improved. Uniform, highly visible signage is needed in the downtown. Information
about parking locations, in the form of printed brochures or a map on the Town’s
website, would also help visitors navigate to parking spaces.
Public transit service can provide alternatives to automobile travel.
Although small, Boonsboro is the second-largest municipality in Washington County,
and is projected to grow significantly in the next 20 years. In addition, Boonsboro has a
comparatively large senior citizen population, and has a large number of residents who
commute long distances to jobs, generally in the Washington metropolitan area. These
demographics indicate the potential to support transit service, such as the County
Commuter that once served Boonsboro and still serves the Town of Smithsburg.
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Reestablishment of County Commuter service to Boonsboro could feed the MTA
commuter bus route from Hagerstown, could provide transportation to medical facilities
in Hagerstown, and could enhance tourism in the two municipalities, particularly Civil
War era tourism.
Additional pedestrian facilities are needed.
There are no sidewalks on outer Potomac Street, Maple Avenue,
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or Main Street north of
Knode Circle. The lack of facilities and the aging population contribute to low pedestrian
activity, despite the town’s relatively compact scale.
Pedestrian and bicycle links are especially important on the state highways that comprise
the Town’s thoroughfares. While walking or bicycling on neighborhood streets is
relatively safe, the same cannot be said for these major roads. The lack of pedestrian
alternatives may also contribute to traffic problems along US Alternate 40. For example,
the Weis supermarket is approximately one mile from Town Square (and less from
Graystone Hills and other neighborhoods). This is, for some residents, a walkable
distance. However, the lack of a pedestrian connection to downtown’s sidewalk network
or to safer residential streets means that anyone wishing to shop at this major store must
drive on Main Street or walk on the shoulder of the roadway.
The Town’s subdivision ordinance already requires sidewalks or paths
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to be included as
part of all new construction. In 2008, the Town received a grant from the State Highway
Administration to add sidewalks to MD 34 between the new library and downtown. The
Town should also pursue the installation of sidewalks or paths along key stretches of
developed roads, particularly US Alternate 40 (between MD 67 and MD 68), MD 34 (to
connect the Crestview subdivision to downtown), and MD 66. This should include
upgraded pedestrian crossings with special pavement markings, signage, pedestrian
islands, or other features at key points. This would encourage walking and bicycling to
destinations such as the Educational Complex, Shafer Park, and the downtown.
The Town should investigate opportunities to provide pedestrian linkages between new
development (particularly on 2006 annexation properties) and existing neighborhoods, to
further increase opportunities for residents to walk and bicycle around Town. In
particular, the Town should encourage pedestrian and bicycle links between the TT&K
property and the existing Graystone Hills neighborhood.
The Town should enhance its Capital Improvements Program
A Capital Improvements Program (CIP) can add predictability to the Town’s major
capital needs, such as road improvements and water and sewer facility maintenance and
upgrade. The Town’s existing CIP lists capital projects and is used for budgeting, but is
not an adopted implementation tool. The Town should establish a formal, binding CIP,
wherein Town funding is committed for new projects and operations during a four- or
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As described in the previous section, SHA is constructing sidewalks on a portion of Maple Avenue.
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Sidewalks in Boonsboro are constructed from concrete or brick, and are typically associated with roads that have
curbs and gutters. Paths can be concrete or asphalt, and are typically associated with “open section” roads that have
no curb and gutter.
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five-year period. This enhanced CIP would provide the vehicle for examining Town
capital needs in advance and insuring that fiscal resources are available when needs arise.
The need for an enhanced CIP is particularly important now because projected growth
will significantly increase Town road construction and maintenance responsibilities. The
attendant need to maintain expanded sewer, water, curb, gutter, and other infrastructure
further accentuates the benefits of fiscal planning.
Policies and Implementation Actions
1. Consider changes in parking regulations on Westbound US Alternate 40 to ease
congestion during peak hours.
2. Improve parking signage, and provide parking information to the public via printed
materials and/or the Town’s website (see Economic Development Element Policy 3).
3. Work with Washington County to reestablish County Commuter service to
Boonsboro.
4. Continue to encourage and publicize existing transportation services for the elderly
and other transit-dependent populations, such as MTA’s commuter bus service from
Hagerstown, and the County’s ride assist/voucher program.
5. Work with SHA to implement sidewalk retrofits on state roads, including pedestrian
crossings as described in this Element.
6. Develop pedestrian/bicycle paths between existing neighborhoods, new
neighborhoods, and public parks (see Policy 2 in Chapter 5).
7. Enhance the Town’s Capital Improvements Program (CIP) as described in this
chapter, focusing specifically on road and other infrastructure improvements.
Schedule street repairs and expansions as part of the CIP.
8. Pursue economic development grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission
and other state and local agencies for necessary road and pedestrian improvements.
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Chapter 7: Economic Development Element
Boonsboro’s rural setting and proximity to employment centers in Hagerstown,
Baltimore, Frederick, Martinsburg, and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, have
long made it a “bedroom” community. However, the Town is beginning to develop its
own economy, based on local and regional services and tourism. This element describes
the goals, policies, and actions necessary to continue the Town’s economic growth.
Goals and Objectives
1. Create a healthy, balanced economy that provides necessary goods and services for
Boonsboro residents, adequate local job opportunities, and sufficient tax base to
finance the municipal services and improvements needed in a growing municipality.
2. Use the Town’s historic resources and unique local attractions as the basis for a
strong tourist economy.
Existing Economic Conditions
Employment
Table 7.1 shows the types of jobs held by Boonsboro residents in 2000.
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The Town in
2000 compared favorably to the State in percentage of professional workers in fields such
as education, health, and social services. Nearly 17 percent of the Town’s workforce was
employed in this sector, compared with the statewide average of 20.6 percent. Another
22 percent of Town residents were employed in other “professional” fields, such as
Information, Finance, and Management, compared with more than 23 percent statewide.
Nearly 18 percent of the Town’s workforce was employed in the manufacturing and
construction sectors. This proportion was higher than in the State as a whole (14.2), but
was consistent with that of Western Maryland, where dependence on these types of jobs
is typically higher, although the strength of the manufacturing sector continues to
decrease. Like much of the rest of Western Maryland, the decline in construction,
manufacturing, and other blue collar employment in Boonsboro began in the late 1980s
(manufacturing and construction accounted for 40.5 percent of jobs held by Town
residents in 2000), and continues today.
The remaining occupational categories as reported by the Bureau of the Census in 2000
remained relatively unchanged since 1990.
Major Employers
The largest private employer in Boonsboro is the Reeders Memorial Home for the elderly
which employs 200. Other major employers of the Town include Weis Supermarket,
Thompson Gas, and Bast-Stauffer Funeral Home. Most businesses, particularly the small
shops and stores in the Town Center, are quite small, and employ two or three people.
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Job data are only published as part of the decennial Census.
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Major public employers are the Post Office, and the Educational Complex which
employs roughly 180. The Town employs approximately 20.
Table 7.1: Jobs Held by Residents, 2000
Boonsboro
Washington
County State
Num. Pct. Num. Pct. Num. Pct.
Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Mining 13 1.0 957 1.6 16,178 0.6
Construction 92 7.2 5,572 9.1 181,280 6.9
Manufacturing 132 10.3 9,006 14.7 189,327 7.3
Wholesale Trade 24 1.9 1949 3.2 72,621 2.8
Retail Trade 151 11.8 8237 13.4 273,339 10.5
Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities 43 3.4 3,451 5.6 127,294 4.9
Information 39 3.1 1,738 2.8 103,351 4.0
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental
and Leasing
138 10.8 4,275 7.0 186,159 7.1
Professional, Scientific, Management,
administrative, and waste mgt services
100 7.8 4,060 6.6 323,834 12.4
Educational, Health, and Social Services
(excludes public schools)
216 16.9 10,553 17.2 538,350 20.6
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation,
Accommodation, Other Food Services
88 6.9 3,691 6.0 177,341 6.8
Other Services (except Public
Administration)
107 8.4 3,348 5.4 145,424 5.6
Public Administration 133 10.4 4,605 7.5 273,959 10.5
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Income and Unemployment
Table 7.2 shows the median household income and unemployment rate in Boonsboro in
2000, compared to Washington County and the state. The Town’s median household
income was almost the same as in Washington County. The Town’s unemployment rate
was higher than those in the County or state.
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Table 7.2: Median Household Income and Unemployment, 2000
Jurisdiction Median Household Income Unemployment
Boonsboro $40,676 5.3%
Washington County $40,617 3.3%
Maryland $52,868 4.7%
Source: 2000 US Census
The Regional Economy
The regional economy is significant because of the Town's "bedroom community" status
and the significant number of blue collar workers. The 2000 Census data in Table 7.3
show that more than 80 percent of Boonsboro workers were employed outside of the
Town. Indeed, Town officials have long indicated that many of Boonsboro’s newer
residents choose Boonsboro for its combination of low housing prices (compared to
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This figure may be deceiving due to the small sample size involved. The 5.3 percent unemployment rate in
Boonsboro was based on just 71 unemployed persons in 2000.
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communities closer to Washington, D.C.) and “commutability” to jobs in Metropolitan
Washington. A smaller number of residents move to Boonsboro for its access to jobs in
Washington County.
Table 7.3: Employer Location, Boonsboro Residents, 2000
Place of Employment Boonsboro Residents Employed
Outside of Maryland 88
In Maryland 1,165
Other Maryland Counties 530
In Washington County 635
Outside of Boonsboro 414
In Boonsboro 221
Total workers
1
1,253
Notes:
1: Includes all employed residents, age 16 or over in 2000
Source: 2000 U.S. Census
As a result, Boonsboro’s employment base (and thus the Town’s tax base) is heavily
dependent on the health of the regional economy in Washington and Frederick Counties,
and beyond. A key relationship is the tension between housing prices closer to
Washington, D.C., (which remain relatively high despite the soft housing market) and the
difficulty of commuting long distances on the region’s increasingly congested highways.
The Town obviously cannot control where its residents work. However, efforts to
strengthen the Town’s economy—building on the Town’s strengths as described in this
chapter—can help to moderate the impacts of the regional economy’s volatility on the
Town’s tax base.
Tourism
Tourism is rapidly emerging as a major economic force for Boonsboro and surrounding
region. Table 7.4 shows visitation statistics at major nearby parks. In addition, the
Maryland Department of Natural Resources estimates that visitation at state parks near
Boonsboro exceeded 950,000 in 2006.
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The volume of tourist visits to these sites near
Boonsboro over the past decade shows the strength of the regional tourism market.
Boonsboro is also a contributor to the regional tourism market. Its historic resources,
specialty retail, and unique character are all assets in the attraction of tourism activity.
Table 7.4: Nearby Park Visitation by Year
Park Site 1997 2007
Percent Change,
1997-2007
Antietam National Battlefield 275,639 337,569 23%
Harper's Ferry National Historic Park 340,246 249,908 -26%
C&O Canal National Historic Park 1,934,030 2,809,968 145%
Total 2,549,915 3,397,445 133%
Source: National Park Service
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Includes Gathland, South Mountain, Washington Monument, and Greenbriar State parks
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Historic Resources in Boonsboro
Boonsboro’s plentiful historic resources contribute to the overall character of the Town.
As the Downtown Revitalization Study indicates, these historic resources are a significant
resource for economic development (in the downtown and the Town as a whole), and
should be leveraged to the greatest degree possible. This section describes some of the
key historic resources in Boonsboro, and their value for economic development.
Boonsboro Historic District
Downtown Boonsboro was listed as a Historic District on the National Register of
Historic Places in December 2005. The District contains many significant historical
resources that serve as attractions to tourists interested in early American settlement,
Civil War history, and American transportation history. The National Register’s
description of the Boonsboro Historic District and the Bowman House—the only
individual structure in Boonsboro that is listed on the National Register—provides an
excellent summary of the Historic District’s character and resources, and is reprinted
below (with minor changes to reflect current conditions).
The Town of Boonsboro is nestled against the west side of South Mountain,
northwest of Turner's Gap on US Alternate 40, the former National Road. It is
historically a linear town, its primary orientation along the Main Street or
Alternate 40 corridor. The westward running Potomac Street (MD 34), the
historic turnpike to Sharpsburg, and St. Paul Street to the east forms the primary
cross street. Additional development occurred during the first decades of the 20th
century along the Hagerstown-Boonsboro Electric Railway corridor on the north
end of town, and around Shafer Park and the Boonsboro Cemetery after 1940.
Historically, commercial businesses along the National Road (Main Street)
catered to travelers, with numerous taverns and hotels, and a variety of
commercial craftsmen. Today Downtown Boonsboro is generally a residential
town, with a few religious institutions some specialty businesses in the historic
town center area.
The Boonsboro Historic District includes 562 contributing elements. Most of the
late 18th and early 19th century development in Boonsboro occurred along Main
Street, then part of a principal market road between Williamsport, Hagerstown,
Frederick, and Baltimore. Buildings from this era are mainly of log, frame, or
brick construction, with a few stone buildings interspersed. Residential buildings
within the oldest section of town are primarily simple vernacular forms
exemplified by the many one- and two-story, three bay log and brick houses. [One
example of this type of residence is the Bowman House located on North Main
Street.] The building is typical of log dwellings built in Western Maryland during
the first half of the 19th century.
The majority of the buildings in the downtown appear to date from the 1820-1850
period, coinciding with peak use years of the National Road. Most houses near
the town center are three, four, or five bays wide. Many have more than one front
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door suggesting combined residential and commercial use. The large and
substantial brick and stone buildings located on the town square form the center
of much of Boonsboro's earliest architecture. These buildings functioned
variously as inns or hotels, a female seminary, a large merchandising house, and
occasionally as dwellings.
Other features of the Boonsboro Historic District include the circa 1855
Boonsboro Cemetery laid out in a 19th-century curving plan with a number of
exceptionally artistic gravestones, and the office/depot of the Hagerstown-
Boonsboro Electric Railway and its right-of-way along the west side of North
Main Street.
The Boonsboro Historic District is historically significant for its association with
the development of Western Maryland following the opening of the National
Road in the early 19th century. The road linked rural Washington County with
the port of Baltimore as well as points to the west, and was an important influence
on the agricultural, economic, and commercial development of the region
throughout the 19th century. Boonsboro's location along the National Road,
adjoining Turner's Gap through South Mountain, was strategically important
during the American Civil War, and throughout the conflict the town experienced
the passage of thousands of troops and accommodated the wounded soldiers left
to the care of townspeople.
The Town’s growth through the first half of the 20th century, associated with
another transportation corridor, the Hagerstown-Boonsboro Electric Railway
branch line, is clearly apparent in the architectural character of the areas that were
annexed into the town during that period. The Boonsboro Historic District
derives additional significance as an excellent example of linear development
characteristic of town plans in the region in the 19th century, and for the wide
variety of architectural types and styles represented by its component buildings,
which chronicle the town's development from its founding in 1792 through the
mid 20th century. The period of significance, from 1792-1959, tracks the
continuous growth and evolution of the Town through the date by which the
district had substantially achieved its current form and appearance.
Civil War History
Like much of the surrounding area, Boonsboro was touched by the Civil War. The Battle
of South Mountain, the first battle fought on northern soil, began on September 14, 1862
in the Fox’s Gap and Turner Gap areas of South Mountain, just south and east of
Boonsboro. The Battle of Boonsborough, a cavalry engagement that occurred as Lee’s
Army of Northern Virginia attempted to retreat across the Potomac following the Battle
of Gettysburg, occurred just north and west of the Town. During the Civil War, the
Town’s churches and public buildings were used as makeshift hospitals for soldiers
wounded at South Mountain and Antietam. In the late 19th century, Boonsboro was
chosen as the setting for a famous Civil War play named “Heart of Maryland,” which
later became a successful silent motion picture.
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Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
Boonsboro is part of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area, which stretches across
much of western Maryland and provides recognition and funding for places whose
history is intertwined with the Civil War. The Heritage Area’s program encourages
communities to identify, protect, and promote their unique heritage and to capitalize on
that heritage through economic development and tourism initiatives. State funds and
assistance will be made available for interpretive and infrastructure improvements in
State-approved heritage areas.
The Town endorses the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority’s Management Plan for the
Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area. As part of the Heritage Area, a Target Investment
Zone (TIZ) has been designated in downtown Boonsboro (see Figure 7.1). The TIZ is
coterminous with the study area for the 2003 Downtown Revitalization Area. The
Management Plan designates the Boonsboro TIZ for future activation. To be activated—
and to receive the funding associated with having an active TIZ—the Town must submit
a detailed work program showing how Heritage Area funds would be used.
Transportation History
The National Road
The National Road was the first federally funded road. President Jefferson initiated the
building of the road west to Cumberland, Maryland and beyond, to open the West for
American settlers. Congress authorized funding for the construction in 1806. During its
prime, the route was heavily traveled, and small towns grew up around stopping points
for travelers. The initial settlement of Boonsboro predates the National Road, but the
Town’s growth is tied to the National Road. The Boone Hotel and US Hotel in Town
Square were primarily built to cater to the travelers who needed lodging as they passed
through Boonsboro.
The National Road has achieved National Scenic Byway designation in 2002, and its
historical significance lies in its position in the evolution of transportation and the
movement of settlers into the West.
The portion of the National Road that passes through Boonsboro has additional historical
significance. In 1823, a new process called "macadam," a forerunner of modern paving
techniques, was used to finish an unpaved, 10-mile section of the National Road from
Boonsboro to Hagerstown. This was the first time this road building process was used in
the United States. The process, named for John Loudon McAdam, greatly improved the
quality of the National Road, and by 1830, 73 miles of the highway had been converted
to a macadamized surface.
Hagerstown & Frederick Railway
The Town of Boonsboro was a stop along the Hagerstown & Frederick Railway, a
suburban trolley service that ran from Hagerstown through Boonsboro to Myersville,
Middletown, Braddock Heights and eventually terminating in Frederick. Remnants of
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the trolley line still exist in the town center: a refurbished trolley station and proposed
museum, and the trolley car right-of-way along the west side of North Main Street.
Figure 7.1: Boonsboro TIZ
Source: Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Application for Certification
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Issues and Opportunities in the Downtown
The downtown business district is a major economic engine.
The downtown business district, centered at the intersection of Main Street and St.
Paul/Potomac Streets, is at the center of Boonsboro's historic, civic, and economic life,
and remains a key to the Town’s future prosperity. Downtown Boonsboro attracts
numerous residents who use Shafer Park, the post office, and Town Hall. Its shops and
stores are within convenient walking distance of many surrounding neighborhoods.
As in other small towns, the Boonsboro central
business district contains an array of mixed
uses. Its commercial establishments are
scattered roughly five blocks along Main Street
among single and multi-family residences. In
terms of acreage and floor area, residential uses
actually occupy a larger portion of this strip than
do commercial uses.
Much change (and improvement) has occurred
along Main Street since the 1997
Comprehensive Plan was adopted. Maryland
SHA funded a major streetscape upgrade in
2003, which resulted in the installation of wide
sidewalks, improved drainage, and street
furniture and accessories. Several buildings
have been renovated or are scheduled for
renovation, and the mix of businesses is
increasingly shifting toward specialty retail and
restaurants.
Many Downtown Revitalization Study recommendations remain valid.
The 2003 Downtown Revitalization Study presented a number of strategies to improve
the Town’s overall economy by strengthening the downtown business district. The
following recommendations from the Revitalization Study should be pursued (and in
some cases are already being pursued) as part of the Town’s overall economic
development strategy.
• Position downtown as a cultural, recreation, civic, and specialty retail center serving
the Town and the region.
• Capitalize on Boonsboro’s historic resources, specifically its Civil War heritage and
the National Pike (see Chapter 9, Historic Resources).
• Continue to promote the budding “literary tourism” trade centered around author
Nora Roberts and the Turn the Page Bookstore Café owned by her husband, Bruce
Wilder.
Streetscape upgrades have helped
enhance Main Street’s distinctive
character.
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• Retain the historic scale and architectural character of the downtown (see Chapter 3,
the Land Use Element).
• Improve pedestrian connections to the downtown.
• Improve the appearance of downtown by reducing visual clutter, and repairing and
maintaining building facades.
Transportation improvements can help the downtown business district
fully realize its economic potential
As described in the Transportation Element, parking and traffic are the Town’s major
transportation concerns in the downtown. Parking is adequate to serve the downtown,
including on-street spaces and off-street parking lots behind the Town Hall and various
stores. However, this resource is underutilized. Improved signage and printed and
electronic information directing visitors to off-street parking facilities and from those
facilities back to Main Street would greatly improve the downtown visitor experience.
Main Street itself is heavily congested during morning and evening peak hour commuter
traffic, due largely to backups at the Town Square intersection. This traffic makes it
difficult for pedestrians to cross Main Street and hinders those trying to parallel park
along the street. Traffic congestion also discourages people from coming downtown.
Much of the traffic congestion is due to the lack of a bypass lane to route through traffic
around cars queued to turn onto Potomac Street.
Removing curbside parking near Potomac Street to create a bypass lane would result in
loss of approximately a dozen parking spaces. The perception of many business owners
is that the lack of on-street parking would be bad for businesses on the east side of Town
Square. However, the peak hour traffic situation at Town Square has only deteriorated in
recent years, and needs to be addressed. Better parking signage would certainly help to
minimize concerns about on-street parking. Another potential solution would be to
prohibit curbside parking during peak hours, but to allow such parking at all other times.
Some opportunities exist for infill in the downtown.
Some space exists for new commercial construction in the downtown area. The few
vacant storefronts that appear are generally quickly occupied. However, opportunities
exist for the re-use and/or redevelopment of existing buildings for commercial or multi-
family residential use.
Aesthetic improvements would strengthen the downtown.
The Streetscape project greatly improved Main Street’s visual appeal, but some
deficiencies remain. Overhead electric wires and a lack of uniform signage detract from
the downtown’s appearance, and some facades are in need of refurbishing.
To address issues related to facades, the Boonsboro Downtown Development Association
plans to lead the Town’s efforts to obtain grants from the Maryland Department of
Housing and Community Development.
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Other Issues and Opportunities
New Development on Annexed Property
Residential and commercial development is planned on the 2006 annexation properties,
as described in Chapter 3, the Land Use Element. This development will benefit the
Town economically by improving the tax base. Since new residents will demand goods
and services, development of annexed land can create a multiplier effect, as new residents
spend money at local businesses.
One concern about new commercial development on 2006 annexation properties is the
potential for competition with existing businesses on Main Street, as well as increased
traffic congestion in the downtown area. The Comprehensive Plan addresses these issues
in the following ways:
• Supporting the construction of Warrior Boulevard specifically to prevent further
downtown congestion from new development (see Chapter 6, the Transportation
Element).
• Designating future commercial development on the 2006 annexation properties for
neighborhood-oriented commercial uses, while designating the existing commercial
nodes at the north and south ends of Main Street for major commercial uses (see
Chapter 3, the Land Use Element).
The Town is positioned to take advantage of state BRAC funding.
In 2005, Congress approved the recommendations of the Department of Defense’s Base
Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission. As a result of the BRAC
recommendations, several facilities in Maryland—notably, the National Naval Medical
Center in Bethesda, Fort Detrick in Frederick, and Fort Meade in Anne Arundel
County—will be gaining jobs. Other jobs are also expected to be attracted to the various
federal and private entities on and around these bases.
The expected result of these changes is an increase in demand for housing and services in
the region. As a bedroom community for Frederick and the Washington, D.C. area,
Boonsboro expects to be affected by BRAC, and plans to pursue designation as one of
Washington County’s BRAC Revitalization and Incentive Zones.
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Such designation
would make the Town eligible for state funding for infrastructure and to use for tax
increment financing (TIF) to fund additional improvements.
The tourism potential of southern Washington County remains an
important resource for the Town.
The Town lies amidst some of the County's major tourist attractions which will draw
millions of tourists in coming years. Visitors to Antietam National Battlefield, the C&O
Canal, the Appalachian Trail, and other nearby tourist attractions described in this chapter
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BRAC Zones are defined in Senate Bill 206, from the 2008 session of the Maryland General Assembly.
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pass through or near Boonsboro, and opportunities exist to encourage those visitors to
spend time and money in the Town.
The downtown is becoming increasingly geared toward the tourist market, with a
growing collection of restaurants and specialty shops. Boonsboro also has a unique
literary tourism niche. Author Nora Roberts and her husband, Bruce Wilder, own the
buildings formerly known as the U.S. and Boone Hotels in the Town Square, and Mr.
Wilder owns and operates Turn The Page bookstore on Main Street.
Business owners in Town also recognize the value of overnight stays by tourists. Ms.
Roberts and Mr. Wilder’s renovation of the two Town Square properties (the US Hotel is
now the Vesta Restaurant, while the Boone Hotel re-opened as the Inn BoonsBoro bed-
and-breakfast in February 2009) are such examples. The Town should encourage
additional renovations, and the establishment of new hotels and bed-and-breakfast
facilities, particularly in the historic downtown.
The Town regularly works with Washington County Economic Development
Commission to identify and attract new businesses. The Washington County Convention
and Visitors Bureau provides both funding and technical assistance in such publicity
efforts and its expertise should be used by the Town in its tourism promotion endeavors.
Through its website, the Town promotes a number of regional tourist activities, including
national and state parks, and the Crystal Grottoes Caverns. The Town should continue to
work with owners of tourist attractions, the County, and the State to ensure that
advertising, website information, and signage for these attractions also reference
Boonsboro’s tourist amenities.
Policies and Implementation Actions
1. Continue to work with the Maryland Department of Business and Economic
Development, the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development
Commission and the Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau to attract
and retain businesses and promote Boonsboro as a tourist destination.
2. Focus business recruitment efforts on restaurants, specialty retail, and other tourist-
oriented establishments in the downtown.
3. Improve parking signage, and provide parking information to the public via printed
materials and/or the Town’s website (see Transportation Element Policy 3).
4. Address peak hour traffic congestion in Town Square (see the Transportation
Element).
5. Consider revising the Town’s zoning ordinance to require uniformly designed signage
in the downtown.
6. Develop marketing materials that emphasize the Boonsboro Historic District and the
Town’s historic features to attract tourism into the Town Center.
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7. Develop and submit to the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority a management plan to
activate Boonsboro’s Targeted Investment Zone (TIZ).
8. Assist the Downtown Development Association in applying for façade renovation
grants.
9. Continue to work with Washington County to attain designation as a BRAC
Revitalization and Incentive Zone.
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Chapter 8: Housing Element
Between 1990 and 2000, the number of housing units in the Town of Boonsboro
increased by 22 percent, from 901 to 1,098 units. Developers of newly annexed land will
likely build additional housing units in the near future to add to the housing stock in
Town. This chapter describes the housing characteristics and housing needs in the Town
of Boonsboro, and includes policies to meet these needs in the years ahead.
Goals and Objectives
1. Provide a mix of housing that meets the needs of all Town residents.
2. Provide housing opportunities that reflect the range of incomes of existing or
prospective residents of the Town.
3. Specifically address the housing needs of senior citizens living in Boonsboro.
Background
Housing Characteristics
Of the 1,098 units in Boonsboro in 2000, the majority (736 units or 67 percent) were
single family detached homes, as shown in Table 8.1.
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The second largest type of
housing in the Town was composed of apartment buildings or townhouses with two to
nine units per structure (230 units or 21 percent).
Table 8.1: Housing Type and Tenure, 2000
Number Percent
Unit Type
1 unit detached 736 67%
1 unit attached 104 9%
Multi-Family, 2 to 9 units 230 21%
Multi-Family, 10 or more units 24 2%
Mobile Home, Trailer, Other 4 0%
Total 1,098 100%
Tenure and Vacancy
Owner-Occupied 740 67%
Renter-Occupied 323 29%
Vacant 35 3%
Total 1,098 100%
Source: 2000 US Census
Two thirds of the housing units in the Town in 2000 were owner-occupied (740 units or
67 percent). Renter-occupied housing accounted for 29 percent of housing units in 2000
(Table 8.1). Approximately three percent of the housing units in Town were vacant. This
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Department of Planning Estimates that there were approximately 1,390 housing units in Boonsboro.
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vacancy rate was very low compared to Washington County (six percent) and the state
(eight percent) in 2000.
Issues and Opportunities
More senior housing is needed.
Housing demand varies with age, income, and household size and composition. The age
of the Town’s population is a good indicator of the type of housing needed to meet
demand. Table 8.2 summarizes some of the typical housing demand characteristics
associated with various age groups.
Table 8.2: Age Distribution and Housing Demand, 2000
Age (2000
Census) Residents Percent Age Characteristics
Housing Demand
Characteristics
Under 5 155 6
Dependents of family
starters
Apartments, mobile homes,
townhouses, duplexes
5-17 560 20
Dependents of young
adults and families
Single-family homes,
apartments
18-24 166 6
Young adults and family
starters
Apartments, mobile homes,
small single-family homes
25-34 295 10
Family starters and
middle families
Townhouses, duplexes,
single-family homes
35-44 501 18 Middle families Single-family homes
45-64 569 20 Empty nesters
Townhouses, apartments,
single-family homes
Over 64 557 20 Senior citizens
Apartments, small single-
family homes, duplexes
Source: 2000 US Census (population data)
As described in Chapter 1, a large proportion of Boonsboro’s population is age 65 or
older. Excluding the approximately 150 residents of Reeders’ Memorial Home, the
Town’s senior citizen population is still a large component of overall housing demand.
In addition, many of the Town’s residents will be approaching or entering retirement-age
by 2030, and many may wish to “age in place,” remaining in Town.
To encourage these residents to stay in Boonsboro, the Town may need to encourage the
development of more senior-friendly housing units. As shown in Table 8.2, the housing
needs for the elderly population are quite different from those of the rest of the
population. Senior citizens are frequently interested in residential unit types with lower
maintenance requirements (including landscaping) and easier accessibility. Because
many senior citizens are also on fixed incomes, affordability is a concern. Thus the
preferred units for senior citizens tend to be single-story houses, condominiums, and
apartments.
Some such units exist or are planned in Boonsboro. The Schoolhouse Manor apartments
provide subsidized housing for elderly and disabled residents. A portion of the proposed
development on Fletcher’s Grove annexation parcel will also be restricted to residents
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age 55 or older. To address this issue, the Town amended its Zoning Ordinance in 2008
to define and allow “age restricted” (55 or older) housing developments.
Affordable, quality workforce housing is also needed.
The need for affordable, quality workforce housing is an important housing issue facing
jurisdictions throughout the country, including Boonsboro. The definition of housing
“affordability” is a function of income and the cost of housing. According to the US
Department of Housing and Urban Development, “the generally accepted definition of
affordability is for a household to pay no more than 30 percent of its annual income on
housing.”
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Generally, households spending more than 30 percent of their income on
housing are considered to be burdened. That is, the cost of housing leaves insufficient
funds for other needs such as food and transportation.
The median household income in the Town of Boonsboro in 1999 was $40,476,
approximately the same as the median household income for Washington County, but
$12,400 less than the median household income for the State of Maryland. This income
differential helps to explain the long commutes that many Boonsboro residents
undertake; for many residents, Boonsboro is the nearest “affordable” location to their
jobs in Hagerstown, Frederick, and the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area.
In 2000, 27 percent of owner-occupied households and 38 percent of renter-occupied
households spent more than 30 percent of their household income on housing, while
approximately 18 percent of owner-occupied households and 29 percent of renter-
occupied households spent over 35 percent of household income on housing (Table 8.3).
These figures were high compared to the County and the state.
Based on these data, as well as the experience of Town officials, a considerable market
exists in Boonsboro (among existing and perspective residents) for affordably priced
units. These units would cater to the needs of the working population as well as the
elderly population on fixed incomes.
Table 8.3: Monthly Housing Costs as a Percentage of Household Income,
2000
Owner Households Renter Households
Jurisdiction 30% or more 35% or more 30% or more 35% or more
Boonsboro 27% 18% 38% 29%
Hancock 34% 28% 28% 22%
Smithsburg 30% 16% 32% 23%
Williamsport 18% 18% 28% 21%
Washington County 25% 17% 31% 24%
Maryland 23% 16% 35% 27%
Source: 2000 US Census
No recent study showing the number of existing affordable units in Boonsboro exists.
However, the apartments above retail establishments in the downtown, along with the
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Town’s other apartment, townhouse, and condominium units may already provide a large
number of affordable units. Further study could give the Town a detailed picture of its
affordable housing supply.
Regardless, it is in the Town’s best interest to advocate for additional affordable units in
future development. In reviewing development plans, the Town should focus not only on
the number of affordable units, but also on their distribution. Ideally, affordable units
should be available throughout the Town—not clustered on one street or in one area—
and should comprise a variety of unit types, matching the existing diversity of housing
unit types already in Boonsboro.
The Town has an opportunity to tap into a higher income housing market.
While affordability is a concern for many area residents, the Town has also seen an influx
of new residents with higher salaries moving outward from the Baltimore-Washington
metropolitan areas. As mentioned in the Economic Development Element, these
residents are often drawn to Boonsboro for its low housing prices relative to communities
closer to metropolitan areas, its “commutability” to jobs in these areas, and the Town’s
historic and aesthetic character.
While the 2009 housing market is currently in decline, it is likely that the market will
rebound by 2030, if not earlier. That being the case, developers in the Town may have
the opportunity to build housing that would cater to the housing needs of higher income
residents. In reviewing development plans, the Town should take into consideration
opportunities to attract the widest possible range of incomes.
Policies and Implementation Actions
1. Continue to work with owners of 2006 annexation properties to develop residential
units that meet the needs of the Town’s growing elderly population. When possible,
single story, easily accessible units are desirable to meet this need.
2. Continue to support an appropriate number of age-restricted units, targeted for
residents who wish to “age in place” in the Town.
3. Conduct a thorough inventory and analysis of Boonsboro’s existing housing stock, to
assess the supply and unmet demand for affordable and elderly housing the Town.
The inventory should collect information such as the type, age, condition, and current
assessed value of all residential units in Town.
4. Strive for a balance in the Town’s housing stock, from affordable, workforce housing
to higher-value homes, to meet the needs and financial abilities of a broad range of
current and prospective residents.
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Chapter 9: Sensitive Areas and Mineral Resources
Element
Natural features play a fundamental role in determining the most desirable and efficient
patterns of land development. They can either provide optimum conditions for
development or severely limit it, depending upon their capabilities to support particular
kinds of uses. Factors such as basic geological characteristics, slope, depth of the soil to
bedrock, and soil qualities all help to determine which areas of the natural environment
can be most economically and appropriately adapted to human needs, and which should
remain essentially in their natural condition.
The Planning Act of 1992 and subsequent legislation requires each comprehensive plan
in Maryland to establish goals and policies related to sensitive environmental areas,
specifically addressing:
• Steep slopes,
• Streams, wetlands, and their buffers,
• 100-year floodplains,
• The habitat of threatened or endangered species, and
• Other areas in need of special protection.
This chapter describes the sensitive areas in and around Boonsboro, and, in conjunction
with the Water Resources and Land Use chapters of this Plan, further strengthens policies
to protect sensitive areas. Map 9.1 shows the sensitive environmental areas in
Boonsboro.
The Planning Act also requires that comprehensive plans include a mineral resources
element, to identify land to be kept undeveloped until minerals are extracted and to
describe measures to prevent preemption of mineral extraction by other uses. This
chapter responds to that mandate.
Goal
1. Continue to protect the Town’s sensitive environmental resources and natural
features.
Inventory of Environmentally Sensitive Areas
Streams and their buffers
Maintaining water quality in a stream is critical to the survival of animals and plants that
live in and around the stream, and for humans who come in contact with the stream.
Each opportunity to improve water quality in an individual stream contributes to water
quality improvement in the entire watershed. Thus, local actions to protect water quality
can have far-reaching benefits.
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Map 9.1: Sensitive Areas
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Boonsboro is located at the headwaters of the north branch of Little Antietam Creek.
Two minor tributaries to Little Antietam Creek, tributaries Nos. 102 and 103 (see Map
9.1) pass through the Town. These streams are identified on the FEMA Flood Insurance
Rate Map (FIRM).
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Other streams, which are not identified by FEMA, but which are
shown on FEMA maps include a pair of streams that traverse Shafer Memorial Park and
flow into tributary No. 103, a stream that flows across the King Road property, and
tributaries to stream #102 in the vicinity of US Alternate 40.
Stream buffers play a key role in the stream's overall health. A stream buffer can contain
various components of the stream's ecosystem such as floodplains, wetlands, steep
slopes, erodible soils, forests and vegetation. A buffer's effectiveness depends on its
width, the type of vegetation within the buffer and maintenance of the buffer. Stream
buffers can help to reduce sediment, nitrogen, phosphorous, and other runoff pollutants
by acting as a filter, thus minimizing damage to streams. A buffer can slow the velocity
of storm water entering the stream, thus preventing the loss of ground cover and reducing
stream bank erosion.
The Town’s Subdivision Ordinance regulates development around streams. Under the
provisions of that ordinance, buffer width is determined by the Planning Commission,
based on slope and other environmental factors. Buffers typically range in width from 24
feet to more than 140 feet on each side of the stream. Buffers must be maintained in a
vegetated state, and disturbance of the buffer is generally prohibited.
Wetlands and their buffers
Wetlands are valuable natural resources that provide habitat for plants and animals,
maintain water quality (by slowing and collecting sediment and pollutants), act as
groundwater recharge areas, protect fisheries, provide habitat and natural corridors for
wildlife, and control flooding and erosion.
There are approximately 25 acres of non-tidal wetlands in the Town of Boonsboro, most
of which are found along the Town’s streams and associated tributaries. Development
with the potential to impact wetlands is regulated by the Maryland Department of the
Environment (MDE), through the provisions of the Non-Tidal Wetlands Protection Act.
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Under provisions of the Subdivision Ordinance, stream buffers include all adjacent
wetlands.
100-year Floodplains
Floodplains are relatively low, flat areas adjoining rivers, streams, and other bodies of
water that are usually naturally-formed, and are subject to partial or complete flooding on
a periodic basis. Floodplains are typically described in terms of the frequency of
flooding that they experience. The 100-year floodplain is the area that has a one percent
chance of being flooded in any given year.
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FIRM number 2400710001A
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The historical reasons for floodplain protection have been to guard against injury to
people and to prevent the destruction of property. In addition, relatively undisturbed
floodplains serve a variety of natural functions. Floodplains, the products of natural
floods, moderate and store floodwaters, absorb wave energies, and reduce erosion and
sedimentation.
Safeguarding the many natural functions performed by floodplains benefits adjoining and
downstream communities by minimizing the risks associated with the loss of life and
property, which may directly affect drinking water supplies and recreational
opportunities.
The Town’s Floodplain Management Act of 1992 prohibits most development and
disturbance in the 100-year floodplain.
Threatened and Endangered Species Habitats
In Maryland, over 200 species of flora and fauna have been documented as being
extinguished over the past 350 years. All human caused disappearances in Maryland
were related to habitat destruction. According to the Department of Natural Resources, at
least one ecosystem, the prairie-like grassland of the Hagerstown Valley, has totally
disappeared.
The federal and state governments maintain separate lists and maps of the habitats of
rare, threatened, and endangered (RTE) species, including plants and animals. There are
50 state-listed RTE animal species (one of which is also a federally-listed endangered
species), and 88 state-listed RTE plant species (two of which are federally-listed
endangered species) in Washington County. Based on sensitive species habitat mapping
from DNR (as shown on Map 9.1), at least one of those species may have habitat in the
southwest corner of Boonsboro.
41
Steep Slopes
Steep slopes are defined in Boonsboro as all land with a slope greater than 25 percent, as
well as land with slopes greater than 15 percent where soils are highly erodible.
42
Steep
slopes are inherently unstable land forms that provide an environment for movement of
soil and pollutants when land disturbance occurs. While soils have varying degrees of
erodibility, all soils are nonetheless subject to movement and increasingly so as the slope
of the land increases.
Changes in slope can occur from natural processes such as soil saturation from extreme
rain events. However, human activity, such as excessive loading or vibrations from
construction activity, filling or dumping, or changes in vegetative covers can also change
slopes. Slopes affected by the removal of vegetation can expose soils to repeated erosion
and movement from rainfall.
41
State mapping does not identify the species that may inhabit these habitat areas.
42
Source: Subdivision Ordinance, section 236.
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This soil frequently ends up in streams and watercourses where it can smother vegetation
and animal life and cause siltation and flooding. Identification and protection of steep
slopes helps the Town of Boonsboro, as well as downstream communities avoid these
hazards. It is particularly beneficial to protect slopes within or next to stream buffer
areas. Protection can also provide open space and help maintain the local biodiversity
found on the slopes.
Much of the land in Boonsboro and the surrounding area is gently rolling. The Town
itself rests about 550 feet above sea level; the hill lying behind the Town to the southeast
rises to an elevation of about 760 feet.
As shown in Map 9.1, most land in Boonsboro is relatively level for development
purposes. The largest concentration of slopes exceeding 15% in Boonsboro are generally
found along the eastern boundary of the Town and are associated either with the ridge
line running parallel with St. Paul Street, or the upper reaches of tributary No. 102. Other
scattered areas of steeply sloped lands can be found in the western part of the Town,
associated with tributaries 103 and 102, and in portions of the TT&K property.
Most clearing, grading, and physical development on steep slopes is prohibited by the
Subdivision Ordinance.
Wellheads and Springs
The purpose of the protection and preservation of the ground water resource of the
community is to insure a future supply of safe and healthful drinking water. This
valuable resource is too often taken for granted and is therefore considered a "sensitive
area" of great importance. However, the protection of this life-sustaining resource may
be the most difficult to achieve.
The Boonsboro/Keedysville Regional Water System’s supplies are derived from two
springs (one of which is in Keedysville) and two wells. As described in Chapter 4, the
Water Resources Element, the soils and geology underlying Boonsboro are particularly
permeable, raising concerns that pollution could threaten the region’s drinking water.
Forests
Forest cover is a substantial asset to the Town’s natural environment. Trees—especially
large blocks of contiguous forest—provide habitat for plants and animal species. In built-
up areas, such as the central part of Boonsboro, trees provide shade, substantially reduce
the surface temperature of underlying streets and sidewalks. In this manner, trees can
substantially mitigate the urban heat island effect and resulting thermal stresses on
streams. Trees also clean the air of many airborne pollutants. Mature trees create a far
more pleasant environment, and thus increase property values. Wooded areas export
much lower nitrogen and phosphorus loads than other types of land cover.
The Town’s Forest Conservation Ordinance requires developers to conserve existing
forest stands, and/or to plant additional trees to ensure forest coverage—typically 15 to
20 percent of the parcel.
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Issues and Opportunities for Sensitive Areas
Groundwater sources are vulnerable to pollution.
The protection of source water areas is necessary to avoid damage to sources of public
drinking water. Source water protection should consist of the complete prohibition,
within close proximity of public water sources, of certain land uses, facilities and
activities which involve a reasonable likelihood of discharge of pollutants to surface or
ground water.
The Town has received mapping from the Maryland Department of the Environment and
model ordinances for the implementation and management of this sensitive area. The
development of a listing of principle and special exception uses needs to be finalized
along with mapping at a scale with the accuracy needed for an overlay zone to be used in
conjunction with the Town's Zoning Map.
To further protect groundwater resources, the Town should update its development
regulations to incorporate the provisions of the Maryland Stormwater Design Manual, as
revised by MDE to reflect provisions of the Stormwater Management Act of 2007.
Subdivision and zoning ordinances should be updated to ensure protection
of environmentally sensitive areas.
The current Boonsboro Floodplain Management Ordinance which prohibits new
construction within the 100-year floodplain provides adequate protection of this
environmentally sensitive area. The ordinance should be periodically reviewed to insure
it continues to meet its intended purpose. It should also be noted that the Town's Forest
Conservation Ordinance and Federal wetland regulations are part of any development
review procedure. These land use regulations often provide additional protection for
floodplain areas.
Strict compliance to the Forest Conservation Ordinance, sediment and erosion control
measures, and stream buffer regulations can avoid most development-related adverse
environmental impacts to watercourses. The Town should continue to require developers
to integrate sensitive environmental features into their plans in a way that these features
are protected and established as common, open areas when applicable.
Mineral Resources
The Boonsboro area rests over extensive deposits of limestone, which is used as an
ingredient in the production of steel. The only active mineral extraction activity in the
Boonsboro area is the Martin-Marietta Aggregates mine, located approximately one mile
northeast of Town. In the past, United States Steel owned large parcels in the
Boonsboro-Keedysville area, ostensibly for possible use for mining operations.
However, US Steel has sold many of these parcels, and no longer owns land in the
immediate vicinity of the Town. The Maryland Geological Survey speculates that the
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limestone resources there are not of adequate grade for use in modern steel making.
MGS is not aware of any other extractable materials in the immediate Boonsboro area.
43
Policies and Implementation Actions
1. Identify source water protection areas, and amend the Town’s development
ordinances to establish source water protection buffers (see Chapter 4). These revised
development regulations should prohibit development in the source water protection
area that is reasonably likely to discharge pollutants to surface and ground water.
2. Amend the Town’s Stormwater Management Ordinance to Adopt the Maryland
Stormwater Design Manual, as revised by MDE to reflect provisions of the
Stormwater Management Act of 2007.
3. Periodically review the Zoning, Subdivision, Forest Conservation, and other
development ordinances to ensure that they provide adequate protection for the
Town’s sensitive environmental features.
43
This reference retained from the 1997 Comprehensive Plan.
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Town of Boonsboro, Maryland
2009 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Appendix
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Municipal Growth Element Appendix
Determination of Maximum Zoned Density
Minimum Lot Size Per Dwelling Unit (Square Feet)
Zoning
District
Single-Family
detached
Two-
Family Townhouse Apartment Condominium
Maximum
Density
(DU/acre)
RR
29,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A 1.5
SR
15,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A 2.9
TR
10,000 9,000 4,000 3,600 3,600 12.1
TC
5,000 5,000 3,000 3,600 3,000 14.5
MR
N/A N/A 4,000 3,600 3,600 12.1
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Water Resources Element Appendix
Physiographic Location
In geologic terms, the Town of Boonsboro is located in the eastern-most edge of the Blue
Ridge and Valley Province, a part of the Appalachian Highlands. The Blue Ridge
Province (including South Mountain, Elk Ridge and their foothills) lies to the east. The
division between these two provinces is somewhat arbitrarily set at the line separating the
Tomstown and Antietam geologic formations; this line occurs immediately east of, and
approximately parallel to, Boonsboro Mountain Road and St. Paul Street extended.
Except for a very small area below Mousetown Road, all of the Town lies within the
Hagerstown Valley while the hill overlooking the Town is part of the Blue Ridge
Province.
Soils
Although topography does not seriously limit development in Boonsboro and its
environs, soil conditions have a potentially more significant effect. This analysis
examines three: wetness and flooding, shallowness, and sewage disposal/groundwater.
Alluvial Soils
Because alluvial soils have often been deposited by past flooding, areas featuring such
soils are likely candidates for flooding in the future. Such soils are generally located
immediately adjacent or within existing 100 year floodplain boundaries of the two
unnamed tributaries and are often wet and have a seasonably high water table. These
factors all combine to restrict development.
Within the pre-2007 Town boundaries the principal area with serious soil limitations
occurs along the north branch of the Little Antietam. This soil (Lindside silt loam)
covers much of the open land along the north side of MD 34 in the vicinity of King Road.
North of MD 34, it extends the entire distance northward (about 600 feet) to the next low
ridge; south of MD 34, this soil occupies a band about 300 feet wide along the creek.
Approximately at Monroe Road, the floodplain along the north branch of the Little
Antietam loses its high water table characteristic and the soil is re-classified as
"Huntington silt loam." Although this soil is similar to the Lindside and was deposited
originally by floods, it is probable that the area is not now subject to very frequent or
prolonged flooding. Because the Huntington is also a deep and well-drained soil, it is
thus rated excellent for most kinds of farming, but its suitability for development sites is
still questionable because of potential flood problems.
The floodplain area of Huntington silt loam extends along the north branch's northern
tributary, past (and including) the area of Boonsboro's sewage lagoons. Part of Shafer
Memorial Park lies in an area of Huntington soil; much of the southeastern part of the
Park is in the Lindside soil area. Another band of soil with both high water table and
flooding characteristics extends along the upper reaches of tributary No. 102 running in a
north-to-south direction east of town.
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As more development occurs on land upstream which drains into these watercourses
around Boonsboro, these flood-prone areas will likely become even more unsuitable as
building sites because of an increased potential for flooding. These alluvial soils serve a
vital natural function in absorbing storm water runoff.
Shallow Soils
The soils that are very shallow over bedrock are generally found along Monroe Road and
the northern tributary of the Little Antietam Creek north branch. Soil here is both
shallow and moderately eroded. It would present further erosion hazard if the soil is
further disturbed. Most of the area containing the Town Farm and TT&K properties
contains soils with irregular depth ranging from zero to seven feet to bedrock. This
highly variable depth makes it necessary to conduct detailed studies to determine those
soils' suitability for development and/or land application of treated effluent.
The north end of town contains shallow soils associated with moderate slopes along US
40A. Overall the northern part of the Town contains generally deep, relatively level, and
well-drained soil.
Soil Percolation and Related Factors
The Tomstown Formation is one of the most productive aquifers in the County. Yet the
rock is generally beset by cracks and underground channels that make this groundwater
extremely vulnerable to pollution from septic systems, agricultural wastes, and fertilizers.
Septic systems are a particular threat because the cracks in the limestone allow effluent to
percolate too rapidly and reach the underground water before it has been cleansed by the
action of the bacteria in the soil.
These geologic conditions have potentially serious consequences in the case of
Boonsboro because the water supplies in Town and at Keedysville are fed by the
groundwater around Boonsboro. Additionally, the Town has established a well near
Graystone Hills subdivision, and currently a residential developer and the Town are in the
process of establishing a well at the Crestview subdivision. Pollution in the groundwater
here would seriously affect Town efforts to meet its existing and future water needs by
putting these wells at risk.
While the exact nature of the specific dolomite around Boonsboro is not known, the
Maryland Geological Survey, in its Bulletin 24, states that the local Tomstown Dolomite
"is probably highly fractured and probably contains many underground solution
channels" in the territory near its contact with the Antietam Formation east of Town. The
County Health Department has found well pollution in areas around Boonsboro
suggesting that water resources are indeed vulnerable. County Health has strongly
warned against the proliferation of wells and septic systems near Boonsboro,
recommending instead that new development be served by public water and sewerage.
The Town's and the Boonsboro Municipal Utilities Commission's policy requires all new
construction to be served by public utilities. In addition, a major impetus for the Mayor
and Council's willingness to adopt in conjunction with the County Commissioners a
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Town Growth Area designation was that future growth in the Boonsboro area be served
by public utilities.
Geology
With the exception of the eastern part of Town, as noted above, Boonsboro is underlain
by bedrock of the Tomstown Dolomite Formation. It is very hard rock composed of
yellowish dolomite interbedded with massive white limestone strata some of which have
been recrystallized to marble. The Formation also is cavernous in various places most
notably at Crystal Grottoes, Maryland's only commercial caverns. The dolomite strata
occur both as massive layers and as thin-bedded, often-shaly dolomitic layers.
Obviously, excavation through such bedrock could be difficult or costly.
Immediately east of the Tomstown dolomite lies the Antietam quartzite Formation, an
older and even harder rock than the dolomite. It is composed of coarse-grained quartzite
and sandstone. Because it is relatively more weather-resistent, the quartzite formation
has remained while the comparatively softer limestone and dolomite have eroded to
lower elevation. The Antietam Formation thus outcrops as very steep, rock-strewn hills
(such as the one immediately east of Boonsboro) that are ill-suited for farms or home
sites.
Nonpoint Source Modeling Methodology
In conjunction with Models and Guidelines 26, the official guidance for preparing the
Water Resources Element, MDE developed a spreadsheet-based model to calculate
existing and projected future nitrogen and phosphorus loads from nonpoint sources (e.g.,
runoff and septic systems), based on land use (specifically, GIS layers showing existing
and projected future land use).
The County used MDE’s model is the basis for the Nonpoint Source Loading portion of
the 2009 Comprehensive Plan’s Water Resources Element. The inputs for this model, and
the Town’s modifications to the model (which were made to reflect local conditions, and
did not alter the model’s overall methodology) are described in this section. A digital
version of the spreadsheet model is available from the Department of Planning and
Zoning upon request (the spreadsheets themselves are difficult to reproduce in print
form).
Loading Rates
The Town’s consultant, Environmental Resources Management, discovered a
discrepancy in the MDE Nonpoint Source model, in which the nutrient loading rates for
the impervious and pervious portions of each Land Use/Land Cover type appear to be
reversed, with higher loading rates for pervious areas than for impervious areas.
44
After
consultation with, and upon the advice of MDE, the consultant used a revised version of
the NPS model, in which the pervious and impervious loading rates were reversed.
44
For example, the MDE model shows that the impervious portion of Deciduous Forest areas (LULC code 41) generate
no nutrient loading, but that the pervious portion (the area that should normally absorb rainfall) generates 2.01
lbs/acre/year.
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Base Year Land Use
Base year land use data were developed by adjusting MDP’s 2002 LU/LC GIS layer to
reflect subdivisions and major commercial activity that existed as of the end of 2007.
45
Future Year (2030) Land Use
Year 2030 land use data were developed by modifying the Base Year shapefile (e.g., an
improvised Year 2007 Land Use/Land Cover dataset) to reflect “pipeline” development
(projects with approved plats) and projected residential and non-residential development.
Projected development (845 residential units and approximately 280 EDU of commercial
development) was allocated to the following ways:
• It was assumed that approximately 10 percent of new development would be infill—
new units or businesses in areas already identified as being developed in the LU/LC
layer.
• The remaining projected residential development (approximately 760 units) was
assumed to develop at a density of 3.5 units per gross acre, corresponding to new
Medium Density Residential land (LU/LC category 12).
• The remaining projected nonresidential development (190 EDU) included as
Commercial (LU/LC category 14). The 190 new EDU at 250 gpd per EDU equals
47,500 gpd for all new commercial development. Assuming that commercial
development would use 1,300 gpd per acre of development (per Models and
Guidelines 26, MDE’s official guidance on the Water Resources Element), this would
equate to approximately 36.5 acres of new commercial development.
• It was assumed that new development (other than infill) would avoid forested areas
(LU/LC categories 41-45), or would mitigate to ensure that no net loss of forest
occurred. New development would instead displace agriculture or pasture (LU/LC
categories 21 and 22).
45
MDP’s 2007 Land Use/Land Cover dataset for Washington County was not available at the time of publication of
this document.
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Transportation Element Appendix
Functional Classification System
Planning for street improvements and future street construction depends on a proper
classification system for thoroughfares. Such a system accomplishes several major
purposes:
• Identifying those major thoroughfares which carry the heaviest traffic will help the
Town allocate its financial resources for the repair/upkeep of roads which bear the
heaviest traffic burden. Also, future residential streets can be designed to funnel
traffic onto those major arteries once they are identified and classified.
• This system permits minimum standards for right-of-way width, number of lanes,
paving width and parking to be consistent with the function of each street. Also,
these standards are the basis for road specifications and requirements as established in
the subdivision regulations and play an essential part in planning efforts to ensure that
an adequate street system is provided to residents in newly-developing areas. This is
particularly important given the extensive new development expected in Boonsboro.
Major road classifications and standards applicable to the Town are based upon the
Washington County Highway Plan and the Boonsboro Comprehensive Plan
recommendations are as follows:
Arterials
Arterial highways carry large volumes of regional and interstate traffic and link heavily
populated urban nodes. In the Boonsboro area, I-70 is a major arterial carrying interstate
and statewide traffic. Maryland Routes 34, 66, 67 and 68, along with US Alternate 40,
now serve as minor arterials beyond the Town limits. Their function will remain that of
carrying intra-regional traffic between population centers.
Collectors
Major collector streets are designed to carry relatively high traffic volumes to the
arterials. Such collectors often provide access to major uses such as industrial,
commercial and residential within a town or county.
Minor collectors carry traffic within communities, distributing it from local streets to
major collectors and arterials. Minor collectors in Boonsboro are Orchard Drive\St. Paul
Street\Boonsboro Mountain Road, Stouffer Avenue and King Road.
Local Streets
These thoroughfares lie entirely within the Town and consist of local residential streets
which connect the abutting development to the collector and arterial thoroughfares.
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Street Design Standards by Functional Classification
LOCAL
MINOR
COLLECTOR
MAJOR
COLLECTOR
MINOR
ARTERIAL
PRINCIPAL
ARTERIAL
Jurisdiction Town Town or County Town or County State or County State
Right-Of-
Way (feet)
50 60 80 100 150-300
Number of
Lanes
2 2 2-4 2-4 4
Paving
(feet)
36 38-42 40-46 44-50 Minimum 48,
plus shoulders
and median
Parking Both sides Discouraged,
prohibition
desirable
Discouraged,
prohibition
desirable
Discouraged,
prohibition
desirable
Not permitted
Access Unrestricted Minimum 100'
distance
between
property access
points.
Minimum 250'
between public
street access
points.
Minimum 300'
distance
between all new
access points.
Minimum 500'
distance
between all new
access points.
No direct
property access.
Grade
separated
interchanges
only.
SOURCES: Washington County Highway Plan and the Town of Boonsboro.
