The Frederick County Council voted for the approval of the Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Management Plan on Tuesday, passing the plan to preserve Sugarloaf Mountain and surrounding land, but pushed back a decision on development restrictions in the area to the council that will take office in December, following the November elections (according to a report by Jack Hogan of the Frederick News Post).
The Washington Post reports that the Frederick County Council rejected a last minute compromise, 4-3, that could lead to further conflict between county officials and the property owner. Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner expressed disapproval of the compromise at the meeting, while County Councilmember Kai Hagan, who proposed the compromis, referred to it as “an effort to advance the strongest plan we can get”.
For now, Sugarloaf Mountain Remains open to the public.
Because the overlay was not a part of the plan when the council voted on it, there is no reason to close the mountain, John Webster, president of the Stronghold Board of Trustees, said in a phone interview with the News-Post.
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