Apr. 26—During a highly charged public hearing on Tuesday, the Walkersville Planning Commission rejected a land-designation request that would have been a next step for FoodPro to build a distribution warehouse.

FoodPro President Scott Brunk became visibly frustrated during the nearly hour-long public comment portion of the meeting, as speakers criticized the company's development plans.

As he left the meeting, Brunk said, "We'll go to the county," as a next step for pursuing the project, through the county planning process.

FoodPro was trying to get Walkersville to reclassify agricultural land in its comprehensive plan as industrial, but the town's Planning Commission rejected that request.

In January, FoodPro bought 106 acres of land adjacent to the town for $3.25 million. The land goes from Biggs Ford Road down to Retreat Road and is bisected by train tracks.

Land north of the train tracks is designated agricultural buffer on the town's comprehensive plan. The southern portion was designated limited industrial.

In March, FoodPro requested that the town change all 106 acres to limited industrial to build a new warehouse on the southwest corner of Biggs Ford and Fountain Rock Road, north of the tracks, since the town was reviewing its comprehensive plan.

The Planning Commission took two votes on Tuesday on the designation.

By a 6-1 vote, the commission agreed to keep the northern area as agricultural buffer.

Planning commissioner Dick Brady voted no, saying he wanted the town to have some control over how a warehouse would be built.

Then, in a unanimous vote, the commission agreed to change the designation of the land south of the train tracks from limited industrial to agricultural buffer.

If Walkersville doesn't annex the land, FoodPro can still go through Frederick County to get the land zoned to build a warehouse. However, in doing so, Walkersville has no say in site planning and won't receive tax revenue if the land stays outside the town borders.

Tuesday's hearing was about the town's comprehensive plan, but Brady said the plan and possible annexation go hand in hand.

"If we don't have that control, then it's a little tougher for the folks in the audience here and the residents in and around the town of Walkersville to petition the county government to respond to their needs," Brady said.

The county currently has the 106 acres zoned as agricultural and resource conservation, according to the town. To change the zoning, FoodPro would have to prove there was a "change in character" of Walkersville or a "mistake in existing zoning," according to a presentation from the town.

The county Planning Commission would have to review it and make a recommendation to the Frederick County Council for approval.

Brunk answered questions from the town Planning Commission during the meeting. An attorney for FoodPro and an engineer working on the project also spoke.

After the two Planning Commission votes at the end of the meeting, Brunk stood and said aloud, "We tried to be nice."

One man in the audience disagreed and told Brunk that FoodPro wasn't trying to be nice.

"Don't talk to me, sir," Brunk said, filing out of the room with people surrounding him.

Brunk declined to comment for the News-Post.

Dozens of residents came to the public hearing. When the hearing room filled up, the town started seating people upstairs, where they could watch a live stream of the meeting.

More than 15 residents testified about how they think a warehouse would damage their quality of life and jeopardize their safety. Dozens of trucks driving on country roads would cause noise and pose safety risks, they said.

Additionally, a warehouse would ruin a countryside view most people moved to Walkersville for, some said.

"This business belongs in an industrial park, not in a bucolic country setting," Bonnie Volovar said.

Doug Medcalf said he moved from East Fifth Street in Frederick, where FoodPro is currently located, to escape the traffic. It was ironic that FoodPro is now trying to come to the same area, he said.

And while he doesn't have anything against FoodPro, he said, it's not what the town needs and the town wouldn't benefit from a warehouse.

"This facility would not make living here any better in any way shape or form," Medcalf said.

Tom Flores was the only resident who spoke positively of FoodPro. He said he's worked with people from FoodPro and can testify to their "sterling" character, and how much they prioritize safety with their truck drivers.

Questioning if FoodPro was being an honest partner was "shameful," Flores said.

"Frankly, I'd be a lot more comfortable with 60 professional drivers from FoodPro on the road every day than 300 amateurs," he said.

Some people expressed environmental concerns, particularly since the land is considered agricultural.

"With a steady increase in tractor-trailers throughout our town, our air pollution could increase and our air quality could decrease if the land is paved over for a ... warehouse," Suzanne Koppanen said. "There will be no trees or plants to scrub out the diesel exhaust before it starts to create health issues for our residents and our wildlife."

The town said an archaeological resource called the Biggs Ford Native American village site is near the property, and may extend onto this property.

Members of the Planning Commission wondered why FoodPro couldn't go after land already zoned as limited industrial and build a warehouse there.

FoodPro's attorney, Noel Manalo, said the company contacted the property owners, who did not want to sell their property.

"We've certainly explored possibilities on the existing land and for whatever reasons, property owners aren't interested in having us there despite having the designation and zoning," Manalo said.

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