You’ve probably read a lot lately about the update to Frederick County’s Comprehensive Plan.
As we go to 
press with this issue of the MacRo Report, the finishing touches are being put on the update, including new land use and zoning maps that may impact your property. Some changes may impact you immediately; others have long term implications that are designed to guide the future of development in Frederick County.
It’s important to keep a broad perspective on these changes. The land use designations in the Comprehensive Plan are general in scope, and given what we have witnessed during the last five years alone, changes to regulations and policies—many of which fly under the radar—can have a much greater impact on how you actually use your property. So while it is safe to say that you should not assume that what you knew yesterday will be the same tomorrow, we believe the overall outlook for property rights and values in Frederick County remains positive.
Part of that optimism stems from the fact that our area has been, and continues to be, a haven for job growth. Given our region’s strong workforce, existing technology base and proximity to the federal government, entrepreneurs continue to form new firms locally and we continue to attract major employers. Efforts to draw many of the nation’s top high tech firms and federal agencies to the I-270 corridor continue to be successful and Fort Detrick will be positively impacted by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC).
David Wilkinson is Vice President of MacRo, Ltd., Call or email me today at 301-698-9696, ext. 203 or dave@macroltd.com. Click here for a downloadable version the Spring 2010 MacRo Report. So while the past few years have been “difficult,” we remain bullish on the opportunities and prospects for property values in this area. At MacRo, we are committed to staying on top of all the changes and trends in real estate and land development, and we invite you to call us any questions you may have about the market today.