HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022 LPPRP
WASHINGTON COUNTY,
MARYLAND
2022
LAND PRESERVATION,
PARKS & RECREATION
PLAN
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Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Table of Contents
I INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 3
A. General Geographic Information ....................................................................................................... 3
B. Population .......................................................................................................................................... 6
II PARKS AND RECREATION ...................................................................................................................... 11
A. Overview of the Parks and Recreation System in Washington County ............................................ 11
B. Inventory of Existing Public Parks and Recreation Facilities ............................................................ 14
I. Measuring User Demand ..................................................................................................... 17
II. Level of Service Analysis ...................................................................................................... 24
III. Goals for Parks and Recreation ........................................................................................... 34
IV. Program Implementation .................................................................................................... 39
V. Capital Improvements Program .......................................................................................... 41
VI. Progress Toward Achievement of Goals and Recommendations ....................................... 46
III OTHER PROTECTED LANDS ................................................................................................................... 63
A. Natural Resource Land Conservation Overview ............................................................................... 63
B. Goals for Natural Resource Land Conservation................................................................................ 64
C. Inventory of Protected Natural Resource Lands and Mapping ........................................................ 67
D. Implementation Ordinances and Programs ..................................................................................... 70
E. Deficiencies and Recommendations ................................................................................................ 79
IV AGRICULTURAL LAND PRESERVATION ................................................................................................ 83
A. Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................... 83
B. Goals for Agricultural Land Preservation .......................................................................................... 85
C. Implementation Programs and Services .......................................................................................... 87
D. Deficiencies and Recommendations ................................................................................................ 92
APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................................ 95
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
I. INTRODUCTION
Washington County's preserved lands, including parks, trails, waterways, forests, farms, and
recreation facilities strongly contribute to the quality of life experienced by residents and visitors alike.
The Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan (LPPRP) presents a five-year vision for the County’s
provision of parks and open space. It identifies, and communicates to the public, how the County and its
municipalities can build upon its current system of parks, facilities, recreational programs and protected
lands to promote a sustained quality of life that is shared widely by all.
The Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan is one of several functional plans that support
the goals and objectives of the adopted Comprehensive Plan for the County. The primary purpose of this
plan is to identify areas where open space enhancements are most needed based upon existing resources,
community demographics and anticipated impacts from growth so that a coordinated plan can be
developed to address these future needs. This is important for several reasons including:
Public Investment: Investments made towards park lands, park facilities and
recreation programs should be done in a timely and cost effective manner to support
the growth of neighborhoods and communities by making the most of scarce fiscal
resources and meet growing user demand.
Interjurisdictional Cooperation: The constraints described above provide an
opportunity for entities from various sectors to work together in a collaborative
manner on open space projects that serve people throughout the County and avoid
duplication of programs, services, and facilities.
Resource Protection: Recreation and resource protection can be mutually supportive
activities. The C&O Canal Towpath is a prime example of the successful integration
of these two objectives as it provides opportunities for active and passive recreation
while serving to protect an invaluable riparian corridor along the Potomac River as
well as many historic resources.
Social Integration: Recreational activities that take place on publicly available lands
or facilities provide an outlet for people with similar interests to come together and
socialize regardless of their social status. Long range park plans should contain
suitable flexibility to respond to changing demographic changes and lifestyle
preferences while not losing sight of long range established goals.
Health and Wellness: Access to places that people can recreate at affordably is a key
method of promoting public health and wellness behaviors that lead to better
outcomes for individuals and communities and reduce overall health care costs.
Access: Like other community facilities, the location of park facilities and recreation
program sites should be carefully considered so that they are accessible to adjacent
residential neighborhoods and to multiple modes of transportation.
Flexibility: Changing interests over time have been reflected in the amenities
expected by park users and in the activities offered by recreation programs. To meet
these rising expectations, parks must now provide for an increasing range of passive
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
and active uses, ranging from recreational trails to specialized athletic courts and field
spaces. Recreational programming now encompasses classes for all ages and abilities,
often including class topics or pursuits traditionally offered by the private market.
Washington County is fortunate to possess a large system of Federal, State, and Local parks. As
detailed in the Parks and Recreation section of this Plan, 98% of Washington County’s more than 33,000
acres of parkland is located on publicly owned lands. These lands offer numerous active and passive
recreational opportunities while also serving to protect or conserve a variety of sensitive natural resource
land throughout the County.
Publicly-owned Park lands in Washington County include the following:
Four (4) Federally-owned park units administered primarily by the National Park Service:
Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Antietam National Battlefield, Harper’s Ferry National Historical
Park, and the Chesapeake and Ohio National Historical Park.
Thirteen (13) State-owned lands, including eight (8) State parks, four (4) Wildlife Management
Areas and one (1) Natural Resources Management Area.
Eighteen (18) County parks
Thirty-Three (33) Municipally-owned parks
In addition to the public parklands which comprise the overwhelming majority of the County’s
parks and recreation system, private entities and quasi-public lands offer additional recreational
opportunities. 2% of County parklands are provided on privately owned lands by various community
organizations which allow some degree of public access to their facilities. Joint-use agreements between
Washington County Government and Washington County Public Schools facilitate the shared use of
several public school facilities, particularly for County recreational programming. Additional details about
parks owned by each of these entities are provided in the Parks and Recreation Section of this Plan.
A. General Geographic Information
Washington County is one of four counties commonly described as “Western Maryland”. It is
bounded to the east by Frederick County; the north by Pennsylvania (Mason-Dixon Line); to the west by
Allegany County, and the south by the Potomac River. There are nine (9) incorporated municipalities
located within the County. Hagerstown, the County seat and largest municipality, is located approximately
70 miles northwest of Baltimore and Washington DC and 165 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.
The County contains 467 square miles (298,522 acres), of which approximately 455 square miles
are land. The terrain consists of prominent ridges and broad valleys running in a northeast/southwest
direction. More than 100 miles of shoreline along the Potomac River occur within the County. There are
no natural lakes.
The Great Valley, also called the Great Appalachian Valley, is one of the major landform features
of eastern North America. It could be characterized as a massive trough – a chain of valley lowlands – that
is a central feature of the Appalachian Mountain system. The trough stretches approximately 1200 miles
from Quebec to Alabama and has been an important north-south route of travel since prehistoric times.
Washington County contains the Maryland part of the Great Valley, often referred to as the Hagerstown
Valley, which connects to the Cumberland Valley in Pennsylvania and the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia
and West Virginia.
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Map 1: Physiographic Provinces
As shown in the map above, the County is geologically diverse, including parts of two other
physiographic provinces – the Blue Ridge and Ridge and Valley. South Mountain and Elk Ridge, extending
north to south along the eastern boundary of the County, are the westernmost extent of the Blue Ridge
province. The Hagerstown Valley, which contains more than half of the land area of the County, extends
from the west base of South Mountain to Fairview Mountain west of Clear Spring. There, small ridges and
valleys begin and run to the west as part of the Ridge and Valley physiographic province. Elevations
throughout the County range from Quirack Mountain at 2,145 feet in the northeast corner of the County
to 300 feet above sea level in the southern end of the Hagerstown Valley near the Potomac River. Geology and Soils
The surface rock strata and most of the subsurface rock in the County consist of limestone, shale
and sandstone. The Hagerstown Valley is underlain mostly by relatively soluble limestone and shows
evidence of the sinkholes and caverns associated with karst geology. As a result, the County has the largest
number of known caves in Maryland and a substantial number of springs occurring where permeable and
impermeable rock layers meet. The narrower valleys are underlain mostly by shale while the ridges are
formed by resistant sandstone or quartzite.
The topography of the County varies greatly due to its physiographic location. The Hagerstown
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Valley is primarily flat with gently rolling hills. Slopes are steepest along the eastern border of Washington
County, in the areas between Licking Creek and Little Conococheague Creek, along the Little Tonoloway
Creek and along Sideling Hill Creek. Nearly 30% of the County’s total land area has slopes greater than
15% with an additional 8,000 acres on slopes above 30%. Slopes are also steep along most of the creek
beds in the County due to years of erosion as the streams meandered.
The best quality soils for agriculture are primarily located in the Hagerstown Valley region of the
County. Areas of high quality soils near Clear Spring and in the Southern part of the County east and south
of Sharpsburg have also been targeted for protection through a variety of agricultural preservation
easement programs. Forest Resources
Before settlement and farming began, most of the County was covered with hardwood forest.
Now, the significant remaining forested areas are along South Mountain and in the western portion of the
County. Forests are primarily located on steep slopes including the Elk Ridge and Red Hill areas in the
south end of the County, the ridges north and west of Clear Spring, and the ridges west of Hancock.
Additional forested areas are in the Hagerstown Valley where the land is too rocky or steep for
development or farming. Bottomland forests are found along the fertile floodplains of Conococheague
and Antietam Creeks, and along the Potomac River.
Forested cover, shown in the map below, comprises 45.8% of the County or approximately
137,277 acres.1 A great deal of this acreage is protected under State or Federal ownership. State owned
forest land includes over 7,000 acres along South Mountain which contain several State parks and protect
the Appalachian Trail corridor. Significant areas of State owned forest are also located in the western end
of the County, including 6,500 acres in the Indian Springs area, 3,400 acres in the Woodmont Natural
Resource Management Area and over 2,600 acres in the Sideling Hill Wildlife Management Area.2 The City
owned areas of the Edgemont Watershed on South Mountain preserve approximately 1,800 acres of
woodlands for water supply, open space, and limited recreational uses. Approximately 5,300 acres are
protected along the east bank of the Potomac River, within the federally owned and managed Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal National Historic Park.
1 Tree Canopy Calculated Internally Using Chesapeake Bay Model (2017)
2 Fiscal Year 2020 Maryland Department of Natural Resources Lands Acreage Report
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Map 2: Natural Features of Washington County, MD
According to a 2013 forest inventory conducted by the United States Forest Service in cooperation
with the Maryland Forest Service and Maryland Department of Natural Resources, most of the forest
stands in Washington County are associated with the Oak-Hickory forest community (79%). The remaining
forest is classified as White/Red/Jack Pine (8%), Oak/Pine (6%), Other Hardwoods (6%),
Elm/Ash/Cottonwood (1%).3
B. General Population and Demographic Information Population
Population projections, which are an important tool in planning for public investment in parks,
recreation and other protected lands, have been very difficult to evaluate in recent decades due to
numerous factors and events affecting the economy and housing markets. Both the economy and housing
market flourished during the end of the 1990’s and into the beginning of the 2000’s in Washington County,
bringing in a much higher number of new citizens than previously predicted. The County’s population
grew 8.6% from 1990-2000, and 11.7% between 2000-2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
3 Maryland Forest Composition. Retrieved from:
https://ccbc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=42d2db8c52284d2b9fc57e073733a4bd#
on September 29, 2021.
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Obscured by this overall trend of progressively increasing population growth in the previous two
decades was the sudden decline in the housing market mid to late 2000’s, which had a tremendous impact
both locally and nationally. The resulting recession significantly stemmed previous growth trends and
likely was a strong contributor to an increase of only 7,275 people (or 4.9%) since 2010. Washington
County’s current population presently stands at 154,705 people.4 The current population increase is
notably less than was previously predicted by the County and State prior to 2020 (both estimates
exceeded 160,000 people by 2020). The effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic bring further uncertainty to
forecasting future population growth based upon these continually shifting economic fortunes.
Figure 1: Population Projections
Caveats aside, projections from both the County and State assume a resumption of more steady
population growth over the next few decades, as can be seen in the graph above. The Maryland
Department of Planning’s (MDP) most recent population projections (December 2020) anticipate an
increase of 32,020 people (or .72% annually) by 2040. The County Planning Department has also
developed population projections through 2040. County projections indicate an increase in population of
approximately 38,079 people (or .86% annually) through 2040.
The County’s updated projections deviate slightly from MDPs, particularly after 2030. Accounting
for current local trends in natality and mortality rates, net migration, group quarters, and new housing
construction, the County utilizes a 0.71% per year growth factor from 2020-2030, which is below its
traditional annual rate of growth of 1.15%. The traditional growth rate of 1.15% per year is then used
between 2030-2040, when the effects of recent volatility caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic and other
economic trends begins to diminish in effect. MDP, on the other hand, projects an annual growth rate of
.88% after 2030, ultimately resulting in a project difference of 6,059 individuals by 2040.
4 U.S. Census Bureau. 2020 Decennial Census.
147,430 147,430154,705 154,705165,884 164,900
185,509 179,450
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
200,000
County MDP
Washington County
Projected Total Population 2010-2040
2010 (Actual)2020 (Actual)2030 2040
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Households
The standard economic definition of a household is the number of persons living together in one
housing unit. More simply, a household is equivalent to any occupied housing unit. Households are
broken down into family (where residents are related to primary householder through birth, marriage or
adoption) and non-family (where residents are unrelated). This statistic is important in understanding the
demand for types of living quarters and estimating population fluctuations based on new unit
development. From the perspective of providing parks and open space, household types also offer insight
into, among other things, the types of amenities that may be desired at parks, or the potential demand
for recreational programming serving the needs of various user groups.
According to the 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Washington County has
approximately 56,367 households of which 37,939, or 67.3%, are family households. Family households
made up 67.4% of total households in the Census data used in the County’s 2017 LPPRP (from 2015 ACS
estimates), so there has not been a statistically significant increase in non-family households in the last
four years. A breakdown of household types in 2019 is shown below.
Table 1: Household Characteristics (2020)
Household Type Total
% of Total
Households
Yes No
Family Households
Married Couple Family 9,653 17,954 27,607 49.0%
Male Householder (No Spouse)2,098 1,378 3,476 6.2%
Female Householder (No Spouse)3,975 2,881 6,856 12.2%
Subtotal 15,726 22,213 37,939 67.3%
Non-Family Households 18,428 32.7%
Totals 56,367 100.0%
Children Under 18?
Washington County - Households and Families (2020)
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate (S1101) Socio-Economic Characteristics
Washington County’s population aged 16 years or greater is projected to become predominantly
female by 2030, as seen in Table 2 below. This trend mirrors that of the State as a whole, where the
majority of this age group is already female now and will likely continue to be mostly female through
2040.
Table 2: Gender Projections (2010-2040) - Age 16+
2010 2020 2030 2040
Washington County
Male 50.7% 50.2% 49.4% 49.0%
Female 49.3% 49.8% 50.6% 51.0%
Maryland
Male – State 47.7% 47.6% 47.4% 48.4%
Female State 52.3% 52.4% 52.6% 52.7%
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Source: Maryland Department of Planning - Population 16 Years and Over (2018)
Washington County is projected to remain populated by a significantly Non-Hispanic White
population through 2040, unlike Maryland as a whole which appears to be transitioning towards a more
uniformly mixed populace. The share of Non-Hispanic White individuals is projected to drop by 14.3%
between 2010 and 2040 in Washington County, however. The largest increase in the County belongs to
the Non-Hispanic Black category, which is projected to increase by 7.2% by 2040.
Table 3: Race Projections (2010-2040) – Washington County v. Maryland
2010 2020 2030 2040
Washington County
Non-Hispanic White 85.8% 80.1% 74.8% 71.5%
Non-Hispanic Black 6.6% 9.3% 12.1% 13.8%
Non-Hispanic Other 4.1% 5.3% 6.4% 7.2%
Hispanic 3.5% 5.4% 6.7% 7.5%
Maryland
Non-Hispanic White 54.8% 49.8% 45.3% 41.9%
Non-Hispanic Black 28.8% 29.8% 31.4% 32.9%
Non-Hispanic Other 8.2% 9.8% 11.3% 12.3%
Hispanic 8.2% 10.6% 12.0% 12.9%
Source: Maryland Department of Planning - Household Population Projections for Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black,
Non-Hispanic Other and Hispanic by Age and Gender (2020) Age Cohorts
Figure 2, below, shows age cohort projections between 2010 and 2040 which compare
Washington County with the State of Maryland using data taken from the Maryland Department of
Planning. Most age groupings found in Census data used by MDP have been aggregated together, except
for the 0-4 age group.
The most significant trend that can be found in these projections, both at the County and State
level, is the steady movement of the population from both the 20-44 and 45-64 age groups into the 65+
age group. Between 2010 and 2040, the 65+ age group is projected to increase by 7.2% in Washington
County and by 8.8% in Maryland overall. This indicates that many people will be aging out of the
workforce and entering retirement. From the perspective of this plan, that translates into an increased
need for recreation programs and amenities in parks and open spaces that meet the needs of seniors.
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Figure 2: 2010-2040 Age Cohorts - Washington County v. Maryland
Source: Maryland Department of Planning - Household Population Projections for Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic
Black, Non-Hispanic Other and Hispanic by Age and Gender (2020) Household Income Characteristics
Table 4, below, displays the median household income in Washington County in comparison to
Maryland as a whole. Household incomes are particularly useful when determining appropriate fees and
charges for recreation programs or entrance to public lands. The largest median income grouping in
Washington County falls within the $50,000-$74,999 at 17.5%, which would generally constitute a
“middle-class” standard for most families based upon the local cost of living. Maryland as a whole, sees
its largest median income grouping at $100,000-$149,999 which, when accounting for the more
developed portions of the State to the east, also is likely middle-class standard in most places.
Table 2: Median Household Income - Washington County v. Maryland
Income Range Washington County Maryland
Less than $10,000 5.4%4.6%
$10,000 to $14,999 4.1%2.6%
$15,000 to $24,999 9.0%5.6%
$25,000 to $34,999 8.9%6.1%
$35,000 to $49,000 13.0%9.3%
$50,000 to $74,999 16.6%15.2%
$75,000 to $99,999 14.0%13.0%
$100,000 to $149,999 15.7%19.3%
$150,000 to $199,999 7.8%10.8%
$200,000 or more 5.5%13.4%
Median Household Income $63,510 $87,063
Household Income Characteristics
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate (S1901)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%CountyStateCountyStateCountyStateCountyState2010 2020 2030 2040% of PopulationComparison of Age Cohorts
65+
45-64
20-44
5-19
0-4
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
II. PARKS AND RECREATION
A. Overview of the Parks and Recreation System in Washington County
Parks and recreation facilities located throughout Washington County are designed to meet the
needs and interests of County residents and visitors alike. Federal, State, and Local parks, along with
those parks provided by private entities, offer opportunities throughout the County for active and passive
recreational activities. Many of these same facilities also accomplish supporting objectives such as natural
resource protection or historic preservation.
Public parks, recreational amenities and their associated programs provide myriad benefits to
users. As was evident in the dramatic increase in visitation to nearly all public lands around the country
during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, access to public green space is vital to community quality of
life and personal well-being. Frequent exposure to nature offered significant positive effects during this
period when the availability of indoor recreational spaces was frequently impacted. Beyond passive uses
of these lands, parks also provide space for active alternatives to the jogger, walker, biker, who has
developed a fitness regimen on their own, and prefers this setting to developed areas. For some, signing
up for recreation programs helps provide the structure and motivation to engage in regular physical
activity, or socialize with like-minded individuals.
Most of the parklands under the ownership and direction of Federal and State governments
provide more passive type recreational opportunities, such as hiking/walking/biking trails, picnic areas,
playgrounds, camping areas, and educational facilities such as nature centers or museums. These areas
also support environmental conservation and natural resource protection goals by maintaining areas in a
mostly primitive state with low to moderate impacts from human usage.
Local and municipal parks are primarily focused on more active forms of recreation such as play
fields, hard court sports, playgrounds, swimming pools, and indoor recreation centers. To a lesser extent,
these parks may also serve conservation and educational needs in local communities.
The Washington County Recreation Department provides individuals in Washington County the
opportunity to enjoy affordable recreation and fitness classes with programs for both youth and adults
which support a healthy lifestyle. The department offers more than 30 individual or seasonal programs
including the popular Jim and Fay Powers Music Series, heritage based educational programs, a wide
range of fitness based programs, and many organized leagues for all ages. Most are offered in public
parks and in county school facilities.
Washington County owns and maintains 18 parks or recreational facilities. Maintenance is
planned and performed by the Parks and Facilities Department, which is a section of the Division of Public
Works. As outlined in the parks inventory in Appendix B of this document, most of the County parks
contain picnic and playground areas. Many of the parks also include active field/court based recreation
opportunities. The County is also unique in that it owns and operates an award winning 18-hole golf
course, Black Rock Golf Course.
While the County has many opportunities for active field sport activities, there are some gaps in
local natural resource based recreation opportunities. The County continues to work with private
property owners to locate public access to local waterways, and therefore, provide more opportunities
for activities such as fishing and kayaking.
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
In total, Washington County has a total of approximately 33,248 acres5 of public parklands and
natural resources lands. As shown in the chart below, most of parkland and natural resource lands are
located in either Federal or State public lands of various types. The 40+ miles of the Appalachian Trail that
run through Washington County are accounted for in the Maryland State Park lands that the trail passes
through.
Figure 3: Public Recreation Lands in Washington County, MD
Parkland Classifications
Park and open space area include a variety of recreation areas and facilities to meet the various
recreational needs of residents and visitors. Parks and open spaces can also be established to preserve,
conserve, and manage natural resources and habitats. To define the various types of lands used for
recreation or resource management related purposes that appear on the County’s inventory, the
following classifications are offered below:
i. Recreation v. Resource Lands
Recreation Land: Land and/or related water areas that support recreation as a primary use. This land
may also contain cultural, agricultural, or other resources related or incidental to its recreational purpose.
There are two sub-categories of recreational land:
a. Non-Resource Based Recreational Land: Land on which the primary recreational
activities do not depend on the presence of natural resources. This land supports
activities that can occur in the absence of intact natural resources, and are generally
5 Acreage total does not include School Facilities included in Parkland Inventory
Federal
24%
State
69%
County
3%
Hagerstown
0.8%
Municipalities
1%
Private
2%
Public Recreation Lands in Washington County
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
more dependent on-site improvements than on natural resources (i.e. - public
swimming pools, basketball courts, and baseball fields).
b. Natural Resource Based Recreational Land: Land on which the primary recreation
activities depend on the presenceof natural resources. Activities generally do not
occur without the presence of natural resources (i.e. - public beaches, backpacking,
camping, and hiking).
Resource Land: Land and/or related water areas for which natural resource protection, conservation, or
management is of primary importance. This land may support agricultural, recreational, economic, or
other uses to the extent that they do not conflict with protection or preservation of the natural resource.
To further refine the classification of lands in the parks system in terms of amenities, size, and the
geographic service area, recreation and resource lands are defined in the table below and in the
definitions that follow.
Table 4: Park Classifications
Park Type Acreage Range Service Area
Neighborhood 1 to 10 acres 1/2 mile
Community 30 to 100 acres 2+ miles
Regional 100+ acres 10+ miles
Special Use 1 to 50 acres Countywide
State & Federal Resource Lands 1,000+ acres Countywide
Neighborhood Park: The primary function is to serve as the recreational and social focus of a
neighborhood. They are developed for both active and passive activities, accommodating a wide variety
of age groups. Sites are generally small, in the two to five-acre range, and are usually within one half mile
or less of potential users.
Community Park: The purpose is larger and broader than neighborhood parks. Their focus is on meeting
the recreational needs of several neighborhoods or larger sections of the community as well as preserving
unique landscapes, open spaces, and natural resources. Sites can range in size from ten to fifty acres
depending on rural or urban settings and the number of potential users. These parks are generally
intensely developed to provide both passive and active recreational opportunities to potential users
within two to three miles.
County/Regional Park: Like the community park, the focus is on recreation as well as preserving natural
landscapes, open spaces, and natural resources. Sites are generally fifty acres or more and provide both
active and passive recreational opportunities to potential users throughout the County and/or region.
School Recreational Land: These are sites owned and maintained by the Board of Education and serve to
provide for the school’s recreational needs as well as limited community needs. The school recreational
land consists of formal athletic fields and playground equipment with the primary focus on scholastic
sports and in school recreational activities. An agreement between the Board of County Commissioners
and the Board of Education allows additional funds to be provided to build an expanded gym, storage
areas, recreation rooms and offices to support Recreation Centers which are open to the public when
school is not in session. These Centers are managed by the County’s Department of Parks and Recreation.
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Special Use Park: Areas that are generally oriented toward a single purpose use such as public golf
courses, including protection of unique features such as historic or cultural sites, stream access, wetland
areas, and habitat management areas.
State Park: Areas with natural resources or geographic, topographic, or physiographic characteristics that
is suitable for recreational development and use. These areas are managed with the primary objective of
providing outdoor recreational opportunities for the public in a natural setting.
State Wildlife Management Area – Areas with the primary objective of protecting, propagating, and
managing wildlife populations. They may provide recreational opportunities for sportsmen and other
wildlife enthusiasts, or may be an undisturbed refuge for wildlife.
State Natural Resource Management Area – Areas where multiple-use management practices are
employed for the maximum use of the natural resources of the area. These areas are not committed to
specific uses until they have been studied and management plans are developed. A variety of interim uses
may be allowed, including recreational, that do not conflict with the protection or management of the
area’s natural resources.
Federal Park: Areas managed primarily for the preservation of natural or cultural resources that are of
national significance. The federal park lands occurring in Washington County are managed by the National
Park Service (NPS) under various designations. The NPS is also tasked with making these lands accessible
for public use and enjoyment.
Most non-resource based recreational land is contained within County and municipal parks.
While the municipalities focus on neighborhood scale parks, the County focuses more on community and
regional park resources. As noted above, State and Federal Parks occurring in Washington County serve
a dual purpose of providing opportunities for both recreation and natural resource protection. The sum
total of all these lands provides a diverse network of parks and recreation facilities for visitors to enjoy.
In addition to governmentally owned park facilities, there are several community and Ruritan
parks that are privately owned but are also open to the public in varying degrees. While not technically
included within the proximity analysis due to their privately-owned nature, it is still important to include
as a resource.
B. Inventory of Existing Public Parks and Recreation Facilities i. Public Parks and Recreation Facilities
Map 3, seen below, displays the system of public park lands defined in the previous section. Most
acreage is contained within the State and Federal Park units found in Washington County. Geographically,
these lands are concentrated mostly around the County’s southern and eastern perimeter where major
land and water features lend themselves to landscape level preservation efforts. County and municipal
parks, which are smaller in size but more numerous than State and Federal Parks, are typically
concentrated within, or on the periphery of, the jurisdictional limits of existing communities and planned
growth areas. The inventory of all park lands and a full-size map are contained in the appendix.
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Map 3: Governmentally Owned and Maintained Parks in Washington County, MD ii. Federal Parks
There are four Federal park units located within Washington
County: the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Antietam National
Battlefield, Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park, and the
Chesapeake and Ohio National Historical Park. The primary intent of
each of these parks is to protect historical aspects of the area
through education and historical interpretation programs. They also
make some limited recreational opportunities available such as
biking, hiking, camping, horseback riding, and walking/jogging trails.
Photo 1: C&O Canal Towpath
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iii. State Parks
The State of Maryland also owns and maintains lands in
Washington County that includes eight (8) State parks, four (4)
Wildlife Management Areas and one (1) Natural Resources
Management Area. There is a wide variety of passive and active
recreational opportunities in these areas including biking, hiking,
camping, horseback riding, walking/jogging, swimming, and
playgrounds. The State parks include Fort Frederick, Gathland,
Greenbrier, South Mountain (includes Appalachian Trail), South
Mountain Battlefield, Washington Monument, and the Western
Maryland Rail Trail. Wildlife Management Areas include Indian
Springs, Islands of the Potomac, Prather’s Neck, and Sideling Hill.
Woodmont Natural Resource Management Area is managed for resource conservation, public access to
recreation and preservation of a historic lodge.
iv. County and Municipal Parks
At a County-level, there are eighteen (18) parks that are
owned and maintained through the County Department of Parks
and Facilities with the Division of Public Works. They include the
Agricultural Education Center, Black Rock Golf Course, Camp
Harding, Chestnut Grove, Clear Spring, Devil’s Backbone, Doub’s
Woods, Kemps Mill, Marty Snook, Mt. Briar Wetland Preserve, Pen
Mar, Pinesburg Softball Complex, Piper Lane, Pleasant Valley,
Rose’s Mill, Regional, Wilson Bridge, and Woodland Way. These
areas offer more active recreational opportunities such as sports
fields (soccer, baseball, football, softball, etc.), playgrounds, golf
courses, ourts (basketball, tennis, volleyball, etc.).
Finally, there are nine (9) incorporated municipalities within the
County that also provide parks and recreational opportunities to
residents within their boundaries and within the County. Those
municipalities include the City of Hagerstown (22 parks) and the Towns
of Boonsboro (1 park), Clear Spring (no municipal parks, but 1 County
park); Funkstown (1 park), Hancock (3 parks), Keedysville (1 park),
Sharpsburg (1 park), Smithsburg (2 parks), and Williamsport (2 parks).
These areas also serve a similar purpose to those of the County which
provide active recreation areas and some passive recreation areas.
v. Quasi-Public and Private Parks and Recreation Facilities
Quasi-public and/or privately owned recreational facilities or park lands that are open or available
for regular public use are shown on Map 4 below. These include privately owned community and Ruritan
parks, as well as public school facilities that have joint-use agreements between the County and the local
Board of Education. At the public school sites, various indoor facilities such as gymnasiums are being used
by the County Recreation Department to facilitate local recreation programs. The facilities shown on this
Photo 1: Albert Powell State Fish
Hatchery
Photo 4: City Park,
Hagerstown
Photo 3: Pen Mar Park
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map (and which are also included in the County’s Park Inventory) help to fill needs in parts of the County
which are called out on the Park Equity and Park Proximity Analyses as areas which may be candidates for
new park development later on in the LPPRP.
Map 4: Quasi-Public and Private Parks and Recreation Facilities
I. Measuring User Demand i. Public Engagement and Outreach
Public engagement for the County’s 2022 LPPRP update was primarily conducted through a two-
part online survey that was open to the public for approximately two months in the summer of 2021. The
survey was advertised to the public by the County’s Public Relations Department through various media
outlets during this period, yielding 521 responses from 27 different zip codes during the 8-9 week period.
The two parts of the survey were comprised of a questionnaire and an interactive mapping tool.
The questionnaire focused on measuring user proximity and access to, as well as usage of, County parks
and facilities plus participation in local recreation programs. The second part of the survey offered a more
open-ended format for respondent feedback on parks, programs and facilities. Respondents were able
to identify specific locations throughout the County where they wished to see new parks, amenities or
facilities, or had specific comments on existing facilities, by dropping a pin on a map and inputting their
comments into the pop-up dialogue box that appeared. Fifty-two additional comments were received
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on the mapped portion of the survey. The overall idea of each survey piece was to capture both
quantitative and qualitative responses from the public on both existing parks and recreation resources as
well as those they’d like to see in the future.
Image 1: 2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Survey Questionnaire Snapshot
The questionnaire portion of the survey (see snapshot above) consisted of 15 primary questions
aimed at measuring visitor use and demand of parks and recreation programs and facilities. Five
additional questions gathered demographic data on respondents for those willing to provide that
information. The entirety of both parts of the survey can be found in the Appendix. Some of the major
conclusions that could be drawn from the survey include:
72% of respondents were either satisfied or very satisfied with existing County parks, programs,
facilities and services
61% live within 3 miles or less from a park
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89% access parks or recreation facilities by personal automobile
44% visit a park at least once per week or more
40% of households surveyed had a member who participated in recreation programs
Marty Snook Park, Devil’s Backbone Park and the Agricultural Education Center were the most
frequently visited County Parks
Trails and paths for walking, running, bicycling and other activities were both the most
frequently used amenity at County parks and the most requested new amenity to be added
48% of respondents favored “Creating New Amenities or Programs at Existing Parks and
Recreation Facilities” when asked to rank their priorities for allocating funding
“Maintain Existing Facilities and Programs at Current Standards” and “Expand Parks System So
That New Facilities Can Be Offered to Match Population Growth” were the other choices”
In the mapped portion of the survey (see image below), respondents were asked to categorize
their location specific comments according to choices such as “Parks I Visit,” “Water Access I Use,” “New
Facilities or Park Amenities,” “Safety Concerns” before dropping a pin on the map. A pop-up dialogue box
then appeared to allow for commenter elaboration under the chosen category. The responses gained
from this portion of the survey revealed many useful insights for parks planning. The most frequently
cited comments among multiple categories were visitor usage of existing trails and paths in parks for
various recreation related purposes, and their desire to see more trails and paths created in many
different locations around the County.
Image 2: 2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Survey Map Snapshot
These responses help to illustrate that although the County is very fortunate to already have an
extensive network of trails and paths to serve recreational needs, particularly on Federal and State
landholdings, many of these trails are located somewhat distant to the County’s population centers. By
and large this is due simply to the County’s topography which has naturally located long distance trails
such as the C&O Canal Towpath, Appalachian Trail, or Western Maryland Rail Trail along its mountainous
eastern and southern perimeter bordering the Potomac River. Commenter responses therefore indicate
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a desire to see additional trails or paths created within new or existing County or municipal parks closer
to where people live and work. Plans are already in development to address these concerns throughout
incremental improvements at various County and municipal parks using Project Open Space funds and
other sources. In the most significant example, the County is pursuing the creation of an approximately
3 mile trail system within its designated Urban Growth Area at Regional Park on lands immediately south
of Black Rock Golf Course and has already received grant funding to design and construct the project.
In addition to using the two-part survey to gauge local priorities for future parks and recreation
development, the County also regularly engages with local municipalities and other stakeholder groups
to identify their specific needs as well. The most formalized example of this engagement process occurs
in the development of the budget allocating Program Open Space (POS) funds awarded to counties by the
State. Local municipalities, as well as governing bodies for higher education (Washington County Public
Schools, Hagerstown Community College), are given the opportunity to present requests for POS funds to
support capital parks and recreation projects occurring within their jurisdiction. These requests are
fielded by the County’s Director of Public Works and formally presented before the County’s Recreation
and Parks Advisory Board. This Board meets monthly to provide for the development and operation of
recreational opportunities for Washington County residents. Funding is then distributed to recipients
based upon the merits of their requests, past funding awards, and the capital planning needs of the County
itself.
The POS award process has proven to be the most effective tool by which municipal needs can be
identified and translated into concrete projects within the constraints of available funding. The formalized
nature of this fiscally constrained process requires these entities to prioritize their needs for parks and
recreation facilities instead of simply creating a wish list of projects that may not be funded or
implemented according to an impactful timeline. Key decision makers, who are in tune with the needs of
their community or organization, are integrally involved in the development of these POS requests to the
County and often present them before the Board. Their presence provides assurance that project
requests have been vetted by multiple entities before funding is allocated to a given project.
In some instances, in recent years, the County has also provided direct financial assistance to local
municipalities to acquire lands that will be developed into community parks. This arrangement has
occurred with two properties in Funkstown. In one instance, the Town was looking to acquire a large
parcel of land in the immediate vicinity of its existing Community Park. In the other, it sought to convert
lands located in a floodplain along Antietam Creek that are currently being used for residential purposes
to park land that would provide additional access to the waterway. The acquisition of these properties
for the purposes of park development may not have occurred without the County’s involvement due to
the significant upfront costs associated with the purchase of the land.
Typical public engagement and outreach methods used in development of past plans included
public input meetings at several locations around the County. These meetings were proven to be
ineffective and inefficient. While a few members of the public have had valuable comments regarding
the status of our parks and recreation facilities, meetings would typically be poorly attended and would
devolve into tangents upon specific negative experiences that proved to have no real solution or impact
on the Plan.
Therefore, the County felt that the outreach which occurs with municipalities for the distribution
of POS funding in combination with the publicly available online survey reasonably captured local needs
and priorities for parks and recreation projects. The public also has multiple opportunities to comment
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on the LPPRP itself when the document is presented before the Planning Commission and Board of County
Commissioners before it is formally adopted.
Stakeholder meetings conducted during the outreach for the 2017 LPPRP also yielded a number
of useful comments from various groups and individuals that remain relevant in developing the current
Plan. Participants were first asked what the County has, and has not, done well with parks and recreation
facilities. Reponses included:
The County has done well at addressing park safety, the maintenance of equipment and
surfaces and made a good use of limited resources
Facility scheduling could be improved due to the number of organized leagues already
contracted to use various public recreation facilities (particularly softball and baseball fields)
Some older sites do not fit the current needs or design guidelines for some facilities, (such as
playground areas)
The physical arrangement of some of the parks can limit user’s enjoyment of the areas
Lastly, when asked what the County can do to improve parks and recreation facilities within the
community, participants offered the following suggestions:
♦ Provide turf fields with lighting. These would require less maintenance even though initial costs
would be higher. Turf fields also held the potential to stimulate more use of County facilities and
generate more income for the County, perhaps attracting users from other areas, and reducing
the need for citizens, teams and clubs to leave the community to access superior facilities in other
locations.
♦ Develop more facilities in the east, north, Williamsport and Clear Springs areas.
♦ Obtain State and Federal money to promote trails/bike trails and improve inter-trail connections.
♦ Explore the potential for water trails along the creeks and waterways within the County,
specifically the Antietam and Conococheague Creeks.
♦ Coordinate with Maryland State Parks to provide wider access roads and additional parking for
walking trails.
♦ Convert abandoned railroad corridors to trails.
♦ Prioritize the use of Program Open Space funds and pursue other funding sources.
♦ Strive to improve the maintenance/replacement budget and schedule.
♦ Base long-term plans for increased park land and facilities on projected population increases.
♦ Provide more parking.
♦ Investigate the airport as a location for recreational facilities.
♦ Conduct a socio-economics analysis of areas around existing parks so that facilities can be
developed to match neighborhood needs.
♦ Offer more aquatic facilities.
ii. Usage, Demands, and Participation Rates
Recreation Programs and Park Facilities
The COVID-19 Pandemic presented unprecedented challenges in the provision of recreation
programs throughout the County. The fundamental in-person nature of many programs became
impossible to carry out due to restrictions on group gatherings at many program sites, particularly indoors.
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This necessitated creativity on the part of County and municipal recreation program providers to find
alternative methods for program delivery. Virtual activities, moving program sites outdoors or to brand
new locations, reduced class capacities, social distancing, mask wearing and many more public health
measures were accommodated by staff in service of continuing to provide opportunities for community
members to engage in recreation and fitness activities.
The following tables show attendance figures for County youth and adult recreation programs
and special events, plus recreation center rentals for 2019 and 2020. Despite the immense efforts
described above, program attendance was certainly affected greatly by the Pandemic. For this reason,
County program attendance figures are presented for 2019 and 2020 to provide a point of comparison on
program participation in a more normal year (2019) versus the most recently completed full year of
programming (2020). As can be seen in Table 7, 2020 youth program attendance was half of what it was
in 2019 while adult program attendance was reduced by 1/3 as a result of the Pandemic. Most special
events were canceled in 2020.
Tables 3 & 8: County Recreation Program Participation
Adult and Youth Recreation Programs Attendance
ACTIVITY 2019 2020
Youth Programs Participants Sessions Participants Sessions
Summer Camps 1894 44 532 49
Youth Dance 204 26 154 24
Youth Sports 1402 23 980 18
Swim Lessons 177 36 151 51
Total 3677 129 1817 142
Adult Programs Participants Sessions Participants Sessions
Adult Sports and Fitness 1168 53 783 44
Special Events Attendance 2019 2020 Youth Adult Total Youth Adult Total Princess Party 270 242 512 0 0 0 Park at Dark 115 103 218 0 0 0 Superhero Party 250 220 470 0 0 0 St. Patrick’s Day Run Fest 95 530 625 0 0 0 High Rock Mountain 0 0 0 10 56 66
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Running Challenge
Total 730 1095 1825 10 56 66
Usage statistics for County park facilities in 2021 are provided in the tables below. In keeping with
the pattern previously described, rentals for County school and community recreation centers were
reduced by 2/3 in 2020 due to the Pandemic limiting many indoor activities. Rentals of County park
facilities showed a strong recovery in 2021, as nearly 175,000 people utilized various outdoor facilities
through a variety of public and private events.
Tables 9 & 10: County Park Facilities Rentals and Usage
School and Community Recreation
Center Reservations
2019 2020 Birthday Rentals 242 69 Outside Rental Groups 34 20 Sports & Recreation Programs
61 24
Total 337 113
Facility Rentals and Usage (2021)
Reservations Attendance Park Pavilions 625 27,500* Ag Center 87 events 89,850* Ball Fields (Tournaments and Leagues)
16,920 Marty Snook Park Pool 11,170 Black Rock Golf Course (Rounds) 29,316
Total 174,756 * Approximate Totals
While continuing to adapt to fluid public health restrictions, the County offered many new
programs for the first time in 2021 to meet the changing recreational interests of the public. Offerings
include those for youth (basketball and soccer clinics, roller skating, child movement classes, archery,
paint nights) and adults (HIIT fitness, pickleball, disc golf, women’s self-defense).
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The County has continued to collaborate with the City of Hagerstown and the Commission on
Aging to provide recreational activities for seniors at the renovated former National Guard facility that
was converted to a Senior Center. This facility has a fitness center, areas for social activities, and support
for meal programs. Programs are offered to enhance the quality of life, including fitness, recreational, and
learning for life programs. The facility is already largely being used to its full capacity to support the
substantial demand for these programs and services.
II. Level of Service Analysis
The purpose of a level of service analysis is to assess the supply vs. the demand of the parkland
system. The supply of parkland available to the public has been established as part of the inventory
analysis of this chapter; however, a simple listing of resources does not give an accurate depiction of
service. To provide a more accurate representation of parkland supply, a spatial analysis of the park
system has been completed. To complement the supply portion of the equation, the demand portion of
the analysis is done through a park equity evaluation. These analyses have replaced the historic metric
used by the State of 30 acres of parks and recreational land per 1,000 population that was the default goal
for counties to reach in the past. The new metrics offer a more functionally accurate determination of
where gaps in service can be found so that plans can be formulated to address them. i. Park Equity Analysis
The process of measuring park equity
combines GIS mapping information and census data to
provide graphic representations to assist planners in
determining the best locations for future parks. It was
developed by the State of Maryland to provide a basic
quantitative tool to help expand public access to
nature for underserved communities, by employing
national, state and local data in a consistent and
strategic manner.
The park equity analysis identifies various
demographic measures, as well as the location,
amenities and accessibility of parks at the census tract
level. A combined score, using the weighted measures
noted at right, is computed for each census tract.
Areas with higher combined scores are considered underserved and in need of additional access to parks
or natural areas.
Equity Criteria:
• Population Density
• Concentration of Low-Income
Households
• Concentration of children under age 17
• Concentration of Adults over Age 65
• Concentration of Non-White Population
• Distance to Public Park Space
• Distance to Public Transportation
• Walkability
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Map 5: Park Equity Map for Washington County, MD
As shown on Map 5 above, the census tracts with the lowest equity scores are found in the
Jonathan Street neighborhood of Hagerstown and in two census tracts along Sharpsburg Pike near its
intersection with Lappans Road. The Jonathan Street neighborhood is currently served by Wheaton Park
as well as the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center. Therefore, the low equity score in that location
can be taken as being more representative of the demographic characteristics occurring in the census
tract than the lack of access to proximate parks or recreation facilities.
Since 2017, the City has added two new parks (National Road Park and Thomas Kennedy Park)
and expanded its Cultural Trail within 1 mile or less from this census tract. The County has also committed
to making significant improvements at the Community Center to upgrade and modernize the aging facility
that is still used extensively by many groups in the neighborhood. These additions to the City’s park system
complement twenty other parks within its jurisdictional limits.
The two census tracts along Sharpsburg Pike showing a low equity score contain State of Maryland
correctional facilities which skew demographic data. Therefore, these tracts do not truly represent an
area of need that can be targeted for park development.
The next tier of census tracts which possess relatively low equity scores are located:
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North of Hagerstown to the Pennsylvania border,
Between Broadfording Road and National Pike west of Hagerstown,
On Sharpsburg Pike between the I-70 interchange and Lappans Road,
East of the Town of Hancock, and
Along the Potomac River west of Downsville.
Of the locations cited above, the areas north of Hagerstown and along Sharpsburg Pike represent
locations where population density drives a higher demand for new parks and recreation facilities. Both
of these areas have seen notable amounts of residential development over the last two decades. North
Central County Park, a regional park, will help significantly to meet park needs north of the City. The Park
will be located near the intersection of Marsh Pike and Leitersburg Pike. Construction of this park cannot
commence until access is gained to the land by the extension of Eastern Boulevard to Leitersburg Pike.
Residential development along the stretch of Sharpsburg Pike noted above occurred, to a
significant extent, during the early 2000s housing boom and then tapered off during periods of the
national recession until picking up again in recent years when previously subdivided land from that period
began to finally build out. Commercial development along this stretch of roadway, such as the
construction of a new Walmart Supercenter, has also spurred investment. At present, Doubs Woods Park
and Marty Snook Park do offer access to park lands for residents living in this area on the north side of I-
70. Westfields, the largest residential subdivision along Sharpsburg Pike, also has its own private
community center, pool and tennis courts. Rockland Woods Elementary School, where the County has a
joint use agreement to use the gym for recreational programming, is located within the Westfields
subdivision. Finally, the Washington County Agricultural Education Center, located roughly 5 miles to the
south, hosts community events throughout much of the year and is open to public rental and use.
The other areas included in the list above would have a lesser need for new park facilities for the
reasons that follow:
The Broadfording Road/National Pike area west of Hagerstown is zoned for industrial
development, which is already beginning to occur.
The census tract east of Hancock is sparsely populated and does have access to the Town parks,
the Western Maryland Rail Trail and the C&O Canal Towpath.
A similar setting can be found west of Downsville where there are low population densities and
there is public access the Towpath. The Potomac Fish & Game Club also offers substantial access
to the Potomac River for members.
It should be explicitly noted that none of the above mentioned areas in this subsection currently
rise to the level of a gap in service that warrants immediate park development. Instead, areas such as
north of Hagerstown and along the Sharpsburg Pike corridor represent places where the County is
presently looking to provide recreational amenities and opportunities to support localized residential
growth in those locations.
Equity scores may also show disproportionate needs in areas of low population density, such as
near Downsville or east of Hancock, in identifying focus areas for new park development. The close
proximity of such locations to State and Federal Parklands, coupled with the high cost of providing services
to small number of local residents living in those areas, reveal that new park development would be far
more impactful in other areas of the County.
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It should be noted however, that the County works closely with its incorporated municipalities,
particularly in the distribution of Program Open Space Funds, to make sure that money for both park
acquisition and development is available throughout Washington County. Therefore, new parks or
amenities are not solely being developed in the County’s Urban Growth Area while ignoring the needs of
its rural communities. ii. Park Proximity Analysis
Using the County’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data, a spatial analysis was conducted
to determine the proximity of County and municipal parks to the public. Two scales of spatial analysis
were utilized: a large-scale countywide catchment area to cover rural areas and a smaller-scale catchment
area to analyze the more highly developed urban areas. The rural scale analysis includes catchment areas
of one, three, and five miles were mapped to determine if there are any gaps in service to the public. A
five-mile catchment area was determined to be the furthest acceptable distance from a park because it
represents an approximate 10-15-mile drive or reasonable bike ride. The one-mile catchment area
corresponds to a reasonable walking distance. ¼ to ½ mile catchment areas are also shown on the inset
map of the County’s designated Urban Growth Area around the City of Hagerstown and the Towns of
Williamsport and Funkstown to highlight proximity to park facilities in the most developed area of
Washington County.
As shown on Map 6, nearly the entire County is within five miles or less of a County or municipal
park. Given the above statement, no true gaps are found in the park proximity map aside from a few very
small areas along the County perimeter which are explained in further detail below in the paragraphs that
follow.
Largely, long-term needs on the Park Proximity Map mirror those found on the Park Equity Map
to a substantial extent. Long-term needs are greatest along the northern border with Pennsylvania,
various spots along the Potomac River bordering Virginia and West Virginia, and on the Frederick County
border near the I-70 corridor.
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Map 6: Park Proximity Map for Washington County, MD
Looking more closely at these results, the area of greatest benefit would be north of Hagerstown
to the Pennsylvania border. While these areas don’t exceed tolerable limits of proximity, mapping shows
a lesser density of County owned parks. Town or semi-public parks, or joint use school facilities are located
in Maugansville and Leitersburg to the northwest and northeast of Hagerstown in this area, but no
regional scale parks at present. This is where the planned North Central County Park would again make a
significant impact on access to park facilities for residents living in the northern fringes of the Urban
Growth Area.
It should be noted as well that, for people living in Washington County along the Pennsylvania
border, there are a number of community parks (Antrim Township Community Park, several in
Waynesboro) just across the state line in Pennsylvania which likely serve resident needs in those areas.
They are not included in the proximity analysis and the County cannot take credit for their provision, but
they do help to alleviate park needs along state lines. These parks offer recreational facilities, natural
areas and trails.
The other locations indicated as being between 3-5 miles from a park are largely covered by state
and federal park facilities. The C&O Canal towpath runs along the County’s entire Potomac River border
and the Western Maryland Rail Trail parallels it in the vicinity of Hancock to the Allegany County border.
Woodmont Natural Resource Management Area and Sideling Hill Wildlife Management Area can be found
in the westernmost portion of Washington County. North of Clear Spring is Indian Springs Wildlife
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Management Area, which satisfies recreational needs for many in that portion of the County. Greenbrier
State Park, the Appalachian Trail and South Mountain State Park serve the lands along the Frederick
County border. In addition to the C&O Canal towpath, the southernmost tip of Washington County
contains part of Harper’s Ferry National Historic Park, and another portion of the Appalachian Trail. Thus,
due both to these existing facilities and low population densities, these areas would be considered lesser
priorities for new park development.
Smaller catchment areas (1/4 -1/2 mile) are also shown within the Urban Growth Area around
Hagerstown, Williamsport and Funkstown due to the density of park facilities provided within a
concentrated area. Areas of moderate need (between 1-3 miles from a park facility) are found in the
following locations:
North of Hagerstown,
Between Broadfording Road and Clear Spring Road west of Hagerstown,
South of Williamsport and east of Governor Lane Blvd,
On Sharpsburg Pike between the I-70 interchange and Lappans Road,
In the vicinity of the I-70/I-81 interchange, and
In the Jefferson Boulevard/Robinwood Drive area west of Hagerstown
Most of these areas have been previously discussed in relation to park planning in the equity
analysis. The area zoned for industrial or commercial development west of Hagerstown encompasses the
lands north and south of National Pike between Clear Spring Road and Broadfording Road, dominated by
the Hopewell Valley Industrial Park. The area east of Governor Lane Boulevard is also dominated by
industrial development before giving way to areas that remain in an active agricultural use. Long range
transportation plans that call for widening of I-70 and I-81 throughout Washington County makes park
development in the vicinity of the interchange infeasible anytime in the near future.
The Jefferson Boulevard and Robinwood Drive area east of Hagerstown is an area that contains a
fairly high density of residential development around community anchors such as Meritus Medical Center
and Hagerstown Community College. Both the College, Black Rock Golf Course and Regional Park already
serve recreational needs in this area to a great extent. The forthcoming trail system to be constructed in
the undeveloped southern portion of Regional Park will further alleviate needs in the area.
It should be noted that all picnic facilities are contained within existing Federal, State or Local
parks. Therefore, the proximity to picnic areas would mirror that of the park proximity map displayed
above. iii. Access Analysis
Another aspect to level of service that was measured as part of the development of this plan was
to evaluate opportunities for access to various recreational activities. Responses from the public survey
indicated that the most popular park facilities or amenities used by citizens were trails (for
walking/running/hiking/biking) as well as community places (playgrounds, picnic areas). Greater access
to water based amenities (both in urban and rural areas) was also cited frequently in the survey as being
desired by the public. Thus, the following mapped analyses provide the baseline for many facilities or
amenities cited as being valued or desired by County residents.
County GIS data was again used to map proximity of natural features as well as access to trail and
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water access. Because of the rural nature of Washington County, it would be expected that most
participants of these activities will travel by automobile to access recreation opportunities so a five-mile
catchment area was used to depict a reasonable (10-15 minute) drive to access these features. Also,
included on the maps is a three mile and one-mile catchment area that shows a reasonable biking or
walking distance from said features.
Proximity to Natural Areas
Map 7, below, shows the proximity to federal and state park lands. The park proximity and park
equity analyses previously shown accounted for only county, city or town maintained public park
facilities. Thus, Map 7 reinforces the conclusions previously stated in the park proximity and park
equity analyses which indicated that prevalent gaps along many County borders were not true
service gaps because federal or state park lands existed in those locations. Map 7 therefore shows
that the vast majority of lands in the County are within 3 miles or less from a park and presents a
truer indication of where efforts toward new park development should be focused.
As one might expect based upon population densities and prior data reported in this plan, the
areas of greatest need are centered in or around the County’s Urban Growth Area. The area north
of Hagerstown is the only area of the County where residents are located more than 5 miles from a
federal or state park. As previously indicated, public community parks and/or semi-public park
facilities are located within this gap in Maugansville and Leitersburg, so the area is not truly devoid
of any park facilities. The North Central County Park will also be located in this gap once constructed.
It is important to note that this is the general location of the Hagerstown Regional Airport. While
not mutually exclusive to one another, there are some compatibility issues with having large natural
areas near the Airport. Most of the incompatibility stems from wildlife habitats created as part of
natural areas. For airport operations, especially in rural areas such as Washington County, wildlife is
a significant hazard that can be disruptive or even dangerous. As mentioned previously, the
enhancement of natural areas in the vicinity of the Airport is not impossible, but is of a lesser priority
than elsewhere in the County.
The next ring of lands showing a lesser proximity to state and federal natural areas (between 3-5
miles) occurs in a belt around all sides of the Urban Growth Area except the northern border with
Pennsylvania. The conditions and potential for park development in these areas were previously
discussed in the park proximity and park equity analyses.
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Map 7: Proximity to Natural Areas for Washington County, MD
Proximity to Water Access
As shown on Map 8, below, the majority of the County is within 3 miles or less from an access
point to various water features. The primary source of water access in the County is the Potomac
River. More than 100 miles of river shoreline are contained in Washington County and there are
numerous public access points along its length. The County’s partnership with the Maryland Public
Access, Water Trails, and Recreation Planning program has been used to build upon existing water
trails designated by the State of Maryland. The most prominent water trail is the Upper Potomac
River Water Trail which spans from Shepherdstown, WV to Cumberland, MD. This trail has been
designated as an invaluable resource for paddlers, boaters, and anglers. In addition, there are nine
primary tributaries that drain into the Potomac River. Nearly all of these tributaries have sections
which are navigable.
Among these tributaries, the County has focused its greatest efforts to develop true Water Trails
along the Antietam and Conococheague Creeks. Of these two waterways, development of the
Antietam Creek Water Trail has advanced the furthest with access to the Creek being provided at 11
different points throughout the County. Additional funds are earmarked in the County’s current CIP
for further development of this Water Trail.
The Conococheague Creek Water Trail is at an early stage of development. The waterway is
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already navigable to great extent for much of the year as the second largest tributary of the Potomac
in Washington County. Public access is more limited at this point however, with put-ins located at
Cresspond Road, Earth Care Road, Wilson Bridge County Park, the Kemps Mill Dam and at the Creek’s
outlet into to the Potomac River at Williamsport. Access points are also used on private lands at a
few of other points along the Creek. Currently, $370,000 is currently identified in the CIP toward
development of the Conococheague Creek Water Trail within the timeframe covered by this LPPRP.
Once completed, the Antietam Creek and Conococheague Creek Water Trails will significantly
address the area of need shown on the map below immediately west of Hagerstown. This is
important because the development of water access within the area of need running from roughly
the Pennsylvania border to the rural village of Downsville is limited to a significant degree by zoning
and existing land uses. Much of it is either already developed industrially or planned for
development of that intensity and character. In addition, some lands within that corridor have been
targeted in County agricultural land preservation programs through the establishment of
Agricultural Districts on select parcels, or by their inclusion in the County’s designated Priority
Preservation Area. Therefore, these Water Trails would provide access to water resources within a
proximity of 3-5 miles for this area of need.
Map 8: Proximity to Water Access for Washington County, MD
It should be noted that the water trails mentioned above, and shown on Map 8, are represented
in the County’s Parks and Recreation Inventory only in the inclusion of public park lands owned by either
the County or other local jurisdiction which provide water access. The County pursues a range of
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strategies to provide water access, ranging from property acquisition, obtaining access easements from
private landowners, and working out informal agreements with other entities (i.e. – a put-in/takeout at
the Funkstown Fire Co.). In most cases, however, the County does not own the lands which provide access
to waterways used by the public. The Potomac River Water Trail, for example, is accessed almost entirely
through boat ramps that are part of the C & O Canal National Historic Park. The only locally-owned public
access points would be Riverbottom Park in Williamsport, which is shown on our inventory. Therefore,
not all access points shown on Map 8 are included in our Parks and Recreation Inventory.
Outside of pursuing major capital projects (i.e. - the artificial lake at Greenbrier State Park) it is
difficult to address water access in the mountainous areas of the County. The County is making
improvements to the artificial lakes at the former Fort Ritchie military base as a part of
redevelopment efforts that are proceeding incrementally in a positive direction. In the southern
portion of the County, residents and visitors also have access to fishing at Brownsville Pond along
Rohrersville Road. West of Hancock, the gap that is noted in the map is relieved somewhat by the
Potomac River access points as well as the area’s proximity to Little Tonoloway and Sideling Hill
Creeks located to the east and west.
Proximity to Trail Access
Even though the County is fortunate to have an extensive network of existing trails on federal,
state and local park lands, greater access to trails and paths were the most frequently mentioned
new park amenity sought in the public survey. Map 9 indicates that much of the County is located
within 3 miles or less from a trail.
The proximity analysis does however show a gap along the Pennsylvania border from Rockdale
Road to Leitersburg. There are multiple limiting factors that have led to this gap in service relating
to the compatibility of the land use policies in the area including:
The influence of the Hagerstown Regional Airport. Trails are not necessarily incompatible
with airports but visitor experiences in preserved lands adjacent to such areas are less than
ideal due to noise and other externalities resulting from operations. Trail development in
the vicinity of the Airport is possible, however other locations in the County where visitor
experiences would likely be better will be sought out first.
The Leitersburg/Ringgold area east of the Airport falls within the County’s designated
Priority Preservation Area (PPA). These lands are therefore specifically targeted for
permanent retention in an agricultural land preservation easement which is placed on
private land. Lands north and northeast of Clear Spring to the Pennsylvania border also fall
within a PPA.
Map 9 also shows an area of moderate need running parallel to the gap cited above, where lands
west, north and northeast of Hagerstown are 3-5 miles from a trail. Much of these lands fall within
the County’s Urban Growth Area where the intensity of development and private ownership makes
trail development more difficult. Lands along the National Pike corridor east of Hagerstown, and
surrounding Hagerstown Regional Airport to the north, for example, have been zoned for high
intensity commercial and industrial development. Finally, Conococheague Creek, which bisects
significant lands between Clear Spring and Hagerstown, consists mostly remote rural resource lands
with limited road access and public infrastructure from which to gain access to develop new trails
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or other park facilities beyond access points for the Water Trail.
The new trail system to be developed at Regional Park would help to alleviate recreational needs
for a portion of the belt of lands from Funkstown northeast to the Pennsylvania border which is
located between 3-5 miles from a trail. With the exception of the trails associated with the disc golf
course at Regional Park, no others exist in this immediate area.
Map 9: Proximity to Trail Access Map in Washington County, MD iv. Level of Service Analysis Conclusions
Identifying commonalities among each of the preceding level of service analyses, it is possible to
draw some larger conclusions about where new parks or recreation facilities are needed. First, both the
equity and proximity analyses indicate the bulk of Washington County is within 5 miles or less from a
public park facility, water access point, or trail. While it is true that the County is blessed to have significant
federal and state landholdings supplementing its park system, the County, City of Hagerstown, towns and
rural villages all make significant contributions to the creation of a network of public recreational facilities
that already meet the majority of the needs of residents and visitors alike.
Locations of the highest priority in the equity and proximity analyses has pointed most directly to
a need for more parks and open space within or immediately around the Urban Growth Area surrounding
Hagerstown, Williamsport and Funkstown. On County lands, the northern border with Pennsylvania is
clearly an area of long-term need, despite land use conflicts placing some limitations on where, and to
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what extent, new park facilities can be developed in some parts of this region.
The Sharpsburg Pike corridor immediately south of the I-70 interchange would likely rank next
highest in terms of geographic regions of the County for new park facilities. Though that corridor is being
developed commercially to a great extent at the moment, residential subdivision activity has built a
notable population base in that area already and current trends indicate that will likely continue in
surrounding the roadway in the vicinity of the Urban Growth Area.
The equity analysis also indicated areas of long-term need for parks or open space within select
areas of the City of Hagerstown. The intensely developed footprint and lack of vacant land in the central
part of the City often makes it necessary for local leaders to be nimble and opportunistic in finding places
where redevelopment can result in park system expansion. Thus, the City has typically pursued
incremental improvements to facilities and amenities in existing parks in interim periods between
acquisition opportunities that impact residents on the neighborhood and community scale.
Improvements of this nature have already positively impacted some of the census tracts shown as
possessing lower equity scores.
County CIP funding and POS grants have continued to focus on parklands located within the UGA.
Yearly fluctuations in POS funding, escalating costs associated with various aspect of development in the
wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic and many other fiscal realities place limitations on how much can be
accomplished from an acquisition perspective within the relatively short time periods covered by the
LPPRP. Accordingly, many local jurisdictions, including those in Washington County, mostly shifted their
focus to maintenance and system preservation rather than acquisition and expansion of services. As the
economy continues to rebound locally and nationally however, opportunities to pursue larger acquisition
projects in and around the Urban Growth Area that would expand the park system and provide additional
services in areas where there is a defined need already appear to be in the pipeline.
III. Goals for Parks and Recreation
i. General Context Information
As noted previously, Washington County owns and maintains 18 parks or recreational facilities.
These facilities offer varying combinations of passive recreational uses, such as picnic areas and
playgrounds, and space for more active uses such as field/court based recreation. Typically, the size and
context of the location are the largest factors in determining the range of amenities provided at a given
county park. The County also owns and operates Black Rock Golf Course.
The Washington County Recreation Department provides youth and adult recreation and fitness
classes, seasonal programs such as the popular Jim and Fay Powers Music Series, heritage based
educational programs, and many organized leagues for all ages. Most are offered in public parks or in
county school facilities with joint use agreements and allow the County to share space with school
activities.
Local and municipal parks supplement those services described above. Due to the scale of
available space, they primarily focus on providing space for more active forms of recreation such as play
fields, hard court sports, playgrounds, swimming pools, and indoor recreation centers.
The combined efforts of these entities yield free or highly affordable opportunities for residents
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throughout the County to realize many tangible benefits that improve individual and community health.
The public provision of these amenities helps to remove barriers to entry for many individuals and families
who may find the cost of comparable services offered by the private market to be prohibitive. In this way,
the County is able to offer residents a baseline quality of life regardless of their social status.
ii. County Goals and Objectives for Parks, Facilities and Recreation Programs
Washington County has been and will continue to be a proactive agency in administering
recreational opportunities to its citizens. The Goals and Objectives listed below represent the on-going
collaboration of Staff, the Parks Advisory Committee, the Planning Commission, and the Board of County
Commissioners to provide exemplary recreational facilities and opportunities in the County.
The County park system, consisting of Neighborhood, Community and Regional Parks,
shall equitably locate recreational facilities for the convenience and benefit of the
greatest number of people.
Objectives
• Locate parks and recreational facilities based on a site selection process which includes
population distribution, transportation accessibility, anticipated growth as projected in the
Comprehensive Plan for the County and which is responsive to the physical requirements of
the development program.
• The County will coordinate with local jurisdictions in the location, acquisition and
development of parkland to avoid duplication and create synergy between investments in
parks and facilities.
• Cooperation with special interest groups such as historical societies, preservation groups,
and non-profit organizations, etc., will be emphasized to serve the dual purpose of resource
conservation and parkland acquisition.
• Strengthen and integrate regulatory and decision-making processes related to the
acquisition of parkland and open space to more effectively grow the system to meet
residents’ needs. Consider the implementation of regulations such as requiring parkland
dedication by developers of major residential subdivisions in the County, tax incentives, fee
reductions, or partial donations with some fee simple acquisition made by the local
jurisdiction.
• Joint use agreements between the Board of Education and municipal officials (where
appropriate, that offer reasonable use for the public) should continue to be established and
refined to make all County schools available for recreation use.
• Account for the provision of parks and recreation facilities and services by private and quasi-
public entities that are accessible to the general public in determining areas where the need
for new public services exist.
Provide facilities that support the holistic health and wellbeing of the community.
Objectives
• Develop facilities that support a system of pedestrian/bicycle trails, greenways, and/or
waterways. Prioritize completion of projects identified in existing long range transportation
plans and studies in service of creating this comprehensive network.
• Whenever practical, work with diverse partners in service of connecting parklands and open
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spaces to enhance system wide accessibility, offer transportation alternatives and achieve
protection of key natural resources.
• Target underserved neighborhoods and communities, as well as locations without
proximate access to parks and open space, for the creation of new parks or park amenities.
• Provide open space and recreational fields to support sports leagues and programs.
• Provide opportunities and space for relaxation, learning, and socialization to promote
individual well-being and community cohesion.
• Consider and provide for both active and passive recreational opportunities in the provision
of park facilities and amenities.
• Recognize the important role that parks play in enhancing community quality of life and
spurring economic investment in surrounding neighborhoods.
Maintain the existing park infrastructure in a manner that considers future user
needs and service upgrades.
Objectives
• Sustain a maintenance and replacement schedule that keeps existing park infrastructure in
good condition and maximizes the value of capital expenditures.
• Anticipate the needs of the community to offer facilities, amenities and other improvements
that support changing preferences of park users.
• Incorporate updated building code requirements and standards in facility upgrades.
• Sustainably fund the parks and recreation system to maintain consistency in the quality of
facilities and services provided to the public. Maximize the impact of outside funding
streams such as Project Open Space allocations and pursue competitive grants to leverage
local spending on parks and recreation. Allocate available funds to local jurisdictions based
upon priority needs that are clearly defined in application requests.
Design parks and recreation facilities to preserve, protect and enhance natural and
cultural resources.
Objectives
• Implement park infrastructure that considers opportunities to reduce the effects of
stormwater, mitigates flooding, and improves air quality.
• Implement park facilities that reduce energy consumption, water use, and waste.
• Consider opportunities to convert traditional impervious spaces to environmentally resilient
and sustainable facilities.
• Utilize the parks system to enhance contributions to the arts, community beautification and
preserve and interpret cultural or historic resources.
• Consider multi-modal transportation uses in park location and design to reduce automobile
dependency and remove access barriers for park users.
• Where appropriate, investigate opportunities within parks to meet compliance with various
environmental regulations and reduce park maintenance costs through tree planting and
other measures.
• Evaluate the inventory of all undeveloped or underutilized lands owned by local jurisdictions
for their potential to be used in service of projects that achieve recreation and conservation
purposes. Portions of these lands with limited development potential, such as those located
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in floodplains or adjacent to road or utility corridors should also be considered for the
development of trails, multi-use paths and other linear projects.
Provide a safe and secure environment for the users of the County Parkland System.
Objectives
• When feasible, walkways, trails and parking areas should be well lit to deter illicit activity
and foster user safety and comfort.
• Include local law enforcement officials in the development of new parkland facilities to
provide insight into potential hazards.
• Secure park facilities after hours and provide routine patrols and other security measures
to reduce vandalism and vagrancy.
• Playground equipment shall be installed to factory specifications, labeled with
recommended age ranges and safety information should be displayed within the area of the
playground equipment to inform its users of proper usage.
• Conduct a review to determine the condition of existing park and recreational facilities and
their compliance with generally accepted safety standards.
Coordinate recreational programming to meet the diversified needs of County
citizens.
Objectives
• Provide recreational opportunities for all users regardless of their age, ability, sex, race or
ethnicity and socio-economic status.
• Account for projected demographic shifts identified in long range plans in the provision of
recreation programs such as the growing needs of seniors and an increasingly diverse local
population.
• Devise County recreational programs to meet the needs of the public and support organized
recreation leagues.
• Provide central coordination and direction of organized recreational programs to avoid
duplication of services and facilitate the common use of all available resources.
• Utilize diverse methods of communication and community outreach to maintain strong
public awareness of available recreation opportunities throughout the County.
Provide a strategy for facilitating additional indoor recreational facilities throughout
the County.
Objectives
• Evaluate existing indoor facilities in the County and pursue renovations and conversions to
provide additional indoor recreational space.
• Pursue public-private partnerships to facilitate development of multiuse indoor recreational
facilities.
• Collaborate with public schools to secure joint-use agreements for community recreational
gymnasiums.
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• Pursue "sharing" or "host" operation and/or maintenance agreements with special interest
groups, leagues, and other organizations.
In support of the goals and objectives for parks and recreation planning, the Washington County
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board has also adopted specific policies to clarify and strengthen the
decision-making process for the use and development of County Parks:
1. Recreational facilities should be designed to competition standards to attract league and
tournament use.
2. Scheduling and staff support of County recreational facilities should allow for maximum use
by groups and organized leagues. Care should be taken to ensure that the needs of the
public are also met.
3. Open Space funds should be allocated to projects large enough in scope to benefit a wider
spectrum of users.
4. Municipalities and organizations requesting County assistance should submit applications
with sufficient information to allow the Parks Board to compare and prioritize projects.
5. Maximum public use should be made of recreation facilities at all public-school sites.
Supervision and maintenance assistance should be provided to the Board of Education by
the Board of County Commissioners to implement this policy.
iii. State Goals for Parks and Recreation
As mentioned previously, parks and recreational facilities are a cooperative effort among
numerous partners including the public, private conservation organizations, and other governmental
organizations. Below are the goals adopted by the State of Maryland for parks and recreation facilities,
as well as a short explanation of how the County’s goals complement those of the State.
• Make a variety of quality recreational environments and opportunities readily accessible
to all of its citizens and thereby contribute to their physical and mental well-being.
Washington County parks provide a wide range of environments and facilities which are
located throughout the County. Programs offered by the Recreation Department provide
opportunities for all ages and skill levels.
• Recognize and strategically use parks and recreation facilities as amenities to make
communities, counties and the State more desirable places to live, work, play, and visit.
Aside from the natural beauty evident in the various parks, they offer access for aquatic
activities, music appreciation, and as the location for cultural and social events.
• Use State investment in parks, recreation, and open space to complement and mutually
support the broader goals and objectives of local comprehensive/master plans. County
use of State and Federal funds has coordinated directly with the Comprehensive Plan for
Washington County, and in support of the plans of the various municipalities who have
received the funds.
• To the greatest degree feasible, ensure that recreational land and facilities for local
populations are conveniently located relative to population centers, are accessible
without reliance on the automobile, and help to protect natural open spaces and
resources. Park sites with a larger variety of facilities are situated near population centers.
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Parks whose main attraction is based on natural amenities are, by their nature, often located
at a distance from developed areas. County and State highways are well maintained in these
areas and offer convenient vehicular access; many are also well suited for access by bicycle.
• Complement infrastructure and other public investments and priorities in existing
communities and areas planned for growth through investment in neighborhood and
community parks and facilities. Washington County has supported new parkland
acquisition and improvements in existing parks in the municipalities through a
disproportionate use of open space funds over the past few years.
• Continue to protect recreational open space and resource lands at a rate that equals or
exceeds the rate that land is developed at a statewide level. The projections for population
growth currently being promulgated in the update of the Comprehensive Plan for the County,
when factored against parkland acquisition plans currently in process, show that
Washington County will continue to exceed the required ratio for the period covered by the
Comprehensive Plan update. Maryland Project Green Classrooms (Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature)
The Maryland Project Green Classrooms project is a renewal and reaffirmation of Governor
O’Malley’s Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature. It is a public-private partnership intended to
provide opportunities for children to learn more about their local environment and develop their
environmental literacy. According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, “The initiative
serves as an advisory body, working collectively across multiple disciplines and public and private sectors
to identify gaps and barriers, and make recommendations to decision-makers regarding solutions that will
bring about change in the areas of environmental literacy, nearby nature, and career pathways for youth.”
Washington County has also fostered the development of environmental literacy through the
operation of the Fairview Outdoor Education Center. Since 1979 the Board of Education has provided the
opportunity for all 5th grade students to spend a full week at the center get a hands-on experience with
environmental literacy programs. In addition to this program, numerous other middle and high school
classrooms participate in sporadic field visits learning about stream health and restoration, forest stand
ecology, and wildlife research.
IV. Program Implementation
To support parkland acquisition and park development, Washington County uses various methods
including public funding, land use regulations, and purchase of property to achieve the goals and meet
the needs of the community. These methods are meant to accompany existing State and Federal
programs in the County to provide a well-rounded funding plan. Planning
As with most aspects of planning for future growth, parks, recreation and open space needs are first
evaluated as part of the Comprehensive Plan for the County. The goals, objectives, and recommendations
in the Comprehensive Plan which relate to these areas of interest are then refined and expanded upon in
the LPPRP. In the currently adopted Comprehensive Plan, there is emphasis placed on providing
“recreational locations and sites that will create the opportunity to pursue various active and passive
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leisure activities.”6 More specific recommendations to implement this goal are scattered in different
sections of the Plan which shows how diverse and important parks, recreation, and open space facilities
are in the overall health of a community.
Comprehensive Plan Recommendations relating to parks, recreation and open space are as follows:
Chapter 4: Economic Development
Infrastructure Improvements: Target infrastructure improvements such as road widening to
areas where there is a need to facilitate the movement of farm equipment or to facilitate
recreational or heritage tourism promotion.
Chapter 5: Transportation Element
Continued development of an urban sidewalk system on State roads utilizing the State
Highway Administration’s statewide sidewalk program should remain a priority.
Linkage between greenways and facilities for bicycle and pedestrian movement needed to
optimize the use of these resources.
Chapter 8: Environmental Resource Management
A needs assessment should be done to see if more swimming facilities are needed in the
western and southern portions of the County.
Assessments should be done along local waterways to determine the possibility of adding
more boat launches along the smaller waterways for non-motorized boating.
Specific recommendations for recreational water facilities promoting swimming, boating
and fishing should be incorporated in future Land Preservation and Recreation Plan updates.
Chapter 9: Community Facilities
Interconnectivity, accessibility, and safety should be foremost among the guiding principles
for the detailed study necessary to establish specific greenway trail locations.
A variety of recreation facilities and programs should be offered to citizens in the County
regardless of sex, age, or race. Both public and private recreation service providers should
coordinate to the extent possible to ensure efficiency of services and to avoid duplication.
Chapter 10: Historic and Cultural Resources
If an opportunity arises, consider development of a County park with historical aspects or
theme or incorporate historic resources into an existing park where available and
appropriate.
The County’s update of its Comprehensive Plan is currently in progress. Present parks and open
space needs discussed in the LPPRP are informed by the draft version of the Plan and will be incorporated
into its forthcoming policies and recommendations. Regulatory Land Development Ordinances
Another method used by the County in obtaining parks and open space areas is through
regulatory tools such as the Subdivision Ordinance and the Zoning Ordinance. These ordinances provide
rules, policies and general guidance for land development in the County.
6 2002 Washington County Comprehensive Plan; Chapter 2 Goals and Objectives, page 13.
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Policies with these ordinances offer opportunities for developers to be flexible in project design
through options such as cluster plans, mixed-use or multi-family developments. Clustering of residential
lots is permitted on parcels 10 acres or greater, with the undeveloped remainder devoted to open space
or recreation areas maintained either by the County or an HOA. Under zoning regulations, mixed-use
districts require a minimum of 5% - 20% of the lot or parcel area to be devoted to open space, depending
on the specific combination of land uses proposed. Mixed use districts must also provide comprehensive
pedestrian pathways to facilitate internal circulation patterns by non-motorized means of travel. Design
and performance standards are also provided for play lots serving children and young adults within multi-
family developments which define minimum sizes, siting considerations and setbacks from adjacent land
uses. Pedestrian uses are required to be considered in the design of multi-family developments as well,
both within the development and connecting to offsite facilities and services.
The purpose of these flexible design districts is to incentivize the allocation of open space areas
within the development by allowing smaller lot sizes and/or increased density. This promotes a win-win
scenario between the community and the developer by creating recreational open space area at no value
loss to the developer. Joint Use Agreements
Coordinating recreation and education activities at schools is
an important part of the facilities plan. Utilizing the buildings and
surrounding grounds as joint school-recreation centers provides
indoor and outdoor facilities for neighborhood activities and
interaction and allows the center to serve as a focal point for
education, recreation and related activities for the surrounding
community or town. This multiple use concept is strongly endorsed
in the Comprehensive Plan for the County and is consistent with
several of the State Visions discussed in the Introduction.
In practice, the County and the Board of Education work
together to plan recreational facilities in the early stages of designing
school sites. During the design phase, Staff from each organization work closely together to size both
indoor and outdoor facilities to make the investment as efficient and fiscally responsible as possible. Once
the facilities are constructed, the School Board has joint use agreements with the Parks and Recreation
Department regarding tennis courts, track use and maintenance, and utilizes a School Facility Use
Agreement to help coordinate use of buildings and scheduling of fields on school property. Currently
these agreements apply to five different County schools, including Maugansville, Pangborn, Rockland
Woods, Ruth Ann Monroe and Sharpsburg Elementary Schools.
V. Capital Improvement Plan Land Acquisition and Facility Development
Land acquisition and facility development activities are implemented through various funding
programs such as Program Open Space (POS), excise tax, and general fund revenues from the County.
Excise tax and general fund money is budgeted for through the Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
adopted by the Board of County Commissioners.
In the County’s FY 2022-2031 CIP, $7,867,244 was budgeted for Parks and Recreation projects.
Photo 5: Youth Volleyball at
Hagerstown Community
College
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The following table shows itemized funding allocations for the ten-year period from 2022-2031.
Budget Year
FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026 Future
Black Rock
Capital Equipment $293,618 $68,618 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 $0 $125,000
Black Rock
Clubhouse Renovation $90,000 $0 $90,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Hardcourt Playing Surfaces $202,140 $76,140 $30,000 $15,000 $0 $15,000 $15,000 $51,000
Park Equipment or Surfacing
Replacements (Various)$1,912,286 $212,286 $150,000 $150,000 $175,000 $175,000 $175,000 $875,000
Parking Lot Repair or Overlay
(Various)$642,200 $142,200 $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 $250,000
Antietam Creek
Water Trail $477,000 $25,000 $252,000 $100,000 $100,000 $0 $0 $0
Bathroom or Drinking
Fountain Upgrades $300,000 $50,000 $0 $50,000 $0 $50,000 $0 $150,000
MLK
Gymnasium Upgrade $375,000 $25,000 $175,000 $175,000 $0 $0 $0 $0
Clear Spring
Park Building $90,000 $0 $90,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Marty Snook
Dog Park $50,000 $0 $50,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Regional Park
Walking/Hiking Trail $690,000 $0 $690,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Ag Center
Show Area Floor $50,000 $0 $0 $0 $50,000 $0 $0 $0
Conococheague Creek
Water Trail $370,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $10,000 $180,000 $180,000
Doubs Woods
Disc Golf $50,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $50,000
Field Improvements (Marty
Snook & Regional Parks)$100,000 $0 $0 $0 $100,000 $0 $0 $0
Marty Snook Park
Fitness Trail $300,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $300,000 $0 $0
Marty Snook Park Pool
Accessible Entrance $100,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $100,000 $0
North Central
County Park $1,400,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $100,000 $100,000 $1,200,000
Recreation Field
Bleachers (Various)$75,000 $0 $0 $0 $75,000 $0 $0 $0
Regional Park
Dog Park $75,000 $0 $0 $0 $75,000 $0 $0 $0
Roof Replacements
(Various)$225,000 $0 $0 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 $125,000
Totals $7,867,244 $599,244 $1,602,000 $590,000 $675,000 $750,000 $645,000 $3,006,000
Ten Year Capital Program
Parks and Recreation
Washington County Capital Improvement Program 2022-2031 (Adopted)
Prior ApprovalTotalProject
Table 11: Washington County Capital Budget for Parks and Recreation (2022-2031)
The Capital Improvement Plan reflects a response to the concerns and desires reflected in the
Park Survey, tempered by economic reality. Acquisition remains a priority but is limited by fiscal
constraint. Therefore, the primary approach of the Parks and Recreation budget is to provide an
aggressive repair and renovation schedule to keep existing facilities at a level which maintains the high
degree of satisfaction reported by current users.
The draft FY 2023 – 2032 CIP for County Parks and Recreation is shown below. It has not yet gained formal
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adoption.
Budget Year
FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027 Future
Black Rock Capital Equipment
Program $359,618 $29,618 $25,000 $25,000 $100,000 $25,000 $25,000 $130,000
Hardcourt Playing Surfaces $342,890 $105,890 $126,000 $0 $15,000 $15,000 $6,000 $75,000
Ag Center Land Development $198,000 $98,000 $100,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Park Land Acquisition -
REC033 $593,800 $193,800 $400,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Park Equipment or Surfacing
Replacements (Various)$1,969,674 $934,674 $160,000 $0 $175,000 $0 $0 $700,000
Parking Lot Repair or Overlay
(Various)$475,896 $75,896 $0 $0 $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 $250,000
Antietam Creek
Water Trail $362,000 $192,000 $50,000 $50,000 $15,000 $55,000 $0 $0
Bathroom or Drinking
Fountain Upgrades (Various)$435,000 $185,000 $50,000 $0 $50,000 $0 $50,000 $100,000
MLK
Gymnasium Upgrade $1,700,000 $200,000 $1,500,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Roof Replacements
(Various)$362,500 $187,500 $25,000 $0 $25,000 $0 $0 $125,000
Ag Center
Show Area Floor $50,000 $0 $0 $50,000 $0 $0 $0 $0
Ag Center Indoor
Multipurpose Building $4,750,000 $0 $4,050,000 $450,000 $250,000 $0 $0 $0
Black Rock Bunker
Rehabilitation $250,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $250,000 $0 $0
Conococheague Creek
Water Trail $310,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $10,000 $180,000 $120,000
Doubs Woods
Disc Golf $50,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $50,000
Field Improvements (Marty
Snook & Regional Parks)$125,000 $0 $125,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Kemps Mill Park Trails $100,000 $0 $0 $100,000 $0 $0 $0 $0
Marty Snook Park
Fitness Trail $300,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $300,000 $0 $0
Marty Snook Park Pool
Accessible Entrance $150,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $150,000 $0 $0
Mt. Briar Wetland Preserve
Trails and Conservation Area $100,000 $0 $0 $100,000 $0 $0 $0 $0
North Central
County Park $2,000,000 $0 $0 $0 $100,000 $100,000 $300,000 $1,500,000
Park Entrances and Security
Upgrades $200,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $100,000 $100,000 $0
Pen Mar-Fort Ritchie-Cascade
Trail Connection $290,000 $0 $0 $50,000 $120,000 $0 $0 $120,000
Recreational Field Bleachers $100,000 $0 $0 $100,000 $0 $0 $0 $0
Regional Park
Dog Park $75,000 $0 $0 $75,000 $0 $0 $0 $0
Totals $15,649,378 $2,202,378 $6,611,000 $1,000,000 $900,000 $1,055,000 $711,000 $3,170,000
Ten Year Capital Program
Parks and Recreation
Washington County Capital Improvement Program 2023-2032 (DRAFT)
Prior ApprovalTotalProject
Table 12: Washington County Draft Capital Budget for Parks and Recreation (2023-2032)
Traditionally, POS funding has been primarily allocated to the local municipalities for
improvement to their park systems. The reason for this policy is based in the reality that there are higher
population densities in this area and the funds could enhance a larger pool of County citizens.
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Since 2017, greater priority has been placed on prioritizing needs among the funding requests to
determine where specific needs are greatest in a given year. Thus, while the same basic principle of
distributing POS funds to recipients throughout the County remains an accurate general description of
how funds are distributed, more attention is now paid to where funds can make the greatest impact in
satisfying unmet needs in the provision of park facilities irrespective of jurisdiction.
Table 13: Washington County POS Projects (FY 2022)
Sponsor Project Project Cost
POS
Development
POS
Acquisition
Fairgrounds Park - Skatepark $705,000 $150,000
Park Play Equipment & Amentities
(Various)$79,000 $70,000
Kirkwood Park -
Engineering, Excavation &
Drainage Improvements $83,000 $74,700
Widmeyer Park & WMRT Corridor $85,000 $25,000
Keedysville Taylor Park - Pavillion Upgrades $18,690 $16,821
Sharpsburg
Sharpsburg Historical Park -
Interpretive Plaza
Land Acquisition (.54 acres)$63,000 $63,000
Smithsburg
Veteran's Park -
Grading Gazebo Access Road & ADA
Parking with Lighting $92,843 $83,559
Antietam Creek Water Trail -
Land Acquisition (3.1 acres)$42,000 $42,000
Clear Spring Park -
Building Acquisition (.18 acres)$90,000 $90,000
MLK Gymnasium Upgrades $637,500 $157,500
Marty Snook Park - Dog Park $50,000 $45,000
Black Rock Golf Course - Clubhouse
Renovations $90,000 $67,000
Regional Park - Trail Network $690,000 $70,000
WCPS Springfield Middle School -
Pickleball Courts $65,000 $58,500
Byron Memorial Park -
Springfield Mansion
Land Acquisition (7.92 acres)$1,105,000 $103,000
Billy Doub Park -
ADA Sidewalk Installation $42,585 $31,939
Totals $3,938,618 $850,019 $298,000
Total Acquisition and Development*
$1,131,771
*Remaining balance covered by existing unencumbered funds
Williamsport
$1,148,019
FY 2021 POS Allocation
FY 2022 Approved Program Open Space Projects
Washington County
Hagerstown
Hancock
Washington County
Washington County’s draft list of POS projects for FY 2023 is shown below.
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Table 14: Washington County POS Projects Draft (FY 2023)
Sponsor Project Project Cost
POS
Development
POS
Acquisition
Boonsboro Shafer Park - Masonry
Repair/Renovation $225,000 $202,500
Funkstown Poplar Street Park Development $225,000 $202,500
Fairgrounds Park (North)
Play Equipment $120,000 $108,000
City, Fairgrounds & Pangborn Parks
Play Equipment & Amenities $55,000 $49,500
Fairgrounds Park
Stable Roof Replacement*$134,000
HCC ARCC Bleachers & Curtain Divider
Replacement $281,650 $150,000
Keedysville Taylor Park Gazebo $27,060 $24,354
Sharpsburg Sharpsburg Park Play Equipment $72,000 $64,800
Lions Park Basketball Courts $25,000 $22,500
Veterans Park Basketball Courts $25,000 $22,500
Ag Center Horse Ring & Event Space $219,000 $164,000
Doubs Woods
Land Acquisition (2.81 acres)$425,000 $425,000
Doubs Wood Playground Equipment $160,000 $135,000
Regional Park - Multisport Court $150,000 $113,000
Marty Snook Park - Bathroom
Upgrades*$50,000
Marty Snook Park - Pavillion Repairs &
Roof Replacement*$25,000
Marty Snook Park & Regional Park
Field Improvements $125,000 $112,500
W CPS Smithsburg Elementary
Play Equipment & Trail Connection $70,000 $63,000
Williamsport
Byron Memorial Park -
Springfield Mansion
L and Acquisition (7.92 acres)***$1,105,000 $300,000
Totals****$2,413,710 $1,434,154 $725,000
Total Acquisition and Development**
$1,746,741
* Project to be funded by Local Parks and Playground Infrastructure once allocated
** Remaining balance covered by existing unencumbered funds
*** Acquisition total includes FY22 request
**** Total Project costs excludee Springfield Mansion (No application submitted for FY 22-23 requests)
$2,159,154
FY 2021 POS Allocation
FY 2023 Draft Program Open Space Projects
Washington County
Hagerstown
Washington County
Smithsburg
In addition to POS funding, the County makes every effort to pursue available State and Federal
grant funding when available to create additional recreational opportunities. For example, the County
receives funding and technical assistance for water access-based facilities from DNR’s Public Access and
Water Trails Program and the Waterway Improvement Program in service of developing the Antietam and
Conococheague Creek Water Trails. In addition, for the development of a new trail system at Regional
Park, the County received a federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant and an MDOT SHA
Recreational Trails Grant. These fiscal resources help Washington County to supplement local spending
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
on parks and recreation to significantly degree.
Since the City of Hagerstown and incorporated towns do not produce their own LPPRP, this Plan
helps to identify local needs and priorities for capital development of parks and facilities in these
jurisdictions. The City’s draft 5-Year schedule of projects that will likely be submitted for Program Open
Space requests to the County is detailed below. Two other projects of note that may occur in the City
during the scope of this Plan, include the replacement of Municipal Stadium with an indoor sports facility
called the Hagerstown Field House, and the construction of a new baseball stadium in downtown
Hagerstown. These projects are detailed in the next section of the Plan which discusses the
implementation of the 2017 LPPRP.
Table 15: City of Hagerstown 5-Year POS Plan (Draft) CITY OF HAGERSTOWN
5-YEAR PROGRAM OPEN SPACE
PROPOSED PLAN FY23-27 (Listed By Priority)
Draft Prepared 10/06/21, Updated 11/19/21
FY CIP
#
Project Location/Description Total
Project
Cost
POS
Fund
Request
City Match
2023 C0237 Fairgrounds
Park Play
Equipment
Fairgrounds Park – replacement
of modular play equipment near
the North Pavilion
$120,000
$108,000
$12,000
2023
CO237
Park Play
Equipment and
Amenities
Grass mound in City Park ($20k)
Picnic Tables, Park Benches,
Portable Bleachers ($35k)
$55,000
$49,500
$5,500
2023 C0626 Stable Roof
Replacement
Fairgrounds Park – replace
remaining stable roofs
$70,000 $63,000 $7,000
2024 C0522 Parking
Improvements
City Park: Upper lot near
tennis court
$250,000 $225,000 $25,000
2024
CO439
Amenities for
City Park Train
Hub
Youth oriented items, hands-on
activities, signage, new
programs
$50,000
$45,000
$5,000
2024
C0061
Visitors Center,
Phase I
Hager House – Phase I
renovation of the visitors center
$250,000
$225,000
$25,000
2024
C0293
Wheaton Park
Add’l Play Equipment, Picnic
Area, Misting Pad/Splash Pad,
Fitness Court
$200,000
$180,000
$20,000
High
Resolution
On Golf Course adjacent Route
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
CITY OF HAGERSTOWN
5-YEAR PROGRAM OPEN SPACE
PROPOSED PLAN FY23-27 (Listed By Priority)
Draft Prepared 10/06/21, Updated 11/19/21
FY CIP
#
Project Location/Description Total
Project
Cost
POS
Fund
Request
City Match
2024
---
Electronic
Message Board
40, advertise City special
events
$80,000
$72,000
$8,000
2025
C0047
City Park Lake
Improvements
Replace walls around perimeter
of upper and middle lakes,
sidewalk improvements, and
landscape enhancements;
dredge lake, permanently repair
leak under causeway
$500,000
$200,000
$300,000
2025
C0522
City Park New
Restrooms
Construct new restrooms on
Museum Drive
$150,000
$135,000
$15,000
2025 C0522 City Park
Gazebo
City Park – construct gazebo by
Mansion House
$20,000 $18,000 $2,000
2025
C0522
City Park
Mansion House
Rehab
City Park Mansion House –
repaint porch, reconstruct
railing, replace front steps,
repair rear wall
$30,000
$27,000
$3,000
2025 C0061 Visitors Center,
Phase II
Hager House – Phase II
renovation of the visitors center
$150,000 $135,000 $15,000
2025 C0439 Train Museum Train Museum – replace roof
on Museum
$10,000 $9,000 $1,000
2026
C0774
Antietam Creek
Greenway Trail
Construct greenway trail from
Howell Road to Funkstown
(land must be donated first)
$480,000
$432,000
$48,000
2025
C0825
The Greens at
Hamilton Run
Improvements
Course improvements such as
cart paths, tee box and green
improvements
$100,000
$90,000
$10,000
2026
C0626
Parking
Improvements
Fairgrounds Park: Rear
parking lot below BMX
$250,000
$225,000
$25,000
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
CITY OF HAGERSTOWN
5-YEAR PROGRAM OPEN SPACE
PROPOSED PLAN FY23-27 (Listed By Priority)
Draft Prepared 10/06/21, Updated 11/19/21
FY CIP
#
Project Location/Description Total
Project
Cost
POS
Fund
Request
City Match
2026 C0626 Soccer Field
Lights
Fairgrounds Park: add lights to
soccer field for evening use
$170,000 $63,000 $107,000 by
others
2027
C0626
Fairgrounds
Park Entrance
Building
Renovation
Fairgrounds Park – renovate
entrance building/gatekeeper’s
house
$500,000
$450,000
$50,000
Town planning for parks and recreational needs tends to occur on a year to year basis due to the
limited fiscal resources that most of these small local jurisdictions have to work with. FY 2022 POS
requests from the towns were noted previously in this section. In soliciting further information on key
projects from the towns in the next 5 years, responses included the following:
Funkstown
Fiscal Year Project Location Est. Cost POS Funds
Requested
FY 2023
Octagon Pavilion, Grills &
Electrical Upgrade
Poplar Street
Park $225,000 $202,500
FY 2024 Multi Use Trails & Pavilion Artz Farm Park $300,000 $270,000
FY 2025
Acceleration/Deceleration
Lanes into the Park Artz Farm Park $150,000 $135,000
Sharpsburg: Welcome park highlighting points of interest and interpreting the town’s history (3
lots off of Church Street, approximately 1.25 acres, estimated cost $125,000 - $160,000);
handicap accessible dock and walkway at Town Pond (estimated cost $75,000); playground
equipment addition at community park to serve kids 5 and under ($50,000 estimated)
Smithsburg
FY 2023 Resurfacing/Rehabilitation of Basketball Courts at Veterans & Lions Parks
FY 2024 Rehabilitation of Lions Park Pond at Lions Park
FY 2025 Splash Pad at Veterans Park
FY 2026 Walking Trail Loop at Lions Park
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FY 2027 Rehabilitation of Baseball Fields at Veterans & Lions Parks
Table 14 below, distills the information presented above for various jurisdictions in Washington
County into a concise table showing land acquisition projects that are either currently in progress, or
identified in their respective Capital Improvement Plan. These land acquisitions, in combination with the
myriad development projects detailed previously, demonstrate a commitment to provide recreational
amenities and services throughout Washington County.
Table 16: Current and Proposed Land Acquisition Projects
Sponsor Location Acres Costs Year
Sharpsburg S/S E. Main Street and
130 East Main Street .54 $63,000 (Project)
$63,000 (POS) FY 22
Washington
County
Antietam Creek Water
Trail – Antietam Drive
and Security Road
3.1 $42,000 (Project)
$42,000 (POS) FY 22
Washington
County
Clear Spring Park –
Building Acquisition .18 $90,000 (Project)
$90,000 (POS) FY 22
Washington
County
Doubs Woods Park –
Parcel 895 2.81 $425,000 FY 23
Washington
County
North Central County
Park – Parcel 15 90 TBD – Phased
Development
Concurrent with
extension of
Eastern
Boulevard to
Leitersburg Pike
Williamsport Byron Memorial Park –
Springfield Mansion 7.92
$1,105,000 (Project)
$103,000 (POS FY 22)
$197,000 (POS FY 23)
FY 22/23
VI. Progress Toward Achievement of Goals and Recommendations
The County’s progress towards achieving the goals and recommendations of the 2017 LPPRP
and its plan for meeting future parks and recreation needs are displayed in the tables that follow and
elaborated on in accompanying discussion below each.
i. Implementation of 2017 LPPRP
Recommendations from the County’s 2017 LPPRP, which represent the concrete action items resulting from that Plan’s goals, are included the table below. Further explanation of the County’s progress towards meeting these recommendations are detailed following the table.
2017 LPPRP Recommendations
Open Space and Parks
and Recreational Land
Goals Established in
2017
Type and Specific Location Acreage
Needed
Acreage Acquired
Parkland Acquisition Pennsylvania Avenue
extending north to
Longmeadow Road
Needs are
moderate for
these areas
$1.4 million
identified in
current CIP for
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Marsh Pike and
Leitersburg Pike
Maugansville Rural
Village
Sharpsburg Pike
corridor from I-70
south to Lappans Road
Cascade/Pen Mar/Ft.
Ritchie (taking
advantage of
redevelopment in the
area)
Jefferson
Boulevard/Robinwood
Drive
based upon
proximity and
equity analyses
planning, design
and construction
of North Central
County Park
once extension
of Eastern
Boulevard
complete
Greenways/Rail
Trails/Water Trails
Antietam Creek
Conococheague Creek
Weverton to Roxbury
Corridor
Proximity
analysis shows
majority of
County
(outside of
mountainous
areas) located
less than 3
miles from
water access
To date, the
Antietam Creek
Water Trail
includes 11
public access
points
$370,000
identified in
current CIP for
Conococheague
Creek Water
Trail
Joint Use of School
Facilities
Countywide NA Ongoing
discussions with
BOE to include
Sharpsburg
Elementary on
list of schools
permitting joint
usage
Bicycling and
Pedestrian Safety and
Health
Primarily Urban and
Town Growth Areas
NA Several miles of
dedicated
bicycle lanes
added in City of
Hagerstown
Sidewalk
construction
providing access
to Paramount
Elementary
under Safe
Routes to
Schools program
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
and in numerous
other locations
throughout
County to meet
ADA compliance
Community
Recreation Centers
Urban Growth Area NA Multi-phased
improvements to
MLK Community
Center
Senior Center
Improvements
Participation Survey NA NA Survey updated and
distributed to gain public
feedback for this Plan
ii. 2017 LPPRP Recommendations
Parkland Acquisition
Continue to pursue acquisition of additional parkland for active and passive recreational
activities. Specifically, an analysis of park proximity and equity show needs in the following
locations:
Pennsylvania Avenue extending north to Longmeadow Road
Marsh Pike and Leitersburg Pike
Maugansville Rural Village
Sharpsburg Pike corridor from I-70 south to Lappans Road
Cascade/Pen Mar/Ft. Ritchie (taking advantage of redevelopment in the area)
Jefferson Boulevard/Robinwood Drive
Most locations that showed a high need for park facilities on the 2017 park equity and proximity
maps were found in the rural areas of Washington County that contain low population densities
which are difficult to efficiently serve with new community infrastructure. Many of these rural areas
showing high need are also within 5 miles or less from Federal or State park lands that serve to fill
the gaps in provision of park facilities by municipal entities. Examples include those locations in the
vicinity of the Appalachian Trail (which runs through several state parks along almost the entire
eastern border of the County), the C & O Canal National Historic Park (which runs along the County’s
entire southern border), those north of the Town of Clear Spring (where Indian Springs Wildlife
Management Area covers significant acreage) and west of the Town of Hancock (where Woodmont
Natural Resource Management Area can be found among other State owned recreation facilities).
The City of Hagerstown was the primary municipality on the 2017 park equity and proximity maps
that showed a high need for new park facilities among highly urbanized portions of the County. In
addition to the extensive number of parks in Hagerstown which already existed in 2017, the City
added a number of new parks and amenities since that time. Examples include National Road Park
(immediately west of the downtown core), Thomas Kennedy Park (located downtown), and the
ongoing improvements to the Cultural Trail (an Urban Plaza which will provide a multi-purpose space
for various public institutions in downtown and the general public is presently under construction).
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The bulleted locations cited in the recommendation above are mostly found in various parts of
the County’s Urban Growth Area, particularly in the northern and eastern portions. The County’s
current CIP allocates $1.4 million to the creation of the new North County Park which is to be located
in the northeastern part of the Growth Area near the intersection of Marsh Pike and Leitersburg
Pike. The construction of North County Park awaits the completion of Eastern Boulevard Extended
which will provide access to the parcel where the park will be developed. Eastern Boulevard
Extended is currently slated to begin construction in 2025 according to the County’s current CIP.
This regional park would help to address the need for new park facilities in these areas, which are
currently shown as being only a medium-high need at present.
The Jefferson Boulevard/Robinwood Drive area is already largely served by Washington County
Regional Park. Regional Park will also see significant improvements in the construction of a new
multi-use trail system in a currently undeveloped portion of the park as noted in the current CIP
above. Significant development improvements at Regional Park likely to occur within the period
covered by this LPPRP also include the installation of a multi-sport court, dog park, field irrigation,
and sand volleyball courts. Hagerstown Community College, located on Robinwood Drive, also
permits a degree of access to its recreational facilities for public events, as well as the campus
grounds.
In the Maugansville area, park needs are alleviated somewhat by the existence of private and
quasi-public facilities which are generally open to public use. These facilities include Maugansville
Elementary (which has a joint-use agreement with the County) and Maugansville Community Park
(which includes Little League fields and various recreation amenities found at the Ruritan Park). This
area again only shows a moderate need for new park facilities on the proximity and equity analyses.
Preliminary concept plans are being examined for trail development in the Cascade area as well.
The County is looking at the feasibility of establishing a trail system connecting Fort Ritchie, Cascade-
Highfield and Pen Mar Park. Existing connectivity between these locations by non-motorized means
is limited so such a network would offer an active transportation alternative and improve pedestrian
safety. Also worth noting is that significant momentum has been generated of late in the
redevelopment of the closed military base at the former Fort Ritchie. In the immediate term, this
could have implications for improved water access. The County is looking to improve access to the
two artificial lakes at the property which are already open to the public for fishing and boating but
lacking in adequate facilities for easily pursing these activities.
The Sharpsburg Pike corridor immediately south of the I-70 interchange has seen significant
development in recent years. The character of this development has been primarily of a commercial
nature, headlined by the construction of a new Walmart Supercenter. The commercial development
has had the effect of removing the mostly single family homes that formerly lined this section of
Sharpsburg Pike.
In the vicinity however, there has been construction of a fair number of mostly lower density
residential units in various subdivisions. These newer subdivisions, in combination with those
already existing in the area, constitute a notable region of demand for parks and recreation facilities
within or just outside of the County’s Urban Growth Area. At present, these residents are served
mostly by Marty Snook and Doubs Woods Parks (located a few miles north or northwest) or the Ag
Center (5+ miles south). Therefore, this corridor will continue to be looked at in future park planning
as one of the next locations where new park facilities may be developed.
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Continue to develop strategies to acquire additional land and/or financial support for park
acquisition and development during the development review process. Strategies could
include land dedication during development review, incentives for land donation, land
swaps, and/or impact fees.
Present mechanisms to achieve dedication of land for parks or recreational uses occur through
the creation of a mixed use zoning district or through cluster subdivisions. These provisions create
opportunities for open space that serve, at minimum, residents throughout the development. The
County will continue to examine other methods to acquire open space as part of development
review during the planning period.
In addition to those methods described in the recommendation, the County’s Adequate Public
Facilities Ordinance offers another possible avenue. The Ordinance could potentially be amended
to include the required provision of open space as part of project approval. Minimum thresholds
for compliance with the Ordinance could exclude some developments from having to comply while
including others. Impacts on public schools for example, apply only to major residential subdivisions
(7 lots or greater) whiles excluding smaller subdivisions and other land use types that do not
generate pupils (commercial, industrial, etc.). Similar constraints could be crafted in application to
the provision of parks and open space.
Evaluate existing governmental properties for potential adaptive reuse that could be used
for recreational purposes. For example, lands at the Airport and closed landfills could
provide areas for recreational activities that would not deter from the principle purpose of
the property.
The County has successfully repurposed closed landfill sites for public purposes in the past.
Pinesburg Softball Complex as well as Kemps Mill Park are located on closed landfill sites. Multiple
other closed or inactive landfill sites have also seen the installation of solar energy generating
systems which help to reduce utility costs for the County as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The
County will continue to consider adaptive reuse of publicly owned lands, particularly those with
limited development potential, during the planning period.
Greenways/Rail Trails/Water Trails
Depending on location, some local abandoned rail corridors could have potential for
conversion to accessible walking and bicycling paths, with possible links to adjacent states.
Discussion in recent years has focused on the abandoned CSX rail line extending from
Hagerstown to Weverton Cliffs. The State of Maryland purchased the property in the mid-
1990s and has offered the County an opportunity to implement a rail-trail facility within the
right-of-way. There is a divide between the owners of properties adjacent to the railroad
right-of-way who see this plan as a potential threat and other citizens in the County who see
this as a potential benefit. More study and public input needs to be completed before
additional progress can be made.
No further progress on the creation of this rail trail has been made since 2017 as the issue is still
at a standstill in terms of conflicting local opinions. Citizens do remain interested in the idea
however, as multiple comments were received in favor of the idea on the 2022 public survey and
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2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
the idea has been brought up in other public forums, such as citizen comments preceding meetings
by the Board of Washington County Commissioners.
Continue to work with local land owners with waterway frontage to create possible areas
for public access. A recent donation by a local non-profit organization, Kiwanis, along
Antietam Creek has provided one such example of this initiative.
The County has been very proactive in continuing to pursue public access to Antietam Creek in
service of creating a formal Water Trail. Rose’s Mill Park was newly added to the County’s park
inventory since 2017. This Park primarily serves as an access point for non-motorized watercraft to
access Antietam Creek. It also provides picnicking facilities and included the restoration of an
historic stone bridge and portions of the mill race associated with the mill located nearby in mid-
19th century.
In addition to the creation of this new park, the County has submitted acquisition requests for
POS funds to create additional access points at multiple points along Antietam Creek. Most recently
this occurred for property near the intersection of Eastern Boulevard and Dual Highway in
Hagerstown where another boat launch is planned. Currently, $477,000 is identified in the CIP
(including local funds as well as grant funding) for property acquisition, public access improvements,
and installing new boat access at locations which include Antietam Drive, Security Road, Devil’s
Backbone, Keedysville Road, Roxbury Road and Shepherdstown Pike.
The County is also in the beginning stages of looking to establish a second water trail on
Conococheague Creek. At present, $360,000 is earmarked in the CIP to establish public access points
on this major waterway. Stretches of both Antietam and Conococheague Creeks are located within
or immediately outside of the County’s Urban Growth Area and in rural areas identified as having a
medium to high need for water access. Thus these water trails would significantly improve areas
with identified needs for water access in both the 2017 and 2022 LPPRP’s.
Other conceptual greenways routes identified on the Comprehensive Plan Special Programs
Map should be prioritized and evaluated for easement, connectivity, dedication, and public
accessibility potential.
Connectivity of priority lands for the purposes of natural resource protection, improving access
to recreational resources, and facilitating non-motorized transportation options will be an integral
principle in the County’s in-progress update of its Comprehensive Plan. The County will use various
state and local data sets to identify and target such lands for protection and interconnection such
GreenPrint, BioNet, Ranking Criteria for Forest Conservation Fund expenditures and more. Priority
lands that possess fewer sensitive environmental resources that require greater protection will be
looked at for their potential to provide public recreational access.
Joint Use of School Facilities
Continue to execute joint use agreements between the Board of Education and the Parks
and Recreation Department regarding tennis courts, track use and maintenance and
utilize a School Facility Use Agreement to help coordinate use of buildings and scheduling
of fields on school property.
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The County continues to implement recreation programs at four elementary schools which have
joint use agreements. A fifth school, the newly constructed Sharpsburg Elementary, has recently
been added to this list after consultation with the Board of Education.
Design of new schools should include availability of services such as restrooms and water
fountains to the participants and spectators. This includes access to these facilities for
indoor and outdoor recreation programs. Security measures to restrict access of off-hour
participants to the rest of the facility should also be a priority in design.
Building security and public access continue to be considered in new education facilities that include
recreation amenities built using Project Open Space funds.
Continue to coordinate with the Board of Education, where appropriate, on oversizing of
gymnasiums to provide regulation size courts for various indoor sports such as volleyball
and basketball. This has proven to be a practical and cost-effective method for helping to
meet the needs of recreational demands.
The County is integrally involved in the development review of new school facilities and provides
input to the Board of Education in evaluating the need to add additional oversize gymnasiums to
serve public recreation needs.
Bicycling and Pedestrian Safety and Health
Washington County has an excellent road network, historic towns, points of interest, and a scenic,
pastoral landscape which attracts recreational bicyclists locally, and from nearby states and
metropolitan areas. The C & O Canal towpath and the Western MD Rail Trail are additional tourist
attractions that make the County a well-known destination for bicycle tourists. In addition, the
City of Hagerstown has implemented an aggressive Bicycle Master Plan that has garnered them a
Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community designation by the League of American Bicyclist. To
improve upon our bicycle and pedestrian facilities, the following recommendations are offered:
Continue to work with the Hagerstown/Eastern Panhandle Metropolitan Planning
Organization (HEPMPO) to implement the recommendations of their recently approved
Regional Bicycle Plan.
The County continues to work closely with the HEPMPO to implement the recommendations of
2016 Regional Bicycle Plan. The City of Hagerstown has also continued to implement the projects
outlined in its 2016 Bicycle Master Plan Update. Numerous improvements to enhance bicycle safety
throughout its jurisdictional boundaries have occurred, including adding bicycle lanes, pavement
markings, bike racks and implementing road diets on select streets.
Continue to seek funding opportunities through grant programs such as the
Transportation Alternatives Program, Safe Routes to School Program, Federal Lands
Access Program, etc.
The County continues to pursue diverse funding sources to leverage local spending on bicycle and
pedestrian improvements. Maryland Bikeways grants were received by the City of Hagerstown in
2017 and 2018 in service of the bicycle improvements outlined above. The County received a federal
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Land and Water Conservation Fund grant and an MDOT SHA Recreational Trails Grant for the multi-
use trail network that will be developed at Regional Park. Sidewalks were extended along a stretch
of Marsh Pike to improve safety for children walking to and from Paramount Elementary under the
Safe Routes to Schools Program.
Conceptual plans are also being drawn up by the County to develop mountain biking trails as well
as walking paths at Kemps Mill Park. This Park is located along a bend in Conococheague Creek
where the County owns significant amounts of land in various public facilities on the peninsula.
Grant funds as well as POS acquisition funds would likely be sought to implement this project if it
moves forward.
Coordinate among school, health, planning, and engineering officials, as well as
community betterment groups, to contribute to the awareness of the many benefits of
improving facilities and access to these facilities thereby increasing opportunities for
bicycling and walking.
The City of Hagerstown has a standing Bicycle Advisory Committee who help organize the City’s
bicycle related activities and advise City staff. The Committee is comprised of citizens, elected
officials as well as City and HEPMPO staff. Their focus includes bicycle event planning, working to
increase the bike lanes and paths in the City, seeking grants and maintaining State and Federal
contacts, promoting bicycle safety and education, and acting as a liaison with local bike clubs.
Work with the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) to promote local biking events and
County bicycle facilities.
The CVB actively promotes bicycling events occurring in the County throughout the year. The CVB
also distributes a Bicycle Tours brochure which details designated bicycle routes throughout the City
and County. Beyond route descriptions, points of interest and wayfinding, the brochure also
provides information on local bike shops, supportive services and safety tips.
Community Recreation Centers
Washington County and the City of Hagerstown share a long-range goal of providing a
regional recreation complex (to possibly include an indoor swimming pool, gymnasium,
multi-purpose rooms, and outdoor fields) located within the Urban Growth Area.
Further discussion and study should be conducted to decide what types of recreational
centers (i.e. aquatics, tennis, multi-purpose, etc.) would be most beneficial to the
County citizens.
Both the general public and local leaders have expressed continuing interest in pursuing
opportunities to create additional indoor community recreational space within the Urban Growth
Area. The City of Hagerstown commissioned a feasibility study with Victus Advisors in 2018 to
determine market demand, potential locations and general facility concepts for a youth and
amateur sports complex. Fairgrounds Park was recommended in the study as the top potential site
location among four places considered (The Greens at Hamilton Run; downtown Hagerstown; and
Municipal Stadium). The firm recommended that the city consider developing "an indoor, multi-
court, tournament-caliber sports facility" with four to six basketball courts, which could be
converted into eight or more volleyball courts, and one to two indoor turf fields for soccer and
lacrosse.
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In the time since this study was conducted, local efforts have changed course somewhat and
momentum has gathered behind the creation of a new minor league baseball stadium in Downtown
Hagerstown. The facility would replace the aging Municipal Stadium, the former home of
Washington Nationals minor league affiliate the Hagerstown Suns, as the home for a new minor
league baseball team. The facility will be designed to host other sports, cultural, and community
events.
The City is also looking at what to do with the vacated Municipal Stadium. Current plans are being
pursued by the City to demolish Municipal and create an indoor turf facility. Concept ideas include
having two turf fields, plus fitness and food and beverage areas. The City is working with Eastern
Sports Management to develop drawings, a business plan and other details for the complex. Initial
stages of the project’s development have been approved by the City Council and there is the
potential that construction could occur in the timeframe covered by this LPPRP.
The County’s focus has been primarily in making incremental improvements at existing
community centers that positively impact the communities they already serve. A notable example
is the significant upgrades slated to occur to the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in
downtown Hagerstown using POS funds as well as other sources. The Community Center is located
in a census tract exhibiting a low equity score on the park equity analysis. This building was
constructed in 1950 and hasn’t seen significant improvements since that time. Proposed upgrades,
to be undertaken in phases as funding becomes available, include new flooring, amenities,
bathrooms, drinking fountains, ADA accessibility, security, lighting and HVAC to maximize the utility
of this space to the community.
The County is, however, also exploring the idea of creating a multi-use indoor facility at the
Washington County Agricultural Education Center. There is already a need for additional event
space at this location to facilitate core programming as the capacity of the existing facilities is largely
maxed out during the warmer months of the year. Creating an additional indoor space would
facilitate greater opportunities for programming to occur during winter months when the outdoor
event spaces are less inviting for events. If a recreational component could be added to this new
indoor facility, it would open up the Center to be able to hold a wider range of events and activities
than can be accommodated with the existing facilities. The County will likely pursue federal and
state grants to determine the feasibility of the project.
Washington County opened a new Senior Center in 2015. The new facility is being used
to near capacity and requests have been made to expand. Future growth of the facility
should be evaluated for potential expansion.
Demand for senior activities remains high throughout the County as significant numbers of its
citizens are entering retirement. Senior recreation programming is offered by many local
jurisdictions throughout Washington County as well as the Washington County Commission on
Aging. The existing Senior Center did see improvements since 2017 with the conversion of an
outbuilding into a fitness area and the creation of a FitLot outdoor fitness area.
Participation Survey
During the update of this document, the County developed and implemented a survey to determine
the needs of citizens. While the survey was a good start and we received helpful insight and information,
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the survey should be updated every few years and redistributed to ensure that changing demands are
being met.
An entirely different format and method of distribution was implemented for the public survey to
gauge public usage of parks and facilities, demand for new amenities and participation in recreation
programs. The two-part survey, comprised of a questionnaire and an interactive mapping tool, were
both distributed through various online platforms by the County’s Public Relations and Marketing
Department. This survey was much more concise than the 2017 survey and aimed to more directly
measure the metrics outlined in the 2022 LPPRP State Guidelines. The new format yielded both
more responses than in 2017 as well as additional qualitative information that has helped to inform
the writing of the current LPPRP.
iii. 2022 Priorities and Recommendations
For the most part, the long term goals identified in the County’s 2017 LPPRP remain the primary
actionable items to be studied or implemented during the next five years. This is because most
associated projects require large capital expenditures, land acquisition, necessitate extensive planning
and design work, and/or represent commitments that are of a continuing nature. These action items
are listed in the table below and explained in greater detail following the table.
2022 LPPRP Recommendations
Open Space and
Parks and
Recreational Land
Goals Established in
2022
Type and Specific Location Acreage Needed Plan for Meeting Need
Parkland
Acquisition - Short
Term Goals
(0-5 Years)
The northern
portion of the
Urban Growth Area
from roughly
Maugansville to
Leitersburg and
points north
Phased
development
to occur on
portion of
221.82 acre
parcel
North Central
County Park to be
constructed in
multi-phased
process with
extension of
Eastern Boulevard
Parkland
Acquisition - Long
Term Goals
(5-10 years)
Sharpsburg Pike
corridor from I-70
south to Lappans
Road
Development
or
redevelopment
on portion of
55 acre
Agricultural
Education
Center
Development or
redevelopment at
Ag Center of
facilities
supporting year-
round recreation
programming
Parkland
Development –
Major System
Enhancements
(0-10 years)
Within the City of
Hagerstown,
particularly in or
immediately
around downtown
Redevelopment
of 9.25 acre
Municipal
Stadium site;
Fairgrounds
Proposed
redevelopment of
Municipal
Stadium Site into
indoor recreation
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Regional Park
Cascade/Pen
Mar/Ft. Ritchie
Park skatepark
1 acre
Project to
develop 4.5
acres of park
lands
Acreage TBD
facility;
Hagerstown’s first
skatepark
Creation of 2-3
mile multi-use
trail system and
new park access
on undeveloped
County parkland
at Regional Park
Study feasibility
of creating loop
trail system
connecting High
Rock, Pen Mar
Park and Fort
Ritchie
Greenways/Rail
Trails/Water Trails
Antietam Creek
Conococheague
Creek
Weverton to
Roxbury Corridor
Antietam Creek
Greenway Trail
Proximity analysis
shows majority of
County (outside of
mountainous
areas) located less
than 3 miles from
water access
Antietam Drive
and Security
Road
acquisitions
totaling 3.1
acres for
Antietam Creek
Water Trail
Additional
acquisitions or
improvements
planned for
Antietam
Water Trail at
Devil’s
Backbone Park,
Keedysville
Road, Roxbury
Road and
Shepherdstown
Pike
Continue
Development of
Antietam Creek
Water Trail
including
property
acquisition,
public access
improvements,
and installing new
boat access
Initial design and
construction of
Conococheague
Water Trail
Study feasibility
of pilot segment
of Civil War Rail
Trail where locally
supported
Identify priority
lands to be
connected for
protection and/or
recreational trail
development as
part of ongoing
Comprehensive
Plan Update
Joint Use of School
Facilities Countywide NA Continue
partnering with
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BOE to oversize
gymnasiums as
part of new
school
construction.
Bicycling and
Pedestrian Safety
and Health
Primarily Urban
and Town Growth
Areas
NA
Implement
recommendations
in City of
Hagerstown’s
Bicycle Master
Plan, HEPMPO
Regional Bicycle
Plan
Upgrade and/or
install new
sidewalks in high
priority locations
such as around
schools using Safe
Routes to Schools
and other grant
funding
Community
Recreation Centers Urban Growth Area NA
Support local
efforts to pursue
an indoor turf
facility at the
Municipal
Stadium Site
Coordinate with
local partners to
maximize use of
existing
community
centers
Study feasibility
of either
expanding the
Senior Center or
providing
additional
programming for
this demographic
at existing
facilities
Participation
Survey NA NA
Pursue alternate
methods of
distribution to
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reach groups less
represented in
current survey
iv. 2022 LPPRP Recommendations Parkland Acquisition
Continue to pursue acquisition of additional parkland for active and passive recreational
activities. Specifically, park proximity and equity analyses show potential areas for
additional service near:
The northern portion of the Urban Growth Area from roughly Maugansville to
Leitersburg and points north
Sharpsburg Pike corridor from I-70 south to Lappans Road
Jefferson Boulevard/Robinwood Drive
Cascade/Pen Mar/Ft. Ritchie (taking advantage of redevelopment in the area)
Within the City of Hagerstown, particularly in or immediately around downtown
Continue to develop strategies to acquire additional land and/or financial support for park
acquisition and development during the development review process. Strategies could
include amendments to the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, land dedication during
development review, incentives for land donation, land swaps, and/or impact fees.
Utilize available spatial analysis tools and informational resources to ensure park lands are
distributed equitably throughout the County, are adequately served by public
infrastructure, meet the needs of all intended user groups and located to serve anticipated
population growth and development.
Evaluate existing governmental properties, brownfield sites and other underutilized lands
for potential adaptive reuse that could be used for recreational purposes. Reuse of closed
landfills, reclaimed mining lands and public or private lands with limited development
potential (i.e. – floodplain areas) offer examples of properties that could continue providing
benefits to local residents despite existing constraints.
Encourage or incentivize innovative site design that includes functional open space to serve
residents of private developments. Though these recreational amenities do not officially
count towards the County’s park land inventory in the LPPRP, they help relieve the burden
on public recreation facilities and serve residents where they live. Cluster subdivisions and
open space requirements in new mixed use zoning districts which unlock greater permitted
densities are examples of current incentives. A reduction in parking requirements at
commercial or employment uses in mixed use developments could allow more room for
open space during site planning.
Maximize the impact of outside funding streams such as Project Open Space allocations and
pursue competitive grants to leverage local spending on park land acquisition.
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Greenways/Rail Trails/Water Trails
Evaluate the potential to link priority lands identified in the Comprehensive Plan for
conservation and recreational purposes. Priority lands with fewer highly sensitive
environmental resources should be targeted for public access through the development of
recreational trails and other amenities. Utilize diverse strategies to provide public access to
these including property acquisition, access easements, land swaps, and more.
Continue to work with local landowners possessing waterway frontage to create additional
public access along the Antietam and Conococheague Creeks in service of creating
comprehensive water trails through the County.
Examine the feasibility of partnering with the State in developing a pilot segment of the Civil
War Rail Trail between Weverton and Roxbury along the abandoned rail line. The targeted
pilot segment would need to be cost effective, have a clear title, be locally supported in the
surrounding neighborhood and facilitate a high rate of public usage. Since the corridor is
owned by the State of Maryland and there are access issues from neighboring properties to
resolve, the County’s role would be that of a supporting partner in this effort as it doesn’t
have the resources to construct and maintain such a facility on its own. Clearing up
competing claims of ownership would be an important first step to be taken prior to
conducting a pilot project feasibility study.
Joint Use of School Facilities
Coordinating recreation and education activities at schools is an important part of the facilities
plan. Utilizing the buildings and surrounding grounds as joint school-recreation centers provides
indoor and outdoor facilities for neighborhood activities and interaction, and allows the center to
serve as a focal point for education, recreation and related activities for the surrounding
community or town. This multiple use concept is strongly endorsed in the Comprehensive Plan
for the County and is consistent with several State Visions. Recommendations to improve upon
this practice include:
Continue to execute joint use agreements between the Board of Education and the Parks
and Recreation Department regarding tennis courts and track use and maintenance and
utilize a School Facility Use Agreement to help coordinate use of buildings and scheduling
of fields on school property.
Design of new schools should include availability of services, such as restrooms and water
fountains, to the participants and spectators. This includes access to these facilities for
indoor and outdoor recreation programs. Security measures to restrict access of off-hour
participants to the rest of the facility should also be a priority in design.
Continue to coordinate with the Board of Education, where appropriate, on oversizing of
gymnasiums to provide regulation size courts for various indoor sports such as volleyball
and basketball. This has proven to be a practical and cost-effective method for helping to
meet the needs of recreational demands.
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Bicycling and Pedestrian Safety and Health
Washington County has an excellent road network, historic towns, points of interest, and a scenic,
pastoral landscape which attracts recreational bicyclists locally, and from nearby states and
metropolitan areas. The C & O Canal towpath and the Western MD Rail Trail are additional tourist
attractions that make the County a well-known destination for bicycle tourists. In addition, the
City of Hagerstown has implemented an aggressive Bicycle Master Plan that has garnered them a
Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community designation by the League of American Bicyclist. To
improve upon our bicycle and pedestrian facilities the following recommendations are offered:
Ensure that all transportation modes are routinely considered in the creation of new or
retrofitted transportation facilities in service of creating a comprehensive multi-modal
transportation system in Washington County. Incorporate Complete Streets principles
into roadway designs where technically and fiscally feasible, particularly in planned
growth areas.
Consider access to multi-modal transportation options as well as proximity to higher
density housing in the site selection process for new community facilities in planned
growth areas to maximize return on investments in public infrastructure and promote
efficient patterns of land use.
Target intersections and other roadway segments experiencing high numbers of accidents
for traffic calming measures and improved safety features for bicycle and pedestrian
users.
Where adequate right of way space exists, target road resurfacing projects for the
creation of new on-road bicycle lanes to facilitate routine expansion of the bicycle
network in a cost-effective manner.
Continue to work with the Hagerstown/Eastern Panhandle Metropolitan Planning
Organization to implement the recommendations of their recently approved Regional
Bicycle Plan.
Continue to seek funding opportunities through grant programs such as the
Transportation Alternatives Program, Safe Routes to School Program, Federal Lands
Access Program, etc.
Coordinate among school, health, planning, and engineering officials, as well as
community betterment groups, to contribute to the awareness of the many benefits of
improving facilities and access to these facilities thereby increasing opportunities for
bicycling and walking.
Develop programs and strategies to increase bicycling and pedestrian activity through
Encouragement, Education, Enforcement, and Evaluation mechanisms in addition to
Engineering improvements (The 5 E’s Model). The “Bicycle Friendly” certification
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achieved by Hagerstown offers a ready-made model for communities as well as
businesses.
Work with the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) to promote local biking events and
County bicycle facilities. Post signs marking bicycle routes identified on the Bicycle Tours
brochure distributed by the CVB for wayfinding and to increase their usage by residents
and visitors.
Community Recreation Centers
Support City redevelopment efforts to create indoor recreation space such as at
Municipal Stadium
Evaluate the capacity of existing indoor recreation facilities in the County and prioritize
renovations and conversions of these facilities to provide additional indoor recreational
space for the community.
Pursue public-private partnerships to spur development of new multi-use indoor
recreational facilities to meet local demand for activity spaces that cannot be
accommodated by existing facilities.
Pursue "sharing" or "host" operation and/or maintenance agreements with special
interest groups, leagues, and other organizations to equitably distribute operational costs
among user groups.
Provide central coordination and direction of organized recreational programs to avoid
duplication of services and facilitate the common use of all available resources.
Work with community partners to continue pursuing opportunities to expand
recreation programs and services to seniors. Evaluate the feasibility of expanding
current Senior Center or look for other locations where available facilities may help
meet rising demand.
Participation Survey
The reimagined public survey was largely successful in soliciting feedback that directly
informed the usage and participation metrics required by State guidelines for parks
and recreation. Aside from revisiting the phrasing of questions, additional methods of
distribution should be considered to flesh out community feedback. These may include
methods such as posting signs or notices at public parks and recreation facilities
encouraging survey participation, or providing a QR code that links visitors directly to
the survey from their phone. Special attention should be made to target community
facilities that serve demographic groups that were underrepresented among 2022
survey respondents for distribution of notices about taking the survey.
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III. Other Protected Lands
A. Natural Resource Land Conservation Overview
Washington County is blessed with an
abundant and varied collection of natural
resources. Bounded on the east and west by
portions of the Appalachian Mountain chain,
scenic vistas are plentiful. Fairview and
Sideling Hill Mountains to the west and South
Mountain to the east provide important
hardwood forests, animal habitats and
opportunities for recreation. The fertile soils
of the Great Hagerstown Valley provide high
quality productive soils for agricultural uses.
The valley also contains two primary
stream systems: Conococheague and
Antietam Creeks. These streams are used for
public water supply, agricultural irrigation, and
recreational uses. The Potomac River bounds the County on its southern border. With one of the longest
areas of shoreline along the Potomac, Washington County citizens have ample access to recreational
water activities. It is also the primary water source for the City of Hagerstown and surrounding urbanized
areas.
Conservation of natural resources is a high priority and integral part of the County’s long-term
land use goals. Natural resource conservation efforts have primarily succeeded through the
comprehensive planning process and subsequent changes in zoning/subdivision regulations. County
planning staff works to keep long range and resource planning issues on the radar of the various local
boards and commissions while continuing to review development and subdivision plans for their impacts
on sensitive environmental resources. A variety of public agencies aid property owners who wish to
voluntarily manage, conserve and restore natural resources on their property. State and Federal programs
are the primary means of large scale natural resource protection in Washington County, particularly in
the establishment of permanent easements that achieve various conservation goals.
A wide range of forest land, streams and rivers are well preserved by many different entities
within Washington County. The nearly 40,000 acres of park lands mentioned in the Parks and Recreation
section of the LPPRP, such as those owned by the National Park Service and the Maryland Department of
Natural Resources or Maryland Park Service serve a dual mission of providing for public recreational
access in some areas, while limiting it in others to leave the habitat of sensitive flora and fauna
undisturbed.
The County is fortunate to have many of these park lands linked together by long-distance trails,
many of which are of national significance. Trails such as the C&O Canal Towpath, Appalachian Trail and
Western Maryland Rail Trail provide opportunities to travel hundreds of miles on foot or by bicycle
between numerous State and Federal park lands, as well as many gateway communities, without ever
setting foot in an automobile.
Photo 6: Wilson Bridge spanning Conococheague Creek
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In addition to public park lands, Washington County actively participates in a host of land
preservation programs originating at the Federal, State and Local levels of government. The specific
purpose of the permanent easements which are established under these programs varies. Some
easement programs have more of a land conservation focus and seek to exclude or limit development in
areas where sensitive natural resources occur. Others are more concerned with preserving the
agricultural use of the property in perpetuity to support the continued viability of the industry and to act
as a tool for the management of population growth across the landscape. Still others look to achieve both
of these goals through regulations that support the varied land use and land cover types occurring on a
given property. Given the overlapping focus of some of these land conservation or preservation programs,
some appear and are described in both the Natural Resource Land Conservation and Agricultural Land
Preservation sections of the LPPRP.
B. Goals for Natural Resource Land Conservation
i. General context
There are myriad tangible and intangible benefits associated with natural resource land
conservation. The Parks and Recreation section of the LPPRP details the remarkable abundance of
facilities that exist for the general public to access passive and active recreational opportunities in
Washington County. Visitors have access to lands ranging from neighborhood parks of a few acres or less
in size, all the way to federal park lands spanning tens of thousands of acres.
A visitor pursing various forms of active recreation at these lands is able to realize individual
benefits, such as improved physical fitness and the relief of stress which supports his or her mental health.
These individual benefits, in turn, positively affect the larger community as overall public health is
improved and community cohesion is strengthened through the mixing of people from various social
classes. Additionally, in visiting the locations where these park lands are found, tourism dollars flow into
local communities, benefiting both merchants individually and the vitality of the supporting community
overall.
These tangible benefits are well understood by users of the County’s overall system of preserved
lands. Less recognized are the intangible benefits that come from conserving vital natural resources for
the benefit of future generations. County investments to protect or restore forested stream buffers along
Antietam Creek, for example, provide benefits that range from the protection of wildlife habitat to the
improvement of water quality for users locally, as well as downstream. Thus, while someone paddling
the Antietam Creek Water Trail or turning on their faucet may not make the connection between a
targeted program to enhance stream buffers and the quality of the resource they are enjoying, they are
still a recipient of both tangible and intangible benefits as a result of the County’s efforts.
Conservation of natural resources is supported throughout the County’s Comprehensive Plan. Goal
#3, Chapter 2 reads: “Encourage the stewardship of the environment and the County’s heritage.” The
Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan advances the following policies in relation to this goal:
Balance future growth with the need to preserve the historical, cultural, and scenic beauty of the
county for future generations.
County Goals for Natural Resources Land Conservation
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Support the compatibility of the built and natural environments by promoting context sensitive
development.
Strive to achieve complementary goals of natural resource protection and agricultural land
preservation in the expenditure of locally controlled funds where these resources overlap.
Limit the amount of development in sensitive areas through the identification of priority
resources during development review and permitting processes.
Safeguard the unique environmental character of designated special planning areas through
regulatory review and comprehensive land use planning.
Utilize existing regulatory tools and dedicated funds affiliated with the forest conservation
program to preserve or create contiguous forest cover in places where canopy coverage will
achieve significant environmental benefits.
Encourage sustainable forest management practices on private forest resource lands to promote
long term forest health in actively managed woodlands.
Protect surface and ground water quality through storm water management, on lot sewage
disposal, and wellhead protection regulations.
Pursue alternatives to landfill disposal, whenever feasible, in accordance with policies advanced
in the County’s Solid Waste Management and Recycling Plan to safeguard rural resource lands.
Photo 7: View of Hagerstown Valley from High Rock
These goals represent key policies which support the conservation of natural resource lands in
Washington County so that future generations will be able to continue to connect to the County’s rural
heritage in an increasingly urbanized world. New protected lands preserved or acquired under various
easement programs are detailed in this section as well as the Agricultural Land Preservation section of the
LPPRP. The enforcement of current county land use and zoning ordinances and their related codes has
continued to support these goals in those instances where development has been proposed in natural
resource areas.
ii. Implementation of Previous Plan Goals
Goals outlined in the previous LPPRP revolved largely around the general goals established with
the Comprehensive Plan. One of the primary goals of the 2002 Comprehensive Plan is to “Encourage the
stewardship of the environment and the County’s heritage.” As part of this goal, there are nine objectives
listed to assist in achieving this overall goal. They range from limiting and balancing new growth with
environmental concerns to encouraging recycling and resource conservation. The in-progress update of
the County’s Comprehensive Plan retains and expands upon many of these policies.
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Comprehensive Plan policies are also reinforced and expanded upon in a host of functional plans.
Some functional plans, such as the County’s Solid Waste Management and Recycling Plan or Water and
Sewer Plan, establish policies and recommendations that directly inform past and current LPPRP goals as
well. The County completed a ten-year update of its Solid Waste Management and Recycling Plan in 2021.
Goals and policies established in long range land use plans are ultimately carried out through the
enforcement of various regulatory ordinances and participation in programs. The County’s Zoning
Ordinance, Subdivision Ordinance, Forest Conservation Ordinance, Floodplain Management Ordinance
and Stormwater Management, Grading, Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance are among the key
regulatory tools used daily to achieve the goals set forth in the Natural Resource Land Conservation
section of the LPPRP. Greater detail about these Ordinances and the successes achieved in enforcing
them is provided near the end of this section.
Identify, protect, and restore lands and waterways in Maryland that support aquatic and
terrestrial natural resources and ecological functions, through combined use of the following techniques:
Public land acquisition and stewardship
Private land conservation easements and stewardship practices through purchased or
donated easement programs;
Local land use management plans and procedures that conserve natural resources and
environmentally sensitive areas and minimize impacts to resource lands when
development occurs;
Support incentives for resource-based economies that increase the retention of forests,
wetlands or agricultural lands;
Avoidance of impacts on natural resources by publicly funded infrastructure development
projects; and
Appropriate mitigation response, commensurate with the value of the affected resource.
Focus conservation and restoration activities on priority areas, according to a strategic framework
such as the Targeted Ecological Areas (TEAs) in GreenPrint (which is not to be confused with the
former easement program also called GreenPrint).
Conserve and restore species of concern and important habitat types that may fall outside of
designated green infrastructure (examples include: rock outcrops, karst systems, caves, shale
barren communities, grasslands, shoreline beach and dune systems, mud flats, non-forested
islands, etc.)
Develop a more comprehensive inventory of natural resource lands and environmentally sensitive
areas to assist state and local implementation programs.
Establish measurable objectives for natural resource conservation and an integrated state/local
strategy to achieve them through state and local implementation programs.
Assess the combined ability of state and local programs to achieve the following:
Expand and connect forests, farmland and other natural lands as a network of contiguous
green infrastructure;
Protect critical terrestrial and aquatic habitats, biological communities and populations;
Manage watersheds in ways that protect, conserve, and restore stream corridors, riparian
forest buffers, wetlands, floodplains and aquifer recharge areas and their associated
hydrologic and water quality functions;
Adopt coordinated land and watershed management strategies that recognize the critical
State Goals for Natural Resources Land Conservation
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links between growth management and aquatic biodiversity and fisheries production; and
Support a productive forestland base and forest resource industry, emphasizing the
economic viability of privately owned forestland.
C. Inventory of Protected Natural Resource Lands and Mapping
Washington County has a mixture of areas that are protected for Natural Resource Conservation.
Much of the land under protection is governmentally (State and Federal) owned land. There are currently
four National Parks located within Washington
County; Antietam National Battlefield, Chesapeake &
Ohio Canal, Harper’s Ferry (Maryland Heights), and
the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. While each of
these parks serves to protect more historical and
cultural resources, the mere protection of the land
serves to also protect the environment around them.
The same can be said for the Maryland State
Park system. While most of the State Parks have
been established to provide recreational
opportunities for the citizens, they also serve to protect the environment as well. While most of the state
parks have been established to provide recreational opportunities, there are several that have been
established to provide environmental and habitat protection. These include Natural Resources
Management Areas (NRMA), Fishery Management Areas (FMA), and Wildlife Management Areas (WMA).
Sprinkled around the County are other protected lands such as scenic, historic, or environmental
easements. These easements vary widely in their purpose and can be established through both
governmental and private, non-profit organizations. Examples of these types of easements are shown
on Map 10 and described briefly below. A spreadsheet of the County’s Natural Resource Lands
Inventory can be found in the Appendix.
Photo 8: Dunkard Church at Antietam Battlefield
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Map 10: Protected Natural Resource Lands
Federal and State Scenic Easements
These easements are purchased from private property owners mostly along the C&O Canal
corridor, or around Antietam Battlefield, to protect the viewsheds surrounding these nationally
significant parks. Scenic easements place development restrictions, mandate design standards
and limit the removal of forest cover, among other provisions, to achieve the protection of nearby
environmental and historic resources.
Maryland Environmental Trust Easements
The Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) is a quasi-public organization that is both a unit of the
Maryland Department of Natural Resources and is governed by a private Board of Trustees. MET
works with landowners, local communities, and land trusts to protect natural, agricultural, scenic,
and cultural resources. More than 4,400 acres have been preserved by MET in Washington
County. The majority of MET easements in Washington County surround Antietam National
Battlefield.
Private and Non-Profit Organization Easements
There are a few other private and/non-profit organizations working in Washington County to
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preserve various aspects of our natural and cultural resources. Some examples include Save
Historic Antietam Foundation, Mid-Maryland Land Trust, the Nature Conservancy, and the
Conservation Fund.
Forest Conservation Act Easements
Also included within the category of easements are those related to the State Forest Conservation
Act (FCA). The FCA was implemented by the Maryland General Assembly to reduce the impacts
of development on the statewide forest resources. Most new development requires a standard
review of onsite forest resources as well as other sensitive environmental resources. Frequently,
a permanent forest easement is established on or off the development site to offset the impacts
on forest resources. There are more than 3,600 acres of forest conservation easements in
Washington County.
County Purchased Forest Easements
Developments that must comply with the FCA but cannot feasibly meet forest mitigation
requirements on or off the development site may pay into the County’s Forest Conservation Fund.
Accrued funds in this account are then spent to establish permanent forest easements on private
lands from willing landowners. The program is administered by the Washington County Soil
Conservation District (WCSCD). WCSCD’s priority ranking system targets the protection or
establishment of contiguous forest, particularly that along major waterways such as the Antietam
and Conococheague Creeks, to achieve water quality and habitat conservation objectives.
Agricultural and Natural Resource Land Preservation Programs
Some programs administered under the County’s Agricultural Land Preservation Program
work to achieve the protection of both agricultural lands as well as natural resources. Two of
the most significant are the Rural Legacy Program (RLP) and Conservation Reserve
Enhancement Program (CREP)
Rural Legacy Program
The RLP provides funding to preserve large, contiguous tracts of land and to enhance natural
resources, agricultural, forestry and environmental protection while supporting a sustainable land
base for natural resource based industries. The program encourages local governments and private
land trusts to identify Rural Legacy Areas (geographic areas around historically significant portions
of the County) and to competitively apply for funds to complement existing land preservation efforts
or to develop new ones. Easements or fee estate purchases are sought from willing landowners in
order to protect areas vulnerable to sprawl development that can weaken an area’s natural
resources, thereby jeopardizing the economic value of farming, forestry, recreation and tourism.
The Rural Legacy Program in Washington County has permanently protected over 7,500 acres.
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
CREP is part of the USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). CRP is a federally funded program
that contracts with landowners so that environmentally sensitive agricultural land is not farmed or
ranched, but instead used for conservation benefits. The CREP program has been initiated in
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Maryland primarily to improve the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay. This is accomplished by
installing vegetative buffers along streams, waterways, and areas with highly erodible soil on lands
throughout the State. These buffers serve as a natural barrier to prevent sediment, phosphorus and
other pollutants from entering both County and State waterways. Nearly 1,700 acres are protected
under the CREP program.
D. Implementing Ordinances and Programs
The County strives to preserve its natural beauty and rural character through the conservation of
natural resources and enhancement of recreational opportunities. This goal is implemented through
continuous long-term land use policies that are designed to guide growth and development into planned
growth areas which, in turn, help to preserve the rural character of our County by concentrating growth
where it is desired. Easements and fee simple purchases of nature resource land have been the main
strategies of the programs previously described to achieve permanent preservation of the County’s rural
character. The effectiveness of these land preservation programs to achieve short and long-term goals
for land use is, however, predicated on the enforcement of numerous regulatory ordinances, completing
frequent updates to functional plans, and active participation in a variety resource based programs. A
brief description of these ordinances, plans and programs are outlined below.
i. Comprehensive Plan
The primary purpose of the Comprehensive Plan is to guide growth in a given location towards an
efficient pattern of land use that provides, while simultaneously ensuring, protection of valued
community resources. Land development patterns in Washington County have been guided by an
overarching policy of directing growth into designated areas where infrastructure and resources are
already in place to support new development. Where infrastructure and services to support growth are
not readily available, particularly in rural areas of the County, land preservation and natural resource
conservation efforts are undertaken to preserve the County’s natural and cultural heritage.
Land Use Plan
The Land Use Plan, shown in Map 11 below, is the central element of the Comprehensive Plan. It
translates short and long range land use policies established elsewhere in the Comprehensive Plan, into a
document that projects and guides future land use towards a desired vision for overall community
character. Land Use Plan designations within established growth areas tend to promote higher residential
densities and locations where commercial and industrial areas can be established. Washington County
has established a defined Urban Growth Area surrounding the City of Hagerstown and the Towns of
Williamsport and Funkstown. There are also smaller Town Growth Areas established around the Towns
of Smithsburg, Hancock, Clear Spring, and Boonsboro. Limited development, mostly to support existing
communities and maintain adequate public infrastructure for health and safety considerations, also
occurs in unincorporated Rural Villages.
To further support and encourage development to occur within designated growth areas, the
Comprehensive Plan also specifically calls out the Rural Areas of the County as resource areas that should
be preserved and protected. This is accomplished with policies and recommendations to limit new
residential development in these areas and promote open space through various land preservation
programs. Rural land use policy areas delineated in the Comprehensive Plan include:
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Agriculture
The Agriculture land use policy area is primarily associated with sections of the County in the
Great Hagerstown Valley. It extends around most of the UGA and south to Boonsboro. Another area of
the County with the Agriculture land use policy area is from Conococheague Creek west to the foot of
Fairview Mountain. The Agriculture policy area has been purposely drawn to enclose large blocks of the
best soils for intensive agricultural production. Most of the operating farms as well as the largest block of
farmland preserved through various land preservation programs are in this area.
Environmental Conservation
The Environmental Conservation policy area is associated with locations in the County where
environmentally sensitivity issues are prominent enough to warrant constraints on development. It
includes steep slopes and forested areas on mountainsides as well as the steep slopes, floodplains, and
forested areas along the Potomac River, lower Antietam Creek, Conococheague Creek and Beaver Creek.
Preservation
The Preservation policy area was designated to become the foundation for land preservation
efforts in the Rural Area. This policy area includes the County designated Rural Legacy Area, Federal lands,
State parks, State wildlife management areas, and County parks. This area is designated to have the most
restrictive limitation on development in the Rural Area to support preservation efforts in these areas.
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Map 11: 2002 Comprehensive Plan Land Use Plan
Comprehensive Rezoning of the Rural Area
Recommendations made in the County’s 2002 Comprehensive Plan ultimately led to a
comprehensive rezoning of the rural areas of Washington County in 2005. This comprehensive rezoning
ultimately resulted in a significant decrease in the permitted density of residential development
throughout the rural area, positively impacting the protection of environmental throughout much of the
County to the present day. Strong linkages were made between the policies established in the
Environmental Conservation and Preservation land use policy areas previously described, and the zoning
which was subsequently applied to properties that fell within those policy areas. Present zoning in these
two zoning districts, which cover significant portions of the County’s rural area, limit residential
development to one dwelling unit per 20 acres for Environmental Conservation Districts, and one dwelling
unit per 30 acres for properties falling within a Preservation Zoning District.
ii. Forest Resource Management Programs
In 1991 the State passed the Maryland Forest Conservation Act. The intent of the law is to
minimize the loss of forest land from development and ensure that priority areas for forest locations are
identified and protected prior to development. After passage of the law, the County drafted and adopted
the Forest Conservation Ordinance to provide local regulatory support to the Act. Implementation of the
Forest Conservation Ordinance serves a dual purpose in that it protects valuable forest resources for
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future generations and it encourages the retention or creation of forest resources in sensitive areas where
it is also valuable to the overall ecosystem.
According to the 15-year Forest Conservation Act Review, the State overall has been successful in
limiting clearing of forest resources. Nearly all Counties subject to the law, including Washington County,
have been able to retain 65% of forest resources made susceptible to clearing by development.
Washington County specifically has retained nearly 2,000 acres of forest since the inception of the Act in
1993.7 Challenges remain however in striking a balance between development and forest canopy
retention within planned growth areas where development activity is most intense.
In addition, as noted previously, the County has a Memorandum of Understanding with the
Washington County Soil Conservation District (SCD) to create additional forest easements on private lands
using funds collected from developers who cannot meet their forest mitigation requirements through
other means. Easement purchases of existing forest or the planting of new forest is focused on priority
lands such as those along streams, on steep slopes, containing sensitive wildlife habitat or those
conferring other significant environmental benefits. The SCD locates willing landowners, then manages
the various stages of forest establishment and monitoring for 20 years after the success of the initial
planting is achieved. The County maintains a dedicated Forest Conservation Fund where accrued funds
paid by developers are tapped to implement these projects.
Antietam Overlay Zoning District
The purpose of the Antietam Overlay District is to provide mechanisms for the protection of
significant historic structures and land areas by requiring development and land subdivision to occur in a
manner that 1) preserves the existing quality of the viewshed of the Antietam Battlefield, and 2) ensures
that development of certain lands adjacent to the major roads which provide public access to the
Antietam Battlefield is compatible with the agricultural and historic character of the area. The overlay
adds additional land use controls to base zoning regulations which apply to properties that locate in the
vicinity of the Battlefield.
The AO-3 Red Hill Area subsection of this zoning district, in particular, places strict limitations on
tree cutting activities for properties located southeast of the Battlefield and the Town of Sharpsburg,
mostly along Red Hill Road and Porterstown Road. During site development, minimum tree cutting is
permitted to allow construction of an access and driveway, related parking areas, a dwelling, related
accessory structures and required septic disposal systems. Additional tree cutting on the site during
development is only permitted within 35' of the dwelling and related accessory structures. Thus,
properties developed in the AO-3 District under current regulations may have onsite forested areas
protected both by a permanent forest easement due to Forest Conservation Act regulations while the
remaining woodlands are given de facto protection by zoning requirements.
Forest Conservation Act Easements, County-purchased forest easements, and the AO-3 Zoning District are
shown on Map 12 below.
7 Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service, “15-year FCA review”.
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Map 12: County Protected Forest Areas
iii. Watershed Management Programs
Washington County lies entirely within the Potomac River Watershed. The Potomac River is one
of three major watershed basins that drain into the Chesapeake Bay.
One of the primary goals of any government is to provide a safe water supply. Since 1983 the
Chesapeake Bay Partnership (CBP) has used written agreements to guide the restoration of the Bay and
its watershed. These agreements have been revised from time to time to revise or include goals that are
in line with the best available technology and advancements in science. The latest reaffirmation of the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement in 2014 has provided the impetus for the State, in partnership
with the Counties and incorporated municipalities, to develop long term plans for watershed protection
and water quality improvements.
The County’s first major foray into watershed management began in 1992. A targeted watershed
management project was initiated by the Washington County Soil Conservation District for the Little
Antietam Creek and Marsh Run sub-watersheds. The area was expanded in 1996 to include the Beaver
Creek watershed. A Soil Conservation Planner was hired to complete a watershed assessment and to
begin educational efforts in the targeted sub-watersheds. This was funded by an Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) Nonpoint source grant from Section 319 of the Clean Water Act and was obtained
through the MD Department of Agriculture. A conservation technician was hired to help install best
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management practices (BMP) identified by the planner in Soil and Water Conservation Programs. This
program has continued in the Beaver Creek and Marsh Run sub-watersheds. Recent stream restoration
projects have occurred in Antietam Creek, Black Rock Run and additional stretches of Beaver Creek. A
comprehensive Watershed Restoration Plan was developed for Antietam Creek in 2012 in a cooperative
effort between numerous Federal, State and Local entities.
Water Quality and Stormwater Management
Since the 2017 LPPRP, Federal, State and local jurisdictions have continued working together to
develop and implement Phase III of Maryland’s Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP). A deadline of
2025 has been established to meet pollution reduction goals for the Chesapeake Bay. The principal focus
of the Phase III WIP in Maryland is to reduce nitrogen loads entering the Bay, because Maryland is on
track to meet its 2025 targets for other pollutants such as phosphorus and sediment.
Washington County’s Clean County Initiative
represents a multi-faceted effort to address water
quality, stormwater management, and overall
environmental quality in urban and rural areas. The
County budgets for stormwater retrofits, stream
restorations, street sweeping and tree plantings.
Educational information on septic system
stewardship, rain barrels, pet waste cleanup and
recycling are also distributed to the public. The
County also works with partner organizations such as
the Board of Education and the Antietam Watershed
Alliance to engage the public in volunteer opportunities for stream cleanups and tree plantings. A full-
time Watershed Specialist was hired to assist the Stormwater Management Coordinator within the
Division of Environmental Management to catalyze County implementation efforts toward meeting
compliance with Federal and State water quality standards.
Land Use management is another key focus area related to the County’s watershed management
efforts. In 2010, the County adopted the Stormwater Management, Grading, Soil Erosion and Sediment
Control Ordinance. This new ordinance adopted stormwater management guidelines in accordance with
State law to require the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) of environmental site
design (ESD) to the maximum extent practicable (MEP). The implementation of this Ordinance has helped
reduce the negative impacts of land development on water resources and maintain the chemical, physical,
and biological integrity of streams in the County.
iv. Sensitive Areas Element
The issue of sensitive areas and their importance is not a new topic to the County. Since the first
Comprehensive Plan adopted in 1971, the County has targeted these areas for their importance in
environmental health and natural benefits. Sensitive areas were formalized and defined as part of the
Planning Act of 1992. Included in the definition of a sensitive area are streams and their buffers, 100-year
floodplains, habitats of threatened and endangered species, and steep slopes.
Photo 9: Clean County Initiative Street Sweeper
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Special Planning Areas
Also, as part of the Planning Act, local jurisdictions were permitted and encouraged to identify
additional sensitive areas that may be unique and locally important. The Comprehensive Plan adopted in
1981 had already brought attention to several unique areas in the County that were worthy of additional
consideration to limit the impacts of development in these areas. These areas included the
Smithsburg/Edgemont Watershed, the Beaver Creek Watershed, and the Appalachian Trail corridor. In
1996, the County formally adopted amendments to the Subdivision and Zoning Ordinances giving special
consideration to the effects of development on these unique areas. Other special planning areas may be
added as part of the Comprehensive Plan update currently in progress.
Map 13: Special Planning Areas
Streams and Floodplains
There are several regulatory Ordinances in the County that work in concert to limit the damaging
effects of development on local waterways such as streams and floodplains. These ordinances include
the Subdivision Ordinance, the Floodplain Management Ordinance and the previously discussed
Stormwater Management, Grading, Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance. While the primary
purpose of these Ordinances is to accomplish the protection of various environmental resources, they
also serve to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of the public and limit damages to individual
property owners by directing development to more responsible locations.
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Subdivision Ordinance/Zoning Ordinance
The County Subdivision Ordinance outlines basic requirements for the location and orderly
arrangement of new subdivisions as they relate to various aspects of development including
environmental impacts. The Zoning Ordinance also provides a regulatory framework for new
development. Both the Subdivision Ordinance and the Zoning Ordinance specifically define streams and
their associated buffers and floodplains as areas sensitive to the impacts of development; and, therefore,
require additional mitigation efforts to reduce said impacts.
To help reduce environmental impacts, development that occurs on land that contains a perennial
or intermittent stream is required to provide a dimensional buffer proportionate to about the slope
immediately adjacent to the waterway. Such buffers are applied to both sides of the waterway and
restrict development and land disturbance within these areas. Development is also restricted within areas
located in the boundaries of the 100-year floodplain as determined by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA). Installation of new septic systems and their associated drainage areas are
prohibited in both stream buffers and floodplains.
Floodplain Management Ordinance
The purpose of the Floodplain Management Ordinance is to protect human life and to minimize
impacts on infrastructure, property, and the natural environment. By delineating flood prone areas,
development can be directed away from those areas and allow for the natural movement of stream
channels and other surface waters across the landscape. New construction and/or disturbance of the
land within designated floodplain areas is either prohibited or severely limited. Most construction is
required to be elevated to a point at or above the base flood level.
Habitat of Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species
Conservation efforts for habitat protection are crucial to limiting harmful impacts on the wildlife
and overall ecosystem. This is especially true for plants and animals currently listed on the Federally
Threatened and Endangered Species List. There are currently three species (two plants and one animal)
listed as threatened or endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Washington County.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service also maintains a list
of state-listed rare, threatened and endangered species habitats. The County sends development
applications that may contain habitat of rare, threatened and endangered species to the Service for their
review and comment. Habitat protection measures recommended by the Service are included on plans
involving land disturbance and tracked by parcel in the County’s permitting system. Information regarding
State designated threatened and endangered species can be found on their website at the following link:
https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/plants_wildlife/rte/espaa.aspx
At this time, it is known that habitats of federally listed species in Washington County appear to
be limited to a few rural areas in the western portion of the county where large scale or large amounts of
development are not encouraged. Furthermore, large portions of the areas where these habitats exist
are currently under Federal or State government ownership. State designated threatened and
endangered species are sporadically scattered across the County and are also contained primarily within
areas that are owned by the State or Federal government.
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The State also has programs in place to help identify ecologically significant areas including
Maryland’s Biodiversity Conservation Network (BioNet) and Targeted Ecological Areas.
BioNet – prioritizes areas of statewide importance for the conservation of species and
natural habitat into a 5-tiered system, with Tier 1 being the most important for
conservation. In Washington County, approximately 22,673 acres are classified as Tier 1 or
II while about 80,795 acres are Tier III, IV or V.
Map 14: MD BioNet for Washington County, MD
Maryland GreenPrint – identifies areas of high ecological value, known as Targeted
Ecological Areas (TEAs) and promotes protection of these areas. According to MD DNR,
“These areas represent the most ecologically valuable areas in the State: they are the ‘best
of the best’”. The primary source of funding to protect these areas is through the Statewide
Open Space program. Most of the areas designated as TEAs by the State are also located in
the Environmental Conservation and Preservation land use policy areas of the County’s
Comprehensive Plan. The land use policy areas mimic the State policies that these areas
have ecological value and development should be limited in its volume and type.
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Map 15: Targeted Ecological Areas in Washington County, MD
E. Deficiencies and Recommendations
The following recommendations are offered to support the protection of natural resource lands
in Washington County:
Create linkages between priority natural resource lands to create a
comprehensive system of protected lands that offer greater benefits than can
be achieved with the protection of isolated parcels
Though often difficult to achieve for numerous reasons, protected areas that conserve valued
natural resources or ecosystems on a large scale offer significantly greater environmental benefits for
wildlife as well as people than protected lands which are isolated from one another. Washington County
is fortunate to already have many priority lands protected in a variety of Federal and State park lands
under various designations. Many of these landscape level protected areas occur around the County’s
perimeter however, where the terrain is forbidding and development potential is limited. Fewer large
scale natural resources lands are permanently protected within the Great Hagerstown Valley Region of
the County. Where possible, the County should look to create linkages between isolated protected areas,
particularly in less developable portions of this region, through the development of greenways,
recreational trails, and wildlife corridors. Many of the easement programs previously described could aid
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in this effort. Federal and State grants could be pursued to supplement local spending for projects that
have a land conservation, climate resiliency, hazard mitigation or alternative transportation focus.
The creation of a weighted ranking system to develop a priority list of lands where multiple
sensitive areas overlap to target for long term protection through various programs would be a good
first step to identify where to focus protection efforts. The BioNet and GreenPrint maps previously
shown offer excellent existing resources to draw from in service of this objective. Other similar
resources that could be tapped include the Washington County Soil Conservation District’s priority
ranking system for forest easement purchases and criteria used in agricultural land preservation
programs such as Rural Legacy that look to protect more than just agricultural use on the property.
Continue to pursue a multifaceted approach to enhance water quality
throughout the County
The extensive efforts undertaken by the County to address water quality through stormwater
management, watershed protection, erosion and sediment controls, floodplain regulation, and
agricultural and natural resource land conservation have been previously detailed. The County should
look to build upon these efforts with additional supporting initiatives that address water quality
through other methods. Opportunities include:
o Inventory County owned lands for their potential use to satisfy stormwater or
forest conservation mitigation requirements for County development projects
o In addition to current efforts to create forested stream buffers along the
Antietam and Conococheague Creeks, target use of Forest Conservation Fund
spending for the protection of existing forest, or creation of new forest in the
Upper Beaver Creek Watershed to support native brook trout habitat
o Investigate opportunities to designate additional wellhead protection areas,
particularly in areas underlain by Karst topography, to protect drinking water
supplies
o Plan for the mitigation of hazards to critical infrastructure such as roads or
community facilities that may be sited in locations vulnerable to flooding or
weather-related events through relocation or disaster-proofing measures
To the extent possible, maintain forest canopy within the Urban and Town
Growth Areas through development review processes
Onsite forest retention, or the creation of new forest is the preferred option for achieving forest
mitigation requirements for a given development project. Within planned growth areas, such as the
County’s designated Urban and Town Growth Areas, this objective is more difficult to achieve due to
the density and intensity of development. Nevertheless, with innovative site planning and diligent
review of plans it is possible to achieve at least some measure of onsite forest mitigation with the
majority of projects that occur. The County should continue to collaborate with developers, property
owners and consultants during the development review process to pursue context sensitive
development that maintains forest canopy and safeguards sensitive environmental resources to the
greatest extent practicable. The City of Hagerstown makes extensive use of street trees to maintain
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forest cover within its jurisdictional limits. In cases where more preferred onsite techniques in the
Forest Conservation Ordinance have been exhausted or are not feasible for a given project, flexible
techniques such as this should be more frequently utilized to maintain canopy in urbanized lands where
the County does forest conservation review.
A tree canopy assessment is an important starting point to determine areas where additional tree
planting is needed within both urban and rural areas. The County currently uses land use land cover
data to provide an approximate baseline for understanding the current extent of forest cover
throughout its borders. A tree canopy assessment would provide finer grained detail on existing
canopy coverage than current data allows for. With this information in hand, the County would be
empowered to set clear and realistic goals for canopy coverage within urban and/or rural areas.
Utilize undeveloped portions of park lands for natural resource enhancement
or protection
Many parks contain open areas which are available to visitor use, but do not contain facilities or
amenities for visitors to use. Such areas should be considered tree planting or wildlife habitat
restoration projects if they are located in sections of parks that are unlikely to be developed in the
future (i.e. – distant to access points, unsuitable topography, etc.). Regional scale parks, or parks along
waterways would be ripe for consideration.
Additionally, in limited cases, some park lands that are already open and inaccessible to the public
could be considered as potential for the installation of renewable energy generating facilities,
particularly on a smaller scale. The County has already undertaken solar projects on brownfield sites
such as closed or inactive landfills. This would be an extension of that strategy in a slightly different
public land context.
The County’s recently adopted Solid Waste Management and Recycling Plan also recommended
the development of a pilot recycling program at a County Park to capture materials currently landfilled.
Currently, no recycling occurs at County Parks unless it falls under the Special Events Recycling Program
legislation or is done by private parties by their own accord. The pilot program could either be
undertaken by the contractor who currently services the chosen location or by County staff until the
program model and costs were ironed out during the trial period. Receptacles for recycling would be
provided at the chosen park in addition to those currently provided for trash. Potential locations for
the implementation of such a program could be at Marty Snook Park (either parkwide or at the
swimming pool), Black Rock Golf Course, or Pinesburg Softball Complex. These locations would offer
enough visitor use to provide an accurate cost-benefit analysis of such a pilot program.
Consider permitting overlapping land preservation easements where
easements protect different natural resources
It has been a longstanding County policy not to allow overlapping permanent easements on
protected lands. The primary motivation behind this policy is not to duplicate compensation to a
landowner for the same piece of land.
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There are some cases however, where different easement types may permanently protect
different natural resources on the property. Many agricultural land preservation programs, for
example, do not offer permanent protection for existing forest lands located on properties where the
primary land use is agricultural. On such forest lands where conversion to use for crop lands or pasture
is impractical or would negatively impact sensitive environmental resources such as surface or ground
water integrity (onsite or downstream), there would be a clear benefit to guaranteeing permanent
retention of the existing forest cover. Further, Forest Conservation Act easements, for example,
typically do not result in landowner compensation at the time of creation when created onsite
(landowner compensation does sometimes occur as part of the establishment of an offsite forest
easement through various means). Thus, onsite Forest Conservation Act easements placed on
preserved agricultural lands would not violate the basic policy of refraining from providing duplicative
compensation for the same piece of land.
Offsite Forest Conservation Act easements in which compensation between parties occurs could
be evaluated case by case to determine whether there is merit in providing additional protection for
forest resource lands on the parcel in question. This is essentially the approach taken by the Maryland
Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) in the administration of their permanent
easements. Forest easements are not outright prohibited on MALPP easements, but there are
restrictions and each request is evaluated for its consistency with the overall intent of the existing
MALPP easement encumbering the property.
CREP contract lands also offer another example where establishing an overlapping forest
easement could ensure permanent protection of riparian buffers, stabilization of highly erodible soils
and restoration of wetlands. The CREP program requires a two-step process to accomplish permanent
protection of the enrolled land area. First, the landowner enters into a 15 year lease contract (CREP
contract) to take land out of production and to install best management practices for water quality.
For some of that land, a second step involves permanently protecting the land taken out of production
and the best management practices on it by selling a permanent conservation easement.
Not all CREP contract lands eventually receive a permanent conservation easement, which leaves
open the possibility that sensitive lands may be converted back to an agricultural use. CREP lands which
possess characteristics that make them unlikely to receive a permanent conservation easement after
the contract period terminates could maintain the environmental benefits to the property by
overlapping them with a permanent forest easement that would essentially pick up where the CREP
contract left off.
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IV. AGRICULTURAL LAND PRESERVATION
A. Executive Summary
In the 1970’s, housing booms marked the arrival of a new era of fast paced urbanization projects
that spread into historically rural areas. This trend caused a marked decline in agricultural resources and
spurred efforts within the County to preserve quality agricultural land. At the same time, many State and
Federal agencies were also developing different conservation programs directed at preserving farmland
on a larger scale. In April 1978 the County established a new land preservation program. It consisted at
the time of one easement program started by the State known as the Maryland Agricultural Land
Preservation Program (MALPP). Over the 40-plus year period, the County’s land preservation program
has been active; it has grown to the administration of nine different programs that have permanently
preserved over 33,000 acres of agricultural land. To leverage the greatest benefit from the MALPP
program, Washington County participates in, and is certified by, the Program for the Certification of
County Agricultural Land Preservation Programs. The most recent re-certification was approved in
September 2021.
Agricultural Industry in Washington County
Since its establishment in 1776, Washington County has been a primarily rural agrarian society.
Agriculture is still currently the primary land use in the County. According to the US Department of
Agriculture: Census of Agriculture, in 2017 there were approximately 119,248 acres of land in the County
included in farms. The USDA Census of Agriculture defines a farm as “any place from which $1,000 or
more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, in the census
year.”
The table below shows changes in Washington County agricultural land since County began
preserving this land in 1978. The overall acreage in farms has consistently declined as the County has
become more urbanized. The number of farms has been steadily rising since reaching a low of 768 farms
in 1997. The 877 farms counted in 2017 represents the largest number in Washington County since the
1987 Census of Agriculture. Paired with the fluctuations in the average size of farms, this points to an
overall trend towards a larger number of farms which are smaller in size than they were historically before
more land was subdivided. Efforts that the County has made to address development in rural areas of
the County is discussed further in the Land Use Management subsection below.
Table 17: Statistical Changes in Agricultural Land in Washington County, MD (1978-2017)
1978 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 2007 2012 2017
Land in Farms 151,065 145,983 137,529 123,932 126,292 125,159 114,065 129,600 119,248
# of Farms 878 962 906 809 768 775 844 860 877
Average Size of Farms 172 152 152 153 164 161 135 151 136
Acreage, Number and Size of Farms in Washington County, MD 1978-2012
Source: USDA Census of Agriculture
After adoption of the 1980 Comprehensive Plan, the County began to track the amount of land
preserved vs. the amount of land converted to uses other than agriculture or woodlands. This became a
new metric by which the County could more accurately determine if land preservation programs and other
land management programs are effectively reducing sprawl and preserving open space. As shown in the
chart below, after an initial period of high conversion vs. preservation, the County has continued to
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outpace conversion with land preservation efforts for the last 30 years. During most of the five year
periods surveyed since 2000, preservation of agricultural land has exceeded its conversion by a 5:1 ratio.
Figure 3: Agricultural Lands Converted vs. Preserved in Washington County, MD (1981-2020)
As shown in Map 16 below, approximately 28,486 acres within the PPAs are under permanent
preservation easements. The bulk of preserved agricultural lands on this map were acquired under the
Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program and the Rural Legacy Program. The umbrella category
of Other Permanent Easements, composed of numerous easement programs that were substantially
described in the Preserved Natural Resource Lands section of the LPPRP, preserves substantial lands
around Antietam Battlefield. County Ag Districts, also displayed prominently on the map, are areas which
are targeted for future land preservation in exchange for certain benefits as well as limitations on
development.
County agricultural land preservation efforts are concentrated primarily within three distinct regions of
the County:
Southern Washington County in the vicinity of Antietam Battlefield and the towns of
Sharpsburg, Boonsboro and Keedysville
North of the Town of Clear Spring
North of the Town of Smithsburg
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
Converted Preserved
Agricultural Lands Converted vs. Preserved
1981-2020
Washington County, Maryland
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Map 16: Preserved Lands with Priority Preservation Areas
B. Goals for Agricultural Land Preservation
The agricultural industry plays a major role in the economy, sustainability, and overall character
of Washington County. Recognizing this fact, the County has developed several goals and objectives in
the Comprehensive Plan to help support growth of the industry. Primarily, Comprehensive Plan Goal #2
states the County’s priority in supporting the agricultural industry by “Promote a balanced and diversified
economy, including agriculture.” The main agricultural objective to this end is to “Maintain at least 50,000
acres in the County in agricultural production by expanding current agricultural land preservation
initiatives with an emphasis on preserving farming as a way of life and promoting the agricultural support
industry.” This acreage goal was developed in the early 1990s in coordination with the Agricultural
Extension Office and the University of Maryland based on an evaluation of critical land mass needed to
support the agriculture industry.
Listed below are excerpts of goals and objectives from the Plan to demonstrate the County’s
desire to promote the agricultural industry.
County Goals for Agricultural Land Preservation
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Continue efforts to develop permanent funding sources that can sustain an agricultural easement
and development rights acquisition program.
Continue the Agricultural District Program as an interim program to support agricultural
preservation until agricultural easements can be acquired.
Continue integrating setbacks, screening and buffering for residential development proposed
adjacent to agricultural preservation districts or easements that would require mitigation to
protect the integrity of the agricultural property and not the proposed residential development.
Continue to work with the Washington County Soil Conservation District and the Agricultural
Extension Agency to enhance current regulatory requirements that address animal waste
collection and disposal processes to insure balance with environmental concerns
Agricultural Resource Goals
Preserve and maintain a targeted amount of land in the County in agricultural production by
expanding current agricultural land preservation initiatives with an emphasis on preserving
farming as a way of life and promoting the agricultural support industry.
Utilize agricultural land preservation programs in addition to other regulatory tools to promote
desired land use patterns in Urban and Rural Areas
Target development away from lands with quality agricultural soils; thereby, maximizing
agricultural potential and limiting conflicts with existing agricultural operations.
Promote education and start up assistance to inspire a new generation of young farmers.
Provide additional Agri-tourism opportunities for farmers to expand operations with value added
products or cottage industry type uses.
Evaluate impacts of commercial land uses to land preservation efforts such as those resulting from
alternative energy systems or Agri-tourism endeavors.
Promote best management practices on farmlands that reduce runoff and water pollution.
Continue to support the Rural Heritage Museum and the Agricultural Education Center as an
opportunity to educate citizens on our agricultural history and expose younger citizens to the
ways of farming in order to spur interest in a new generation of farmers.
Promote Rural Legacy initiatives in all the rural areas of the County.
State Goals for Agricultural Land Preservation
♦ Permanently preserve agricultural land capable of supporting a reasonable diversity of
agricultural production;
♦ Protect natural, forestry and historic resources and the rural character of the landscape
associated with Maryland’s farmland;
♦ To the greatest degree possible, concentrate preserved land in large, relatively contiguous blocks
to effectively support long-term protection of resources and resource-based industries;
♦ Limit the intrusion of development and its impacts on rural resources and resource-based
industries;
♦ Ensure good return on public investment by concentrating state agricultural land preservation
funds in areas where the investment is reasonably well supported by both local investment and
land use management programs;
State Goals for Agricultural Land Preservation
Environmental Resources Management
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♦ Work with local governments to achieve the following:
o Establish preservation areas, goals and strategies through local comprehensive planning
processes that address and complement state goals;
o In each area designated for preservation, develop a shared understanding of goals and
the strategy to achieve them among rural landowners, the public-at-large and state and
local government officials;
o Protect the equity interests of rural landowners in preservation areas by ensuring
sufficient public commitment and investment in preservation through easement
acquisition and incentive programs;
o Use local land use management authority effectively to protect public investment in
preservation by managing development in rural preservation areas;
o Establish effective measures to support profitable agriculture, including assistance in
production, marketing and the practice of stewardship, so that farming remains a
desirable way of life for both the farmer and public-at-large.
C. Implementation Programs and Services
i. Implementation of Previous Plan
The primary method used in Washington County to implement the goals for agricultural land
preservation is through easement acquisition. Through a combination of several land preservation
programs, the County spent approximately $9.8 million to preserve about 2600 acres of land between FY
2011-2016 according to the 2017 LPPRP. In this update the County reports that more than $15 million
was spent to preserve nearly 5200 acres. Both the amount of money spent and acreage preserved are
nearly double what was reported in the 2017 LPPRP. The reason for the large difference between the two
plans relates to the economic recession that occurred in the first part of the decade versus a marked
increase in preservation funding at the end of the decade as the economy recovered. The County has
continued to look for alternative funding mechanisms, such as Transferable Development Rights (TDRs),
and increased County commitment to programs that provide matching funds.
While the Installment Payment Program has proven to be successful in obtaining new easements,
the County has determined that funding for the program would be better used to leverage MALPF 60/40
Match funding. Historically, agriculture and real estate transfer taxes have been used to fund both the
IPP and the 60/40 Match. However, they have never been plentiful enough to max out the 60/40 Match.
Currently, approximately $200,000 per year is being used by the IPP program. Land Preservation staff and
the County’s Agricultural Land Preservation Advisory Board have concluded that the entirety of available
transfer tax dollars being funneled to the 60/40 Match would further the County’s preservation goals
since the State provides matching funding. The more the County commits, the more the State matches;
and the more the total dollar amount, the more acreage can be preserved. The IPP program is about
halfway through its current cycle, so once that cycle ends, the County intends to use those funds toward
the MALPF 60/40 Match. While the IPP program has its beneficial purposes, the concept of a TDR program
has been all but abandoned. Rising housing costs, increased infrastructure needs (i.e. - residential
sprinkler systems, advanced technology septic systems, and increased stormwater management needs),
and low median household incomes have nearly priced average County citizens out of the market. It has
been determined that adding additional costs like those associated with TDR programs would be too much
of a burden if the County wishes to maintain a high level of home ownership.
In 2018, the County began the process of expanding its Rural Legacy Area (RLA), an effort that would
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result in an additional 12,000 acres being added to the existing RLA (see map below). This action
immediately tripled the interest in preservation easement applicants in the area surrounding Antietam
Battlefield and had begun to bear fruit by the end of the 2021 fiscal year with easement contracts for
high-quality properties in place.
Map 17: Expanded Rural Legacy Areas
Assistance programs have been put in place over the years to help support the agricultural industry.
Past accomplishments have been the hiring of an Agricultural Marketing Specialist, continued support of
the Agriculture Education Center, and adoption of a Right to Farm Ordinance. These programs have been
successful in educating the public on agricultural techniques and sourcing of food resources. The
marketing specialist continues to provide opportunities for local farmers to sell products locally at farm
markets and special events. This position also continues to give a face to local agricultural operations and
farms by using technology (farm market app) and event planning (ag expo, farmers markets) to bring the
buyer and seller together.
The Right to Farm Ordinance is another tool used by the County to help educate the public on the
operations of the agricultural industry. The purpose of the Ordinance is to candidly make new property
owners aware of the potential conflicts between an agricultural operation and residential uses. It is also
intended to provide some protection to existing farm operations from the potential complaints of
encroaching development regarding issues such as noise, odor, and insect control. While a useful tool if
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needed, there has been only one case brought before the Right to Farm Board since its inception.
The primary efforts to protect and preserve agricultural land are still through the purchase of
development rights with various land preservation programs administered by the County. Easement
purchase programs such as the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program (MALPP), Rural Legacy
Program (RLP), Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) (recently reorganized into the Agricultural
Conservation Easement Program), Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), Project Open
Space – Stateside, Next Generation Farmland Acquisition Program and Installment Payment Purchases
(IPP) are being used to further our goal of permanently preserving 50,000 acres of land. The County has
also continued to work with several land trust organizations such as the Maryland Environmental Trust
and the American Battlefield Preservation Trust to gain additional land preservation easements. As shown
in the chart below, the County continues to have success in easement purchases.
Table 16: Land Preservation Expenditures in Washington County, MD (2017-2021)
Land Preservation Expenditures FY 2017-2021
PROGRAM ACRES FARMS AMOUNT
2017
MALPF 0 0 $0.00
Rural Legacy 209.03 5 $615,090.00
CREP 152.98 3 $432,463.69
Other Permanent Easements 451.2513 7 $1,486,787.87
Subtotal 813.2613 15 $2,534,341.56
2018
MALPF 135.513 1 $496,500.00
Rural Legacy 334.83 3 $1,074,177.62
CREP 102.141 2 $328,642.12
Other Permanent Easements 350.62 3 $859,802.37
Subtotal 923.104 9 $2,759,122.11
2019
MALPF 456.764 3 $1,733,022.00
Rural Legacy 824.11 7 $2,719,016.67
CREP 302.47 4 $940,741.82
Other Permanent Easements 3.5 1 $0.00
Subtotal 1586.844 15 $5,392,780.49
2020
MALPF 161.66 2 $595,500.00
Rural Legacy 166.685 5 $468,175.21
CREP 0 0 $0.00
Other Permanent Easements 250.01 3 $519,250.00
Subtotal 578.355 10 $1,582,925.21
2021
MALPF 503.3448 4 $1,370,898.60
Rural Legacy 391.71 5 $683,653.64
CREP 275.604 3 $543,487.52
Other Permanent Easements 116.22 1 $326,514.00
Land Preservation and Easement Acquisition
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Subtotal 1286.879 13 $2,924,553.76
Grand Total 5188.443 62 $15,193,723.13
Most easement acquisitions come from the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program and
Rural Legacy Programs. The MALPP is a joint easement program between the State and the County to
acquire highly productive agricultural land by purchasing easements that extinguish development rights
on a property. The RLP is similar to MALPP but includes a broadened scope of easement purchases within
a more narrowly defined area of the County. The RLP seeks to protect farmland and open space which
contains significant agricultural, environmental and cultural/historic features. Properties that possess
more of these attributes are given higher priority rankings and awarded higher easement values. This
program only purchases easements within a specified area within southern Washington County,
surrounding the towns of Sharpsburg, Keedysville, and Boonsboro, as well as several nearby Rural Villages.
A full listing of easements settled to date is in the Appendix. Other tools used by the County to assist in
the protection of farmland are preferential tax treatment for agriculturally assessed land, rural zoning
classifications and the Agricultural Land Preservation District Program.
The Agricultural Land Preservation District Program (“Ag District”) encourages landowners to
voluntarily enter an Agricultural Land Preservation District in which it is agreed that the land will not be
developed for a period of at least ten years (or five years if renewing the district after their initial ten-year
agreement). In return for that restriction, the landowner receives protection from nuisance complaints
and becomes eligible to sell a MALPP Easement. The owner may exercise the option of selling an
easement to the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation provided that the offer to sell is
recommended by the County's Agricultural Land Preservation Advisory Board (“Ag Board”) and the Board
of County Commissioners. Locally, the Ag Board reviews and ranks easement applications, assigning point
value to categories such as farm size, soil quality and development pressure. If purchased by the State,
the easement will remain in effect in perpetuity.
The County continues to use an Agricultural Marketing Specialist to assist
in promoting the agricultural industry in Washington County. The
Agricultural Marketing Office is responsible for developing, marketing, and
managing economic development strategies and implementing marketing
programs to attract, retain, preserve and grow agricultural enterprises and
related industries in Washington County. Since its inception, the
Agricultural Marketing Office has enhanced the visibility of the agriculture
industry in the County by promoting farmers markets, ag expos, farm tours,
Agritourism events, and educational and safety courses.
The Office has released a mobile app called Washington County Agritourism Guide. The app
provides locations of farmer’s markets, discusses the benefits of agriculture, provides news updates on
upcoming Agritourism events, and introduces the public to local farmers. It is an effort to close the gap
between the producer and the purchaser supporting local and statewide efforts to endorse “Locally
Grown” initiatives.
Another important project the County Commissioners have supported is the Agriculture
Education Center. Owned and operated by the County, with financial assistance from the State, the
Assistance Programs
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Education Center holds events year-round to promote and educate people about the agricultural industry.
It includes a Rural Heritage Museum featuring exhibits depicting early rural life in Washington County
prior to 1940. A second museum building houses larger pieces of farm equipment and farm
implements. It shows the progression from human powered and horse drawn equipment to the
motorized era.
The Rural Heritage Farmstead began in 1999 when a windmill was relocated to the upper portion
of the property. Since then, there have been many additions including two log homes, an outdoor drying
shed, a brick wood fired bread oven, and a pavilion
to house a sawmill.
The gardens include a German Four-
Square garden filled with heirloom plants
including vegetables, herbs, and flowers; a large
garden for planting potatoes for the museum’s
annual Spud Fest, was recently expanded to
include three sisters, rye, wheat, and a berry
patch.
Located on the lower grounds, adjacent
to the museum buildings is the Rural Heritage
Village which continues to grow. Currently, there
is a log church, a log home, and a Doctor’s Office. Future plans for the village include a cobbler and broom
makers shop, a carpenter’s shop, and a blacksmith shop. This exhibit will serve to educate the visitor
about life in Washington County in the decades surrounding the Civil War.
Land Use Management
Washington County land use policies and decisions are guided by the 2002 Comprehensive Plan.
Since its adoption, various economic, environmental, and social changes have occurred that continue to
dynamically shape our local land use policies. However, our primary goal of directing development into
designated growth areas and preservation of our open spaces has continued to be the primary objective
in land management policies.
To that end, the County has evaluated and amended several regulatory documents to implement
this primary objective. In 2005, the Board of County Commissioners adopted new rural area zoning
districts that reduced the amount of potential development allowed outside of designated Growth Area
boundaries. Four new zoning districts were designated and applied in the rural areas of the County to
decrease development pressure and increase open space protections. The four zoning districts include:
Photo 10: Washington County Rural Heritage Museum
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In 2010, the County amended its Comprehensive Plan to include Priority Preservation Areas.
Three large and three small areas totaling 74,854 acres were delineated in accordance with the
Agricultural Stewardship Act of 2006 as areas where land preservation efforts should be directed. Location
within these areas was added as a category for evaluation as part of the priority ranking system. Inclusion
in this evaluation has helped direct land preservation funding more efficiently into areas of existing land
preservation.
In 2012 and 2016, the County completed Comprehensive rezoning of the Urban Growth Area and
Town Growth Areas respectively. These amendments included increased residential development
densities in areas where infrastructure is currently available.
The 2012 strategy to “Work with the Washington County Soil Conservation District and the
Agricultural Extension Agency to enhance current regulatory requirements that address animal waste
collection and disposal processes to ensure balance with environmental concerns” has resulted in a
coordination of effort between Washington County Staff and Soil Conservation personnel in implementing
best management practices in land preservation and agricultural practices in general, including:
♦ CREP and Rural Legacy projects employ the use of stream buffers and another
agricultural BMP’s;
♦ Many MALPF and Ag District holders have been working with SCD to implement State
and federal required BMP’s on private lands;
♦ The Ag community has been generally accepting of these processes and has put forth
exceptional efforts to curb any adverse effects on the environment.
D. Deficiencies and Recommendations
Funding for Easement Programs
As is usually the case with easement purchase programs, funding continues to be the major
limiting factor in obtaining our goals. The land preservation program has been continuing to try to adapt
to the lack of funding through alternative efforts such as land donation, reduced value easements, long
term purchase programs (i.e. - IPPs where installment payments are made over a 10-year period), and
easement donations that can be offset through tax credits and incentives.
Another limiting factor in using easement purchase programs has become the overwhelming
amount of documentation and easement preparation. Property owners are becoming intimidated by the
amount of restriction and cost of legal representation to the point that easements are beginning to be
viewed as too restrictive or complicated to be worth the property owner’s time to invest.
Agriculture Rural
District
Permits residential
density at a rate of one
(1) dwelling unit per
five (5) acres of land
Preservation District
Permits residential
density at a rate of one
(1) dwelling unit per
thirty (30) acres of land
owned.
Environmental
Conservation District
Permits residential
density at a rate of one
(1) dwelling unit per
twenty (20) acres of
Rural Village District
Provides small areas
with existing dense
residential
development to allow
for infill.
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Ag Districts
The effectiveness of the Ag District Program is also being evaluated as part of the update of the
Comprehensive Plan. Because recent changes in regulations have reduced development pressure and
stabilized the land base in rural areas, there may be some merit in evaluating the effectiveness of
continuing the Ag District program and the tax credit program in general. To increase the amount of land
permanently preserved each year, one alternative that could be evaluated is possibly discontinuing the
ag district program and redistribute those funds toward MALPF permanent easements to leverage more
money from State programs. Another option may be to continue the Ag District program but discontinue
tax credits on those properties that receive a permanent easement. As funding sources continue to
dwindle and/or seek more investment from local entities, the tax credit program should be further
evaluated to determine if the program is still effective in meeting its purpose.
Alternative Land Uses on Agricultural Land
Just as farmers are seeking out alternative agricultural uses to supplement income, other non-
agricultural uses are also being sought out because they are becoming more accessible and profitable
than traditional agricultural land use. Uses such as commercial communication towers (aka - cell towers),
solar energy generating systems (SEGS), and wind energy generating systems are a new wave of non-
agricultural uses beginning to proliferate in Washington County that can consume large areas of land
currently used as productive agricultural land.
Great effort was made to analyze which areas of the County should be delineated as a high priority
for land preservation because of agricultural productivity. Since the State and County have put forth
millions of dollars and other resources into land preservation to reduce large scale residential
development in rural areas, it is logical that they would be seeking to place limits on land uses that would
inhibit or prevent agricultural production.
A trend towards the commercialization of agricultural land for non-agricultural land uses is
another industry trend that is creating challenges to land preservation efforts. Thus far in Washington
County, rural based event centers in which converted barns or temporary tents on farms or large rural
lots are being used to accommodate events such as weddings, festivals, and large-scale recreational
activities. These activities are blurring the lines between agricultural and commercial land uses in rural
areas that often have limited infrastructure to support such activities.
The installation of uses that manufacture value added products or sell items produced on the farm
such as wineries, creameries, or farm stands have a direct link to the agricultural production of the land.
Non-agricultural land uses such as event centers do not have the same inherent link to farm operations.
If these operations occur on lands in which easements were purchased by the County or State to
permanently preserve agricultural operations specifically, it becomes an open question as to whether
public tax dollars are being used for the purposes for which they were expended.
Washington County is not the only jurisdiction to grapple with this issue. Other rural counties as
well as the State have been weighing the same balance between maintaining a viable agricultural base
while also reaping the benefits of these types of agricultural tourism uses. Recent regulatory efforts have
been made by the County at achieving this balance, such as changes to the Zoning Ordinance to permit
farm wineries and breweries in select rural zoning categories or adding additional language to further
clarify where the County prefers to see SEGS sited (i.e. – away from prime soils).
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APPENDICIES
Appendix A
Full Sized Maps
Washington
County
Regional Park
Fort
Frederick
Washington
Monument State
Park
Sideling
Hill Wildlife
Management Area
Prather's Neck
Wildlife Management Area
Weverton/Roxbury
Rail
Corridor
Western Maryland Rail
Trail
Hagerstown
Community College
Harpers Ferry
National
Historic Park
Greenbrier
State
Park
Woodmont
South Mountain
State
Park
Indian
Springs WMA
Hagerstown
Edgemont Reservoir
Sideling Hill Creek
Preserve
C & O Canal
Antietam
Battlefield RIN G G O L D PIKE
RAVENROCKRD
MAPLE VILLERD SMITHSBURGP
I
K
E
GREENCASTLEPIKEJEFFERSON
BLVD
SHARPSBURGPIKECE
AR
F
OS
S
P
I
K
E
N
ATIO
N
ALPIKE
BIG PO OL
R DINDIANSPRINGSRD NATIONALPIKEHOLLOWRD
INTERSTATE70
LAPPANSRD
OLDNATI
ONAL
PI
KEL E IT ERS B U R G P I KE
SAINTPAULRDS
PIE
LMANROAD
ROHRERSVILLERDCLEAR
SPRIN
G
R
D
B R OAD FORDINGRD
ROCKDALERDS H E P HE R D STOWNP IKE
FA IR V IEW RD
INTERSTATE70
CHESTNUTGROVERDW OODMON TRDHARPERSFERRY RDI
NTERSTATE81INTERSTA T E 6 8
INTERSTA T E
70EASTWilliamsport
Hancock
Clear Spring
Smithsburg
Boonsboro
Funkstown
Keedysville
Sharpsburg
Hagerstown
Washington County, Maryland Governmentally Owned and Maintained Parks
¯3
Miles
Data Sources:
Maryland Department of Planning
MD Department of Natural Resources
Prepared By:
Washington County Department of Planning
and Zoning
Geographic Information Systems
Note: This map is prepared for the sole purpose of illustrating the Land Preservation,
Parks and Recreation Plan. It should not be used for other purposes. Information shown
on this map was compiled from various original sources as listed and is subject to change
as source data changes.
Path: S:\Admin\Parks\LPPRP\LPPRP2021\Governmentally Owned and Maintained Parks\
Roads
City
Community
Federal
State
Town
County
Municipal Boundaries
County Boundary
Williamsport
Hancock
Clear
Spring Smithsburg
Boonsboro
Funkstown
Keedysville
Sharpsburg
Hagerstown RIN G G O L D PIKE
R AVENROCK RDMAPLEVILLERDSMITHSBURGPI
K
E
GREENCASTLEPIKEJEFFERSON BLVD
SHARPSBURGPIKECE
AR
F
OS
S
P
I
K
E
N
ATIO
NAL
PIK
E
BIG
POOL R D
HARPERSFERRYRDINDIANSPRI
NGSR
DNATIONALPIKE
INTERSTATE
70HOLLOWRD
LAPPANSRD
OL
DNATI
ONALPI
KEL E I T E R S B UR G
P I K ESAINTPAULRD
S
P
IE
LMANROAD INTERSTATE81ROHRERSVILLERDCLEAR
SPRIN
G
R
D
B R OAD FORDINGRD
ROCKDALERDS H E PH E R DSTOWNP I KEF A IRVIEW
RD
INTERST
A
T
E
70
CHESTNUTGROVERDWOODMONTRDINTERST
ATE68
INTERST A T E
70EAST
Community Parks
Joint Use Agreement Schools
Roads
County Boundary
Municipal Boundaries
Washington County, Maryland Quasi-Public, Private Parks and Recreation Facilities
Data Sources:
Maryland Department of Planning
MD Department of Natural Resources
United States National Park Service
Prepared By:
Washington County Department of Planning
and Zoning
Geographic Information Systems
Note: This map is prepared for the sole purpose of illustrating the Land Preservation,
Parks and Recreation Plan. It should not be used for other purposes. Information shown
on this map was compiled from various original sources as listed and is subject to change
as source data changes.
Path: S:\Admin\Parks\LPPRP\LPPRP2021\Quasi-Parks.aprx
3
Miles ¯
Williamsport
Hancock
Clear Spring
Smithsburg
Boonsboro
Funkstown
Keedysville
Sharpsburg
Hagerstown
R IN G G O L D
P IK E
RAVEN ROCK
RDMAPLEVILLERDSMITHSBURGP
I
K
E
INTERSTATE81GREENCASTLEPIKEJEFFERSON BLVD
SHARPSBURGPIKECE
A
R
F
OS
S
PI
K
E
N
A
T
I
O
N
A
L
P
I
K
E
B IG
P O O LRD
HARPERSFERRYRDI
NDIANSPRINGSRDINTERSTATE70HOLLOWRD
N
ATIONA L P I K E
LAPPANSRD
OLDNATI
ONALPI
KELEIT E R S B U R G PI K E
SAINTPAULRDSPIELMANR
OADROHRERSVI
LLERDCLEARSPRINGRD
B R OAD FORDINGRD
ROCKDALERDSHEPHERDSTO W N
PIKEF AIRVIEWR
D
INTERST
A
T
E
7
0
CHESTNUTGROVERDWOODMONTRDINTERSTA T E 6 8
IN TERSTATE70E A S T
Antietam Creek Water Trail
Conococheague Water Trail
Proposed Civil War Rail Trail
Pangborn Trail Connector
Major Federal and State Trails
Roads
Federal
State
County
Other Parks
Conservation Reserve Enhancment Program
Maryland Environmental Trust
Rural Legacy Properties
Mid-Maryland Land Trust
County Purchased Forest Easements
Forest Conservation Act Easements
MDDNR
Municipal Boundaries
County Boundary
Washington County, Maryland Protected Natural Resource Lands
Data Sources:
Maryland Department of Planning
MD Department of Natural Resources
United States National Park Service
Prepared By:
Washington County Department of Planning
and Zoning
Geographic Information Systems
Note: This map is prepared for the sole purpose of illustrating the Land Preservation,
Parks and Recreation Plan. It should not be used for other purposes. Information shown
on this map was compiled from various original sources as listed and is subject to change
as source data changes.
Path: S:\Admin\Parks\LPPRP\LPPRP2021\Protected Lands.aprx
3
Miles ¯
Williamsport
Hancock
Clear
Spring Smithsburg
Boonsboro
Funkstown
Keedysville
Sharpsburg
Hagerstown RIN G G O L D PIKE
R AVENROCK RDMAPLEVILLERDSMITHSBURGP
I
K
E
INTERSTATE81GREENCASTLEPIKEJEFFERSON BLVD
SHARPSBURGPIKEC
E
A
R
F
OS
S
P
I
K
E
BIGPOOL R D
HARPERSFERRYRDI
NDIANSPRINGSRDNATIONALPIKE
INTERSTATE70HOLLOWRD
LAPPANSRD
OL
DNATI
ONALPI
KEL E I T E R S BU R G
P I K E
SAINTPAULRDSPIELMA
N
R
OADROHRERSVILLERDCLEARSPRINGRD
B R OAD FORDINGRD
ROCKDALERDS H E P HE R D STOWNP I K E
F AIRVIEW
RD
INTERST
A
T
E
7
0
CHESTNUTGROVERDWOODMONTRDIN TERST
ATE68
INT E R S T ATE 70
EA S T
Washington County, Maryland 2002 Comprehensive Land Use Plan
Roads
Industrial
Industrial / Flex
Commercial
Mixed Use Developments
High Density Residential
Low Density Residential
Community Facilities
Urban Open Space
Municipalities
Special Economic Development Area
Rural Village
Preservation
Environmental Conservation
Agriculture
Municipal Boundaries
County Boundary
Data Sources:
Maryland Department of Planning
MD Department of Natural Resources
Prepared By:
Washington County Department of Planning
and Zoning
Geographic Information Systems
Note: This map is prepared for the sole purpose of illustrating the Land Preservation,
Parks and Recreation Plan. It should not be used for other purposes. Information shown
on this map was compiled from various original sources as listed and is subject to change
as source data changes.
Path: S:\Admin\Parks\LPPRP\LPPRP2021\2002 Land Use\3
Miles ¯
Williamsport
Hancock
Clear
Spring Smithsburg
Boonsboro
Funkstown
Keedysville
Sharpsburg
Hagerstown
R IN G G O LD
P IK E
R AVENR OCK RDMAPLEVILLERDSMITHSBURGPI
K
E
INTERSTATE81GREENCASTLEPIKEJEFFERSON BLVD
SHARPSBURGPIKECE
AR
F
OS
S
P
I
K
E
BIGPOOL R D
HARPERSFERRYRDINDI
ANSPRI
NGSRDNATIONALPIKE
INTERSTATE70HOLLOWRD
LAPPANSRD
OL
DNATI
ONAL
PI
KEL E I T E R SBU R G
P I K E
SAINTPAULRDSPIELMA
N
R
OADROHRERSVILLERDCLEARSPRINGRD
B R OAD FORDINGRD
ROCKDALERDS H E P HE R D STOWNP I K E
F A IRVIEWRD
INTERST
A
T
E
7
0
CHESTNUTGROVERDWOODMONTRDINTERST A T E68INT E R S T A T E 70 E A STWashington County, Maryland County Protected Forest Area
Roads
Antietam Overlay 3 Zone
Payment in Lieu Easement
Forest Conservation Act Easements
Municipal Boundaries
County Boundary
3
Miles ¯Note: This map is prepared for the sole purpose of illustrating the Land Preservation,
Parks and Recreation Plan. It should not be used for other purposes. Information shown
on this map was compiled from various original sources as listed and is subject to change
as source data changes.
Path: S:\Admin\Parks\LPPRP\LPPRP2021\County Protected Forest Areas\
Data Sources:
Maryland Department of Planning
MD Department of Natural Resources
United States National Park Service
Prepared By:
Washington County Department of Planning
and Zoning
Geographic Information Systems
Williamsport
Hancock
Clear Spring
Smithsburg
Boonsboro
Funkstown
Keedysville
Sharpsburg
Hagerstown
RAVE N
R OCK RD
MAPLEVILLERDSMITHSBU
R
GPIKEGREENCASTLEPIKEJEFFERSON
BLVD
SHARPSBURGPIKEC
E
A
R
FO
S
S
P
I
K
E
NATIO
N
A
L
PIK
E
BIG PO O LR D
HARPERSFERRYRDINDIANSPRI
NGSRD
INTERSTATE
70
N
A
TIONA L
PIK E
IN
TERSTAT
E
70
LAPPANSR
D OL
DNATI
ONALPI
KER IN G G OLD
P IK E
L E I T E R S B U R G
P I K E
SAINTPAULRDSPIEL
MANR
O
ADROHRERSVILLERDCLEARSPRINGRD
B R O A D F O R D ING
R D
ROCKDALERDS H E PHERDSTOW N
PIKEFA IR VIEWR
D
CHESTNUTGROVERDWOODMONTRDINTERSTATE81INTERS TATE 6 8
IN TERSTAT E
70EASTWashington County, Maryland Biodiversity Conservation Network
3
Miles ¯
Roads
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Tier 4
Tier 5
Municipal Boundaries
County Boundary
Source: S:\Admin\Parks\LPPRP\LPPRP2021
Note: This map is prepared for the sole purpose of illustrating the Land Preservation,
Parks and Recreation Plan. It should not be used for other purposes. Information shown
on this map was compiled from various original sources as listed and is subject to change
as source data changes.
Data Sources:
Maryland Department of Planning
MD Department of Natural Resources
Prepared By:
Washington County Department of Planning
and Zoning
Geographic Information Systems
Williamsport
Hancock
Clear Spring
Smithsburg
Boonsboro
Funkstown
Keedysville
Sharpsburg
Hagerstown
RAVE N
R OCK RD
MAPLEVILLERDSMITHSBU
R
GPIKEGREENCASTLEPIKEJEFFERSON
BLVD
SHARPSBURGPIKEC
E
A
R
FO
S
S
P
I
K
E
NATIO
N
A
L
PIK
E
BIG PO O LR D
HARPERSFERRYRDINDIANSPRI
NGSRD
INTERSTATE
70
N
A
TIONA L
PIK E
IN
TERSTAT
E
70
LAPPANSR
D OL
DNATI
ONALPI
KER IN G G OLD
P IK E
L E I T E R S B U R G
P I K E
SAINTPAULRDSPIEL
MANR
O
ADROHRERSVILLERDCLEARSPRINGRD
B R O A D F O R D ING
R D
ROCKDALERDS H E PHERDSTOW N
PIKEFA IR VIEWR
D
CHESTNUTGROVERDWOODMONTRDINTERSTATE81INTERS TATE 6 8
IN TERSTAT E
70EASTWashington County, Maryland Targeted Ecological Areas
3
Miles ¯
Roads
Targeted Ecological Areas
Municipal Boundaries
County Boundary
Source: S:\Admin\Parks\LPPRP\LPPRP2021
Note: This map is prepared for the sole purpose of illustrating the Land Preservation,
Parks and Recreation Plan. It should not be used for other purposes. Information shown
on this map was compiled from various original sources as listed and is subject to change
as source data changes.
Data Sources:
Maryland Department of Planning
MD Department of Natural Resources
Prepared By:
Washington County Department of Planning
and Zoning
Geographic Information Systems
Williamsport
Hancock
Clear
Spring
Smithsburg
Boonsboro
Funkstown
Keedysville
Sharpsburg
Hagerstown RIN G G O L D PIKE
RAVENROCKRD
MAPLEVILLERDSMITHSBURGP
I
K
E
INTERSTATE81GREENCASTLEPIKEJEFFERSON BLVD
SHARPSBURGPIKECE
AR
F
OS
S
P
I
K
E
N
ATIO
NAL
PIKEBIGPOOLRD
HARPERSFERRYRDI
NDI
A
NSPRI
NGSR
DNATIONALPIKE
INTERSTATE
70HOLLOWRD
LAPPANSRD
OL
DNATI
ONAL
PI
KEL E I T E R S B UR G
P I K E
SAINTPAULRDSPIELMAN
R
OADROHRERSVI
LLERDCLEAR
SPRIN
G
R
D
B R O A D F O R D I N G R D
ROCKDALERDS HEPHERDSTOW N
PIKEF A IRVIEW
RD
INTERS
T
A
T
E
70
CHESTNUTGROVERDWOODMONTRDINT
E
R
STAT E 68IN TERSTA T E
70EASTRoads
Priority Preservation Areas
MALPF Easements
Rural Legacy Easements
County Ag Districts
IPP Easements
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
MMLT Easements
Other Permenant Easements
Local, State or Federal Property Ownership
Municipal Boundaries
County Boundary
Washington County, Maryland Preserved Lands with Priority Preservation Areas
Data Sources:
Maryland Department of Planning
MD Department of Natural Resources
United States National Park Service
Prepared By:
Washington County Department of Planning
and Zoning
Geographic Information Systems
Note: This map is prepared for the sole purpose of illustrating the Land Preservation,
Parks and Recreation Plan. It should not be used for other purposes. Information shown
on this map was compiled from various original sources as listed and is subject to change
as source data changes.
Path: S:\Admin\Parks\LPPRP\LPPRP2021\AgPres.aprx
3
Miles ¯
Appendix B
Public Parks and Recreation Facilities Inventory
Preserved Natural Resource Lands Inventory
Preserved Agricultural Lands Inventory
101
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
A. Inventory of Existing Public Parks and Recreation Facilities
102
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
B. Inventory of Protected Natural Resource Lands
103
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
C. Inventory of Preserved Agricultural Land
104
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
105
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
106
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Appendix C
Parks, Facilities & Recreation Survey
Survey Results
108
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
I. Questionnaire
109
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
26%
35%
21%
14%4%
Question 1: Park Proximity
< 1 miles 1 to 3 miles 3 to 5 miles 5 to 10 miles 10+ miles
6%
38%
32%
24%
Question 2: Park Visitation Frequency
Daily Weekly Monthly Rarely
110
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Question 3: Parks Visited Most Often
Question 4: Parks Facilities Used Most Often
#1:Marty
Snook
#2: Devil's
Backbone
#3: Ag Center
#4: Pen Mar
#5: Doub's Woods
#1:Trails/Paths
#2: Community
Places
#3: Outdoor Sports Activity
Fields & Courts
#4: Natural Areas
#5: Water Sports and Recreation
111
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Question 5: New Park Facilities Desired
#1:Trails/Paths
#2: Pickleball
Courts
#3: Exercise Amenities
#4: Dog Parks/Pet Amenities
#5: Urban Water Access (Pool, Splash Pad)
89%
10%
1%
Question 6: Travel Mode to Parks & Rec Facilites
Personal Automobile Walk or Bicycle Bus/County Commuter
112
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
19%5%
10%
33%
20%
14%
Question 7: Obstacles Preventing Park/Facility
Usage
Transportation or Distance to Nearest Park/Facility
Cost of Facilities or Services
Hours of Operation
Lack of Preferred Amenities
Safety Concerns
Other
40%
60%
Question 8: Recreation Program Participation
Yes No
113
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Question 10: New Recreation Programs Desired
26%
24%8%8%
21%
8%4%
Question 9: Recreation Program Participation
Adult Fitness Programs Youth Sports/Clinics
High School Sport Programs Youth Summer Day Camps
Special Events Swimming Lessons
Other
#1:Walking
Clubs
#2: Yoga
#3: Pickleball
#4: Sports Clinics
#5: Nature Activities
114
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
17%
20%
28%
20%
8%0%7%
Question 11: Recreation Program Attendance
Obstacles
Transportation or Distance to Program Site/Facility
Cost of Facilities or Services
Program Times
Program Types
Accessibility (Age/Ability)
Language Barrier
Other
2%
26%
55%
17%
Question 12: Satisfaction With Existing Parks
and Recreation Programs, Facilities and Services
Unsatisfied Somewhat Satisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied
115
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Question 14: Amenities Desired in New Indoor Recreation Facility
21%
48%
31%
Question 13: Fiscal Priorities for Parks System
Maintain Existing Facilities New Amenities at Existing Facilities
Expand Parks System
#1:Pool
#2: Courts
#3: Program/Event/Activity
Space
#4: Track
#5: Fields
116
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Question 15: Do you support the creation of renewable energy
generating systems on the following types of lands?
55 %
6 %
13 %
25 %
45 %
8 %
23 %
24 %
117
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
31 %
43 %
7 %
19 %
57 %
6 %
13 %
25 %
118
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
6 %
54 %
11 %
32 %
69 %
8 %
11 %
13 %
119
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
A. Demographic Questions
0%1%
7%
19%
25%23%
25%
Question 16: Age
Under 18 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
69 %
31 %
120
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
14%
39%18%
17%
12%
Question 17: Household Size
1 2 3 4 5+
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Less than
$25,000
$25,000 -
$49,999
$50,000 -
$99,999
$100,000 -
$149,999
$150,000+Prefer Not to
Answer
Question 18: Household Income
121
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Question 20: Zip Code
Response Count % of Total Responses Responses
3 1% 21750
176 34% 21740
41 8% 21795
36 7% 21713
118 23% 21742
4 1% 21758
12 2% 21756
18 4% 21782
26 5% 21783
1 0% 10346
28 5% 21722
5 1% 21734
11 2% 21779
3 1% 21711
4 1% 21719
5 1% 21733
5 1% 21767
1 0% 21715
1 0% 10908
5 1% 21733
1 0% 17923
2 0% 17236
1 0% 13437
2 0% 17268
81%
1%
1%
1%
0%
0%
2%
15%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
White or Caucasian
Hispanic or Latinx
Black or African American
Asian
American Indian or Alaska Native
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Some other race or multiple races
Prefer Not to Answer
Question 19: Race or Ethnicity
122
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
1 0% 13929
2 0% 17225
1 0% 11533
1 0% 11206
Total 514 100%
II. Mapped Survey
A. Comment Category: Parks I Visit
Location Count Visitation
Frequency
Amenities Used
Camp Harding 1 Occasionally Courts, Water
Clear Spring
Park
1 Frequently Courts, Walking/Trails
Marty Snook 3 Rarely Courts, Walking/Trails
Doubs Woods 2 Occasionally Sports Leagues
Pinesburg 3 Rarely Sports Leagues
HCC 1 Occasionally Walking/Trails
Devils Backbone 2 Occasionally Picnic, Water Access (Fishing, Boating)
Doubs Woods 1 Occasionally Picnic, Natural Areas
Marty Snook 1 Occasionally Fields, Walking/Trails
Ag Center 1 Occasionally Events, Historic/Educational
Regional 3 Frequently
City Park 2 Occasionally
123
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
South Mtn SP
(Thurston Griggs
Trail)
2 Occasionally Walking/Trails
Regional 1 Frequently Playground
Pinesburg 2 Occasionally
Mt. Briar
Wetland
2 Rarely
City Park 1 Occasionally
Pangborn 1 Occasionally
South Mtn SP
(High Rock)
1 Occasionally Natural Area
Western MD
Hospital Center
1 Frequently Natural Area, Walking/Trail, Exercise
Equipment
Pen Mar 1 Frequently
Devils Backbone 1 Occasionally
Rose's Mill 1 Occasionally Parking
Mt. Briar
Wetland
1 Occasionally Wallking/Trails
Regional 1 Frequently
Marty Snook 1 Frequently Exercise Equipment, Playground (Marty's
Mythical Woods)
Total 38
B. Comment Category: New Facilities or Park Amenities
Location Amenity Category
Clear Spring Park Trail (Walking)
Weverton/Roxbury
Rail Corridor
Trail (Multi-Use)
Devils Backbone Trail (Hiking)
RAMP Rec Program
Fountainhead
North
Park
South Mtn SP
(Cascade)
Trail
South Mtn SP
(Thurston Griggs
Trail)
Trail (Signage)
Woodbridge Park
Downtown
Hagerstown
Park
Wilson Bridge Water Access
Pinesburg Trail (Walking)
Pinesburg Fields (Soccer)
Pinesburg Restrooms
124
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Weverton/Roxbury
Rail Corridor
Trail (Multi-Use)
Regional Courts (Tennis)
Weverton/Roxbury
Rail Corridor
Trail (Multi-Use)
Regional Trail (Walking)
Ag Center Event Facility
Rose's Mill Parking
Fairgrounds Fields (Football)
Regional Recycling, Water Bottle
Refill
C. Comment Category: Safety Concerns
Location Category
Thomas Kennedy
Park
Maintenance
South Mtn. SP
(High Rock)
Safety/Access/Operating
Hours
HCC Maintenance
Funkstown Park Lighting
C&O Canal (Dam 4
- Rd & Boat
Launch)
Safety
D. Comment Category: Water Access Used
Location Category
Wilson Bridge Occasionally
Devils
Backbone/Antietam
Creek
Frequently
C&O Canal (Dam 4 -
Rd & Boat Launch)
Safety
E. Comment Category: Other (Comment Did Not Fall Under Other
Category Choices)
Location Category
Regional Park Use/Capacity
Mt. Briar Wetland Operating Hours/Public
Access
City Park Maintenance
Devils Backbone Public Access
Ag Center Public Access
125
Washington County, Maryland
2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan
Marty Snook Public Access
Mt. Briar Wetland Public Access