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Backyard Chickens in Middletown
Did you know that chickens are only allowed on properties two acres or larger within the Town of Middletown’s town...
Building the Creative Economy in Frederick County
In the post-COVID environment, the role of government in economic development will be, at least for a time, greater than...
In Search of Dandelions: A Bee’s Journey
The Bee emerges from his egg in early spring. He is hungry for the work nature has intended for him...
Livable Frederick: South Frederick Corridors Plan
The Livable Frederick Master Plan, adopted by the county in 2019, lays out a vision for what we hope Frederick...
Frederick County is Struggling to Preserve its Rural Roads
In 1977, there were more than 300 miles of gravel road in Frederick County, almost one quarter of all county-maintained...
Grow Squash and Kids Together!
Growing vegetables is an adventure. Growing kids is also an adventure. I propose they grow best together. Growing kids and...
Rotary International Embraces Protecting The Environment
When you think about the word “Rotary”, images of folks in Rotary-emblazoned shirts picking up trash, helping to construct a...
A Solar Convert: Having a Warm Winter With No Heating Bill
I am a warm weather person; sometimes even a hot-weather person. So, when I tell you my heating bills in...
Do a Superfund Site and a City Road Go Together? Learn Why Not
City of Frederick planners are proposing a four-lane, 50 mph road to run through Fort. Detrick’s Area B, the same...
PRESS RELEASE: Envision Frederick County Announces New Executive Director
NEWS RELEASE (December 1, 2020) FREDERICK, MD -- Envision Frederick County Founder and Executive Director Kai Hagen announced today he...
Think Before You Compost
Don’t get me wrong. I’m a MASSIVE compost advocate. But compost is not the be-all and end-all when it comes...
What is Project Drawdown? Learn on November 21 at Our Virtual Workshop
Frederick County residents who want to learn about the strategies and hope Project Drawdown offers to reverse global warming and mitigate...
Best practices for ending exclusive single-family zoning
Your city or state just allowed—or is considering allowing—multiple units on every lot. Here are six tips for successful implementation...
VIRTUAL WORKSHOP: What kind of solar power is best for me?
Interested in solar energy? Confused by the dizzying array of options and providers? On October 25, from 3:00 to 5:00pm,...
Climate Change Working Group releases position paper on energy and Frederick County
After eight months of work and six drafts, it is my privilege to introduce Achieving Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions...
Coping with Covid: An online market opportunity to build local food resiliency
Circumstances created by the Covid-19 virus quickly revealed frustrating weaknesses in our supply chains. Those seen in fresh foods are...
#Climate Stewards Pledge
We must walk more gently on the Earth. Households in the United States emit an average of 21.5 metric tons...
How should the City of Frederick accessorize?
When it comes to accessory dwelling units, the City of Frederick is playing catch-up. Numerous jurisdictions around the country have...
Smart Growth Maryland Announces New Smarter Growth Alliance for Howard County
Smart Growth Maryland is proud to have partnered with the Howard County Sierra Club and The People’s Voice, LLC to...
We Used to Just Call These “Houses”
We have a way in the modern world of rediscovering things that humans have always done but branding them as...
Malls to mixed-use centers and other opportunities
While hundreds of malls are declining, they are also being reused for all kinds of purposes—including walkable urban places in...
Thank you for making our Envision Autumn 2019 event a great success!
On Wednesday evening, September 11th, Envision Frederick County held its fourth almost-annual Envision fundraising dinner event at ThorpeWood — Envision...
Home Builders report shows housing is changing
The American housing industry is changing course—and this will transform neighborhoods and communities over time by providing more and different...
ENVISION ESSENTIALS Session IV Saturday (Local Government Day) and Session III Recap
Please take a few moments to read about this program. It might be just what you were looking for, even...
Making normal neighborhoods legal again
I've spent over two-thirds of my life so far living in anarchic environments where the rule of law did not...
ENVISION ESSENTIALS Session III: Environmental Issues in Frederick County
Please take a few moments to read about this new program. It might be just what you were looking for,...
A Duplex, a Triplex and a Fourplex can cut a block’s carbon impact 29%
The carbon savings from 'middle housing' are voluntary, self-financing and immense. So why are they illegal? To understand why housing...
ENVISION ESSENTIALS Session I Recap: Smart Growth: Land Use and Planning
Please take a few moments to read about this new program. Three out of the four 2019 sessions are still...
We Used to Do This Everywhere
I just got back from a few days in New Orleans, where I stayed—as most tourists to that city do—in...
Envision your Future
Dorothea attended Session I of Envision Essentials, and wrote the following blog entry on her Tiny Planet site. We are...
Why cities are the world’s best hope for climate action
Cities offer breakthrough potential for immediate and effective action on the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and a hotter world,...
ENVISION ESSENTIALS begins on Saturday, May 18th! Sign up!
Please take a few moments to read about this new program. It might be just what you were looking for,...
Climate Change and Monarch Butterflies
The headline in the April 12, Washington Post article on weather rang out: “Giant storm in Central U.S. has unleashed...
Our Beautiful Blanket of Life
Yesterday’s bike ride was one I've made many times – up Church Hill, right on Woodland Way and then a...
Pop Shop Becomes First Restaurant in Downtown Frederick to Partner With Key City Compost
To express their long-lasting commitment to making Downtown Frederick an even better place, The North Market Pop Shop has partnered...