This presentation of the plan was to detail changes made to the original concept plan, which was introduced during the December meeting, that resulted in recommended changes.

Per the plan, the proposed community will be built upon five acres immediately north of the Thurmont Library and adjacent to the 47 townhouses in Fair Oaks community off of Moser Road, and include 36 single family townhouses.

The land is currently zoned R-5 Residential. R-5 Residential zoning is intended to provide for high density attached single family dwellings on small lots, multi-family dwelling structures, and generally, a variety of residential building types and open spaces to create attractive planned communities.

According to the developer, the minimum width of each townhouse will be 20 feet and each unit will occupy 1,800 square feet. There shall be no less than three units and no more than six units per row, with 30 feet separating each set of townhouses. As the development will be adjacent to wetland, basements will be prohibited in the townhomes.

There will be slightly less than two acres of common space available to the community for recreational purposes as well. Parking in the development requires two spaces per dwelling unit plus two spaces per five units. This means that 86 parking spaces are required with eight being planned at the front of the community.

The changes that were made based upon Board member suggestions included a one-way loop road around the development as apposed to a two-way road. In addition, eight parking spaces were added at the entrance to the community and the amount of landscaping was increased throughout.

Although the current plan reflects the input from the Board members, Board members still expressed concern for the proposed plan. Board members said they would prefer to see fewer homes so each unit can have more space. They also want more preservation of the natural vegetation, as well as the wetlands.

The homeowners who currently live directly in front of the proposed Oak Forest community are adamantly against the development. Jonathan Speak and his wife Jennifer live directly beside the entrance to the proposed community and said they were not happy knowing the extra eight parking spaces would be put beside their private driveway, resulting in headlights being shone into their home at night.

The Speak’s also reiterated concerns, of other community members, that traffic is already terrible on Moser road and there are concerns that a 36 home development would only make it worse. Several residents voiced concerns over the loss of Thurmont’s "Gateway to the Mountains" reputation. "Adding another community of 3 story homes completely changes the landscape from their backyard," said Tammy Bitinger and her husband.

Damage to the wetlands as well as the flooding already experienced by residents rounded out the current homeowners’ concerns on the minds of many.

In the end, the Board made a few more recommendations to the developer and now awaits a final plan to formally start it’s review.