COVID-19 RESPONSE

The City of Frederick is committed to providing uninterrupted essential services to our residents and are making strategic decisions on how best to deliver other services long term. The City of Frederick will be enacting a modified delivery of City services, department access, and processing deadlines. Additional services and orders have been enacted by the State. 

PUBLIC MEETINGS

• Workshops and meetings for Mayor/Board of Aldermen, Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Historic Preservation Commission will begin the week of April 13, 2020, in virtual and limited gathering options. Complete details on agenda items and public comment opportunities will be announced. 
• At this time of year, we would typically be embarking on a series of budget hearings. Our Budget Department is redesigning that hearing schedule, which will be announced the week of March 30, 2020. 
• To reduce the risk of exposure and spread, all non-judicial Boards and Commissions, as well as our NAC meetings, are now postponed through the City’s State of the Emergency. 

CITY FACILITIES

• Public access to City facilities is restricted and by appointment only. Residents should contact the appropriate City staff member to arrange appointments. Please note that reduced staffing levels of some offices will likely occur.

POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

• FPD continues to conduct proactive patrol checks of neighborhoods, businesses, grocery stores, medical facilities, financial institutions, and all other areas in our City.
• FPD will always respond to in-progress calls for service, calls for service requiring evidence collection, and of course, all emergencies. All call response will be immediate, adhering to already established protocols and procedures. However, we have modified specific response protocols, incorporating telephonic reporting procedures, for certain offenses. An example of those offenses includes minor thefts where no evidence exists to collect, and the suspect is not on scene. In those instances, the officer will collect all relevant information and provide the reporting person with their name and case report number. 
• FPD is enforcing all laws and work with our criminal justice system partners, such as the Frederick County State’s Attorney Office and the District and Circuit Courts, and other local and regional law enforcement agencies. The District Court Commissioner’s Office continues operations, remaining available for application of charging and protection (protective and peace order) orders.
• FPD Neighborhood Advisory Council liaisons are making weekly contact with resident NAC coordinators to inform our communities of what is occurring in their neighborhoods and to answer any questions.

WATER & SANITATION

• Trash pickup, yard waste, and commercial recycling are operating on their normal schedules.
• Bulk trash pickup is suspended at this time. 
• The City’s Freecycle program has been postponed until the next event on October 17, 2020. 

VULNERABLE POPULATION SERVICE

• The Frederick Community Action Agency will continue to operate the health center (daily 9AM-5PM), foodbank (Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri 2PM-4PM), and soup kitchen (daily 5:30PM-6:30PM). 
  • The soup kitchen will be carryout only until further notice. 
  • The health center is offering telehealth to existing patients which can be scheduled by email to telehealthfcaa@cityoffrederickmd.gov or calling 301-600-1393 or 301-600-1506.
  • Additional agency services (transportation, housing and weatherization, and energy assistance) have been reduced to allow staff to work on emergency and urgent needs. For more information, visit the FCAA Website. 
• Food Support: In collaboration with the Salvation Army, the Frederick Community Action Agency is mobilizing its Food Bank to serve local seniors and families. Beginning 3/20, food bags, which hold three to five days worth of food, will be delivered to Taney Village and Catoctin Manor to serve over 150 seniors. Deliveries will occur once per week at this time and future locations are being considered. Beginning 3/25, additional food drops have been coordinated with the Asian American Center of Frederick and the Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland in Frederick.
• Additionally, we are monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable in our community. We are in active conversations with fellow human service providers to ensure all populations are cared for during this public health crisis. 

PARKING

• Daytime meter enforcement has been suspended. All other parking restrictions remain in effect to support the City’s efforts to protect life, health and safety of our residents. Garages are operating under normal schedules. 
• To support The City of Frederick’s restaurants during state-mandated dining room closures, the City, through our Department of Economic Development and Downtown Frederick Partnership, established “curbside pickup parking zones.” These zones are located throughout Downtown Frederick. Residents may park in these zones for 10 minutes to receive their carryout orders from local restaurants and operations.
• Parking Garage Bathrooms are closed.

AIRPORT

• The Frederick Municipal Airport is open and operating. Offices are closed to the public. The airport restaurant will be available for carryout only. 

PLANNING, ENGINEERING & BUILDING PERMITS

• At this time, the City’s Planning, Engineering, and Building/Permits Departments will not be accepting hard copies plans, applications, or checks while we evaluate how to deliver these services in a safe and modified work environment. In Engineering, re-submittals of improvement plans are being accepted electronically. In Planning, applications in process that were routed prior to March 13th will be reviewed and comments will be returned to the applicant electronically. Updates will be shared as soon as possible. 
• The Historic Preservation Tax Credit deadline has been extended until April 30, 2020. Applications will be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission once the meetings resume.  After review and approval by the Historic Preservation Committee, the tax credit will be calculated and forwarded to the County in a timely fashion. If the tax credits are not included on the July 1 tax bill, the County will send out an amended tax bill.  If the tax bill has been paid, property owners will receive a refund of the tax credit. Those who wait for a revised tax bill may see impacts on the discount/interest amount.

CODE ENFORCEMENT

• Code complaints are being monitored and any that are life/safety-related or critical are being addressed. 

BILLS & CITATION PAYMENTS

• Due dates for City bills, permits, licensures, and citations will be extended to thirty days after the City State of the Emergency ends. 

INSPECTIONS

• Inspections that require City oversight will occur on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Certain items may be inspected at a future date if not critical to be checked at this time. Inspections requiring coordination with other City departments outside of the DPW Projects Departments will require two weeks advance notice. More information for the Land Development Community. 
• Water sampling must be performed through the City. City labs will accept samples for testing Tuesday through Thursday before noon. Collection on site must occur no later than 11 AM that day. Sampling must be scheduled two weeks in advance. 

PARKS AND RECREATION

• The William R. Talley Recreation Center and all satellite facilities will be closed through the City’s State of Emergency or April 30, 2020, whichever is later.  No new facility reservations are available at this time. All existing reservations have been canceled and cannot be rescheduled at this time. 
• All Talley Fitness Center memberships, including those with automatic billing, have been suspended.  When the Fitness Center reopens, all memberships, including passes, will be reactivated on the patrons’ first visit back to the facility. 
• All classes and programs are suspended through the City’s State of Emergency or April 30, 2020, whichever is later. The following programs have been cancelled. Participants will receive a refund.  Refunds will be processed and issued as promptly as possible.
  • Spring Youth Soccer
  • Spring Men’s Basketball
  • All Spring Teen Trips
  • Swing In to Spring Tennis
  • Adult Co-Ed Kickball League
  • Spring Volleyball (all leagues)
  • African Dance
  • BANG with Brenda
  • Ballroom Dance
  • Beginners Qi Gong
  • Essential Oils (Vitality of Life/Active Adult)
  • Freedom Barre & Freedom Barre/BANG
  • Line Dancing
  • Karate 
  • Pickleball 101
  • Square Dancing
  • Tai Chi (all levels)
• The Youth Fishing Rodeo, scheduled for April 11th is canceled.
• All park facility permits are canceled through the City’s State of Emergency or April 30, 2020, whichever is later.  Patrons will receive a refund.  Refunds will be processed and issued as promptly as possible.  No new facility reservations are available at this time.
• All permitted use of city fields, use of playground equipment and use of pavilions is suspended until further notice.  
• Parks remain open to the community; however, all gatherings in these areas should follow the Governor’s Executive Order on mass gatherings.
• The Dog Park is closed until further notice.
• Clustered Spires Golf Course is closed until further notice.

WEINBERG CENTER FOR THE ARTS

• The Weinberg Center for the Arts is closed. Please contact the Weinberg Center for information on event rescheduling.