Frederick Community College Facilities Master Plan 2023 Chapter 6 Recommendations, Campus Development 6-E-2 May, 2023 plan and are so designated. Once established, which can be by introducing native grasses, shrubs, perennials, etc, those areas will attract wildlife and pollinators, restore habitat, and can be managed by annual or semi-annual cutting. In addition, meadow areas create a spongy surface layer which is more droughtresistant and reduces storm water run-off more effectively than cut grass. Alternatively, some or part of the designated areas can be allowed to grow fallow, ultimately re-establishing many of the native piedmont forest species. At the same time, there is value to strategically located lawns, which lend themselves easily to settings for open spaces, recreation, and for trees. Indeed, the proposed campus development plan provides open spaces, including newly defined quads. Trees, especially deciduous varieties, provide shade, welcome relief in the summer, and additional habitat for birds, and, with lawns, they also help contribute to the collegiate setting that this report embraces. More trees are encouraged, in a variety of settings, also including lining pedestrian ways and driveways, and in parking lots. One of the cherished areas of campus is the open space surrounded by Buildings A, B, C, S, E, H, and J. It is populated by lawns areas, trees, ground cover, shrubs, paved areas for sidewalks and patios, an outdoor classroom, and site furnishings. The proposed campus development plan keeps this space, opening it up more towards the existing quad between Buildings D and L. A phased redevelopment of this space is recommended, to accommodate the eventual demolition of Building A. As per State of Maryland requirements, storm water management is required for all state-funded facilities projects in addition to those imposed by the City of Frederick; those requirements are among the most effective in the county relative to managing water retention and minimizing damage from excessive run-off. Beyond those requirements, a natural drainage course runs more or less west-to-east through the middle of the campus, presenting another opportunity to better manage the storm water that courses through that drainage feature. Sections along its length have been constructed similar to highway standards and details, and some sections are underground. Especially for those lengths at grade, it is recommended that a project be undertaken to provide a more natural setting for the water flow, re-introducing native grasses and other plantings, designed by qualified landscape experts. Hardscape Hardscape, defined here as paved surfaces, including roadways, driveways, delivery/receiving pads, fire lanes, sidewalks and other pedestrian ways, and parking lots, manages the ways people and vehicles navigate and use the campus. Complementing the landscape, the hardscape is essential to campus operations and conducting the business of the College. A variety of materials make up the hardscape now, including concrete, asphalt, and unit pavers. It also contributes significantly to run-off during storms and to the build-up of heat in warm and hot months, i.e. the heat island effect. All of the above materials are impervious, so that water drains from those paved surfaces in sheet flow, entering the landscaped areas and into the FCC storm water system.
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