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This picture shows the exterior of Inn BoonsBoro on the square in Boonsboro. The inn is owned by romance novelist Nora Roberts and her husband, Bruce Wilder. (File photo / February 16, 2013) |
A strategic plan commissioned for the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission suggests a greater effort to market the small towns and rural areas of the county, an idea Hancock Mayor Daniel A. Murphy welcomes.
“I certainly would agree. They need to become familiar with us on the fringes of the county,” Murphy said recently. “It’s not the Hagerstown Economic Development Commission.”
Communication between the county and Hancock has improved in recent years, but Murphy said he could remember a time not so long ago when it seemed that the town at the western edge of the county was mostly forgotten.
“We had real concerns when we were trying to market the Stanley Fulton building” after the Fleetwood Travel Trailer plant closed there in 2005, Murphy said.
In 2011, Evolve Composites signed a deal to move into the building, which is owned by the town, to produce lightweight precast concrete products.
“We made that happen pretty much by ourselves,” Murphy said of marketing the site.
The Economic Development Commission and county still have to adopt the plan, prepared by Urbanomics Inc. for the EDC, the Economic Development Strategic Planning Task Force and the Hagerstown-Washington County Industrial Foundation Inc. (CHIEF). They also must prioritize the recommendations.
Washington County Commissioner Ruth Anne Callaham said after the strategic plan was unveiled in January that she was pleased it included plans for the towns.
Washington County has eight incorporated towns — Boonsboro, Clear Spring, Funkstown, Hancock, Keedysville, Sharpsburg, Smithsburg and Williamsport.
“All eight towns seek to strengthen their property tax bases, to revitalize their downtowns, and to improve their quality of life,” the report said. “Most are capable of supporting small manufacturing and technology-oriented service businesses and should be part of countywide business attraction, retention and small business development initiatives.”
And, the report noted, “These small towns and the surrounding rural/agricultural countryside are significant social, visual and economic assets in Washington County.”
What towns have to offer
The Williamsport area is the most industrialized of the towns, home to Certain Teed, DOT Foods, Potomac Edison regional headquarters and the Bowman Group, according to the plan. Boonsboro, Smithsburg and Hancock also have small to mid-size manufacturers in or around their boundaries, it said.
“Most are capable of supporting small manufacturing and technology-oriented service businesses and should be part of a countywide business attraction, retention, and small business development initiatives,” the report suggested.
These towns also serve the surrounding farm communities and tourism is a significant economic contributor for some, thanks to the C&O Canal, Potomac River, Western Maryland Rail Trail and — for Sharpsburg — its proximity to Antietam National Battlefield, the report said.
“Boonsboro, originally a mill town and farm community, has become a tourist destination thanks to popular romance novelist Nora Roberts, who is investing in revitalizing the downtown area and who lives in nearby Keedysville,” the report said.
Keedysville, Sharpsburg and Clear Spring are “small primarily residential farm communities that may prefer to stay that way,” the report noted. It said Funkstown “is literally an extension of Hagerstown, but has a collection of antique, collectibles and crafts shops and galleries that make it a budding tourist destination.”
“Every town, even the ones that aren’t incorporated, has a festival” and those draw crowds of visitors, Smithsburg Mayor Mildred “Mickey” Myers said.
One step the county recently took that could boost agri-tourism was approving amended language to the zoning ordinance to allow farm wineries in areas zoned for agriculture. Those wineries would not require site development plans or zoning permit approval provided they meet certain other criteria, including that at least 2 acres of grapevines be growing on site.
“I certainly would agree. They need to become familiar with us on the fringes of the county,” Murphy said recently. “It’s not the Hagerstown Economic Development Commission.”
Communication between the county and Hancock has improved in recent years, but Murphy said he could remember a time not so long ago when it seemed that the town at the western edge of the county was mostly forgotten.
“We had real concerns when we were trying to market the Stanley Fulton building” after the Fleetwood Travel Trailer plant closed there in 2005, Murphy said.
In 2011, Evolve Composites signed a deal to move into the building, which is owned by the town, to produce lightweight precast concrete products.
“We made that happen pretty much by ourselves,” Murphy said of marketing the site.
The Economic Development Commission and county still have to adopt the plan, prepared by Urbanomics Inc. for the EDC, the Economic Development Strategic Planning Task Force and the Hagerstown-Washington County Industrial Foundation Inc. (CHIEF). They also must prioritize the recommendations.
Washington County Commissioner Ruth Anne Callaham said after the strategic plan was unveiled in January that she was pleased it included plans for the towns.
Washington County has eight incorporated towns — Boonsboro, Clear Spring, Funkstown, Hancock, Keedysville, Sharpsburg, Smithsburg and Williamsport.
“All eight towns seek to strengthen their property tax bases, to revitalize their downtowns, and to improve their quality of life,” the report said. “Most are capable of supporting small manufacturing and technology-oriented service businesses and should be part of countywide business attraction, retention and small business development initiatives.”
And, the report noted, “These small towns and the surrounding rural/agricultural countryside are significant social, visual and economic assets in Washington County.”
What towns have to offer
The Williamsport area is the most industrialized of the towns, home to Certain Teed, DOT Foods, Potomac Edison regional headquarters and the Bowman Group, according to the plan. Boonsboro, Smithsburg and Hancock also have small to mid-size manufacturers in or around their boundaries, it said.
“Most are capable of supporting small manufacturing and technology-oriented service businesses and should be part of a countywide business attraction, retention, and small business development initiatives,” the report suggested.
These towns also serve the surrounding farm communities and tourism is a significant economic contributor for some, thanks to the C&O Canal, Potomac River, Western Maryland Rail Trail and — for Sharpsburg — its proximity to Antietam National Battlefield, the report said.
“Boonsboro, originally a mill town and farm community, has become a tourist destination thanks to popular romance novelist Nora Roberts, who is investing in revitalizing the downtown area and who lives in nearby Keedysville,” the report said.
Keedysville, Sharpsburg and Clear Spring are “small primarily residential farm communities that may prefer to stay that way,” the report noted. It said Funkstown “is literally an extension of Hagerstown, but has a collection of antique, collectibles and crafts shops and galleries that make it a budding tourist destination.”
“Every town, even the ones that aren’t incorporated, has a festival” and those draw crowds of visitors, Smithsburg Mayor Mildred “Mickey” Myers said.
One step the county recently took that could boost agri-tourism was approving amended language to the zoning ordinance to allow farm wineries in areas zoned for agriculture. Those wineries would not require site development plans or zoning permit approval provided they meet certain other criteria, including that at least 2 acres of grapevines be growing on site.
