Sugarloaf Alliance
Preservation * Smarter Growth * Transparency in Government
Referendum and Election Candidate Survey
The trial for the Data Center Referendum takes place on Friday at Frederick Circuit Court at 100 W Patrick St, Frederick, MD 21701 at 9:30 am. We have gathered some of the trial documents for public viewing.
The Sugarloaf Alliance invited all candidates for local offices to reply to a questionnaire seeking their positions on issues of interest to SA members: environmental stewardship, transparency in government, and data center siting and regulation. We have their responses.
Overlay Zone Expanded
The Overlay Zone legislation set up to 1% of county acreage to be available for data centers under this Overlay. The Planning Commission recommended limiting the Overlay to the existing Eastalco site and adjacent properties already planned to be industrial - a smaller area than the County Executive and staff proposed. On 12/23/25 the County
Council voted to expand the Overlay Zone, nearly doubling the area available to build data centers.
MPIA Request Results
Read the results of Sugarloaf Alliance's latest Maryland Public Information Request re data centers here. Governor's office asks for enforcement "leniency
2025 Reflections
2025 Reflections
2025 was a busy year! Click here to learn how Sugarloaf Alliance has contributed to smarter growth efforts in Frederick County and beyond.
Hidden Costs of the Cloud: Data Centers in Virginia
Learn more about Hidden Costs of the Cloud: Data Centers in Virginia
Board of Elections and Referendum Committee Sued by Data Center Companies
Data center companies are suing the Board of Elections and the Referendum Committee to prevent the expansion question from coming to a vote.
YOU joined the movement to overturn the data center Overlay Zone expansion.
21,029 signatures were validated on the Referendum Petition - 15,611 were required to put the question on the ballot.
Who will decide what we vote on in Frederick County?
MPRP
MPRP powerlines for data centers are projected to run through the Sugarloaf Plan area. The PSEG application is now before the Public Service Commission.