May 09--The Hilton hotel chain has found a spot at the Westview South development for one of its Homewood Suites properties.

On Wednesday, the Frederick County Planning Commission approved the Homewood site plan for a 117-room hotel on 3.5 acres on the west side of Buckeystown Pike, south of Executive Way.

Business travelers and others looking for an extended stay hotel close to restaurants and offices are the target market, said David Hogg, chief executive officer of Springwood Hospitality. Hogg has been working with Hilton to find the right place in Frederick for three years, he said Wednesday after the commission meeting.

"We're looking to do more," Hogg said after the meeting, but the downtown hotel project being discussed in the city is not in their plans, he said.

Hogg and Karl Morris, development director for Matan Development, described a plan for about 10 acres that Matan is developing for a hotel, restaurant and office uses. The plan involves a total of six sites, and encourages pedestrian and bicycle traffic, said Chris Smariga, with Harris, Smariga and Associates Inc. engineers.

The plan for a private road to serve the lots concerned Commissioner Bob Lawrence. He asked whether a public road would be better for public use, safety and maintenance. County staff said the property owners association would be adequate to maintain the private drive at or above public road standards.

Staff liked the proposal because it frees the county from maintenance obligation and because a private drive can be built to a pedestrian scale, without large setbacks from sidewalks and streets, said Tolson DeSa, a county planner.

"From an urban design standpoint, it's a plus," DeSa said.

"(It) is all about the aesthetics and functionality of the shopping center," Smariga said.

Ballenger Creek Trail will run close by, offering greater pedestrian and bicycle access, planners said. A minimum number of parking spaces for cars did not bother commission Chairman Dwaine Robbins or Commissioner John McClurkin, who want to encourage foot and bike traffic.

"I appreciate you trying to make this walkable ... so people do not have to get into a car," Robbins said.

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