Planning Board Approves Land Acquisition at end of Tildenwood LaneMontgomery County will purchase land privately held that was not acquired for the construction of the Montrose Parkway. This property, owned by Mary Armstrong of Chevy Chase, encompassed much of the former forest at the end of Tildenwood Lane. The county will pay $2.5M, and the land will be added to county property that runs between Sulky Lane and Tildenwood Lane, creating a corridor for a new bike path. The bike path will eventually cross Tildenwood Drive and run behind Faith United Methodist Church to the Old Farm Swim Club. |
- NRC leasing space in new buildingThe Nuclear Regulatory Commission, currently in two buildings on Rockville Pike south of Marinelli, has signed a lease for an as-yet unbuilt 14-story office building on the north side of Marinelli, behind the Metro station. The office building is part of the 32 acre LCOR project in North Bethesda Center. LCOR is building 8 blocks between the Metro station and Nebel Street, with the Wentworth apartment building (Harris Teeter grocery on the ground floor) already in place.
- Award for plan design goes to White Flint SectorAs noted in the 11/4/09 Gazette, the Maryland Chapter of the American Planning Association has named the White Flint Sector Plan the 'Outstanding Plan for 2009' for areas with more than 100,000 population.
- White Flint Sector Plan Hearings!!!!The planning board has passed its recommendations for the new master plan for our urban area, and the issues are now before the county council for its votes. Right now is the time to have your opinions heard. Below is a letter from Paula Bienefeld of Luxmanor:
All,
The County Council will be taking public testimony on the Draft White Flint Sector Plan this coming Tues, Oct 20 and Thur, Oct 22nd, starting at 7:30 pm at the Council offices, 100 Maryland Ave, Rockville.
I would encourage you to go so our representatives on the Council knows how important this is to our communities. I know it is difficult, what with work, commuting, kids, grocery shopping and the like.
If you can't make it please make sure to email the council, at county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Our councilmember, Roger Berliner's email is:
councilmember.berliner@montgomerycountymd.gov.
To remind you of the issues as stake, the following are points raised by members of the White Flint Community Coalition, a true grassroots coalition of residents consisting of: Crest of Wickford Condominium Association, Garrett Park Citizens Association, Garrett Park Estates–White Flint Park Citizens’ Association, Luxmanor Citizens Association, Sterling Homeowners Association, Timberlawn Homeowners Association, and the Wickford Community Association. If you agree with any or all of the points below we urge you to communicate with the Council and its members.
1. Do not approve a change in the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance.
2. There is already too much congestion and there are already too many failed intersections surrounding our community. Do not change congestion standards to allow for the proposed increase in traffic.
3. Too much density is proposed. A change that is over six times the current no. of residential units is too much, with no library; no school location proposed within the new sector; no additional public transportation is not sustainable.
4. The plan calls for too much density that is not supported by the public transit system.
5. Do not redesign Wall Park without substantial community input.
6. The plan needs to address compatibility with existing surrounding neighborhoods, and needs to have explicit steps and implementation dates to protect our streets from cut-through traffic.
7. Do not change the adequacy of public school facilities test to allow for a higher level of overcrowding. We do not want our Walter Johnson schools to become overcrowded.
8. We endorse the following:
One central core of appropriate density, mixed-use development focused around Metro;
§ Surrounding development clusters that are secondary to the central core and compatible with existing neighborhoods;
§ Walkable and cyclable destinations;
§ A public green and green spaces throughout;
§ Sustainable development consistent with 21st-century climate goals;
§ High-quality, uncrowded schools in the Walter Johnson cluster;
§ A clear transportation plan, commenced contemporaneously with commercial and residential development.
The County Council needs to hear from you. And again, read the plan! At www.whiteflintplanning.org. If you have questions please email me offline or call me.
Thanks.
Paula Bienenfeld
Luxmanor Citizens Association Planning and Development Chair - Proposal to widen I-270Despite all of the financial issues in our economy, and the clear recognition that dependence on foreign oil is a national security risk, burning fossil fuels pollutes our environment, and sprawl development degrades our standard of living, the proposal to widen I-270 is alive and being debated. Next Tuesday, the Montgomery County Council will vote whether or not to support a $4 Billion widening project. Go to http://citizen-networks.org/campaign/270widening to sign a petition to oppose further degrading Montgomery County and spending billions of dollars that are needed to promote transit opportunities and walkable/bikable communities. For some unimaginable reason, and despite all evidence to the contrary, some people have not realized that building roadways promotes the use of transportation options (single-occupancy vehicles, specifically) that are contrary to our welfare and communities. It has been demonstrated time and again, in city after city, that road construction leads to greater use of SOVs, which results in clogging the new roadway. Congestion cannot be cured through pavement. It has also been shown that, for the square footage of land used, a lane of vehicular traffic transports the fewest individuals. Therefore, road construction and widening is wasteful of precious dollars, precious land, and the health of our citizens who live nearby. Please sign the petition and let the council know that this is an issue that needs to be solved through other transportation options.
-
Designs for Rockville PikePlans are afoot to turn Rockville Pike into a multi-transportation boulevard that can accommodate transit (bus/trolley-way), vehicles, bikes, and an active pedestrian population. In the designs for the new White Flint area, the renovation of the pike is the centerpiece.
On Friday, May 1, Friends of White Flint had a presentation of urban planning concepts and a design proposal for the pike. A schematic is attached. More information is available on the website and the FOWF blog, www.blog.friendsofwhiteflint.org.Website:www.friendsofwhiteflint.org - Funding for Uncle Tom's CabinThe property on Old Georgetown Road in Luxmanor (just south of Tilden Lane) used to be the Isaac Riley farm. The cabin attached to the house was home to Josiah Henson, a slave whose story was the basis for Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. Montgomery County purchased the property in 2006 and is working with historians, preservationists, and archivists to research and stabilize the historic site for posterity. The 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill includes a $100,000 grant to promote this effort. Rep. Chris Van Hollen inserted the funding for our benefit. The site is only open to the public by appointment four times a year at this time, but is expected to open to the public permanently in 2012.
- White Flint Plan- Board criticizes plan for lack of transit detailsThe Gazette, Feb. 18, 2009, reports that transportation plans for the White Flint sector favor vehicle traffic for detailed planning, while transit options are not detailed or emphasized in the design. Vague plans for bus transit lanes, a bus circulator, and an unfunded additional north entrance to the White Flint Metro station are among the undefined transit elements for the high-density area. Click site for full article...
-
MD 355 at Montrose/Randolph RoadThis is an update regarding MD 355 at Montrose/Randolph Road.
On January 14, 2009 crews will begin driving piles for the new MD 355 bridge. This work is quite noisy and depending on your proximity to the project site it could be louder for you than for others.
There are over 200 piles between 60 and 70 feet in length SHA needs to set in place before bridge construction can begin. The work will not interfere with traffic along MD 355, Montrose Road, or Randolph Road.
The pile driving is expected to last for 4 - 6 weeks and will take place during daylight hours only, weather permitting.
Thanks for your patience.
- Uncle Tom's Cabin funds approvedThe Planning Commission unanimously approved a $50,000 grant to plan and design preservation of the 18th century cabin, which was purchased by Montgomery County in 2006. According to The Gazette (11/12/08), 'The grant will go toward providing a historic structure report and interpretive plan for the historic preservation. The report will detail historical background and archaeological findings from the site and will summarize laws and costs associated with the preservation.'
- MD 355 Interchange Project Information
- Montrose Parkway Phase II Map 6-16-08
CLICK HERE for map! - Montrose Parkway News
- Montgomery County Subdivision Process
- Subdivision Request for Buildings Behind White Flint Metro Station
- Development Planned for Nicholson Lane Corridor
- WSSC bi-county water tunnel project
-
-
- WSSC Pipeline ProjectWSSC is planning the construction of the bi-county tunnel project to build a new line from Montgomery County to Prince Georges County. A letter from the project manager is below:
1. We are still working on design, so we do not have a contractor on board and there is no blasting schedule at this time. We anticipate starting construction in mid 2008. It will take the contractor a few months to get things started, so we do not expect any blasting until say the fall of 2008. When that does occur, we will update our website with the blasting schedule and be in touch with local residents concerning the schedule.
2. Concerning traffic, we are working on options to minimize traffic through the Luxmanor and Old Farm communities. We are re-forming the citizen’s advisory committee (CAC) for this project to help address this specific issue. The CAC is a group of citizen’s who are willing to meet with us a few evenings to objectively work through these kinds of issues. I have recently asked if members of the CAC involved during the planning process would like to continue on a new CAC for this effort. If you or others you know of may be interested in serving in this capacity, please let me know. I know we have representatives who are part of the Luxmanor CA, but I don’t think anyone from Old Farm is on the CAC at this time. If you have a contact for Old Farm and can let me know, we would appreciate it.
Sincerely,
John Mitchell
Project Manager
(301)206-8885 - Cabin John Watershed Study by WSSCThe Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) has launched a massive investigation in 2003 to analyze the Cabin John sewer basin.
Using state-of-the-art technology, WSSC is capturing data on rainfall, wastewater flows, the conditions of pipes and manholes and areas where sewer mains have become exposed due to erosion in creeks and streambeds. - Montgomery Mall Citizens Advisory PanelView proposals for the re-development of the Wesfield Shoppingtown Montgomery site.Website:www.mmcap.net
