[0:12] >>> GOOD MORNING.
[0:15] IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY,
[0:18] IT IS OPENING DAY
[0:20] FOR THE NATIONALS. IT IS OPENING
[0:23] HOUR FOR THE PLANNING BOARD.
[0:25] IT IS SUNNY, AND WE ARE READY TO
[0:28] GET TO WORK. BUT, I DO NOTE
[0:31] THAT ON MARCH 30th,
[0:34] I'M SORRY -- MARCH 30th, 1944,
[0:37] MONTGOMERY COUNTY RESIDENTS RECEIVED
[0:38] AN UPDATE ON THE CIVILIAN FOOD SUPPLY
[0:40] FROM THE OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION.
[0:44] THEY PROMISED A MORE ABUNDANT FOOD
[0:47] SUPPLY THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR,
[0:49] WITH POTATOES, CABBAGE, WIDELY
[0:50] AVAILABLE ALONG WITH CARROTS, BEETS,
[0:52] SPINACH, PEANUTS, BUTTER, AND EGGS.
[0:55] VERY EXCITING NEWS IN 1944.
[1:01] WE HAVE A FULL CALENDAR TODAY.
[1:04] WE HAVE ALSO A
[1:08] FULL BOARD TODAY. ALTHOUGH,
[1:09] COMMISSIONER BARTLEY JUST LEFT
[1:12] FOR A SECOND. HE WILL BE BACK.
[1:21] COMMISSIONER PEDOEEM IS ON VIRTUALLY,
[1:23] BUT WE HAVE FIVE MEMBERS HERE, AND
[1:24] WE ARE GRATEFUL, AND HAPPY ABOUT
[1:27] THAT.
[1:29] WE HAVE SOME PRELIMINARY ITEMS,
[1:31] I WOULD LIKE SHAWN TO GET BACK.
[1:36] BUT, WE WILL TALK AMONGST OURSELVES
[1:39] FOR A SECOND.
[1:45] NOW, WE HAVE A -- WE WILL
[1:46] HEAR FROM OVER 60 RESIDENTS TODAY,
[1:49] IT WILL BE A BUSY DAY
[1:50] BETWEEN WHAT WE HAVE DURING THE
[1:54] DAY AND THIS EVENING.
[1:55] WE HAVE A NIGHT SESSION THAT STARTS
[1:58] AT 5:30, AND THAT WILL START OFF
[2:00] BY A BRIEFING BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT
[2:03] ON WHAT
[2:06] THEY ARE DOING ON LITTLE FALLS AND
[2:09] THE BACKGROUND.
[2:11] WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN ASKED TOGETHER.
[2:14] AND
[2:15] THEN, WE WILL HEAR FROM SOME 41
[2:18] RESIDENTS HERE THEREAFTER.
[2:19] DURING THIS AFTERNOON'S SESSION,
[2:22] WE HAVE 20 PEOPLE SIGNED UP
[2:25] FOR 9801 GEORGIA AVENUE.
[2:28] BUT, I THINK I WILL
[2:31] PROCEED WITH RECORD PLATS, AND
[2:34] GO FORWARD.
[2:37] SINCE WE DO HAVE A REAL DAY TODAY.
[2:40] ALL RIGHT.
[2:43] WE HAVE -- LET'S SEE.
[2:47] ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE RECORD
[2:49] PLATS AND I WILL GO THROUGH THEM.
[2:52] WE HAVE SUBDIVISION PLAT
[2:55] 20 21 0004,
[2:58] BRADLEY FARMS.
[3:01] WE HAVE
[3:04] SUBDIVISION PLAT 220 23 0510,
[3:07] FOSSETT FARMS.
[3:09] AND THEN, I HAVE A CORRECTION TO
[3:11] THE MATERIAL IN THE WRITTEN INFORMATION
[3:14] ON A PLAT NUMBER, IT
[3:17] IS SUBDIVISION PLAT
[3:23] 220-2360 BROOK FORM.
[3:26] THE OTHER NUMBER IS INCORRECT.
[3:29] WE HAVE SUBDIVISION PLAT
[3:35] 220 23 0700
[3:37] BY NOAH WOODS. I HOPE I PRONOUNCED
[3:40] THAT RIGHT.
[3:43] THE
[3:44] STAFF INFORMS US THAT THEY ARE ALL
[3:47] READY TO GO,
[3:50] AND THEY ARE READY TO SPEAK.
[3:52] >> YES, FOR THE RECORD, I JUST WANTED
[3:53] TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THE CHEVY CHASE
[3:56] SECTION 4 D ON THERE, THAT
[3:59] IS 220230450, AS WELL.
[4:00] >> WHICH ONE?
[4:02] >> CHEVY CHASE, SECTION 4 "D".
[4:05] >> OH, YEAH,
[4:08] IT WAS THE LAST PAGE OF MY --
[4:11] >> NO WORRIES. THANK YOU.
[4:15] >> WELL, THAT MAKES THEM ALL --
[4:16] YES, AGAIN, THAT WAS SUBDIVISION
[4:18] 220230450,
[4:21] CHEVY CHASE,
[4:24] SECTION 4-D. I WILL ENTERTAIN A
[4:26] MOTION TO APPROVE ALL OF THOSE PLATS.
[4:29] >> MR. CHAIR, I WOULD
[4:32] LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION
[4:35] THAT WE APPROVE -- I'M NOT GOING
[4:38] TO REPEAT THE INTRO
[4:41] OF THE NUMBERS. BUT,
[4:44] I
[4:46] DO WANT TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE
[4:49] APPROVE, PARTICULARLY
[4:52] WITH THE CHANGE TO
[4:55] -- YOU MENTIONED --
[4:57] YES, PARTICULAR WITH THE CHANGE
[5:00] THAT WE ARE MAKING
[5:03] TO THE GROUP FARM. SO, I WOULD
[5:04] LIKE TO MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THEM
[5:05] AS A GROUP.
[5:07] >> DO I HEAR A SECOND?
[5:08] >> SECOND.
[5:11] >> OKAY.
[5:14] SEEING NO
[5:15] FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE.
[5:16] >> AYE.
[5:17] >> AYE. >> AYE.
[5:20] >> 50'S, NOBODY
[5:23] OPPOSED, NOBODY ABSTAINING.
[5:26] WE ARE MOVING TO ITEM THREE,
[5:28] RIGHT AWAY. REGULATORY EXTENSION
[5:31] REQUEST. WE HAVE
[5:32] CENTURY, REGULATORY REVIEW EXTENSION
[5:35] REQUEST NUMBER THREE,
[5:38] FOR SKETCH PLAN 32016602 A.
[5:41] PRELIMINARY PLAN
[5:47] 120 02095C
[5:50] AND SITE PLAN 82003007F.
[5:56] WE HAVE PRELIMINARY PLAN
[6:02] NUMBER 11980032 A,
[6:05] THIRD EXTENSION.
[6:06] AND THOSE ARE THE EXTENSIONS FOR
[6:09] THE DAY.
[6:12] AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL
[6:14] OF BOTH OF THESE AND THERE ARE NO
[6:17] SPEAKERS. CAN I HEAR A MOTION?
[6:22] >> I MOTION TO APPROVE.
[6:24] I MOTION TO APPROVE.
[6:27] >> OKAY.
[6:29] >> IT'S OKAY. DO I HEAR A SECOND?
[6:32] >>
[6:35] SECOND.
[6:36] >> I WILL SECOND.
[6:37] >> OKAY, WE HAVE A SECOND AND A
[6:38] THIRD.
[6:39] >> OKAY.
[6:42] >>
[6:47] HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION,
[6:48] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE.
[6:49] >> AYE. >> AYE.
[6:50] >> AYE.
[6:53] >> 5-0, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[7:00] >> CAN WE JUMP BACK TO THE RESOLUTIONS, PLEASE?
[7:01] >> EXCUSE ME?
[7:02] >> CAN WE JUMP BACK TO THE RESOLUTIONS?
[7:03] ITEM ONE?
[7:04] >> DID I MISS THE RESOLUTIONS?
[7:05] >> WE WERE WAITING FOR COMMISSIONER
[7:07] BARTLEY, WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY
[7:08] COMMISSIONERS TO VOTE ON THE RESOLUTIONS.
[7:11] >> REMEMBER,
[7:13] IN THE DAY, WE HAD TWO PEOPLE,
[7:14] THREE PEOPLE? WE HAVE TO APPROVE
[7:16] THE RESOLUTION, SO WE NEED A QUORUM,
[7:17] ALL MEMBERS PRESENT. LET'S SEE,
[7:19] ARE THE VOTING RESTRICTIONS ON THE
[7:21] RESOLUTIONS?
[7:22] >> SO, FOR THE LARSEN PROPERTY RESOLUTION,
[7:25] THE ELIGIBLE COMMISSIONER IS TO
[7:27] PARTICIPATE, VICE CHAIR PINERO,
[7:29] AND COMMISSIONER BARTLEY AND COMMISSIONER
[7:32] HEDRICK.
[7:35] AND THEN FOR THE LAKE RESOLUTION, THE COMMISSIONERS
[7:37] WHO ARE PRESENT AND ARE THEREFORE
[7:38] ELIGIBLE TO VOTE ARE CHAIR ZYONTZ,
[7:39] COMMISSIONER BARTLEY, COMMISSIONER
[7:42] HEDRICK.
[7:44] >> OKAY. SO, WE HAVE LARSEN PROPERTY
[7:47] SUBDIVISION PLAN
[7:53] I WILL
[7:54] ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM THOSE QUALIFIED
[7:56] TO VOTE, WHICH IS EVERYBODY BUT
[7:59] ME.
[8:02] >> AND COMMISSIONER PEDOEEM, AS
[8:04] WELL.
[8:05] >> OH, OKAY.
[8:07] >> I VOTE THAT WE MOVED TO APPROVE
[8:09] THE PROPERTY SUBDIVISION PLAN.
[8:10] >> I SECOND IT.
[8:13] >> OKAY.
[8:18] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE.
[8:19] >> AYE POINT
[8:20] >> OKAY, THAT IS THREE AYE, ALL
[8:23] THOSE OPPOSED? NO. TWO
[8:24] ABSTENTIONS. DO YOU ABSTAIN? >> YES.
[8:27] >> TWO ABSTENTIONS.
[8:29] AND THEN, WE HAVE SENECA PLACE SITE
[8:32] PLAN NUMBER EIGHT.
[8:35] 1982008A.
[8:38] FOR ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION.
[8:41] CAN I HEAR A
[8:43] MOTION, PLEASE?
[8:45] >> MR. CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE
[8:46] THAT WE APPROVE THE SENECA PLACE
[8:47] SITE PLAN.
[8:50] >>
[8:56] VICE CHAIR
[8:57] PINERO IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE ON
[8:59] THIS ITEM, HE WAS NOT PRESENT FOR
[9:00] THE -- I APOLOGIZE IF THAT WAS UNCLEAR.
[9:02] >> I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT, I APOLOGIZE.
[9:03] >> IT WILL BE CHAIR ZYONTZ, COMMISSIONER
[9:04] BARTLEY, COMMISSIONER HEDRICK.
[9:06] >> I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT IT.
[9:09] >> SECOND IT.
[9:10] >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE.
[9:11] >> AYE. >> OPPOSED?
[9:12] >> I ABSTAIN.
[9:15] >> OKAY, 3-0-2.
[9:18] OKAY.
[9:20] THANK YOU. I KNEW THAT WAS MORE
[9:21] COMPLICATED THAN I COULD DEAL WITH
[9:24] ON OPENING DAY. OKAY.
[9:27] TODAY IS OPENING DAY. OKAY.
[9:32] WE ARE NOW ON ITEM FOUR, WHICH
[9:33] IS THE OPERATING BUDGET DISCUSSION
[9:34] ON ACCOUNTING EXECUTIVES RECOMMENDATION.
[9:40] THIS MIGHT BE NEW TO SOME
[9:42] COMMISSIONERS. YOU KNOW, WE, OF
[9:45] COURSE, SUBMITTED OR BUDGET,
[9:50] THE EXECUTIVE MAKES A RECOMMENDATION
[9:53] -- OH.
[9:56] THERE --
[10:02] OKAY. SO, AFTER --
[10:05] I'M WAY AHEAD. I DIDN'T
[10:08] SEE THE MEETING RESUME.
[12:54] >>> WELCOME BACK
[12:56] TO THE OPENING DAY MEETING OF THE
[12:59] PLANNING BOARD. WE ARE ON ITEM
[13:02] 4, THE OPERATING BUDGET DISCUSSION
[13:05] ON THE COUNTY
[13:07] EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS. I THINK
[13:10] MR. KROLL
[13:13] IS ON TEAMS FOR US TO READ
[13:15] THIS OFF.
[13:16] >> YES, SIR. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
[13:22] LET ME PREFACE THIS WHOLE THING
[13:25] BY REMINDING YOU
[13:30] THAT WE SPOKE BRIEFLY ABOUT THIS
[13:31] LAST WEEK, LAST WEEK'S PLANNING
[13:34] BOARD MEETING. I SHARED WITH YOU,
[13:36] THIS SUMMARY TABLE OF THE REDUCTIONS
[13:39] THAT WILL BE NECESSARY TO
[13:41] MEET THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S RECOMMENDED
[13:44] BUDGET.
[13:46] YOU HAVE A PACKAGE IN FRONT OF
[13:49] YOU, 14 PAGES, SUMMARY OF ALL
[13:52] OF THE AMOUNTS
[13:55] NEEDED TO MEET THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S
[13:56] BUDGET, AND THE DETAIL FOR EACH
[13:59] OF THOSE
[14:00] PROPOSED NON-RECOMMENDED REDUCTIONS
[14:02] IS IN YOUR PACKET. WE HAVE ALL OF
[14:03] THE DEPARTMENTS IN ATTENDANCE TO
[14:06] ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
[14:09] WE DON'T HAVE A PRESENTATION,
[14:11] PER SE. WE ARE HOPING THAT YOU LOOKED
[14:12] AT YOUR PACKETS AND PERHAPS HAVE
[14:14] SOME QUESTIONS RELATED TO SOME OR
[14:16] ALL OF THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS.
[14:19] I WOULD ALSO REMIND YOU
[14:21] THAT THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS WILL
[14:22] ALSO BE PRESENTED TO THE PRINCE
[14:25] GEORGE'S PLANNING BOARD
[14:27] FOR THEIR REVIEW AND APPROVAL, AS
[14:28] WELL. AND THEN, THE NEXT STEPS AFTER
[14:31] ALL OF THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED,
[14:34] IS
[14:35] THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNSEL STAFF
[14:37] WILL PROVIDE US WITH A NUMBER OF
[14:39] QUESTIONS, ONE OF WHICH WILL BE
[14:40] RELATED TO THIS, HOW WE ARE INTENDING
[14:43] TO MEET THE CDS REDUCTIONS.
[14:48] THIS WILL BE IN WHATEVER IS DECIDED
[14:49] TODAY, AND SUCH WILL BE INCLUDED
[14:52] IN THOSE ANSWERS.
[14:57] STAFF WILL THEN PREPARE A PACKET
[14:58] FOR THE PHP COMMITTEE FOR THEIR
[14:59] REVIEW ON APRIL 1st. AND THOSE ARE
[15:01] THE NEXT STEPS OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
[15:02] I HAVE SHARED MY SCREEN, I WOULD
[15:04] BE HAPPY TO PULL UP ANY PAGE RELATED
[15:07] TO ANY DEPARTMENT.
[15:08] OTHERWISE, I AM REQUESTING ANY QUESTIONS
[15:11] FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.
[15:14] >> I HAVE A QUESTION.
[15:16] WILL ANY OF THIS REDUCTION RESULT
[15:19] IN
[15:20] THE LOSS OF PAID POSITIONS WITHIN
[15:23] THE ORGANIZATION?
[15:28] >> PERHAPS REQUESTED
[15:30] POSITIONS, NOT EXISTING POSITIONS.
[15:33] AND CERTAINLY, NOT
[15:36] FILLED POSITIONS.
[15:39] >> WELL, WILL ANY CRITICAL PROGRAMS
[15:42] BE AFFECTED THAT ARE IN PLACE NOW,
[15:43] OR ELIMINATED, THAT ARE IN PLACE
[15:46] NOW? THANKS.
[15:49] >> GENERICALLY,
[15:51] WE HAVE A NUMBER OF IMPACTS SHOWN
[15:54] IN THE MEMO.
[15:57] ABOUT WHAT WILL OCCUR. GENERALLY,
[16:00] DELAYS TO PROGRAMS AND SUCH.
[16:03] I
[16:04] WOULD ASK, THOUGH, THAT ANY DEPARTMENTS
[16:06] THAT HAVE A MORE SPECIFIC ANSWER
[16:08] TO YOUR QUESTION CHIME IN NOW.
[16:09] >> YEAH, MIKE REILLY, DIRECTOR OF
[16:10] PARKS. THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION
[16:12] IS, YES. FOR THE PARK FUND, JOHN,
[16:15] IF YOU COULD GET THE PARK PAGE
[16:18] UP?
[16:19] >> CERTAINLY.
[16:20] >> IN THE MEMO, IT HAS THE COLOR
[16:22] ON THE TOP HERE. JUST FOR CONTEXT,
[16:27] IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT DROVE THE PARKS
[16:30] BUDGET REQUEST UP,
[16:33] THE
[16:34] BIG NUMBER WAS COMPENSATION. IT
[16:36] WAS ALMOST UP 5% BECAUSE OF COMPENSATION.
[16:39] AS YOU KNOW, OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE
[16:42] NEGOTIATES
[16:44] LABOR AGREEMENTS WITH THE UNIONS,
[16:47] IN ADVANCE OF THE COMMISSION.
[16:50] THE BIGGEST
[16:51] UNION IN OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT IS
[16:53] THE NGO, ABOUT 40% OF OUR WORKERS.
[16:58] AND WE HAVE NOT FINALIZED THOSE
[17:00] NEGOTIATIONS, BUT WE HAVE A MARKER
[17:01] FOR COMPENSATIONS, LARGELY BASED
[17:02] ON WHAT WE KNOW THAT THE COUNTY
[17:05] HAS ALREADY DONE.
[17:10] AND WE PROJECT THAT FOR THE PARK
[17:11] FUND, OUR LABOR COST WILL GO UP
[17:13] 5% ALONE, AND FOR CONTEXT, THE COUNTY
[17:15] EXECUTIVE'S TOTAL INCREASE FOR THE
[17:16] PARK FUND WAS 4.2%, EXCLUSIVELY
[17:18] WITH THAT SERVICE. SO, IT DOESN'T
[17:21] EVEN COVER COMPENSATING OUR EMPLOYEES. BEYOND
[17:24] THAT, WE HAVE NEARLY 2% OF COST
[17:26] DRIVERS THAT WE CALL OUT ON COMMITMENTS,
[17:28] THAT IS INFLATION ON SUPPLIES AND
[17:31] CONTRACTS. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, TO
[17:32] MAINTAIN THE PARKS SYSTEM, WE HAVE
[17:35] A SIGNIFICANT SUPPLY BUDGET TO
[17:37] BUY GRASS SEED AND FERTILIZER, AND
[17:38] MULCH FOR THE PRINT PLAYGROUNDS.
[17:41] THERE IS INFLATIONARY THERE, AND
[17:43] THEN WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONTRACTUAL
[17:46] BUDGET THAT HAS CONSUMER PRICE
[17:48] INDEX ESCALATION. THINGS LIKE PORTA
[17:51] JOHNS, AND MANY OTHER
[17:54] THINGS. THAT WENT UP 2%.
[18:00] SO, BASICALLY, A SAME SERVICE BUDGET
[18:01] FOR THE PARK FUND WOULD HAVE BEEN
[18:02] A LITTLE UNDER A 7% INCREASE, FOR
[18:04] SAME SERVICES. WE GOT A 4% INCREASE.
[18:06] SO, AS YOU LOOK AT THE PARK FUND
[18:09] TIER ONE RESTORATIONS, IF WE DON'T
[18:11] GET TIER ONE, WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY
[18:13] REDUCED SERVICE BUDGET. TIER ONE,
[18:16] FOR US, IS
[18:19] THOSE CONTRACTUAL
[18:22] INCREASES THAT I SAID BASED ON
[18:24] CPI. THOSE COSTS ARE GOING TO GO
[18:27] UP. SO,
[18:28] NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, IF WE DON'T
[18:30] GET THAT MONEY, WE ARE GOING TO
[18:33] HAVE TO CUT SOMEWHERE. WE
[18:34] WILL NOT GET ANY STAFF TO MAINTAIN
[18:36] THE NEW PARKS WE HAVE BUILT, IT
[18:37] IS CALLED OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT.
[18:42] EVERY YEAR, WE LOOK AT NEW PARKS
[18:43] THAT HAVE COME ONLINE, PARKS THAT
[18:44] WE HAVE ACQUIRED, OR PARKS THAT
[18:45] WE HAVE UPGRADED, AND LOOKING AT
[18:47] THE COST TO MAINTAIN THEM, SO WE
[18:50] WOULDN'T GET THAT.
[18:53] WHICH MEANS, BASICALLY, YOU HAVE
[18:54] MORE STUFF TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN
[18:55] WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
[18:57] AND LASTLY, WE WOULD NOT GET INFLATIONARY
[18:59] INCREASES FOR SUPPLIES. SO, FOR
[19:01] THE PARK FUND, ABSOLUTELY. IF WE
[19:02] DON'T GET THE COUNSEL TO RESTORE
[19:04] TIER ONE, WHICH FOR US IS A REDUCED
[19:06] SERVICES BUDGET. FURTHERMORE, IN
[19:09] THE PARK FUND,
[19:11] YOU WILL SEE IN EVERYBODY'S MEMO,
[19:14] THERE IS A TIER THREE
[19:22] THAT WE EXPECT PROBABLY WILL
[19:23] NOT BE FUNDED, AND WHAT WE ARE DOING,
[19:25] IS WE ARE INCREASING OUR LAPSE,
[19:26] WHICH MEANS BASED ON THE NUMBER
[19:28] OF VACANCIES WE PROJECT, WE WOULD
[19:30] HAVE NEXT YEAR, WE ARE NOT GOING
[19:31] TO FUND A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF
[19:33] POSITIONS
[19:36] ON THE
[19:38] PREMISE THAT WE WILL MAINTAIN A
[19:39] VACANCY RATE IN THOSE POSITIONS,
[19:40] AND THOSE POSITIONS WILL NOT BE
[19:43] FILLED. SO,
[19:46] I HOPE THAT WAS A
[19:47] SUITABLE ANSWER. BUT, FOR THE PARK
[19:49] FUND, ABSOLUTELY, IF WE DO NOT GET RESTORATIONS, IT IS A SIGNIFICANTLY
[19:51] REDUCED SERVICE BUDGET.
[19:52] >> SIMILARLY, FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT
[19:54] -- THIS IS TONYA, PLANNING DIRECTOR
[19:55] -- ESSENTIALLY, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES
[20:03] RECOMMENDED BUDGET IMPACT ON THE
[20:04] PLANNING DEPARTMENT WOULD ESSENTIALLY
[20:05] WIPE OUT THERE REQUESTED FUNDING
[20:06] FOR ALL OF OUR NEW PROJECTS NEXT
[20:08] YEAR. AS WELL AS REQUESTED FUNDING
[20:10] FOR FIVE POSITIONS. SO, IT WOULD
[20:12] BE A VERY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR
[20:14] US. IF YOU NOTE IN THE PACKET FOR
[20:17] TIER ONE, WE PRIORITIZE FOUR
[20:20] NEW PROJECTS
[20:22] RELATED TO OUR PLANNING WORK PROGRAM
[20:25] THAT WE FEEL ARE VERY CRITICAL
[20:28] FOR THIS TO RESTORE AND
[20:29] INCLUDE IN THEIR RECONCILIATION
[20:31] LIST. FOR EXAMPLE, THE REQUEST FOR
[20:34] MONTGOMERY 2050 IMPLEMENTATION
[20:37] METRICS, THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST
[20:39] IN MAKING SURE THAT WE TRACK HOW
[20:42] WELL IT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED.
[20:44] WE ALSO HAVE OTHER PROJECTS SUCH
[20:45] AS THE RANDOLPH ROAD CORRIDOR STUDY,
[20:47] THE MANAGEMENT PROJECT, AND THE
[20:49] EMPLOYMENT QUARTER STUDY. AND ADDITIONALLY,
[20:52] IN OUR TIER ONE,
[20:55] THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S PORTION
[20:58] FOR THE SECURITY,
[20:59] INFORMATION, AND EVENT MANAGEMENT
[21:02] TOOL.
[21:05] THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A CYBERSECURITY
[21:07] TOOL, AND THIS PROJECT IS ALSO PART
[21:08] OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TIER ONE,
[21:09] BECAUSE OUR I.T. DEPARTMENT SERVES
[21:12] BOTH DEPARTMENTS. AND THEN, SECONDLY,
[21:15] FOR TIER TWO, OUR MAIN
[21:18] PRIORITY IS
[21:23] THE FIVE MAIN POSITIONS. WE ARE
[21:24] WILLING TO DELAY HIRING FOR THREE
[21:25] MONTHS TO HAVE SOME SAVINGS. AND
[21:27] THEN, IN TIER THREE, TO DELAY HIRING
[21:28] BY TWO MONTHS, IS SOMETHING THAT
[21:31] WE CERTAINLY CAN DO AND WE CAN ADDITIONALLY
[21:40] DO IT BY AN ADDITIONAL
[21:41] THREE MONTHS WHICH WILL BE FIVE
[21:43] MONTHS, IN TOTAL, IF WE NEEDED TO.
[21:44] BUT, THE IMPORTANT THING IS, WE
[21:45] DEFINITELY DO NEED TO GET SOME FUNDING
[21:47] FOR THESE POSITIONS SO THAT WE CAN
[21:49] HIRE FOR THESE POSITIONS. PARTICULARLY,
[21:50] FOR THE NEWER COMMISSIONERS, SINCE
[21:52] YOU WEREN'T HERE WHEN WE WENT OVER
[21:53] OUR FY 24 BUDGET REQUEST IN FALL.
[21:55] EACH ONE OF THOSE FIVE POSITIONS
[21:58] IS BASICALLY
[21:59] WORK THAT WE ARE ALREADY PAYING
[22:01] SOMEONE TO DO IN A CONTRACTUAL BASIS.
[22:07] AND OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE COME
[22:08] TO THE DETERMINATION THAT THESE
[22:09] ARE ACTUALLY ONGOING FUNCTIONS THAT
[22:11] WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO IN OUR
[22:14] DEPARTMENT. SO, THAT IS WHY WE REQUESTED
[22:15] FUNDING FOR THESE POSITIONS, SO
[22:17] THAT WE COULD MAKE IT PART OF OUR
[22:18] PERMANENT STAFFING COMPLIMENT. SO,
[22:21] AGAIN, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL DETAILS
[22:22] IN THE PACKET, AND I AM HAPPY TO
[22:24] ANSWER ANY OF THE QUESTIONS.
[22:25] >> AND JUST SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS
[22:27] THE TIER ARRANGEMENT, THE FIRST
[22:30] THING IN TIER ONE IS THE THING WE
[22:32] WANT MOST? WE WANT THAT BACK MOST.
[22:38] SO, IT GOES IN DECREASING ORDER
[22:41] ON OUR LIST. SO,
[22:44] TIER ONE
[22:49] IS MOST IMPORTANT TO US IN THE
[22:51] ORDER THAT WE PUT IT. TIER TWO IS
[22:52] THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT. AND TIER
[22:55] THREE IS SORT OF LIVABLE CUTS.
[22:57] BUT, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, PARTICULARLY,
[23:02] WOULD GET HIT HARDEST ON ITS CONSULTANT
[23:05] CONTRACTS. IT IS TIER ONE PRIORITIES
[23:08] IN HERE.
[23:11] SO, THAT IS THE WAY
[23:14] IT WORKS. I SEE COMMISSIONER ROBERTO
[23:19] HAS HIS HAND UP? >> CHAIR ZYONTZ?
[23:20] >> YES.
[23:23] >> COULD
[23:24] I JUST ALSO COMMENT ON OUR BUDGET,
[23:26] AS WELL? AS THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS
[23:29] DID.
[23:31] THE RECORD IS SOMETHING THAT CHANG
[23:32] SMITH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FOR THE CENTRAL ADMINISTER THE SERVICES,
[23:34] YOU, TOO, WILL SEE SOME VERY SEVERE
[23:37] CUTS. A LOT OF BIG ONES,
[23:39] ESPECIALLY INCLUDING THE DELAY
[23:40] IN HIRING. OUR RECRUITER POSITION,
[23:41] THE ONE FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY, THAT
[23:44] IS THREE MONTHS PLUS AN ADDITIONAL
[23:47] TWO MONTHS YOU WILL SEE IN THE
[23:49] TOTAL REDUCTIONS. WE ARE EXPERIENCING
[23:52] A
[24:00] SURGE IN THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS.
[24:01] IN FACT, IT NEARLY DOUBLED THE AMOUNT
[24:03] WE HAVE HAD IN PAST YEARS. AND THE
[24:04] AMOUNT OF APPLICATIONS, WE HAD OVER
[24:06] 36,000 RESUMES TO REVIEW, IN ADDITION
[24:09] TO FILLING 850 POSITIONS. AND WE
[24:10] ONLY HAVE FOUR RECRUITERS, CURRENTLY.
[24:11] SO, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP
[24:14] UP ANY SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE.
[24:16] WE WERE ASKING FOR THREE RECRUITER
[24:18] POSITIONS. TWO WERE GOING TO BE
[24:19] DELAYED TWO MONTHS, THE OTHER ONE
[24:20] WILL BE DELAYED FIVE MONTHS. SIMILARLY,
[24:21] FOR OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, THE REQUEST
[24:23] FOR A COMPLIANCE OFFICER
[24:26] WAS PUT IN THE BUDGET, AND
[24:28] THAT IS GOING TO BE CUT SEVERELY,
[24:31] AS WELL, FOR SEVEN MONTHS. AND
[24:32] ALSO, WITH RESPECT TO OUR I.T. DEPARTMENTS,
[24:33] WITH OUR CYBERSECURITY SPECIALIST,
[24:36] AND ALSO OUR WEB SPECIALISTS AND
[24:37] FINANCE DEPARTMENT, D-LINE HIRING
[24:40] FOR TWO CORPORATE ERP
[24:43] BUSINESS ANALYSTS, WHICH ARE THE
[24:44] FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ASSISTING
[24:47] WITH THE VERY LARGE ERP
[24:51] REDESIGN AND NEW INTEGRATION PROGRAM.
[24:54] THE ERP SYSTEM IS BASICALLY
[25:01] THE BACKBONE FOR THE COMMISSION,
[25:03] FOR ALL OF THE HIRING, PAYMENTS,
[25:04] AND ALL OF THAT. A VERY IMPORTANT
[25:05] STUFF, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SYSTEMS
[25:07] ARE WORKING, AND WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.
[25:08] SO, WE DEED NEED THOSE FOLKS IN
[25:10] PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT PROGRAM
[25:12] GOES AS SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE.
[25:14] >> THE ONE THING I WOULD SAY THAT
[25:17] IS DIFFERENT IN CE'S BUDGET,
[25:20] IS THAT
[25:21] THE CUTS ARE DELAYS IN HIRING, WHEREAS
[25:24] IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS,
[25:27] IT IS NOT DOING STUFF
[25:33] THAT IS CRITICAL TO
[25:34] THEIR ONGOING PROGRAMS, IN SOME
[25:37] CASES, OR NEW INITIATIVES. BUT,
[25:39] THERE IS THAT DIFFERENCE THERE.
[25:42] NOW, I WILL GO TO COMMISSIONER
[25:45] ROBERTO.
[25:49] >> YES, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AFTER
[25:52] HEARING
[25:55] MR. RILEY, I AGREE
[25:58] THAT THIS IS A BIG HIT.
[26:03] 4.5% IS A BIG HIT, NOT ONLY IN
[26:06] TIER ONE, BUT ALSO IN TIER TWO.
[26:09] I AM CONCERNED ABOUT
[26:10] THE VACANCIES WE HAVE IN THE STAFF,
[26:12] AND HOW WE NEED TO BUILD UP OUR
[26:14] STAFF, EVEN THOUGH THAT IS A TIER
[26:16] TWO ISSUE. THAT MS. YOUNG HAS BROUGHT
[26:19] UP. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT
[26:22] TWO STORIES
[26:25] THAT I GUESS DECIDED TO
[26:28] BE DELAYED. ONE OF THEM IS THE
[26:31] CLEMENT AREA. I
[26:33] THINK THAT AREA IS PART OF OUR EQUITY
[26:36] AREA.
[26:38] GEORGIA RANDOLPH WOULD REALLY NEED
[26:39] TO LOOK AT HOW THAT AREA DEVELOPS,
[26:41] PARTICULARLY WITH THE GLENMONT SHOPPING
[26:44] CENTER. THAT AREA REALLY
[26:47] SHOULD BE
[26:50] A PRIORITY, AND I HOPE WE GET THE
[26:51] FUNDS TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO LOOK
[26:54] AT THAT. THE OTHER ONE IS THE REDLINE
[26:57] AND SEGREGATION.
[27:03] WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK AND
[27:04] I KNOW THE COUNTY COUNSEL IS INTERESTED
[27:06] IN THE TYPE OF WORK WE HAVE DONE,
[27:07] REGARDING REDLINING. SO, I AM HOPING
[27:09] THAT THE COUNCIL TAKES THAT INTO
[27:12] CONSIDERATION
[27:14] WITH THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE
[27:17] COUNTY EXECUTIVE, THAT WE DO GET
[27:20] THE FUNDS
[27:24] WHERE WE CREATED ALL THAT DATA THAT
[27:27] NEEDS TO BE EXPENDED.
[27:30] THOSE ARE MY TWO POINTS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
[27:32] >> WE ALWAYS TRY AS BEST AS WE CAN
[27:38] TO GET THE COUNCIL TO REINSTATE
[27:40] THESE BUDGETS AS WE GO FORWARD.
[27:41] BUT, IT IS ALWAYS AN EFFORT, TOO.
[27:47] COMMISSIONER PEDOEEM?
[27:50] >> GOOD MORNING.
[27:53] BEING FAMILIAR, IN
[27:54] THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, I WAS DOING
[27:57] THE BUDGET AND I TOTALLY
[28:00] CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THESE TEARS
[28:03] ARE PREPLANNED.
[28:06] I DO BELIEVE THAT
[28:09] TIER ONE IS REALLY DETRIMENTAL
[28:12] TO THE HEALTH
[28:15] OF THE DEPARTMENTS, AND
[28:17] WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO SUPPORT TIER
[28:20] ONE FOR BOTH PARKS, PLANNING,
[28:23] AND CAS.
[28:26] I ALSO BELIEVE
[28:29] THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT
[28:32] SOME OF THE ITEMS
[28:37] AT PARKS AND PLANNING FOR TIER
[28:40] TWO TO GO THERE.
[28:46] THAT HAS ALWAYS CUSTOMARILY GOTTEN
[28:48] A LOT OF CUTS IN THE BUDGET. AND
[28:49] IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE
[28:52] STAFF, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE
[28:55] SUPPORT THE CAS TO HAVE A STAFF
[28:57] TO HIRE NEW STAFF, EVEN THOUGH AT
[29:00] THE TIME
[29:03] I WAS AT DPS, THE COUNTY HAD
[29:04] AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF VACANCIES.
[29:08] THAT IS EVERYWHERE.
[29:09] PEOPLE ARE MOVING, THEY ARE RETIRING,
[29:12] AND PEOPLE IN
[29:15] HR HAVE, YOU KNOW,
[29:17] A LOT OF BACKLOG TO HIRE THESE PEOPLE.
[29:20] IT IS GOING TO IMPACT
[29:21] EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THAT REGARD.
[29:23] SO, I JUST SUPPORT THE TIER ONE,
[29:26] AND ALSO SOME
[29:30] ITEMS FROM TIER TWO.
[29:34] >> I CERTAINLY THINK THE COUNCIL
[29:36] IS GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTED IN
[29:37] VACANCIES, AND WE HAVE BEEN MAKING
[29:39] ALL EFFORTS TO FILL JOBS. OF COURSE,
[29:42] ONCE YOU FILL THEM,
[29:50] SOMEBODY ELSE LEAVES AND YOU HAVE
[29:52] TO FILL ANOTHER. AND THE GREAT ROUTINE,
[29:53] OF COURSE, IS WE TRY TO HIRE WITHIN,
[29:54] WHICH IMMEDIATELY CREATES ANOTHER
[29:56] VACANCY THAT YOU THEN HAVE TO FILL.
[29:57] SO, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE.
[29:59] I THINK OUR VACANCIES ARE DOWN
[30:02] IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
[30:05] BUT,
[30:06] IT IS A CONTINUING STRUGGLE.
[30:08] >> YEAH, THE ACTIVATION, I WAS LOOKING
[30:11] AT SOME OF
[30:13] THE ITEMS IN TIER TWO. AND I THINK THOSE ARE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT,
[30:15] ESPECIALLY NOW THAT PEOPLE REALIZE
[30:18] HOW MUCH THEY LOVE THEIR PARKS.
[30:21] SO, I AM IN SUPPORT
[30:24] OF SUPPORTING
[30:25] NOT ONLY TIER ONE, BUT GOOD PORTIONS
[30:28] OF TIER TWO,
[30:33] FOR EVERYBODY.
[30:34] >> THE PHRASING HERE IS, "NON-RECOMMENDED."
[30:35] NONE OF THESE THINGS ARE RECOMMENDED
[30:38] CUTS. BUT, WE DO HAVE, IF YOU WILL,
[30:40] A SUGGESTED ORDER OF HOW WE WANT
[30:43] TO REINSTATE IT.
[30:45] >> JUST A REAL QUICK COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
[30:48] I
[30:50] THINK -- I KNOW THIS IS REALLY HARD
[30:51] TO DO, I GET LOOKS GOOD WITHIN THE
[30:53] TEARS FOR THE PRIORITIES WE HAVE
[30:56] WITH THE MEMO.
[30:58] ON THE SIE END TOOL, DO WE HAVE
[31:01] ONE, CURRENTLY?
[31:07] OR, IS THIS THE PURCHASE OF A NEW TOOL?
[31:09] >> THIS IS THE PURCHASE OF A NEW
[31:10] TOOL, BUT IT WOULD COMPLEMENT EXISTING
[31:11] CYBERSECURITY TOOLS THAT WE ALREADY
[31:12] HAVE.
[31:13] >> YEAH, I THINK THAT ONE DESERVES
[31:14] QUITE A BIT OF ATTENTION. THOSE
[31:15] THINGS ARE IMPORTANT, CYBERSECURITY.
[31:18] IT MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH
[31:20] MY DAY JOB ON A REGULAR BASIS, SO
[31:23] THIS MIGHT BE A PERSONAL THING.
[31:24] BUT, THE DISRUPTIONS AND CYBERSECURITY
[31:25] INCIDENTS CAN BE CONSIDERABLE AND
[31:27] THE COST CAN BE VERY, VERY LARGE.
[31:30] IT IS A PREVENTION SITUATION,
[31:31] AND I REALLY THINK THAT AS WE ARE
[31:33] HAVING THOSE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS,
[31:36] THAT IS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR
[31:37] NOT HAVING MASSIVE DISRUPTIONS OF
[31:40] SERVICES FOR THAT.
[31:45] OTHERWISE, ASSUMING THAT THERE
[31:46] IS NO REPLACEMENT IN THE BUDGET
[31:48] AND WE HAVE TO GO TO SOMETHING RELATIVELY
[31:50] CLOSE TO THIS WITH THE THRIVE AND
[31:52] SOME MENTATION, WHAT PLANS DO YOU
[31:53] HAVE FOR COVERING SOME OF THAT,
[31:54] OR APPROACHING IT WITH THE MEASUREMENT
[31:57] AND EVERYTHING?
[31:59] >> IF WE CANNOT GET THE BUDGET REQUEST,
[32:02] THAT
[32:03] WOULD DELAY THE PROJECT. THERE ARE
[32:04] SOME INITIAL GROUNDWORK THAT WE
[32:07] COULD PERHAPS DO
[32:08] IN HOUSE, BUT ULTIMATELY, WE WILL
[32:10] NEED TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO HELP
[32:13] US BUILD THIS OUT,
[32:15] AND WE WOULD, IF FOR SOME REASON,
[32:17] WE DO NOT GET THE MONEY FOR FY 24,
[32:19] WE WOULD PUT IN OUR FY 25 BUDGET REQUEST.
[32:21] >> THANK YOU. I THINK THAT IS ALL
[32:24] I GOT FOR THAT.
[32:29] I WAS READING THROUGH THIS, I KNOW
[32:30] IT IS TOUGH, BUT I THINK THAT IS
[32:31] ABOUT RIGHT WITHIN THE PRIORITIES
[32:33] AND THE TEARS, SO THAT IS GOOD WORK.
[32:34] BUT, I DO WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION
[32:36] TO THE TOOL. IF WE DON'T HAVE ONE,
[32:37] WE NEED ONE.
[32:40] >> AND
[32:43] IF I COULD
[32:45] JUST ADD TO THAT, THAT TOOL, AGAIN,
[32:46] WOULD COVER BOTH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT
[32:47] AND PARKS DEPARTMENT.
[32:48] >> IT WOULD BE OVERALL, FOR EVERYBODY.
[32:49] >> YES.
[32:50] >> DU PRINCE GEORGE'S HAVE THE TOOLS
[32:51] FOR THAT RIGHT NOW?
[32:54] >> THAT MIGHT BE ON
[32:57] THE SCOPE RIGHT NOW.
[32:59] >> I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT,
[33:00] BUT THE I.T. DEPARTMENT ON MONTGOMERY
[33:01] SIDE COVERS BOTH DEPARTMENT.
[33:02] >> OKAY, THANK YOU.
[33:05] >> AS CHAIR,
[33:08] I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I HAVE TO
[33:09] SUBMIT THE COMMISSIONERS BUDGET.
[33:12] WE HAVE TWO STAFF THAT ARE
[33:13] ASSIGNED TO COMMISSION ACTIVITIES,
[33:16] BUT WE HAVE
[33:18] ONE VACANCY IN THE OFFICE RIGHT
[33:19] NOW FOR THE OFFICE MANAGER POSITION.
[33:22] I WILL LEAVE THAT TO MY
[33:25] SUCCESSOR TO PHIL,
[33:28] THAT IS ALREADY IN THE BUDGET.
[33:31] WHAT I PUT IN FOR IN THE
[33:34] PROPOSED BUDGET
[33:37] IS FOR A PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST,
[33:40] MAINLY BECAUSE I AM
[33:43] RELYING ON THE GOOD
[33:44] GRACES OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT
[33:45] AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WHEN I
[33:47] NEED TO, AND WE, ON OCCASION, HAVE
[33:50] INDEPENDENT INTERESTS
[33:53] AND IT WAS DETERMINED BEFORE I
[33:56] GOT HERE, THAT WOULD BE
[33:59] A GOOD POSITION TO HAVE,
[34:04] AND WAS NEEDED TO REALLY MEET THE
[34:05] JOB REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COMMISSIONERS
[34:08] AND THE CHAIR.
[34:14] BUT, WE ARE PUTTING THAT ON A
[34:17] RECOMMENDED
[34:20] REDUCTION WITH TEARS
[34:23] FOR ACTUALLY
[34:26] DOING LESS OF THAT.
[34:29] THE OTHER THING, OF COURSE, ON
[34:32] TIER THREE,
[34:33] I HAVE SOME STAFF TRAINING CONFERENCES,
[34:36] AND
[34:39] AGAIN, THE EASY
[34:42] THING TO DO IS TO JUST
[34:44] DELAY THE HIRING OF A NEW POSITION
[34:45] FOR TWO MONTHS.
[34:47] >> IS THAT -- JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT
[34:50] IS
[34:52] DELAYING HIRING THAT PERSON FOR
[34:53] AN ENTIRE YEAR?
[34:54] >> YEAH.
[34:55] >> OKAY, JUST MAKING SURE.
[34:58] >> SO, IT IS CUMULATIVE?
[35:01] IT IS REVERSE CUMULATIVE.
[35:04] BUT,
[35:06] THAT IS ALL IN THE WAY OF PUBLIC
[35:09] DISCLOSURE.
[35:12] DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
[35:16] >> I JUST HAVE ONE SMALL CORRECTION
[35:18] THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION
[35:19] ON THE PLANNING DEPARTMENTS LIST
[35:25] OF TEARS, WHERE YOU SEE REDUCTION
[35:26] TO MEET COUNTY EXECUTIVES RECOMMENDATION
[35:29] PLANNING, IT SAYS $1,034,095.
[35:31] THAT IS A TYPO. IT SHOULD SAVE
[35:34] $1,034,803.
[35:36] SIMILARLY, TO WHAT IS LISTED ON
[35:39] PAGE ONE.
[35:42] SO, THAT IS JUST A SMALL CORRECTION
[35:43] THAT WILL BE MADE BEFORE THIS IS
[35:44] TRANSMITTED.
[35:47] >>
[35:50] IT IS GOOD TO DO IT IN THE LAST
[35:51] COUPLE OF DIGITS, NOT THE FIRST
[35:52] COUPLE OF DIGITS.
[35:53] >> EXACTLY.
[35:54] >> AT LEAST THAT IS MY THEORY ON
[35:55] BUDGETS. MAKE YOUR MISTAKES IN DOLLARS,
[35:58] NOT THOUSANDS. OKAY.
[36:01] DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING
[36:03] TO SAY ON THIS MATTER? NO? ALL RIGHT.
[36:11] I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH
[36:14] THE THOUGHT THAT WE WILL GO UP
[36:17] TO COUNSEL
[36:20] AND FIGHT
[36:22] FOR THESE BUDGET ITEMS TO BE REINSTATED.
[36:25] BUT, THIS IS OUR
[36:28] TIER PRIORITIES.
[36:32] >> SO, YOU WANT US TO GIVE YOU WHICH
[36:33] TEARS WE ARE GOING TO WORK ON?
[36:36] >> NO, WE ARE VOTING TO SUPPORT
[36:39] THE MEMO
[36:42] WRITTEN BY JOHN COLE,
[36:45] THAT HAS ALL OF THE TIERS
[36:48] AND NONRECOMMENDED CUTS.
[36:53] >>
[36:55] OF THE PLANNING BOARD HAVE TO MAKE
[36:57] THE MOTION ON THAT? OR, JUST GIVE
[36:59] THEM THE TIERS?
[37:02] >> TYPICALLY,
[37:05] WE TRANSMIT THE ENTIRE LIST TO
[37:06] THE COUNCIL, AND THEN THEY CAN MAKE
[37:07] THE DECISION IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY
[37:11] WANT TO FIND.
[37:14] >> SO, MR. CHAIR,
[37:16] I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE APPROVE
[37:22] THE MEMO FROM MR. COLE THAT WE SUBMITTED
[37:25] TO THE COUNCIL
[37:28] WITH OUR CONCERN THAT
[37:31] THIS IS A BIG HIT.
[37:33] AND WE AND THEM, WE SHOULD FIGHT
[37:35] TO GET THIS MONEY BACK.
[37:38] >> AND I
[37:46] SECOND THAT. I WAS GOING TO EVEN
[37:48] GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, BUT I DON'T
[37:50] KNOW IF I CAN, OR NOT. THAT IS HOW
[37:51] IMPORTANT, ABSOLUTELY, TIER ONE
[37:53] AND TWO ARE FOR THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT.
[37:57] >> I THINK EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN
[38:00] THE BUDGET UNDERSTANDS THAT.
[38:02] EVERYBODY INVOLVED ON OUR SIDE
[38:04] OF THE BUDGET ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT
[38:09] WE ARE TAKING THE BIGGEST HIT OF
[38:11] ANY DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTY. I
[38:12] THINK THAT IS CORRECT. YOU KNOW,
[38:18] OTHER AGENCIES ARE GETTING INCREASES.
[38:21] SO, WE LOOK FOR
[38:24] THE COUNCIL
[38:27] TO DO A MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION
[38:30] OF AVAILABLE FUNDS.
[38:37] ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND
[38:39] A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE.
[38:40] >> AYE. >> AYE.
[38:41] >> AYE POINT
[38:44] >> ALL RIGHT, 5-0. THANK YOU, MR.
[38:45] KROLL, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY ON THE
[38:46] CALL, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY HERE.
[38:47] WE HAD ALL THE BUDGETEERS HERE.
[38:52] THEY WEAR DIFFERENT HATS.
[47:08] >> WELCOME BACK . WE ARE ON ITEM
[47:14] NUMBER SIX.
[47:37] WE DO HAVE
[47:38] THREE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TESTIFY.
[47:42] WE WILL TAKE THE COMMENTS
[47:48] FROM THE STAFF BEFORE. AND WE WILL HEAR
[47:48] FROM THE APPLICANT.
[47:49] >> GOOD MORNING
[47:52] , KERRY SANDERS FOR THE RECORD. I WANTED
[47:55] TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT ON THIS CASE
[47:58] BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING. THIS PROJECT IS
[47:59] A
[48:01] REALLY IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD FOR
[48:02] THE 2010
[48:05] GREAT SENECA SCIENCE CORRIDOR
[48:08] MASTER PLAN AND THE COUNTIES GROWING BIOTECHNOLOGY
[48:11] SECTOR THERE . THIS IS
[48:13] THE LARGEST SCALE SITE PLAN WE HAVE
[48:14] SEEN ON THIS
[48:17] OVER
[48:20] THE 107 ACRE SITE
[48:22] SINCE 1977. SO, GIVING YOU SOME CONTEXT
[48:26] , GRAHAM,
[48:29] OUR LEAD
[48:31] PROJECT MANAGER WILL WALK YOU THROUGH
[48:32] THE DETAILS. THANK
[48:35] YOU. >>
[48:41] >> GOOD MORNING AGAIN. TAMIKA
[48:44] GRAHAM WITH THE MEADE COUNTY
[48:48] PLANNING DIVISION. I JUST WANTED TO
[48:49] SAY, ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION WE
[48:50] ARE REALLY PLEASED TO BRING FORWARD THIS PLAN
[48:53] FOR THE BELL WORD CAMPUS. IT
[48:55] IS A COMBINATION OF RESEARCH SPACE
[48:59] ,
[49:00] RETAIL AND RECREATION. IT WILL TRANSFORM
[49:02] WHAT YOU SEE ON THIS
[49:05] AERIAL PHOTO
[49:06] IN FRONT OF YOU. AS KERRY MENTIONED
[49:09] THIS PROJECT IS
[49:11] GOING TO CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY
[49:12] TO
[49:13] THE GROWTH OF THE COUNTIES BIO HEALTH
[49:18] AND LIFE SCIENCES HUB. IT WILL
[49:21] ALSO LAY OUT THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS, WHICH
[49:24] WILL WALK YOU THROUGH
[49:26] THE DETAILS. FOR
[49:30] THE REASONS WE STATED IN OUR STAFF
[49:32] REPORT WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE
[49:33] BELWARD CAMPUS
[49:36] PHASE TWO FOR THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AND
[49:38] FOR THE FINAL FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN
[49:42] FOR THE OVERALL SITE. BOTH WITH CONDITIONS
[49:45] LISTED IN
[49:47] THE STAFF REPORT. WE WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH A
[49:48] FEW MODIFICATIONS IN THIS PRESENTATION.
[49:51] THE
[49:54] BELWARD TRACT WHICH IS OWNED BY
[49:57] JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
[49:59] HAS A LONG HISTORY OF REGULATORY APPROVALS
[50:00] OVER THE PAST
[50:01] 26 YEARS. THE BALL REALLY STARTED TO ROLL
[50:06] BACK IN 1996 WITH APPROVAL
[50:09] OF A NATURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY
[50:12] , FORCED AND DELINEATION. IN 1997,
[50:14] THE FIRST LUMINARY PLAN WAS APPROVED
[50:15] FOR UP TO
[50:20] 1.8 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE AND
[50:21] RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT USE.
[50:24] THAT HAD A DENSITY OF 0.3 AND
[50:27] THAT WAS ON A
[50:30] 138 ACRE TRACT OF LAND.
[50:33] BASED ON THE LANGUAGE IN
[50:34] THE GREAT SENECA SCIENCE CORRIDOR
[50:36] MASTER PLAN
[50:42] , IT RECOMMENDS THE LARGEST TRACT
[50:45] --EXCUSE ME, THE LARGEST
[50:50] PROPERTY OWNERS WITH 20 ACRES OR MORE MUST
[50:51] SUBMIT A CONCEPT PLAN. IN 2011
[50:54] A CONCEPT PLAN WAS SUBMITTED WITH AN AMENDMENT
[50:57] THAT CREATED TWO
[51:00] RECORDED PARCELS, LETTER
[51:02] A AND B AND RECONFIGURED THE LEASE.
[51:06] REALLY, IT WAS VARIOUS AUTOMATIC
[51:09] COUNTY
[51:10] COUNSEL EXTENSIONS THAT ALLOW THE
[51:11] VALIDITY PERIOD TO REMAIN IN EFFECT
[51:12] AFTER A
[51:14] DECADE HAD PASSED. BRINGING US TO
[51:15] MORE RECENT
[51:18] TIMES, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021,
[51:21] THE JOB OF THE
[51:24] PLANNING BOARD FOR JOHNS HOPKINS
[51:27] FILED A PLAN TO CONSTRUCT A SINGLE
[51:30] BUILDING, APPROXIMATELY 126,000 SQUARE FEET FOR
[51:33] OUTPATIENT SERVICES
[51:36] , AMBULATORY SURGERY AND
[51:39] LABORATORY FUNCTIONS.
[51:44] AGAIN, CONSISTENT WITH THE VISION OF
[51:45] THE MASTER PLAN. SO, LAST YEAR A NEW CONCEPT PLAN
[51:48] WAS SUBMITTED BY THE APPLICANT
[51:51] ,
[51:54] TRAMMELL
[51:57] CROW COMPANY AND THEY SUBMITTED A SITE PLAN WHICH
[52:00] IS BEFORE YOU TODAY FOR
[52:01] THE NORTHERN PORTION. ALONG WITH THAT
[52:03] SITE PLAN THERE WAS A SITE PLAN
[52:09] AMENDMENT SUBMITTED TO MODIFY THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN
[52:11] FOR THE OVERALL BELWARD SITE AND THAT
[52:12] IS TO ACCOMMODATE
[52:14] THE CHANGES OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
[52:15] WITH THE
[52:18] TCC SITE.
[52:21] A LOT OF PROCESS
[52:23] IS GOING ON AND I WILL TRY TO KEEP
[52:24] THE TWO PROPERTIES CLEAR AS
[52:27] I GO THROUGHOUT. IN
[52:30] TERMS OF THE REGULATORY
[52:33] PROCESS, WE ARE LOOKING AT TWO
[52:35] --WE ISSUED A SINGLE SITE PLAN, BUT
[52:37] WE ARE ASKING
[52:39] FOR THE PLANNING BOARDS VOTE ON TWO SEPARATE
[52:43] , BUT
[52:44] RELATED PLANS. SO, WE HAVE TWO APPLICANTS. ONE,
[52:46] THE TRAMMELL CROW COMPANY
[52:49] , WHICH HAS A GROUND LEASE
[52:51] AND HAVE SUBMITTED A SITE PLAN FOR
[52:52] THE NORTHERN PORTION AND
[52:54] I WILL HAVE SOME MAPS FOR YOU SHORTLY. AND
[52:58] YOU ARE ALSO LOOKING AT
[53:00] A FINAL FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN FOR
[53:01] THE OVERALL SITE
[53:04] THAT IS ALREADY
[53:07] SUBMITTED. IN
[53:13] TERMS OF THE SITE PLAN, AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS, THE
[53:14] LOT LINES HAVE ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED. WE
[53:16] HAVE MADE
[53:18] OUR ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES DETERMINATION AND
[53:19] WE ARE LOOKING
[53:22] AT THE
[53:24] FINER DETAILS ON THE SITE. ALSO, WE
[53:25] ARE LOOKING AT RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
[53:28] MASTER PLAN AND HOW THEY COMPLY. BASED ON THE
[53:30] DATE OF THE PRELIMINARY PLAN APPROVAL
[53:33] , THIS APPLICATION , THE SITE PLAN
[53:34] IS
[53:37] BEING REVIEWED
[53:38] UNDER THE 2004 CODE, EXCEPT FOR PARKING REQUIREMENTS
[53:40] THAT HAVE TO MEET CURRENT
[53:43] CODE STANDARDS.
[53:45] SO, FOR THE FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN
[53:46] , IT
[53:49] HAS TO
[53:58] --EXCUSE ME, A PRELIMINARY SITE
[53:59] PLAN HAS TO SATISFY ANY OF THE FORCE CONSERVATION
[54:00] LAWS AND REGULATIONS AND SO FORTH. THAT
[54:01] WILL LOOK AT
[54:04] VARIOUS DETAILS FOR RETENTION
[54:07] , MEDICATION FOR SPECIMEN TREES
[54:10] WHERE APPLICABLE.
[54:11] A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS
[54:13] , THIS IS THE
[54:16] FIRST PROJECT BEFORE THE BOARD THAT FOLLOWS
[54:19] OUR NEW FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN
[54:22] APPLICATION PROCESS. THAT MEANS
[54:25] IT IS DECOUPLED FROM AN
[54:28] ADMINISTRATIVE STANDPOINT FROM
[54:30] ASSOCIATED APPLICATIONS. THIS MEANS
[54:31] THAT MOVING FORWARD,
[54:33] A FORCE CONSERVATION PLAN IS NO LONGER
[54:34] A
[54:37] SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENT OR
[54:41] A PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN. IT STANDS ON
[54:42] ITS OWN AND HAS ITS OWN PROJECT NUMBER AND
[54:43] WILL REQUIRE
[54:45] A SEPARATE RESOLUTION AND YOU WILL HAVE
[54:46] TO DO A SEPARATE VOTE
[54:48] FOR THAT. GOING FORWARD, THIS MEANS
[54:49] THAT
[54:52] ANY AMENDMENTS THAT OCCUR THAT
[54:54] DON'T REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT TO THE
[54:58] SITE PLAN WE DON'T NEED TO OPEN UP
[55:01] THE SITE PLAN. FOR TODAY,
[55:04] SINCE
[55:07] THE OVERALL SITE
[55:10] HAS A SITE PLAN
[55:13] LINKED ,
[55:19] THE FOURTH TIME BEFORE YOU SUPERSEDES ALL OF THE
[55:20] CONDITIONS SO NO AMENDMENTS TO OTHER
[55:22] ASSOCIATED PLANS FOR THE
[55:25] SEP ARE ARE REQUIRED.
[55:34] >> THE JHU RESEARCH TRACT
[55:36] WHICH IS REFERRED TO AS THE OVERALL
[55:37] SITE
[55:40] IS COMPRISED OF 107 ACRES OF LAND.
[55:43] YOU CAN SEE ON THE
[55:44] MAP IT IS WEDGED BETWEEN GAITHERSBURG
[55:46] AND BOUNDARIES
[55:49] OF ROCKVILLE. IT IS GENERALLY BOUNDED BY
[55:52] DURHAM'S TOWN ROAD AND
[55:55] MUDDY BRANCH ROAD
[55:57] TO THE LAST MISSION HILL SUBS DIVISION
[55:58] TO
[56:01] THE NORTH. THERE IS A
[56:04] LITTLE CLUSTER OF THE MEDICAL
[56:07] AND BIOTECHNOLOGY USES THAT
[56:09] WERE BROKEN OFF FROM THE ORIGINAL
[56:10] 138 ACRE TRACT
[56:13] . THE SITE ALSO INCLUDES THE
[56:16] HISTORIC
[56:19] BELWARD
[56:21] FARM THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1891
[56:22] AND
[56:23] THAT STILL REMAINS ON THE PROPERTY.
[56:25] IF
[56:28] WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK , I WANT TO
[56:30] DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE PROPERTY
[56:33] FOR THE SITE PLAN APPLICATION THAT
[56:34] IS LOCATED
[56:36] ON THE NORTHERN PORTIONS AND IS OUTLINED
[56:37] IN LIEU. THE
[56:40] FORMER SITE PLAN THAT I NOTED FOR
[56:42] THE MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING IS OUTLINED
[56:43] IN RED AND THE
[56:45] OVERALL SITE IS OUTLINED IN ORANGE.
[56:49] THE PROPERTY OF THE OVERALL SITE IS LOCATED
[56:52] IN THE GREAT
[56:55] SENECA SCIENCE CORRIDOR MASTER
[56:58] PLAN SPECIFICALLY, WITHIN THE BELWARD DISTRICT.
[57:01] >> THE PROPERTY FOR THE SITE
[57:04] PLAN TOTALS ABOUT
[57:07] 66.5 ACRES OUT OF
[57:10] THE 107 ACRE OVERALL SITE
[57:13] . THE SITE
[57:16] ALSO HAS NOTICEABLE TOPOGRAPHICAL CHANGES
[57:21] . ALSO, ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES. THESE ARE THINGS
[57:22] THAT REALLY INFLUENCE THE SITE
[57:25] DESIGN IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER.
[57:30] >> Consistent with the vision of the
[57:31] master plan
[57:34] for the life sciences Center, the site
[57:37] plan is proposing up to 750,000 square
[57:40] feet of above grade
[57:43] gross floor area for
[57:45] research and development, biotechnology offices
[57:46] , related labs, and
[57:49] a 6000
[57:52] square foot retail pavilion located in the
[57:54] heart of the campus. This totals 757,000
[57:58] square feet. This is distributed
[58:01] across three different buildings labeled as
[58:04] A1, A2, and
[58:06] a four. They would have a maximum height
[58:07] of a
[58:10] range between 100 and
[58:13] 150 feet. And , the
[58:15] site proposal also includes the structured
[58:19] parking , which was a specific
[58:21] recommendation from the master plan.
[58:22] They
[58:25] also tried to utilize grading on the site
[58:28] to try to reduce the appearance
[58:31] of height , as much as possible. There will be
[58:34] solar rays
[58:37] on P1 and P2 extensions.
[58:40] You can see the construction of new
[58:41] roads and there will also be public
[58:42] you space, lighting and landscaping
[58:43] which I will get into
[58:46] a little bit more. I also want
[58:48] to note that additional development
[58:49] is anticipated
[58:52] north of Belward campus Drive that
[58:53] is not
[58:54] part of this application. Everything
[58:56] shown
[58:59] in blue would need to be
[59:01] supported by a future site plan approval.
[59:05] Everything in white is what you are
[59:08] looking at today.
[59:10] What we wanted to say here is , for
[59:11] the property
[59:14] currently has approval for .3
[59:17] SAR, the total map density
[59:20] is a total capacity
[59:23] to be developed of up to
[59:26] 4.7 million square
[59:28] feet. This anticipates some future
[59:29] amendments.
[59:32] Again, what we are
[59:35] asking for your approval today is everything
[59:38] shown
[59:44] in white.
[59:48] This is spread across 10 different faces
[59:49] shown on the applicants exhibits.
[59:50] These phases can
[59:51] really occur in any order, or they can
[59:53] occur together .
[59:56] You can see here there will
[59:57] be additional buildings along the
[59:59] structured parking. >>
[1:00:02] We have highlighted
[1:00:05] the new roads for
[1:00:08] you here.
[1:00:09] Based on the amount of hazing that was anticipated
[1:00:11] with the amended
[1:00:12] limitary plan, there was language
[1:00:14] that stated
[1:00:16] roads could be finalized with each
[1:00:20] relevant site plan. That is
[1:00:23] what happened here.
[1:00:37] We have a network of new roads. One
[1:00:38] of
[1:00:40] the public roads is Belward Campus
[1:00:43] drive. It bisects the property and
[1:00:44] provides major
[1:00:47] East-West connectivity.
[1:00:50] It does include 150 feet for
[1:00:53] a right-of-way
[1:00:55] , including the meeting that was specifically
[1:00:56] in the
[1:00:59] master plan. It will also have three panels
[1:01:02] to support traffic calming
[1:01:04] and try to bring down the out wide
[1:01:08] cross-section
[1:01:09] to a pedestrian scale. It will also
[1:01:11] create a buffer for
[1:01:14] conditions along the LSD
[1:01:17] loop trail , which I will talk about a
[1:01:20] little more shortly. A set of private
[1:01:22] roads is also proposed and labeled roads
[1:01:23] A through
[1:01:26] D. They primarily
[1:01:27] , provide internal access. You will see
[1:01:29] that roads
[1:01:32] B and roads C play
[1:01:35] a major role
[1:01:40] in the experience of the campus. This is why
[1:01:41] we focused on how
[1:01:43] Road B terminates at the garage and how
[1:01:44] Road C supports
[1:01:47] this pedestrian scale
[1:01:50] with the buildings pulled close
[1:01:51] up to the road and how it provides
[1:01:53] connectivity from Belward
[1:01:56] Campus all the way through
[1:01:58] the forest conservation area and other
[1:02:01] green spaces that people will walk
[1:02:02] past as
[1:02:04] they move north through the site.
[1:02:07] The applicant is also making some improvements
[1:02:08] on muddy branch Road.
[1:02:11] They will be
[1:02:12] replacing the existing sidewalk with
[1:02:16] a two-way separated bicycling that
[1:02:17] will be buffered. They are
[1:02:20] also including a segment of the life science
[1:02:23] trail. There will be two new
[1:02:25] traffic signals . One of the major
[1:02:26] new intersection
[1:02:29] at
[1:02:33] muddy branch and Belward Campus drive. There
[1:02:35] is another one off the screen at Key West
[1:02:36] Avenue and Johns Hopkins drive. As
[1:02:38] I mentioned
[1:02:41] , parking must conform with
[1:02:43] our current code , so the applicant is
[1:02:44] providing plenty
[1:02:47] of offstreet parking spaces
[1:02:50] and they are also providing a number of
[1:02:52] parking spaces that will support the
[1:02:53] retail
[1:02:54] pavilion. It will also support visitors
[1:02:56] to the park.
[1:02:59] >> The
[1:03:02] site plan is also planning to deliver
[1:03:05] important bicycle and pedestrian
[1:03:07] improvements for the building and
[1:03:08] to shift away from having
[1:03:11] this campus feel very auto
[1:03:14] centric. And to complement the various
[1:03:17] green spaces.
[1:03:20] I mentioned the LSU loop trail. That is a
[1:03:23] total of
[1:03:25] 1.3 miles. It is the premier element
[1:03:26] of the
[1:03:38] JSCC plan. It is also great that this will deliver
[1:03:41] another segment of this great trail. Pathways are also
[1:03:44] proposed within
[1:03:46] the muddy branch Park. You can see
[1:03:47] where it is highlighted the
[1:03:49] applicant is proposing some pedestrian
[1:03:50] connections
[1:03:53] through the buildings, which helps with
[1:03:56] the porosity of this large site.
[1:03:59] We also have
[1:04:05] some
[1:04:08] natural surface trails which will go
[1:04:10] through the Mission Hills preserve.
[1:04:11] There are also
[1:04:14] some protective bicycle intersections throughout
[1:04:17] the site. >>
[1:04:20] I wanted to take you back for a second,
[1:04:23] looking at the full buildout of this site. You
[1:04:26] can see what
[1:04:29] the circulation will look like
[1:04:32] once additional buildings and
[1:04:34] garages are brought forth under separate
[1:04:35] site plans.
[1:04:36] One thing that staff wanted to point out is
[1:04:38] that we have made a condition of
[1:04:41] approval to eliminate the sweeping curve
[1:04:44] of the extension of road D .
[1:04:50] That will require an additional
[1:04:53] site plan. For the next few slides I
[1:04:55] would like to turn it over to my colleague, Natasha
[1:04:59] to talk a little bit more about the details of the site. >> Thank
[1:05:02] you, Tamika. Good morning to the
[1:05:05] planning board. For
[1:05:08] the record, I
[1:05:10] am a designer of Meade County division.
[1:05:11] I would like to walk
[1:05:14] you through some of the design highlights
[1:05:15] of this
[1:05:16] transformative development and great
[1:05:18] city complement
[1:05:20] that has been achieved through the
[1:05:21] constructive dialogue
[1:05:23] between the planning staff and advocates.
[1:05:27] The staff
[1:05:28] appreciates all the collaborative approaches
[1:05:30] that have been taken with the planning department
[1:05:33] to enhance the design for
[1:05:35] this project in the past couple of
[1:05:36] months. What
[1:05:38] you see on the screen represents the first
[1:05:42] three buildings of
[1:05:43] the biotech office buildings for the
[1:05:45] first phase of
[1:05:47] this development. It frames the main spine
[1:05:50] of the road which is Belward Campus
[1:05:51] drive creates
[1:05:54] a very urban edge for this
[1:05:55] primary road. What you see on the screen
[1:05:59] that marks as building A1 and later
[1:06:00] a four
[1:06:03] .
[1:06:05] Even though these buildings as you see
[1:06:06] on
[1:06:07] the slide have a harmonious façade
[1:06:09] because they are part
[1:06:10] of the biggest campus, but individually
[1:06:12] they offer
[1:06:15] a unique
[1:06:17] articulation through the series of
[1:06:18] setbacks and terraces
[1:06:21] , which open up into the views
[1:06:24] of the
[1:06:25] stream to the North and the historic
[1:06:27] farm to the South that is
[1:06:30] shown on this slide. The tall
[1:06:33] , glassy ground floor that
[1:06:36] is shown also
[1:06:42] is another
[1:06:45] design element that has
[1:06:47] a pedestrian environment along the
[1:06:48] proposed streets.
[1:06:50] The wide sidewalk that has a buffer with
[1:06:51] the landscaping panel and
[1:06:54] the street trees
[1:06:58] create a very nice characteristic of
[1:06:59] the pedestrian friendly environment. As my colleague, Tamika mentioned
[1:07:02] we made this tall, glassy building
[1:07:06] shows true lobbies
[1:07:09] that connect
[1:07:11] both sides of these buildings on building A
[1:07:18] and creates
[1:07:20] some sort of a front and back of this
[1:07:21] building that are
[1:07:24] equally important , as
[1:07:26] one front is facing Belward Campus drive
[1:07:27] fronting
[1:07:29] the historic farm and the other front
[1:07:30] is facing
[1:07:33] the stream buffer on the north.
[1:07:36] These
[1:07:39] lobbies create a very nice
[1:07:40] visual and physical connection between
[1:07:42] the two frontages.
[1:07:45] >> This image
[1:07:48] shows the north side of building
[1:07:51] A
[1:07:54] -four
[1:07:57] and internal road letter a
[1:07:59] on the north side. In this image you
[1:08:00] can see the
[1:08:03] massive articulation
[1:08:06] in specific locations, such as
[1:08:07] a series of terraces at the entryway
[1:08:09] to the Plaza from Belward
[1:08:10] campus Drive which creates opportunity
[1:08:11] for the building user to have the view
[1:08:17] towards all the open space on the
[1:08:18] North and the
[1:08:19] South. On the north elevation you can
[1:08:21] also see double height terraces
[1:08:27] which views towards
[1:08:30] the stream value
[1:08:32] buffer that creates a very unique opportunity
[1:08:33] for this building.
[1:08:35] Another design element for this development
[1:08:36] is the
[1:08:39] retail pavilion, which is in
[1:08:41] the heart of the development which
[1:08:44] elegantly sits in a slope and merges into
[1:08:46] the environmental features of the
[1:08:48] stream value buffer and provides
[1:08:51] a unique public amenity for the
[1:08:54] office users , as well as the greater community.
[1:08:57] As it is shown
[1:09:00] in this rendering, a series of
[1:09:02] pedestrian paths , trails, stairs
[1:09:03] and a rep
[1:09:05] connects a different level of the retail
[1:09:06] pavilion and creates
[1:09:08] great opportunity for social gathering
[1:09:09] inside and outside
[1:09:12] the structure.
[1:09:15] >>
[1:09:16] Another design element of this office campus is
[1:09:18] the provision
[1:09:20] of the street parking structure ,
[1:09:21] which will
[1:09:24] expand through the phases as other
[1:09:27] office buildings that
[1:09:29] come along in the next phases. As
[1:09:30] was mentioned , all
[1:09:33] the surface
[1:09:34] parking structure should be internal
[1:09:36] into the block and hidden from
[1:09:39] the public view. What you see on
[1:09:42] this diagram shows that the parking structure
[1:09:45] that is marked as P 2
[1:09:48] is located along the muddy branch
[1:09:51] Park and
[1:10:00] the condition of the
[1:10:03] staff report wants to work with applicants to
[1:10:05] ensure the adequate screening for
[1:10:06] this parking structure through
[1:10:09] this certified site plan. Staff
[1:10:12] believes this long exposed
[1:10:14] parking structure as a backdrop to
[1:10:15] this very well-designed
[1:10:18] public park along muddy branch Road
[1:10:21] should provide an additional
[1:10:24] screening that is shown
[1:10:26] on the screen. One of the conditions
[1:10:27] is creating
[1:10:30] screening on the western
[1:10:33] façade which is highlighted
[1:10:42] through the architecture element that articulates this almost
[1:10:45] 500 foot long façade from the fronting road and from
[1:10:48] the public.
[1:10:51] The other condition is talking about creating a
[1:10:54] vertical focal element at the
[1:10:57] terminus of
[1:11:00] road B-three
[1:11:03] through
[1:11:06] the development of the park and through the
[1:11:09] Western site. Number three
[1:11:11] screening the Eastern façade through
[1:11:12] the
[1:11:14] artistic elements that can be seen through
[1:11:18] all the public facilities through the
[1:11:21] stream
[1:11:23] value buffer. I can further explain
[1:11:24] all of this on the next
[1:11:26] slide. >> To further evaluate the
[1:11:27] design condition
[1:11:29] that we would like to work with the
[1:11:30] applicants
[1:11:33] on is , we
[1:11:35] are showing the two façades on the
[1:11:36] western side.
[1:11:39] The image on the top is
[1:11:42] the elevation that the applicant has proposed through
[1:11:45] their final submission. It shows what the façade
[1:11:48] would look like and how the wide span
[1:11:51] of utilitarian garages
[1:11:55] is almost 40 feet wide
[1:11:58] . The image at the bottom is
[1:12:00] the staff's suggestions. Clearly,
[1:12:03] this two story structure looks very
[1:12:04] utilitarian with
[1:12:06] the exposed ramp and the wide span. Staff
[1:12:09] would like to work with the applicant
[1:12:11] to ensure this particular façade gets
[1:12:13] additional
[1:12:15] articulation through the architecture element
[1:12:19] to be perceived as a
[1:12:20] very nice, well designed building
[1:12:22] is a backdrop to this public
[1:12:25] park along Muddy Branch Road.
[1:12:26] Staff also recommends incorporating
[1:12:28] vertical
[1:12:30] and horizontal elements to further
[1:12:34] articulate the elevation with a
[1:12:37] shorter span between the columns and providing vertical elements,
[1:12:40] such as
[1:12:43] stairs at the terminus of
[1:12:46] B-3
[1:12:49] . >> Furthermore
[1:12:51] , we are providing a couple of images
[1:12:54] of how we would like to see this garage
[1:12:58] get screened
[1:13:00] throughout the different elevations.
[1:13:03] As you see, these are some of the
[1:13:06] examples of parking structures that use
[1:13:09] the architecture element as there
[1:13:11] screening techniques. The top left image
[1:13:14] is from Pike and Rose and the other one
[1:13:16] at the bottom clearly used
[1:13:20] the architecture of the columns and bans.
[1:13:22] The image on the right
[1:13:24] again from Pike and Rose shows how
[1:13:25] the use
[1:13:28] of colorful windows and creating
[1:13:30] a vertical element that this main façade
[1:13:31] of the
[1:13:34] garage has been nicely screened.
[1:13:37] >>
[1:13:39] Here, like we are showing a couple
[1:13:42] of examples and present images of other
[1:13:43] screening
[1:13:44] techniques that the staff would like
[1:13:46] to see on the Eastern façade
[1:13:49] facing the stream
[1:13:52] value buffer. The techniques ,
[1:13:53] such as artwork and murals similar to
[1:13:55] the two photos on the
[1:13:58] right side that can create a really
[1:14:01] nice backdrop to this stream value
[1:14:04] buffer. Also, the images on the left
[1:14:07] side show examples
[1:14:10] of how it is
[1:14:11] very inexpensive to use materials
[1:14:16] that can be applied
[1:14:18] to minimize the view into the parking
[1:14:19] structure. These
[1:14:21] are some examples of what the staff
[1:14:22] would like
[1:14:25] to see. At this
[1:14:26] point I will turn back the presentation
[1:14:28] to Tamika to walk us through
[1:14:31] other aspects of the plan. >>
[1:14:34] Thank you. We just have a few more. Then
[1:14:36] , we will put it up for discussion.
[1:14:40] The overall 107 acre
[1:14:42] JHU site has a requirement for 20%
[1:14:46] of public use space. This plan
[1:14:48] is proposing to provide approximately
[1:14:52] 46.6
[1:14:57] percent of public use space which is
[1:15:01] approximately 23
[1:15:04] acres. The areas included
[1:15:06] are highlighted and you can see them
[1:15:07] in Green. They
[1:15:10] are labeled as the Mission
[1:15:11] Hills preserve, the muddy branch Park,
[1:15:13] and the stream Valley buffer.
[1:15:16] We have also
[1:15:22] labeled
[1:15:25] the urban green space that will
[1:15:27] have a covenant for public access.
[1:15:28] I wanted to point
[1:15:31] out that along with the trails
[1:15:34] in
[1:15:35] this public use space, this really helps
[1:15:37] to create a distinct place that contributes to
[1:15:40] much-needed place
[1:15:42] making in this area. >> Going through
[1:15:43] each of
[1:15:46] these public use space areas, the Mission
[1:15:49] Hills preserve is
[1:15:52] a 200 foot wide buffer
[1:15:54] and was required in the master plan
[1:15:55] to really protect
[1:15:57] the residents of the Mission Hills
[1:15:58] subdivision to
[1:16:01] the north from this developing
[1:16:04] area to the south.
[1:16:07] I want to
[1:16:10] highlight that the applicant is providing
[1:16:13] an illustrative
[1:16:14] you at the bottom of the screen that is
[1:16:16] taken from approximately
[1:16:19] 15 feet above grade. The amended
[1:16:22] preliminary plan required the first
[1:16:25] site plan, which in this case was
[1:16:28] the JHU medical office building to
[1:16:31] plant the buffer. Because
[1:16:34] of some of the changes and market conditions, it turns
[1:16:37] out that
[1:16:39] that site plan might not be the first
[1:16:40] one
[1:16:41] to actually, come along and plant
[1:16:43] the buffer.
[1:16:46] What is happening is that the final
[1:16:47] conservation force plan revises this
[1:16:49] condition so that the approval
[1:16:51] to link the Mission Hills preserve
[1:16:52] planting buffer
[1:16:55] requirements
[1:16:57] to the first, second, or third set of
[1:16:59] controlled permit . That way it is
[1:17:01] planted regardless of
[1:17:04] which project moves forward.
[1:17:06] This ensures that the buffer is delivered
[1:17:09] early in the development, which was
[1:17:10] the anticipation of the master
[1:17:13] plan to protect the abutting residents.
[1:17:16] >> And
[1:17:18] other premier aspect of this development is
[1:17:19] the muddy
[1:17:22] branch Park . We are really
[1:17:25] pleased to see
[1:17:26] what the applicant is proposing here
[1:17:28] in terms of proposing a plan.
[1:17:31] The park needs to be a
[1:17:33] total of 14 acres. It will be privately owned
[1:17:37] public space. This phase of the plan
[1:17:40] is delivering just under seven acres.
[1:17:42] The applicant has been working really
[1:17:43] hard to
[1:17:46] refine the design that is
[1:17:48] part of this. They have put forth
[1:17:49] internal pathways and
[1:17:52] an athletic field.
[1:17:55] There are some concrete
[1:17:57] terrorist areas and soft slope areas
[1:18:01] and they are trying to work on the
[1:18:03] grade with the existing land. They are
[1:18:04] also incorporating storm
[1:18:07] water management and native species.
[1:18:10] They will be complying with the preliminary
[1:18:13] plan recommendation that it will be
[1:18:15] substantially completed before building permits
[1:18:16] are issued
[1:18:19] for more than 25% of the development.
[1:18:22] >> So, the urban green , as
[1:18:25] I mentioned earlier , the master plan
[1:18:28] recommends that an urban Square is located
[1:18:30] on the Belward property to serve as
[1:18:34] a location for activity in
[1:18:35] special events and to activate this
[1:18:37] area so it doesn't feel like just a
[1:18:40] single use lab campus. That, it is
[1:18:43] really space that nearby residents
[1:18:47] can come and recreate
[1:18:50] and partake in
[1:18:52] other activities. So, the urban green is
[1:18:56] actually proposed
[1:18:59] just across the road C and is
[1:19:00] located here to provide some synergy
[1:19:04] with all of the nice amenities the
[1:19:05] applicant
[1:19:07] is proposing to provide for the outdoor seating
[1:19:08] area for
[1:19:10] the Pavilion. The applicant is also
[1:19:11] requesting flexibility
[1:19:13] that a portion of this urban green
[1:19:16] to be within a secure campus area
[1:19:17] because of
[1:19:20] the needs of potential tenants. So,
[1:19:23] this urban green , if it
[1:19:25] turns out that a future tenant would
[1:19:29] need fencing , then it would be approximately one half
[1:19:32] acre and if it is not needed ,
[1:19:33] then we would have just over one acre
[1:19:35] of the
[1:19:37] urban green. I also want to point
[1:19:38] out that
[1:19:39] the applicant has really worked with
[1:19:41] us to try to keep this
[1:19:44] campus open
[1:19:45] as much as possible. They are proposing
[1:19:47] to utilize an invisible
[1:19:49] wall fence project or something of
[1:19:52] the equivalent so there will be some
[1:19:53] level of transparency
[1:19:55] to ensure that the area that is outside of
[1:19:56] the
[1:19:58] fence still feels like a welcoming
[1:19:59] place for users on the
[1:20:02] other side.
[1:20:05] >> Circling back to
[1:20:08] forest conservation, again the
[1:20:09] final force conservation plan was
[1:20:11] filed for the
[1:20:14] overall 107 acre site.
[1:20:17] That was filed with the JHU
[1:20:20] medical office building.
[1:20:26] As I mentioned earlier, this is now going to stand
[1:20:27] on its own and will be decoupled from
[1:20:28] the 11 acre portion of the property. The site
[1:20:29] does have some environmental features. It
[1:20:32] has wetlands
[1:20:33] and two streams and associated buffers.
[1:20:38] Close
[1:20:39] to 30 acres of this site was originally
[1:20:41] forest dead and is part of the initial
[1:20:44] force conservation approval
[1:20:53] and it covers the entire
[1:20:56] 130 acres from the very initial
[1:20:58] preliminary plan. It also includes some
[1:20:59] off-site
[1:21:02] disturbance areas and attract
[1:21:04] area for the final force conservation plan
[1:21:05] and
[1:21:08] it is 140 acres. Even though
[1:21:11] this is superseding the
[1:21:14] FFCP attached
[1:21:15] to the JHU, we are still bringing
[1:21:17] forth those conditions that
[1:21:19] were related to the environmental aspects.
[1:21:23] We tried to highlight some of
[1:21:25] the areas here on this plan. Lots
[1:21:28] of notes and so forth, but you can
[1:21:32] see here most of the property ,
[1:21:35] the 25 acres of forest will be cleared
[1:21:38] .
[1:21:41] That is part of the previous
[1:21:43] development on the eastern parcel.
[1:21:47] There is a total of 3.85 acres of existing forest that
[1:21:50] will be retained.
[1:21:52] The overall site has a total forced
[1:21:54] mitigation requirement of 36.7 acres.
[1:21:59] 18.67 acres of reforestation
[1:22:01] will be planted on site, as you can
[1:22:05] see highlighted. And, a total
[1:22:08] of 18 acres will be off-site in
[1:22:10] a forest bank and that will be provided
[1:22:13] with future phases of development.
[1:22:20] >> There was a variance
[1:22:21] request accused by the planning board
[1:22:22] with the initial FFCP, but because of
[1:22:23] the changes with the
[1:22:26] site plan and the revised
[1:22:29] variance requests , these
[1:22:32] requests are for new trees
[1:22:34] that will be removed or disturbed.
[1:22:38] That is for a total of eight
[1:22:40] specimen trees to be removed and four
[1:22:41] to
[1:22:44] be impacted , but retained.
[1:22:47] So, based on our calculation , a
[1:22:49] total of 24 three inch caliper trees
[1:22:50] will need to be
[1:22:51] planted for mitigation for the removal
[1:22:53] of
[1:22:56] the variance trees.
[1:22:59] >> As
[1:23:02] part of the board's approval
[1:23:04] we also have to look at the unwarranted
[1:23:05] hardship with the
[1:23:08] variance request. In staffs
[1:23:09] assessment of the variance, it was
[1:23:11] determined that leaving the
[1:23:14] 12 trees in their undisturbed state
[1:23:17] would result in an unwarranted hardship to
[1:23:20] the applicant cause of the following reasons that
[1:23:21] are listed here. They are related
[1:23:23] to the
[1:23:24] development of the property related
[1:23:26] to
[1:23:27] the infrastructure needed to support
[1:23:29] the development, site
[1:23:33] grading and so on we find the findings
[1:23:35] for the tree variance have been met
[1:23:38] and the required education
[1:23:40] will replace the form and function
[1:23:41] of the variance trees
[1:23:44] that are proposed for removal. So, denial
[1:23:46] of the variance would constitute hardship
[1:23:47] to the
[1:23:50] applicant. For that reason, staff is recommending
[1:23:52] the planning board support the variance request.
[1:23:53] I will just wrap
[1:23:56] up here , but I want to touch a
[1:23:59] little bit more about
[1:24:01] the community comments we have received.
[1:24:02] And, obviously
[1:24:05] this applicant had
[1:24:06] a pre-submission community meeting.
[1:24:08] They actually had two
[1:24:10] and they provided a lot of information to
[1:24:11] the community
[1:24:13] that is very engaged in this project.
[1:24:14] There were a number of questions
[1:24:17] and concerns that came
[1:24:18] up and folks are really concerned
[1:24:20] about the preservation of the historic
[1:24:23] Belward farm and the setting.
[1:24:25] Questions about traffic came up and
[1:24:26] the people
[1:24:29] also had questions about
[1:24:31] the program on Muddy Branch Park and
[1:24:32] provided various
[1:24:35] comments about
[1:24:38] the program in the park.
[1:24:41] In response to the most pressing question on
[1:24:44] traffic, I wanted to note that we had
[1:24:47] various agencies review
[1:24:50] the circulation or
[1:24:53] access points
[1:24:56] , but a brand-new traffic study was
[1:24:57] not required. That is primarily because the
[1:24:59] overall site has received
[1:25:01] APF determination in connection with
[1:25:02] the prior
[1:25:05] --or
[1:25:08] the current preliminary plan
[1:25:10] amendment. That APF determination
[1:25:11] remains
[1:25:14] violet and
[1:25:17] is
[1:25:19] used to confirm the adequacy of the public roads to support
[1:25:20] up to 1.4 million.
[1:25:22] So, a new traffic study may be triggered
[1:25:23] with future site
[1:25:26] plans that exceed the current development capacity
[1:25:30] for what has been approved.
[1:25:32] I also want to note that the applicant
[1:25:33] came out
[1:25:35] twice to present to the great Seneca
[1:25:38] science corridor limitation advisory
[1:25:40] committee. Had some really fruitful discussions
[1:25:42] about
[1:25:44] the progress of this site and what has happened
[1:25:46] between concept plan and the plan
[1:25:47] you have before you. Since the staff
[1:25:50] report posted we did receive four additional
[1:25:58] correspondences and I'm happy to report
[1:25:59] that all of them were in support of
[1:26:00] the plan. I think the summary is that people
[1:26:03] are really ready to see this campus
[1:26:05] come alive. We have heard a lot of that
[1:26:06] in
[1:26:09] the comments. We also had
[1:26:10] a question about the clarification
[1:26:12] of the timing of the
[1:26:13] Mission Hills preserve, which I noted
[1:26:15] there will be some slight changes and
[1:26:18] ensure the buffer is planted
[1:26:21] early on
[1:26:22] in the development regardless of which project
[1:26:23] moves forward. There was a question
[1:26:24] about
[1:26:27] the parking structure , could we have
[1:26:29] less parking structures ? I think
[1:26:30] it is
[1:26:33] really difficult to accommodate this
[1:26:36] amount of development with less
[1:26:39] parking structures . We also
[1:26:41] had questions about construction noise.
[1:26:45] At a later date the applicant
[1:26:47] will have more information for the community
[1:26:51] about the timing of construction and
[1:26:54] when that will happen. >> I will
[1:26:55] close with letting the board know that
[1:26:57] the site
[1:26:59] plan meets all the applicable requirements
[1:27:00] of the
[1:27:03] zoning ordinance, as well as the
[1:27:07] master plan. This development is in
[1:27:09] conformance with the standards of the
[1:27:15] zoning. It
[1:27:16] is adequate with the public you space
[1:27:20] and is compliant with the surrounding
[1:27:21] neighborhood. All of
[1:27:22] the public facilities will be adequate to
[1:27:24] serve the site.
[1:27:27] I also wanted to state again
[1:27:30] that this site plan is not
[1:27:32] impacting the historic farm and it
[1:27:33] will maintain views of
[1:27:36] the farm. We have listed all
[1:27:38] the other findings in the staff report.
[1:27:42] >> I do have a couple
[1:27:44] of things to bring to your attention.
[1:27:45] We
[1:27:47] have two revisions , two conditions
[1:27:51] and the items are
[1:27:54] the texts
[1:27:56] in blue which are the additions and
[1:27:57] the
[1:27:59] strikethrough in red font is where
[1:28:00] we
[1:28:03] are proposing to have them removed. This
[1:28:05] is to bring the condition up to speed
[1:28:06] with the
[1:28:09] revised plan the applicant has submitted.
[1:28:12] The second condition
[1:28:15] is simply related
[1:28:18] to making sure that one of the exhibits
[1:28:21] you saw today that has the acreage
[1:28:24] for Muddy
[1:28:27] Branch Park is included in the certified site.
[1:28:30] Very minor. Again, staff
[1:28:33] recommends that the planning board approved
[1:28:35] the site plan, as well as the forced
[1:28:38] conservation plan for Belward Campus.
[1:28:42] We are happy to answer any
[1:28:45] questions. >>
[1:28:51] Yes? >> Thank you.
[1:28:54] It was
[1:28:57] really comprehensive. Yes, we
[1:29:00] are looking forward
[1:29:03] to seeing the campus come alive.
[1:29:04] Maybe, some comments or questions,
[1:29:06] I do understand
[1:29:09] that the parking structures
[1:29:15] were not put in the graphic.
[1:29:18] I do not know if it was anywhere in
[1:29:21] the report about how high they are. Do
[1:29:24] they go underground?
[1:29:27] I thought you put some inspirational graphic ,
[1:29:30] but that is not really what there will be
[1:29:33] out there.
[1:29:35] They are big structures that will
[1:29:36] be there. It
[1:29:39] would be nice , at one point where
[1:29:45] you showed the buildings
[1:29:48] that the structures for the parking
[1:29:52] will be overlaid and people
[1:29:55] can see
[1:29:57] how that parking structures will look.
[1:29:58] I
[1:29:59] totally agree with you , with the
[1:30:01] treatment you are suggesting
[1:30:04] to make sure it looks
[1:30:07] as beautiful as the
[1:30:10] architectural treatment you have provided
[1:30:13] for the buildings.
[1:30:17] It would be good to know the height. >>
[1:30:18] Can you answer the question on the
[1:30:22] height? >>
[1:30:25] I think Natasha may jump in, but
[1:30:31] for the record, this is Tamika Graham. The garage Heights are shorter
[1:30:34] than the buildings . The shortest building
[1:30:37] is 100 feet tall. They are shown from
[1:30:40] the street level
[1:30:42] to be two stories, but they have four levels of
[1:30:43] parking. >> Do they
[1:30:46] go underground? >>
[1:31:01] I
[1:31:02] like the commercial pavilion looks
[1:31:07] two tiered and it looks like
[1:31:09] it is standing by it self. When I
[1:31:10] was reading
[1:31:12] the report, somehow you were saying
[1:31:16] it could come into the
[1:31:17] building. I didn't understand exactly
[1:31:19] if the shape of the pavilion
[1:31:22] is going to change the location?
[1:31:25] The way you have shown
[1:31:26] it, I really like it. Is that going
[1:31:28] to change? >>
[1:31:31] I think you may be referring
[1:31:37] --
[1:31:40] they are proposing 6000 square feet
[1:31:42] above ground for the retail pavilion.
[1:31:43] The applicant
[1:31:46] has requested flexibility
[1:31:49] to potentially , relocate
[1:31:52] up to 6000 square feet
[1:31:55] on the ground floors of the buildings.
[1:31:58] That is where the language talks about
[1:32:01] shifting.
[1:32:04] One of the reasons
[1:32:05] the applicant is requesting flexibility is
[1:32:07] because with the three buildings they
[1:32:09] are proposing , it may not be enough
[1:32:10] to support
[1:32:12] the retail. So, they want to have
[1:32:15] the ability to do something else if they
[1:32:16] are not able
[1:32:19] to deliver it. >> So, you are saying that
[1:32:22] it is a possibility that the pavilion
[1:32:25] won't be that
[1:32:27] at all? >> That is a possibility from
[1:32:28] what I understand
[1:32:30] and speaking with the applicant team.
[1:32:31] The pavilion
[1:32:33] is shown at full buildout because
[1:32:34] they will
[1:32:36] need additional buildings and additional foot
[1:32:37] traffic to support
[1:32:40] the full vision
[1:32:43] of the pavilion. >> So, if that goes away
[1:32:46] how does it work in conjunction with the
[1:32:49] other buildings?
[1:32:52] Would that be
[1:32:55] in conjunction with the pavilion then?
[1:32:58] Another comment I had is that
[1:33:00] , I understand they are trying very hard
[1:33:01] to
[1:33:04] make sure it is welcoming for
[1:33:07] people outside , that they can come and use it. But
[1:33:10] when you add the structured parking and other parking it
[1:33:12] sort of looks like this area is just
[1:33:13] for the excluded
[1:33:16] use
[1:33:19] of the businesses.
[1:33:22] Even though you say it is open, people
[1:33:25] may not be able to come to use
[1:33:28] it. >> Let's hear from
[1:33:31] the people who want to speak. Let's hear from
[1:33:34] the applicant. >> Yes.
[1:33:37] >> Go ahead. >>
[1:33:40] We will hear
[1:33:43] from
[1:33:46] the people who want to testify and the applicant and then we will
[1:33:49] have questions. That is what I hope
[1:33:52] for. >> If we could hear
[1:33:55] from Jeremy Lee please. >>
[1:34:10] Is he there?
[1:34:13] No?
[1:34:27] >> Can you hear me? >> Yes, go ahead. >>
[1:34:28] Okay. >>
[1:34:32] Three minutes , please. >>
[1:34:44] What is going on? Are
[1:34:47] you there? Mr. Lee?
[1:34:49] >> Yes, can you hear me? >> Yes. You have
[1:34:50] three
[1:34:52] minutes. Please make your comments. >>
[1:34:56] All right.
[1:34:59] I live
[1:35:00] about three minutes walking distance
[1:35:02] from the
[1:35:05] future site. So, I am called
[1:35:07] a neighbor. The second thing I want
[1:35:11] to say
[1:35:14] is that I really like the idea
[1:35:20] for research, recreation
[1:35:23] , retail and conservation.
[1:35:25] The third thing I want to say is,
[1:35:29] I came from China
[1:35:32] in 1982 .
[1:35:35] I served in the U.S. Navy for
[1:35:38] 23 years and retired as a
[1:35:41] naval officer. So,
[1:35:42] for the 40 years in this country I
[1:35:44] have seen a lot
[1:35:46] of things happening in this world.
[1:35:50] The United States
[1:35:52] has lost a lot of industrial and manufacturing
[1:35:56] capacity .
[1:35:59] But, one thing that
[1:36:00] is critical to this country now and
[1:36:02] in the future is the
[1:36:05] bio industry , which we are
[1:36:07] still number one in the world. So,
[1:36:08] I am
[1:36:11] very glad to see a
[1:36:14] future site
[1:36:20] with the capacity to boost the
[1:36:26] bio and medical industry. That will be
[1:36:29] good for the neighborhood , for the county
[1:36:32] , for Maryland
[1:36:34] and for this country. So, looking forward
[1:36:37] to seeing the new site. You so much. >>
[1:36:41] Thank you very much. Paula Ross
[1:36:44] from
[1:36:45] the Gaithersburg Germantown Chamber
[1:36:47] of Commerce.
[1:36:48] You have eight minutes if you need
[1:36:50] it. >>
[1:36:53] Thank you. I don't think I will need
[1:36:55] eight minutes. Hello members of the
[1:36:56] planning board.
[1:37:00] My name is Paula Ross and I am testifying
[1:37:01] today on behalf of the Gaithersburg Germantown
[1:37:02] Chamber of
[1:37:05] Commerce. Since 1949 , we have
[1:37:08] continued to
[1:37:11] evolve to meet the challenges of today's business
[1:37:12] leaders. We provide unique and measurable benefits
[1:37:14] for businesses
[1:37:19] of all industries and all sizes and currently, we represent
[1:37:20] over
[1:37:21] 450 businesses located in or during business
[1:37:23] in the county. We strongly support
[1:37:26] the sub site plan application
[1:37:29] for the
[1:37:30] Belward Campus of John's Hopkins University
[1:37:32] and
[1:37:33] encourage the planning board to approve
[1:37:34] the application. Trammell Crow's company
[1:37:38] and the plan for the new bias
[1:37:40] bioscience plan is consistent with
[1:37:41] the great
[1:37:44] Seneca science corridor Master plan.
[1:37:46] It creates an innovation ecosystem
[1:37:47] within a campus
[1:37:49] like environment by establishing an open
[1:37:50] and
[1:37:53] inviting place.
[1:37:56] Not only those who
[1:37:57] will work on the campus, but also
[1:37:58] for neighbors and the surrounding
[1:37:59] community. From an
[1:38:00] economic development standpoint the
[1:38:02] proposal advances Montgomery's
[1:38:11] plan to have
[1:38:14] an
[1:38:15] increase in jobs in the industries we
[1:38:16] are working hard to attract. A look
[1:38:17] at the renderings
[1:38:20] demonstrates Trammell Crow's company sensitivity
[1:38:21] to respecting the landscaping of the
[1:38:22] site. They focused on placing the
[1:38:23] lap office
[1:38:24] buildings and parking structures in
[1:38:26] such a way as to blend into the shape of the train
[1:38:29] and minimize
[1:38:31] the view from neighboring homes. They
[1:38:32] are committed to providing significant
[1:38:33] open and green space, including a new
[1:38:35] Muddy Branch
[1:38:38] Park and the buffer between
[1:38:41] adjacent homes and the campus.
[1:38:43] Several miles of walking paths and trails have been placed throughout
[1:38:47] the site and the additional of
[1:38:48] retail options on the campus will
[1:38:49] be a plus for the community. Part
[1:38:50] of our chambers mission
[1:38:53] is to advocate for policies that enhance
[1:38:56] the well-being of our unique communities
[1:38:59] . This is why we strongly support
[1:39:02] Trammell Crow's
[1:39:05] site plan amendment for
[1:39:06] the Belward Campus of the John's Hopkins University.
[1:39:08] Thank you for
[1:39:11] considering our testimony
[1:39:13] and for all you do on behalf of County residents. My
[1:39:14] written testimony has also been submitted. >> Thank you
[1:39:17] very much for your testimony.
[1:39:20] >> Good morning .
[1:39:23] I am
[1:39:26] Rodney and I appreciate the
[1:39:28] opportunity to testify. I am a resident of
[1:39:29] the Mission Hills
[1:39:31] neighborhood adjacent to the Belward site
[1:39:32] . We
[1:39:35] are right on Mission Hills Drive the
[1:39:37] farm has been in my backyard for 25 years.
[1:39:38] I appreciated the
[1:39:39] plans that been coming together over
[1:39:41] the past couple
[1:39:44] of decades ,
[1:39:46] we knew this site was going to be developed
[1:39:47] and we certainly have seen
[1:39:50] a variety
[1:39:57] of options come up and be presented.
[1:39:59] The current one that has been developed by
[1:40:00] John's Hopkins University and Trammell Crow looks very attractive and very
[1:40:02] enticing and it provides a
[1:40:05] unique opportunity to further balance
[1:40:08] green spaces , commercial retail development
[1:40:11] , parks, etc.
[1:40:14] . We are looking forward to it. That said, as
[1:40:17] a resident of the neighborhood immediately adjacent
[1:40:20] to the development, I had a
[1:40:22] couple of things I wanted to mention
[1:40:26] specific to this testimony. Before I do that
[1:40:29] I wanted to say ,
[1:40:31] we in the community here adjacent
[1:40:32] to the property
[1:40:35] appreciate the communication
[1:40:38] that has been brought forth by John's Hopkins
[1:40:41] University and
[1:40:44] Trammell Crow to engage us in the process, as well
[1:40:46] as the planning board to engage the community members in the process. It
[1:40:47] is extraordinarily
[1:40:50] helpful to have an opportunity
[1:40:51] to speak and identify concerns, some
[1:40:53] of which have been brought up today. First,
[1:40:55] and I will take a couple of minutes, as to
[1:40:56] make a
[1:40:58] ancient earlier, the forced conservation plan
[1:40:59] includes
[1:41:02] the Mission Hills buffer which is
[1:41:05] additional green space that will
[1:41:08] be in between the Mission Hills Drive
[1:41:11] homes and the site .
[1:41:14] Originally , as Tamika mentioned earlier it
[1:41:17] was planned to be developed first
[1:41:18] as part
[1:41:21] of the surgical center
[1:41:23] that will take place on the southern
[1:41:24] side of
[1:41:25] the property along Key West Avenue.
[1:41:26] Are you saw on the documents today,
[1:41:27] that development is
[1:41:30] now changing , so
[1:41:33] it should happen early in the process
[1:41:35] , but the approval process today states
[1:41:36] that it
[1:41:38] could happen pretty much anytime.
[1:41:41] It could be simultaneous with the rest
[1:41:43] of development. I think the idea of
[1:41:45] the preserve
[1:41:47] , which is rarely stated a couple
[1:41:48] of years ago was
[1:41:50] to create, not just a buffer visually,
[1:41:51] but
[1:41:53] would reduce some of the sound and
[1:41:54] dust that
[1:41:55] will likely occur as the property
[1:41:57] and farm
[1:42:00] are under construction.
[1:42:03] As things have changed
[1:42:04] and evolved in the current site plan
[1:42:06] and the process you are in
[1:42:09] front of today allows
[1:42:11] that buffer to be developed at any time.
[1:42:12] I would recommend the planning board
[1:42:15] consider requesting that regardless
[1:42:17] of which development begins first
[1:42:21] that the Mission Hills buffer be created
[1:42:24] so as to mitigate
[1:42:29] prior to any large-scale development
[1:42:33] on the boundary of
[1:42:34] the property to avoid or minimize and
[1:42:35] mitigate some of the larger impacts that
[1:42:36] will take place on
[1:42:37] the property as it comes together.
[1:42:39] Second, I wanted
[1:42:41] to make a note and this is somewhat
[1:42:42] related to
[1:42:45] the development and the process for that.
[1:42:47] The communication has been excellent
[1:42:51] and we continue that to
[1:42:54] expect between the folks in
[1:42:55] the county. As you are aware, the
[1:42:57] ongoing development of
[1:43:00] the site being developed with
[1:43:03] 630 new residential
[1:43:04] sites across the street from the Belward site
[1:43:06] at the intersection of Key West
[1:43:09] and great Seneca , there
[1:43:12] is some very large and heavy duty construction taking place
[1:43:15] the last half of
[1:43:17] the year. It has been surprisingly
[1:43:18] noisy,
[1:43:20] even though we are a good distance
[1:43:24] from it. So, in the
[1:43:25] immediate communities we are aware of
[1:43:27] the fact that this will be
[1:43:29] a pretty noisy process for a couple
[1:43:30] of years.
[1:43:33] There have been a few off
[1:43:36] our development activities that are
[1:43:39] fairly obvious , and
[1:43:42] by that I mean noisy and are taking place
[1:43:44] prior to 7:00 A.M. and occasionally
[1:43:48] on weekends. I wanted
[1:43:49] to request that the planning board
[1:43:51] assure that our
[1:43:57] condition will be considered for large
[1:44:00] and
[1:44:01] heavy machinery specific to large-scale development
[1:44:03] and
[1:44:05] that they are confined within hours
[1:44:06] and don't take place on weekends
[1:44:08] to mitigate the noise pollution that
[1:44:09] will
[1:44:12] be coming. >> Thank you for
[1:44:15] your testimony. >> Thank you.
[1:44:18] >> Did you have another
[1:44:21] point? >>
[1:44:24] No, I am fine. Thank you. >> Thank you
[1:44:27] for your testimony.
[1:44:29] There are no other public speakers.
[1:44:30] I
[1:44:33] just have to say that it
[1:44:35] was remarkable for this amount of development
[1:44:39] to have such positive testimony. Now, we
[1:44:41] will hear from the applicant. >> Good morning
[1:44:45] chair and commissioners.
[1:44:48] I would like to thank you for
[1:44:50] the opportunity to present our project today
[1:44:51] .
[1:44:54] I would like to acknowledge
[1:44:57] and give a deep thank
[1:45:00] you to Tamika Brown and her hard work
[1:45:02] in partnership to help us arrive here
[1:45:03] , today.
[1:45:05] My comments will be brief , but for
[1:45:06] the record my
[1:45:09] name is Eric Fischer. I am
[1:45:11] a managing director as well as the principle
[1:45:12] with Trammell Crow Company
[1:45:15] , the applicant. I
[1:45:18] have been with Trammell Crow
[1:45:21] company for 20 years and a leader of
[1:45:22] life sciences and healthcare initiatives.
[1:45:27] I think
[1:45:28] it is important, giving that we're going
[1:45:29] to be working with each other over the
[1:45:30] next
[1:45:33] decade, and this is an extraordinary project
[1:45:36] represented billions of dollars
[1:45:37] in the county that we get to know
[1:45:39] each other , given that we will
[1:45:40] be working with each other. I will
[1:45:42] focus a bit on the project, but I
[1:45:45] think Tamika
[1:45:48] did an extraordinary job of
[1:45:49] overviewing it. I want to spend a
[1:45:50] bit of time on us and issues with
[1:45:51] the project. We just heard about
[1:45:53] me and I think it is important that
[1:45:54] you understand a bit about our
[1:45:56] company. Trammell Crow was founded
[1:45:57] in 1947
[1:46:00] . Today , we have the
[1:46:02] good fortune of being the nation's
[1:46:03] largest and most
[1:46:06] Olympic developer in the
[1:46:08] U.S. We have offices all throughout
[1:46:09] the United States, as well
[1:46:12] as Europe . I
[1:46:14] believe it is 29 or 28 offices. We
[1:46:15] focus
[1:46:18] primarily on office healthcare,
[1:46:21] life sciences , mixed use
[1:46:24] , residential , industrial and
[1:46:26] logistics. I have the good fortune
[1:46:27] of being responsible for
[1:46:30] healthcare and life sciences and
[1:46:31] then based here in Maryland. My office
[1:46:33] is in
[1:46:36] Washington, D.C. Today,
[1:46:38] we have nearly $39 billion with the
[1:46:39] projects going
[1:46:41] on throughout the U.S. and Europe.
[1:46:48] >> I think
[1:46:51] , as I echoed earlier in
[1:46:54] my introduction ,
[1:46:57] understanding each other is
[1:47:00] really defined by the values of our company.
[1:47:03] We live by our
[1:47:06] values which Intel respect,
[1:47:09] integrity, service and excellence. They really frame our
[1:47:11] commitment to the county and to the
[1:47:12] state and region and
[1:47:15] the community. That is
[1:47:19] sustainability, ethics
[1:47:21] and compliance, health, safety and wellness,
[1:47:25] our team and culture and
[1:47:27] more important, the communities and
[1:47:30] giving back to the communities. I
[1:47:32] really acknowledge one of the individuals
[1:47:34] I called
[1:47:36] in. This is an extraordinary project
[1:47:37] that
[1:47:38] will bring incredible opportunity
[1:47:40] to the county
[1:47:43] .
[1:47:46] We are working with
[1:47:47] amazing global companies that are
[1:47:49] expressing interest
[1:47:51] in being here in Belward. As many of
[1:47:55] you know, Maryland ranks number
[1:47:56] four in the U.S. related to life sciences.
[1:47:58] Montgomery county is number one.
[1:48:01] The most important defining element going
[1:48:02] forward in the future is labor and
[1:48:04] supply of
[1:48:06] labor. Interestingly, our Belward site
[1:48:10] ranks number one in the U.S. for
[1:48:11] labor analytics. That is a defining
[1:48:13] element going forward
[1:48:16] and as a person who
[1:48:17] has done this for a very long time, this
[1:48:19] is what I am most excited
[1:48:20] about. From the life sciences perspective
[1:48:22] , we are currently involved
[1:48:25] with roughly $3.9 billion
[1:48:27] in projects throughout Maryland , Boston
[1:48:31] , Atlanta, Chicago,
[1:48:34] San Francisco , and San Diego. All of
[1:48:36] our projects follow very similar themes,
[1:48:37] best in
[1:48:39] class architecture , best in class commitment
[1:48:40] to
[1:48:43] our community
[1:48:45] and attracting the best in class users
[1:48:46] and occupiers.
[1:48:49] >> As I shift to
[1:48:52] the project site plan , what
[1:48:53] I would like to really emphasize is that
[1:48:55] this represents roughly
[1:48:57] tens of thousands of hours and the
[1:48:58] work of many people that
[1:49:01] are some
[1:49:03] represented in the room and likewise, staff.
[1:49:06] It is one where I would like to acknowledge
[1:49:07] this was led by
[1:49:10] my team
[1:49:13] , our land-use counsel
[1:49:15] , Chesapeake strategies and others
[1:49:16] that did a very
[1:49:19] robust community outreach
[1:49:22] , really an exceptional job. I also want
[1:49:24] to note that we had this project.
[1:49:25] Reviewed
[1:49:27] by two firms that are really global leaders
[1:49:30] in life sciences. They advised companies
[1:49:31] that
[1:49:34] are going into
[1:49:35] our project. What you see today represents
[1:49:37] their input
[1:49:39] and feedback and these are folks that
[1:49:40] are advising
[1:49:43] major pharmaceutical and
[1:49:46] poly science companies.
[1:49:47] This plan is very informed and detailed
[1:49:49] and is
[1:49:52] very executable. >>
[1:49:53] I will go briefly through this, but
[1:49:55] the location
[1:50:01] was explained
[1:50:03] very good by Tamika. It is an extraordinary site.
[1:50:07] It interconnects with the great Seneca
[1:50:10] highway. This will be the premier,
[1:50:13] number one site. As noted, to
[1:50:16] the north of Muddy Branch Road
[1:50:19] and to
[1:50:21] the right and Belward Campus Drive
[1:50:22] to
[1:50:24] the north. We worked very closely
[1:50:25] with our partners at
[1:50:26] Hopkins to really integrate the preservation
[1:50:30] of the farm and all of these other elements
[1:50:31] to make sure this
[1:50:34] site represents true world-class
[1:50:37] planning. As to
[1:50:38] make emphasized , the first phase
[1:50:42] is roughly 757,000 square feet. It
[1:50:43] embraces
[1:50:46] the sites natural features and topography.
[1:50:49] The campus will
[1:50:52] be fined by a strong urban edge and likewise
[1:50:54] , surrounded and focused on the sites
[1:50:58] qualities. We do
[1:50:59] acknowledge the garage is important.
[1:51:01] These garages are important.
[1:51:04] They are defining to this
[1:51:05] site long-term. We are going to do
[1:51:07] her best to ensure
[1:51:09] that we do heavy landscaping and forestry buffers
[1:51:13] and all the plantings to enable them
[1:51:16] to work naturally into the site. More important,
[1:51:19] the topography of the
[1:51:21] site has a certain natural slope to it.
[1:51:22] So,
[1:51:24] we are able to talk these garages
[1:51:25] deeper into the site and bring
[1:51:28] them into a lower level so they are
[1:51:31] not defined by many garages
[1:51:34] like other urban's aces.
[1:51:38] While not applicable for today, one
[1:51:40] of the things I am most excited about is we
[1:51:42] at Trammell Crow here consistently
[1:51:43] from every
[1:51:46] world leading life sciences company
[1:51:49] and that is,
[1:51:51] a great project today, but what is
[1:51:52] the next phase? Life sciences
[1:51:55] and biotherapeutics is one of the most
[1:51:57] explosive industries and it needs
[1:51:58] gross. It is very
[1:52:01] disruptive to up
[1:52:02] and move out to another location.
[1:52:09] So, what makes this site truly world-class
[1:52:10] is the ability to grow in place. That
[1:52:11] is why we are emphasizing this plan.
[1:52:12] It enables us to work with occupiers
[1:52:13] to say, you
[1:52:16] will be in one building
[1:52:19] and as you have new intellectual property come to life
[1:52:20] there is another opportunity for you five
[1:52:22] years down the road. That is why this site is
[1:52:24] so defining and so important to this community.
[1:52:28] >> The Muddy Branch Park
[1:52:30] has been a really exciting element
[1:52:31] of this.
[1:52:33] For us, it interconnects the park
[1:52:37] with the community. Likewise, it allows for
[1:52:40] activation with our users and our occupiers in
[1:52:43] all elements. What I like most about this design
[1:52:45] and again , it is all attributable
[1:52:49] to the team that there is
[1:52:52] a serious
[1:52:54] interconnected pathways leading to
[1:52:55] small destinations and large destinations and it
[1:52:57] can be activated seven days a week.
[1:53:04] >> As
[1:53:06] we wrap up I would like to focus a
[1:53:07] bit on conditions
[1:53:10] for discussion. As you can see this
[1:53:13] is a birds eye view of the site that is fully built out
[1:53:16] . It is one that acknowledges our
[1:53:19] vision and our
[1:53:21] thoughtful and careful approach to
[1:53:22] being very respectful
[1:53:26] to this site. With that I
[1:53:27] will move to the conditions for discussion
[1:53:29] and
[1:53:31] spend a bit of time on this. The first
[1:53:32] one
[1:53:35] begins with the park
[1:53:37] , including a rectangular athletic
[1:53:38] field with
[1:53:41] a minimum
[1:53:42] dimension of 140 feet by 230 feet.
[1:53:47] Currently designed , we have an 87 foot
[1:53:50] by 220 foot the
[1:53:53] purpose athletic field. We just
[1:53:56] cannot accommodate a 140 feet
[1:53:59] by 230 feet field within
[1:54:02] that limited site and do
[1:54:05] so safely
[1:54:07] and be accessible to the community.
[1:54:11] My team can address any of the
[1:54:13] technical questions. We are proposing
[1:54:17] that the athletic field
[1:54:18] , the multipurpose athletic field
[1:54:20] be approximately 85 feet
[1:54:23] by 220 feet . The
[1:54:26] second condition, 9 D
[1:54:29] deals with the phasing
[1:54:31] of roads and road infrastructure.
[1:54:32] This
[1:54:35] is complex.
[1:54:37] I certainly acknowledge, as you can see from the site this represents
[1:54:41] a multibillion-dollar project .
[1:54:43] I would like to suggest that for us
[1:54:47] , it is very important
[1:54:50] that we build Belward Campus Drive
[1:54:52] , but as the roads evolve that support
[1:54:56] the vertical improvements
[1:54:57] that they evolve in a phased approach.
[1:55:02] It is one for us
[1:55:03] where there is a clear commitment
[1:55:05] to build these roads
[1:55:06] , but it is also acknowledging that
[1:55:08] as we layer in users
[1:55:11] and occupiers
[1:55:13] and the utilities and infrastructure
[1:55:14] and
[1:55:17] the complexity related
[1:55:19] to these users and occupiers that
[1:55:20] we have that flexibility to
[1:55:23] do so as it evolves. One thing about
[1:55:26] life sciences again, I work on this throughout
[1:55:28] the U.S. , it is all full of unknowns. It
[1:55:32] is one
[1:55:34] we have to embrace a vision and plan, but
[1:55:35] we have to
[1:55:36] have the ability to layer in utility
[1:55:38] infrastructure and roads and access based
[1:55:41] on the unique users and their
[1:55:43] dynamic needs. The third condition
[1:55:44] for
[1:55:47] discussion is
[1:55:53] the one that deals with the
[1:55:54] parking garage and there was a lot of discussion
[1:55:55] around this. We will have a response relative
[1:55:56] to
[1:55:59] the height .
[1:56:02] This represents thousands of
[1:56:05] hours of work and these garages are tucked
[1:56:07] down into the lower parts of the site.
[1:56:15] Visually, they are roughly two stories. They are
[1:56:17] long and sloping. One of the two garages would
[1:56:19] be covered with photographic panels.
[1:56:22] One thing we strongly believe in is that
[1:56:25] we have to have the flexibility to
[1:56:26] really use
[1:56:29] natural landscaping
[1:56:32] for portions of these garages
[1:56:35] , versus structural elements
[1:56:38] . If you can
[1:56:41] understand the site
[1:56:44] , it somewhat falls in and we
[1:56:47] are doing a dense amount
[1:56:48] of planning surrounding these garages.
[1:56:50] We believe it is superfluous
[1:56:53] to then hide that with
[1:56:55] an amount of architectural finishes
[1:56:56] and other
[1:56:59] types of screening. We
[1:57:02] are advocating for
[1:57:05] increasing plantings
[1:57:08] along the eastern façade of the garage
[1:57:11] to provide
[1:57:13] 50% of the screening. I will conclude with
[1:57:14] my testimony
[1:57:16] and thanked the chair and the commissioners
[1:57:19] and again, thank you to the staff.
[1:57:20] I
[1:57:22] appreciate it. >> Thank you for your testimony.
[1:57:28] >> Good morning, Mr. chair and commissioners.
[1:57:29] My
[1:57:32] name is Phil. I am with Miles
[1:57:35] and Stockbridge.
[1:57:38] This is my colleague, Barbara.
[1:57:41] Our firm represents Johns Hopkins
[1:57:44] . As was noted
[1:57:47] by Tamika very clearly,
[1:57:50] before you today are
[1:57:53] two applications. John's Hopkins is the application
[1:57:56] for the final forest conservation plan.
[1:58:01] We were required to get a plan that
[1:58:04] covered the entire 107 acre site.
[1:58:08] The purpose of amending that is to reflect
[1:58:09] the development that you see today
[1:58:11] that is proposed north of
[1:58:14] Belward Campus Drive. Our
[1:58:16] team has reviewed the conditions of approval
[1:58:17] for the final
[1:58:19] conservation plan is recommended by staff
[1:58:22] and they are acceptable to Johns Hopkins. I
[1:58:23] also wanted
[1:58:29] to take a moment to thank
[1:58:30] staff, and especially Tamika for their excellent
[1:58:31] work on this case. Thank you very
[1:58:32] much. >>
[1:58:35] Anybody else ? Okay.
[1:58:38] I will take comments
[1:58:41] or questions from the board. Go ahead.
[1:58:44] >>
[1:58:50] Just to finish up some
[1:58:52] of the questions I had before, what
[1:58:53] is the height of
[1:58:56] the garage? If you are going to
[1:58:58] put plants to cover the ground floor
[1:59:02] , it will still be some visible
[1:59:05] . I still don't know how
[1:59:07] it works. I do appreciate what you are
[1:59:08] talking about, but
[1:59:11] I do not know if the ground
[1:59:14] planting
[1:59:20] will cover the
[1:59:23] higher floors. >> My name is
[1:59:26] Bill Brewer with Trammell Crow Company .
[1:59:29] The garages vary in height from three
[1:59:32] to four stories with
[1:59:34] three stories visible depending on the
[1:59:38] perspective of pedestrian. Are specific ask
[1:59:41] for approval only
[1:59:44] relates to the Eastern façade of garage two
[1:59:47] . The reason for that is
[1:59:50] there are already dense,
[1:59:52] mature trees that will further enhance
[1:59:53] the landscaping.
[1:59:56] That will obscure
[1:59:59] all
[2:00:01] of the first floor of the garage,
[2:00:02] which is where we have the condition
[2:00:04] to provide architectural screening.
[2:00:06] In
[2:00:09] that instance on that façade it
[2:00:11] is replicated and we would rather
[2:00:12] work to enhance
[2:00:13] those plantings rather than provide
[2:00:17] the structural element behind. >>
[2:00:18] So that is just for
[2:00:19] that area. The other question I have,
[2:00:21] for the
[2:00:24] park,
[2:00:26] I know the park department needs a larger
[2:00:27] soccer field
[2:00:30] , but whatever can
[2:00:33] fit their , as large as possible.
[2:00:36] It would be really useful
[2:00:39] for the people in
[2:00:42] that area. We are ready
[2:00:44] in a shortage of large rectangular
[2:00:46] fields. Does the park also include
[2:00:48] a playground
[2:00:51] and bathrooms?
[2:00:54] >>
[2:00:57] I will answer that in two parts.
[2:01:00] We wanted to highlight
[2:01:01] the size of the field because it relates to
[2:01:03] the plans that have been presented here
[2:01:06] , today and to the community. If
[2:01:07] the rectangular field is included
[2:01:09] at that size
[2:01:11] and located in the northern portion
[2:01:12] of
[2:01:15] the park, the parks design path would change and
[2:01:16] that is why we requested the modification to
[2:01:18] the size
[2:01:20] to keep it consistent with what has
[2:01:21] been submitted. Regarding
[2:01:24] the improvements in the park, itself
[2:01:25] we have a variety of different areas
[2:01:27] for
[2:01:30] seating, playing for different ages
[2:01:33] and uses. We do not
[2:01:36] have any bathrooms planned. >>
[2:01:39] There are no bathrooms? >> No.
[2:01:40] Not in the parks, themselves. >> Is
[2:01:42] there in
[2:01:43] the commercial area that people could
[2:01:45] be directed?
[2:01:48] >> Yes, there would be bathrooms in the
[2:01:50] commercial buildings and in the planned
[2:01:54] retail. >> I think
[2:01:55] your question is whether or not the
[2:01:57] commercial buildings and retail areas
[2:01:59] will allow for nonemployees to use
[2:02:01] these facilities while they are using
[2:02:03] the park
[2:02:04] . Is that your interest? >> Correct.
[2:02:07] I read that the commercial is available for
[2:02:09] the public.
[2:02:12] That is one of the
[2:02:14] public areas. So, if there is a bathroom there
[2:02:16] hopefully, it will be available for the
[2:02:18] public. >> Will it be available
[2:02:21] for the public? >> Yes sir.
[2:02:24] >> In the
[2:02:26] office buildings , the bathrooms that
[2:02:27] are in
[2:02:30] the public areas of the office buildings,
[2:02:32] those would be usable by the public
[2:02:33] based
[2:02:36] on building rules. The
[2:02:39] retail would be public
[2:02:40] assessable but is privately owned
[2:02:42] and controlled.
[2:02:43] So, everyone would need to follow
[2:02:47] the requirements. >> During the weekend
[2:02:51] when the park is more than
[2:02:52] likely to be used by community members
[2:02:54] , will
[2:02:57] the bathrooms be accessible
[2:02:58] to those community members utilizing
[2:03:00] the park? >>
[2:03:03] To the extent the buildings
[2:03:06] are open, staffed
[2:03:09] --I guess what you are driving for is a
[2:03:11] specific answer and we can't give you
[2:03:14] the specifics on tenant access. >>
[2:03:15] I am
[2:03:17] Kerry Sanders. We can add a condition
[2:03:20] that speaks to what the board is asking
[2:03:21] for. If you give
[2:03:24] us a moment we will write something up and we will read
[2:03:27] it out to you. >> Thank you. That
[2:03:30] is really helpful.
[2:03:33] >>
[2:03:35] This is a beautiful project and when
[2:03:36] it is done
[2:03:39] it will probably win
[2:03:40] some kind of award. I really like it.
[2:03:42] It is gorgeous. One of
[2:03:45] the things about the public use is
[2:03:48] it is actually creating
[2:03:50] a public use that isn't there now.
[2:03:51] So, that
[2:03:54] is really attractive.
[2:03:56] I do have a concern with regards to the
[2:03:59] Mission Hills preserve and the community
[2:04:00] that
[2:04:03] is there now. When the construction begins there
[2:04:06] will be dust and noise . It seems
[2:04:09] as though as part of the initial plan
[2:04:12] for the Mission Hills preserve
[2:04:14] was to be planted prior to the construction.
[2:04:15] I was wondering
[2:04:17] why it wouldn't be done prior to that
[2:04:18] construction now?
[2:04:21] Can you answer that?
[2:04:25] >>
[2:04:28] Certainly. It is our intent
[2:04:31] to honor what has been approved
[2:04:34] and passed
[2:04:37] and plant the Mission Hills buffer.
[2:04:43] There is no if, and , or butts about that.
[2:04:46] It is my understanding
[2:04:47] that there are two planting cycles
[2:04:48] we have to accomplish that in and
[2:04:49] we tend to
[2:04:51] abide by that . From our perspective
[2:04:52] this is
[2:04:57] simply how it works in the overall schedule of
[2:04:58] timing. >> If
[2:05:01] I may,
[2:05:06] on the question
[2:05:08] of the planting of the Mission Hills
[2:05:09] buffer, there is a condition that
[2:05:10] speaks to this in the forest
[2:05:11] conservation plans condition. It is
[2:05:12] number eight and that language requires
[2:05:13] the forced
[2:05:15] landings within the buffer within
[2:05:16] two planting seasons of the first sediment
[2:05:19] control permit for the
[2:05:20] development. I just want to point
[2:05:22] out that that condition
[2:05:25] also appears in the John's
[2:05:26] Hopkins University medical office building
[2:05:28] site plan and
[2:05:31] in the preliminary plan.
[2:05:33] So really what has happened is, the
[2:05:34] condition has been that way through
[2:05:37] the history of the site and will require that lighting
[2:05:39] to occur with
[2:05:43] the sediment control permits. It is being
[2:05:46] pulled into the site plan
[2:05:47] so it also applies here. So, whichever
[2:05:49] happens first ,
[2:05:50] as soon as the sediment control permit
[2:05:52] goes in , even if it is
[2:05:54] for the northern portion of the site,
[2:05:55] it will initiate that planting
[2:05:58] cycle. We think that is
[2:06:00] where we need to look for an answer to
[2:06:01] that. >> I
[2:06:03] just want to piggyback on that. Philip Humble
[2:06:04] , for
[2:06:07] the record. I wanted to emphasize
[2:06:10] a point that was made by Ms. Graham earlier.
[2:06:12] There is a condition in
[2:06:15] the site plan for the medical office building
[2:06:18] that the Mission Hills buffer need to
[2:06:19] be planted within two planting seasons
[2:06:24] following the release of the first
[2:06:25] sediment control permit.
[2:06:28] What
[2:06:31] is being proposed here is
[2:06:33] the first sediment control for any development
[2:06:34] on the site. So
[2:06:40] , if the condition was unchanged it would still
[2:06:41] be tied to the development of the
[2:06:42] medical office building, which may
[2:06:43] or may not proceed
[2:06:45] first. With the condition being proposed
[2:06:46] by staff, no matter what developing comes
[2:06:49] first, that will be the timing
[2:06:51] for when the buffer gets planted.
[2:06:52] I believe that is clear.
[2:06:55] >> I like
[2:06:58] how you are going to
[2:07:01] add bike lanes and sidewalks
[2:07:07] and an athletic field. However, being
[2:07:10] a sporting man that I
[2:07:11] am, the production of the athletic
[2:07:13] field would not fit in the traditional
[2:07:16] American sports. So, yes
[2:07:19] the soccer field is 240 feet
[2:07:22] by 165 feet.
[2:07:33] A traditional football field is 360 feet by
[2:07:34] 160 feet. I know it is an athletic
[2:07:35] field, but the visibility for it to
[2:07:36] be used in team sports is something
[2:07:37] I think should be considered. The
[2:07:39] reduction of it would mean the likelihood
[2:07:40] of its use would be reduced. Again,
[2:07:41] you are creating
[2:07:42] the opportunity of public use that
[2:07:43] isn't there currently. I would like
[2:07:44] to
[2:07:46] see the size of the athletic field maintained
[2:07:50] .
[2:07:53] You are providing
[2:07:56] public use that isn't there.
[2:07:58] But, what is the likelihood it would be
[2:08:00] readily accessible to the community members
[2:08:02] and not
[2:08:05] just employees , and how
[2:08:07] can you ensure it community use? And,
[2:08:11] who will pay for it ongoing?
[2:08:14] >>
[2:08:16] I think the question with access of
[2:08:17] the park
[2:08:19] and its ongoing maintenance. One of
[2:08:23] the conditions is
[2:08:25] that for the privately developed and owned
[2:08:27] publicly accessible areas of the campus
[2:08:29] , the owner of the campus
[2:08:32] pays for the maintenance.
[2:08:35] For access to the park
[2:08:38] , we intend park hours
[2:08:40] that are basic daylight hours for it.
[2:08:44] It would be unrestricted
[2:08:47] so it would
[2:08:48] be used for both the neighborhood and
[2:08:50] the employees.
[2:08:52] And to circle back to your comment
[2:08:53] on the size of the
[2:08:54] field, our primary purpose bringing
[2:08:56] that up
[2:08:58] was how it related to the plans that
[2:08:59] are been presented.
[2:09:01] We could move the field to the southern
[2:09:02] portion of the
[2:09:04] park and provide it there in the sizes specified.
[2:09:09] We had wanted to do it in the northern
[2:09:11] portion so we could have a variety
[2:09:13] of uses. The southern piece, because
[2:09:14] of its
[2:09:16] size seemed to layout better for picnic
[2:09:17] tables here and
[2:09:20] a small plate area over here.
[2:09:23] But, if we moved it down it will probably
[2:09:26] just be a large field. That
[2:09:28] is generally come up to you all as to
[2:09:32] how you want to see it.
[2:09:35] That is what brought it up and are concerned about the size. >> That
[2:09:37] is a very good point because I was
[2:09:38] going to ask
[2:09:41] about the PUD.
[2:09:43] I think this needs to be coordinated
[2:09:45] with the parks department to see what
[2:09:47] their preference is.
[2:09:49] >> Thank you for the question. We
[2:09:50] actually have
[2:09:53] been coordinated very closely with
[2:09:54] the parks department on this issue.
[2:09:56] We have had a number of
[2:09:59] coordination meetings with them.
[2:10:04] Just for a little bit of context,
[2:10:05] the parks department, ideally if this were to be
[2:10:06] turned over to them, they had initially
[2:10:07] looked at something that was even
[2:10:11] larger at 165 feet by 260.
[2:10:17] The dimensions you
[2:10:18] see in the conditions were pulled
[2:10:19] from the applicant's submission. So,
[2:10:20] an
[2:10:21] earlier iteration of their programming of the
[2:10:23] park they did show 140 by
[2:10:26] 230 feet
[2:10:29] . That
[2:10:30] was why it was in the condition. It is
[2:10:31] because we heard directly from parks
[2:10:32] that they felt
[2:10:33] like that was the smallest dimension you
[2:10:35] can go
[2:10:37] to actually, have a field you can
[2:10:38] do something with. Otherwise,
[2:10:41] we can't call it a field at that point. >> That
[2:10:43] is correct. It would be good if you
[2:10:44] could continue
[2:10:47] to move those. Another question is in
[2:10:50] regard to
[2:10:52] --and I appreciate it because we were working
[2:10:53] towards having
[2:10:56] avidly owned public
[2:10:57] parks. That would be very interesting
[2:10:59] to see how it works out.
[2:11:01] It would be a good pilot for the county.
[2:11:05] However, all of us know that after
[2:11:08] 10 years or 15 years or 20 years
[2:11:11] something could happen .
[2:11:14] The
[2:11:15] park is not maintained as well as
[2:11:17] we want it to be done. Is
[2:11:19] there any kind of provisions as to
[2:11:20] the process at
[2:11:23] that point, to make sure that the park
[2:11:26] is being maintained
[2:11:29] at the level of the parks
[2:11:32] department in
[2:11:35] the future ?
[2:11:38] The
[2:11:41] other question is , the
[2:11:44] 18 acres of the forest
[2:11:47] for mitigation
[2:11:50] , is there any kind
[2:11:53] of provisions where they
[2:11:56] would be put for use?
[2:11:58] Will it be somewhere in the neighborhood for
[2:11:59] people
[2:12:02] to enjoy?
[2:12:05] >> Thank you .
[2:12:08] For your first question , we do have our
[2:12:11] standard maintenance and management agreement
[2:12:14] .
[2:12:15] But, we don't necessarily have a separate condition
[2:12:17] that contemplates if the ownership turns
[2:12:20] back over to the park.
[2:12:23] That is not specifically included. In fact
[2:12:26] , the ownership was specifically
[2:12:29] identified in the master plan to be privately owned.
[2:12:35] Throughout our discussions that is where
[2:12:38] it landed. The forest bank
[2:12:41] right now
[2:12:50] --
[2:12:52] by the time this moves forward we don't know
[2:12:53] whether or not
[2:12:56] it will be
[2:12:58] in one bank or another, but that is
[2:12:59] usually sorted
[2:13:02] out with
[2:13:05] Steve Finley's department
[2:13:08] .
[2:13:11] >> While Steve
[2:13:14] is coming , this is Kerry Sanders.
[2:13:17] On page 8 of the staff report
[2:13:23] , condition 5 maintenance of public amenities, there is a condition that
[2:13:26] requires the applicant to be responsible for maintaining
[2:13:28] all public amenities to the site.
[2:13:32] While we are looking at that condition we do have
[2:13:34] proposed language that we would like
[2:13:35] to add
[2:13:37] to this section of the report to address
[2:13:38] the restroom
[2:13:41] question that came up.
[2:13:43] I will ask Matt to read out that language
[2:13:44] please. >>
[2:13:47] Good morning. For the record ,
[2:13:50] regulatory supervisory committee. We
[2:13:53] would propose that site
[2:13:56] plan condition 4, which is recreation facilities that
[2:13:59] that covers the applicant
[2:14:01] providing the required recreation facilities
[2:14:04] , including the trail and athletic
[2:14:06] fields, the certified
[2:14:09] site plan must also include
[2:14:12] delineated location
[2:14:14] for recreation facilities in a manner that
[2:14:16] is clear and corresponds with the
[2:14:18] maintenance agreements.
[2:14:20] We would oppose a subset to that.
[2:14:21] It
[2:14:23] would be, publicly accessible restrooms
[2:14:27] must be made available within the ground-floor
[2:14:28] of the nearest office building or within
[2:14:30] the retail pavilion has shown
[2:14:36] in the certified site plan. We
[2:14:37] have done similar approaches in places
[2:14:38] like bike and roads where there are
[2:14:39] publicly accessible roads and
[2:14:42] bathrooms. >>
[2:14:45] Commissioner Pinero? >>
[2:14:48] Thank you Mr. chair.
[2:14:50] Some of my questions have already been
[2:14:53] asked by Commissioner Bartley and
[2:14:54] Commissioner Pedoeem.
[2:14:57] Let me follow up on that.
[2:15:00] My first question has to
[2:15:03] do with public use. I want
[2:15:06] to be sure that there will
[2:15:09] be access to people outside
[2:15:12] because we are talking about
[2:15:14] parks, preserves , buffers, trails
[2:15:18] , recreation areas , retail
[2:15:21] open to outside community members.
[2:15:24] One of my concerns
[2:15:25] when I heard from the staff is that
[2:15:27] there might be
[2:15:29] --and they also heard from Mr. Fisher
[2:15:32] asking for flexibility in the future
[2:15:33] ,
[2:15:35] that there might be some bio security issues
[2:15:38] with the facilities. I totally agree
[2:15:39] that we
[2:15:42] need this and it is
[2:15:45] really important project for
[2:15:48] the county. But ,
[2:15:50] in terms of bio security, I heard
[2:15:51] from the
[2:15:54] staff that in the urban green
[2:15:57] the applicant said they may have to
[2:16:00] build some invisible walls
[2:16:02] , which I am not sure what that means. Obviously
[2:16:03] ,
[2:16:06] those walls
[2:16:07] are whatever you are envisioning the future
[2:16:09] may limit the access
[2:16:13] of the outside community to be able
[2:16:15] to enjoy some of
[2:16:18] the areas that you
[2:16:21] are envisioning as public space.
[2:16:24] Let me ask that question first and then
[2:16:27] , I have questions about
[2:16:30] circulation. >>
[2:16:42] Erick Fisher, for the record.
[2:16:45] Yes, there is the portion of the
[2:16:47] campus that we propose and will require
[2:16:51] having the ability to create
[2:16:54] an invisible fence
[2:16:57] or some form of security.
[2:17:00] I share that this is imperative
[2:17:03] in this sector and industry and
[2:17:05] this is one of the things that will
[2:17:06] make this project
[2:17:09] so attractive to certain users
[2:17:15] that simply requires security
[2:17:18] and controlled access.
[2:17:21] Trammell Crow is one of the most prolific
[2:17:23] developers for the GSA. We have done
[2:17:24] all types of secured
[2:17:27] projects and frankly , to the general public
[2:17:29] you would rarely ever know the site
[2:17:30] is secured ,
[2:17:33] other than a small gate or a series of
[2:17:35] decorative fences. The intent here is
[2:17:39] to preserve the urban green in front
[2:17:42] of building A-2
[2:17:45] and A-1.
[2:17:47] We are just looking to pull some level of
[2:17:48] invisible fence that
[2:17:51] closer to building A-2 and
[2:17:54] A-1 in the event
[2:17:56] that one confidential user we are
[2:17:57] working with
[2:17:59] will absolutely require a level controlled
[2:18:00] access to
[2:18:02] those buildings might need that. That
[2:18:03] is one
[2:18:06] where we need to offer that .
[2:18:09] If we can't he will simply go to Raleigh, North Carolina.
[2:18:12] >> Okay.
[2:18:15] So,
[2:18:20] will the site be gated in the future?
[2:18:30] When you are asking for flexibility, you
[2:18:33] are not envisioning any kind of
[2:18:36] gating similar to what the
[2:18:39] NIH or other health facilities
[2:18:42] use? >> We certainly are. It is important
[2:18:45] to because controlled access
[2:18:48] can be done in a very smart and
[2:18:51] thoughtful way and it will entail some
[2:18:54] form of gating at
[2:18:55] a controlled access point for vehicles.
[2:19:00] >> I see.
[2:19:02] My other question has to be with the
[2:19:03] Belward campus
[2:19:06] Drive. You made
[2:19:09] the point that you also want some flexibility
[2:19:11] , Mr. Fisher because of construction.
[2:19:12] I want
[2:19:14] to be sure that right now you are
[2:19:15] talking about two
[2:19:18] access points on morning branch Drive
[2:19:24] . Are
[2:19:26] you envisioning that there will be
[2:19:27] an access
[2:19:30] connecting
[2:19:33] to Key West Drive
[2:19:36] ?
[2:19:39] Belward Campus Drive
[2:19:42] will be an internal road. You
[2:19:45] are not envisioning that the public can
[2:19:47] use that road to cut through from
[2:19:48] Key West
[2:19:51] on two morning branch
[2:19:54] . >> I might jump in here.
[2:19:57] This is Bill Brewer.
[2:20:00] I will first tackle the request
[2:20:03] for flexibility. In section
[2:20:06] nine of the conditions
[2:20:08] there are a number of references to the
[2:20:09] construction of the roads.
[2:20:14] We thought it was a little confusing
[2:20:15] given the total length
[2:20:17] of time this development is taking
[2:20:18] to complete.
[2:20:21] We wanted to provide a reference to the
[2:20:23] phasing plan that was submitted with
[2:20:24] the site plan
[2:20:27] so that when we
[2:20:30] have road sections
[2:20:33] or applicable construction
[2:20:36] that there was a drawing. It is
[2:20:39] the situation where we think a drawing
[2:20:40] is worth 1000 words in
[2:20:43] terms of understanding the
[2:20:44] time and what needs to be built out. As an
[2:20:46] example, if we were to build
[2:20:52] building
[2:20:53] A-1, there is a condition to build
[2:20:57] road A and that traverses most of
[2:20:58] the sites. We
[2:21:00] wouldn't want to build too much of
[2:21:01] that and
[2:21:03] disturb the current natural setting
[2:21:06] or overbuild the site. That was the intent
[2:21:10] behind the flexibility comment request. In
[2:21:13] terms of public access , Belward Campus Drive
[2:21:16] already exists
[2:21:19] in the small segment of the right hand side of the plan you
[2:21:21] are saying. We would continue that
[2:21:22] on and connect it
[2:21:25] to Muddy Branch Road.
[2:21:26] We could also be building out road
[2:21:30] B-4 as an initial phase of the project
[2:21:31] and that would
[2:21:34] connect to improve
[2:21:37] site
[2:21:38] access and the flow of traffic through
[2:21:40] those major
[2:21:42] public rights-of-way. Beyond that, the
[2:21:45] internal road network is delivered
[2:21:46] in
[2:21:47] phases as laid out in the phase plan
[2:21:49] and in reference to section 9.
[2:21:52] >> Right now,
[2:21:53] you are not envisioning connecting
[2:21:55] Belward
[2:21:58] Campus Drive on the east side
[2:22:01] to Key West Drive? >> No ,
[2:22:03] we are not. There is a small section of
[2:22:07] county land that prevents
[2:22:09] Belward Campus Drive from connecting
[2:22:10] all the way through.
[2:22:13] >> Okay. >>
[2:22:16] It is like a 150 foot gap.
[2:22:19] It is
[2:22:20] easy to do if you want to, but we are
[2:22:22] not doing it as part of the
[2:22:25] site plan. >> On morning branch
[2:22:26] Road, I heard there is going to be
[2:22:28] one
[2:22:30] traffic light on Belward Campus Drive
[2:22:33] on the entrance , will there be another one
[2:22:37] on road
[2:22:40] B-3?
[2:22:43] >> There will be
[2:22:45] two. One will be at the intersection
[2:22:46] of Belward Campus
[2:22:49] Drive and Muddy Branch Road and the other
[2:22:52] one is along Key West
[2:22:55] Avenue at Johns Hopkins Road
[2:22:58] . That is just
[2:22:59] across from the new intersection for
[2:23:01] the PST
[2:23:04] site . >> Okay, I see.
[2:23:09] Thank you very much for your answers. >>
[2:23:10] Kerry Sanders
[2:23:16] for the record.
[2:23:17] I want to clarify, the applicant has
[2:23:18] proposed some condition changes and I
[2:23:19] wanted to make sure the
[2:23:20] board was aware of the staffs thoughts about
[2:23:22] those condition changes. As
[2:23:24] the applicant has noted, we have worked
[2:23:27] really well through the process. We feel
[2:23:28] very confident
[2:23:31] with the plans before you
[2:23:33] that the staff has proposed. We've
[2:23:34] talked through a number of
[2:23:36] them already, including the transportation
[2:23:37] condition
[2:23:39] change and are partners at D.O.T. feel
[2:23:42] that the conditions the staff have
[2:23:43] put in our
[2:23:46] good conditions. We don't want to look
[2:23:48] to change those. We do have concerns
[2:23:49] about
[2:23:50] incremental roads and sections of roads
[2:23:52] being built as it relates
[2:23:55] to access safety and the
[2:23:57] traffic signal configuration. We do
[2:23:58] not support
[2:24:01] condition changes to the roadway.
[2:24:07] We have also talked through the condition as
[2:24:08] it relates to the park and we fill
[2:24:10] the condition we have here as it
[2:24:11] relates to the dimensions of the park is
[2:24:13] what we have come to
[2:24:16] with the parks department as an agreement. So, we would not
[2:24:18] support changing that. I believe the third
[2:24:19] condition change related
[2:24:22] to the parking screening , that
[2:24:25] is something that I think
[2:24:28] is in trickle to the vision of the plan
[2:24:30] which called for this compact development
[2:24:34] , this center of activity and economic development.
[2:24:36] We do feel that urban design is in trickle
[2:24:37] to that to creating
[2:24:40] a sense of place. So, at this time
[2:24:43] we really feel those urban design
[2:24:45] changes are necessary, but wanted to
[2:24:46] make sure the board understood
[2:24:49] the staffs position on those condition changes
[2:24:52] requested by the applicant. >>
[2:24:55] That sounded like they were suggestions
[2:24:58] , not necessary things.
[2:25:04] >> This
[2:25:07] is Steve Finley.
[2:25:10] Can we return to the question about the
[2:25:13] forest plantings?
[2:25:16] I want to clarify, is your question about
[2:25:19] the location of the on-site forest planting
[2:25:22] , the
[2:25:23] 18 acres of the off-site? >> The off-site.
[2:25:25] >> Okay, yes. The off-site forest
[2:25:28] planting , there is a hierarchy
[2:25:31] of preference
[2:25:37] . First, trying to seek forest banking in
[2:25:39] a forest bank that is the same water head.
[2:25:42] If there are not credits available
[2:25:43] in the forest bank
[2:25:45] in the same watershed than the forest
[2:25:46] bank credit
[2:25:49] can
[2:25:50] be obtained in any forest bank in
[2:25:52] the county in the
[2:25:55] approved forest bank. Beyond that
[2:25:58] you have to be no forced bank credits
[2:26:01] available anywhere
[2:26:07] , then they can be substituted. It is a hierarchal process. >>
[2:26:10] Thank you. >>
[2:26:14] I promise to speak
[2:26:15] ?. I have a couple questions. The screening
[2:26:17] conditions you
[2:26:19] are asking for on the inside portion of
[2:26:20] the park
[2:26:23] ,
[2:26:26] correct? >> Yes. Just
[2:26:28] where it fronts on the existing stream Valley
[2:26:32] buffer plantings.
[2:26:35] >> Not as you enter into the
[2:26:38] property. >> Yes. >> Okay.
[2:26:44] We have gone over the activity
[2:26:45] field a little bit, but I want to
[2:26:47] clarify. I have been looking at
[2:26:50] the pictures
[2:26:52] . Is there parking on the east side
[2:26:53] of where the field will be located
[2:26:54] in the northern portion of the park that could
[2:26:55] be appropriated? Or, have we gone
[2:26:58] through all the possible ways of compromising
[2:26:59] the
[2:27:02] design? >>
[2:27:05] That was just informational
[2:27:06] for you to all understand that what
[2:27:08] was shown
[2:27:11] would not be representative
[2:27:14] if that condition stands.
[2:27:16] We will defer to your preference on the
[2:27:17] size.
[2:27:20] >> That was a good question.
[2:27:28] >> The parking garages would not be available
[2:27:29] to the
[2:27:31] public upon Street parking throughout
[2:27:32] the development
[2:27:44] being available . >>
[2:27:47] I have a question
[2:27:50] . There was a variance request
[2:27:53] regarding trees. Will the trees
[2:27:56] that will
[2:27:58] be planted with regards to the variance
[2:27:59] request be
[2:28:02] a native species? >>
[2:28:05] Steve Finley
[2:28:06] , for the record. Yes, the trees to
[2:28:08] be planted
[2:28:11] in mitigation for the removal
[2:28:14] will be native species. Yes sir.
[2:28:17] >> Okay.
[2:28:20] I have
[2:28:22] just a couple of things. The description
[2:28:23] of
[2:28:26] the security fencing
[2:28:28] , at least in the executive summary
[2:28:29] I thought
[2:28:32] was a little odd. Is that the site plan will provide
[2:28:35] a minimum 5.4
[2:28:38] acres with security expense or up to
[2:28:41] 1.06 acres
[2:28:44] without .
[2:28:47] I thought it
[2:28:50] might be 1.6 within
[2:28:53] the secured fence.
[2:28:56] No
[2:28:59] ?
[2:29:02] >>
[2:29:05] You can see it a little
[2:29:08] bit better here. What is shown in purple
[2:29:11] is the area that
[2:29:13] would be available to the general public
[2:29:14] if they construct
[2:29:17] the fence. That is about
[2:29:20] one half acre.
[2:29:24] >> No, that is with the fence. >>
[2:29:26] Yes, I am sorry. I
[2:29:29] also want to note
[2:29:30] and I don't know if this came up earlier,
[2:29:32] but the fence is not only
[2:29:35] around the urban green, but it
[2:29:37] actually starts where the applicant is
[2:29:38] proposing
[2:29:41] to have a security pavilion
[2:29:46] . It will wrap around a little bit further
[2:29:53] , I believe going towards here. As
[2:29:54] it was alluded to, it will be more of
[2:29:55] an area that is secured as opposed to
[2:29:56] just walling
[2:29:59] off the open space
[2:30:02] in the urban green. >> What you are
[2:30:05] suggesting is an area
[2:30:08] that is at least 1.5 acres
[2:30:11] because .5 would be fenced
[2:30:14] and
[2:30:19] 1.0 would be unfenced? >> No, the purple
[2:30:20] outline is
[2:30:23] .54 acres. The blue outline
[2:30:26] is 1.06. The notion is, if
[2:30:29] we don't have a tenant
[2:30:32] requiring security, the entire
[2:30:34] 1.06 acres would be unfenced. If we
[2:30:35] have a
[2:30:37] tenant come who requires security
[2:30:41] you will have a
[2:30:44] fence that traces the inside bound of
[2:30:46] the purple box and you would have
[2:30:47] .54
[2:30:50] acres fronting on road C that
[2:30:53] is publicly accessible. >> Got it.
[2:30:56] With regards to
[2:30:59] the phasing of roads ,
[2:31:02] does it provide for flexibility
[2:31:05] on which building goes first?
[2:31:08] >> It does.
[2:31:11] Yes , we have been working
[2:31:14] quite closely with the applicant to
[2:31:16] address some of the concerns they
[2:31:17] have raised today about the language and
[2:31:20] the condition. We did include
[2:31:23] some of their suggested language earlier about
[2:31:26] referencing the phasing plan
[2:31:29] . That is intertwined
[2:31:31] with those conditions associated with
[2:31:32] the road segments.
[2:31:35] >> Okay,
[2:31:36] at some point somebody has to explain to
[2:31:38] me why we
[2:31:41] go in that order.
[2:31:44] But, that is okay. >>
[2:31:47] I will defer to the applicant about the numbering of
[2:31:50] the buildings. We also have a representative
[2:31:53] from C D.O.T.
[2:31:56] , if you would like to hear
[2:31:59] from them. >>
[2:32:02] One of
[2:32:04] the people that testified about the time
[2:32:05] requirements for the
[2:32:08] heavy machinery and sound
[2:32:10] , I assume this could be handled during the
[2:32:11] permitting progress and
[2:32:13] I just wanted to double check that.
[2:32:14] Thank you. >>
[2:32:17] The only other odd thing
[2:32:20] I had was
[2:32:26] eight point B .5 point I
[2:32:29] .
[2:32:31] They want to provide certification
[2:32:34] to the reserves for the planning board staff
[2:32:35] every five years. Given that there
[2:32:38] are no below ground
[2:32:40] structured parking's and private roads
[2:32:44] , what would it have been if
[2:32:47] there were underground parking
[2:32:50] on private roads? Why have that phrase? >>
[2:32:55] I believe this is the standard language and
[2:32:57] I believe
[2:32:59] it is covered in the private road covenant
[2:33:01] which is required when you have private roads
[2:33:04] over parking structures and there's
[2:33:06] a different inspection
[2:33:09] process. >> In some cases
[2:33:12] we live
[2:33:15] we allow private roads
[2:33:18] across parking structures
[2:33:21] . >> Okay, thank you.
[2:33:24] I have heard an amendment
[2:33:27] for bathrooms .
[2:33:30] We haven't
[2:33:32] come to a decision, I don't think on
[2:33:34] the architecture versus landscaping
[2:33:39] . It
[2:33:42] seems to me with these buildings
[2:33:45] really embedded
[2:33:56] underground, the landscaping is the
[2:34:00] best way.
[2:34:09] >> What is the
[2:34:12] puzzle for the east side? I
[2:34:13] thought the proposal they were making
[2:34:15] was just for the
[2:34:17] east side , not the other side. The
[2:34:18] architectural treatment
[2:34:21] is
[2:34:22] for the other side, correct? >> That
[2:34:24] is correct. What
[2:34:26] Natasha presented for the Parkside, we
[2:34:27] would just
[2:34:30] rather try to do more
[2:34:31] planting to make it more natural. >>
[2:34:33] I would like to hear from
[2:34:35] the staff as to what they're feeling
[2:34:39] is about this proposal. >>
[2:34:42] Thank you .
[2:34:43] I would like to emphasize that we would
[2:34:45] like to see
[2:34:48] architectural elements to screen the
[2:34:50] Western façade , the façade facing
[2:34:53] the Muddy Branch Park and we would
[2:34:54] like
[2:34:57] to see artistic screening elements
[2:34:59] on the Eastern façade because even
[2:35:00] though the applicant
[2:35:03] is proposing mature trees
[2:35:06] and landscaping,
[2:35:08] again it will take time for the trees
[2:35:09] to mature and we are
[2:35:14] living in a four season environment and
[2:35:15] those trees might not have leaves throughout some of
[2:35:17] the months of the year. Also, I think
[2:35:24] there was a slide in the presentation
[2:35:26] if you don't mind sharing it , slide number
[2:35:27] 30 was showing how
[2:35:30] the garage was going to look.
[2:35:33] >> I have seen that.
[2:35:35] What do you think about the artistic? I
[2:35:36] think that is a very nice
[2:35:39] compromise. >> It is just
[2:35:42] a painting or
[2:35:43] mural on the building. I have seen it
[2:35:45] and they are really beautiful. >>
[2:35:48] What
[2:35:51] we propose is the best way
[2:35:53] to handle the treatment of that to try
[2:35:54] to obscure
[2:35:57] the garages. Ultimately , if we have to
[2:36:00] treat it, we will treat it
[2:36:03] and it will look great. This
[2:36:06] isn't something
[2:36:08] we are going to die on Hill over.
[2:36:15] >> I think you're being offered
[2:36:17] an option to either do it architecturally
[2:36:18] and
[2:36:20] structurally, if you will or artistically
[2:36:24] . >>
[2:36:27] We would be glad to do it
[2:36:29] artistically. >> Okay. Thank you.
[2:36:33] >> Okay.
[2:36:39] Are there other board members
[2:36:42] in favor of
[2:36:43] making that change? >> That works
[2:36:45] for me. My primary concern is the entryway to
[2:36:47] the Parkside on muddy branch , the
[2:36:48] preserved area.
[2:36:51] I and fine with
[2:36:54] it either being landscaping
[2:36:57] or artistic. It is fine with me.
[2:37:00] >> I feel the same way. I
[2:37:03] am okay with this. I feel
[2:37:06] they are
[2:37:07] going to do something that will look
[2:37:09] nice. I just don't want to put
[2:37:15] a plane parking
[2:37:17] garage. I'm sure they want to have some
[2:37:19] sort of air circulation or whatever
[2:37:21] they do with
[2:37:23] it. If they can do something artistic
[2:37:24] , that would be
[2:37:27] very nice. >> Okay.
[2:37:30] >>
[2:37:33] I have a point of clarification.
[2:37:39] There would be no change
[2:37:41] to the conditions based on the conversation here.
[2:37:42] It just says
[2:37:45] provide screening of an artistic element.
[2:37:57] >> I
[2:37:59] will entertain a motion by anybody.
[2:38:02] Unless there is further discussion.
[2:38:09] >> With the variances
[2:38:12] do we need anything more than a motion
[2:38:15] to approve the site plan? >> There
[2:38:17] are two things we have to approve.
[2:38:21] >> Mr. chair, if I could jump
[2:38:22] in for a moment I want to make sure
[2:38:24] I am clear for the record, whether the board has made
[2:38:26] a decision on the changes related to
[2:38:27] the proposed
[2:38:30] athletic fields , as well as
[2:38:33] the phasing of the roads. I just want
[2:38:34] to understand the boards consensus
[2:38:36] on those. >> I think
[2:38:38] I heard a consensus for sticking with
[2:38:39] the size
[2:38:42] of the athletic field. I haven't
[2:38:45] heard anybody suggest
[2:38:51] -- >>--What is the size of the athletic field? >> 140
[2:38:54] feet by 230 feet.
[2:39:00] Right?
[2:39:03] I did not hear any move
[2:39:06] to change the phasing as
[2:39:09] proposed by staff. >> Thank you. >> Was
[2:39:12] that the size of the field
[2:39:15] that was originally the vision
[2:39:18] or what Mr. Fisher was proposing? >>
[2:39:21] I think Mr. Fisher was proposing something smaller
[2:39:24] than that, no wake >> Yes.
[2:39:27] >> I will go with what
[2:39:30] was originally envisioned. The question with
[2:39:33] Mr. Bradley
[2:39:36] was whether they could move it to the
[2:39:40] southern part
[2:39:42] . I think there was some discussion
[2:39:45] about having some kind of negotiation
[2:39:48] with the parks department or something.
[2:39:49] >> No
[2:39:55] , it will be
[2:39:58] privately owned . I
[2:40:01] don't see there is
[2:40:04] a requirement that it be
[2:40:05] on the north side or the south side
[2:40:07] in the conditions,
[2:40:10] it self. >> Okay.
[2:40:13] >> If I may jump in to clarify
[2:40:16] where the condition is in the staff
[2:40:17] report. It is page 6, condition three
[2:40:22] and it is 3B. The park
[2:40:24] must maintain a rectangular athletic field
[2:40:28] for active recreation
[2:40:31] . I just wanted to make sure
[2:40:37] that is what the staff condition is and
[2:40:38] the board is telling us to keep that
[2:40:40] condition as is? >> Yes. But,
[2:40:41] it seems to me it could be in the
[2:40:43] southern part. It
[2:40:44] is not a requirement on where. >>
[2:40:49] I was just going to add that there
[2:40:50] is some flexibility built in because the
[2:40:52] applicant will
[2:40:55] be continuing to refine the
[2:40:58] final design. So, if
[2:40:59] they would need to move it to the South
[2:41:01] side, they would be able to do
[2:41:04] so. >>
[2:41:06] But, the southern part would be built later
[2:41:07] on? Do
[2:41:08] we have any dates? >> When I say the
[2:41:10] southern, I mean
[2:41:13] north of Belward Campus Drive
[2:41:15] being broken up into two portions.
[2:41:19] So, I just mean
[2:41:22] south of road B-3.
[2:41:25] This is the southern
[2:41:27] area of this phase and is part of this
[2:41:30] development. >> The testimony we have heard
[2:41:37] is a field of
[2:41:38] that size going to have to move to
[2:41:39] the southern portion. Is that correct?
[2:41:40] >> It sounds like it
[2:41:42] >> Yes and again for the record ,
[2:41:43] and we apologize for
[2:41:46] the confusion. The reason we are proposing
[2:41:48] the park is that it fit perfectly
[2:41:52] in the northern side.
[2:41:55] Now that it is
[2:41:58] a larger athletic field, we
[2:41:59] have to move it to the southern side. The
[2:42:01] drawback with that is that you lose
[2:42:04] the interconnected nature of that
[2:42:07] southern part of that park and you push
[2:42:10] a smaller
[2:42:12] family gathering Park to the north
[2:42:13] .
[2:42:16] That is the
[2:42:19] sole issue. >> Okay.
[2:42:22] I think we are good. >> We are
[2:42:25] good. >> Do I hear a motion
[2:42:28] with the amendments we have made
[2:42:31] ? This is a complicated project.
[2:42:34] I can
[2:42:35] see why this took so long. >> For the
[2:42:37] record, I think the amendment to the
[2:42:39] condition we made was for the restrooms
[2:42:43] . >> That is
[2:42:44] correct. >> All other conditions remain unchanged.
[2:42:46] That is correct.
[2:42:51] >> As well as the staff corrections which
[2:42:52] are
[2:42:55] more small corrections. >> We
[2:42:58] accept those.
[2:43:07] Do I hear
[2:43:10] a motion to approve
[2:43:13] the site plan ? >>
[2:43:16] I make a motion to approve the
[2:43:19] Belward Park site plan with the
[2:43:21] conditions as proposed by staff and
[2:43:22] is discussed. >>
[2:43:25] I second that motion >> All right, great.
[2:43:28] I think we've had some discussion
[2:43:31] . All those in favor say
[2:43:34] ,
[2:43:37] aye.
[2:43:40] Do I hear a
[2:43:43] motion to approve the force conservation
[2:43:44] plan with its own separate number
[2:43:49] ? >> With
[2:43:52] the force conservation plan
[2:43:55] , do we need to do the variance first? >>
[2:43:58] The variance is part of
[2:44:01] that. >> Just to clarify for
[2:44:03] the motion. I will move we approve
[2:44:04] the final force conservation
[2:44:07] plan number
[2:44:10] F.'s
[2:44:13] >> I second. >>
[2:44:16] All those in favor say aye. >> Congratulations
[2:44:19] and thank you for your patience.
[2:44:22] And fall
[2:44:25] for your
[2:44:28] work to get it on the ground. >>
[2:44:31] Thank you . On behalf of Trammell Crow we
[2:44:34] appreciate your time , your thoughtfulness and
[2:44:36] we look forward to visiting with you over
[2:44:37] the next 10 years. Thank you.
[2:44:40] >>
[2:44:43] Thank you.
[2:50:23] >> [
[2:50:26] Captioners Transitioning ] >>
[2:54:08] GOOD AFTERNOON, ALMOST.
[2:54:13] IT'S MARCH 30th, 2023, THIS IS THE PLANNING
[2:54:14] BOARD SESSION, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
[2:54:17] THE FIRST
[2:54:20] THE
[2:54:23] AND RESERVE
[2:54:26] , AND THIS IS CONDITIONAL USE
[2:54:29] FOR WE SUPPLY
[2:54:31] RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE HEARING EXAMINER. >>
[2:54:32] WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT
[2:54:35] OVER TO
[2:54:37] THE STAFF. ALTHOUGH, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON
[2:54:38] THIS? >> NO. >> NEXT
[2:54:41] ONE. >>
[2:54:44] A GREAT
[2:54:46] PROJECT, BUT I'M BIASED, WHAT CAN
[2:54:47] I TELL YOU? STAFF, IF YOU
[2:54:50] CAN GO AHEAD. >>
[2:54:53] GOOD MORNING,
[2:54:56] MARK FOR THE RECORD
[2:54:59] OF COUNTY
[2:55:01] PLANNING, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BRING
[2:55:02] FREE RANGE SOLAR FARM, IT'S
[2:55:05] CONDITIONAL USE , AND THE NUMBERS
[2:55:08] CE YOU 202305.
[2:55:11] TO START OFF WITH A
[2:55:14] COUPLE OF CLARIFICATIONS, AND
[2:55:15] THE STAFF REPORT ON PAGE 19 WE MENTIONED
[2:55:17] THAT IT WAS
[2:55:20] A PRELIMINARY FORCE CONCH ROTATION,
[2:55:21] IT'S
[2:55:24] A FINAL
[2:55:27] FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN. I NOTED THAT THE
[2:55:30] PANELS ARE SIX FOOT 6 INCHES
[2:55:31] , AND THAT'S WHEN THEY ARE PRETTY
[2:55:32] MUCH ALMOST FLAT. THESE MOVE WITH
[2:55:33] THE SUN
[2:55:34] SO THEY WILL BE TILTING, AND THE TOP
[2:55:36] MAY BE A LITTLE TALLER, AND
[2:55:39] IT COULD
[2:55:40] GO UP TO 12 FEET, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW
[2:55:41] BIG THE PANELS ARE. >> THE PROPERTY IS
[2:55:45] LOCATED AT 5011
[2:55:47] RIGGS ROAD. THE PROPERTY IS OUTLINED
[2:55:51] IN THE RED DASHED LINE.
[2:55:53] THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS UNKNOWN PLATTED
[2:55:57] ON A
[2:55:59] NINE ACRE PARCEL. IF AN EXISTING HORSE FARM,
[2:56:07] AND THE FARMAN HORSES WILL REMAIN. THEY
[2:56:08] ARE JUST TAKING A PORTION OF IT TO
[2:56:09] CREATE THIS
[2:56:10] SOLAR FARM. YOU CAN SEE THERE IS EXISTING
[2:56:14] PASTURES AND BARNS, THE ACCESS ROAD IS
[2:56:15] ON RIGGS ROAD.
[2:56:16] THAT'S GOING TO BE THE ONLY ACCESS
[2:56:19] . THEY ARE NOT CREATING ANY NEW ACCESS
[2:56:21] WITH THIS APPLICATION. THERE'S
[2:56:24] A POND SITE AS WELL AS
[2:56:30] -- >>
[2:56:36] THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS MAINLY LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
[2:56:38] AND AGRICULTURAL USES. THE AREA TO THE
[2:56:42] WEST AND EAST ARE
[2:56:45] AR SOUND.
[2:56:48] WE FOUND THREE CONDITIONAL USES AND
[2:56:50] EXCEPTIONS THAT CONSIST IN THE AREA.
[2:56:56] HERE'S AN OVERALL MAP VIEW, THESE ARE
[2:56:57] DIFFERENT PICTURES OF DIFFERENT AREAS AND
[2:56:58] DIFFERENT ANGLES OF THE SITE. THE
[2:57:00] VIEW FROM A IS
[2:57:05] , RIGHT IN THIS AREA HERE, AND THE ACCESS
[2:57:06] ROAD IS GOING
[2:57:07] TO BE COMING ACROSS HERE AND LOOKING UP THE
[2:57:08] HILL TO WHERE THE SOLAR ARRAYS GOING
[2:57:09] TO
[2:57:11] BE LOCATED. VIEW B, IS STANDING IN THE
[2:57:12] CENTER OF THE
[2:57:14] COMPOUND LOOKING BACK DOWN TOWARD
[2:57:15] THE ACCESS ROAD AND TOWARDS THE
[2:57:18] POND. AND THEN C
[2:57:22] , IS THAT THE WESTERNMOST EDGE OF THE
[2:57:23] COMPOUND LOOKING TOWARD THE NEIGHBORS
[2:57:24] TO
[2:57:27] THE WEST.
[2:57:32] THE APPLICANT IS NOT REQUIRED TO PUT ANY LANDSCAPING UP, HOWEVER THEY ARE PROVIDING
[2:57:33] LANDSCAPING, THEY ARE
[2:57:34] TAKING AN ADDITIONAL STEP TO TAKE
[2:57:39] IN LANDSCAPING SO THAT THE
[2:57:40] PANELS ARE NOT SEEN BY THE NEIGHBORS, IF
[2:57:42] AT ALL.
[2:57:47] THEN VIEW D IS AT THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE
[2:57:48] COMPOUND LOOKING BACK SOUTH
[2:57:49] TOWARD THE POND AND WOODED AREA. >>
[2:57:51] HERE WE HAVE THE OUTLINE OF THE SOLAR COMPOUND ALONG
[2:57:54] WITH THE ACCESS ROADS
[2:57:56] , THIS IS A ROUGH ESTIMATE, THERE'S A
[2:58:00] PLAN LATER
[2:58:01] THAT SHOWS EXACTLY WHERE IT'S AT.
[2:58:02] BUT THIS IS WHERE THE PLANT IS GOING
[2:58:03] TO BE.
[2:58:06] THEY ARE ONLY USING 4.29
[2:58:07] ACRES OF THE 82+ ACRES FOR THE SOLAR
[2:58:09] COMPOUND. THEN YOU HAVE THE ACCESS ROAD
[2:58:11] . ALL IN ALL, THE CONDITIONAL USES
[2:58:12] FOR A LITTLE
[2:58:15] OVER SEVEN
[2:58:16] ACRES INCLUDING THE ACCESS ROAD. THE
[2:58:17] REMAINING PART WILL REMAIN FARM AND
[2:58:18] WILL NOT
[2:58:21] BE FOR RECREATIONAL USE. >>
[2:58:24] SO HERE WE HAVE A PLAN .
[2:58:27] IT'S A PARTIAL PLAN, DIDN'T GO
[2:58:29] ALL THE WAY UP TO THE PARK BECAUSE THERE'S
[2:58:30] NOTHING CHANGING UP HERE.
[2:58:31] THERE'S A POND DOWN HERE THAT THEY
[2:58:33] ARE ACTUALLY
[2:58:38] DRAWING WATER FROM, THERE CAN HAVE
[2:58:39] A FIRE ACCESS PLAN AND A FIRE HYDRANT TO SERVE
[2:58:41] FOR FIRE PROTECTION, IF NEED BE. THAT
[2:58:45] HAS A WETLAND AREA RIGHT
[2:58:46] HERE IN THIS LOCATION, AND PART OF
[2:58:47] THE PLAN IS YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE
[2:58:48] TO TIE INTO POWER
[2:58:50] FOR ZION ROAD, SO THEY WILL GO TO
[2:58:51] TO A CERTAIN POINT AND
[2:58:54] GO UNDERGROUND TO
[2:58:55] GO UNDER THE WETLAND SO THEY ARE NOT AFFECTED
[2:58:57] AT ALL.
[2:58:59] THEY WANT THE LOCAL WETLANDS TO TIE
[2:59:00] INTO ZION ROAD.
[2:59:03] IT IS A
[2:59:06] RUSTIC ROAD. THERE'S A PICTURE HERE.
[2:59:09] THEY ARE TIRING INTO THIS POLL, THIS
[2:59:12] POLL IS MUCH THICKER, THIS IS THE THINNEST PART
[2:59:15] OF THE
[2:59:20] SIDE OF THE ROAD CLOSE TO ZION. OFTEN
[2:59:21] THE DISTANCE, I GOT A PICTURE BACK IN
[2:59:24] THIS FAR OFF AREAS WHERE THE
[2:59:25] SOLAR ARRAYS GOING TO BE. THIS IS A
[2:59:27] WINTER PICTURE, WITH NO
[2:59:28] LEAVES ON THE TREES, SO YOU'RE NOT
[2:59:30] GOING TO SEE THIS
[2:59:32] OFF ZION ROAD, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW. IT'S
[2:59:33] LOCATED IN THE
[2:59:36] 2005 OLNEY MASTER PLAN. NO SPECIFIC
[2:59:44] RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS PROPERTY.
[2:59:45] THIS IS TO
[2:59:46] STAY OPEN TO AGRICULTURAL USES, OPEN
[2:59:47] AREAS, DENSITY, RESIDENTIAL, THAT SORT
[2:59:48] OF THING. >> AGAIN, THE PROPERTY
[2:59:51] IS
[2:59:52] IN THE OLNEY MASTER PLAN, IT'S CONSISTENT
[2:59:54] WITH RECOMMENDATIONS,
[2:59:56] IT'S IN KEEPING WITH THE CHARACTER
[2:59:57] OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.
[3:00:00] THERE IS NO
[3:00:01] UNDUE HARM OR ADVERSE EFFECTS FOR
[3:00:02] SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS. THIS APPLICATION
[3:00:03] MEETS ALL
[3:00:06] REQUIREMENTS FOR
[3:00:08] THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SOLAR
[3:00:11] COLLECTION SYSTEM AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.
[3:00:19] WE RECEIVED ONE CORRESPONDENCE, AN
[3:00:20] EMAIL FROM A NEIGHBOR, THEY SHARE
[3:00:21] A POND WITH ALLOWING, AND AGREEING TO
[3:00:24] USE UPON
[3:00:29] FOR FIRE PROTECTION AS PART OF THE
[3:00:30] ACCESS PLAN. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS BE TRANSMITTED
[3:00:31] FOR THE CONDITIONAL USE FOR SOLAR
[3:00:32] COLLECTION SYSTEM. THANK YOU FOR THE
[3:00:33] TIME, THE STAFF IS
[3:00:36] HERE TO
[3:00:38] ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AS WELL AS THE
[3:00:39] APPLICANT IS HERE. THANK
[3:00:42] YOU. >>
[3:00:45] I JUST
[3:00:47] WANTED TO SAY HELLO, AND THANK YOU
[3:00:48] TO MARK. NICE TO SEE YOU. >> [
[3:00:51] LAUGHTER ] >> OKAY, WOULD
[3:00:53] ALSO PARTICULARLY NOTE THE OFFICE
[3:00:54] OF AGRICULTURE
[3:00:57] HAS NO OBJECTION TO THIS,
[3:01:03] SO WITH THAT,
[3:01:06] DOES THE APPLICANT WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? >>
[3:01:09] OH,
[3:01:12] I'M SORRY.
[3:01:15] BOARDMEMBER
[3:01:18] PINERO . >>
[3:01:21] THANK YOU,
[3:01:24] MR. CHAIR.
[3:01:27] WE HAD SEEN THE SOLAR PROJECT BEFORE,
[3:01:30] AND I REMEMBER SOMEBODY
[3:01:32] , IT WASN'T ME, BUT SOMEBODY ASKED
[3:01:33] WHETHER THIS KIND OF SOLAR PROJECT IS
[3:01:36] GOING TO GENERATE ANY KIND OF SOUND
[3:01:42] THAT MIGHT, YOU KNOW,
[3:01:45] BE LOUD ENOUGH TO DISTURB ANY OF
[3:01:48] THE NEIGHBORS. CAN YOU RESPOND TO THAT? >>
[3:01:55] FOR THE RECORD,
[3:02:01] ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT,
[3:02:04] THANK YOU.
[3:02:06] BEFORE WE ANSWER THAT QUESTION, JUST WANT
[3:02:07] TO
[3:02:08] SAY THAT IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH
[3:02:10] STAFF ON THIS PROJECT
[3:02:12] , AS THE CHAIR INDICATED, IT IS THE
[3:02:13] FIRST COMMUNITY
[3:02:16] SOLAR PROJECT
[3:02:18] IN THE AR ZONE, SO WE ARE PROUD TO BRING THIS TO
[3:02:19] THE
[3:02:22] COMMISSION. >> THE PROCESS
[3:02:23] HAS BEEN A BIT OF A LEARNING CURVE,
[3:02:24] BUT I THINK THIS WILL PAVE THE WAY
[3:02:25] FOR HOPEFULLY
[3:02:28] MORE PROJECTS OF THIS KIND TO
[3:02:30] FULFILL THE INTENT OF THE ZONING.
[3:02:34] WITH THAT, I WILL ALLOW
[3:02:36] --ASK MIKE TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF AND
[3:02:37] ANSWER THE
[3:02:40] QUESTION. >>
[3:02:41] THANK YOU, SUE. >> I MIKE CHAPMAN, I
[3:02:43] AM THE PRIMARY DEVELOPER
[3:02:44] OF THIS SOLAR PROJECT, AND ONE OF
[3:02:46] THE CO-OWNERS OF THE FARM
[3:02:49] THAT IS THE
[3:02:51] UNDERLYING PROPERTY FOR THE PROJECT.
[3:02:55] >> THE QUESTION WAS,
[3:02:58] IS THERE
[3:02:59] --ARE THERE ANY NOISY MISSIONS THAT
[3:03:01] CAN BE NOTICEABLE?
[3:03:04] AND DISTURBED
[3:03:05] NEIGHBORS? AND THE ANSWER IS NO. THE
[3:03:06] NEAREST NEIGHBORS ARE IN ONE DIRECTION
[3:03:10] 430 FEET
[3:03:11] AWAY, AND THE OTHER 540 FEET AWAY,
[3:03:15] AND ANY NOISE THAT COMES FROM THE SELLER,
[3:03:16] OR THE
[3:03:17] TRANSFORMER THERE'S A VERY LOW FAINT
[3:03:19] HUM THAT
[3:03:22] YOU MIGHT HEAR AT ANY
[3:03:24] TRANSFORMER THAT YOU NOTICE IN THOSE
[3:03:25] NEIGHBORHOODS,
[3:03:28] BUT THAT'S NOT EVEN NOTICEABLE.
[3:03:30] NOT FROM 20 OR 30 FEET AWAY, SO THERE
[3:03:31] WILL
[3:03:34] BE NO
[3:03:36] NOISE IMPACTS. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
[3:03:37] COMMISSIONERS HAVE
[3:03:40] QUESTIONS? >> GO AHEAD. >>
[3:03:42] IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SOLAR FIELD,
[3:03:46] HOW LONG WILL IT
[3:03:48] TAKE, AND WHAT WILL BE THE CONDITIONS
[3:03:49] FOR
[3:03:52] THE PEOPLE
[3:03:53] IN THE COMMUNITY WHILE IT'S BEING
[3:03:55] CONSTRUCTED? >>
[3:03:58] THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. >> THE PROCESS WILL
[3:04:01] TAKE ABOUT FOUR MONTHS.
[3:04:02] IT'S KIND OF SEQUENCED IN. FIRST WE HAVE
[3:04:04] TO BUILD A ROAD TO GET TO
[3:04:06] THE SITE THAT WILL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS
[3:04:07] ESTABLISHED BY
[3:04:09] THE COUNTY , AND THE FIRE MARSHAL.
[3:04:10] WE WILL
[3:04:13] BUILD SOME FENCING TO SEGREGATE
[3:04:16] THE HORSES
[3:04:17] SO WE HAVE A SAFE CONSTRUCTION AREA, AND THEN
[3:04:19] WE WILL ACTUALLY START BUILDING
[3:04:22] THE ARRAYS
[3:04:24] AS MUCH AS THEY ARE IN THE DIRECTIONS AND THEN
[3:04:25] BRING OUT THE PANELS
[3:04:28] AND DO THE ELECTRICAL WORK. THE
[3:04:29] ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION WILL BE ABOUT THREE
[3:04:30] MONTHS PLUS ABOUT A MONTH FOR THE
[3:04:31] ROAD CONSTRUCTION.
[3:04:37] ALL THE TRAFFIC AND MATERIAL WILL
[3:04:38] COME IN THROUGH THE EXISTING ENTRANCE OFF
[3:04:39] OF RIGGS ROAD. WE WILL BE EXTENDING --
[3:04:43] THERE'S A CERTAIN ROAD NOW
[3:04:46] PROVIDING ACCESS FOR PEOPLE AT THE FARM TO
[3:04:49] GET TO THE HORSES, AND FOR EQUIPMENT. WE
[3:04:52] WILL BE EXTENDING
[3:04:57] THAT ROAD DOWN TO THE SOLAR AREA.
[3:04:58] SO, WE WILL MAKE SURE
[3:04:59] THAT THE CONSTRUCTION HAPPENS DURING DAYLIGHT
[3:05:00] BUSINESS HOURS AND WON'T START ANY
[3:05:01] NOISEMAKING UNTIL 730,
[3:05:04] OR EIGHT A.M..
[3:05:10] OTHER THAN CONSTRUCTING THE ROAD,
[3:05:13] THERE WILL REALLY BE NOTE THAT STORE OFF-SITE EMISSIONS THAT
[3:05:16] WILL BE CREATED .
[3:05:19] PROBABLY BUILDING THE ROTORS COULD BE
[3:05:21] TO HAVE IS PART OF THE PROJECT. THAT
[3:05:22] IS JUST BECAUSE THE COUNTY HAS SOME
[3:05:25] PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL
[3:05:27] STANDARDS ON WHAT'S REQUIRED, SO THAT
[3:05:28] WILL BE THE MOST
[3:05:33] OF THE WHOLE PART OF THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT
[3:05:34] MOSTLY MOUNTING THE
[3:05:37] PANELS IS PRETTY START OFF
[3:05:40] AND STRAIGHTFORWARD AND WILL GO PRETTY
[3:05:43] QUICK. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >>
[3:05:49] DID I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A PRELIMINARY
[3:05:52] PLAN? THIS IS CONDITIONAL USE? >>
[3:05:55] THERE WILL NOT BE
[3:06:01] A PULMONARY PLAN, THAT WAS ONE OF THE CORRECTIONS,
[3:06:02] THERE'S NO PULMONARY PLAN NEEDED FOR
[3:06:04] THIS. >> AS FAR AS CONSERVATION, WE ARE FINE
[3:06:07] AND COMFORTABLE? >> THIS IS
[3:06:10] THE FINAL FORCE CONSERVATION PLAN THAT
[3:06:12] HAS BEEN SUBMITTED. THE STAFF PLAN WAS
[3:06:16] ERRONEOUS. IT SAID
[3:06:18] PRELIMINARY, IT WAS REFERRING TO THE
[3:06:19] FINAL. IT
[3:06:22] GOT TRUNCATED TO
[3:06:25] THE WRONG ACRONYM, SO IT SAID
[3:06:28] FFPP
[3:06:31] IT MEETS ALL
[3:06:34] THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
[3:06:35] THE FINAL FORCE PLAN. >> THE ONLY
[3:06:37] THING I HAVE
[3:06:40] IN THE STAFF REPORT IS A CONDITIONAL USE
[3:06:43] --
[3:06:46] NO MENTION OF A FOREST
[3:06:48] CONSERVATION PLAN. >> THERE IS A SECTION
[3:06:55] IN THERE, IT'S COMBINED WITH THE CONDITIONAL USE
[3:06:56] FOR THE FORCE CONSERVATION PLAN. THE
[3:06:57] FORCE CONSERVATION PLAN WAS SUBMITTED BEFORE
[3:06:58] THE CHANGE IN, AND
[3:07:01] IT IS
[3:07:04] TILL THE SAME
[3:07:05] NUMBER AS THE CONDITIONAL USE NUMBER.
[3:07:06] IT SHOULD BE ON THE AGENDA AS A AB
[3:07:07] ITEM. >>
[3:07:13] FOR THE RECORD, THERE
[3:07:14] ARE TWO SEPARATE SETS OF CONDITIONS,
[3:07:15] ONE THERE IS RECOMMENDATION THAT WE ARE
[3:07:16] SENDING ONTO THE HEARING
[3:07:18] EXAMINER FOR CONDITIONAL USE, THEN
[3:07:19] THERE ARE THE CONDITIONAL USE THAT WE ARE
[3:07:20] RECOMMENDING THAT YOU APPROVE ASSOCIATED WITH
[3:07:22] THE FORCE CONSERVATION
[3:07:25] PLAN. EXPECT NOW I SEE IT. I MISSED
[3:07:28] IT. >>
[3:07:31] WE NEED TO
[3:07:34] SEPARATE APPROVALS. >> OKAY. CAN
[3:07:37] I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE
[3:07:40] CONDITIONAL USE FOR
[3:07:43] FREE REIN SOLAR FARM
[3:07:46] ? >>
[3:07:49] WE MOVE THAT
[3:07:52] WE APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE
[3:07:55] . >> I SECOND THE MOTION. >>
[3:07:58] OR, I THIRD IT.
[3:08:01] THERE YOU GO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR
[3:08:02] SAY
[3:08:05] AYE. ALL RIGHT,
[3:08:08] 5-0.
[3:08:11] I WILL TAKE A MOTION ON THE
[3:08:14] FARM. THE SAME NUMBER. >>
[3:08:17] I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE FORCE
[3:08:20] CONSERVATION PLAN . >>
[3:08:23] SECOND. >> ALL RIGHT.
[3:08:27] NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN
[3:08:29] FAVOR SAY AYE, >>
[3:08:35] AYE.
[3:08:42] THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE
[3:08:43] SUPPORT. >> GO FORWARD AND DO GOOD WORK.
[3:08:44] >>
[3:08:45] THERE YOU GO. DO YOU THINK? >> [ LAUGHTER
[3:08:47] ] >>
[3:08:56] DO I HAVE MY DIALOGUE,
[3:08:59] WE NEED A MOTION. >>
[3:09:02] I WOULD LIKE A MOTION
[3:09:05] FOR A CLOSED SESSION ACCORDING
[3:09:08] TO MARILYN ANNOTATED CODE
[3:09:11] PROVISION ARTICLE 305-BE TO
[3:09:14] CONSULT WITH
[3:09:17] COUNSEL AND OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE
[3:09:20] ABOUT PENDING LITIGATION.
[3:09:23] TOPIC,
[3:09:24] STATUS OF LITIGATION. MAY HAVE A MOTION? >>
[3:09:29] I MOVE THAT WE
[3:09:32] ALL --[ INDISCERNIBLE -
[3:09:35] OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS ]
[3:09:45] >> I SECOND THE MOTION. ALL IN FAVOR
[3:09:46] SAY, AYE. WE WILL GO IN CLOSED SESSION,
[3:09:47] WE CAN COME BACK, I
[3:09:48] THINK WE CAN DO IT IN 45 MINUTES AND COME
[3:09:50] BACK AT 1:00. >>
[3:10:34] [ THE EVENT IS ON A RECESS. THE SESSION WILL
[3:10:35] RECONVENE AT 1:00 P.M. EST. CAPTIONER ON
[3:10:38] STAND-BY ] >>
[3:59:02] >>
[3:59:05] GREETINGS,
[3:59:08] THIS IS THE AFTERNOON SESSION, MARCH
[3:59:10] 30th, 2023 OF THE PLANNING BOARD THAT
[3:59:11] WE ARE ON
[3:59:17] THE
[3:59:20] GEORGE AVENUE
[3:59:23] SKETCH PLAN, AND WE
[3:59:26] ARE STARTING OFF WITH THE FIRST PITCH
[3:59:29] BY THE STAFF.
[3:59:32] IT BEING APPROPRIATE, BECAUSE
[3:59:35] THE FIRST
[3:59:39] PITCH WILL BE THROWN OTHER PLACES.
[3:59:40] WE WILL HAVE STAFF PRESENTATION, FIRST.
[3:59:41] THEN WE WILL HAVE
[3:59:44] PEOPLE WANTED TO TESTIFY IN PERSON, AND
[3:59:47] THE PEOPLE TESTIFYING TEAMS,
[3:59:49] AND THEN WE WILL HAVE THE APPLICANT
[3:59:53] FINISH UP. >>
[3:59:56] SO
[3:59:57] STAFF WILL GIVE US OUR PRESENTATION.
[3:59:59] >> GOOD AFTERNOON
[4:00:02] , FOR THE RECORD, AMY
[4:00:03] LIZZIE WITH COUNTY PLANNING, AND HAPPY I
[4:00:05] THINK IT'S
[4:00:08] OPENING DAY IS WHAT YOU ARE REFERENCING? OKAY, GOT THAT. GOOD
[4:00:11] >> GOOD LUCK
[4:00:14] , CAPS. >> SO AS I SAID
[4:00:17] FOR THE RECORD AMY LINDSEY
[4:00:19] WITH MID COUNTY PLANNING HERE FOR
[4:00:23] 2% 9801 GEORGIA AVENUE SKETCH PLAN
[4:00:26] NUMBER THREE -
[4:00:29] 20230020.
[4:00:35] AS YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A LOT OF
[4:00:36] PARTICIPATION BY THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU
[4:00:37] ALL SO MUCH FOR LETTING YOUR VOTES
[4:00:38] IS BE KNOWN, AND
[4:00:41] PARTICIPATING HERE. THIS IS THE WAY
[4:00:43] IT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. SO WE ARE HAPPY
[4:00:44] TO HAVE
[4:00:47] PARTICIPATION PARTICULARLY AT
[4:00:50] THIS EARLY STAGE OF THE PROCESS. >>
[4:00:57] JUST TO SAY IT UP FRONT
[4:00:59] , STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS
[4:01:03] OF SKETCH PLAN NUMBER 320
[4:01:06] 230020,
[4:01:09] AND
[4:01:12] IS MODIFIED HEREIN.
[4:01:15] BRIEFLY
[4:01:16] TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND TALK ABOUT WHAT
[4:01:17] A SKETCH PLAN IS, AND WHERE WE ARE
[4:01:18] IN THE
[4:01:19] DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. THIS IS THE EARLIEST STAGE
[4:01:21] OF THE
[4:01:24] DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. AND,
[4:01:25] THIS IS REALLY THE OPPORTUNITY TO
[4:01:27] GIVE THE APPLICANT
[4:01:30] EARLY FEEDBACK. SO, WE
[4:01:32] ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE RECEIVED SO
[4:01:33] MUCH
[4:01:35] FEEDBACK, AND TO HAVE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
[4:01:36] HERE. BECAUSE,
[4:01:39] THIS IS REALLY THE TIME TO
[4:01:42] GET ALL ISSUES OUT ON
[4:01:45] THE TABLE.
[4:01:48] AND JUST TO GO
[4:01:50] OVER WHAT A SKETCH PLAN ACTUALLY APPROVES.
[4:01:56] THIS IS THE LIST OF WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY APPROVING.
[4:01:58] NOW WE KNOW THE PLANS GO INTO GREATER DETAIL
[4:02:00] A LOT OF THOSE DETAILS ARE ILLUSTRATIVE.
[4:02:02] AND WE MAY HAVE CONDITIONS POINTING
[4:02:09] TO FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PLANS ,
[4:02:12] HOW THESE ITEMS SHOULD
[4:02:14] BE ARTICULATED. BUT, REALLY WHAT WE
[4:02:15] ARE
[4:02:18] LOOKING AT OUR MAXIMUM DENSITY AND
[4:02:20] HEIGHT, THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF
[4:02:24] LOTS OF
[4:02:26] PUBLIC DEDICATION, THE GENERAL LOCATION
[4:02:27] AND THE EXTENT OF THE
[4:02:30] PUBLIC SPACE, THE GENERAL
[4:02:32] LOCATION OF THE NUCLEAR ACCESS POINTS,
[4:02:33] AND
[4:02:36] UPON THE
[4:02:39] PUBLIC
[4:02:41] BENEFIT SCHEDULE. LIKE I SAID, ALL
[4:02:42] OTHER ELEMENTS ARE
[4:02:45] ILLUSTRATIVE OF
[4:02:46] TO BE DEFINED AS WE MOVE FORWARD,
[4:02:47] JUST TO GO OVER REALLY QUICKLY WHAT
[4:02:48] HAPPENS IN THE
[4:02:51] NEXT STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT, SO
[4:02:53] THIS PLAN WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE
[4:02:54] PRELIMINARY PLAN
[4:02:56] PROCESS WHICH IS SET UP FOR THE SUBDIVISION
[4:02:59] OF LOTS. THAT IS WHEN DEDICATION HAPPENS,
[4:03:00] THAT IS
[4:03:03] WHEN ENTITLEMENT INCURS.
[4:03:06] THAT IS WHEN WE DO THE ADEQUATE
[4:03:07] PUBLIC FACILITIES FINDINGS, WHERE WE
[4:03:09] ARE LOOKING AT
[4:03:12] OUR SCHOOL CAPACITY AS
[4:03:14] WELL AS OUR TRANSPORTATION STUDIES.
[4:03:18] THAT IS WHEN REGULATORY PROCESS,
[4:03:21] FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL
[4:03:23] REVIEW BEGINS WITH THE PRELIMINARY
[4:03:27] PLAN. >>
[4:03:33] MOVING ON TO THE SITE PLAN.
[4:03:34] THAT IS WHEN WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE
[4:03:35] DETAILED VIEW OF WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED. WE
[4:03:36] WILL
[4:03:38] GET INTO THE DESIGN OF THE OPEN SPACE. SOMETIMES
[4:03:39] IN
[4:03:42] EXCRUCIATING DETAIL LOOKING AT
[4:03:46] SITE FURNITURE, PARKING NUMBERS, CIRCULATION,
[4:03:48] MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE GOT
[4:03:50] A.D.A. ACCESS, THAT THE DEVELOPMENT
[4:03:53] IS MEETING ALL ZONING REQUIREMENTS
[4:03:57] AND THAT IS WHEN THE
[4:04:00] FINAL CONSERVATION PLAN IS
[4:04:01] APPROVED. SO I JUST WANT TO SET THE
[4:04:03] TABLE THAT
[4:04:09] AT EACH ONE OF
[4:04:10] THESE STAGES THERE WILL ALSO BE A
[4:04:11] PUBLIC HEARING, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. SO, NO ONE THINKS
[4:04:12] THAT THIS HEARING
[4:04:15] IS IT
[4:04:17] , SHOVELS ARE IN THE GROUND. IN FACT, THIS
[4:04:18] IS JUST THE START, AND
[4:04:19] THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES ALL THE WAY
[4:04:21] ALONG. >>
[4:04:24] I ALSO WANTED TO BRING UP
[4:04:27] , AS A
[4:04:28] PRELIMINARY MATTER, A SIGNAGE ISSUE THAT
[4:04:30] HAS BEEN RAISED. SO THE APPLICANT'S
[4:04:35] PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING SIGNS, THE APPLICATION SIGNS,
[4:04:41] NOT THE APPLICATION SIGNS, BUT THE PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING SIGNS WERE 30
[4:04:42] 1/2 INCHES BY 40
[4:04:45] 2 INCHES. AND THEY WERE POSTED 25
[4:04:47] INCHES FROM THE GROUND. THE GUIDANCE
[4:04:48] IS A
[4:04:51] LITTLE FUZZY IN THAT IT SAYS
[4:04:54] THAT PRE-APPLICATION
[4:04:57] PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING SIGNAGE NEEDS TO
[4:05:00] BE EQUIVALENT
[4:05:03] I WILL SAY
[4:05:11] THAT THE APPLICATION SIGNS WERE CORRECTLY SIZED
[4:05:12] AND PLACED ON NOVEMBER 2nd PRIOR TO THE APPLICATION BEING ACCEPTED
[4:05:15] ON NOVEMBER 16 AND THAT THERE WAS A
[4:05:18] PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING HELD ON
[4:05:24] SEPTEMBER 22nd, AND THE APPLICANT WAS
[4:05:26] INFORMED OF THAT ISSUE AT THE TIME, AND
[4:05:30] WE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT
[4:05:33] THE PLANNING BOARD MAY HAVE CONCERNS
[4:05:36] ABOUT THAT. THERE WERE
[4:05:41] APPROXIMATELY 71 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE
[4:05:42] PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING.
[4:05:45] BUT THE APPLICATION ITSELF,
[4:05:48] WAS PROPERLY POSTED AND NOTICED.
[4:05:51] AND ALL OTHER
[4:05:54] NOTICING REQUIREMENTS FROM THAT PRE-SUBMITTAL
[4:05:57] MEETING WERE PROPERLY FULFILLED.
[4:06:00] IT WAS THE SIGNAGE THAT
[4:06:03] WAS POSTED THAT WAS UNDERSIZED. >>
[4:06:09] SO MOVING ON TO THE APPLICATION ITSELF.
[4:06:12] I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
[4:06:15] THE COMMUNITY CONTEXT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S
[4:06:18] VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS APPLICATION. THIS APPLICATION IS
[4:06:21] DIFFERENT FROM MANY APPLICATIONS RIGHT IN
[4:06:24] THE CITY,
[4:06:28] BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING
[4:06:30] PARTS INVOLVED HERE, MANY OF WHICH ARE NOT CONTROLLED BY THE
[4:06:32] APPLICANT. SO, THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED
[4:06:33] AT THE CORNER
[4:06:36] OF GEORGIA AVENUE AND FORCE GLEN
[4:06:39] ROAD. AND ALSO, FRONT ONTO
[4:06:42] WOODLAND DRIVE. >>
[4:06:45] IT IS APPROXIMATELY A BLOCK NORTH
[4:06:50] OF THE BELTWAY INTERCHANGE WITH GEORGE
[4:06:51] AVENUE. >> WE HAVE
[4:06:54] A NUMBER OF PROJECTS GOING ON
[4:06:59] IN THIS AREA, WHICH WE WILL GET INTO FURTHER
[4:07:01] DETAILS ABOUT, BUT THEY
[4:07:02] INCLUDE, STATE HIGHWAYS ADMINISTRATION PROJECT
[4:07:04] ON
[4:07:06] GEORGIA AVENUE TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN
[4:07:10] AND BICYCLE SAFETY, AS
[4:07:12] WELL AS OVERALL FUNCTION . WE HAVE
[4:07:13] THE
[4:07:15] DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S FOREST
[4:07:19] GLEN ROAD SIDEWALK PROJECT
[4:07:22] , AS WELL AS THE DEPARTMENT OF
[4:07:25] TRANSPORTATION'S PROJECT TO ADD
[4:07:28] AN ENTRANCE
[4:07:29] TO THE METRO STATION ON THAT CORNER
[4:07:35] OF GEORGIA AVENUE. SO THERE ARE A
[4:07:36] LOT OF MOVING PIECES INVOLVED HERE
[4:07:37] WITH SOME
[4:07:40] POTENTIAL CHANGES
[4:07:42] IN FRONTAGES ON THIS ROAD. BUT AS I
[4:07:43] SAID, MUCH OF
[4:07:44] THOSE ARE NOT UNDER CONTROL OF THE
[4:07:46] APPLICANT. >>
[4:07:49] YOU CAN SEE THAT IT BACKS
[4:07:50] UP TO A PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL AREA
[4:07:52] , BUT ACROSS
[4:07:55] THE STREET
[4:07:58] AS PART
[4:08:01] OF AMERICANA CONDOMINIUMS, UC
[4:08:03] THE FORCE GLEN METRO STATION VERY,
[4:08:04] VERY CLOSE TO THIS
[4:08:07] PROPERTY. >>
[4:08:08] ZOOMING IN A BIT, I WANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO
[4:08:10] SOME OF THE ROADS THAT
[4:08:12] WE WILL BE DISCUSSING IN THIS APPLICATION.
[4:08:15] IT INCLUDES SHERWOOD DRIVE, MYRTLE
[4:08:16] ROAD, AND WE HAVE
[4:08:19] FORCE GLEN ROAD, GEORGIAN
[4:08:22] AVENUE OF COURSE,
[4:08:24] SANFORD DRIVE, AND ONCE AGAIN THE
[4:08:29] PLACEMENT OF THE FORCE GLEN METRO
[4:08:31] STATION. >> THE PROPERTY ITSELF
[4:08:32] IS THREE POINT 97 ACRES. CURRENTLY
[4:08:34] IT HOUSES
[4:08:37] A MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING.
[4:08:40] IN JESUS
[4:08:41] ARE ON GEORGIA AVENUE AND FORCE GLEN ROAD.
[4:08:47] THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 0.43 ACRES
[4:08:48] OF FOREST AT THE NORTHERN PORTION.
[4:08:51] THESE ARE SEPARATE INDIVIDUAL LOTS,
[4:08:53] WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS
[4:08:54] WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PRELIMINARY
[4:08:58] PLAN PROCESS. IT WOULD HAVE TO GO
[4:08:59] THROUGH IT ANYWAY FOR ENTITLEMENTS, BUT
[4:09:03] THE CONSOLIDATION PLOTS WILL BE ONE OF
[4:09:07] THE THINGS. I'VE MARKED ON
[4:09:10] THIS AERIAL,
[4:09:22] SOME OF THE TYPOGRAPHIC INFORMATION. BECAUSE
[4:09:23] WHEN WE PRESENT PLANS LIKE THIS, IT
[4:09:24] ALWAYS LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE FLAT, BUT THEY
[4:09:25] ARE NOT. SO, WE'VE GOT APPROXIMATELY
[4:09:26] 20 FEET IN TOPOGRAPHIC CHANGE FROM
[4:09:28] GEORGIA AVENUE TO
[4:09:31] WOODLAND DRIVE.
[4:09:38] IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE ONE
[4:09:39] OF THE THINGS WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT
[4:09:40] IS COMPATIBILITY ALONG WOODLAND
[4:09:41] DRIVE. SO IN THE PREVIOUS PROJECT,
[4:09:42] WE WERE LOOKING AT IT FROM THE OTHER STANDPOINT,
[4:09:43] FOR
[4:09:46] EXAMPLE, IF WE WERE LOOKING AT
[4:09:49] GEORGIA AVENUE
[4:09:52] ,
[4:09:57] COMPATIBILITY WOULD BE EASIER TO ACHIEVE ALONG
[4:09:58] WOODLAND DRIVE
[4:09:59] BECAUSE OF THE HIGHER ELEVATION, YOU
[4:10:00] COULD HAVE A TALLER BUILDING ALONG
[4:10:01] GEORGIA AVENUE.
[4:10:07] BUT THIS JUST GIVES YOU A GENERAL ORIENTATION
[4:10:10] TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY. >> THE PROPOSAL
[4:10:13] IS FOR
[4:10:15] 460,000 SQUARE FEET OF DEVELOPMENT.
[4:10:22] PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL, 455,000
[4:10:23] SQUARE FEET OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOP
[4:10:27] . RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT APPROXIMATELY
[4:10:31] 415 UNITS, BUT ONCE AGAIN, THAT GETS REFINED
[4:10:34] THROUGH THE SITE PLAN PROCESS.
[4:10:37] >>
[4:10:42] THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING 5000 SQUARE FEET OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND
[4:10:43] WE
[4:10:44] ARE LOOKING AT A MAXIMUM OF 80 FEET
[4:10:46] IN HEIGHT JUST SORT OF REGULATING
[4:10:52] , WE'VE GOT
[4:10:55] THIS AS ALL ONE BUILDING. THAT IS TO BE
[4:10:56] THE MAJOR FOCUS OF OUR CONVERSATION.
[4:10:58] WE'VE GOT AN ENTRANCE ON
[4:11:01] GEORGIA AVENUE THAT IS SLIGHTLY TO THE NORTH
[4:11:04] OF THE CURRENT GEORGIA AVENUE ENTRANCE
[4:11:07] . STATE HIGHWAYS GENERALLY
[4:11:10] WILL NOT
[4:11:18] AGREE TO THOSE, BUT IN THIS CASE DID AGREE
[4:11:19] TO AN ENTRANCE ON GEORGIA AVENUE. NO
[4:11:20] ACCESS TO FORCE GLEN ROAD, BUT WE
[4:11:21] DO HAVE AN ENTRANCE ON WOODLAND DRIVE.
[4:11:22] >> THE BUILDING
[4:11:25] WRAPS AROUND A PARKING STRUCTURE THAT
[4:11:28] WILL BE FULLY LAPSED, SO
[4:11:31] NOT VISIBLE, AT ALL. AND THEN THERE'S
[4:11:33] ALSO A COURTYARD WHICH REGULATES THE DESIGN
[4:11:40] OF THE SOUTHERN CHUNK OF THE BUILDING. >>
[4:11:42] ON THE NORTH SIDE, WE'VE GOT A THROUGH
[4:11:46] LOCK CONNECTION FOR
[4:11:51] EASY ACCESS TO GEORGIA AVENUE FROM
[4:11:52] THE PEDESTRIAN AS WELL AS BICYCLE STANDPOINT.
[4:11:54] THEN WE'VE GOT A MAJOR OPEN SPACE
[4:11:58] ON THE FORCE
[4:12:01] GLEN ROAD FACE.
[4:12:04] AND YOU CAN SEE
[4:12:07] THE METRO INTEREST HERE ON THE CORNER. >>
[4:12:10] THE LOBBY, HOWEVER, WILL BE LOCATED ON
[4:12:13] THE GEORGIA AVENUE
[4:12:14] FRONTAGE, AND THE COMMERCIAL AREA
[4:12:16] WOULD BE LOCATED AT THIS SOUTH
[4:12:21] WEST CORNER OF THE BUILDING RIGHT
[4:12:22] AT THE GEORGIA
[4:12:25] AVENUE FORCE GLEN ROAD, SO IT REALLY IS
[4:12:28] TO BE SPEAKING TO
[4:12:31] THAT METRO
[4:12:34] GLEN ENTRANCE. >>
[4:12:37] AS I ALLUDED, THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PIECES HERE.
[4:12:40] SO LOOKING AT CIRCULATION AND TRANSPORTATION, IT
[4:12:42] SHOWS THE FORCE GLEN PASSAGEWAY THAT
[4:12:43] THE COUNTY
[4:12:47] WILL BE CONSTRUCTING THAT IS
[4:12:50] IN PROCESS
[4:12:53] OF DESIGN. WE
[4:12:56] HAVE HAD
[4:13:00] A MANDATORY REFERRAL ON THIS ALREADY, THERE
[4:13:01] HAS BEEN A LOT OF COORDINATION ON THIS
[4:13:02] PROJECT AND IT
[4:13:03] SHOWS OUT RELATES TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
[4:13:05] WE HOPE WE'LL
[4:13:13] BE SEEING A MAJOR SYNTHESIS HERE,
[4:13:14] WE ARE ADDING DENSITY
[4:13:15] AT THE CORNER WITH A METRO STATION ENTRANCE.
[4:13:20] THIS SHOWS THE EXTENT OF THE
[4:13:23] MONTGOMERY HOLDS MARYLAND
[4:13:26] 97 DESIGN PROJECT WHICH
[4:13:29] I SAID IS A STATE HIGHWAYS
[4:13:30] PROJECT, AND IT IS RESPONDING TO A
[4:13:32] REAL NEED FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
[4:13:38] AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS AREA,
[4:13:39] AS WELL AS VEHICULAR SAFETY . JUST
[4:13:41] ACKNOWLEDGING UPFRONT,
[4:13:44] THAT THE GEORGIA AVENUE FORCE
[4:13:47] GLEN ROAD INTERSECTION
[4:13:50] HAS BEEN THE SITE
[4:13:53] OF A NUMBER OF CRASHES,
[4:13:56] AND THIS IS ONE OF THE
[4:13:57] REASONS WHY STATE HIGHWAYS ADMINISTRATION IS
[4:14:02] PROPOSING SOLUTIONS TO
[4:14:05] THIS. >>
[4:14:08] THIS SHOWS THE
[4:14:11] FOREST GLEN
[4:14:13] ROADWAY SIDEWALKS FACILITY THAT HER
[4:14:14] OWN
[4:14:17] BUT APARTMENT
[4:14:25] DISCUSSION ITEMS HAVE BEEN PREVIEWED PREVIOUSLY.
[4:14:29] AND
[4:14:31] THIS ITEM WILL NEED TO COORDINATE WITH
[4:14:32] ALL OF THESE
[4:14:33] PROJECTS AS THEY MOVE FORWARD. ONCE AGAIN
[4:14:35] SPEAKING TO
[4:14:36] THE CIRCULATION AND TRANSPORTATION
[4:14:41] OF
[4:14:43] GEORGIA AVENUE ENTRANCE WILL BE A
[4:14:44] RIDE IN
[4:14:45] RIGHT OUT INTEREST BECAUSE THERE IS
[4:14:47] A BARRIER HERE, THERE
[4:14:48] IS A CONCRETE CURB IN THE MIDDLE OF
[4:14:50] I GUESS
[4:14:55] A PEDESTRIAN REFUGE, IN THE MIDDLE
[4:14:56] OF GEORGIA AVENUE.
[4:14:59] WOODLAND
[4:15:06] DRIVE IS TO BE A FULL MOVEMENT ENTRANCE. THERE
[4:15:07] WILL BE PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS ON
[4:15:08] ALL FRONTAGES. WOODLAND DRIVE
[4:15:10] HAS BEEN FLAGGED AS BEING A GREEN
[4:15:11] WAY FOR CYCLISTS AND
[4:15:14] THAT MEANS THAT IT IS AN ON
[4:15:17] STREET FACILITY. THIS IS NOT A SEPARATE
[4:15:20] BIKEWAY. IT IS AN ON STREET
[4:15:23] FACILITY. >>
[4:15:26] YOU CAN SEE ONCE AGAIN, THIS
[4:15:29] THREE PLOT
[4:15:31] CONNECTION WILL ALLOW FOR FASTER ACCESS
[4:15:32] TO THE
[4:15:35] BUS STOPS
[4:15:38] , AS WELL AS ANOTHER
[4:15:40] WAY TO GET TO THE METRO ENTRANCE. >>
[4:15:44] JUST TO FAMILIARIZE YOU WITH
[4:15:47] THIS AREA, THIS IS LOOKING FROM
[4:15:51] THE SUBJECT PROPERTY ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE,
[4:15:53] AND YOU ARE LOOKING
[4:15:56] DOWN WOODLAND DRIVE TOWARD
[4:15:59] FOREST GLEN
[4:16:02] ROAD. ON YOUR KEY, THAT IS LOOKING,
[4:16:05] THIS WAY. B,
[4:16:08] IS
[4:16:09] SHERWOOD ROAD. YOU CAN SEE HOW NARROW
[4:16:11] IT IS AND WHAT THE PASSAGE WAY
[4:16:13] LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU'VE GOT STREET PARKING
[4:16:17] . AND,
[4:16:20] MYRTLE ROAD WHICH IS
[4:16:23] ALSO FAIRLY NARROW ROAD
[4:16:32] . >> THE WOODLAND FRONTAGE
[4:16:35] WOULD BE IMPROVED TO ADD
[4:16:37] PARALLEL PARKING WHICH WILL HELP SERVE
[4:16:38] TO REDUCE VEHICULAR
[4:16:41] SPEEDS. >> YOU CAN SEE THE
[4:16:44] PROJECT SITE IS OVER HERE, SO WE WILL
[4:16:46] HAVE A SIDEWALK WITH A NICE BUFFER
[4:16:47] , AND THEN
[4:16:50] PARALLEL PARKING, AND TO
[4:16:53] TRAVEL LANES. >>
[4:16:56] IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL
[4:16:57] BE A TRANSPORTATION STUDY, HOWEVER,
[4:16:59] THIS IS LOCATED
[4:17:01] IN A RED POLICY AREA, WHICH MEANS THAT
[4:17:02] THE TRANSPORTATION STUDY
[4:17:05] WILL HAVE A
[4:17:07] MULTIMODAL FOCUS. WE WILL BE LOOKING AT
[4:17:13] OUR PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES, BICYCLE
[4:17:14] FACILITIES, OUR
[4:17:17] BUS STOPS, HOW WELL YOU CAN ACCESS
[4:17:20] PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
[4:17:23] , AS WELL. WE WILL ALSO BE LOOKING FOR
[4:17:25] A CONVERSATION ON TRAFFIC CALMING,
[4:17:26] BECAUSE WE
[4:17:29] DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS
[4:17:32] IS A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.
[4:17:35] IT'S GOT NARROW STREETS. WE
[4:17:38] HAVE A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS HERE . THOSE STREETS DO
[4:17:41] NOT HAVE SIDEWALKS FOR THE MOST
[4:17:44] PART IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. SO YOU HAVE
[4:17:45] SCHOOLCHILDREN, YOU KNOW, WALKING THERE.
[4:17:47] AND WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE PEDESTRIAN
[4:17:50] SAFETY. >>
[4:17:53] THE
[4:17:56] OPEN SPACE TO THE
[4:17:59] SOUTH IS DIVIDED INTO TWO
[4:18:01] MAIN AREAS. WE HAVE A PLAZA THAT REALLY EQUATES
[4:18:05] TO THE METRO ENTRANCE
[4:18:08] AND CONNECTS THE
[4:18:11] PROPOSED RETAIL TO THIS AREA.
[4:18:14] IN FUTURE DESIGN, WE HAVE
[4:18:17] TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THAT
[4:18:19] IS A VERY ACTIVE AREA WITH A LOT OF
[4:18:20] MOVEMENT. THE WHOLE POINT OF PUTTING
[4:18:22] THIS PASSAGE HERE IS TO MAKE THE METRO
[4:18:23] EASIER
[4:18:26] TO ACCESS FOR THE COMMUNITY. >> TO THE
[4:18:29] EAST IS
[4:18:32] MORE SPECIFIC GREEN.
[4:18:34] ALL OF THIS WILL BE FLESHED OUT AS
[4:18:35] WE HAD
[4:18:38] SAID,
[4:18:41] IN FUTURE SITE PLANS. WE
[4:18:44] WANT TO CONVEY CONTENT.
[4:18:50] IN FUTURE COORDINATION, THIS NEEDS TO BE INCREASED
[4:18:53] TO ZERO .5
[4:18:56] ACRES ON SITE. WE HAVE
[4:18:59] A PLAN RECOMMENDATION
[4:19:01] THAT THE PUBLIC SPACE BE 1/2 TO 1
[4:19:02] ACRE, AND WE BELIEVE FOR IT
[4:19:04] TO BE TRULY FUNCTIONAL, IT NEEDS TO BE
[4:19:05] A MINIMUM OF
[4:19:08] ONE HALF ACRE ON-SITE . IT ALSO NEEDS TO BE
[4:19:11] A VERY GREEN SPACE.
[4:19:14] THERE ARE A NUMBER
[4:19:15] OF SECULAR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT SPEAK
[4:19:17] TO THAT, SO WE ARE EXPECTING
[4:19:20] AT SITE PLAN TO SEE A LOT OF MULTI-
[4:19:23] LAYER PLANTINGS USING NATIVE PLANTS. >>
[4:19:26] TO THE NORTH
[4:19:29] WE HAVE OPEN SPACE THAT IS LOCATED
[4:19:32] PRIMARILY OVER A
[4:19:35] EASEMENT.
[4:19:38] THERE'S A
[4:19:42] LARGE WATER LINE AND STORM DRAIN
[4:19:45] LINE THAT RUNS TO THE
[4:19:46] PROPERTY NOW. GENERALLY SPEAKING,
[4:19:47] THOSE CANNOT BE CONSTRUCTED OVER.
[4:19:51] SO
[4:19:54] WHAT WE
[4:19:55] WILL HAVE IS A PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION,
[4:20:01] AND TURN IT INTO A NICE GREEN AREA,
[4:20:03] HOWEVER, IT WILL HAVE TO BE
[4:20:04] DESIGNED SO THAT IT IS SAFE. RIGHT? WE
[4:20:06] WANT TO ENSURE
[4:20:09] THAT
[4:20:12] ACCEPTED
[4:20:15] PRINCIPLES OF
[4:20:21] ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN ARE USED TO MAKE THIS VISIBLE, THAT
[4:20:22] EVERYONE FEELS SAFE AND COMFORTABLE IN,
[4:20:23] AND THAT THE LIGHTING IS APPROPRIATE
[4:20:24] WITHOUT DARK SPOTS.
[4:20:27] AND ONCE AGAIN, IT HAS
[4:20:30] A MULTILAYERED PLANTING PLAN
[4:20:32] USING PRIMARILY NATIVE PLANTINGS.
[4:20:39] THE SITE INCLUDES
[4:20:41] APPROXIMATELY ZERO POINT THREE ACRES
[4:20:45] OF FOREST. THAT HAS A LOT
[4:20:48] OF INVASIVE
[4:20:51] PLANTS
[4:20:52] IN IT. ON THE LEFT YOU CAN SEE AN
[4:20:53] AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH. WHEN YOU LOOK AT
[4:20:54] IT, YOU SAY
[4:20:57] OH HOW GREEN THAT IS.
[4:20:59] THAT'S A NICE BIT OF FORCE. I WOULD AGREE
[4:21:00] WITH YOU.
[4:21:02] UNFORTUNATELY, THE AREA HAS NOT BEEN MAINTAINED.
[4:21:06] AND IT'S GOT A LOT
[4:21:08] OF INVASIVE'S IN IT . IN FACT, WHAT
[4:21:09] YOU
[4:21:12] SEE ARE
[4:21:16] THEIR TREES, I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY THERE
[4:21:17] ARE NOT, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF INVASIVE'S
[4:21:18] GROWING IN
[4:21:19] THAT. SO THE SKETCH PLAN CURRENTLY SHOWS
[4:21:21] THE FOREST
[4:21:24] BEING REMOVED.
[4:21:27] AND PROPOSES TO REPLACE
[4:21:29] THE FOREST WITH ON-SITE PLANTINGS
[4:21:30] THAT
[4:21:33] ARE NATIVE, THAT PROVIDE
[4:21:36] HABITATS, AND FOOD
[4:21:39] FOR WILDLIFE.
[4:21:42] YOU KNOW LITTLE PATCHES OF GREEN
[4:21:44] ARE ACTUALLY VERY IMPORTANT FOR MIGRATING
[4:21:48] BIRDS, FOR EXAMPLE. >>
[4:21:51] OF COURSE THE DETAILS WILL
[4:21:52] BE WORKED OUT THROUGH THE SITE PLAN PROCESS.
[4:21:57] THE SKETCH PLAN ALSO INCLUDES A LARGE AREA
[4:22:00] OF SOLAR PANELS ON THE ROOF TO
[4:22:03] ON-SITE
[4:22:08] ENERGY GENERATION, AND IT WILL HAVE
[4:22:09] TO INCLUDE NOT ONLY
[4:22:10] STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FOR THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO FOR A CHUNK
[4:22:12] OF THE GEORGIA AVENUE
[4:22:18] PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS
[4:22:22] THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS
[4:22:23] WITH STATE HIGHWAYS ABOUT DOING THAT.
[4:22:24] SO,
[4:22:25] THAT'S ANOTHER ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
[4:22:27] THAT
[4:22:30] WILL BE PROPOSED.
[4:22:33] THESE ARE JUST
[4:22:34] A FEW MORE PHOTOGRAPHS OF WHAT THIS
[4:22:35] ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE ON THE GROUND.
[4:22:36] UNFORTUNATELY, THERE
[4:22:39] HAD BEEN SOME TREE REMOVAL
[4:22:42] IN THE PAST
[4:22:43] . IT WAS LONG ENOUGH AGO THAT, I COULDN'T
[4:22:45] TELL YOU WHEN THIS HAPPENED BUT,
[4:22:48] THOSE ARE VERY WEATHERED
[4:22:51] STUMPS. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT
[4:22:53] WE'VE GOT A LOT OF VINES GROWING UP.
[4:22:57] SO, AS I MENTIONED
[4:23:00] EARLIER, OF COURSE,
[4:23:02] CONSERVATION WILL BE ADDRESSED DURING
[4:23:03] FUTURE STAGES, IT
[4:23:06] IS NOT ADDRESSED AT THE SKETCH PLAN. >>
[4:23:09] NOW I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MY
[4:23:12] COLLEAGUE NATOSHA,
[4:23:15] THANK YOU. >>
[4:23:18] HELLO,
[4:23:20] GOOD AFTERNOON. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >>
[4:23:24] I'M SORRY. FOR THE RECORD MY
[4:23:27] NAME IS NATOSHA
[4:23:32] FARNHAM. URBAN DESIGNER WITH THE COUNTY
[4:23:33] DIVISION, AS MY COLLEAGUE AMY MENTIONED THE
[4:23:34] ARCHITECTURE OF THIS MEETING WILL BE
[4:23:38] REVIEWED BY THE STAFF IN DETAIL IN
[4:23:39] THE SITE PLAN
[4:23:42] STAGES HOWEVER
[4:23:50] DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, THE STAFF AND APPLICANT TEAM HAS STARTED THE
[4:23:51] DIALOGUE TO MAKE SURE
[4:23:52] THAT AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
[4:23:53] HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE MAJOR
[4:23:54] TRANSIT STATIONS, WE ENSURE THAT
[4:23:56] WE ACHIEVE A VERY WELL ARTICULATED
[4:24:01] MASSING WITH MAXIMUM HEIGHT ALONG GEORGIA
[4:24:03] AVENUE. >>
[4:24:12] SO WHAT YOU SEE
[4:24:14] ON THE SLIDE HERE SHOWS THE INITIAL
[4:24:15] CONCEPT OF
[4:24:18] THE MASSING ALONG GEORGIA AVENUE
[4:24:21] WHICH INCORPORATES THE
[4:24:24] HIGHEST AMOUNT ALONG
[4:24:27] GEORGIA AVENUE. THIS ELEVATION PROPOSAL
[4:24:30] IS AROUND 500 FEET
[4:24:32] LONG, AND SEC WITH A DIFFERENT COLOR
[4:24:36] ON THE SCREEN SHOWS HOW
[4:24:39] THE CLASSES WILL BE DIVIDED INTO THE SMALLER PORTION
[4:24:41] WITH DIFFERENT ARTICULATION, DIFFERENT
[4:24:45] BUILDING MATERIAL, COLORS, AND SETBACKS. SO
[4:24:48] AS IS SHOWN
[4:24:51] IN THE GREED FACADE FIVE,
[4:24:52] WRAPS THE CORNER AROUND GEORGIA AVENUE
[4:24:54] ON FORCE GLENN. IT'S
[4:24:56] THE COMMERCIAL COMPONENT OF THE GROUND.
[4:25:02] THAT WE EXPLAINED BEFORE. ALSO THIS
[4:25:03] CORNER OFFERS THE GATEWAY
[4:25:06] FEATURE AS THE ARCHITECTURE ELEMENT
[4:25:09] OF THE PROMINENT CORNER. AS WE WALK NORTH
[4:25:12] ALONG GEORGIA AVENUE, FACADE SIX, WHICH
[4:25:15] IS HIGHLIGHTED IN ORANGE,
[4:25:18] OFFERS THE LOBULAR EDUCATION WITH
[4:25:21] THE
[4:25:23] BREAK WITH FACADE FIVE AND SEVEN.
[4:25:24] AS
[4:25:27] WE APPROACH TOWARD
[4:25:29] THE NORTHERN END OF THIS BUILDING
[4:25:30] , FACADE EIGHT,
[4:25:33] IN LIGHT PURPLE,
[4:25:36] IT OFFERS
[4:25:39] GETTING TO THE END OF THE BUILDING
[4:25:42] AND AREA THAT THE STAFF WOULD
[4:25:44] LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE
[4:25:45] SET BACK TO TRANSITION THIS
[4:25:48] BUILDING TO THE EXISTING SMALL
[4:25:51] SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES
[4:25:54] ALONG GEORGIA AVENUE. >>
[4:25:57] SO THIS IMAGE SHOWS
[4:26:06] WHAT THE APPLICANT HAS PROPOSED FOR THE
[4:26:07] BUILDING ALONG WOODLAND DRIVE. STAFF
[4:26:08] HAD SOME CONCERN, WE TRIED TO CREATE
[4:26:09] A BETTER TRANSITION INTO THE SINGLE-FAMILY COMMUNITY
[4:26:11] BY PROPOSING THE CONDITIONS THAT YOU
[4:26:12] SEE ON THE STAFF REPORT.
[4:26:15] THESE CONDITIONS HELP THE APPLICANT
[4:26:18] TO CREATE ARTICULATION,
[4:26:24] AND SOFTEN THE MASSES ALONG THE FRONTAGE, AND YOU
[4:26:26] CAN SEE ON THE SKETCHES THE IMAGE,
[4:26:27] AS SHOWN.
[4:26:32] SO THE SLIDE THAT YOU ARE SEEING,
[4:26:33] THESE ARE SOME OF THE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT
[4:26:35] THE STAFF HAS BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THE
[4:26:37] STAFF AND BOARD AND I CAN
[4:26:40] SUMMARIZE IT. ONE
[4:26:41] ASPECT WOULD BE MINIMIZING THE HEIGHT ALONG
[4:26:43] WOODLAND DRIVE
[4:26:46] TO 35 FOOT TALL. TO
[4:26:49] CREATE A
[4:26:51] TOWNHOME STYLE MASSING, WHICH WE BELIEVE WOULD
[4:26:52] BE
[4:26:54] MORE COMPATIBLE WITH EXISTING SINGLE-FAMILY
[4:26:55] HOMES. SO
[4:26:56] YOU WILL SEE THAT MARK IN THE YELLOW
[4:26:58] AND THE BLUE.
[4:27:01] THAT IS THE MASSING ALONG
[4:27:03] WOODLAND DRIVE. WE DON'T WANT TO SEE
[4:27:07] ANY HEIGHT MORE THAN 35 FEET
[4:27:10] BEFORE INTRODUCING ANY SETBACK. THE OTHER CONDITION THAT WE WOULD
[4:27:12] LIKE TO EMPHASIZE FOR THE FUTURE,
[4:27:15] ON THE SITE PLAN IS PROVIDING MORE
[4:27:17] GAPS BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT PORTIONS
[4:27:19] OF
[4:27:22] THIS BUILDING TO CLEARLY CREATE
[4:27:25] A DIFFERENT MASSING
[4:27:27] ALONG THIS LONG FACADE AS MENTIONED
[4:27:28] ABOUT
[4:27:31] 500 FEET. THE
[4:27:34] OTHER CONDITION TO TALK ABOUT
[4:27:35] HIS SETBACKS ALONG THE NORTHERN EDGE
[4:27:37] OF THE BUILDING THAT
[4:27:40] IS BEING POINTED AT IN
[4:27:43] PURPLE AT FACADE ONE WHICH
[4:27:46] WE ARE CONDITIONED TO MAKE SURE THAT
[4:27:48] IT IS SETBACK 30 FEET FROM THE MAJORITY
[4:27:52] OF THE REST OF THE BUILDING.
[4:27:54] WE ARE CREATING A SMALL OPEN SPACE
[4:27:55] AT THE END OF THE
[4:27:58] TRUE BLOCK PICTURE THAT AMY
[4:28:00] EXPLAINED PRIOR, THAT TRUE BLOCK CONNECTION CREATED
[4:28:04] A CONNECTION WITH GEORGIA
[4:28:06] AVENUE AND WOODLAND DRIVE, AND WE THOUGHT
[4:28:12] SETTING THE BUILDING BACK WOULD CREATE
[4:28:13] A BETTER TRANSITION TO THE HOUSING
[4:28:15] THAT IS SITTING NEXT TO IT ON FOR
[4:28:16] 60 ON THE NORTHERN SIDE.
[4:28:19] ALSO, CREATING AN ALTERNATIVE FOR
[4:28:22] PROVIDING A SMALL
[4:28:23] GATHERING SPACE AND LANDSCAPING DEBATE JUST
[4:28:29] JUST FOR THE GATHERING FOR FUTURE
[4:28:31] RESIDENTS. >>
[4:28:33] WHAT YOU SEE IN THE SLIDE ARE THE
[4:28:35] BUILDING SECTIONS, THE SECTION THROUGH
[4:28:37] THE BUILDING THAT SHOWS WOODLAND DRIVE
[4:28:40] AND THE LOWER ELEVATION, AND
[4:28:42] ON YOUR RIGHT-HAND SIDE, AND IN THE
[4:28:43] BUILDING FACING
[4:28:45] THE GEORGIA AVENUE RIGHT-HAND SIDE.
[4:28:48] THESE TWO SECTIONS COMPARE WHAT HAS BEEN
[4:28:49] PROPOSED,
[4:28:52] AND WHAT STAFF IS TRYING TO
[4:28:55] ACHIEVE THROUGH THE
[4:28:58] STAFFING
[4:28:59] REPORT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
[4:29:00] THE MASSING IS MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS
[4:29:01] SLIDE WILL BE MINIMIZED
[4:29:02] TO THE 35 FOOT TALL ALONG WOODLAND
[4:29:04] DRIVE, AND THEN SETTING BACK
[4:29:07] IF MASSING WOULD OCCUR
[4:29:10] IN THE SETBACK OF A
[4:29:12] MINIMUM 12 FEET WHICH YOU WANT TO
[4:29:13] SEE, AND WOULD
[4:29:16] BE NOTICED ON WOODLAND DRIVE
[4:29:19] BY ADJACENT NEIGHBORS. >>
[4:29:21] THIS SLIDE YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THE
[4:29:24] PRESENT IMAGES THAT WE WOULD LIKE
[4:29:25] THE
[4:29:28] STAFF TO HELP
[4:29:32] IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE STAFF IS TRYING
[4:29:33] TO ACHIEVE THROUGH THE CONDITIONS. SO
[4:29:34] THERE ARE ARCHITECTURAL
[4:29:36] ELEMENTS THAT CAN MINIMIZE THE IMPACT
[4:29:37] OF THE
[4:29:40] MASSING
[4:29:46] BUILDING
[4:29:47] AND RESIDENTIAL ROW. ELEMENTS OF THE BUILDING
[4:29:48] CAN BE LIKE INDIVIDUAL ENTRYWAY INTO
[4:29:49] THE
[4:29:50] GROUND FLOOR, CANOPIES AND SIGNAGE FOR THOSE
[4:29:52] INDIVIDUAL UNITS,
[4:29:54] SMALL LANDSCAPING AREAS THAT DIFFERENTIATE
[4:29:57] AND DELINEATE LIKE INDIVIDUAL UNITS
[4:30:03] ON THE GROUND, ALL OF THESE ARE THE ELEMENTS
[4:30:04] THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE APPLIED
[4:30:05] TO THE BUILDING FACING WOODLAND DRIVE
[4:30:07] TO HELP SMOOTH THE TRANSITION
[4:30:10] IN THE EXISTING
[4:30:11] NEIGHBORHOOD. AS MENTIONED, AGAIN,
[4:30:15] STAFF HAS PROVIDED THE CONDITION IN
[4:30:16] THE STAFF REPORT TO
[4:30:19] MAKE SURE
[4:30:21] --TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A VERY WELL
[4:30:22] ARTICULATED BUILDING
[4:30:25] ALONG GEORGIA AVENUE, AND FORCE
[4:30:27] GLENN, AND ALSO GREAT TRANSITION TO THE
[4:30:28] SINGLE-FAMILY AND ALL
[4:30:31] OF THAT. THE STAFF
[4:30:32] IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH
[4:30:34] ADVOCATES IN
[4:30:37] FUTURE PHASES TO ENSURE THIS. AND
[4:30:40] THANK YOU I WILL GIVE IT BACK TO AMY. >>
[4:30:43] THANK YOU, NATOSHA. >>
[4:30:46] SO
[4:30:49] THIS SITE IS PART OF
[4:30:52] --
[4:30:54] IS LOCATED IN THE FORCE GLENN MONTGOMERY
[4:30:55] HILLS SECTOR PLAN
[4:30:58] THAT WAS APPROVED IN MARCH
[4:31:00] OF 2020. THIS IS THE FIRST PROJECT
[4:31:01] TO COME IN
[4:31:04] IN THIS AREA.
[4:31:07] THERE WAS ONE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
[4:31:10] PROJECT THAT CAME IN WHILE THE SECTOR
[4:31:13] PLAN WAS STILL IN PROCESS. BUT
[4:31:16] THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR PROJECT TO COME IN
[4:31:17] IN THIS SECTOR PLAN WHICH WE ARE VERY
[4:31:19] HAPPY TO SEE BECAUSE,
[4:31:22] WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS.
[4:31:25] WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS
[4:31:28] REDEVELOP FOR HIRE USES NEAR
[4:31:31] THE METRO. >> SO THE SECTOR PLAN
[4:31:34] HAS A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS
[4:31:37] .
[4:31:42] I WILL NOT GO INTO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF
[4:31:43] THEM, BUT I WANT TO
[4:31:45] HIGHLIGHT A FEW. SO, THE FIRST HAS
[4:31:46] TO DO WITH REZONING.
[4:31:49] BUT THE PURPOSE OF THE REZONING
[4:31:52] WAS TO DO.
[4:32:07] MIXED-USE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AT
[4:32:08] THE METRO TRANSIT STATION. THAT IS WHAT
[4:32:10] WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE. WHILE THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT, WE WOULD
[4:32:11] LIKE TO SEE CHANGES TO EMPHASIZE THE
[4:32:13] MIXED USE OF TRANSMIT WHICH WILL MAKE IT MORE OF A PEDESTRIAN
[4:32:14] ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT. SO THAT IS THE
[4:32:16] PURPOSE OF A NUMBER OF OUR CONDITIONS. >>
[4:32:18] THIS IS THE EXAMPLE THAT WAS GIVEN
[4:32:22] IN THE SECTOR PLAN.
[4:32:28] THE SECTOR
[4:32:31] PLAN ALSO LOOKED TO CONCENTRATE THE
[4:32:34] BUILDING HEIGHT DENSITY NEAR THAT
[4:32:41] GEORGIA AVENUE/FORCE GLENN ROAD
[4:32:43] INTERSECTION WITH TRANSITIONS. WE
[4:32:44] JUST TALK ABOUT THE
[4:32:47] TRANSITIONS. AND,
[4:32:48] THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DEVELOPMENT, AND
[4:32:53] THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD. >>
[4:32:57] IT ALSO, THE SECTOR PLAN POINTS TO
[4:32:59] AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
[4:33:00] AND HABITAT PRESERVATION. THE DEVELOPMENT
[4:33:03] DOES PROVIDE
[4:33:06] 15% MODERATELY PLIES DWELLING UNITS,
[4:33:08] BUT IT DOES NOT PROVIDE
[4:33:11] FOR HABITAT PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION, INSTEAD
[4:33:14] IT INCORPORATES NEW
[4:33:15] VEGETATED AREAS INTO THE DEVELOPMENT. >>
[4:33:20] THE SECTOR PLAN
[4:33:23] IS ALSO LOOKING FOR THREE
[4:33:26] BEDROOM USING 'S
[4:33:27] AND OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHICH
[4:33:28] IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED
[4:33:32] IN FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AS WE
[4:33:36] MOVE FORWARD.
[4:33:39] WE'VE TALKED A BIT ABOUT THIS WITH
[4:33:40] THE REMNANT FOREST, AND PROVIDING
[4:33:44] AREAS OF EQUAL ENVIRONMENTAL
[4:33:47] BENEFIT ON-SITE.
[4:33:50] THERE IS
[4:33:52] --THE SECTOR PLAN DOES INCLUDE A RECOMMENDATION FOR
[4:33:55] AN ON-SITE DROP-OFF AND PICKUP AREA
[4:33:59] FOR TRANSIT
[4:34:04] USERS ACCESSIBLE FROM WOODLAND DRIVE.
[4:34:05] THE SKETCH PLAN SHOWS A DROP OFF
[4:34:06] THEORY ON WOODLAND DRIVE NOT WITHIN
[4:34:08] THE PROPERTY. >> SO THAT IS
[4:34:10] ONE POINT THAT IS DIFFERENT, HOWEVER, IN
[4:34:11] WORKING THROUGH
[4:34:12] THIS WITH THE APPLICANT, BRINGING
[4:34:17] THE DROP OFF AREA FURTHER INTO THE PROPERTY,
[4:34:20] WOULD ENCOURAGE MORE TRAFFIC
[4:34:23] INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
[4:34:26] BECAUSE THE DROP OFF AREA WOULD BE
[4:34:29] WITHIN THE PARKING GARAGE.
[4:34:32] >> SO, THE ON-SITE
[4:34:35] , THE ON SEAT
[4:34:38] DROP OFF AREA. WAS
[4:34:41] THROUGH CONSIDERATION WHERE
[4:34:47] --WHAT THE
[4:34:50] PLAN SHOWS. >> WE PROVIDED CONDITIONS
[4:34:53] TO PROVIDE FOR SIZE AND SCALE COMPATIBILITY
[4:34:56] . WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE
[4:34:59] CIVIC GREEN URBAN PARK.
[4:35:06] THE SECTOR PLAN ALSO POINTS TO PRODUCING
[4:35:09] PARKING TO THE MAXIMUM
[4:35:11] EXTENT POSSIBLE. AND THAT IS SOMETHING
[4:35:12] WE WILL BE LOOKING
[4:35:14] FOR THROUGH THE SITE PLAN. YOUR BUILDING
[4:35:15] RIGHT ON TOP OF A
[4:35:18] METRO STATION
[4:35:19] ENTRANCE, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
[4:35:21] LESS PARKING. >>
[4:35:24] PUBLIC BENEFIT POINTS,
[4:35:27] THERE ARE
[4:35:28] ONLY REQUIRED 50 , BUT THEY ARE PROVIDING
[4:35:30] A 25. TRANSIT
[4:35:33] PROXIMITY,
[4:35:34] THROUGH BLOCK CONNECTIONS, MODERATELY PRICED
[4:35:36] DWELLING UNITS,
[4:35:39] THE ARCHITECTURAL
[4:35:44] ELEVATIONS APPROVED AT SITE PLAN, WILL
[4:35:45] BE BINDING, SO THEY HAVE COMMITTED
[4:35:47] TO THAT. STRUCTURED PARKING, ALL OF
[4:35:48] THE PARKING IS
[4:35:49] STRUCTURED, THERE WILL BE NO SURFACE
[4:35:51] PARKING, THE TOWER STEP BACK,
[4:35:57] WILL PROVIDE A COOL ROOF, GENERATING ENERGY,
[4:35:59] AND PROVIDING A LARGER VEGETATED AREA
[4:36:02] ARE ALL PUBLIC BENEFIT POINT
[4:36:05] SCHEDULES.
[4:36:08] >> WE HAD A LOT
[4:36:11] OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH ON THIS.
[4:36:12] WITH MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH COMMUNITY
[4:36:13] GROUPS, AND INDIVIDUALS. I BELIEVE
[4:36:17] YOU'VE RECEIVED THE 400
[4:36:20] PAGES OF EMAIL, PROXIMATELY.
[4:36:23] IN THE COMMUNITIES HERE, SO I'M NOT
[4:36:25] GOING TO TRY TO SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT
[4:36:35] JUST
[4:36:36] TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR ISSUES WOULD BE
[4:36:37] THE WOODLAND DRIVE INTEREST, THE TRAFFIC IMPACT
[4:36:38] ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, SCALE AND COMPATIBILITY,
[4:36:39] LOSS OF FOREST, THE AMOUNT OF PARKING PROVIDED,
[4:36:40] ISSUES WITH THE PROCESS. ISSUES WITH
[4:36:41] THE APPLICANT,
[4:36:44] THE AMOUNT OF OPEN SPACE
[4:36:46] BEING PROVIDED. SECTOR PLAN COMPLIANCE,
[4:36:47] AND WE HEARD
[4:36:50] ABOUT POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO
[4:36:52] EXISTING UTILITIES. THERE ARE SOME
[4:36:53] QUESTIONS ABOUT
[4:37:00] THE STABILITY OF SOME OF THOSE
[4:37:02] UTILITY LINES, ALL OF WHICH CAN BE
[4:37:03] INVESTIGATED AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE
[4:37:06] PROCESS. >>
[4:37:07] THE AMOUNT OF THE RETAIL PROPOSED.
[4:37:09] SOME OF THE LETTERS INDICATED THAT THE
[4:37:11] CITIZENS WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE RETAIL.
[4:37:15] ISSUES WITH POTENTIAL CRIME AND
[4:37:18] THE IMPACTS TO THE SCHOOL
[4:37:20] SYSTEM THAT WAS MENTIONED WILL BE COVERED
[4:37:21] IN THE PRELIMINARY PLAN.
[4:37:27] >> NOW THE DREADED CORRECTIONS PLAN. ON PAGE
[4:37:30] 16 WE STATE THAT THERE ZERO
[4:37:31] ACCESS TUNNEL WILL BE CONSTRUCTED
[4:37:33] BY THE APPLICANT, BUT IT IS NOT
[4:37:36] . IT
[4:37:37] IS A D.O.T. PROJECT. ON PAGE 18 WE
[4:37:39] HAVE SOME CORRECTIONS ABOUT THE TRANSIT SECTION
[4:37:42] ADEQUACY. YOU WILL SEE THAT IN FRONT
[4:37:44] OF YOU. >> THOSE ARE NOT CONDITIONS.
[4:37:47] BUT THEY ARE PART OF THE STAFF REPORT. >>
[4:37:51] AND FINALLY, ON
[4:37:54] PAGE 31, THE PRIEST MIDDLE MEETING
[4:37:56] WAS NOT HELD VIRTUALLY, THAT WAS AN
[4:37:57] IN PERSON MEETING AT SLIGO
[4:38:00] MIDDLE SCHOOL.
[4:38:02] AND WITH THAT, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL
[4:38:03] WITH CONDITIONS
[4:38:05] AS ENUMERATED IN THE STAFF REPORT, AND
[4:38:09] AS MODIFIED HEREIN. >>
[4:38:12] THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'M SURE WILL
[4:38:13] HAVE QUESTIONS LATER. BUT WE WILL
[4:38:15] HEAR FROM THOSE IN
[4:38:18] ATTENDANCE HERE .
[4:38:20] I WILL CALL HER FIVE NAMES, IF YOU
[4:38:21] COME UP ,
[4:38:24] INDIVIDUALS WILL
[4:38:27] GET THREE MINUTES, JUST LIKE THE MAIN MEETING.
[4:38:30] THERE WILL BE A CLOCK FOR YOU. EXCEPT
[4:38:33] THEY ONLY HAD 15 SECONDS BETWEEN PITCHES.
[4:38:36] IF
[4:38:39] WARREN SPEISER, JEFFREY EARNING,
[4:38:42] DENNIS RYAN, MICHAEL SITTER OFF,
[4:38:45] AND ROBERT
[4:38:48] [ INDISCERNIBLE ] . I'M
[4:38:53] SURE I MURDERED THOSE NAMES, BUT FORGIVE
[4:38:54] ME. >>
[4:38:59] WITH MY NAME, I ALWAYS ASK FORGIVENESS.
[4:39:01] >> I TELL PEOPLE
[4:39:04] IT'S LIKE SMITH, ONLY
[4:39:07] DIFFERENT. >> YES.
[4:39:10] MR. BAEZA, IF YOU COULD --
[4:39:18] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANKS SO
[4:39:19] MUCH TO AMY AND
[4:39:20] LIZZIE FOR REVIEWING CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PROJECTS AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS.
[4:39:22] INDEED, THE CONCERN SHE
[4:39:23] RAISED ECHO MANY OF THE CONCERNS OF RESIDENTS
[4:39:25] OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I'M
[4:39:28] LAWRENCE PAGE, I'M A
[4:39:31] STRONG SUPPORTER OF RATIONAL AND APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT. AS YOU
[4:39:34] POINTED OUT
[4:39:37] SO, I THINK DEVELOPING
[4:39:40] RESIDENTIAL AREAS ADJACENT TO METRO
[4:39:43] STATIONS HAS BEEN COMPELLING.
[4:39:46] THIS IS WHAT WE ALL WANT TO SEE.
[4:39:52] HOWEVER, I
[4:39:53] THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT THE DEVELOPMENT IS
[4:39:54] TAILORED TO AND INTEGRATED WITH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. SO NEW
[4:39:55] BUILDINGS, LIKE THIS
[4:39:58] ONE TODAY,
[4:40:00] LINDA SEAMLESSLY AS POSSIBLE WITH
[4:40:01] HOMES ALREADY IN PLACE. ACCORDINGLY,
[4:40:02] I WISH TO REGISTER MAJOR CONCERNS
[4:40:04] ABOUT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
[4:40:07] IT
[4:40:08] FAILS TO MEET ANY OF THESE CRITERIA
[4:40:09] AND RAISES A HOST OF ADDITIONAL ISSUES. THE
[4:40:10] DEVELOPER
[4:40:11] PROPOSES TO INTRODUCE THIS APARTMENT
[4:40:16] IN AN 80-YEAR-OLD
[4:40:17] NEIGHBORHOOD OF SMALL SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES
[4:40:18] WITHOUT ANY REGARD FOR THE IMPACT
[4:40:19] THAT THIS CHANGE MIGHT
[4:40:21] HAVE ON CURRENT RESIDENCE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
[4:40:25] IN FACT, THE PLAN CALLS
[4:40:27] FOR BUILDINGS IN THESE AREAS TO BE
[4:40:33] COMPATIBLE WITH THAT IN THE EXISTING COMMUNITY.
[4:40:34] ALTHOUGH THE DEVELOPER
[4:40:36] CLAIMS TO HAVE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT
[4:40:37] FROM THE COMMUNITY, THIS
[4:40:40] IS NOT TRUE. THE 400 PAGES
[4:40:42] ARE MOSTLY IN OPPOSITION TO THIS PLAN
[4:40:46] SHOULD CONVINCE YOU OF THAT.
[4:40:48] THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO CONSULTATION WITH
[4:40:52] CURRENT RESIDENCE ON SCOPE AND
[4:40:53] DESIGN OF THE BUILDING. MOREOVER ALL
[4:40:55] OVER THE BUILDING WILL
[4:40:58] BE SITUATED NEAR THE
[4:41:01] FOREST
[4:41:04] GLEN METRO STATION.
[4:41:07] ALTHOUGH THE SECTOR PLAN,
[4:41:10] AS
[4:41:11] WAS MENTIONED, THE SECTOR PLAN RECOMMENDS A
[4:41:12] REDUCTION IN PARKING TO THE GREATEST SIX
[4:41:13] POSSIBLE
[4:41:15] TO ENCOURAGE USE OF THE METROWEST TRANSPORTATION.
[4:41:18] IN THIS LAST ISSUE, THE PARKING OF
[4:41:19] CARS IS THE
[4:41:22] GREATEST CONCERN TO US AND THE
[4:41:25] SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.
[4:41:31] INTRODUCTION OF THESE 400
[4:41:32] ADDITIONAL CARS, OR EVEN MORE INTO AN
[4:41:33] AREA WHERE TRAFFIC IS ALREADY EXTREMELY CONGESTED, FURTHERMORE THE MAIN ACCESS
[4:41:34] TO THE PROPOSED
[4:41:36] BUILDING ARISE IS GOOD TO BE ON WOODLAND AVENUE
[4:41:39] WHICH WE'VE SEEN SKETCHES OF TO A
[4:41:40] RELATIVELY
[4:41:42] QUIET STREET YOU SPITE COMMUTERS WALKING
[4:41:46] TO THE
[4:41:47] METRO STATION AND CHILDREN WALKING
[4:41:48] ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL. IN ADDITION
[4:41:49] ON DAYS
[4:41:53] CARS, WILL DOUBTLESS JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY
[4:41:55] OF PEDESTRIANS.
[4:41:57] ALSO MANY STREETS ADJACENT TO THE PROPOSED
[4:41:58] PLACES WHERE
[4:42:01] PEOPLE LIVE ARE QUITE
[4:42:04] NARROW. >>
[4:42:06] THIS MASSIVE INFUSION OF NEW TRAFFIC
[4:42:07] IN THESE AREAS AND NARROW
[4:42:08] STREETS WILL SURELY VERY SHORTLY LEAD
[4:42:10] TO SIGNIFICANT
[4:42:15] INCREASE IN COLLISIONS WITH CARS AND PEOPLE AT
[4:42:16] THE INTERSECTIONS OF CARS WITH THEM
[4:42:17] INTRODUCED ONTO THE STREET. DESPITE
[4:42:19] THE SIGNIFICANT
[4:42:20] CONCERNS EXPRESSED MANY TIMES, DEVELOPERS
[4:42:22] RESIST THE COMMISSIONERS
[4:42:27] DO A TRAFFIC STUDY WHICH WE THINK IS
[4:42:28] ESSENTIAL FOR THE FEASIBILITY AND
[4:42:29] OVERALL SAFETY OF THIS PROJECT AM
[4:42:31] I GETTING CUT OFF? >>
[4:42:34] IN
[4:42:37] SUM, WE HAVE CONCERNS.
[4:42:40] AND WE HAVE MANY CONCERNS
[4:42:42] THAT AMY RAISED, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT,
[4:42:45] AMY, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. >>
[4:42:46] THANK YOU.
[4:42:49] >>
[4:42:52] I ALSO HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT I WOULD LIKE
[4:42:54] THAT PROJECTED. I'D LIKE TO THANK
[4:42:55] THE BOARD.
[4:43:10] I AM PLANNING TO ADDRESS
[4:43:13] THE MATTERS MY NEIGHBOR ADDRESS.
[4:43:15] SPECIFICALLY THE CONGESTION AND TO
[4:43:16] SHOW THE CONTEXT FOR THE
[4:43:19] AMOUNT OF CONGESTION
[4:43:23] THAT 400 ADDITIONAL UNITS OF APARTMENTS
[4:43:25] WITH CARS ASSOCIATED WITH 400 ADDITIONAL UNITS WILL CAUSE. THIS IS TO
[4:43:28] BOLSTER THE POINT THAT THE
[4:43:31] WOODLAND DRIVE ENTRANCE, WILL BE ABLE TO
[4:43:34] MITIGATE THIS AS CURRENTLY PROPOSED.
[4:43:37] AS YOU SEE THAT RED DOT,
[4:43:47] IT LOOKS EAST ON FOREST GLEN ROAD,
[4:43:48] THIS IS WHAT NEARLY EVERY MORNING,
[4:43:49] FOREST GLEN HEADING UP TO GEORGIA AVENUE LOOKS
[4:43:51] LIKE. IF YOU ZOOM IN THERE, YOU CAN
[4:43:52] SEE THAT THE TRAFFIC REACHES NEARLY ALL THE WAY
[4:43:54] BACK. RECENTLY, INC. PREPARATION FOR
[4:43:55] THE MEETING, TOOK ANOTHER PHOTO. THIS IS RUSH-HOUR. TRAFFIC
[4:43:58] BACKED UP ALL THE WAY
[4:44:04] TO HOLY CROSS
[4:44:05] HOSPITAL. YOU SEE THIS REDLINE NOW
[4:44:06] WE ARE LOOKING WESTWARD ON FOREST GLEN, WE
[4:44:07] SEE GEORGIA TRANSIT FROM LEFT
[4:44:09] TO RIGHT. TRAFFIC BACKS UP THERE AND LOGICALLY CAUSES
[4:44:10] TRAFFIC TO
[4:44:13] BACK UP ON THE WOODLAND AVENUE ENTRANCE
[4:44:15] THE CURRENT STATE, I WANTED TO PICK
[4:44:18] IS VERY FREQUENTLY, THESE ARE THE LANES
[4:44:19] FROM EAST
[4:44:22] TO WEST. HE SAID THE NORTH FACING
[4:44:24] ARROW, THAT LEADS UP TO GEORGIA AVENUE FROM
[4:44:33] FOUR SLIM, SO IF YOU ARE A CAR ON
[4:44:35] GEORGIA AVENUE AND YOU WANT TO GET
[4:44:36] TO 495, SEEMS PRETTY SIMPLE WITHOUT CONGESTION,
[4:44:42] ONCE THAT CONGESTION HAS THREE LANES GOING
[4:44:43] WEST AND MULTIPLE LANES COMING EAST,
[4:44:44] IT IS A NIGHTMARE. THE
[4:44:45] SAME IF YOU WANT TO GO GEORGIA AVENUE SOUTH. >>
[4:44:47] OR IF YOU WOULD GO EAST ON
[4:44:50] FOREST GLEN, I'M NOT MAKING
[4:44:53] THIS UP.
[4:44:54] THIS IS WHAT EVERYDAY LOOKS LIKE.
[4:44:56] ADDING 400 CARS TO THIS
[4:44:59] INTERSECTION WILL
[4:45:02] CAUSE COLLISIONS DUE
[4:45:05] TO ALL THESE LINES OF TRAFFIC.
[4:45:07] ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 400 CARS THIS
[4:45:08] INTERSECTION, COMMON
[4:45:11] SENSE WOULD HAVE TRAFFIC BACKUP
[4:45:15] ON WOODLAND ARRIVES, AN UNIMPROVED RESIDENTIAL
[4:45:16] STREET. WHAT'S CAN HAPPEN IF YOU HAVE
[4:45:17] TRAFFIC ON
[4:45:20] WOODLAND DRIVE,
[4:45:22] RESIDENCE COMING AND GOING DURING RUSH
[4:45:23] HOUR THEY CAN RECEIVE
[4:45:24] THESE TWO ROWS IN DRIVE ON SHERWOOD
[4:45:25] DRIVE TO GET AROUND THE TRAFFIC. IF
[4:45:29] THEY GO EAST ON FOREST GLEN,
[4:45:31] THEY ARE GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO DAMRON,
[4:45:34] AND PUT ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC ONTO THESE
[4:45:35] MINOR ROADS,
[4:45:38] OR IF THEY ARE COMING HOME AND TRAFFIC
[4:45:40] HAS CEASED ON NORTH GEORGIA AVENUE
[4:45:41] THEY
[4:45:42] CUT ACROSS THE OTHER WEIGHT TO GET
[4:45:44] TO THE
[4:45:47] WOODLAND DRIVE ENTRANCE.
[4:45:50] OR THEY GO TO TILTON, ANOTHER IS EXTRAORDINARILY
[4:45:56] NARROW ROAD.
[4:45:57] THIS IS WHERE THE EXTRA CAPACITY IS
[4:45:58] GOING TO FLOW, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT I
[4:45:59] DO SOMETIMES GET AROUND TOWN TRAFFIC. THESE ARE JUST
[4:46:01] LINES OF THE ROAD. THESE ARE THE NARROW
[4:46:02] STREETS. IF YOU LOOK AT THAT
[4:46:05] NOW, THERE'S
[4:46:07] NARROW STREETS WHERE MY DAUGHTER WILL WALK
[4:46:11] AND BIKE TO SCHOOL.
[4:46:12] THIS IS WHERE WE ALREADY BIKE AND WALK
[4:46:14] TO AMENITIES
[4:46:16] AND METRO. WITH THE WOODLAND DRIVE
[4:46:17] ENTRANCE THAT HAS
[4:46:20] TO ADD 500 MORE
[4:46:23] CARS TO MITIGATE THESE RISKS,
[4:46:25] REDUCE THE NUMBER OF UNITS OR CARS
[4:46:26] AS THIS DEVELOPMENT
[4:46:29] PROCEEDS.
[4:46:30] PUTTING THAT NUMBER OF CARS NEXT TO
[4:46:32] THE METRO, DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.
[4:46:35] SO I'D LIKE TO ASK
[4:46:38] FOR
[4:46:41] A REJECT AND REQUIRE THOSE
[4:46:43] ITEMS IN FUTURE PROPOSALS. THANK YOU.
[4:46:44] DENNIS,
[4:46:47] O'BRIEN? >>
[4:46:50] DENNIS? >>
[4:47:17] PLEASE
[4:47:20] PROCEED. >>
[4:47:23] THANK YOU FOR
[4:47:24] THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. CATHERINE
[4:47:26] AND I ARE 38 YEAR RESIDENCE
[4:47:29] OF 9810 FOREST CODE DRIVE 700
[4:47:32] FEET DUE EAST OF THE
[4:47:38] PROPOSED
[4:47:39] DEVELOPMENT. WE LOSE OUR CHILDREN
[4:47:40] HERE, LOVE THE AREA, KNOW THE AREA VERY
[4:47:41] WELL. THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE.
[4:47:42] I WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME TALKING
[4:47:44] ABOUT RESPECT.
[4:47:45] AS IT APPLIES TO DEVELOPERS SUBMITTED
[4:47:47] SKETCH PLAN,
[4:47:53] OXFORD DICTIONARY DEFINES IT AS GIVEN DULY REGARD TO THE
[4:47:54] CONCERNS, FEELING, WISHES AND RIGHTS OF OTHERS.
[4:47:56] SIMPLY PUT. THE SKETCH PLAN DOES NOT
[4:47:58] WHATSOEVER RESPECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S
[4:47:59] CHARACTER, AND THE CONCERNS AND RIGHTS
[4:48:01] OF IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS
[4:48:13] . IT FAILS TO INCORPORATE AND FAILS ON
[4:48:14] ALL COUNTS TO INCORPORATE COMPATIBILITY. >> SPECIFICALLY,
[4:48:15] IT INCREASES, NOT REDUCES, AS THE
[4:48:16] SECTOR PLAN DEMANDS THE HEALTH RELATED IMPACTS
[4:48:17] TO THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY
[4:48:20] ASSOCIATED WITH
[4:48:25] VEHICULAR CONFLICTS AND OMISSIONS. >>
[4:48:26] THE SKETCH PLAN PRESENTS OVER 400
[4:48:27] UNITS AND 500 PARKING SPACES AND A
[4:48:29] MULTILEVEL GARAGE FOR
[4:48:32] LITTLE USERS ACROSS THE STREET FROM A
[4:48:34] METRO STATION . WE'VE HEARD THIS SEVERAL
[4:48:35] TIMES TODAY. WHY?
[4:48:40] OF COURSE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS A WALK
[4:48:41] SCORE OF
[4:48:44] 60. WHICH MEANS, YOU NEED A WALK
[4:48:47] --A CAR
[4:48:49] TO GET AROUND. THE DEVELOPER KNOWS
[4:48:50] THIS. THE
[4:48:53] NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY
[4:48:57] IS PRE-WORLD WAR II. YOU'VE HEARD
[4:48:59] THAT, YOU'VE SEEN THE PICTURES. THE STREETS ARE 20
[4:49:02] FOOT WIDE. OFTEN CARS ON BOTH SIDES AS YOU JUST
[4:49:05] SAW IN THE PICTURE, THE STREET CANNOT
[4:49:07] HANDLE THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC THAT ARE
[4:49:08] GOING TO OCCUR.
[4:49:11] EVEN THE DEVELOPERS RESUBMITTED FORM
[4:49:14] SK301, NOW SHOWS
[4:49:20] SHERWOOD BEING USED AS CUTTERS OFF OF WOODLAND TO AVOID
[4:49:23] THE CONDITION IN WHICH A SAW. THE
[4:49:24] DEVELOPER
[4:49:25] PLANS FOR THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO BE ON
[4:49:28] WOODLAND DRIVE AND SHEFFIELD ROAD IS
[4:49:30] SEEN FROM
[4:49:33] THE PICTURES. OFTEN THERE ARE CARS PARKED ON EITHER SIDE
[4:49:35] OF THE PROPERTY. ACCIDENTS AND PROPERTY,
[4:49:38] UNFORTUNATELY WILL OCCUR AS CARS EXIT THE
[4:49:39] DEVELOPMENT ENDS
[4:49:42] READ EAST . THE MAIN ENTRANCE
[4:49:44] , LOCATION TOTALLY DISRESPECTS THE NEIGHBORS
[4:49:51] CHARACTER, IN THE RESIDENCE. IT SHOULD NOT BE
[4:49:53] PART OF ANY DEVELOPMENT PLAN, PERIOD.
[4:50:00] THAT WAS A CASE YEARS AGO WHEN
[4:50:01] THE MEDICAL BUILDING WAS PERMITTED, AND IT
[4:50:02] NEEDS TO BE NOW. THE SAFETY OF NEIGHBORHOOD PEDESTRIANS
[4:50:03] KEEPING WITH THE
[4:50:04] GOAL OF ZERO IS TO BE CONSIDERED.
[4:50:06] I WANT TO COMPARE
[4:50:09] TO SOMEONE
[4:50:12] DEVELOPMENT
[4:50:15] IN
[4:50:16] WHEATON FOREST. THIS IS THE OTHER DAY.
[4:50:17] THIS IS WE DIDN'T FOREST THESE ARE
[4:50:18] APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
[4:50:21] WHAT WE HAVE ON
[4:50:24] AMHERST AT THE CORNER PREACHER, THOSE ARE
[4:50:27] SINGLE-FAMILY TOWNHOMES, WITH
[4:50:30] THREE CAR GARAGES. IT BLENDS IN
[4:50:32] WITH THE COMMUNITY. IT'S AN IDEAL,
[4:50:33] NOT FROM
[4:50:36] MOST
[4:50:38] PERSPECTIVES, IS A HECK OF A LOT BETTER
[4:50:39] THAN
[4:50:40] WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
[4:50:42] >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR
[4:50:45] TESTIMONY. >>
[4:50:47] CATHERINE AND I AND MANY OTHERS LOOKING
[4:50:48] FOR RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS THOUGHTFUL
[4:50:58] AND CONSIDERATE, AND ATTENTIVE TO
[4:50:59] IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORING CONCERNS. IN A
[4:51:00] WORD, RESPECT. THE SKETCH PLAN IN FRONT OF YOU AND CONSIDERATION
[4:51:01] SHOWS NO SUCH RESPECT. IT'S FALLS
[4:51:03] SHORT IS REGARDS, I URGE YOU TO
[4:51:08] DISAPPROVE IT AT THIS TIME. DO NOT
[4:51:09] ACCEPT IT, AND KEEP IT IN THE CONDITIONS
[4:51:12] THAT ARE EXPECTED . I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU.
[4:51:15] MICHAEL SAID DARA. >>
[4:51:18] HELLO,
[4:51:21] HI FOLKS, I AM MIKE, I GREW UP
[4:51:27] IN
[4:51:30] THE AREA.
[4:51:33] THE FIRST PURCHASE IN 20 MINUTES,
[4:51:34] I HAVEN'T MISSED THE FIRST PITCH IN 20
[4:51:36] YEARS. >>
[4:51:39] MY NUMBER ONE CONCERN IS SAFETY OF
[4:51:40] PEDESTRIANS. I WONDER ABOUT THE 500 SPACE
[4:51:44] PARKING GARAGE WITH HIS MAIN ENGINES
[4:51:45] UNDER WOODLAND WHICH IS
[4:51:48] A SMALL RESIDENTIAL ROAD. >> THE INTEREST SHOULD
[4:51:51] COME OFF OF THE LOWEST CLASSIFIED
[4:51:53] ROAD UNLESS THAT ROAD IS A RESIDENTIAL ROAD
[4:51:57] .
[4:51:58] WHY'S THAT. I IMAGINE IT'S BECAUSE OF MAJOR GARAGE
[4:51:59] ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET IS DISRUPT.
[4:52:03] I THINK
[4:52:05] THE KEY QUESTION IS SHOULD WE ALLOW
[4:52:06] AN EXCEPTION? SHOULD WE ALLOW AN
[4:52:08] EXCEPTION WITH THE DEVELOPER TO PUT
[4:52:09] A ROAD
[4:52:12] OFF OF IT?
[4:52:15] A SINGLE
[4:52:16] ENTRANCE ON GEORGIA WOULD BE CONVENIENT,
[4:52:17] BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE
[4:52:18] A RIGHT IN AND
[4:52:21] WRITE OUT.
[4:52:23] I WOULD AGREE. IT'S INCONVENIENT. THIS
[4:52:24] IS A TRICKY PROBLEM
[4:52:26] THAT AMY HAS HIGHLIGHTED. WHY DO I CARE?
[4:52:31] LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MERRILL ROAD, IT'S
[4:52:33] A NARROW STREET, NO SIDEWALKS. NOTE
[4:52:36] CROSSWALKS. WALKING TRAFFIC. WE
[4:52:37] WALK DAILY WITH OUR 7-YEAR-OLD MAX TO
[4:52:39] THE BUS STOP TO GET TO THE BUS
[4:52:42] STOP. HE
[4:52:43] RIDES HIS BIKE BACK AND FORTH, WE
[4:52:45] WALK DAILY WITH 4-YEAR-OLD JOSH DOWN THE HILL
[4:52:47] TO THE PRESCHOOL. MY WIFE COMMUTES DOWN
[4:52:48] MYRTLE, SHE'S
[4:52:51] THE ONE
[4:52:54] THAT COMMUTES TO HOLY CROSS.
[4:52:57] SHE WALKS.
[4:53:02] EVEN AS AN ADULT SHE HAS TO BE CAREFUL WALKING BECAUSE
[4:53:03] THE CARS CAN'T SEE
[4:53:04] HER WITH A BIG HILL GOING DOWN. WHAT
[4:53:06] IS CAN HAPPEN WITH COMMUTERS THAT CUT
[4:53:12] THROUGH TO
[4:53:13] GET TO MYRTLE. >> THEY ARE GOING TO
[4:53:14] DRIVE PAST THE BUS STOP, PAST THE PRESCHOOL
[4:53:15] WITH PARENTS AND KIDS WALKING
[4:53:16] ON A NARROW STREET, NO SIDEWALKS,
[4:53:18] NO CROSSWALKS, BAD VISIBILITY.
[4:53:36] WHAT DO I PROPOSE?
[4:53:37] I ACKNOWLEDGE THIS IS A DIFFICULT
[4:53:38] PLACE TO PUT A GARAGE. BUT I SEE THIS AS
[4:53:39] A CHOICE THAT IS BEING
[4:53:40] MADE BY THE DEVELOPER. IT'S A CHOICE BETWEEN
[4:53:42] THE CONVENIENCE OF CAR COMMUTERS AND THE SAFETY OF OUR KIDS.
[4:53:43] IT'S A CHOICE BETWEEN THE CONVENIENCE
[4:53:44] OF CAR COMMUTERS, AND THE SAFETY OF
[4:53:45] OUR KIDS. IF YOU MAKE THE
[4:53:46] SOUL ENTRANCE OFF OF GEORGIA JUST
[4:53:47] LIKE THE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE STREET,
[4:53:48] IT WILL BE INCONVENIENT. SO INCONVENIENT, AND MIGHT
[4:53:49] ENCOURAGE SOME PEACE AND PEOPLE TO
[4:53:50] USE METRO. >> WHY AM I SO FOCUSED
[4:53:51] ON THIS
[4:53:54] ONE THING?
[4:53:57] AS A MEMBER TO COME IS BECAUSE
[4:53:58] OF THE THINGS CAN CHANGE BETWEEN SKETCH PLAN
[4:54:00] AND SITE PLAN, BUT THE MAIN
[4:54:02] PURPOSE OF THE SKETCH PLAN IS TO DEFINE
[4:54:03] WHERE THE ENTRANCES AND EXITS GO.
[4:54:09] THIS IS NOT SOMETHING, OR MAYBE WE WILL CHANGE
[4:54:10] IT LATER, WE APPROVE IT NOW, WE ARE
[4:54:12] SAYING THIS ENTRANCE IS OKAY. WE ARE SAYING
[4:54:18] THAT CONVENIENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN SAFETY. I URGE YOU
[4:54:19] TO PLEASE REJECT THIS PLAN, SEND IT
[4:54:20] BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. IT WON'T
[4:54:21] KILL THE PROJECT AND A FEW
[4:54:22] MONTHS DELAY IS WORTH KEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES
[4:54:23] SAFE. [ CAPTIONERS TRANSITIONING ]
[4:54:24] >>
[4:54:40] >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM THE COPRESIDENT OF THE
[4:54:41] FOREST ASSOCIATION WHICH SERVES OVER
[4:54:42] 100 HOMES ADJACENT TO THIS
[4:54:45] DEVELOPMENT. THE MAJORITY OF OUR ASSOCIATION
[4:54:46] SUPPORTS THIS SITE BUT NONE OF THE SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT
[4:54:48] THAT CONTRADICTS
[4:54:50] THE LAW AND SECTOR PLAN. ON BEHALF OF
[4:54:51] THE ASSOCIATION
[4:54:53] WE ASK THIS GETS DENIED. THE SECTOR PLAN
[4:54:54] REQUIRES MATCHING
[4:54:55] THE SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT OF THE
[4:54:57] COUNTY, APPROACHING
[4:55:00] NOW ALMOST $40 MILLION.
[4:55:02] ONE OF THOSE IS 10% OF THE MUNICIPAL AFFORDABLE
[4:55:06] AND 100% OR LESS
[4:55:09] OF AMI.
[4:55:15] THEY
[4:55:17] SAY THE LAND IS NOT WORTH ENOUGH TO BUILD
[4:55:18] ABOVE
[4:55:20] 78 FEET. THE BUILDING HIGHER WOULD
[4:55:21] BE THE ONLY
[4:55:24] WAY TO MAKE PROFIT THE
[4:55:26] AMI REQUIRES. THAT IS ILLOGICAL AND
[4:55:27] UNSUPPORTED. THE DEVELOPER
[4:55:30] IS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT BUILDER
[4:55:33] BUILDING HIGHER
[4:55:39] IS THE
[4:55:42] HEIGHT LIMIT REQUIRED.
[4:55:45] THE BOARD SHOULD REJECT THE 78
[4:55:46] FOOT MAXIMUM AND DEMAND COMPLIANCE
[4:55:48] WITH A 10% AMI REQUIREMENT
[4:55:51] IN THE OTHER
[4:55:54] SECTOR REQUIREMENTS.
[4:55:55] IT AUTHORIZES BUILDING UP TO 120 FEET AND
[4:55:57] THAT IS HOW YOU COMPLY. THAT IS WHY CONSTRUCTION EXPERTS
[4:56:00] AND INVESTORS
[4:56:06] CONFIRM IF YOU DO THAT YOU CAN MAKE TENS
[4:56:07] OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PROFIT. THE
[4:56:08] DEVELOPER WANTS MORE PROFIT BY FORGOING
[4:56:09] SECTOR REQUIREMENTS.
[4:56:12] THE PLAN ALSO DEMANDS A SAFE
[4:56:13] AND INEFFICIENT ENTRANCE TO THE METRO
[4:56:15] THAT WILL DETER
[4:56:17] THE USE OF WOODLAND DRIVE AND WILL
[4:56:18] COMPLETELY CONTAIN
[4:56:21] ON-SITE ACCESSIBLE
[4:56:24] WOODLAND DRIVE.
[4:56:27] WHAT IS THE
[4:56:30] PROPOSAL HERE?
[4:56:32] IT HAS PARKING ON WOODLAND DRIVE,
[4:56:33] EXACTLY WITH THE SECTOR PLAN SAID
[4:56:36] NOT TO DO. AGAIN , THE DEVELOPERS SUPPORT FOR
[4:56:39] THIS IS THE 78 FOOT HEIGHT MAXIMUM
[4:56:42] . AS THEY PUT IT, THEY NEED ALL
[4:56:44] ACTIVATING GROUND USAGES BECAUSE OF
[4:56:45] THE HEIGHT LIMIT TO USE
[4:56:48] FOR PARKING AND THE APARTMENTS. THE DEDICATED
[4:56:50] RIGHT WAS ALSO TO BE THE ONLY ENTRANCE
[4:56:51] FOR THE SITE ON
[4:56:54] WOODLAND DRIVE. THE COUNCIL KNEW
[4:56:56] THIS WOULD BE UNSAFE. THAT IS WHY THE
[4:56:57] ZONING BOARD
[4:57:00] BANNED ANY COMMERCIAL DRIVEWAY
[4:57:02] ON THIS SITE FOR OVER 55 YEARS. PROVIDING
[4:57:03] PUBLIC ACCESS
[4:57:06] TO
[4:57:07] PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, NOT THE DEVELOPMENT
[4:57:08] IS THE ONLY REASON TO ALLOW A SMALL DRIVEWAY
[4:57:09] ON WOODLAND AND THAT
[4:57:12] IS WHY THE SECTOR PLAN DIRECTS TO MAINTAIN THE DRIVEWAY
[4:57:15] ON GEORGIA. FOR
[4:57:18] ACCESS TO THE DEVELOPMENT. AS EVERYONE
[4:57:21] KNOWS 20 TO 30 TIMES FEWER PEDESTRIANS
[4:57:23] TRAVERSE THE GEORGIA DRIVEWAY THEN
[4:57:24] ON WOODLAND. THE
[4:57:27] DEVELOPMENT WANTS TO GO HUGE
[4:57:29] , UNSAFE ABUTTED ACCESS TO THE DEVELOPMENT.
[4:57:36] DESPITE UNCOUPLING PARKING AND
[4:57:38] CLAIMING 25 PUBLIC BENEFIT POINTS
[4:57:42] THE DEVELOPERS DEMANDED THE OPPOSITE
[4:57:45] INTERACTS KING
[4:57:48] AND ARE ASKING FOR MORE SPACES.
[4:57:57] THE DEVELOPER OPPOSES CLEARCUTTING THE
[4:58:00] EXISTING 1.25 ACRE BUFFER
[4:58:02] AND REPLACING 80% OF IT WITH CONCRETE
[4:58:03] STRUCTURES, 80%.
[4:58:06] TO BE CLEAR, THAT FOREST IS ONE ACRE, NOT
[4:58:09] .4 ACRES.
[4:58:12] OF THAT FOREST, WE KNOW
[4:58:14] FROM LOOKING AT IT WITH OUR OWN EYES, NOT ON
[4:58:15] THE SATELLITE PHOTO GOING DOWN THERE AND MEASURING
[4:58:17] OUT ONE FULL ACRE OF OVER 100 TREES,
[4:58:18] 50% OF WHICH ARE MORE THAN
[4:58:21] TWO INCHES OF THE LAW REQUIRES. THE
[4:58:24] REST OF IT WAS LEGALLY CUT AND DUMPED ON BY
[4:58:26] THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNER. HE DID
[4:58:30] PLAN TO CHOP DOWN 100-YEAR-OLD
[4:58:33] CHERRY BLOSSOM TREES THAT ARE TREASURES
[4:58:35] FOR THE STATE AND MUST BE PRESERVED.
[4:58:39] THE DEVELOPER HAS NOT PROVIDING
[4:58:42] THE ONE HALF ACRE SUBURBAN GREEN PARK
[4:58:51] . INSTEAD, WE
[4:58:53] HAVE A BROKEN, AND USABLE SPACE THAT OVERLAPS WITH COMMERCIAL SEATING, PROPOSED RETAIL,
[4:58:54] INCLUDING SIDEWALKS, ELEVATORS, STAIRS AND UNUSABLE
[4:58:57] CONCRETE ELEMENTS.
[4:58:59] THIS AREA IS SUPPOSED TO BE HOSTING
[4:59:00] COMMUNITY EVENTS AND NEIGHBORING FESTIVALS. IT WOULD BE ABUTTING
[4:59:02] TO A DANGEROUS GEORGIA INTERSECTION.
[4:59:05] KIDS COULD EASILY RUN INTO THE STREET
[4:59:06] DURING FESTIVALS
[4:59:09] AND DIE DURING THE VERY EVENTS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HOSTING.
[4:59:10] AMY ALSO COVERED THAT THE DENSITY
[4:59:12] AND HEIGHT IS NOT BEING
[4:59:14] MASSED ON GEORGIA AVENUE WHERE IT IS
[4:59:15] SUPPOSED TO. THAT IS BECAUSE THE
[4:59:19] 70 FOOT ARTIFICIAL LIMIT THIS
[4:59:22] PLAN SUPPOSES PROHIBITS IT. THE
[4:59:24] DEVELOPER ALSO WANT PROVIDE THE RECOMMENDED
[4:59:26] CHILDCARE FACILITY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE
[4:59:28] ENOUGH OPEN SPACE.
[4:59:29] AGAIN, THAT IS A PROBLEM OF THEIR
[4:59:31] OWN MAKING.
[4:59:34] THE SKETCH PLAN IS OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH
[4:59:36] THE SECTOR PLAN, BUILDING TWO 120
[4:59:37] FEET.
[4:59:40] HEIGHT DENSITY , NO.
[4:59:43] WOODLAND DRIVEWAY
[4:59:46] FOR METRO, NO.
[4:59:47] METRO DROP-OFF ON WOODLAND, NO. MAXIMUM REDUCTION
[4:59:52] PARKING, NO. PROPER URBAN GREEN
[4:59:55] PARK, NO.
[4:59:57] RESERVING AND RESTORING HABITAT, NO.
[4:59:58] CHILDCARE FACILITY, NO. 10% MI, NO.
[5:00:01] THAT IS 10
[5:00:04] NO ANSWERS AND WE ASK
[5:00:06] YOU DENIED THIS PROPOSAL. >> THANK YOU.
[5:00:10] IF I COULD HAVE THE NEXT
[5:00:16] SPEAKER
[5:00:19] .
[5:00:25] THE WHOLE GROUP CAN
[5:00:28] COME FORWARD AS I CALL THEM.
[5:01:01] YOU CAN
[5:01:04] PROCEED. >>
[5:01:10] THANK YOU MR.
[5:01:13] CHAIR AND THE PLANNING BOARD. I LIVE
[5:01:16] IN THE FOREST
[5:01:19] GLEN AREA AND HAVE FOR 20
[5:01:22] YEARS. I HAVE TWO PAGES, TWO
[5:01:25] FULL PAGES
[5:01:26] OF TEXT I WANT TO READ BUT THE FOLKS
[5:01:28] AROUND ME DID SUCH A PARTICULAR
[5:01:29] GOOD JOB I WILL RELIEVE US FROM THE TEDIUM.
[5:01:31] I DO WANT TO SAY ONE THING.
[5:01:34] I WANT TO PROJECT THIS
[5:01:36] BACK THAT I AM SHOWING AND I HOPE
[5:01:37] YOU CAN
[5:01:40] SEE THIS. IT IS TO SAY
[5:01:42] THAT I WANT TO REFUTE THE CLAIM THAT
[5:01:43] IS BEEN MADE OVER
[5:01:46] AND OVER AGAIN ABOUT
[5:01:47] OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM THIS COMMUNITY. THAT
[5:01:49] IS NOT
[5:01:51] SO. THERE IS NO COMMUNITY SUPPORT AS
[5:01:52] YOU
[5:01:55] CAN SEE. THIS MAP
[5:02:01] SHOWS YOU THAT WHILE
[5:02:03] THIS COMMUNITY IS IN FAVOR OF REDEVELOPMENT
[5:02:04] THAT IS SMART
[5:02:07] AND ENHANCES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND MELDS
[5:02:08] WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THE
[5:02:10] FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO
[5:02:13] COME TO LIVE IN THESE HOUSES ARE
[5:02:15] ALSO GOING TO BECOME PART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS,
[5:02:16] I CAN GIVE YOU
[5:02:19] MANY EXAMPLES FROM THE MANY,
[5:02:22] MANY CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED AT
[5:02:24] COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN SEPTEMBER OF
[5:02:25] 2022 WITH THE DEVELOPER AND
[5:02:28] ARE ASSOCIATING MEETINGS,
[5:02:31] AN INFORMAL SURVEY THAT
[5:02:34] COLLECTED THE SENTIMENTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
[5:02:36] WHAT I WANT TO PRESENT NOW IS THE
[5:02:39] EVIDENCE THAT THE PLANNING BOARD IS
[5:02:49] HEARING AND REPRESENTATION OF
[5:02:52] ALL OF THOSE EMAILS. I CLASSIFIED
[5:02:54] THEM AS THOSE IN FAVOR , THOSE OPPOSED AND
[5:02:55] THOSE
[5:02:58] IN NEUTRAL OPINION. WHAT YOU SEE
[5:03:01] HERE IS THOSE SENTIMENTS MAPPED
[5:03:04] ONTO THE RESIDENTS OF THE
[5:03:07] SURVEY PARTICIPANTS.
[5:03:10] 86%
[5:03:13] TO 80% OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS COMPLETELY OPPOSED TO
[5:03:16] THIS PLAN AS PRESENTED. WITH
[5:03:19] CLOSE TO 100% IN OPPOSITION
[5:03:22] IN THE COMMUNITY THAT IS SURROUNDING THIS
[5:03:25] DEVELOPMENT AND ARE THE PEOPLE WHO
[5:03:28] WILL BE MOST IMPACTED BY THIS DEVELOPMENT
[5:03:31] , AND THE
[5:03:32] PRIMARY CONCERN OF ALMOST ALL OF THESE LETTERS
[5:03:34] IS THE TRAFFIC THAT WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO
[5:03:37] THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THOSE 500 CARS. THOSE
[5:03:40] 500 CARS
[5:03:42] AGAIN, MAPPING BACK TO THIS WOODLAND ENTRANCE. THIS
[5:03:43] ENTRANCE IS UNSAFE
[5:03:46] AND IMPRACTICAL AND
[5:03:47] DOES NOT CONFORM WITH THE CURRENT
[5:03:49] CONDITIONS OF THE SECTOR PLAN.
[5:03:50] WE AND OTHERS WHO WILL SPEAK AFTER ME
[5:03:52] WILL SHOW YOU THAT IT
[5:03:54] IS IMPERMISSIBLE AGAINST THE ZONING CODE
[5:03:55] , AS WELL.
[5:03:58] I HOPE THE BOARD WILL DENY THIS
[5:04:00] POST ACCESS ON WOODLAND DRIVE. IF I
[5:04:01] HAVE A COUPLE MINUTES
[5:04:04] I WILL SAY,
[5:04:07] THANK YOU AMY. I LOVED ALL
[5:04:10] THOSE POINTS. >> THAT WAS
[5:04:13] WORTH IT. 10 SECONDS.
[5:04:19] NEXT PLEASE. >>
[5:04:28] THANK YOU FOR
[5:04:31] THE TIME FROM
[5:04:33] THE CHAIR AND THE MEMBERS AND STAFF.
[5:04:34] PLEASE
[5:04:37] HELP US. I AGREE
[5:04:40] AND ENDORSE THE FOREST GROVE CIVIC
[5:04:43] ASSOCIATIONS FAIR REVIEWS ON
[5:04:46] THE DEVELOPMENT THAT
[5:04:49] WE WILL ALL SPEAK ABOUT.
[5:04:52] WE HAVE LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR A
[5:04:55] LONG TIME. WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS
[5:04:56] DEVELOPMENT IN SEPTEMBER 2022 FOR THE
[5:04:58] FIRST TIME
[5:05:00] MY INITIAL REACTION WAS POSITIVE. BUT
[5:05:03] , WHEN I HEARD WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED I
[5:05:05] WAS SHOCKED. ESSENTIALLY,
[5:05:07] WOODLAND DRIVE WAS BEING APPROPRIATED
[5:05:08] BY
[5:05:11] THE BUILDER . IN EFFECT, A
[5:05:12] PUBLIC RESIDENTIAL ROAD WAS BEING
[5:05:14] CONVERTED
[5:05:17] INTO A DRIVEWAY FOR
[5:05:19] PROFITABLE ENTITY AND BEING PUSHED
[5:05:20] DOWN
[5:05:23] OUR THROATS. I
[5:05:24] TALKED TO THE PLANNING STAFF AND BOARD AND
[5:05:25] I HOPE YOU SEE THROUGH THIS TRANSPARENT
[5:05:26] ATTEMPT
[5:05:29] BY A PROFIT
[5:05:32] MAXIMIZING ENTITY.
[5:05:35] I
[5:05:36] DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD FLY BUT WE KEPT HEARING
[5:05:37] FROM PEOPLE , FROM FRUSTRATED STAFF THAT
[5:05:40] THE DEVELOPER WAS NOT MAKING CHANGES AND
[5:05:41] CLAIMING
[5:05:42] OVERWHELMING SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY.
[5:05:44] NOT TRUE , AS
[5:05:47] YOU SAW. THE DEVELOPER SEEMS
[5:05:50] THAT THERE IS AN AGENDA
[5:05:53] THAT
[5:05:54] THIS IS THE ONLY WAY AND THEY ARE DOING
[5:05:55] US A FAVOR AND THE COMMUNITY LOVES
[5:05:56] US.
[5:05:57] THERE ARE SO MANY FALSEHOODS AND UNDERHANDED TACTICS
[5:05:59] GOING AROUND AFTER PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR
[5:06:02] THE DEVELOPMENT.
[5:06:06] AS FAR AS THE DEVELOPER IS CONCERNED,
[5:06:08] THE COMMUNITY AND
[5:06:09] NEIGHBORHOODS IS NOT THERE CUSTOMER.
[5:06:11] I
[5:06:14] UNDERSTAND THAT.
[5:06:16] IS LIKE SELLING A USED CAR AND WALKING AWAY.
[5:06:17] HOWEVER,
[5:06:20] IN ALL OF THIS DISCUSSION ONE
[5:06:21] OTHER CONSTANT WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE
[5:06:23] BEEN FORGOTTEN, WHICH
[5:06:26] IS THE
[5:06:29] FUTURE
[5:06:35] OF THE RESIDENTS HERE.
[5:06:38] PUTTING 500 CARS ON THIS ROAD WILL IMPACT
[5:06:40] OTHER PEOPLE AND WILL MAKE IT MORE
[5:06:41] DANGEROUS. PLEASE
[5:06:44] DON'T ALLOW IT.
[5:06:47] WE
[5:06:49] CAN HAVE TWO FUTURES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FULL
[5:06:50] OF CARS
[5:06:52] AND LESS WALKABLE SIDEWALKS, OR WE
[5:06:53] CAN
[5:06:56] HAVE SOME CREATIVITY AND
[5:06:57] LONG-TERM THINKING AND DEVELOPMENT. WE
[5:07:02] THINK IT WILL BE
[5:07:03] BETTER FOR EVERYONE. PLEASE HELP US
[5:07:05] FIND A BETTER SOLUTION THAT
[5:07:07] CAN BE A ROLE MODEL FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
[5:07:10] THERE IS ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE'S NEED
[5:07:12] , BUT NOT FOR EVERYONE'S GREED. THANK
[5:07:14] YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[5:07:20] ROBERT? >>
[5:07:26] HELLO. I
[5:07:29] LIVE ON SHERWOOD ROAD
[5:07:30] WITH MY PARENTS AND TWO YOUNGER BROTHERS.
[5:07:32] I AM A SEVENTH GRADER AND I BIKE
[5:07:33] TO SCHOOL AND BACK EVERY DAY. THERE ARE
[5:07:35] NO BUSES
[5:07:40] BECAUSE OF HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO SCHOOL.
[5:07:46] SOME OF MY FRIENDS ALSO WALKED TO
[5:07:47] SCHOOL. I HAVE BEEN
[5:07:48] BIKING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR OVER FIVE
[5:07:49] YEARS AND EVEN IN THAT TIME I HAVE NOTICED
[5:07:50] A LOT MORE
[5:07:51] CARS GOING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT
[5:07:53] MAKES BIKING
[5:07:54] MORE DIFFICULT. NEXT YEAR, ONE OF MY
[5:07:56] YOUNGER BROTHERS
[5:07:58] WILL BE ACCOMPANYING ME ON MY BIKE
[5:07:59] RIDE TO SCHOOL. WITH TWO PEOPLE BIKING TOGETHER
[5:08:01] IT WILL BE HARDER TO STAY SAFE WITH
[5:08:02] MORE CARS.
[5:08:05] I HAVE ALSO HAD MANY EXPERIENCES
[5:08:07] WITH DRIVERS NOT RESPECTING PEDESTRIANS
[5:08:08] OR
[5:08:10] OTHER BIKERS , WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING
[5:08:11] I
[5:08:14] WANT THERE TO BE MORE OF. IT
[5:08:16] CAN MAKE MY DAILY BIKE RIDE TO SCHOOL
[5:08:18] MUCH MORE DANGEROUS THAN IT NEEDS
[5:08:20] TO BE.
[5:08:23] I LIVE AT THE END
[5:08:26] OF
[5:08:27] WHERE THE NEW DEVELOPMENT IS BEING PLANNED AND THERE
[5:08:29] ARE ALREADY A LOT OF CARS ON WOODLAND.
[5:08:30] ADDING SO MANY MORE WITH THE GARAGE ENTRANCE
[5:08:32] RIGHT THERE WOULD BE TOO DANGEROUS FOR
[5:08:35] WALKERS AND BIKERS , LIKE. I KNOW MANY OTHER MIDDLE
[5:08:36] AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLERS WHO WALK
[5:08:38] ALONG WOODLAND AND
[5:08:39] THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR
[5:08:41] SAFETY ON WHAT SHOULD BE
[5:08:47] AN EASY WALK TO THE SCHOOL OR BUS STOP. MY
[5:08:48] YOUNGEST BROTHER IS CURRENTLY IN KINDERGARTEN AND
[5:08:49] HE WALKS FROM THE BUS STOP ALL BY
[5:08:50] HIMSELF AND WE DON'T WANT
[5:08:51] THERE TO BE ANY MORE TRAFFIC MAKING THAT
[5:08:52] WALK MORE DANGEROUS. I AM HERE TODAY TO
[5:08:56] URGE YOU
[5:08:59] NOT TO ALLOW SO MANY
[5:09:00] HUNDREDS OF PARKING SPACES AT THIS
[5:09:01] NEW DEVELOPMENT SO CLOSE TO OUR HOMES WHERE
[5:09:02] IT COULD CAUSE
[5:09:03] SO MUCH DANGER FOR WALKERS AND BIKERS, LIKE.
[5:09:05] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
[5:09:08] TESTIMONY. >> [ APPLAUSE ] >>
[5:09:11] NICE JOB.
[5:09:14] NEXT? >> GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIRMAN
[5:09:16] AND COMMISSIONERS AND CONGRATULATIONS TO
[5:09:22] COMMISSIONER PINERO FOR YOUR RECENT
[5:09:23] APPOINTMENT.
[5:09:29] I AM THE FOUNDER OF FINDING FOREST GLEN, FORMER VICE CHAIR
[5:09:30] OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY PLANNING BOARD
[5:09:35] .
[5:09:36] MOST IMPORTANT, I AM THE FATHER OF
[5:09:38] THREE CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY
[5:09:40] FOR 10 YEARS AND HAVE TWO SMALL BUSINESSES HERE.
[5:09:43] I AM HERE TO PROVIDE CONTEXT ON WHERE WE
[5:09:44] ARE AT. I KNOW
[5:09:45] YOU HAVE HEARD MANY OF THE COMMUNITY
[5:09:47] MEMBERS SAY THERE IS NOT A LOT OF SUPPORT
[5:09:49] FOR THIS PROJECT. I WILL TELL YOU
[5:09:56] , GOING BACK TO 2015,
[5:09:57] THAT IS WHEN THE CONVERSATION REALLY STARTED. THERE
[5:09:58] WERE MANY PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO SEE
[5:09:59] CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THAT STARTED
[5:10:01] WITH GETTING THE SECOND METRO ENTRANCE
[5:10:05] PUT INTO THE CIP. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REMEMBER
[5:10:06] THIS CONVERSATION, IT WASN'T EASY
[5:10:07] BECAUSE IT WAS A CONVERSATION OF PICKING
[5:10:08] TRANSIT OVER
[5:10:11] A ROAD. THE MONTROSE
[5:10:13] PARKWAY EAST. THE COUNTY COUNSEL APPROVED
[5:10:14] THE SECOND
[5:10:17] METRO ENTRANCE THE IDEA WAS THAT THERE WAS
[5:10:19] GOING TO BE HOUSING ON THIS SITE.
[5:10:20] IN
[5:10:22] FT. LEE, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN YOU
[5:10:23] DO THE MATH
[5:10:26] IT DOESN'T WORK OUT. FOR THE LONGEST TIME,
[5:10:29] DYLAN FIRST
[5:10:32] DEVELOPERS WITH THEY
[5:10:34] CAN DO ANYTHING ON THIS SITE. THEY WANTED
[5:10:35] TO SEE MORE HOUSING AND AMENITIES NEAR THE METRO. THE MATH
[5:10:38] DOESN'T WORK. BACK IN
[5:10:40] 2017 WHEN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT STARTED
[5:10:41] DOING
[5:10:44] ITS OUTREACH ON THE COMMUNITY PEOPLE
[5:10:46] DID COME OUT AND SAY, WE WANT THE
[5:10:47] ZONING. THAT IS WHY THIS
[5:10:50] SITE GOT UP TO 120 FEET WITH
[5:10:53] 2.5 SAR. THAT WAS ALSO THE DENSITY
[5:10:55] NEEDED TO MAKE THIS PROJECT WORK.
[5:10:56] EVEN THEN IT WAS VERY
[5:10:59] DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE WEREN'T SURE WHAT WOULD
[5:11:02] HAPPEN WITH THE METRO ENTRANCE
[5:11:03] OR IF IT COULD STILL WORK OUT WITH
[5:11:05] ALL THE REQUIREMENTS. WHAT
[5:11:07] I THINK WHAT PEOPLE FORGET IS THE MASTER
[5:11:08] SICK TO PLAN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
[5:11:11] DESIGNED TO BE WRITTEN AWAITS PROVIDING GUIDELINES SO
[5:11:14] PEOPLE CAN , WITHIN A CERTAIN FRAMEWORK
[5:11:15] PROVIDE THAT
[5:11:17] KIND OF DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE AT THIS
[5:11:18] POINT IN
[5:11:19] SKETCH PLAN WITH APPROVAL FROM THE
[5:11:20] PLANNING DEPARTMENT THAT IS BASICALLY
[5:11:23] LAYING OUT THE CONDITIONS THAT SAY,
[5:11:25] WE KNOW WE HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT EVERYTHING, BUT
[5:11:27] BASED ON
[5:11:29] THE ZONING AND WHAT IS PROVIDED WE
[5:11:30] ARE APPROVING WITH THESE CONDITIONS.
[5:11:33] I JUST WANTED
[5:11:34] TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THAT. SOME HISTORY
[5:11:39] NOW, MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THE METRO
[5:11:40] WAS SUPPOSED TO BE INSIDE THE BELTWAY. BECAUSE
[5:11:42] AT THAT TIME PEOPLE
[5:11:43] DIDN'T WANT TO ACTUALLY, HAVE HOUSING
[5:11:45] AROUND IT AND
[5:11:47] IT GOT PUSHED OUTSIDE OF THE BELTWAY
[5:11:51] BITE CERTAIN CIVIC LEADER
[5:11:53] THAT BROUGHT UP THE COST TO $300 MILLION.
[5:11:56] THEY ALSO STATED CRIME, TRAFFIC AND OTHER
[5:11:57] ISSUES
[5:11:59] THAT WERE PLAYING OUT AGAIN , TODAY.
[5:12:01] I WANT TO REMIND THIS BOARD THAT WE DIDN'T JUST
[5:12:03] GET HERE BASED ON THIS
[5:12:05] ONE APPLICATION. IT HAS BEEN MANY, MANY
[5:12:06] YEARS
[5:12:07] OF ACTIVISM AND COORDINATION WITH
[5:12:09] THE COUNTY COUNSEL
[5:12:10] AND MOST IMPORTANT, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES
[5:12:15] WHICH HASN'T BEEN THE BEST IN RECENT YEARS.
[5:12:18] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[5:12:20] >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. JOHN
[5:12:24] HATHAWAY? >> YES. THANK YOU
[5:12:26] ALL VERY MUCH FOR HEARING OUR VOICES. MY
[5:12:30] NAME IS JOHN HATHAWAY. I
[5:12:32] LIVE AT 1803 MYRTLE ROAD , WHICH IS ABOUT
[5:12:33] FIVE
[5:12:34] HOUSES DOWN FROM WHERE THIS DEVELOPMENT
[5:12:36] IS PLANNED.
[5:12:39] I HAVE LIVED THERE FOR
[5:12:42] 31 YEARS. MY
[5:12:43] WIFE, MARY MARGARET AND I HAVE RAISED
[5:12:45] OUR CHILDREN THERE.
[5:12:47] THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT COMMUNITY, OF WHICH
[5:12:48] I
[5:12:49] AM VERY PROUD OF THE SUPPORT THAT
[5:12:50] IS HERE, TODAY. PEOPLE TAKING THEIR TIME TO
[5:12:51] COME AND TALK
[5:12:54] TO YOU. THIS DEVELOPMENT
[5:12:56] WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.
[5:13:00] I WANT TO MENTION SOMETHING
[5:13:03] VERY BRIEFLY
[5:13:09] , AND IF YOU
[5:13:10] LOOK AT THE EMAILS AND LETTERS THAT
[5:13:12] HAVE BEEN SENT THERE IS A BIG CONCERN IN
[5:13:15] OUR COMMUNITY , PARTICULARLY THE
[5:13:18] IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS
[5:13:19] NOT NOTIFIED OF THESE DELIBERATIONS ON
[5:13:21] THE SECTOR PLAN. THAT IS NOT AN ISSUE
[5:13:24] FOR TODAY. I WANT TO TALK
[5:13:26] ABOUT A FEW THINGS. FIRST, THE INTERSECTION
[5:13:31] AT FOREST GLEN AND GEORGIA, I WON'T
[5:13:32] REITERATE HOW DANGEROUS AND HEAVILY
[5:13:33] CONGESTED IT
[5:13:35] IS. BUT , WE HAVE TO KEEP IN CONTEXT
[5:13:36] THAT REGARDLESS
[5:13:38] OF WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE, IF YOU ARE
[5:13:39] GOING TO PUT
[5:13:42] IN 540 PARKING SPACES ,
[5:13:45] 415 UNITS , THAT IS JUST ADDING FUEL
[5:13:48] TO THIS FIRE. THIS
[5:13:50] IS DANGEROUS. IT IS A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION.
[5:13:54] SO, PLEASE KEEP THAT IN CONTEXT.
[5:13:57] THE WOODLAND STREET ENTRANCE
[5:14:00] IS EXTREMELY PROBLEMATIC .
[5:14:03] SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW THAT THE COUNTY
[5:14:06] , OR SOMEONE , IN
[5:14:09] ORDER TO TRY TO CALM TRAFFIC HAS OCCASIONALLY PUT BARRIERS
[5:14:12] IN THE ROAD
[5:14:13] AND AMBULANCES COME THROUGH THERE,
[5:14:15] ETC., ETC. I WOULD ASK
[5:14:18] IF YOU ALL WOULDN'T MIND
[5:14:20] , IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, PLEASE TAKE
[5:14:21] A RIDE AND RIDE DOWN
[5:14:23] MYRTLE ROAD , RIGHT DOWN SHERWOOD,
[5:14:24] RIGHT DOWN WOODLAND
[5:14:27] .
[5:14:29] THE PICTURES ARE ALL GOOD, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY
[5:14:30] REALLY CONVEY THE
[5:14:33] TRUE SENSE OF IT.
[5:14:36] WHAT
[5:14:38] THIS IS GOING TO RESULT IN IS REALLY
[5:14:41] , JUST A BIG PARKING LOT. IT WILL
[5:14:42] BE GRIDLOCKED.
[5:14:45] I JUST
[5:14:47] DON'T SEE THAT IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING
[5:14:48] THAT
[5:14:50] THIS BOARD SHOULD IMPROVE. THE SCALE
[5:14:54] OF THIS , AND IT IS MENTIONED
[5:14:57] IN THE STAFF REPORT
[5:15:00] , TWO FOOTBALL FIELDS LONG. THIS IS NOT
[5:15:02] DOWNTOWN WHEATON OR SILVER SPRINGS
[5:15:03] WERE SUCH
[5:15:06] A MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT MIGHT BE. THE SECTOR
[5:15:09] PLAN TALKS
[5:15:12] ABOUT THINGS ON THE
[5:15:15] TOWNHOUSE SCALE.
[5:15:16] WHY NOT TOWNHOUSE? I THINK THERE ARE
[5:15:18] PLENTY OF DEVELOPERS WHO WOULD DO THAT. FINALLY, I WANT
[5:15:21] TO READ FROM THE SECTOR PLAN
[5:15:24] OF 2019, WHICH HAS THE GOAL TO IMPROVE
[5:15:26] THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE WITHIN THE
[5:15:27] FOREST GLEN MONTGOMERY
[5:15:29] HILLS AREA. THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL
[5:15:30] NOT FULFILL
[5:15:33] THAT GOAL. IN FACT, IT WILL DO THE OPPOSITE.
[5:15:36] IT WILL DETERIORATE AND MAKE WORSE THE QUALITY
[5:15:39] OF LIFE OF THOSE CITIZENS IN THIS
[5:15:42] NEIGHBORHOOD, PARTICULARLY
[5:15:45] THOSE WHO
[5:15:46] LIVE RIGHT THERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[5:15:47] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL
[5:15:48] FOR YOUR TESTIMONIES. PARTICULARLY,
[5:15:50] OUR BIKE RIDER. EVEN THOUGH HE ROOTS
[5:15:51] FOR
[5:15:54] GREEN BAY.
[5:16:21] >> THE NEXT GROUP
[5:16:24] MAY COME UP.
[5:16:33] >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I
[5:16:36] HAVE LIVED IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY NEARLY
[5:16:38] ALL MY LIFE. MY MOTHER MOVED US HERE
[5:16:39] SO I CAN
[5:16:41] TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FANTASTIC COUNTRY
[5:16:45] LIFESTYLE. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
[5:16:48] TO TRAVEL THE WORLD, BUT I THINK MONTGOMERY
[5:16:52] COUNTY IS AN INCREDIBLE PLACE TO
[5:16:55] LIVE, AS WELL AS
[5:16:56] WHERE I CHOSE TO START MY FAMILY. NOW THAT
[5:16:58] HAVE A SON OF MY OWN, I WANT
[5:16:59] HIM TO BE SAFE IN THE HOUSE AND PLACE WE
[5:17:00] CHOSE FOR HIM. I LIVE DIRECTLY ACROSS
[5:17:01] WOODLAND
[5:17:03] FROM THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT. OUR
[5:17:04] HOUSE IS DIRECTLY ACROSS WOODLAND FROM THE
[5:17:07] PROPOSED LOADING DOCK FOR THE
[5:17:10] PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
[5:17:11] OUR DRIVEWAY LET OUT ONTO WOODLAND ACROSS
[5:17:12] FROM THIS PROPOSED LOADING DOCK. THIS
[5:17:13] IS WHERE I LIVE
[5:17:15] WITH MY WIFE , ABIGAIL AND MY 3-YEAR-OLD
[5:17:19] SON, ROMAN. THIS IS WHERE MY WIFE
[5:17:22] WAS TEACHING MY ROMAN TO WRITE
[5:17:25] HIS BACK
[5:17:26] BITE JUST THIS LAST SUNDAY. I APPRECIATE
[5:17:28] THE OPPORTUNITY
[5:17:30] TO SPEAK IN PERSON. I AGREE WITH THE ASSOCIATION
[5:17:31] THAT
[5:17:32] THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT SHOULD NOT
[5:17:34] BE APPROVED ON THE BASIS
[5:17:36] THAT IT DOES NOT ADHERE TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OR
[5:17:37] THE GOALS OF THE
[5:17:38] SECTOR PLAN. IF IT IS APPROVED, I
[5:17:39] HOPE THE CONDITIONS PUT FORTH THE REVIEW
[5:17:41] COMMITTEE ARE STRICTLY ADHERED TO.
[5:17:43] AS COUNTY ,
[5:17:46] AS THE SECTOR AND AS A COMMUNITY WE CAN AFFORD
[5:17:48] TO WAIT FOR A BETTER OPTION THAN THIS
[5:17:49] POST PLAN.
[5:17:51] OR, AT LEAST WAIT FOR THE PLANNED
[5:17:54] SAFETY DEVELOPMENTS TO BE FURTHER ALONG
[5:17:57] SO THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT CAN WORK
[5:17:59] FOR THE AREA OF THE SECTOR PLAN INTENDED.
[5:18:01] THE DEVELOPMENT
[5:18:02] , AS PROPOSED WOULD PUT MANY PEOPLE
[5:18:04] IN DANGER AND IT HAS
[5:18:06] BEEN REITERATED, BOTH EXISTING AND
[5:18:09] FUTURE RESIDENTS. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PLANS
[5:18:12] TO ADD HUNDREDS OF CARS TO A SECONDARY
[5:18:13] RESIDENTIAL ROADWAY THAT IS ALREADY
[5:18:16] FUNCTIONING POORLY FOR BOTH VEHICULAR
[5:18:18] AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC. I OPPOSED
[5:18:19] ANY VEHICULAR
[5:18:21] EXIT ONTO WOODLAND IS A TERRIBLE IDEA,
[5:18:22] AGAINST CODE
[5:18:24] , AND IS SOMETHING THAT SEEMED TO BE
[5:18:25] CONTRARY TO
[5:18:28] WHAT WAS EVEN DESIRED
[5:18:29] BY THOSE WHO DEVELOP THE SECTOR PLAN, ITSELF. THE
[5:18:31] REVIEW COMMITTEE REPORT STATES
[5:18:34] THAT THE AREA NEEDS MAJOR
[5:18:35] ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS , WHICH WE HAVE TALKED
[5:18:37] ABOUT AT THE INTERSECTION OF GEORGIA AVENUE
[5:18:40] AND FOREST GLEN ROAD TO REDUCE CRASHES
[5:18:43] AND IMPROVE SAFETY.
[5:18:45] THESE CHANGES ARE PART OF THE SECTOR PLAN AND
[5:18:46] ALREADY IN THE WORKS.
[5:18:49] THE PLANNED
[5:18:50] METRO TUNNEL IS NEEDED RIGHT NOW FOR THIS
[5:18:52] INTERSECTION TO BE FUNCTIONAL
[5:18:54] AND SAFER FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLES.
[5:18:55] HOW CAN
[5:18:58] THE DEVELOPER PROPOSED TO ADD
[5:18:59] 415 UNITS WORTH OF PEOPLE WITH 550
[5:19:01] MORE CARS TO
[5:19:02] THIS INTERSECTION WHEN IT IS ALREADY KNOWN
[5:19:04] THERE IS A
[5:19:06] DANGEROUS SITUATION? HOW CAN WE, AS
[5:19:07] A CITIZENRY
[5:19:09] ALLOW THIS BEFORE THAT DANGEROUS SITUATION
[5:19:12] IS FIXED? AS A PROUD PART OF THIS
[5:19:14] CITIZENRY, I HAVE ENJOYED READING
[5:19:16] THROUGH THE
[5:19:19] DOCUMENTED
[5:19:22] INFORMATION AND I'D LIKE TO SEEK OUT OPINIONS THAT MIGHT
[5:19:25] BE DIFFERENT THAN MY
[5:19:26] OWN TO INFORM AND BETTER MYSELF, JUST
[5:19:27] LIKE YOU WANT TO DO FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT. WHAT
[5:19:28] I SEE
[5:19:30] IN GENERAL IS A VOCAL COMMUNITY THAT
[5:19:31] IS PROGRESSIVE, WELCOMING
[5:19:34] AND A VERY HAPPY WITH THE
[5:19:35] DIRECTION OF THE COUNTY AND THE SECTOR
[5:19:37] PLAN. BUT, WITH THE SAME
[5:19:38] CONSISTENT CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL.
[5:19:40] IT HAS TOO MUCH PARKING AND
[5:19:43] WILL CREATE SAFETY ISSUES AND WILL
[5:19:45] NOT LIVE UP TO THE GOALS IN THE SECTOR PLAN.
[5:19:46] >> [ APPLAUSE ]
[5:19:49] >>
[5:19:55] GOOD AFTERNOON.
[5:20:00] MY NAME IS ABIGAIL STEIN AND I'M A
[5:20:01] HOMEOWNER DIRECTLY
[5:20:02] ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT SITE
[5:20:03] WITH MY DRIVEWAY ON THE WOODLAND SIDE
[5:20:04] OF OUR
[5:20:05] CORNER LOT . WE PURCHASED OUR HOME
[5:20:07] IN 2015
[5:20:12] AND WE NOW HAVE 3-YEAR-OLD SON WHO ATTENDS
[5:20:13] PRESCHOOL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE WALKED TO
[5:20:16] IT WHEN THE WEATHER PERMITS.
[5:20:18] I AM ALSO THE COPRESIDENT OF THE FOREST GROVE
[5:20:19] CITIZENS ASSOCIATION AND THE DEDICATION OF
[5:20:22] THIS COMMUNITY
[5:20:31] TO BE ENGAGED IN
[5:20:32] THE PROCESS MAKES ME PROUD TO BE A PART
[5:20:34] OF IT. WE BELIEVE WE CAN AND SHOULD BE PARTNERS IN THIS ENDEAVOR
[5:20:35] WITH A VOICE IN DECISIONS THAT WILL
[5:20:37] CHANGE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, OUR PROPERTY VALUES AND OUR
[5:20:38] FUTURE. HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO
[5:20:39] SEE IMPACT FROM OUR ENGAGEMENT WHEN
[5:20:40] THERE'VE BEEN SO FEW CHANGES IN
[5:20:41] THE PROPOSAL FROM THE FIRST PRESENTATION BY
[5:20:42] THE DEVELOPER TO TODAY. WE APPRECIATE
[5:20:43] THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.
[5:20:45] WE KNOW IT IS AN EARLY STAGE IN THE PROCESS.
[5:20:46] AS YOU ARE HEARING TODAY,
[5:20:49] THE PROPOSAL FOR
[5:20:54] 9801 GEORGIA AVENUE RAISES MANY CONCERNS,
[5:20:55] EVEN FOR A COMMUNITY THAT RECOGNIZES THE
[5:20:56] POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF DEVELOPING THE
[5:20:58] LOT AS RECOMMENDED IN THE SECTOR PLOTS. ONE OF THE STATED
[5:20:59] GOALS IS TO ENCOURAGE QUALITY DESIGN
[5:21:01] THAT INCORPORATES NEIGHBORHOOD
[5:21:04] COMPATIBILITY AND SUSTAINABLE
[5:21:06] DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES. I AM CONCERNED
[5:21:09] THAT NONE OF THOSE ARE ACHIEVED IN
[5:21:10] THIS PROPOSAL.
[5:21:15] THE PROPOSED BUILDING IS SOLID, IMPOSING
[5:21:16] AND IS CLOSE TO THE EDGE ON WOODLAND DRIVE AS POSSIBLE. RATHER
[5:21:18] THAN KEEPING TO THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
[5:21:19] WITH INDIVIDUAL ENTRANCES,
[5:21:25] ARTICULATED SPACES OR OTHER FEATURES THAT WOULD REFLECT
[5:21:26] ITS LOCATION, THE PROPOSAL WILL IMPOSE
[5:21:27] ITS MONOLITHIC ASSAULT INTO THE HEART OF
[5:21:28] OUR QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD.
[5:21:30] THE BUILDING IS NOT NEED TO USE EVERY INCH
[5:21:31] OF
[5:21:32] THE TOPOGRAPHY FOR THEIR BUILDING,
[5:21:34] BUT THEY DO.
[5:21:36] THE SCALE IS DISPROPORTIONAL AND TOTALLY INCOMPATIBLE
[5:21:37] WITH ITS
[5:21:41] SURROUNDINGS. SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES WITH OLD-GROWTH TREES
[5:21:43] AND YARDS FOR GARDENING AND SWING SETS.
[5:21:48] 9801 COMES WITH A MASSIVE ADVANTAGE IN
[5:21:49] BEING THE SITE FOR FUTURE ON-SITE METRO
[5:21:50] ENTRANCE ACCESS, WHICH RELIES THE
[5:21:52] NEED FOR 400+ PARKING SPACES
[5:21:55] FOR 400+ APARTMENT SPACES. HOW IS A TRANSIT
[5:21:58] ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, IF THE PROPOSAL ASSUMES
[5:22:01] EVERY RESIDENT NEEDS PARKING SPACE? THERE
[5:22:04] IS NO DETERRENT
[5:22:06] FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE THERE BECAUSE
[5:22:07] OF THE PROXIMITY TO THE BELTWAY.
[5:22:09] THIS RECENTLY APPROVED SECTOR PLAN
[5:22:10] REFERENCES HABITAT
[5:22:13] PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION IS A TOP
[5:22:15] PUBLIC BENEFIT AND NOTES THE MEDICAL CENTERS
[5:22:16] 1.25
[5:22:18] ACRES OF FORESTED LAND, WHILE THE
[5:22:19] PROPOSAL POINT TWO
[5:22:22] THE NEGLECT OF THE FORESTED PART OF THE
[5:22:24] PROPERTY AS A REASON FOR ELIMINATING IT
[5:22:28] , ENTIRELY. I CANNOT DENY THAT THE AREA IS IN
[5:22:29] ROUGH SHAPE, BUT WHAT MESSAGE DOES
[5:22:31] THAT SEND ? IF A LANDOWNER WANTS TO
[5:22:32] SELL THE PROPERTY BUT DEVELOPMENT
[5:22:34] WILL BE LIMITED BY A FORESTED AREA
[5:22:37] JUST LET IT FALL
[5:22:39] INTO DISARRAY SO IT NO LONGER PROVIDES
[5:22:40] COMMUNITY BENEFIT?
[5:22:45] THEN, YOU CAN CLEAR-CUT IT WITH NO EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT EXPECTED. THIS
[5:22:46] IS A TROUBLING PRECEDENT
[5:22:49] I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION
[5:22:52] FOR AMY LINDSAY
[5:22:55] AND HER COLLEAGUES ARE RECEIVING OUR EXTENSIVE FEEDBACK AND
[5:22:57] PREPARING THE STAFF REPORT. I URGE THE
[5:22:58] PLANNING BOARD TO CONSIDER WHETHER THESE COMPLEX
[5:23:01] AND IMPORTANT QUESTIONS RAISED IN THE STAFF REPORT
[5:23:02] AND WHETHER SO MANY ISSUES WITH THE
[5:23:04] SKETCH PLAN SHOULD RESULT
[5:23:07] IN THE APPLICATION BEING DENIED OR AT
[5:23:08] A MINIMUM,
[5:23:13] BE REQUIRED TO BE REDESIGNED AND RESUBMITTED
[5:23:14] TO THE PLANNING BOARD AT A LATER DATE. THANK YOU. >> THANK
[5:23:17] YOU VERY MUCH. >> DOT >>
[5:23:20] GOOD AFTERNOON.
[5:23:23] MY
[5:23:26] NAME
[5:23:27] IS RICHARD SIMONS AND ALONG WITH MY
[5:23:29] WIFE, CHRISTINA , AN
[5:23:30] ARCHITECT LIVED ON SHERWOOD ROAD.
[5:23:33] OUR PROPERTY IS ABOUT FIVE HOUSES DOWN
[5:23:34] FROM THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT BEING
[5:23:38] DISCUSSED TODAY. IN CONTRAST
[5:23:40] TO MANY THAT HAVE TESTIFIED SO FAR,
[5:23:41] WE HAVE BEEN HERE FOR SIX
[5:23:42] MONTHS. MUCH OF THE DEVELOPER'S INABILITY
[5:23:44] TO MEET SPECIFIC
[5:23:46] AND IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS IN THE SECTOR
[5:23:48] PLAN ARE CAUSED BY NOTHING MORE THAN
[5:23:50] THE SELF-INTEREST.
[5:23:53] THE BUILDING
[5:23:56] HAS MORE
[5:23:59] IN COMMON WITH THE POORLY DESIGNED FEDERAL BUILDING AND
[5:24:01] SOMETHING YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE IN
[5:24:02] A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, LIKE THIS ONE.
[5:24:05] IT WILL BE AT LEAST
[5:24:06] 1.5 OR TWO TIMES LARGER ON THE WOODLAND DRIVE
[5:24:08] IN THE TALLEST HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IF DOCUMENTATION
[5:24:10] IS BELIEVED. THIS IS CAUSED , IN PART BY
[5:24:11] THE DEVELOPERS
[5:24:14] PLAN TO ENVELOPE
[5:24:17] 415
[5:24:20] PARKING SPACES .
[5:24:23] SIMILARLY, AN INABILITY TO
[5:24:26] PROPOSE ADEQUATE GREEN COVERAGE IS
[5:24:27] BLAMED ON A NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS,
[5:24:29] BUT NOT
[5:24:30] ON ANY OF THEIR PARTICULAR DESIGN DECISIONS.
[5:24:32] THE APPLICANT
[5:24:35] OPPOSED SOLAR PANELS IN ABSENCE OF A
[5:24:37] GREEN SPACE. THEY TEND TO BE SOME OF
[5:24:38] THE FIRST
[5:24:40] ITEMS ELIMINATED DURING VALUE ENGINEERING.
[5:24:45] UNLESS SPECIFICALLY HELD TO IT, THIS APPLICANT
[5:24:47] IS FOCUSED ON
[5:24:48] PROFIT MARGIN AND THIS BUILDING COULD
[5:24:50] END UP WITH LESS
[5:24:51] ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLINESS THEN IS
[5:24:53] ALREADY PROPOSED. LASTLY , THE APPLICANT
[5:24:56] DOES NOT INTEND TO FOLLOW SECTOR
[5:24:58] PLANS RECOMMENDATIONS, OUR RECOMMENDATION
[5:24:59] FOR REDUCED
[5:25:02] ARCING.
[5:25:08] MY WIFE AND I CHOSE THIS AREA
[5:25:11] IN PART
[5:25:14] ,
[5:25:15] BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY TO PUBLIC
[5:25:16] TRANSIT. I DON'T DRIVE AND WE DON'T
[5:25:17] OWN A CAR. WEEK AFTER WEEK
[5:25:18] WE HAVE EASILY GOTTEN GROCERIES AND
[5:25:19] OTHER NECESSITIES USING THE METRO
[5:25:20] TO SILVER SPRING
[5:25:21] OR WHEATON. USING THE SEVEN DIFFERENT
[5:25:23] BUS LINES THAT WILL RUN RIGHT
[5:25:25] BY THIS DEVELOPMENT ON A REGULAR BASIS WILL
[5:25:26] BE GREAT.
[5:25:28] THREE STORE SIT WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE
[5:25:29] ARE ONE
[5:25:31] BUS STOP SOUTH OF THIS BUILDING. THE
[5:25:32] JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THIS
[5:25:34] MANY SPACES IS LAZY AND INSINCERE.
[5:25:38] JL BE WANT AS MUCH PARKING,
[5:25:39] NOT DUE TO ANY CONCERN FOR THE COMMUNITY,
[5:25:41] BUT TO MAKE THIS BUILDING
[5:25:44] ATTRACTIVE TO THE FIRMS THEY INTEND
[5:25:47] TO SELL TO.
[5:25:53] THIS GOES AGAINST
[5:25:54] THE GOALS OF THE COUNTY BUT THE APPLICANT DOESN'T
[5:25:55] CARE AND THEY WANT UNLESS THEY ARE
[5:25:59] MADE TO.
[5:26:00] JLB'S PROPOSED PARKING DISTANCE INCENTIVIZES ANY
[5:26:01] USE OF PUBLIC TRANSIT AND AS IT STANDS , THEY
[5:26:02] COULD CARE LESS
[5:26:05] WHAT CYNICALLY
[5:26:08] PATTING THEMSELVES ON THE BACK.
[5:26:11] I HOPE MY IN THE
[5:26:12] OTHER LETTERS AND TESTIMONY PROVIDED TODAY FROM
[5:26:13] OTHERS HEALTH SUPPORT THE BOARD IN
[5:26:14] SEEING
[5:26:17] THE POTENTIAL WASTE OF THE SITE AND HOLDS
[5:26:20] JLB REALTY AND IS REPRESENTED TO WHAT IS
[5:26:22] IN THE BEST INTEREST, NOT TO THEIR
[5:26:23] BOTTOM LINE ,
[5:26:26] BUT TO THE RESIDENTS OF THIS
[5:26:29] COMMUNITY. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR
[5:26:30] TIME. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> [ APPLAUSE
[5:26:32] ] >> MacY JENKINS? >>
[5:26:38] HELLO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY
[5:26:41] AND LISTENING TO OUR CONCERNS.
[5:26:44] I AM
[5:26:47] A RESIDENT OF THE FIRST GROVE
[5:26:49] CITIZENS ASSOCIATION , LIVING ABOUT
[5:26:50] FIVE HOUSES DOWN
[5:26:53] FROM THE PROPOSED SITE AT
[5:26:56] 9806 FOREST
[5:26:59] GROVE DRIVE ON
[5:27:00] THE CORNER OF FOREST GROVE ROAD AND MYRTLE
[5:27:02] ROAD. I HAVE LIVED THEIR ENTIRE LIFE OF ALMOST
[5:27:05] 79 YEARS AND I HAVE PUT
[5:27:08] MY LIFE, MY FINANCES
[5:27:10] , MY MEMORIES ALL IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
[5:27:11] I AM PASSIONATE
[5:27:14] ABOUT WHAT THE COUNTY IS
[5:27:17] PROPOSING TO DO TO
[5:27:20] OUR WAY OF LIFE. PLEASE DON'T CHANGE
[5:27:23] OUR WAY OF LIFE BY CRAMMING MORE PEOPLE
[5:27:26] INTO AN AREA THAT
[5:27:29] IS NOT DESIRABLE FOR THEM OR US BECAUSE
[5:27:32] THIS TAKES AWAY FROM MY UNDERSTANDING
[5:27:35] OF WHAT THE GOALS ARE FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY
[5:27:38] , IS TO GET MORE CARS OFF THE ROAD. ALL
[5:27:41] OF THIS IS GOING TO ADD MASSIVE CONGESTION
[5:27:44] TO THE INTERSECTION OF FOURTH GLENN , GEORGIA
[5:27:47] AND THE BELTWAY AND
[5:27:49] OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
[5:27:53] WE CAN'T SURVIVE AS A NEIGHBORHOOD.
[5:27:56] MAYBE, THE LONG-TERM GOAL, I
[5:27:59] DON'T KNOW IS TO TURN THIS INTO
[5:28:02] AN AREA LIKE SILVER SPRING OR WHEATON
[5:28:03] OR BETHESDA
[5:28:07] BECAUSE IT IS AROUND A METRO STATION,
[5:28:09] BUT IT WAS BUILT AND I WAS
[5:28:10] HERE FIGHTING FOR THE METRO AND FIGHTING
[5:28:12] FOR ITS LOCATION
[5:28:18] .
[5:28:19] WE WERE ENCOURAGED TO HAVE THE METRO
[5:28:21] FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE COMMUNITY
[5:28:24] AND IT WAS A COMMUNITY STATION.
[5:28:27] IT WASN'T A CENTRAL
[5:28:30] AREA STATION
[5:28:33] .
[5:28:36] OUR STREETS CANNOT
[5:28:39] STAND THE TRAFFIC.
[5:28:41] THIS IS MYRTLE ROAD RIGHT ON THE CORNER
[5:28:42] WHERE
[5:28:45] I LIVE. YOU SAW
[5:28:48] THIS PICTURE PREVIOUSLY.
[5:28:51] MY HUSBAND TOOK THIS ONE.
[5:28:55] IT IS ABOUT 90 INCHES ACROSS HERE.
[5:28:57] A
[5:29:00] BUS IS 95 TO 105
[5:29:03] INCHES WIDE. A GARBAGE TRUCK
[5:29:06] IS
[5:29:09] ABOUT 102 INCHES WIDE
[5:29:12] AND A CLASSIC SINGLE REAR
[5:29:15] AXLE FIRE TRUCK HAS A WIDTH OF
[5:29:18] 98 TO 100 INCHES .
[5:29:21] THEY WILL NOT FIT HERE. I UNLOAD
[5:29:23] MY GROCERIES AND YOU CAN SEE I AM
[5:29:24] HANDICAPPED. I
[5:29:27] AM OLDER
[5:29:30] . I HAVEN'T BEEN THIS WAY ALL MY LIFE,
[5:29:33] BUT IT HAPPENS. I UNLOAD MY
[5:29:35] GROCERIES HERE BECAUSE IT IS FLAT
[5:29:36] AND I CAN GET INTO MY
[5:29:39] HOUSE EASIER THIS WAY. I HAVE A NICE BIG
[5:29:41] GARAGE, BUT THERE IS A HILL UP TO
[5:29:45] IT. I HAVE BEEN CALLED MORE
[5:29:47] THAN ONCE, MANY TIMES BY THE BLARING
[5:29:48] OF A HORN.
[5:29:52] PLEASE, SOMEBODY COME OUT AND MOVE YOUR
[5:29:54] CAR BECAUSE A TRASH TRUCK, A
[5:29:56] FIRE ENGINE , AN AMBULANCE CANNOT GET
[5:29:59] THROUGH. IT IS NOT SAFE ON OUR STREET
[5:30:03] TO HAVE ALL OF THIS
[5:30:04] TRAFFIC. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[5:30:06] >> PLEASE, PLEASE RESERVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
[5:30:09] THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >>
[5:30:12] [ APPLAUSE ] >> DARRELL
[5:30:15] DAVIS? >> GOOD
[5:30:16] AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING
[5:30:18] THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERNS
[5:30:21] ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
[5:30:24] MY NAME
[5:30:26] IS DARRELL DAVIS. MY WIFE AND I IN THREE CHILDREN ARE LONGTIME RESIDENTS OF THE FOREST
[5:30:29] GROVE ASSOCIATION AND THE COMMUNITY ADJACENT
[5:30:30] TO 9801
[5:30:33] GEORGIA AVENUE. LIKE MANY
[5:30:34] OF OUR NEIGHBORS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT
[5:30:36] THE IMPACT
[5:30:39] FOR THE
[5:30:40] DEVELOPMENTS PLANNED ON THIS PROPERTY THAT
[5:30:41] INCLUDES HUNDREDS OF PARKING SPACES
[5:30:42] AN ENTRANCE ONTO AN
[5:30:43] ALREADY CROWDED STREET, WOODLAND DRIVE,
[5:30:47] MINIMAL GREEN SPACES AND BUFFER SPACES BETWEEN
[5:30:51] THE TWO
[5:30:52] BLOCK COMPLEX AND NEIGHBORING HOUSES. WE
[5:30:53] ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BUILDING HEIGHT THAT
[5:30:54] WILL NOT ALIGN TO OR INTEGRATE WITH
[5:30:57] NEIGHBORHOOD PATTERNS . RESIDUAL TRAFFIC AND
[5:30:59] PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ISSUES WITH HUNDREDS OF
[5:31:00] CARS EXITING ONTO
[5:31:03] WOODLAND DRIVE . AS WE HAVE HEARD ALREADY,
[5:31:06] IT HAS VERY LIMITED CAPACITY.
[5:31:09] AND, BUFFER SPACE BETWEEN
[5:31:10] THE PROPOSED COMPLEX AND NEIGHBORS HOUSES.
[5:31:11] WOODLAND DRIVE AND ADJACENT STREETS
[5:31:12] ARE ALREADY USED
[5:31:15] AS RUSH-HOUR THOROUGHFARES BY DRIVERS CUTTING THROUGH
[5:31:17] OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ON THEIR WAYS TO AND
[5:31:18] FROM WORK
[5:31:20] . THESE ARE VERY SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS
[5:31:24] AND HEAVILY TRAFFICKED BY CHILDREN
[5:31:28] AND PEDESTRIANS.
[5:31:30] IT IS VERY HARD TO IMAGINE THE ADDITION
[5:31:31] OF POSSIBLY HUNDREDS OF CARS ADDITIONALLY ONTO THESE
[5:31:33] STREETS IN A DAILY FASHION. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU
[5:31:34] TO
[5:31:35] WORK WITH POTENTIAL DEVELOPERS TO LIMIT
[5:31:39] CAR ALLOWANCES IN THIS COMPLEX , ENCOURAGING
[5:31:42] NEW RESIDENTS TO USE THE FOREST GLEN METRO
[5:31:46] AND BUS ACCESS AS MANY IN OUR
[5:31:47] NEIGHBORHOOD DO. WE ALSO STRONGLY
[5:31:48] ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK WITH DEVELOPERS
[5:31:49] TO
[5:31:50] LIMIT THE HEIGHT OF THE PROPOSED BUILDING
[5:31:52] SO THAT THE
[5:31:54] SIZE AND ARCHITECTURE WILL CONFORM
[5:31:57] MORE CLOSELY WITH THOSE IN OUR EXISTING
[5:31:59] NEIGHBORHOOD. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU
[5:32:01] TO WORK WITH DEVELOPERS
[5:32:03] FINALLY, TO LIMIT ENTRANCES AND EXITS IN
[5:32:05] THIS COMPLEX TO GEORGIA AVENUE SO THAT
[5:32:07] WOODLAND DRIVE DOES NOT BECOME
[5:32:10] A TRAFFIC SAFETY HAZARD THAT
[5:32:11] COULD SPILL OVER INTO SMALLER NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS.
[5:32:13] NONE
[5:32:16] OF THEM ARE EQUIPPED 200
[5:32:19] TO HANDLE
[5:32:22] INCREASED TRAFFIC.
[5:32:23] WE WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE USE
[5:32:24] OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, INCLUDING
[5:32:28] MAINTAINING INTEGRITY OF
[5:32:31] HER NEIGHBORHOODS.
[5:32:34] I BELIEVE THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACCOMPLISHES NONE OF
[5:32:35] THESE THINGS. THANK YOU. >> THANK
[5:32:37] YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. >> [ APPLAUSE
[5:32:40] ] >> OUR NEXT PANEL PLEASE.
[5:33:16] MONICA BRADFORD? PLEASE GO
[5:33:19] AHEAD. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM
[5:33:23] MONICA BRADFORD AND MY HUSBAND AND I
[5:33:24] HAVE LIVED IN THE FOREST THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR
[5:33:25] 35 YEARS. WE
[5:33:27] HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO RAISE OUR FAMILY
[5:33:28] IN THIS DIVERSE,
[5:33:29] WELCOMING COMMUNITY. WE SUPPORT THE SECTOR
[5:33:31] PLANS PROPOSALS TO PROVIDE MORE
[5:33:33] AFFORDABLE HOUSING YOUR TRANSIT AND
[5:33:34] ITS ALIGNMENT
[5:33:37] WITH THE VISION ZERO ACTION PLAN. HOWEVER,
[5:33:40] OUR ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS SECTOR
[5:33:42] PLAN DOES NOT TRANSLATE INTO SUPPORT
[5:33:43] FOR
[5:33:45] THE SKETCH PLAN BEING CONSIDERED TODAY.
[5:33:49] THE SECTOR PLAN
[5:33:50] IDENTIFIES A MEDICAL CENTER AS AN
[5:33:52] OPPORTUNITY AREA AND
[5:33:54] CLEARLY ARTICULATES THE CHALLENGES AND
[5:33:55] GOALS RELATED
[5:33:58] TO DEVELOPING THE PROPERTY. UNFORTUNATELY,
[5:34:00] THE CHALLENGES OF THIS SITE ARE USED
[5:34:01] TO
[5:34:03] DISMISS PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION
[5:34:04] DECISIONS THAT
[5:34:07] MADE CONFORMITY DIFFICULT ARE NOT ACKNOWLEDGED.
[5:34:10] IF THE DEVELOPER HAS
[5:34:11] STARTED WITH DIFFERENT DESIGN PARAMETERS, WE
[5:34:13] WOULD BE DISCUSSING A
[5:34:16] DIFFERENT SKETCH ONE TODAY.
[5:34:19] IT WOULD BE ONE THAT MORE ALIGNED WITH THE
[5:34:22] SECTOR PLAN VISION.
[5:34:23] ONE DESIGN ASSUMPTION YOU HAVE HEARD
[5:34:25] A LOT ABOUT IS THE NEED FOR OVER 50
[5:34:26] PARKING SPACES. SETTING ASIDE THE QUESTION
[5:34:28] OF WHY SO MUCH PARKING IS NEEDED OVER A
[5:34:30] METRO STATION, LET'S THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT
[5:34:31] OF THESE CARS
[5:34:34] . DESCRIPTIONS AND DATA IN THE SECTOR PLAN
[5:34:36] TRAFFIC APPENDIX ALREADY ILLUSTRATE THAT
[5:34:40] THE FOREST GLENN AREA
[5:34:41] HAS FACED A SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC ISSUE THAT
[5:34:43] MUST BE
[5:34:45] MITIGATED. ACCORDING TO THIS APPENDIX
[5:34:49] , GEORGIA AVENUE IS A HIGH-PRIORITY
[5:34:50] QUARTER FOR ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENTS
[5:34:55] . ON THE FEW ROADS
[5:34:58] THAT PARALYZE PARALLEL
[5:35:00] GEORGIA AVENUE IS WOODLAND DRIVE. MOTORISTS
[5:35:01] ARE SPEAKING
[5:35:04] TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME
[5:35:06] DUE TO CONGESTION ON GEORGIA AVENUE. EXCESSIVE
[5:35:07] VEHICLE SPEEDS ON THE
[5:35:10] SIDE STREETS ARE DETRIMENTAL
[5:35:13] TO SAFETY AND
[5:35:15] THE RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
[5:35:18] THIS IS NOTED AND STATED IN THE TRAFFIC
[5:35:19] APPENDIX. THE APPENDIX RECOMMENDS
[5:35:22] TRAFFIC CALMING EFFORTS AND
[5:35:23] A POSSIBLE SPEED CAMERA INSTALLATION
[5:35:25] ON WOODLAND DRIVE.
[5:35:28] THAT IS THE SAME EXPECTED
[5:35:29] TO PROVIDE PARKING SPACES FOR METRO DROP
[5:35:31] OFF AND AN ENTRY TO THE DEVELOPMENTS PARKING
[5:35:34] LOT. KNOWING THE CURRENT TRAFFIC ISSUES , CAN
[5:35:37] ANYONE THINK ALLOWING PARKING FOR OVER
[5:35:40] 500 CARS IS A GOOD IDEA?
[5:35:43] CLEARLY NOT THE PEOPLE WHO WROTE THE SECTOR PLAN.
[5:35:46] THEY RECOMMENDED
[5:35:47] REDUCING PARKING AT THE SITE TO THE
[5:35:49] GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE. WE ARE ALREADY
[5:35:52] LIVING WITH FRUSTRATED DRIVERS
[5:35:53] SPEEDING ON OUR STREETS AND MAKING
[5:35:55] UNSAFE TURNS. THIS
[5:35:58] SKETCH PLAN IS THE FIRST MARKET REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT FOR THIS
[5:35:59] AREA SINCE THE ADOPTION OF THE SECT
[5:36:01] OR PLAN. IT IS IMPERATIVE
[5:36:03] THAT THE BOARD RULES IN SUPPORT OF THE
[5:36:04] SECTOR PLAN
[5:36:07] , AS TODAY'S DECISION WILL IMPACT
[5:36:10] HOW DEVELOPERS THINK ABOUT THE OTHER OPPORTUNITY
[5:36:12] AREAS IDENTIFIED IN THE PLAN. THE FIRST
[5:36:13] STEP IN
[5:36:15] TURNING OUR VISION FOR SAFE COMMUNITY
[5:36:16] INTO REALITY
[5:36:18] IS TO ENSURE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN SKETCH
[5:36:19] PLAN'S AND
[5:36:22] RECOMMENDATIONS CLEARLY LAID OUT IN
[5:36:24] SECTOR PLANS. TAKE THIS FIRST STEP
[5:36:26] BY VOTING TO REQUIRE CHANGES TO THE
[5:36:28] SKETCH PLAN AS
[5:36:31] RECOMMENDED BY THE STAFF
[5:36:36] AND THE FOREST GROVE CITIZENS ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES. >>
[5:36:37] THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[5:36:38] >> THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. >> WHITNEY?
[5:36:40] >> GOOD AFTERNOON.
[5:36:43] MY NAME IS WHITNEY
[5:36:45] MORAN. I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER AND
[5:36:46] A RESIDENT OF THE FOREST
[5:36:49] GROVE NEIGHBORHOOD. I AM SPEAKING
[5:36:52] TODAY TO ASK THAT YOU NOT APPROVE THE
[5:36:55] CURRENT SKETCH PLAN FOR 9801 GEORGIA
[5:36:58] AVENUE. I SHOULD
[5:37:00] BE IN MY CLASS TODAY TEACHING MY STUDENTS,
[5:37:01] I AM HERE WITH YOU BECAUSE I FEEL VERY
[5:37:03] STRONGLY ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ,
[5:37:04] ABOUT THE
[5:37:07] SKETCH PLAN AND ABOUT
[5:37:09] THE PLANS GOING FORWARD THAT YOU ARE
[5:37:10] RESPONSIBLE FOR.
[5:37:13] WHEN WE MOVED HERE OVER ONE
[5:37:15] DECADE AGO, MY FAMILY CHOSE MONTGOMERY
[5:37:17] COUNTY BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THE
[5:37:19] LEADERSHIP LISTENED TO ITS CONSTITUENTS
[5:37:23] AND THE VALUES MATCHED OUR OWN.
[5:37:25] WHEN WE WILL PAY OUR TAXES FOR MORE TEACHERS
[5:37:29] IN THE UPCOMING YEARS , I
[5:37:30] AM HOLDING IN FAVOR OF THAT BECAUSE
[5:37:32] THOSE VALUES MATCH
[5:37:34] OUR OWN. THE SECTOR PLANS VALUES ALSO
[5:37:35] MATCH
[5:37:38] OUR OWN. THIS SKETCH PLAN
[5:37:41] DOES NOT. WHEN WE LOOK
[5:37:43] AT THE PICTURES TODAY, I FIND IT SHOCKING
[5:37:47] AND ASTOUNDING THAT
[5:37:49] NO ONE ELSE SEEMS TO SEE WHAT OUR
[5:37:52] COMMUNITY FINDS SO AMAZING. LOOK AT
[5:37:56] THE SIZE AND SCOPE AND THEN ,
[5:37:57] LOOK AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSES THAT ARE
[5:37:59] RIGHT BEHIND IT. MONTGOMERY
[5:38:02] COUNTY CLAIMS TO WANT TO HAVE
[5:38:04] HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, YET IGNORES THE FACT
[5:38:05] THAT THIS
[5:38:06] DEVELOPMENT WILL MAKE OUR COMMUNITY UNSAFE.
[5:38:09] YOU HAVE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN
[5:38:11] ABOUT THE TRAFFIC
[5:38:12] . THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS DESIGNED FOR
[5:38:14] 100 TO 200 CARS
[5:38:17] .
[5:38:20] THE
[5:38:21] 500 CARS WILL VASTLY OVERWHELM OUR STREETS.
[5:38:22] YOU HAVE HEARD THAT TIME AND TIME
[5:38:23] AGAIN.
[5:38:25] WHY WOULD WE APPROVE A GIANT BUILDING THAT
[5:38:26] TAKES AWAY
[5:38:28] ALL OF THE GREEN SPACE ON A STREET
[5:38:29] CALLED
[5:38:31] FOREST GLEN AND ANOTHER STREET CALLED
[5:38:34] , WOODLAND ? WHY WOULD THE PLANNING
[5:38:35] BOARD TALK
[5:38:38] GREENWAYS AND NOT INSIST ON
[5:38:41] MORE GREEN DEVELOPMENT?
[5:38:43] WHY WOULD WE EVEN MAKE RULES ABOUT
[5:38:44] SIGNAGE AND NOT
[5:38:47] REQUIRE A VERY WEALTHY DEVELOPER
[5:38:50] TO GO BY THE RULES?
[5:38:52] WHY DO WE SHRUG AND PASS ALL OF OUR VALUES
[5:38:56] AS IF THEY ARE NOT IMPORTANT? WHAT ARE
[5:38:58] WE TELLING OUR STUDENTS AND WHAT ARE
[5:38:59] WE TELLING OUR
[5:39:01] COMMUNITY MEMBERS? AND, WHO WILL NOT DRIVE
[5:39:05] OFF OF 495 INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND WONDER
[5:39:07] , WHO DESIGNED THAT BUILDING FOR THIS SPACE?
[5:39:08] WHAT
[5:39:11] WERE THEY THINKING?
[5:39:13] WHY WOULD WE APPROVED THIS MASSIVE BUILDING
[5:39:17] AT THIS FOR 95 EXIT THAT YOU HAVE ALL
[5:39:19] DRIVEN PAST TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND
[5:39:23] YOU KNOW IT IS A MESS. WHY WOULD WE
[5:39:26] NOT HAVE A SMARTER DESIGN FOR
[5:39:29] THIS SPACE ? PLEASE
[5:39:30] VOTE NO FOR THE SKETCH DEVELOPMENT.
[5:39:32] >> 495.
[5:39:38] >> THANK YOU. >>
[5:39:41] NEXT. >>
[5:39:50] I BROUGHT MY OWN ARTIFACT.
[5:39:59] I AM 23
[5:40:01] YEAR RESIDENT AND I LIVE ON BELVEDERE BOULEVARD
[5:40:02] IN
[5:40:05] THIS HOUSE HERE. MY WIFE
[5:40:11] WORKS IN TAKOMA PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SHE ALWAYS HAS
[5:40:12] TO COME OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND
[5:40:14] DRIVE SOUTH. I WORK UP IN GERMANTOWN SO I
[5:40:15] ALWAYS HAVE TO COME OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
[5:40:17] AND DRIVE SOUTH TO GET NORTH, RIGHT?
[5:40:21] THIS IS BASICALLY, WHAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
[5:40:23] LOOKS LIKE , A
[5:40:26] SNAPSHOT ANY DAY BETWEEN 7:00 AND 9:00
[5:40:29] IN THE MORNING.
[5:40:31] YOU HAVE THIS LONG BACKUP AND THERE
[5:40:32] IS ANOTHER
[5:40:33] GENTLEMAN THAT SHOWED YOU THIS ALREADY
[5:40:35] ON FOREST GLEN. WE HAVE CARS TRYING TO GET
[5:40:38] OUT. THIS IS USUALLY THE WAY I WOULD COME
[5:40:40] TO TRY TO GET OUT HERE AND THERE IS A
[5:40:41] LINEUP OF FOUR
[5:40:44] OR FIVE CARS AT ANY POINT IN TIME. IT
[5:40:45] MIGHT TAKE MANY CYCLES OF THIS LIGHT TO
[5:40:47] GET THROUGH THERE. THERE IS OFTEN
[5:40:49] A POLICE OFFICER SITTING HERE BECAUSE PEOPLE
[5:40:50] GET SO FRUSTRATED ON
[5:40:53] FOREST GLEN THAT THEY CROSSED THE DOUBLE YELLOW TO
[5:40:56] TRY TO GET INTO THIS DOUBLE LINE HERE.
[5:40:58] IT HAPPENS ALL OF THE TIME. CLEARLY
[5:40:59] , IT PRESENTS A
[5:41:02] SAFETY HAZARD. BASICALLY ,
[5:41:05] WE CAN BARELY MANAGE
[5:41:07] THE SITUATION AS IT IS NOW. YOU CAN IMAGINE
[5:41:10] THAT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF CARS THAT WANT
[5:41:11] TO
[5:41:13] GO SOUTH , AS THERE ARE RIGHT NOW
[5:41:14] BECAUSE IT IS THE ACCESS TO THE
[5:41:15] BELTWAY IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. IT IS
[5:41:17] THE ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN
[5:41:20] SILVER SPRING AND THE ACCESS TO
[5:41:23] D.C. THEY'RE
[5:41:24] JUST NOT THAT MANY CARS GOING NORTH.
[5:41:26] THIS IS WHERE THEY WILL GO.
[5:41:29] NOW, IMAGINE ANOTHER 200+ CARS AND
[5:41:30] I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE I'M TRYING
[5:41:32] TO BE REALISTIC. THERE ARE 400+ UNITS. LET'S
[5:41:34] SAY HALF OF THEM NEED TO GO SOUTH.
[5:41:35] A WHOLE
[5:41:37] BUNCH OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTED
[5:41:43] IN GETTING INTO THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE
[5:41:44] IT IS SO CLOSE TO THE BELTWAY. THEY CAN GO
[5:41:45] TO VIRGINIA OR BALTIMORE OR ANYWHERE VERY
[5:41:47] EASILY. I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD
[5:41:49] TO THINK THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO
[5:41:50] COMPLETELY OVERWHELM
[5:41:55] OUR TRAFFIC SYSTEM IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
[5:41:56] IT IS
[5:41:58] COMPLETELY OBVIOUS FROM THIS. YOU
[5:41:59] CAN'T GO OUT TILTON BECAUSE
[5:42:02] THERE IS NO LIGHT OR ANYTHING.
[5:42:05] THERE IS NO WAY TO GET ACROSS GEORGIA AVENUE IN
[5:42:08] THE MORNING. THAT, ITSELF IS A SAFETY HAZARD.
[5:42:13] YOU CAN COME OUT AUGUST BY GOING AROUND THE
[5:42:14] NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THERE IS A WHOLE PART OF
[5:42:16] THE NEIGHBORHOOD UP HERE THAT IS USING AUGUST.
[5:42:17] SO, THERE IS ALWAYS A BACK UP
[5:42:20] THERE. BASICALLY , TO
[5:42:22] ME NOT HAVING A TRAFFIC STUDY AT THIS POINT,
[5:42:23] AND THE DEVELOPER NOT
[5:42:26] DOING A TRAFFIC STUDY IS
[5:42:27] A COMPLETE DERELICTION OF DUTY. IT
[5:42:29] IS A RESPONSIBLE
[5:42:31] AND AS JENNA SAID EARLIER, IT IS DISRESPECTFUL TO
[5:42:32] OUR COMMUNITY.
[5:42:35] I WILL LEAVE IT WITH THAT. THANK YOU. >>
[5:42:38] THANK YOU.
[5:42:41] >> MICHELLE ROSENFELD
[5:42:44] , ALSO KNOWN AS A SIGN HOLDER
[5:42:47] SPEAKING FOR THE FOREST GLEN CIVIC
[5:42:50] ASSOCIATION. >> THAT WAS FOR CLARITY, THE
[5:42:52] RECORD, RIGHT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[5:42:53] I AM
[5:42:56] HERE ON BEHALF OF THE FOREST GROWTH CITIZENS
[5:42:59] ASSOCIATION AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, THANK
[5:43:02] YOU TO
[5:43:05] AMY LINDSEY FOR FIELDING NUMEROUS CORRESPONDENCE, INCLUDING
[5:43:08] FROM ME. AS SOMEBODY MENTIONED
[5:43:10] A FEW MOMENTS AGO, THIS IS A REALLY
[5:43:11] IMPORTANT DECISION BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST
[5:43:14] PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT YOU HAVE SUBJECT TO THE
[5:43:17] SECTOR PLAN. AND,
[5:43:18] HOW YOU LOOK AT AND APPLY THE SECTOR
[5:43:20] PLANS RULES AND
[5:43:23] GUIDANCE WILL BE IMPORTANT
[5:43:26] GOING FORWARD.
[5:43:27] I WILL EXPLAIN WHY, AS A MATTER OF
[5:43:29] LAW THE SKETCH PLAN FAILS TO SATISFY THE
[5:43:30] LEGAL
[5:43:32] STANDARDS FOR ROAD ACCESS AND FAILS
[5:43:35] TO SUBSTANTIALLY CONFORM WITH THE
[5:43:39] SECTOR PLAN.
[5:43:41] YOU HAVE HEARD EXTENSIVE TESTIMONY
[5:43:42] AND I'M
[5:43:44] SURE WE WILL HEAR MORE AS TO WHY THE
[5:43:45] SKETCH
[5:43:47] PLAN'S FAILURE TO CONFORM WITH THOSE
[5:43:51] TWO STANDARDS RESULTS IN
[5:43:53] THE KIND OF COLOSSAL FAILURE AND OPPOSITION
[5:43:56] YOU ARE RECEIVING FROM THIS COMMUNITY.
[5:43:59] I THINK IT IS VERY CLEAR THE COMMUNITY
[5:44:00] IS NOT OPPOSED
[5:44:03] TO REDEVELOPMENT AT THIS SITE.
[5:44:04] WHAT THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IS HOW
[5:44:06] THE REDEVELOPMENT IS BEING
[5:44:07] CARRIED FORWARD. WE THINK THE SKETCH PLAN
[5:44:09] FALLS SO SHORT
[5:44:11] OF THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE SECTOR
[5:44:13] PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS THEY SHOULD BE DENIED.
[5:44:18] IF, IN THE ALTERNATIVE
[5:44:20] THE BOARD DOES NOT DENY THE PLAN BUT INSTEAD,
[5:44:23] APPROVES IT SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS WE
[5:44:24] ASK THAT
[5:44:26] THE BOARD ADD A NEW CONDITION THAT
[5:44:27] ANY SECTOR
[5:44:29] PLAN AMENDMENT COME BACK TO THE BOARD
[5:44:33] FOR SUBSEQUENT REVIEW AND ANOTHER
[5:44:36] PUBLIC HEARING . WHY IS THAT?
[5:44:38] THAT IS BECAUSE AS YOU HEARD FROM AMY
[5:44:39] LINDSEY ,
[5:44:40] SHE DESCRIBED A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT
[5:44:42] ARE DETERMINED
[5:44:45] WITH ESSENTIAL FINALITY AT THIS STAGE
[5:44:48] . THAT INCLUDES ACCESS
[5:44:51] . IT INCLUDES OPEN SPACE. IT INCLUDES DENSITY.
[5:44:53] ALL OF THOSE THINGS, YOU CAN'T JUST
[5:44:54] TWEAK ONE TO GET TO
[5:44:57] SITE PLAN
[5:44:58] OR PRELIMINARY PLAN. THOSE THINGS 11 DECIDED.
[5:45:00] SO, IT
[5:45:03] IS CRITICAL THAT THE
[5:45:04] TYPES OF CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE, THAT
[5:45:06] THE REDESIGN COMBAT FOR
[5:45:09] ADDITIONAL PUBLIC REVIEW. AS YOU
[5:45:12] KNOW, THE BOARD NEEDS
[5:45:15] TO MAKE EIGHT FINDINGS IN ORDER TO APPROVE
[5:45:16] THE SKETCH PLAN. I WILL FOCUS ON TWO.
[5:45:18] THE FIRST IS THE SKETCH PLAN MUST
[5:45:21] MEET THE OBJECTIVES
[5:45:22] , GENERAL REQUIREMENTS, AND STANDARDS
[5:45:24] OF THE ZONING CODE.
[5:45:25] THE SECOND IS THAT THE SKETCH PLAN
[5:45:27] MUST SUBSTANTIALLY
[5:45:30] CONFORM WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
[5:45:32] THE APPLICABLE MASTER PLAN. MASTER
[5:45:33] PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS
[5:45:35] OR GUIDELINES, YES. UNTIL YOU HAVE
[5:45:36] STATUTE
[5:45:38] THAT SAYS THERE HAS TO BE SUBSTANTIAL
[5:45:42] CONFORMANCE WITH THOSE STANDARDS
[5:45:44] , AND THAT IS WHAT YOU HAVE AT THIS
[5:45:45] STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT.
[5:45:47] WITH RESPECT TO WOODLAND DRIVE, IT
[5:45:48] INCLUDES AN ENTRANCE
[5:45:51] WITH A
[5:45:52] FULL MOVEMENT DRIVEWAY FOR ACCESS TO
[5:45:53] THE RESIDENTIAL GARAGE AND JUST A
[5:45:54] FEW FEET AWAY
[5:45:57] IT INCLUDES ACCESS
[5:46:00] FOR UNLOADING BAY. THIS AXIS VIOLATES
[5:46:03] SECTION 59
[5:46:06] OF THE ZONING CODE WHICH PROHIBITS ACCESS
[5:46:09] FOR THIS PROPERTY TO
[5:46:11] A ROADWAY CLASSIFIED AS A RESIDENTIAL ROAD.
[5:46:15] IN OTHER WORDS ,
[5:46:18] IF THIS ROAD WERE A
[5:46:19] BUSINESS ROAD OR A COMMERCIAL ROAD
[5:46:21] OR
[5:46:23] ANY OTHER CLASSIFICATION THERE WOULD BE
[5:46:24] DISCRETION
[5:46:27] TO ALLOW ACCESS. BUT, IT
[5:46:29] IS PROHIBITED BECAUSE IT IS A RESIDENTIAL ROAD.
[5:46:33] TO APPROVE ACCESS ON WOODLAND DRIVE VIOLATES
[5:46:36] THE ZONING CODE. YOU HAVE A BRAND-NEW
[5:46:39] SECTOR PLAN APPROVED
[5:46:41] IN 2020 THAT GRANTS VERY HIGH DENSITY AND
[5:46:42] IT DOES
[5:46:45] SO KNOWING THAT ACCESS IS NOT
[5:46:48] ALLOWED ON WOODLAND DRIVE.
[5:46:51] THE COUNCIL KNEW THAT
[5:46:54] AT THE TIME THEY APPROVED THIS.
[5:46:56] WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED SIMPLY DOES
[5:46:57] NOT CONFORM
[5:46:59] WITH THE STANDARDS OF THE ZONING CODE. NOR
[5:47:00] DOES IT CONFORM
[5:47:03] WITH THE REQUIREMENT
[5:47:06] THAT THE SKETCH PLAN SUBSTANTIALLY CONFORM
[5:47:08] WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE APPLICABLE
[5:47:09] MASTER PLAN. YOU HAVE HEARD
[5:47:12] THAT THERE ARE 10
[5:47:13] OR A DOZEN DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS.
[5:47:20] IT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE AFFORDABLE
[5:47:21] HOUSING COMPONENTS. I ASK
[5:47:22] YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS,
[5:47:23] CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL SHOULD YOU
[5:47:24] DECIDE TO APPROVE SUBJECT
[5:47:27] TO ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING. THERE NEEDS TO
[5:47:30] BE AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT
[5:47:31] OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WHETHER
[5:47:33] OR NOT THOSE UNITS COMPLY WITH THE
[5:47:36] AREA MEDIAN INCOME. THERE NEEDS
[5:47:39] TO BE A PROHIBITION , A CONDITION THAT
[5:47:40] PROHIBITS ACCESS ON WOODLAND DRIVE
[5:47:42] , EXCESS
[5:47:54] TRAFFIC WILL
[5:47:57] BE THE RESULT WITH WHAT
[5:48:00] IS PROPOSED.
[5:48:03] IT IS ALREADY CONSTRAINED. I SUBMIT TO
[5:48:05] YOU THAT AS A MATTER OF LAW, THIS
[5:48:12] SECTOR PLAN IS NOT IN A POSITION TO
[5:48:13] BE APPROVED. WE ASK THAT YOU DENY
[5:48:15] IT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. JOSEPH
[5:48:18] SUTTON? >>
[5:48:21] GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JOE SUTTON
[5:48:24] AND I REPRESENT THE
[5:48:25] OWNERS OF THE FOREST GLEN MEDICAL
[5:48:27] CENTER. I WANT TO THANK
[5:48:29] THE PLANNING STAFF, PARTICULARLY ROBERT
[5:48:30] ,
[5:48:33] KERRY SANDERS ,
[5:48:36] AMY LINDSEY, MATT AND OTHERS WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY
[5:48:39] TO HELP US .
[5:48:42] THIS IS A TOUGH SITE. I ALSO WANT
[5:48:45] TO THANK FORMER VICE CHAIR
[5:48:48] FOR HIS INCREDIBLE EFFORTS
[5:48:51] WITH THE FRIENDS OF FOREST GLEN. THEY HAVE BEEN KEY
[5:48:54] CONTRIBUTORS TO ADVANCING THIS PROJECT. I
[5:48:57] GREW UP IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND MY CHILDREN
[5:48:59] WERE BOTH BORN AT HOLY CROSS. THEY WENT
[5:49:00] TO
[5:49:02] SCHOOL HERE AND I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF
[5:49:03] THE COMMUNITY FOR
[5:49:05] SEVERAL DECADES. WHEN THE COMMUNITY
[5:49:06] FIRST
[5:49:09] APPROACHED US BACK IN 2016
[5:49:12] TO REDEVELOP THIS SITE WE
[5:49:15] DIDN'T HAVE TREMENDOUS OPTIMISM. THERE WERE A LOT OF
[5:49:16] THINGS THAT WERE OUTSTANDING THAT NEEDED
[5:49:18] TO BE RESOLVED.
[5:49:21] BUT
[5:49:27] AFTER
[5:49:30] THE FRIENDS OF THE FOREST PLAN ABLE
[5:49:34] TO LOOK AT THE FINANCING
[5:49:35] FOR THE TUNNEL, WHICH WAS A BIG DEAL
[5:49:37] AT THAT TIME ,
[5:49:39] THAT OFFERED SAFE PASSAGE FOR FOLKS THAT
[5:49:41] WERE COMING OVER TO THE MEDICAL BUILDING
[5:49:43] FROM THE METRO
[5:49:46] ,
[5:49:52] THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE TO FOREST GLEN
[5:49:55] MEDICAL CENTER.
[5:49:56] AFTER THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATED SO HARD
[5:49:58] FOR THE NEW SECTOR PLAN AND
[5:50:00] THE INCREASED DENSITY , FOR THE FIRST
[5:50:01] TIME
[5:50:03] IT MADE DOING SOMETHING WITH THE SITE POSSIBLE.
[5:50:08] IT HAS BEEN A LONG HAUL TO GET HERE TODAY
[5:50:10] WITH ALL THE MOVING PARTS
[5:50:13] WITH THIS SITE.
[5:50:16] AFTER TALKING OVER THE
[5:50:19] SPAN OF FIVE YEARS TO
[5:50:21] PROBABLY, 50 OR 60 DIFFERENT DEVELOPERS, IT
[5:50:22] IS TOUGH TO FIND A DEVELOPER
[5:50:25] TO
[5:50:26] TAKE ON A SITE LIKE THIS. THERE ARE
[5:50:28] JUST TOO MANY MOVING PARTS.
[5:50:29] ACCESS, TRAFFIC AND ALL OF THESE THINGS
[5:50:31] WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, TODAY
[5:50:40] SHOCKED ME BECAUSE WE HAD SUCH
[5:50:42] AN INCREDIBLE BACKING FROM THE COMMUNITY
[5:50:45] TO GET THIS SITE OFF THE GROUND. OUR OWNERSHIP
[5:50:49] IS DOCTORS. PROBABLY
[5:50:51] , A LOT OF THEIR PATIENTS ARE IN THE
[5:50:55] BACK AND THEY CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
[5:50:58] . THEY WILL LISTEN CAREFULLY ABOUT
[5:50:59] WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTED. WE ARE
[5:51:01] VERY PROUD TO BE OFFERING
[5:51:04] ADDITIONAL HOUSING ALTERNATIVES
[5:51:07] , UP TO 60 AFFORDABLE UNITS.
[5:51:10] OF COURSE, SOME RETAIL
[5:51:13] THAT WILL FIND
[5:51:14] FOLKS A DECENT CUP OF COFFEE AS THEY
[5:51:15] GO ON TO THE METRO IN THE MORNING. THE
[5:51:16] BUILDING
[5:51:17] IS OVER 50 YEARS OLD AND CERTAINLY,
[5:51:19] NOT THE MOST AESTHETICALLY
[5:51:21] APPEALING GATEWAY TO HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL.
[5:51:22] WHAT YOU SEE
[5:51:25] BEFORE YOU TODAY IS A PRODUCT OF
[5:51:28] SEVERAL YEARS OF HARD WORK , INCLUDING
[5:51:28] COUNTLESS MEETINGS
[5:51:30] WITH THE COMMUNITY , THE PLANNING BOARD
[5:51:34] DURING THE SECTOR PLAN
[5:51:35] REVIEW AND FINALLY, THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
[5:51:37] >>
[5:51:39] IF YOU COULD WRAP UP, PLEASE. >> OUR PARTNER HAS
[5:51:40] WORKED HUNDREDS OF
[5:51:43] HOURS REVISING THE PLAN TO CONFORM
[5:51:46] TO THE STAFF
[5:51:49] REPORT AND TO MAINTAIN FEASIBILITY, WHICH
[5:51:52] HAS
[5:51:53] ALWAYS BEEN OUR CHALLENGE. >> THANK YOU
[5:51:55] FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. >>
[5:51:56] WE ARE HOPEFUL FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
[5:51:58] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
[5:52:01] TODAY AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD
[5:52:02] WORK OF THE TEAM
[5:52:03] THAT HAS HELPED US GET THIS FAR. >>
[5:52:04] THANK YOU.
[5:52:07] THAT IS THE LAST OF THE IN-HOUSE
[5:52:09] SPEAKERS. WE HAVE FIVE PEOPLE ON TEAMS
[5:52:12] , BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT I WOULD LIKE TO
[5:52:13] TAKE A
[5:52:16] FOUR-MINUTE BREAK. OKAY?
[5:52:20] FOUR MINUTES. MARK THE CLOCK.
[5:58:39] >>>
[5:58:42] ALL RIGHT , THIS IS
[5:58:45] MARCH 30,
[5:58:46] 2023, SESSION OF THE PLANNING BOARD. WE
[5:58:48] ARE STILL
[5:58:51] DEALING WITH
[5:58:54] 9801 GEORGIA AVENUE
[5:58:57] .
[5:59:00] WE HAVE FIVE SPEAKERS
[5:59:03] ON TEAMS THAT WOULD LIKE TO
[5:59:06] BE HEARD. THE FIRST IS
[5:59:09] LISA MONROE .
[5:59:12] >> GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU
[5:59:15] VERY MUCH.
[5:59:17] CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? >> YES, YOU
[5:59:18] HAVE THREE MINUTES.
[5:59:19] >> THERE WAS A DEFINITE FAILURE MADE
[5:59:21] IN COMMUNITY WITH THE
[5:59:24] FOREST GLEN NEIGHBORHOOD
[5:59:26] WITH THE ZONING CHANGES MADE IN 2020.
[5:59:30] I THINK THE COUNTY NEEDS TO DO BETTER
[5:59:32] , BUT THIS IS NOT A PROJECT THAT ANY
[5:59:36] OF THE PEOPLE
[5:59:37] IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AS YOU HAVE SEEN WOULD TAKE
[5:59:39] LIGHTLY. I EVEN MADE VISITS TO
[5:59:40] PARK AND PLANNING WHEN WE MOVED HERE
[5:59:42] IN 2021 AND WE WERE RESEARCHING
[5:59:48] WHERE WE WOULD CHOOSE TO LIVE
[5:59:49] AND RAISE OUR FAMILY. I FEEL WE HAVE
[5:59:50] BEEN A BIT MANIPULATED AND WANT YOU
[5:59:51] TO FULLY
[5:59:52] UNDERSTAND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AS YOU HAVE
[5:59:54] SEEN IS NOT FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS SKETCH
[5:59:56] PLAN AS IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED AND
[5:59:57] SLIGHTLY MODIFIED. THE LACK
[6:00:00] OF TRAFFIC STUDIES, ALONE ARE
[6:00:03] RESPONSIBLE
[6:00:06] . IT IS ALREADY OVERWHELMING
[6:00:08] AT THAT INTERSECTION THROUGH THE ENTIRE RUSH-HOUR
[6:00:09] FROM
[6:00:12] BELTWAY TRAFFIC AND SHIFT
[6:00:13] CHANGES FROM HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL PEOPLE
[6:00:15] TRYING TO GET TO WORK.
[6:00:17] THERE BEEN MANY TIMES WHEN IT HAS TAKEN
[6:00:18] ME OVER 20 MINUTES TO GET OUT OF
[6:00:20] OUR NEIGHBORHOOD GOING NORTH OR SOUTH BOUND
[6:00:21] , DEPENDING
[6:00:24] ON THE HOUR OF THE
[6:00:27] RUSH FROM THE EAST SIDE OF FOREST
[6:00:30] GLEN ROAD.
[6:00:38] I DON'T KNOW HOW IT CAN BE SAFE OR RESPONSIBLE
[6:00:39] TO ADD 500 OR MORE CARS
[6:00:40] TO THE IMMEDIATE AREA, LET ALONE ON
[6:00:41] WOODLAND DRIVE. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS
[6:00:42] CANNOT SUSTAIN THIS LEVEL
[6:00:45] OF CONGESTION OR BE SAFE
[6:00:46] FOR PEDESTRIANS GETTING TO THE METRO
[6:00:48] OR OTHERWISE. I AM DISAPPOINTED BY
[6:00:49] THE LACK OF COMMON SENSE IN CONDUCTING
[6:00:51] COMMON SENSE
[6:00:53] TRAFFIC STUDIES BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION
[6:00:54] WHEN TIME SPENT IN TRAFFIC
[6:00:57] PLAY SUCH A MAJOR PART IN THE WELL-BEING OF OUR
[6:00:58] COMMUNITY AND COUNTY AS A WHOLE. I
[6:01:00] CANNOT BELIEVE THERE IS NOT A
[6:01:02] STUDY ALSO , TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WILL
[6:01:03] HAPPEN TO
[6:01:04] THE SCHOOLS THIS BUILDING WILL INCLUDE
[6:01:06] IN THEIR BOUNDARIES.
[6:01:07] THEY ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO HAVE
[6:01:09] ENOUGH SPACES
[6:01:12] .
[6:01:14] THE LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THE
[6:01:15] COUNTY IS TAKING
[6:01:18] ON GROWING
[6:01:23] AND UNDERSTANDING THE DEMOGRAPHICS
[6:01:24] OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY ARE SERVING
[6:01:25] IS APPALLING. IF THE COUNTY CARES
[6:01:27] THEY NEED TO RETHINK WHAT
[6:01:30] GROWTH REQUIRES
[6:01:33] ADDED SERVICES
[6:01:39] IN AND ALREADY OVERCROWDED AREA IN
[6:01:40] OUR SCHOOLING. IT IS NOT FAIR TO OUR
[6:01:42] FAMILIES OR NEIGHBORS OR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS OR FACULTY OR TEACHERS. THESE
[6:01:43] TWO THINGS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT
[6:01:44] THINGS FOR ME AND HAVE AN INCREDIBLY
[6:01:45] NEGATIVE IMPACT
[6:01:49] ON THE SAFETY EVER NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE
[6:01:51] QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND COUNTY
[6:02:00] , AS A WHOLE. I WOULD
[6:02:01] LIKE TO ASK THAT WE BE RESPONSIBLE AND
[6:02:02] MAKE COMMON SENSE, WELL-INFORMED DECISION FOR
[6:02:03] THE BETTERMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST
[6:02:05] THE MONETARY BENEFIT OF A FEW. WE
[6:02:06] HAVE TO DO BETTER IN MAKING DECISIONS.
[6:02:09] THANK
[6:02:11] YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO TESTIFY. I
[6:02:12] AM SORRY I COULD NOT BE THERE IN PERSON AS I'M
[6:02:14] EN ROUTE TO THE AIRPORT FOR SPRING BREAK
[6:02:15] TO GET MY COLLEGE
[6:02:17] SENIORS TO VISIT SCHOOLS. THANK YOU FOR
[6:02:18] YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU FOR
[6:02:21] YOUR EXCELLENTLY
[6:02:24] TIME TESTIMONY. ANDREW? >>
[6:02:27] THANK YOU.
[6:02:30] I HAVE SEVERAL POINTS I
[6:02:33] WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.
[6:02:47] APOLOGIES FOR SPEAKING QUICKLY. MY WIFE
[6:02:48] AND I LIVED UP THE STREET FROM THE
[6:02:49] PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AND WE WILL BE DIRECTLY
[6:02:50] AFFECTED BY IT IN THE MASSIVE TRAFFIC
[6:02:52] PROBLEMS IT WILL CREATE. I ASKED THE PLANNING BOARD DENIED THE
[6:02:53] SKETCH PLAN APPLICATION AND TO DISAGREE WITH THE
[6:02:54] TESTIMONY OF THE BOARD HEARD FROM
[6:02:55] AMY AT THE BEGINNING REGARDING KNOWLEDGE
[6:02:58] OF SIGNAGE.
[6:03:05] THERE SHOULD BE APPROPRIATE NOTICE
[6:03:07] FOR COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY
[6:03:09] ANY APPLICATION. THE APPLICATION MUST
[6:03:10] POST
[6:03:11] A SIGN ADVERTISING THE PRE-SUBMITTAL
[6:03:13] MEETING
[6:03:16] EQUIVALENT TO THE REQUIREMENT FOR
[6:03:17] AN APPLICATION SITE A MINIMUM OF 15
[6:03:19] DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING.
[6:03:22] SECTION 59 MANDATES THAT
[6:03:23] THE SIGN MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATIONS. THE
[6:03:25] SKETCH PLAN
[6:03:27] MUST USE THE SIGN TEMPLATE PROVIDED BY
[6:03:28] THE
[6:03:31] PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THE
[6:03:33] PROCEDURES TEMPLATE PROVIDED BY THE
[6:03:34] PLANNING
[6:03:37] DEPARTMENT REQUIRES THE SKETCH
[6:03:39] PLAN SIZE BE 36 INCHES BY 48 INCHES
[6:03:43] AND
[6:03:44] THAT THE BOTTOM OF THE SIGN MUST NOT BE
[6:03:45] LESS THAN THREE FEET TO THE GROUND.
[6:03:46] CONTRAST THIS WITH THE LESSER REQUIREMENT OF
[6:03:49] SECTION 59 WHICH PROVIDES
[6:03:52] THAT FOR A LOCAL MAP AMENDMENT
[6:03:55] AND CONDITIONAL USE
[6:03:56] THE SIGN MUST BE A MINIMUM OF 24 INCHES
[6:03:58] TALL BY 36 INCHES WIDE.
[6:04:01] THE APPLICANT WRONGFULLY CONFORM
[6:04:02] TO THE LESSER NOTICE REQUIREMENTS.
[6:04:06] THE APPLICANT POSTED THESE REPORTED PRE-SUBMITTAL
[6:04:09] NOTICE SIGNS ONLY APPROXIMATELY 30
[6:04:10] BY 42 INCHES
[6:04:12] IN SIZE AND ROUGHLY 25 INCHES FROM
[6:04:16] THE GROUND.
[6:04:17] THIS IS ABOUT ONE THIRD SMALLER AND LOWER
[6:04:19] THAN REQUIRED BY THE LAW, WHICH
[6:04:20] IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE. BECAUSE OF THAT
[6:04:21] HUGE DIFFERENCE IN SIZE AND POSTING HEIGHT
[6:04:24] , RESIDENTS LIKE ME WHO ROUTINELY PASS
[6:04:27] THE SITE DID NOT RECEIVE PROPER NOTICE AND
[6:04:28] DID NOT ATTEND THE
[6:04:30] PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETINGS SINCE WE ASSUMED THE
[6:04:31] POSTING
[6:04:32] WAS SOMETHING OTHER THAN A SKETCH PLAN.
[6:04:34] THESE SKETCH PLANS HAVE
[6:04:36] A GREAT IMPACT. HAD A RECEIPT PROPER
[6:04:37] NOTICE I WOULD'VE ATTENDED THE
[6:04:40] PRIEST THE MIDDLE BEATING
[6:04:42] . THE LACK OF PROPER NOTICE HAS CASCADING EFFECTS,
[6:04:43] INCLUDING ME
[6:04:45] NOT BEING ON THE SKETCH PLAN NOTIFICATION
[6:04:46] AND NOT HAVING
[6:04:48] THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD BY THE DEVELOPER.
[6:04:52] IN
[6:04:53] SHORT, MY VOICE WAS NOT HEARD AS IT SHOULD'VE
[6:04:54] BEEN UNDER THE LAW IF THE APPLICANT
[6:04:55] HAD FOLLOWED THE
[6:04:56] PROPERLY LEGALLY REQUIRED NOTIFICATION
[6:04:58] REQUIREMENTS. THE BOARD CANNOT WAIVE
[6:05:00] THE APPLICANT'S CRITICAL NOTICE REQUIREMENTS.
[6:05:04] THE LAW IS CLEAR. NOTICE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH APPLICATION
[6:05:06] AND THEY MUST POST THE SIGN IN ACCORDANCE
[6:05:07] WITH
[6:05:10] THE LAW
[6:05:11] . THE APPLICANT FILED THE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS
[6:05:12] FOR THE WRONG TYPE OF APPLICATION.
[6:05:13] THIS
[6:05:15] HAS HAD EFFECTS ON OUR COMMUNITIES
[6:05:16] DUE PROCESS AND
[6:05:18] THE RIGHTS. THE LAW IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY
[6:05:22] POSTS
[6:05:25] MORE STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE IMPACT
[6:05:28] IS SO MUCH GREATER.
[6:05:30] THIS IS TRUE WHEN THE APPLICANT WAS INFORMED
[6:05:31] OF THE ERROR
[6:05:36] AND WAS INFORMED THAT RESIDENTS, SUCH
[6:05:37] AS MYSELF AND OTHERS MIGHT HAVE
[6:05:40] INTENDED TO GO TO THE MEETING
[6:05:43] . THIS MEANS THE DEVELOPER
[6:05:44] KNOWINGLY MAINTAINED A FALSE CERTIFICATION IN
[6:05:46] ITS APPLICATION
[6:05:49] AND THAT IT COMPLIED WITH THE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS
[6:05:51] FOR THE SKETCH PLANS. THAT IS INEXCUSABLE.
[6:05:52] FOR
[6:05:53] THESE REASONS I REQUEST THIS APPLICATION
[6:05:55] BE DENIED WITH PREJUDICE.
[6:05:58] >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[6:06:04] NEXT PLEASE. >> CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME?
[6:06:07] >> YES. >> PERFECT.
[6:06:10] I HAVE LIVED IN FOREST GROVE FOR
[6:06:12] OVER 10 YEARS. I AM THE MOTHER OF THREE
[6:06:13] YOUNG
[6:06:15] CHILDREN, WHICH IS WHY I WAS PLEASED
[6:06:18] TO SEE THAT THE SECTOR PLAN CALLED
[6:06:19] FOR A DAY CARE
[6:06:21] CENTER AND THEY WERE SPEAKING ABOUT
[6:06:22] REDEVELOPING THIS SITE. FINDING
[6:06:24] DAY CARE, ESPECIALLY IN MONTGOMERY
[6:06:25] COUNTY IS
[6:06:27] ESPECIALLY HARD. MY CHILDREN WERE ON
[6:06:28] WAIT LISTS BEFORE
[6:06:31] THEY WERE EVEN BORN. EVEN THEN
[6:06:34] ,
[6:06:36] I WAS TOLD IT WAS TOO LATE TO ACCOMMODATE
[6:06:37] THEM. ASK ANY PARENT AROUND HERE AND I GUARANTEE
[6:06:39] THEY WILL SAY THEY HAVE BEEN ON WAIT LISTS
[6:06:43] FOR YEARS. A DAY CARE CENTER AT THIS
[6:06:44] SITE WOULD'VE BEEN A HUGE ASSET TO
[6:06:46] THE COMMUNITY. UNFORTUNATELY,
[6:06:48] JLB SAID NO TO THE DAY CARE. WHY?
[6:06:49] THEY SAID THERE IS NOT
[6:06:50] ENOUGH OUTDOOR SPACE AND THE TRAFFIC
[6:06:52] PATTERN IN THEIR GARAGE MAKES DROP-OFF
[6:06:55] AND PICKUP
[6:06:57] IMPRACTICAL. THESE ARE CHOICES THAT
[6:06:58] JLB MADE. THEY HAVE
[6:07:01] FOUR
[6:07:03] ACRES OF LAND AND CAN'T FIND ANY OUTDOOR
[6:07:04] SPACE FOR A DAY CARE? THEIR PLANS CALL FOR A
[6:07:05] PRIVATE COURTYARD FOR BUILDING RESIDENTS. MAYBE,
[6:07:07] THE DAY CARE
[6:07:13] COULD SHARE THAT. THEY HAVEN'T DONE TRAFFIC
[6:07:14] STUDY, SO I'M NOT SURE HOW THEY CAN ASSUME
[6:07:15] ANYTHING ABOUT ANY TRAFFIC PATTERNS ANYWHERE.
[6:07:16] THIS IS
[6:07:19] YET, ANOTHER
[6:07:21] NO FROM JLB AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF
[6:07:22] THE REFUSAL TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES LAID OUT BY
[6:07:23] THE COUNTY. WHITE DO THEY CONTINUE
[6:07:25] TO DISREGARD THE SECTOR PLAN? BECAUSE THE
[6:07:28] PLANS IT LAYS OUT
[6:07:31] ARE NOT AS PROFITABLE FOR THEM AND IN THE END, PROFIT
[6:07:33] IS THE BOTTOM LINE. FOR THESE REASONS
[6:07:34] AND THE OTHERS LAID OUT TODAY, YOU SHOULD
[6:07:37] DENY JLB SKETCH PLAN
[6:07:40] . THE COUNTY NEEDS
[6:07:43] TO HOLD
[6:07:49] JLB ACCOUNTABLE FOR STICKING TO
[6:07:50] THE SECTOR PLAN, WHICH WAS PUT IN
[6:07:52] PLACE FOR THE GOOD OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. I WOULD HATE TO THINK
[6:07:53] WE ARE SACRIFICING AN OPPORTUNITY
[6:07:54] FOR SMART AND THOUGHTFUL GROWTH THAT
[6:07:55] WOULD BENEFIT BOTH FUTURE AND
[6:07:57] CURRENT RESIDENCE WHO WANT THE CHANCE
[6:07:58] TO HAVE CONVENIENT LATTES. THANK YOU.
[6:08:01] >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[6:08:04] NEXT PLEASE. >>
[6:08:10] HELLO.
[6:08:13] I LIVE
[6:08:15] ABOUT ONE HALF MILE FROM THE PROPOSED
[6:08:16] PROJECT
[6:08:19] AND I AM ON BELVEDERE BOULEVARD.
[6:08:24] I WANT TO EXPRESS MY STRONG ENTHUSIASM
[6:08:25] AND SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT.
[6:08:31] I COMMUTE FROM THE FOREST GLEN METRO TWICE A WEEK
[6:08:33] AND WORK FROM HOME ON THE OTHER DAYS.
[6:08:34] I FOLLOW CLOSELY THE WORK OF MONTGOMERY
[6:08:36] PLANNING, ESPECIALLY THE HOUSING NEEDS
[6:08:37] ASSESSMENT, AS WELL AS THE
[6:08:41] WORK DONE FOR THE THRIVE
[6:08:44] GENERAL PLAN. THE NEED FOR NEW HOUSING IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY
[6:08:47] IS GREAT.
[6:08:50] TO BE A MORE EQUITABLE COUNTY WE NEED TO
[6:08:53] BUILD MORE HOUSING. TO DO THAT
[6:08:55] AN OFFICE TO RESIDENTIAL CONVERSION
[6:08:56] IS
[6:08:59] AN IDEAL SOLUTION. AS WE WORK
[6:09:01] TO BECOME MORE RESILIENT IN THE FACE
[6:09:02] OF CLIMATE CHANGE, WE
[6:09:04] NEED TO DO ALL WE CAN TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES AND
[6:09:05] MOVE TO MORE
[6:09:09] SUSTAINABLE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION. I
[6:09:10] CANNOT THINK OF A BETTER LOCATION
[6:09:11] FOR NEW HOUSING THEN ACROSS THE STREET FROM A METRO
[6:09:14] AND ALONG THE HIGH FREQUENCY
[6:09:17] BUS CORRIDOR ON GEORGIA AVENUE.
[6:09:20] THE NEW RESIDENTS WILL HAVE EASY ACCESS TO BOTH TRANSIT
[6:09:21] OPTIONS AND THE COUNTY LEVERAGES THE
[6:09:23] REGIONS INVESTMENT IN METRO AND
[6:09:26] THE FUTURE BUS RAPID TRANSIT ALONG
[6:09:28] THE CORRIDOR. THE RECENTLY ADOPTED DRIVE
[6:09:32] GENERAL PLAN ENVISIONS A FUTURE FOR
[6:09:33] A COUNTY THAT CREATES PLACES WHERE WE
[6:09:35] CAN INCREASE ACCESSIBLE HOUSING, IMPROVE TRANSIT AND STRENGTHEN
[6:09:38] ESSENCES TOGETHER IN
[6:09:41] EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE WAYS.
[6:09:42] THIS PROJECT CHECKS ALL OF THERE'S BOXES AND
[6:09:44] GETS US ON THAT PATH. WE
[6:09:45] REALLY NEED TO DO MORE OF THIS KIND
[6:09:47] OF THING, NOT LESS.
[6:09:50] SO, WHILE I UNDERSTAND THERE
[6:09:51] IS OPPOSITION FOR VARIOUS REASONS
[6:09:53] FROM MY NEIGHBORS, I HOPE THAT
[6:09:54] THE PLANNING BOARD WILL KEEP IN MIND
[6:09:56] THESE REALLY IMPORTANT
[6:10:00] POLICY GOALS THAT WE, AS A LARGER
[6:10:01] COMMUNITY NEED TO BE WORKING TOWARDS
[6:10:02] AND SEE
[6:10:03] THIS PROJECT AS PART OF THE SOLUTION
[6:10:06] AND APPROVE THIS SKETCH PLAN. THANK
[6:10:08] YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU
[6:10:11] VERY MUCH. JESSICA? >>
[6:10:17] HELLO.
[6:10:20] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
[6:10:22] I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I UNDERSTAND
[6:10:25] THE INTENTION OF THE MONTGOMERY HILLS
[6:10:26] AND FOREST GLEN SECTOR PLAN
[6:10:29] TO DEVELOP EXISTING
[6:10:30] PRE-EXISTING SITE. I WOULD SUPPORT
[6:10:32] THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SITE
[6:10:34] IN A WAY THAT MEANS THE GOALS OF THE
[6:10:35] SECTOR PLAN AND
[6:10:36] IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD.
[6:10:40] AND, IF IT WOULD PROVIDE BENEFITS
[6:10:41] TO OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS NOT
[6:10:42] REFLECTED IN ANY ASPECT OF THE JLB
[6:10:44] SKETCH PLAN ,
[6:10:46] AS PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HAVE EXPLAINED.
[6:10:49] I APPRECIATE THE TIME OF AMY LINDSEY
[6:10:53] . SOMETHING SHE EMPHASIZED AND
[6:10:56] PREVIOUSLY SAID
[6:10:57] TO FOREST GROVE CITIZENS ASSOCIATION
[6:10:58] MEETING IS THAT THIS IS THE EARLY
[6:10:59] STAGE OF
[6:11:00] THE PROCESS. FROM WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT
[6:11:02] THE FACTS
[6:11:04] OF HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS, IT IS CLEAR
[6:11:05] THAT IF THE BOARD APPROVES THIS
[6:11:07] SKETCH PLAN WITH CONDITIONS, THIS
[6:11:08] MECHANISM FOR THE PROCESS GOING FORWARD WOULD
[6:11:11] NOT BE AN EFFECTIVE WAY
[6:11:14] OR MANNER IN WHICH TO ENSURE
[6:11:16] OUR CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED BY THE DEVELOPER.
[6:11:22] IN ADDITION TO ENDORSING THE FEEDBACK AND CONCERNS
[6:11:23] ARTICULATED BY
[6:11:24] MY NEIGHBORS, I WILL FOCUS ON TWO
[6:11:26] SPECIFIC REASONS WHY THIS SKETCH PLAN
[6:11:27] DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE MONTGOMERY HILLS
[6:11:29] -FOREST GLEN
[6:11:32] SECTOR PLAN.
[6:11:34] TWO ENVIRONMENTALLY DESTRUCTIVE ACTIONS
[6:11:35] THE PLAN
[6:11:37] CALLS FOR DIRECTLY CONTRADICT THESE
[6:11:38] GOALS FROM THE
[6:11:41] SECTOR PLAN. CREATE
[6:11:44] GOALS FOR ECOLOGICAL HEALTH AND
[6:11:46] TO REMEDY PAST ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
[6:11:47] AND PROTECT
[6:11:50] AGAINST FUTURE ECOLOGICAL DEGRADATION.
[6:11:53] THE SKETCH PLAN SHOWS THAT
[6:11:55] THE DEVELOPER WON'T BE ABLE TO COVER
[6:11:56] A SURFACE AREA THAT
[6:11:58] WILL MOVE 1.25 ACRE FOREST DID PROPERTY
[6:11:59] AT
[6:12:02] THE END OF GEORGIA AVENUE.
[6:12:05] AS WELL AS THE TWO CHERRY TREES ALONG
[6:12:08] THE SITE ON
[6:12:10] FOREST GLEN ROAD WHICH ARE OVER 100
[6:12:11] YEARS OLD.
[6:12:14] THE 1.25 ACRE FOREST IS THE
[6:12:17] LAST REMAINING WOODLAND OF THE ORIGINAL
[6:12:19] PROPERTY IN THIS AREA AND THE TREE CANOPY
[6:12:20] IS A VALUABLE ASSET
[6:12:22] TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. YES, THE FOREST
[6:12:23] HAS
[6:12:26] BEEN IMPACTED BY INVASIVE PLANTS BUT THIS COULD BE
[6:12:29] REMEDIATED AS THE BOARDS
[6:12:32] RESPONSIBILITY
[6:12:35] IS TO ENSURE THAT HAPPENS , ACCORDING TO
[6:12:38] THE SECTOR PLAN.
[6:12:39] THERE ARE NATIVE FINDS THAT SURVIVED
[6:12:41] THE INVASIVES IN THAT AREA
[6:12:44] ACCORDING TO A FOREST SPECIALIST I VISITED WITH FROM
[6:12:47] MONTGOMERY COUNTY. DISTURBINGLY
[6:12:50] , THE 1.25
[6:12:53] ACRE FOREST ON
[6:12:55] THE SITE HAS BEEN MORE DEVASTATED
[6:12:56] BY
[6:12:58] TRASH DUMPING BY THE PROPERTY OWNER
[6:13:01] AND THE CLEAR CUTTING OF TREES, WHICH HAS EFFECTIVELY
[6:13:02] REDUCED IT TO
[6:13:05] BE ABOUT ONE ACRE. THIS IS AN UNDERHANDED ACTION
[6:13:08] AND
[6:13:09] RAISES THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE OWNER
[6:13:11] OR DEVELOPER OR ONE OF THEIR AGENTS
[6:13:13] IS CLEAR CUTTING THE TREES TO DECREASED THE
[6:13:14] FOUR SIDES AND
[6:13:16] RAISE THE NEED FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY
[6:13:17] AS AMY MENTIONED.
[6:13:20] DESTROYING THE TWO HISTORICAL
[6:13:23] CHERRY TREES WOULD ALSO BE A TRAVESTY. THEY
[6:13:26] ARE BOTH NINE TO NINE
[6:13:29] AND HALF FEET IN DIAMETER. IT IS
[6:13:30] LIKELY THEY WERE PART OF THE SECOND
[6:13:32] JAPANESE GIFT OF
[6:13:33] CHERRY BLOSSOMS TO THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
[6:13:35] REGION OF THE 3000 CHEESE GIVEN
[6:13:38] IN 2012.
[6:13:41] WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE PLANTED
[6:13:43] AS PART OF THIS HISTORICAL EVENT,
[6:13:44] THEY ARE LIVING IN
[6:13:47] AN HISTORICAL
[6:13:49] AREA OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SHOULD
[6:13:50] BE PRESERVED, NOT CHOPPED
[6:13:51] DOWN WITHOUT A CARE. >> PLEASE CONCLUDE. >>
[6:13:53] THIS DEVELOPER JUST WANTS
[6:13:56] TO
[6:13:59] SAVE AS MUCH
[6:14:01] MONEY IN THIS SITE AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. >>
[6:14:02] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. >> [ APPLAUSE
[6:14:03] ] >> IF THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO
[6:14:05] COME UP TO THE TABLE.
[6:14:08] WE CERTAINLY KNOW
[6:14:11] A LOT ABOUT THE PROJECT.
[6:14:14] WE CERTAINLY KNOW WHAT THE PLANNING STAFF
[6:14:17] HAS RECOMMENDED.
[6:14:20] BUT, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. I WOULD HOPE YOU WOULD
[6:14:23] RESPOND TO AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.
[6:14:29] >>
[6:14:32] GOOD AFTERNOON .
[6:14:38] I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT, JLB.
[6:14:40] I WANTED TO WELCOME THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE
[6:14:41] NOT APPEARED BEFORE
[6:14:44] . THERE IS
[6:14:47] A LOT TO UNPACK IN ALL THAT WAS
[6:14:50] SPOKEN TO, BOTH FROM STAFF AND
[6:14:53] FROM THE COMMUNITY. I JUST WANTED
[6:14:56] TO RUN THROUGH A COUPLE OF HIGH POINTS AND AS
[6:15:00] YOU NOTED ,
[6:15:01] ADDRESS AS MUCH AS I COULD. AS HAS BEEN
[6:15:02] EMPHASIZED MULTIPLE TIMES, THIS IS
[6:15:03] A VERY
[6:15:04] EARLY STAGE IN THE PROCESS. THERE WERE
[6:15:06] COMMENTS MADE
[6:15:07] THAT THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE OPEN SPACE
[6:15:09] OR THE ARCHITECTURE.
[6:15:10] THERE REALLY ISN'T ANY ARCHITECTURE YET.
[6:15:19] I DON'T BLAME PEOPLE FOR NOT LIKING HOW
[6:15:21] IT LOOKS. IS JUST BOXES ON A PAGE AT THIS POINT. I THINK YOU CAN
[6:15:22] SEE IN SOME OF THE EXHIBITS HOW WE
[6:15:23] ARE STARTING TO MOVE TOWARDS BREAKING IT
[6:15:25] DOWN AND CERTAINLY, WE HAVE ALREADY
[6:15:27] WORKED COLLABORATIVELY
[6:15:29] WITH STAFF AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO
[6:15:30] SO TO MAKE
[6:15:32] THE BUILDING APPROPRIATELY ARTICULATED
[6:15:35] AND COMPATIBLE. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
[6:15:36] ON
[6:15:38] THIS PROJECT SINCE THE FALL OF 2021
[6:15:39] AND IT HAS BEEN
[6:15:42] ALLUDED TO
[6:15:43] THAT THERE IS A LOT GOING ON, ASIDE FROM THE
[6:15:45] THREE FRONTAGES.
[6:15:47] THERE ARE UTILITIES THAT BISECT THE PROPERTY.
[6:15:49] WE HAVE COORDINATED AND MET MULTIPLE TIMES
[6:15:51] WITH HSA
[6:15:53] AND THEY HAD PLANS ORIGINALLY FOR
[6:15:57] A POND
[6:15:58] , STORM WATER POND ON THIS PROPERTY
[6:15:59] THAT WOULD TAKE UP A SIGNIFICANT PORTION
[6:16:00] OF IT.
[6:16:03] WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM
[6:16:06] AND HAVE AN AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THAT STORM
[6:16:08] WATER IN OTHER WAYS TO ALLOW THIS TO
[6:16:09] GO FORWARD. I THOUGHT THAT
[6:16:11] WAS A BIG WIN FOR WHERE THEY ARE IN
[6:16:14] THEIR DESIGN. WE HAVE ALSO COORDINATED WITH
[6:16:21] THE
[6:16:24] DEPARTMENT FOR THE TUNNEL AND HOW DEEP
[6:16:25] IT WOULD BE AND WHAT WAS REQUIRED. WE
[6:16:27] HAVE WORKED THROUGH THAT. THERE IS
[6:16:30] ALSO THE HSA PROJECT THAT CALLS FOR
[6:16:33] A WESTBOUND RIGHT TURN LANE
[6:16:35] , WHICH WE CAN GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE.
[6:16:39] THERE WAS A LOT
[6:16:40] OF THE TALK OF THE CONGESTION THAT HAPPENS
[6:16:41] AT THAT INTERSECTION AND AMY ALLUDED TO
[6:16:45] THE FACT THAT THERE IS A PROJECT
[6:16:47] COMING UP FROM HSA THAT WILL ALREADY
[6:16:48] ADDRESS SOME OF
[6:16:49] THOSE CONCERNS. THERE WILL BE A SOUTHBOUND
[6:16:51] LEFT TURN LANE
[6:16:54] FROM GEORGIA AVENUE ONTO FOREST
[6:16:55] GLEN ROAD TO FACILITATE THAT TURNING TOWARD
[6:16:57] THE HOSPITAL .
[6:17:00] AND THEN
[6:17:03] , ALSO COMING OUT AT THE COMMUNITY ON FOREST
[6:17:06] GLEN ROAD
[6:17:09] TO MAKE A RIGHT. RIGHT NOW, SOME OF THAT BACKUP IS CAUSED BY THE
[6:17:10] FACT THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT
[6:17:12] TO GO RIGHT AND ARE STUCK BEHIND PEOPLE TRYING
[6:17:15] TO GO STRAIGHT AND LEFT.
[6:17:16] STATE HIGHWAY HAS DETERMINED THERE
[6:17:18] IS A SOLUTION
[6:17:21] WHO CAN SPEAK TO THAT MORE
[6:17:22] IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO
[6:17:24] GET INTO. THE OTHER THING I WANT
[6:17:27] TO MENTION IS THAT
[6:17:29] THE FOREST GLEN SECTOR PLAN WAS ADOPTED
[6:17:30] IN 2020, WHICH IS PRETTY
[6:17:31] RECENT FOR SECTOR PLAN. THAT IS THE
[6:17:33] VISION FOR THIS AREA.
[6:17:35] THAT SET THE REZONING WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED
[6:17:36] THE
[6:17:37] DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF THIS SITE.
[6:17:39] WE HAVE HEARD
[6:17:40] TESTIMONY OF WHAT PEOPLE THINK COMPATIBLE
[6:17:44] WHEN THEY ARE TALKING AND THINKING
[6:17:45] ABOUT TOWN
[6:17:48] HOUSES. THAT IS NOT
[6:17:50] THE DECISION THE COUNTY COUNSEL MAY. THEY WANTED
[6:17:51] SOMETHING MUCH MORE DENSE HERE
[6:17:53] AND GAVE MORE DENSITY THEN WE ARE PROPOSING.
[6:18:00] WHAT
[6:18:01] IS BEING PROPOSED IS 460,000 SQUARE FEET
[6:18:05] AND WHAT WOULD BE ALLOWED IS 536,000
[6:18:06] SQUARE FEET.
[6:18:09] SO, AS MUCH AS PEOPLE ARE CHALLENGING
[6:18:12] JLB'S INTENT AND
[6:18:15] OBJECTIVES
[6:18:16] AND MAYBE, THEY COULD DO MORE AND
[6:18:18] THEY ARE TRYING TO SQUEEZE EVERY DIME OUT, THERE ARE
[6:18:21] ACTUALLY 75,000 FEET OF DENSITY
[6:18:23] AND 40 FEET OF HEIGHT THAT IS BEING LEFT
[6:18:24] ON
[6:18:27] THE TABLE. THAT IS JUST BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMICS
[6:18:30] OF IT. AND, WHAT
[6:18:31] IS ACTUALLY ACHIEVABLE GIVEN ALL OF THE
[6:18:33] COMPETING INTERESTS.
[6:18:37] WHEREAS THE SECTOR PLAN SETS THE VISION,
[6:18:39] THE MARKET HAS TO SET THE REALITY OF WHAT
[6:18:42] IS ACHIEVABLE. THAT
[6:18:45] DENSITY WILL ALSO LIKELY
[6:18:46] BE REDUCED AS WE GO THROUGH SITE PLANS
[6:18:50] AND SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
[6:18:51] STAFF TO FURTHER ARTICULATE
[6:18:54] CERTAIN FRONTAGES. WE ALSO FOUND OUT SUBSEQUENT TO THE ADOPTION OF THE
[6:18:57] SECTOR PLAN THAT THERE ISN'T REALLY
[6:18:58] 1.25 ACRES OF FOREST ON THIS SITE.
[6:19:00] WE HAD EXPERTS GO
[6:19:02] OUT THERE AND MEASURE IT. THERE ARE
[6:19:05] .4 ACRES AND AS AMY NOTED IT IS NOT
[6:19:06] IN VERY GOOD SHAPE.
[6:19:09] IT IS VERY HIGHLY CHOKED WITH
[6:19:11] INVASIVES AND YOU SAW THE PICTURES
[6:19:12] , SO I WON'T BELABOR THAT.
[6:19:15] ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE
[6:19:16] DISCOVERED PRETTY EARLY ON THAT WE
[6:19:18] NEEDED TO WORK THROUGH WAS THE
[6:19:20] IDEA OF A DROP OFF FOR THE METRO ON
[6:19:21] THE PROPERTY.
[6:19:24] AS WAS NOTED , THERE ARE
[6:19:29] 20 FEET OF DROPPING GREAT AS YOU GO
[6:19:30] FROM GEORGIA AVENUE DOWN TO FOREST GLEN
[6:19:33] ROAD AND THAT
[6:19:35] COMPLICATES THE FLOORS OF THE BUILDING. YOU CAN'T
[6:19:36] JUST DRIVE THROUGH.
[6:19:39] SO, THERE NEEDS TO BE
[6:19:40] A CERTAIN LEVEL OF CIRCULATION IN ADDITION
[6:19:42] TO THE
[6:19:44] RETAIL PARKING AND CIRCULATION AND
[6:19:45] RESIDENTIAL PARKING
[6:19:48] AND CIRCULATION THAT IS GOING ON AND THE SEPARATION
[6:19:50] OF USES. AGAIN, WE HAVE EXPERTS CAN
[6:20:00] SPEAK TO IT MUCH MORE. IT BECAME READILY APPARENT THAT HAVING ANOTHER
[6:20:01] AREA OF DROP OFF WHERE ANYONE COULD COME
[6:20:03] ON AND PART TEMPORARILY AND DRIVE OFF WAS TOO COMPLICATED AND
[6:20:06] NOT ACHIEVABLE ON THIS SITE. I THINK WE WILL ACKNOWLEDGE
[6:20:09] THAT IS SOMETHING THERE HAS BEEN A LOT
[6:20:15] OF COMPLIANCE WITH SECTOR
[6:20:16] PLAN COMPLIANCE, THE PART ABOUT IT
[6:20:17] BEING ON THE SITE CANNOT BE ACHIEVED. HOWEVER,
[6:20:18] WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH
[6:20:21] STAFF AND MDOT
[6:20:24] TO COME UP
[6:20:26] WITH A PROPOSAL THAT WILL PUT THOSE
[6:20:29] PEDESTRIANS THAT ARE DROPPED OFF AND
[6:20:30] PICKED UP CLOSER TO THE NEW ENTRANCE TO
[6:20:33] THE METRO.
[6:20:36] DESPITE ALL OF THIS AND THE MANY CHALLENGES,
[6:20:39] THE PROJECT DOES ACHIEVE
[6:20:40] SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE OF THE SECTOR PLAN.
[6:20:42] I WON'T GO THROUGH --HOWEVER,
[6:20:45] I CAN , BUT I WON'T.
[6:20:48] I ASSUME YOU HAVE ALL SEEN BECAUSE WE SUBMITTED A
[6:20:50] LETTER YESTERDAY THAT GOES THROUGH THAT
[6:20:52] IN
[6:20:54] SOME DETAIL , ALONG WITH SOME OF THE
[6:20:55] TRAFFIC
[6:20:58] ISSUES THAT WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT.
[6:21:00] MORE GLOBALLY , WHAT WE REALLY WANT
[6:21:01] TO
[6:21:04] EMPHASIZE IS THAT
[6:21:06] THE COUNTY HAS SET CERTAIN POLICIES
[6:21:07] , BOTH
[6:21:09] THROUGH ITS GROWTH IN INFRASTRUCTURE POLICY
[6:21:10] THAT WAS
[6:21:13] RECENTLY ADOPTED THAT PLACE THIS PROPERTY
[6:21:16] IN A RED POLICY AREA. THROUGH
[6:21:17] THE SECTOR PLAN, WHICH CALLED FOR THE
[6:21:19] UP ZONING THAT WANTS
[6:21:22] THE DENSITY HERE. THERE IS A
[6:21:24] COUNTY POLICY THAT WANTS HOUSING ON TOP
[6:21:28] OF METRO , JUST LIKE THIS SITE
[6:21:30] AND IT SPECIFICALLY IS IDENTIFIED
[6:21:31] FOR HIGH DENSITY
[6:21:33] HOUSING HERE. SO, WHILE WE UNDERSTAND
[6:21:37] IT AND CAN SYMPATHIZE WITH
[6:21:39] THE DESIRES OF THE FEW THAT YOU HAVE
[6:21:40] HEARD WHO DON'T WANT
[6:21:41] HIGH DENSITY HOUSING AND WHAT THAT
[6:21:43] ENTAILS RIGHT NEXT
[6:21:46] TO THEM , THERE IS A LARGER
[6:21:48] COUNTY POLICY AT ISSUE HERE. THE OTHER
[6:21:49] THING I WANT
[6:21:52] TO NOTE IS
[6:21:54] , YOU HAVE HEARD IN MUCH OF THE TESTIMONY ABOUT
[6:21:55] THE
[6:21:58] 500 CARS
[6:22:01] OR 400 CARS AND THE GRIDLOCK IT
[6:22:02] WILL CAUSE. THERE IS A REASON THERE ARE EXPERTS
[6:22:03] THAT STUDY TRAFFIC AND YOU HAVE SOME
[6:22:04] ON
[6:22:05] YOUR STAFF. APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED
[6:22:07] TO HIRE THEM.
[6:22:10] IT IS NOT 400 CARS AT RUSH HOUR.
[6:22:12] I HAVE THE NUMBERS AND WHAT I SUBMITTED.
[6:22:16] IT IS FAR LESS THAN THAT AND
[6:22:18] THEY ARE USING BOTH THE GEORGIA AVENUE
[6:22:19] AND THE
[6:22:21] WOODLAND ROAD ACCESS POINTS. SO, IT
[6:22:22] IS NOT ALL OF
[6:22:25] A SUDDEN WHEN
[6:22:26] EVERYONE IS TRYING TO GO TO WORK THERE
[6:22:27] ARE 400 OR 500 MORE CARS POURING OUT OF
[6:22:29] THIS PROPERTY. I WOULD JUST CAUTION
[6:22:32] THAT WHEN YOU ARE EVALUATING THIS
[6:22:34] YOU NEED TO KEEP IN MIND
[6:22:37] THAT WHILE SOMETIMES
[6:22:38] TESTIMONY CAN CREATE A LITTLE BIT
[6:22:39] OF AN ECHO CHAMBER WHERE THINGS SEEM TO
[6:22:40] BECOME MORE
[6:22:43] TRUE
[6:22:51] BECAUSE IT SAID REPEATEDLY, THERE ARE EXPERTS WHO
[6:22:52] CAN BREAK THAT DOWN.
[6:22:53] AS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, THAT WILL BE EVALUATED,
[6:22:54] TRAFFIC CALMING AND CIRCULATION WILL
[6:22:55] BE EVALUATED AT THE TIME A
[6:22:56] PRELIMINARY PLAN. ALSO, THE SAFETY
[6:22:57] CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED ABOUT PEDESTRIANS
[6:23:00] , WITH ITS MOVEMENT TO A RED POLICY AREA
[6:23:01] AND THE ADOPTION
[6:23:03] OF THE NEW GROWTH AND INSTRUCTOR POLICY,
[6:23:04] THE COUNTY
[6:23:06] HAS PUT AN EMPHASIS ON MANY OF THE
[6:23:07] THINGS YOU HEARD
[6:23:09] , PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, BICYCLE SAFETY
[6:23:13] , KIDS GETTING SAFELY TO SCHOOL ,
[6:23:15] WE NEED MORE SIDEWALKS AND CROSSWALKS
[6:23:16] .
[6:23:19] THERE NEEDS
[6:23:21] TO BE A REAL FOCUS ON BICYCLE SAFETY
[6:23:22] AND HOW THAT WORKS
[6:23:24] AND INTERACTS WITH ALL OF THE OTHER
[6:23:25] MODES. THAT
[6:23:28] WILL BE SOMETHING
[6:23:31] , AGAIN THAT IS COMPREHENSIVELY STUDIED AT
[6:23:32] THE NEXT STAGE, SHOULD WE BE SO LUCKY
[6:23:34] TO GET THERE. AND, THERE WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY
[6:23:37] $1.85 MILLION OF IMPROVEMENTS
[6:23:38] UNDER THE GUIDELINES THAT WOULD BE
[6:23:40] REQUIRED TO ADDRESS THOSE
[6:23:43] ISSUES.
[6:23:49] THE PARKING CONCERN , WE HAVE
[6:23:52] HEARD THAT. IT
[6:23:54] IS A CONDITION OF APPROVAL FROM STAFF. LET
[6:23:55] ME PIVOT QUICKLY
[6:23:58] AS I SAY CONDITION, I APOLOGIZE. WE
[6:24:01] SHOULD HAVE STARTED
[6:24:04] WITH
[6:24:05] THINKING STAFF FOR THEIR TIME AND EFFORT
[6:24:06] ON THIS. WE HAVE BEEN AT THIS FOR
[6:24:07] OVER ONE YEAR AND HAVE
[6:24:08] HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS. IT IS NOT AN EASY
[6:24:10] SITE AND WE HAVE NOT ALWAYS AGREED.
[6:24:14] MOST OF THE TIME, WE DIDN'T AGREE, BUT I
[6:24:16] AM HAPPY TO SAY WE ARE HERE IN SUPPORT OF
[6:24:17] THE CONDITIONS. THEY ARE NOT EXACTLY WHAT
[6:24:19] WE HAVE DESIRED , BUT
[6:24:20] WE CAN LIVE WITH THEM AND LOOK FORWARD
[6:24:21] TO WORKING WITH STAFF ON THOSE. THAT WAS
[6:24:22] ME BACK
[6:24:25] TO MY ORIGINAL POINT ABOUT THE PARKING.
[6:24:28] THE PARKING ISSUE IS NOT SET.
[6:24:33] WE ARE NOT SAYING THIS IS THE BEGINNING
[6:24:34] AND END. THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL CONTINUE TO
[6:24:36] WORK THROUGH AS WE GO THROUGH THE
[6:24:37] NEXT STAGES
[6:24:39] , SHOULD WE GET THERE. AS I MENTIONED, WE
[6:24:40] WILL BE
[6:24:43] WORKING HEAVILY ON THAT.
[6:24:46] THERE ARE A LOT OF
[6:24:47] OTHER THINGS I COULD ADDRESS, THE
[6:24:49] CHILDCARE FACILITY
[6:24:52] , BUT I DON'T WANT TO RAMBLE ON
[6:24:55] AND ON. IT IS PROBABLY
[6:24:56] BETTER TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE
[6:24:58] ARE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THEM. WE HAVE THE FULL COMPLEMENT
[6:25:01] OF TECHNICAL EXPERTS HERE AND THE APPLICANT
[6:25:03] WITH ANYTHING YOU MAY NEED. >> ARE YOU
[6:25:04] WILLING TO GO FORWARD AT
[6:25:06] THE RISK OF A NOTICE OF VIOLATION
[6:25:07] IN THIS PROCESS?
[6:25:10] >> DO YOU MEAN
[6:25:13] IF --OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE.
[6:25:16] WE WERE NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AT THE
[6:25:18] PRE-SUBMISSION MEETING. WE TOOK A LOOK
[6:25:19] AT IT
[6:25:21] AND WE WERE COMFORTABLE WE COMPLIED
[6:25:22] WITH THE INTENT UNDER
[6:25:25] THE LAW. WE HAD MET THE INTENT
[6:25:30] . PEOPLE CAME UP TO US AND SAID THEY
[6:25:31] WERE THERE BECAUSE OF THE NOTICE
[6:25:32] SIGNED. WE GOT A GOOD TURNOUT. SO, YES I
[6:25:33] THINK WE ARE COMFORTABLE PROCEEDING WITH
[6:25:34] THE RISK ON
[6:25:37] THAT. >> LET ME ASK OUR LEGAL COUNSEL
[6:25:43] ON OUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE NOTICE
[6:25:44] REQUIREMENTS. >> THANK YOU FOR THE
[6:25:46] QUESTION, MR. CHAIR. THIS IS ALLIE MILES WITH THE OFFICE OF
[6:25:48] GENERAL COUNSEL. WE DID LOOK INTO
[6:25:49] THIS NOTICE REQUIREMENT
[6:26:00] AND WHAT IT SAYS IN THE CODE, AS WELL
[6:26:01] AS IN THE IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES IN
[6:26:03] THIS CASE. I THINK MS. LINDSAY FRAMED IT
[6:26:04] VERY WELL,
[6:26:07] WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE IN
[6:26:10] THE CODE. THE CODE DOES REQUIRE THAT
[6:26:13] THE PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING SIGN BE
[6:26:16] EQUIVALENT TO THAT PROVIDED TO THE
[6:26:19] RELEVANT APPLICATION AND FOR A SKETCH PLAN.
[6:26:22] I WILL SAY, AS NOTED
[6:26:28] THERE ARE SOME
[6:26:29] SIGN REQUIREMENTS WHERE THE SPECIFICATIONS
[6:26:30] ARE PART OF THE CODE, WERE THAT IS INCLUDED
[6:26:31] IN THE CODE LANGUAGE. BUT, FOR SKETCH
[6:26:34] PLANS THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE ESSENTIALLY, DELEGATED
[6:26:36] TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WHO PROVIDES
[6:26:37] THEIR OWN
[6:26:39] SIGN POSTING PROCEDURES , AS WELL
[6:26:40] AS A
[6:26:43] SIGN TEMPLATE. SOMETHING
[6:26:44] THAT IS IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
[6:26:49] , THOSE REGULATIONS, AS
[6:26:51] WELL AS IN THEIR PLANNING DEPARTMENT SIGN
[6:26:52] POSTING PROCEDURES IS THAT
[6:26:54] THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS THE ABILITY
[6:26:55] TO MODIFY
[6:26:58] CERTAIN SPECIFICATIONS. SO, IT IS NOT
[6:27:01] THE SAME AS SOME
[6:27:03] WHERE IN THE SPECIFICATIONS ARE SET IN
[6:27:04] THE CODE.
[6:27:07] GIVEN THAT FLEXIBILITY
[6:27:10] GIVEN IN THE REGULATIONS , AS
[6:27:12] WELL AS A PRACTICAL MATTER THAT THIS
[6:27:13] WAS A VERY WELL ATTENDED
[6:27:16] THE SUBMITTAL MEETING AND THERE HAS
[6:27:17] BEEN A
[6:27:18] REALLY HIGH LEVEL OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN
[6:27:20] THIS CASE
[6:27:24] , IN LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE WE DIDN'T HAVE CONCERNS
[6:27:26] ABOUT MOVING FORWARD.
[6:27:28] >> OKAY. LET ME ASK YOU THE TWO OTHER
[6:27:30] QUESTIONS WE HAVE BEEN ASKED BY THE
[6:27:32] PUBLIC. NUMBER ONE,
[6:27:35] CAN WE REQUIRE A TRAFFIC STUDY
[6:27:38] AND/OR SCHOOL TEST
[6:27:42] AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS? >> YES,
[6:27:43] THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY THAT
[6:27:46] IN TERMS OF WHAT IS APPROPRIATED BY
[6:27:47] THE
[6:27:49] SKETCH PLAN PHASE AND WHAT WILL BE APPROPRIATE
[6:27:50] TO
[6:27:52] REQUIRE IN THE FUTURE AT A PRELIMINARY
[6:27:55] PLANNED PHASE. AT A SKETCH PLAN PHASE
[6:27:59] , BECAUSE THE FINDINGS
[6:28:02] DO NOT ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AND
[6:28:04] THE BOARD REALLY NEEDS TO BE LASER
[6:28:05] FOCUSED ON
[6:28:08] THOSE FINDINGS AND
[6:28:09] THAT WOULD INFORM THE SCOPE OF THIS
[6:28:11] REVIEW, REQUESTING
[6:28:13] A TRAFFIC STUDY AT THIS STAGE WOULD NOT
[6:28:14] BE APPROPRIATE, THOUGH
[6:28:15] CERTAINLY SCHOOL TEST AND TRAFFIC
[6:28:16] STUDY WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY KEY IN THE
[6:28:20] REVIEW FOR
[6:28:21] A PRELIMINARY PLAN. >> ALL RIGHT, THANK
[6:28:23] YOU FOR THAT.
[6:28:25] I THOUGHT I MIGHT TURN TO YOU VERY
[6:28:26] QUICKLY RATHER
[6:28:29] THAN LINGER ON THOSE TOPICS.
[6:28:32] >> I HAVE A
[6:28:34] FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. DO YOU BELIEVE EQUIVALENT
[6:28:35] MEANS
[6:28:38] LESS THAN OR GREATER THAN?
[6:28:41] AND , BEFORE YOU ANSWER I WOULD
[6:28:44] ARGUE THAT IT DOES NOT MEAN
[6:28:47] LESS THAN.
[6:28:50] I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT CITIZENS
[6:28:53] ARE PROBABLY MORE FAMILIAR
[6:28:56] WITH SIGNS THAT MEET OR EXCEED
[6:28:59] THE
[6:29:01] SQUARE INCH REQUIREMENT THEN THEY
[6:29:02] ARE FAMILIAR
[6:29:04] WITH SIGNS THAT DON'T MEET IT. OFTEN TIMES
[6:29:08] , WHEN GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS OR AGENCIES
[6:29:11] SET UP A REQUIREMENT THEY ARE
[6:29:14] NOT LOOKING AT IT AS BEING
[6:29:17] A MAXIMUM , AS OPPOSED TO A FLOOR.
[6:29:20] I BELIEVE THE SIZE OF THE SIGN
[6:29:23] WAS THE FLOOR . THESE SIGNS ARE
[6:29:26] PUT UP
[6:29:29] FOR THE PURPOSES OF NOTIFYING
[6:29:31] THE COMMUNITY AND I AM POINTING THIS
[6:29:32] OUT BECAUSE
[6:29:35] DURING MY INTERVIEW PROCESS
[6:29:41] AND BECAUSE I WAS UNDER AN UNUSUAL
[6:29:44] AMOUNT OF SCRUTINY
[6:29:47] AS TO WHETHER OR NOT I WOULD
[6:29:48] BE LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE
[6:29:49] WAS A PERCEPTION THAT WE DON'T LISTEN
[6:29:50] TO THE COMMUNITY, I WOULD BE
[6:29:53] VERY CAREFUL IN
[6:29:55] SIDING WITH SOMETHING THAT WAS EQUIVALENT, BUT
[6:29:59] LESS THAN THE STATED VALUES. THANK YOU.
[6:30:02] >> ABSOLUTELY
[6:30:05] ,
[6:30:07] COMMISSIONER BARTLEY. IN TERMS OF THE
[6:30:08] INTERPRETATION OF THE
[6:30:10] WORD, EQUIVALENT I THINK WHAT I WOULD
[6:30:11] SAY IS THAT
[6:30:14] I DON'T WANT TO GET
[6:30:15] INTO THE LEGISLATOR INTERPRETATION
[6:30:17] FOR THAT NECESSARILY, BUT TO SAY THAT IS
[6:30:20] SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DETERMINED BY THE
[6:30:22] PLANNING DEPARTMENT STAFF AT INTAKE
[6:30:23] AS
[6:30:26] THEY REVIEW WHAT
[6:30:29] IS SUBMITTED.
[6:30:35] IN THIS CASE, THIS IS SORT OF AN
[6:30:38] UNUSUAL CASE IN JUST THE
[6:30:40] AMOUNT OF PUBLIC FEEDBACK AND PARTICIPATION
[6:30:43] THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN. SO, FOR THAT
[6:30:44] REASON I THINK I
[6:30:47] DON'T SEE THIS BEING
[6:30:50] A FAILED DEFECT
[6:30:52] , ESSENTIALLY IN THE NOTICING OF THIS
[6:30:53] CASE. >> DID PLANNING
[6:30:56] STAFF PROVIDE THE SIGN FOR NOTICE? OR ,
[6:30:59] THE TEMPLATE FOR SIGNING FOR THE NOTICE? >>
[6:31:03] I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY ONCE AGAIN
[6:31:05] THAT THIS WAS THE SIGN FOR THE
[6:31:07] PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING , NOT THE APPLICATION SIGNED.
[6:31:14] IT IS AVAILABLE ON OUR
[6:31:17] WEBSITE, BUT
[6:31:20] WE DO NOT GIVE OUT SIGNS.
[6:31:22] >> THEY HAVEN'T SUBMITTED YET, RIGHT.
[6:31:29] OKAY. >>
[6:31:35] I WOULD LIKE TO ASK,
[6:31:38] I KNOW THAT
[6:31:44] THERE ARE SOME AREAS
[6:31:47] THAT SAY
[6:31:50] THE APPLICATION IS IN VIOLATION
[6:31:53] OF THE CODE.
[6:31:56] THE SPECIFIC ONE I REMEMBER WAS THE
[6:31:59] LOADING PLATFORM .
[6:32:01] SO, COULD YOU PLEASE CLARIFY THAT
[6:32:02] FOR US?
[6:32:05] >> WITH
[6:32:08] REGARD TO THE SECTION I AM THINKING OF
[6:32:11] THAT MS. ROSENFELD RAISED
[6:32:13] WAS REGARDING THE ACCESS ON THE RESIDENTIAL ROAD.
[6:32:17] >> SHE SAID IT IS
[6:32:19] AGAINST THE ZONING. >> YES, THANK YOU
[6:32:23] FOR THAT QUESTION.
[6:32:25] >> SHE CAN CONFIRM THAT. >> I THINK
[6:32:26] FOCUSING
[6:32:29] ON THAT LANGUAGE
[6:32:32] AND THAT PROVISION ,
[6:32:35] I DID
[6:32:37] WHEN READING THAT LANGUAGE HAVE A
[6:32:38] DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION OF WHAT
[6:32:41] THAT MEANS.
[6:32:42] I CAN READ THAT LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY, FROM
[6:32:44] THE CODE FOR THE BOARD SO YOU CAN
[6:32:45] PERHAPS, DISCUSS. THIS IS FROM THE
[6:32:47] ZONING CODE 59-
[6:32:50] 6.1.4 POINT
[6:32:53] LETTER E IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW ALONG.
[6:32:56] IT SAYS
[6:32:58] , UNLESS THE ROAD IS CLASSIFIED AS A
[6:32:59] RESIDENTIAL ROAD,
[6:33:02] A VEHICLE MUST ACCESS A CORNER LOT WITH ONLY
[6:33:05] ONE DRIVEWAY OR THROUGH A LOT FROM THE STREET WITH
[6:33:06] THE LOWER ROADWAY CLASSIFICATION.
[6:33:08] SO,
[6:33:11] THE WAY I READ THAT IS THAT
[6:33:14] WHEN YOU
[6:33:15] ARE COMPARING TWO ROADS FOR ACCESS
[6:33:20] , YOU MUST USE THE ONE WITH THE LOWER ROADWAY CLASSIFICATION
[6:33:22] UNLESS THAT IS A RESIDENTIAL ROAD.
[6:33:24] THAT IS TO SAY THAT
[6:33:27] ACCESS IS NOT REQUIRED
[6:33:30] ON THAT RESIDENTIAL ROAD. BUT,
[6:33:32] I THINK THAT THE DIFFERENCE IN INTERPRETATION
[6:33:35] IS THAT ACCESS IS PROHIBITED , WHERE I WOULD
[6:33:38] READ THAT TO SAY, IT IS NOT REQUIRED.
[6:33:41] BUT, THE BOARD CAN MAKE THE DETERMINATION
[6:33:42] AS TO
[6:33:44] WHETHER ACCESS IS APPROPRIATE AND
[6:33:45] THAT
[6:33:46] IS A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION. >> OKAY.
[6:33:50] THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE I WILL ASK
[6:33:54] IT FROM THE PLANNING STAFF. ON
[6:33:57] PAGE 18
[6:34:00] UNDER
[6:34:03] APF
[6:34:06] , IT SAYS THAT 415 MULTIFAMILY UNITS, INCLUDING
[6:34:09] THE COMMERCIAL WILL
[6:34:12] BRING A NET INCREASE OF TRAFFIC IN
[6:34:15] THE MORNING TO
[6:34:18] 172 AND THE NET INCREASE
[6:34:21] IS 70. THAT IS THE NET INCREASE.
[6:34:24] IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY DEFINE
[6:34:26] HOW MANY COMES FROM WOODLAND OR HOW
[6:34:29] MANY COMES FROM GEORGIA AVENUE. THAT
[6:34:30] IS
[6:34:33] THE TOTAL . THAT IS HOW I
[6:34:36] READ IT. WE HEARD
[6:34:39] A LOT OF CONCERN
[6:34:42] ABOUT NEIGHBORS
[6:34:48] IN REGARDS TO THE
[6:34:49] 400 OR 500 CARS BEING ADDED TO WOODLAND. BUT
[6:34:51] , THE
[6:34:54] WAY YOU ARE SAYING IT , THAT IS NOT
[6:34:55] TRUE. SO, COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT
[6:34:57] ? IS
[6:35:00] THERE ANY KIND OF INFORMATION
[6:35:03] OR COUNT THAT ACTUALLY
[6:35:06] , COULD ESTIMATE
[6:35:09] AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE
[6:35:12] AS TO WHAT WOULD
[6:35:14] BE THE REAL IMPACT OF THE CARS THAT
[6:35:17] WILL COME INTO WOODLAND AT THE PEAK
[6:35:18] HOUR IN
[6:35:19] THE MORNING? IT LOOKS LIKE THE PEAK
[6:35:21] HOUR IN THE MORNING IS
[6:35:24] THE FIRST
[6:35:26] ONE. IF 172 IS FOR THE WHOLE GARAGE, WHAT
[6:35:27] IS YOUR ESTIMATE
[6:35:30] FOR EACH SIDE? >> THANK YOU FOR
[6:35:32] THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION.
[6:35:36] I AM THE REGULAR SUPERVISOR
[6:35:39] FOR THE COUNTY. AS
[6:35:42] YOU REFERENCED PAGES 17 AND 18
[6:35:44] , THEY COVER THE ESTIMATED PEAK HOURS
[6:35:45] FOR
[6:35:48] THE PROJECT. THAT IS THE REQUIREMENT IN THE SKETCH PLAN. IT
[6:35:50] IS NOT A TRAFFIC STUDY. DIVIDING THE
[6:35:51] ESTIMATED PEAK HOURS
[6:35:54] IS CAPTURED ON THOSE TWO PAGES.
[6:35:56] THE WAY WE EVALUATE TRAFFIC IN MONTGOMERY
[6:35:57] COUNTY IS THROUGH
[6:35:59] THE LOCAL AREA TRANSPORTATION REVIEW GUIDELINES
[6:36:03] AND THAT IS THE TRANSPORTATION TEST
[6:36:06] OF THE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN. CURRENTLY
[6:36:09] , THIS SITE IS LOCATED IN A RED POLICY AREA.
[6:36:12] SO, TRIPS ARE BASICALLY ASSIGNED
[6:36:15] BASED ON THE DENSITY OF A SITE.
[6:36:18] ON PAGE 18 OF THE STAFF REPORT YOU SEE
[6:36:21] WE HAVE EVALUATED 418
[6:36:24] LOW RISE RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS
[6:36:27] WITH GROUND FLOOR RETAIL. THAT IS
[6:36:28] A LAND USE CODE WITHIN THE TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERS
[6:36:30] TRIP GENERATION MANUAL.
[6:36:33] SO, WHAT WE DO IS
[6:36:36] , WE TAKE A
[6:36:39] MATHEMATICAL FORMULA , THE NUMBER
[6:36:42] FROM THE I.T. THE
[6:36:45] MANUAL AND IT JUST SAT DOWN TO MONTGOMERY
[6:36:47] COUNTY SPECIFIC STANDARDS. THE RED
[6:36:50] POLICY STANDARD HAS A SPECIFIC ADJUSTMENT
[6:36:51] STANDARD WHERE WE CAN BREAK
[6:36:53] OUT HOW MANY PERSON TRIPS THERE ARE. THAT
[6:36:54] IS WHAT THIS
[6:36:57] NUMBER REFLECTS.
[6:37:00] WE LOOK AT THE 31,590 SQUARE FEET OF MEDICAL
[6:37:01] AND DENTAL OFFICE BUILDING, WHICH IS
[6:37:03] AN I.T. PLANNED
[6:37:06] USE CODE AND THAT CURRENTLY HAS A MORNING PEAK HOUR
[6:37:09] TRIP GENERATION
[6:37:12] OF 106 PEDESTRIAN TRIPS
[6:37:15] AND 156 PERSON TRIPS
[6:37:18] IN THE EVENING.
[6:37:21] SO, WE TAKE
[6:37:22] THOSE OFF THE ROAD AND THAT IS PROVIDED AS
[6:37:24] A CREDIT AGAINST 270 PERSON TRIPS
[6:37:26] IN THE MORNING FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT
[6:37:30] AND 226 IN
[6:37:33] THE EVENING THAT NETS OUT TO
[6:37:36] 170 TRIPS
[6:37:39] IN THE MORNING.
[6:37:42] THE EVENING
[6:37:43] FITS ARE SMALLER SUBSET OF THAT NUMBER.
[6:37:45] PART OF
[6:37:47] THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TWO ACCESS POINTS
[6:37:51] OF GEORGIA AND WOODLAND, BASED ON THE
[6:37:53] TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SITE AND HOW THE NETWORK
[6:37:54] WORKS WITHIN
[6:37:57] THE VICINITY
[6:38:00] , WE FELT IT WAS APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME TO EVALUATE
[6:38:02] THE CONCEPT AND LOOK AT IT IN MORE DETAIL WITH THE SUBSEQUENT LIMITARY SITE
[6:38:03] PLAN APPLICATIONS.
[6:38:06] IF
[6:38:08] THE BOARD FEELS IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE,
[6:38:09] WE CAN MODIFY THE CONDITIONS. >> THE
[6:38:12] REASON I ASKED THIS QUESTION IS
[6:38:15] OF
[6:38:17] THE BOARD, IT CAN BE THAT WE ARE SITTING
[6:38:18] HERE FEELING COMFORTABLE THAT
[6:38:21] THE IMPACT TO WOODLAND IS CLOSE
[6:38:24] TO WHAT IT IS IN THE REPORT , NOT WHAT
[6:38:27] THE PERCEPTION OF THE
[6:38:30] COMMUNITY IS TO BE 400
[6:38:33] OR 500. THAT IS AN
[6:38:36] IMPORTANT CONCEPT BECAUSE A LOT OF
[6:38:39] THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS HERE WERE CONCERNED THAT
[6:38:42] THEY THINK THESE 500 CARS ARE
[6:38:45] GOING TO COME TO WOODLAND. BUT
[6:38:47] , THAT IS MAYBE JUST A PERCEPTION
[6:38:51] AND NOT THE REALITY. >> YES, AND ACTUALLY
[6:38:53] IF I COULD CLARIFY ONE ADDITIONAL
[6:38:54] POINT, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE
[6:38:57] PEAK HOUR TRIP GENERATION FOR THE
[6:39:00] USE. SO,
[6:39:03] ALL 500 PARKING SPACES WOULD NOT BE COMING
[6:39:05] AND GOING AT THE SAME HOUR. THERE IS
[6:39:06] A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE
[6:39:08] GOING TO WORK AND OTHERS COMING OFF SHIFTWORK.
[6:39:09] THAT IS HOW THAT IS
[6:39:12] EVALUATED. >> WE DID DO THAT CALCULATION.
[6:39:15] IT IS INCLUDED
[6:39:17] AS AN ATTACHMENT TO MY LETTER YESTERDAY
[6:39:23] . FOR THAT VERY POINT, WE DON'T REALLY NEED
[6:39:24] TO. THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO, BUT KNOWING
[6:39:26] THIS IS GOING TO BE A QUESTION, AND
[6:39:27] AS YOU WILL SEE IN THOSE MATERIALS, THE VEHICLE TRIPS WOULD BE EXPECTED
[6:39:31] TO BE 85 IN THE A.M. AND 35 IN
[6:39:33] THE P.M. WE CAN'T BREAK IT DOWN WOODLAND
[6:39:37] VERSUS GEORGIA
[6:39:39] , BUT THAT IS WHAT THE DATA SAYS. >>
[6:39:43] COMMISSIONER BARTLEY
[6:39:45] ? >> I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM
[6:39:49] THE FOREST GROVE CITIZENS
[6:39:54] AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT
[6:39:55] OUR COUNTY IS THAT WE HAVE SO MANY INTERESTED, SMART
[6:39:56] PEOPLE THAT I'M SURROUNDED BY EVERYDAY. ONE
[6:39:57] OF THE THINGS THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING IS
[6:39:59] THAT EVERYBODY SHARED AN INDIVIDUAL
[6:40:01] STORY THAT WASN'T STAGED
[6:40:03] , BUT WAS SINCERE AND FROM THE HEART.
[6:40:07] I
[6:40:08] LIVE NORTH OF 200 AND MY OFFICE IS
[6:40:10] IN DOWNTOWN SILVER SPRING AND
[6:40:11] I HAVE TO DRIVE GEORGIA AVENUE EVERY DAY.
[6:40:13] MR. JEFFREY IRVING DESCRIBE
[6:40:16] THAT INTERSECTION ACCURATELY . IT IS
[6:40:19] A NIGHTMARE.
[6:40:20] WHEN I GET STUCK THERE IN THE FAR
[6:40:22] LEFT LANE NEXT TO THE MEDIAN AND I
[6:40:25] SEE SOMEBODY
[6:40:26] CROSSING THE STREET, I ALWAYS SAY
[6:40:27] A SMALL PRAYER FOR THEM BECAUSE I KNOW
[6:40:29] HOW DAUNTING IT IS TO CROSS THAT.
[6:40:31] GOD FOR BID, IF I AM SITTING
[6:40:33] AT THE LIGHT AND A FIRE TRUCK OR AMBULANCE
[6:40:36] COMES BY IT CREATES ANOTHER TRAFFIC JAM.
[6:40:40] BUT, IN PARTICULAR THE
[6:40:43] OFFRAMP AND ON RAMPS
[6:40:46] OF 495 CREATE ANOTHER
[6:40:49] QUAGMIRE. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
[6:40:50] WHAT 400 OR 500 OTHER CARS CAN DO
[6:40:52] TO THAT SITUATION
[6:40:55] IN INCREASING THE CONGESTION THERE.
[6:40:58] ALSO, WHAT IS INTERESTING
[6:41:03] IS THAT I HAVE NEVER REROUTED THROUGH YOUR
[6:41:04] NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
[6:41:06] IF YOU ARE OUT TRYING TO TEACH A CHILD HOW
[6:41:07] TO RIDE A
[6:41:08] BIKE ON WOODLAND AVENUE WHERE THERE IS NO CURRENT PARALLEL PARKING AND
[6:41:10] THERE IS NO INGRESS OR EGRESS
[6:41:12] FROM THE MEDICAL CENTER HOW THAT COULD CAUSE
[6:41:16] DEEP CONCERN AND WORRY.
[6:41:17] ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO
[6:41:19] WAS HEARING
[6:41:22] FROM JB PARKER
[6:41:23] WHO HAS SO NOBLY TAKEN ON THE OPPORTUNITY
[6:41:25] TO DEVELOP THE SITE
[6:41:27] TO TRY TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THRIVE
[6:41:31] 250 AND THE EDICTS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
[6:41:32] I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU
[6:41:34] ON HOW
[6:41:35] YOU COULD OVERCOME THE CONCERNS OF
[6:41:37] THE CITIZENS AND WHETHER OR NOT THE
[6:41:39] CITIZENS CONCERNS WERE LESS IMPORTANT
[6:41:43] THAN FUTURE CITIZENS
[6:41:45] CONCERNS. WHAT I MEAN BY FUTURE CITIZENS ARE THE
[6:41:46] PEOPLE THAT WILL OCCUPY
[6:41:48] THAT SPACE SHOULD IT BE DEVELOPED.
[6:41:52] SOMETIMES, YOU HAVE TO BALANCE
[6:41:55] THE NEEDS AND
[6:41:56] WANTS OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE
[6:41:57] NOW AND THE POSSIBILITY OF CITIZENS
[6:41:58] THAT WILL OCCUPY THAT SPACE
[6:42:01] LATER. WHAT I DID HERE FROM
[6:42:04] JB PARTNERS AND THEIR
[6:42:05] LEARNED COUNSEL , AARON GERARD IS
[6:42:07] AT THE COUNTY COUNCIL
[6:42:10] WANTS IT AND THE COUNCIL SAID IT
[6:42:13] IS A RED POLICY AREA AND IT COULD
[6:42:15] POTENTIALLY, HAVE THE DENSITY HIGHER
[6:42:16] THAN WHAT
[6:42:19] YOU ALL ARE PROPOSING. I
[6:42:20] THINK YOU NOTABLY REDUCE THE CAPACITY
[6:42:25] KNOWING THERE WAS GOING TO BE SOME PUSHBACK FROM THE
[6:42:26] COMMUNITY, BUT I'M NOT SATISFIED WITH WHAT
[6:42:27] I HEARD FROM AARON GERARD, SAYING
[6:42:28] THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL
[6:42:31] WANTS IT. THERE IS A BALANCE YOU HAVE
[6:42:34] TO STRIKE. SOMETIMES
[6:42:35] POLITICIANS WANT THINGS IN CONSTITUENTS
[6:42:37] WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
[6:42:39] POLITICIANS ARE VOTED INTO OFFICE TO
[6:42:40] BE THE VOICE
[6:42:43] OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS REGARDLESS OF
[6:42:44] WHAT THEIR CONSTITUENTS FEEL IN REGARDS
[6:42:46] TO A CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCE. I AM STRONGLY PERSUADED BY THE
[6:42:49] CITIZENS HERE THAT THEIR
[6:42:51] CONCERNS MIGHT OUTWEIGH THE DENSITY
[6:42:52] REQUIREMENT
[6:42:55] FOR FUTURE CITIZENS .
[6:42:57] I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM JB PARTNERS
[6:43:01] AS TO HOW THIS DEVELOPMENT COULD OVERRIDE THE CONCERNS
[6:43:03] OF THE CITIZENS THAT APPEARED HERE, TODAY.
[6:43:04] >> CERTAINLY.
[6:43:13] >> THIS IS AN
[6:43:15] INTERESTING QUESTION. TRYING TO BALANCE
[6:43:19] SECTOR PLAN WITH EMERGING GOALS
[6:43:22] AND PUTTING PEOPLE ON
[6:43:24] TOP OF METRO WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING
[6:43:25] , TRAFFIC IS A
[6:43:27] MAJOR ISSUE. NO ONE IS GOING TO TRY
[6:43:28] TO
[6:43:31] DIMINISH THAT. TRYING TO
[6:43:34] ACCOMMODATE FUTURE RESIDENCE
[6:43:38] TO BE ABLE TO GET GROCERIES AND MOVE AROUND
[6:43:40] THE COUNTY WHILE TAKING
[6:43:42] MASS TRANSIT AND BUS TRAFFIC TRANSIT
[6:43:43] AND
[6:43:46] USING THEIR COURSE MAYBE
[6:43:49] NOT ALL THE TIME ON WEEKENDS
[6:43:52] IS ONE OF THE OVERARCHING AND HARD PARTS ABOUT WHAT
[6:43:55] I DO. THIS SITE IS ONE OF THE MOST
[6:43:58] CHALLENGING FIGHTS EVER WORK ON.
[6:44:01] THE QUESTION IS A GREAT ONE.
[6:44:03] I SAT THROUGH ALL OF THIS TESTIMONY
[6:44:04] TRYING
[6:44:07] TO UNDERSTAND
[6:44:08] AND THE OVERARCHING QUESTION TO MYSELF
[6:44:10] IS WHAT IS
[6:44:13] THE PARKING RATIO?
[6:44:15] I WILL GO BACK AND TRY TO REDUCE THAT
[6:44:16] DOWN. WE DID A PROJECT IN TWIN
[6:44:18] BROOKS ON TOP OF THE METRO AND WE
[6:44:21] ENDED UP UNDER PARKING IT. IT WAS
[6:44:22] PARKED AT 1.2.
[6:44:24] THERE IS A GROCERY STORE RIGHT NEXT DOOR
[6:44:29] I HAVE BEEN USING THAT AS A BASIS.
[6:44:31] IS THAT THE APPROPRIATE BASIS? I AM NOT
[6:44:34] SURE ANYMORE.
[6:44:49] I AM HEARING THE CITIZENS AND
[6:44:52] TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW
[6:44:53] TO ACCOMMODATE FUTURE RESIDENCE AND WHAT THEY
[6:44:55] WOULD NEED ,
[6:44:57] THE GOALS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD
[6:45:01] AND YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT
[6:45:04] THAT WE WILL LOOK AND PROBABLY
[6:45:05] REDUCE PARKING IF WE CAN GET THAT FAR.
[6:45:07] I AM NOT SURE IT IS A D.C. PARKING RATIO
[6:45:10] OF .5. THAT SEEMS EXTREME TO
[6:45:13] ME, BUT IT IS PROBABLY NOT WHAT WE
[6:45:16] HAVE TODAY.
[6:45:19] I THINK LOOKING AT IT, ONE THING WE TRY
[6:45:22] TO COMMIT TO IS WORKING ON ,
[6:45:24] NOT WHEN I DIFFER TRAFFIC OR ONE IDEA
[6:45:25] OF PARKING
[6:45:27] , OR ONE SILVER BULLET TO SOLVE ALL
[6:45:28] OF THIS.
[6:45:31] IT IS A MULTI-
[6:45:34] MODAL CONGLOMERATE
[6:45:36] OF THE IDEAS THAT ARE GOING TO COME
[6:45:37] TOGETHER TO MAKE
[6:45:40] THIS PROJECT
[6:45:42] BETTER FOR EVERYBODY. THAT IS MY COMMITMENT
[6:45:43] AND WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK ON TO THE
[6:45:46] NEXT PHASES. >> I WOULD JUST ADD ON
[6:45:49] TO THAT ,
[6:45:51] AT THE END OF THE REPORT WAS SUBMITTED YESTERDAY
[6:45:52] WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED
[6:45:55] TO OUTLINE THINGS FOR TRAFFIC MITIGATION THAT COULD
[6:45:58] HAPPEN ON SITE. YOU KNOW,
[6:46:01] HAVING A COORDINATOR ON SITE GIVING PREFERENCE
[6:46:04] TO PEOPLE WHO WORK AT HOLY CROSS
[6:46:07] AND THERE WERE OTHER ONES. REALLY EMPHASIZING BIKES
[6:46:10] AND HAVING GOOD BIKE STORAGE.
[6:46:13] AND,
[6:46:16] TRAFFIC CALMING AND THERE WERE IDEAS WE OUTLINED
[6:46:20] FOR THAT. IT IS VERY EARLY IN
[6:46:23] THE STAGE , BUT WE DID
[6:46:24] PUT THERE ON THEIR IN RECOGNITION
[6:46:25] OF WHAT YOU ARE GETTING AT, THAT THERE
[6:46:26] NEEDS TO BE A
[6:46:27] BALANCE. >> JUST GOING BACK TO TRAFFIC
[6:46:31] AND THE CONCERNS WE HEARD FROM THE CITIZENS,
[6:46:32] WHAT
[6:46:34] DOES STAFF THINK ABOUT A SINGLE ENTRANCE OR
[6:46:37] MULTIPLE ENTRANCE ON GEORGIA AVENUE
[6:46:40] AND NOT HAVING AN ENTRANCE ON WOODLAWN? >>
[6:46:44] AGAIN, MATT FOR THE RECORD.
[6:46:48] AS I SAID, WE WERE KEEPING OPEN THE OPTIONS
[6:46:49] OF LOOKING AT WOODLAND DRIVE AND GEORGIA AVENUE. I
[6:46:50] WANT
[6:46:53] TO START OUT BY SAYING THAT
[6:46:55] IT IS AN EXCESS MANAGEMENT CONCEPT. HAVING
[6:46:56] ACCESS ON FOREST
[6:46:59] GLEN, WE HAVE SAID IS PROHIBITED
[6:47:02] BECAUSE IT IS A SHORT SECTION AND HIGHLY CONGESTED. HAVING THE ACCESS
[6:47:03] POINT IN THE SECTOR PLAN RECOMMENDS
[6:47:05] ON GEORGIA AVENUE AND
[6:47:07] MOVING FARTHER NORTH THAN WHERE THE
[6:47:08] CURRENT ACCESS POINT
[6:47:11] IS TODAY , THAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED.
[6:47:14] HAVING AN ACCESS POINT ON
[6:47:15] GEORGIA AVENUE WOULD WORK FOR THE PROJECT.
[6:47:17] IT WAS SOMETHING WE
[6:47:19] WERE LOOKING AT INTO THE FUTURE ,
[6:47:22] AS FAR AS FURTHER ANALYSIS. >> WE
[6:47:23] ARE SUPPOSED
[6:47:26] TO DETERMINE ACCESS TODAY.
[6:47:31] SO, WHAT HAVING ONE ACCESS POINT ON GEORGIA AVENUE
[6:47:32] WORK? >> I
[6:47:33] BELIEVE IT WOULD. >> [ APPLAUSE ]
[6:47:38] >>
[6:47:44] CLOSING WOODLAND AND HAVING AN
[6:47:46] ACCESS POINT ON GEORGIA , WE HAVE
[6:47:49] AND APPLICATION THAT WOULD ONLY HAVE
[6:47:53] FRONTAGE ON A MAJOR ROADWAY.
[6:47:55] IF WE HAD AND APPLICATION THAT ONLY
[6:47:56] HAD ACCESS
[6:47:59] POINT ON GEORGIA
[6:48:00] AVENUE, I THINK WE COULD WORK WITH
[6:48:02] THAT. >> THAT IS LOADING
[6:48:03] AND DELIVERIES AND EVERYTHING, CORRECT?
[6:48:05] >> YES. >> [
[6:48:08] APPLAUSE ]
[6:48:11] >>
[6:48:14] I THINK OUR
[6:48:15] TRAFFIC ENGINEER WOULD HAVE SOME THOUGHTS
[6:48:17] ON THAT, AS WELL. ARE YOU
[6:48:18] WILLING TO HEAR THEM? >> THE QUESTION
[6:48:20] FOR YOU IS WHETHER
[6:48:22] YOU WANT A DECISION TODAY OR NOT .
[6:48:26] DO
[6:48:27] YOU WANT YOUR TRAFFIC ENGINEER TO RESPOND
[6:48:29] TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE
[6:48:31] ARE GOING TO SAY TODAY? OR, DO YOU
[6:48:32] WANT A
[6:48:35] DECISION TODAY? >> CERTAINLY , WE
[6:48:38] WOULD LIKE BOTH. WE
[6:48:39] WOULD LIKE FOR OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEER TO GIVE
[6:48:41] YOU HIS THOUGHTS.
[6:48:44] HONESTLY , THAT CAUGHT US
[6:48:47] BY SURPRISE. ONE OF THE VERY FIRST
[6:48:50] MEETINGS WE HAD
[6:48:59] , THAT WAS DISCUSSED.
[6:49:14] COMMISSIONER PINERO?
[6:49:17] >> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.
[6:49:20] I LIKE WHAT
[6:49:22] JLB IS SAYING IN TERMS OF REDUCING
[6:49:23] THE NUMBER
[6:49:26] OF PARKING BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY
[6:49:29] MAKES SENSE . THE IDEA OF HAVING
[6:49:30] THE DEVELOPMENT NEXT TO THE METRO
[6:49:32] WITH HIGHER
[6:49:34] DENSITY, WHICH IS WHAT THE COUNCIL
[6:49:37] IS RECOMMENDING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN
[6:49:38] TAKE THE METRO AND
[6:49:41] CAN WALK. IF THE
[6:49:43] TIMING OF THE TUNNEL AND THE DROP-OFF WORKS
[6:49:47] WITH
[6:49:49] THE DEVELOPMENT, I THINK IT IS IDEAL.
[6:49:56] I UNDERSTAND WHAT JLB IS SAYING
[6:49:59] , THAT THEY NEED TO TALK TO A
[6:50:02] TRAFFIC ENGINEER , BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM
[6:50:05] TO FIND
[6:50:08] A WAY THAT
[6:50:11] THEY CAN USE THE ACCESS ON GEORGIA AVENUE
[6:50:14] . THAT WAY, WE CAN BALANCE
[6:50:17] THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
[6:50:19] I MEAN, THE CONCERNS THE COMMUNITY HAS
[6:50:20] ,
[6:50:23] IT LOOKS LIKE WOODLAND DRIVE IS THE CONCERN.
[6:50:26] I THINK THAT IS HOW
[6:50:28] I FEEL. I THINK WE HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT
[6:50:32] THE CONCERNS THE COMMUNITY HAS.
[6:50:35] OUR ROLE AS THE BOARD MEMBERS IS
[6:50:38] TO BALANCE . ON
[6:50:41] THE ONE HAND,
[6:50:43] WE DEFINITELY NEED MORE HOUSING IN
[6:50:44] THE COUNTY. THAT HAS BEEN
[6:50:45] EXPRESSED, MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CLOSE
[6:50:47] TO METRO
[6:50:50] . THAT IS OUR POLICY. ON THE OTHER HAND,
[6:50:51] WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE A SAFETY ISSUE
[6:50:53] IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD .
[6:50:56] THAT IS HOW I FEEL. >> THANK YOU.
[6:50:59] >> A
[6:51:00] COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS. FIRST,
[6:51:02] ON THE PARKING
[6:51:05] , WE HAVE CHEWED ALL OF THAT
[6:51:08] ALL
[6:51:09] WE WANT TO. I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT REDUCING THE PARKING
[6:51:11] AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
[6:51:14] THE SECOND THING IS, DOES THE
[6:51:17] TRAFFIC ENGINEER
[6:51:23] APPEAR HERE NOW?
[6:51:26] CAN WE GET A
[6:51:29] 62nd ARE 92nd VERSION ON ACCESS TO WOODLAND DRIVE?
[6:51:32] THAT IS PROBABLY A
[6:51:33] LOT FOR THIS WHEN THERE IS GEORGIA
[6:51:34] AVENUE RIGHT THERE. IS THERE SOME
[6:51:35] SORT OF COMPROMISE
[6:51:37] THAT COULD GET THE INSTITUTIONAL NEEDS
[6:51:38] OF THE
[6:51:41] BUILDING SERVED ?
[6:51:44] I WOULD LIKE
[6:51:47] TO HAVE THE 62nd VERSION. >> FOR THE RECORD
[6:51:50] , JUST A COUPLE QUICK POINTS REGARDING THE
[6:51:53] ACCESS LOCATION. WE TALKED ABOUT THE LANGUAGE
[6:51:56] IN THE CODE AND WHAT THAT SAYS
[6:51:59] ABOUT ACCESS BEING FROM
[6:52:01] A LOWER CLASSIFICATION CODE. THERE IS
[6:52:02] SPECIFIC LANGUAGE
[6:52:05] IN THE COUNTIES NEW STREET GUIDELINES
[6:52:08] THAT SAYS, ACCESS TO LOWER CLASSIFICATION STREETS SHOULD
[6:52:11] BE PRIORITIZED PER THE POLICY.
[6:52:13] WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CLASSIFICATION,
[6:52:17] MARYLAND 97 IS ARTERIAL AND
[6:52:20] WOODLAND IS A LOCAL ROAD. THE POLICY SAID WE
[6:52:22] SHOULD BE HAVING AN ACCESS FROM WOODLAND.
[6:52:23] THAT LANGUAGE
[6:52:26] IS SPECIFIC TO THE COUNTY, BUT ALSO
[6:52:30] STATE, FEDERAL AND OTHER LOCAL
[6:52:31] JURISDICTIONS HAVE CONSISTENT LANGUAGE
[6:52:33] THAT TALKS ABOUT HAVING ACCESS
[6:52:36] MANAGEMENT FOR BEST PRACTICES BEING FROM LOWER CLASSIFICATION
[6:52:38] ROADWAYS. THAT IS POINT NUMBER ONE. POINT
[6:52:42] NUMBER TWO
[6:52:43] , IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AN AXIS ON
[6:52:44] GEORGIA AVENUE, THAT IS RIGHT IN AND
[6:52:46] WRITE OUT ACCESS, THAT IS NOT GOING
[6:52:48] TO GIVE FULL MOVEMENT
[6:52:50] GIVEN THE PROXIMITY TO THE INTERSECTION OF
[6:52:52] FOREST GLEN. SO, WHAT YOU ARE SUGGESTING
[6:52:54] IN CREATING THAT
[6:52:57] AXIS IS THAT ALL TRAFFIC
[6:53:01] LEAVING THE SITE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A
[6:53:02] U-TURN ON GEORGIA AVENUE. GEORGIA AVENUE
[6:53:03] IS THREE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION. IT IS RELATIVELY
[6:53:04] HIGH SPEED ROAD IN THE FIRST PLACE
[6:53:06] TO MAKE A U-TURN
[6:53:08] 600 FEET TO THE NORTH ON TILTON DRIVE.
[6:53:12] THAT DOES NOT HAVE A SIGNAL.
[6:53:24] THAT IS NOT A SAFE
[6:53:25] MANEUVER. THE NEXT LOCATION TO DO
[6:53:27] IT AT
[6:53:30] A SIGNALED INTERSECTION WOULD BE AT
[6:53:33] AUGUST DRIVE , WHICH IS
[6:53:36] ABOUT 715 FEET TO THE NORTH.
[6:53:39] THAT SIGNAL DOES NOT HAVE
[6:53:42] A PHASE FOR THE LEFT TURN LANE
[6:53:45] EQUIPMENT. IT DOES
[6:53:46] HAVE A LIEN, BUT THERE IS NO PHASE
[6:53:47] IV IT. YOU ARE ASKING VEHICLES TO
[6:53:48] U-TURN WITHOUT PROTECTION
[6:53:51] , WHICH IS A RISKY MANEUVER ON GEORGIA AVENUE.
[6:53:53] YOU DRIVE IT EVERY DAY AND YOU HAVE
[6:53:57] SEEN IT. FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH,
[6:54:00] THE INTERSECTION ON FOREST GLEN, ACCORDING
[6:54:03] TO RECENT DATA
[6:54:04] IN THE SECTOR PLAN IS OPERATING WITHIN
[6:54:06] ACCEPTABLE LIMITS ,
[6:54:09] IN TERMS OF THE DELAY AT
[6:54:10] THAT INTERSECTION. WE HAVE SEEN PHOTOS
[6:54:12] AND
[6:54:15] THE QUEUING THAT IS CHALLENGING
[6:54:18] , BUT THE INTERSECTION , AS
[6:54:20] IT SITS MEETS COUNTY GUIDELINES AND
[6:54:21] STATE GUIDELINES
[6:54:23] FOR ADEQUACY, IN TERMS OF THE LEVEL
[6:54:27] OF SERVICE. AGAIN, AS WE HAVE
[6:54:28] DISCUSSED AND THIS IS THE LAST THING
[6:54:30] WITHIN MIGHT
[6:54:32] MORE THAN 62nd VERSION. THE VOLUME
[6:54:33] OF TRAFFIC WERE TALKING
[6:54:36] ABOUT FROM THIS SITE
[6:54:38] IN THE PEAK HOURS, WHICH IS WHAT WE
[6:54:39] LOOK AT IN
[6:54:42] TRANSPORTATION STUDIES IS NOT 500 VEHICLES.
[6:54:43] IT IS NOT 400 OR 300 VEHICLES. WE
[6:54:45] ARE TALKING ABOUT A CHANGE
[6:54:47] FROM WHAT IS OUT THERE TODAY OF 35
[6:54:51] IN THE PEAK HOUR AND 35 IN THE
[6:54:53] NON-PEAK HOUR. FROM A BEST PRACTICES
[6:54:54] PERSPECTIVE
[6:54:56] THERE SHOULD BE AN AXIS ON WOODLAND DRIVE
[6:55:00] . >> [ CAPTIONERS TRANSITIONING ]
[6:55:03] >>
[6:55:12] >> THERE IS A CONDITION UNDER
[6:55:15] , MY APOLOGIES.
[6:55:18] >> WHILE
[6:55:20] SHE IS TELLING YOU THAT I CAN TELL YOU
[6:55:21] STRAIGHT UP
[6:55:23] THAT WE ARE HAVING BEDROOM UNITS.
[6:55:24] >> AS PART OF THE REQUIREMENT,
[6:55:27] WHICH IS 62 1/4 UNITS -- >> IT'S CONDITION 12 G.
[6:55:30] SPECIFYING THAT THEY
[6:55:36] MEET THE SECTOR PLAN RECOMMENDATION FOR THREE
[6:55:38] BEDROOM UNITS. >> WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING
[6:55:39] THERE IS A LACK
[6:55:41] OF FAMILY SIZED UNITS. I WOULD DEFINITELY
[6:55:42] ENCOURAGE IT TO BE STRONGER
[6:55:45] .
[6:55:55] >> LET ME EXPRESS MY COGNITIVE DISSONANCE WITH THIS STAFF REPORT.
[6:56:00] THAT IS, YOU RECOMMEND THE MAXIMUM OF
[6:56:04] 2.1 7F AR.
[6:56:09] BUT THEN YOU SAY, WE NEED MORE OPEN
[6:56:13] SPACE ON ONE SIDE. WE
[6:56:14] NEED MORE ARTICULATION AND LOWER HEIGHTS
[6:56:16] ON ANOTHER SIDE.
[6:56:22] ESSENTIALLY BOTH OF THOSE
[6:56:25] ASPECTS ARE REDUCING THE F AR.
[6:56:31] YOU STILL LEFT THE MAXIMUM
[6:56:32] THAT WAS PROPOSED IN THE APPLICATION.
[6:56:37] >> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
[6:56:39] THAT IS A MAXIMUM AND THAT IS NOT A GUARANTOR BECAUSE
[6:56:43] AT THIS
[6:56:46] POINT THIS IS JUST SKETCH PLAN.
[6:56:49] AT PRELIMINARY PLAN
[6:56:52] THEY WILL RECEIVE ENTITLEMENTS.
[6:56:54] WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS BALANCE
[6:56:55] A LOT
[6:56:58] OF COMPETING PRIORITIES HERE
[6:57:04] AND TRYING TO FIND THE SWEET SPOT. THAT
[6:57:07] IS WHY THIS SKETCH PLAN HAS MORE CONDITIONS THAN ONE TRADITIONALLY
[6:57:10] WOULD
[6:57:11] SEE WITH THE SKETCH PLAN. WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING
[6:57:15] THAT THERE ARE ALL OF THESE DESIRES
[6:57:19] THAT ARE TRYING TO BE ACHIEVED
[6:57:20] ON THIS SITE, THAT THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS,
[6:57:25] THAT THERE NEED TO BE
[6:57:28] CHANGES TO MEET THEM
[6:57:31] AND
[6:57:32] POINTS TOWARD THE FUTURE. BUT ACKNOWLEDGING THE
[6:57:34] FACT THAT WE ARE AT SKETCH PLAN
[6:57:37] AND WE DO WANT
[6:57:38] TO DEVELOPMENT AT METRO STATIONS.
[6:57:45] >> I COULD HAVE ACCEPTED ALL OF THAT IF
[6:57:46] YOU INCREASE
[6:57:47] THE HEIGHT ALLOWANCE. BY HEIGHTS THEY CAN GET
[6:58:01] THE F.A.R.. >> COMPATIBILITY
[6:58:06] WITH THE ADJACENT DEVELOPMENT IS ALSO A PRIORITY.
[6:58:10] THE APPLICANT PROPOSED THAT HEIGHT.
[6:58:13] WE ACCEPTED IT.
[6:58:24] >> IF YOU ACCEPT THE HEIGHT YOU CAN'T
[6:58:25] ACCEPT
[6:58:26] THE F.A.R. IF YOU WANT THE CONDITIONS YOU
[6:58:28] ARE SUGGESTING . >> THIS IS NOT
[6:58:31] APPROVING THE F.A.R.. THIS IS
[6:58:32] SETTING THE CEILING TO THE F.A.R.
[6:58:34] AND WE UNDERSTAND . >> WHAT I DON'T WANT
[6:58:37] TO SET IS UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.
[6:58:40] IF
[6:58:43] ALL YOU DO IS TAKE THE INCREASED
[6:58:44] PART SIZE THEY REQUIRE IT IS AN ADDITIONAL
[6:58:49] 1.2 ACRES.
[6:58:55] IF YOU
[6:58:57] ASSUME THERE IS FIVE LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT ON
[6:58:58] THAT ONE .2 ACRES YOU
[6:59:01] GET 30,000 SQUARE FEET. SO
[6:59:03] SHOULDN'T YOU REDUCE THE F AR BY 30,000
[6:59:04] SQUARE FEET? >>
[6:59:07] THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
[6:59:11] THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T DO
[6:59:13] AS A STANDARD PRACTICE.
[6:59:18] WE SET A MAXIMUM HEIGHT AND DENSITY
[6:59:19] FOR A SKETCH
[6:59:20] PLAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THE DEPARTMENT
[6:59:21] HAS DONE AS A PRACTICE FOR YEARS.
[6:59:24] WHAT WILL HAPPEN, EFFECTIVELY, WHEN
[6:59:25] IT COMES IN FOR A PRELIMINARY
[6:59:27] PLAN, WE WILL HAVE A MORE DETAILED DESIGN
[6:59:30] . THAT MAXIMUM DENSITY GOES DOWN. SO
[6:59:31] WE ARE SETTING A MAXIMUM HEIGHT AND
[6:59:33] DENSITY. WE TEND NOT TO REDUCE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
[6:59:34] WE TALK ABOUT HEIGHT
[6:59:37] AND COMPATIBILITY AT THIS POINT
[6:59:40] , KNOWING THAT IT WILL BE
[6:59:43] PRODUCED BY THE SITE PLAN.
[6:59:46] >>
[6:59:49] THE APPLICANT EXCEPTS THAT
[6:59:52] , GIVEN THE CONDITIONS THAT THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING,
[6:59:54] THAT YOU WOULD NEVER GET TO THAT F
[6:59:55] AR AT THAT HEIGHT?
[6:59:58] >> WE ARE NEVER GOING TO GET MORE THAN 2.17.
[7:00:07] >> YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET 2.17.
[7:00:13] >>
[7:00:15] I AGREE. BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW LOW
[7:00:16] IT'S GOING TO GO BEFORE WE DO
[7:00:17] THE DESIGN. ONCE YOU ARE DOING ARCHITECTURE
[7:00:19] YOU HAVE A LITTLE BUMP OUT HERE
[7:00:22] AND A LITTLE PRODUCTION THERE. IT'S
[7:00:24] JUST WAY TOO COMPLICATED FOR THE STATION
[7:00:25] TO PROCESS AND IT WILL TAKE
[7:00:26] A GREAT DEAL OF ANALYSIS TO FIGURE
[7:00:27] OUT WHAT THE ACTUAL NUMBER BECOMES.
[7:00:28] >> I'M A
[7:00:30] SIMPLE PERSON. IT CAME FROM NEW JERSEY.
[7:00:31] >> I APPRECIATE THAT.
[7:00:37] I JUST KNOW FROM SITTING IN MEETINGS WITH
[7:00:38] ARCHITECTS HOW FINE THIS BECOMES.
[7:00:40] >> WE ACCEPT THE FACT THAT WE WILL HAVE A LOWER
[7:00:42] UNIT COUNT THAN WHAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY.
[7:00:51] >> AGAIN, I WOULD DO THE HEIGHT ONLY
[7:00:52] ON THE GEORGIA AVENUE
[7:00:55] SIDE, NOT IN THE BACK AREA WHERE I THOUGHT THE
[7:00:58] DIAGRAM FROM THE STAFF AT
[7:01:00] A TOWNHOUSE LEVEL WERE REALLY VERY
[7:01:01] GOOD AND VERY RESPONSIVE.
[7:01:07] I WOULD PUT IT ONLY ON THE TOP.
[7:01:10] >> HEIGHT
[7:01:13] IS A TRICKY THING.
[7:01:16] YOU CAN SEE IT IN DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION TYPES.
[7:01:21] ONCE YOU REACH OVER A CERTAIN HEIGHT YOU
[7:01:22] GET INTO A HIGH-RISE BUILDING
[7:01:24] CODE AND YOU START GETTING INTO CONCRETE AND
[7:01:25] A VERY EXPENSIVE MODE OF CREATING HOUSING.
[7:01:28] WE ARE TRYING TO STAY
[7:01:31] OUT OF THOSE MODES OF CONCRETE. THIS IS A SITE
[7:01:40] THAT CANNOT AFFORD, AND WE ARE A FOR-PROFIT COMPANY, WE
[7:01:41] CANNOT AFFORD TO BUILD A CONCRETE
[7:01:43] STRUCTURE ON THIS SITE. IT WON'T GET
[7:01:44] DEVELOPED THAT
[7:01:45] WAY. SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS
[7:01:47] STAY OUT OF THE HIGH-RISE CODE
[7:01:49] IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO BUILD ON THIS SITE.
[7:01:51] >> THE OTHER THING THAT MIGHT GIVE YOU MORE,
[7:01:54] OF COURSE YOU CAN REDUCE YOUR PARKING.
[7:01:59] EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT COUNTED
[7:02:03] IN FAR IT IS THE MASS OF THE BUILDING. IT'S
[7:02:05] PART OF THE FOOTPRINT
[7:02:07] OF THE BUILDING. SO YOU MIGHT GET SOME ACCOMMODATION
[7:02:12] IN BOTH DIRECTIONS BY DOING THE ONE THING.
[7:02:17] >> WE WILL BE
[7:02:20] LOOKING AT THAT. >> OKAY. I HAVE NO MORE QUESTIONS
[7:02:23] OR COMMENTS FOR THAT MATTER.
[7:02:26] >> I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
[7:02:42] --CHARACTERIZED AS UNMAINTAINED, THE
[7:02:43] BEST KIND OF FORESTS ARE UNMAINTAINED.
[7:02:47] THE FACT THAT
[7:02:50] THERE ARE INVASIVE SPECIES .
[7:02:55] IS THAT GREEN SPACE GOING TO BE TORN
[7:02:56] DOWN
[7:02:57] AND THEN STRUCTURED ON TOP OF IT? OR
[7:02:59] IS IT GOING TO BE TORN
[7:03:02] DOWN IN THE NEW
[7:03:05] NATIVE PLANT THERE?
[7:03:06] >> THAT THROUGH BLOCK CONNECTION WILL
[7:03:07] GO THROUGH THAT WILL HAVE A VARIETY
[7:03:08] OF NATIVE
[7:03:09] PLANTS. ALL DIFFERENT KINDS. PLANTING MORE TREES.
[7:03:17] THE SECTOR PLAN CALLS FOR IT.
[7:03:18] IF YOU'RE GOING TO REMOVE THE FOREST
[7:03:19] YOU NEED TO HAVE ENHANCED ENVIRONMENTAL
[7:03:26] BENEFITS OF OF THAT. WE THINK THAT
[7:03:27] THE THROUGH BLOCK CONNECTION AND THE
[7:03:28] PLANTINGS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED, NOT
[7:03:29] JUST THERE BUT
[7:03:30] ELSEWHERE THE SITE, WILL PROVIDE MORE BENEFIT.
[7:03:35] DOES
[7:03:36] THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? WE'RE NOT PUTTING
[7:03:38] STRUCTURE OVER WHERE IT IS. >>
[7:03:41] THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
[7:03:43] BUT THE IDEA THAT NEW FOREST IS BETTER THAN
[7:03:47] OLD FOREST IS CURIOUS.
[7:03:50] >>
[7:03:52] I WOULD SAY THAT'S TRUE IN ALL CASES.
[7:03:53] CERTAINLY THERE ARE SOME HIGH-QUALITY
[7:03:54] FORESTS THAT YOU WOULD NEVER TOUCH.
[7:03:55] AND IF THIS WAS HIGH-QUALITY FOREST
[7:03:56] WE WOULDN'T
[7:03:59] THE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
[7:04:01] >> NO CHANCE OF SAVING CHERRY TREES?
[7:04:02] >> I ACTUALLY
[7:04:03] DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE CHERRY TREES
[7:04:05] UNTIL TODAY. WE WILL BE
[7:04:08] LOOKING AT THAT. >> THE REAL
[7:04:09] PROBLEM WITH THE CHERRY TREES, IT'S
[7:04:10] RIGHT OVER WHERE THEY WANT TO BUILD
[7:04:11] THE METRO.
[7:04:12] >> IT'S ON THAT CORNER? I THOUGHT
[7:04:14] IT WAS THE OPPOSITE.
[7:04:20] >> I APOLOGIZE
[7:04:23] FOR EVERYBODY.
[7:04:28] I THOUGHT WE MEANT TO THE CHERRY TREES
[7:04:29] THAT YOU WERE TALKING
[7:04:30] ABOUT, THE ONES AT THE ENTRANCE OF
[7:04:32] THE CURRENT MEDICAL CENTER. THAT CURRENT DRIVEWAY.
[7:04:34] YES, THAT IS WHERE THE NEW METRO TUNNEL IS GOING. RIGHT?
[7:04:40] >> AT GEORGIA AND FOREST GLEN IS THE METRO TUNNEL.
[7:04:44] AND I THOUGHT
[7:04:46] YOU JUST SAID THAT IT'S AT WOODLAND AND FOREST GLEN.
[7:04:50] CAN
[7:04:53] WE JUST PUT A CONDITION ,
[7:04:56] AS THIS GOES FURTHER,
[7:04:57] EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PROTECT THE
[7:04:59] CHERRY TREES WILL BE DONE
[7:05:04] OR SOME CONDITION LIKE THAT? >> WE
[7:05:05] WILL LOOK AT THE
[7:05:06] POSSIBILITY. >> WE ARE MAKING A LIST
[7:05:08] RIGHT NOW OF CONDITIONS. WE WILL
[7:05:10] READ THOSE OFF BEFORE YOU TAKE ANY VOTES.
[7:05:14] >> I SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE
[7:05:16] I HAD THAT NOTE. THEY SAID THE TWO
[7:05:20] CHERRY TREES,
[7:05:22] IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT THEY CAN PROTECT THEM LET'S
[7:05:23] DO IT. IF
[7:05:26] IT IS NOT, THEN IT IS NOT.
[7:05:29] I THINK
[7:05:30] ATTEMPTS SHOULD BE MADE. >> AT LEAST
[7:05:32] WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THEM AS WE GO
[7:05:34] FORWARD WITH OTHER DESIGNS. >> WE
[7:05:35] WILL ABSOLUTELY. AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE GET
[7:05:36] INTO THE DETAILED TREE INFORMATION
[7:05:41] MOVING FORWARD. THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING
[7:05:47] .
[7:05:49] MAYBE WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT TRANSPLANTING THEM.
[7:05:50] UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN IF YOU WERE
[7:05:53] TO REMOVE THAT PAVEMENT, YOU WOULD BE
[7:05:56] LOOKING AT SERIOUS IMPACTS.
[7:06:00] THAT'S REALLY A QUESTION FOR AN
[7:06:01] ARBORIST TO LOOK AT, IF THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE.
[7:06:05] >> OKAY.
[7:06:11] IS THERE A CONSENSUS ON THE
[7:06:14] GEORGIA AVENUE ENTRANCE OR NOT?
[7:06:24] >> I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS
[7:06:26] ON THE CITY END. I AM NOT YET CONVINCED
[7:06:29] THAT THE IMPACT IS AS BAD.
[7:06:33] I LEAVE
[7:06:34] IT TO THE BOARD. I WILL GO ALONG WITH THE BOARD.
[7:06:41] MAYBE IT IS SOMETHING
[7:06:43] THAT NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED AGAIN. BUT
[7:06:44] WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY.
[7:06:47] CORRECT? >> COULD WE SAY TODAY, ENTRANCE ON GEORGIA AVENUE
[7:06:50] , UNLESS DEEMED
[7:06:53] UNSAFE,
[7:07:01] OR OTHER DEPARTMENTS OF TRANSPORTATION. >>
[7:07:07] PART OF THE STAFF ANALYSIS IN MAKING THIS
[7:07:08] RECOMMENDATION IS WE WOULD CONTINUE
[7:07:10] TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND ANALYZE THIS WITH
[7:07:11] THE PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN. I WAS
[7:07:14] PART OF THE EVALUATION.
[7:07:17] WHEN I MADE MY
[7:07:19] STATEMENT THAT I THOUGHT THAT IT COULD WORK
[7:07:20] FROM GEORGIA AVENUE, THAT IS DIRECTLY IN RESPONSE TO
[7:07:21] THE BOARD'S QUESTION. I THINK OUR
[7:07:23] PREFERENCE WOULD BE A COMPREHENSIVE ACCESS. I DO
[7:07:26] THINK IT COULD BE EVALUATED AND
[7:07:28] BE COMPLETED SAFELY ON GEORGIA AVENUE ALONE.
[7:07:29] IF WE
[7:07:31] WANT FURTHER VEHICULAR ANALYSIS ON
[7:07:32] THE PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN I
[7:07:36] THINK WE CAN DO THAT
[7:07:39] WITH THE BOARD'S DIRECTION. THERE IS
[7:07:41] NO ANALYSIS REQUIRED IN POLICY AREAS FOR CONGESTION STANDARDS.
[7:07:44] THE BOARD CAN REQUIRE OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS
[7:07:45] FOR THE SITE TO DETERMINE
[7:07:46] SPECIFIC SITE ACCESS CONSIDERATIONS.
[7:07:51] >> THAT IS MY PREFERENCE.
[7:07:54] I DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS
[7:07:57] OF THE NEIGHBORS
[7:08:00] IN REGARD
[7:08:02] TO CARS COMING DOWN. THE OTHER THING
[7:08:09] THAT WOULD BE GOOD, I HEARD THE SPEAKER TALKING ABOUT
[7:08:12] BEING ABLE
[7:08:18] TO STILL DO THE BICYCLE. I DO NOT KNOW, AS
[7:08:20] PART OF THE APF AND THE SIDEWALK ANALYSIS,
[7:08:21] IF WE COULD EXTEND
[7:08:28] THE BIKEWAYS OR SIDEWALKS ENOUGH
[7:08:31] THAT PROVIDE
[7:08:34] SOME KIND OF PARTNERSHIP
[7:08:37] WITH DOT
[7:08:38] THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE WITH THE DEVELOPER
[7:08:43] TO MAKE THE AREA
[7:08:44] SAFE FOR THE CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY WITH
[7:08:46] ACCESS TO THE SCHOOL.
[7:08:49] THEY SHOULD GET PRIORITY
[7:08:52] TO HAVE THAT
[7:08:54] SIDEWALK FOR THE KIDS THAT THEY COULD GO SAFER
[7:08:57] IF YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THE SIDEWALK.
[7:08:59] THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE GOOD
[7:09:04] IF WE COULD INCLUDE THAT. >>
[7:09:05] I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING SIMILAR
[7:09:07] .
[7:09:13] I
[7:09:15] WAS TRYING TO FIND THE PICTURE ON HERE.
[7:09:24] IS IT PRELIMINARY, THE SITE PLAN, WHEN
[7:09:27] WE DISCUSS ALONG WOODLAND DRIVE TO ADDRESS
[7:09:36] SAFETY CONCERNS RIGHT THERE. I THINK
[7:09:37] WE CAN PROBABLY
[7:09:38] LOOK AT WHAT TO DO WITH THAT STREET
[7:09:39] PARKING AREA, WHETHER OR NOT IT NEEDS
[7:09:41] TO BE STREET PARKING OR SOMETHING
[7:09:43] ELSE. >> THAT IS CORRECT. WE
[7:09:44] WILL HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS AT BOTH STAGES
[7:09:49] . THE SITE PLAN
[7:09:51] , WHEN WE ARE INTO THE FULL NITTY-GRITTY
[7:09:52] OF
[7:09:54] WHAT ELEVATION IS THAT CURB AND ALL OF THAT.
[7:09:58] >> I DON'T KNOW IF
[7:09:59] WE NEED TO PUT A CONSIDERATION IN HERE.
[7:10:04] WE WILL ADDRESS THAT AND MAKE SURE
[7:10:06] WE BRING THAT UP AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE
[7:10:07] WITH THE PRELIMINARY PLAN.
[7:10:16] >> AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE A
[7:10:17] LEGAL OBJECTION TO IT, AS LONG AS WE
[7:10:19] SAY WE ARE GOING TO EVALUATE
[7:10:22] ACCESS AT A FURTHER STAGE
[7:10:25] WITH POSSIBLE TWO
[7:10:26] ALTERNATIVES. >> YES, I BELIEVE AT
[7:10:28] THIS STAGE THE BOARD CAN EXPRESS A PREFERENCE
[7:10:31] .
[7:10:33] THEY WILL INDICATE THAT THEY CAN STUDY
[7:10:34] AT A LATER STAGE.
[7:10:37] >> HOW ABOUT
[7:10:40] A PREFERENCE FOR GEORGIA AVENUE?
[7:10:42] FURTHER STUDY AND AFFIRMATION OF THAT
[7:10:46] , LOOKING AT A POSSIBILITY
[7:10:49] OF WORK. >> YES .
[7:10:53] FOR THE RECORD WE CAN DEFINITELY DO
[7:10:55] THAT AND WE HAVE A CONDITION
[7:10:57] THAT WE CAN READ HERE IN A MOMENT THAT REFLECTS THAT.
[7:11:01] AND ALSO, AS PART
[7:11:02] OF THE PRELIMINARY PLAN ANALYSIS, WE
[7:11:04] ARE HOPING TO SEE A REDUCED
[7:11:05] PARKING AMOUNT, WHICH WOULD THEN HOPEFULLY
[7:11:07] REDUCE
[7:11:10] THE NUMBER OF TRIPS ON EITHER ACCESS
[7:11:12] POINT. WHETHER ENDS UP BEING ONLY ON GEORGIA
[7:11:18] , WHICH OBVIOUSLY SOUNDS LIKE THE
[7:11:19] PREFERENCE OF
[7:11:20] THE BOARD. WE HAVE EXAMPLES OF WHERE
[7:11:21] WE HAVE SINGLE ACCESS LIKE THIS ON
[7:11:22] THE CORRIDORS.
[7:11:23] AND WE HAVE LARGE-SCALE DEVELOPMENT.
[7:11:31] AS I WANTED TO CALL YOUR
[7:11:32] ATTENTION TO AN EXISTING CONDITION
[7:11:33] WE HAVE IN HERE ABOUT PARKING. IT
[7:11:37] IS CONDITION 12 B.
[7:11:40] THAT ESSENTIALLY SAYS
[7:11:41] THE APPLICANT SHOULD UNBUNDLE RESIDENTIAL PARKING
[7:11:43] AND REDUCED PARKING ACCORDING
[7:11:46] TO TRANSIT USE.
[7:11:49] SO THE NEW CONDITION THAT WE
[7:11:51] ARE ABOUT TO READ, I'M GOING TO ASK
[7:11:52] MATT TO READ THAT FOR YOU.
[7:12:04] >> THE OTHER THING I
[7:12:05] WOULD SAY ABOUT PARKING, FOR SURE,
[7:12:07] IS THAT
[7:12:10] THE BOARD WILL EXPECT
[7:12:12] SIGNIFICANTLY LESS PARKING IN OTHER STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT.
[7:12:18] LOOK, WE WANT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU TOO.
[7:12:25] ON WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT WHEN YOU
[7:12:26] COME BACK FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.
[7:12:37] >> THIS WOULD
[7:12:39] BE A NEW CONDITION , 14, I BELIEVE.
[7:12:51] >> YES, 14. >> THIS WOULD BE A NEW CONDITION 14.
[7:12:52] VEHICULAR
[7:12:53] ACCESS ON GEORGIA AVENUE IS PREFERRED.
[7:12:55] REGULAR ACCESS ON WOODLAND DRIVE
[7:12:57] , WOODLAND MAYBE PARALYMPIAN IS BY THE
[7:13:00] PLANNING BOARD BASED ON OPERATIONAL TRAFFIC STUDIES.
[7:13:07] >> DID YOU WANT TO ADD ONE ON
[7:13:10] THE EXPECTATIONS ON
[7:13:11] THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES ALLOWED?
[7:13:16] >> CAN WE JUST A NOTE
[7:13:19] ON THAT DRAFT CONDITION
[7:13:22] ? >> WOULD IT BE ACCEPTABLE TO ADD
[7:13:25] , OF THE ACCESS, AT THE
[7:13:28] END OF THE SENTENCE?
[7:13:30] JUST TO BE AWARE THAT THE OVERALL VEHICULAR
[7:13:31] ANALYSIS OF THE WHOLE
[7:13:34] AREA IS NOT REQUIRED.
[7:13:36] THIS WOULD BE SPECIFIC TO THE DRIVEWAY.
[7:13:37] THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
[7:13:43] >> WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE IS HOW ATR
[7:13:46] IN A RED AREA NO
[7:13:49] MATTER WHAT WE SAY.
[7:13:51] >> WE ARE. BUT TYPICALLY YOU DON'T HAVE
[7:13:57] A VEHICULAR COMPONENT TO THAT. SO
[7:13:58] WE ARE ADDING ONE. WE
[7:14:00] JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR WHAT
[7:14:01] WE ARE STUDYING. >> GOT IT.
[7:14:04] >> WE
[7:14:07] WILL READ IT AGAIN.
[7:14:13] >> I
[7:14:14] WILL READ IT AGAIN AND BE CLEAR OF
[7:14:15] WHAT THE APPLICANT HAS SUGGESTED. REGULAR
[7:14:16] ACCESS ON GEORGIA
[7:14:17] AVENUE IS PREFERRED. REGULAR ACCESS ON
[7:14:19] WOODLAND MAY BE PERMITTED BY THE PLANNING BOARD AT
[7:14:20] THE TIME OF PRELIMINARY PLANNING BASED
[7:14:22] ON AN OPERATIONAL TRAFFIC STUDY
[7:14:25] AND THE APPLICANT SUGGESTED OF THE ACCESS POINT,
[7:14:27] WHICH WAS THE INTENT OF THE CONDITION
[7:14:28] I SUGGESTED PICK >> THAT SOUNDS
[7:14:31] RIGHT TO ME. >> WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE BOARD'S DIRECTION
[7:14:34] REGARDING
[7:14:37] THE RIGHT CONCERNS.
[7:14:40] WE DO HAVE
[7:14:43] A CONDITION,
[7:14:44] TRANSPORTATION ACCESS CONDITION SEVEN. THEY MUST
[7:14:46] PROVIDE A DESIGNATED PICKUP AND DROP OFF
[7:14:47] AREA FOR THE METRO STATION ALONG WITH
[7:14:52] LONG DRIVE.
[7:14:54] THAT IS HOW THE CONDITION READS RIGHT NOW.
[7:14:55] >>
[7:14:57] DON'T YOU THINK THAT'S A VIOLATION
[7:14:58] OF THE SECTOR PLAN?
[7:15:04] >>
[7:15:06] PART OF THE THOUGHT IN THIS. WE ARE GOING
[7:15:07] FOR SUBSTANTIAL CONFORMANCE ON THE
[7:15:09] SECTOR PLAN. WE ARE GOING ACROSS THE SITE
[7:15:10] WITH A BROKEN SLAB
[7:15:15] , POTENTIALLY IN THE GARAGE, WHICH
[7:15:16] HAS SOME COMPLICATING EFFECTS
[7:15:18] ON SITE ACCESS AND CIRCULATION. WE FELT THAT IF
[7:15:22] THE KISS AND RIDE
[7:15:24] SPOTS WERE ON THE SOUTHBOUND SIDE OF
[7:15:25] WOODLAND THAT IT WOULD BASICALLY SERVE PEOPLE WHO
[7:15:27] ARE ALREADY BOUND OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
[7:15:28] TO DROP
[7:15:31] OFF A FAMILY MEMBER
[7:15:33] OR WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCE IS AT THE
[7:15:35] METRO AND
[7:15:38] THEN BE ON THEIR WAY.
[7:15:40] OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S ON THE NORTHBOUND SIDE
[7:15:43] IT INDUCES TRAFFIC INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
[7:15:44] OFF OF GEORGIA
[7:15:47] BECAUSE YOU CAN COME IN OFF OF
[7:15:49] GEORGIA AVENUE AND THE BELTWAY. YOU
[7:15:50] CAN TURN UP WOODLAND. THIS WOULD
[7:15:53] NOT REALLY FACILITATE THAT
[7:15:54] MOVEMENT. LIKEWISE, IF YOU WERE TO
[7:15:56] GO INTO THE GARAGE, WHICH HAS SOME OPERATIONAL ITERATIONS, IT COULD
[7:15:59] BE SAID WAITING AROUND AND
[7:16:01] THEN COME BACK OUT TO THE SITE. >> SO YOU'RE SAYING
[7:16:03] THE MASTER PLAN IS NOT APPLICABLE?
[7:16:05] >>
[7:16:06] NOT APPLICABLE. WE ARE TRYING TO WORK
[7:16:09] WITHIN THE SITE CONSIDERATIONS. THIS
[7:16:10] WAS SOMETHING THAT STAFF IS SUPPORTIVE OF
[7:16:17] AS PART OF
[7:16:18] THE APPLICATION HERE. IT'S NOT THE
[7:16:20] ONLY WAY TO DO IT. IF IT'S A HARD INTERPRETATION
[7:16:22] WITHIN THE SITE WE WILL WORK WITH THAT DIRECTION.
[7:16:25] >> IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT THE SECTOR
[7:16:26] PLAN CALLS
[7:16:27] FOR ACCESS ON WOODLAND. IT SAYS, WOODLAND.
[7:16:38] >> IS THE DEVELOPER
[7:16:41] SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THE
[7:16:44] KISS AND RIDE? THAT PART OF
[7:16:47] THE SITE? >> A PICKUP AND DROP OFF IS
[7:16:48] THE EXPRESSION FOR THIS FACILITY.
[7:16:55] >> I'M THINKING IN TERMS OF THE METRO.
[7:16:58] >> RIGHT. >> I DO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION.
[7:17:04] I DO THINK THAT THIS ANALYSIS IS TIED IN
[7:17:05] WITH THE TRAFFIC STUDY
[7:17:09] . I THINK WE REALLY DO NEED TO LOOK
[7:17:11] AT THIS MORE CLOSELY AS PART OF
[7:17:12] THE PRELIMINARY PLAN. I WOULD ACTUALLY RECOMMEND
[7:17:17] STRIKING ALONG
[7:17:19] THE WOODLAND DRIVE SECTION OF THAT TO SIMPLY
[7:17:25] READ THAT THE APPLICANT MUST PROVIDE
[7:17:26] A DESIGNATED PICKUP AND DROP OFF
[7:17:29] AREA FOR THE METRO STATION.
[7:17:35] AT THIS TIME WE NEED TO HAVE MORE ANALYSIS
[7:17:37] LOOKED AT. PARTICULARLY IF WE ARE
[7:17:38] LOOKING
[7:17:39] AT ONLY HAVING ACCESS OFF OF GEORGIA. I
[7:17:40] THINK THAT WOULD BE MOST A PROBE.
[7:18:05] -- >> A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BE PARKING.
[7:18:08] I THAT WOULD BE
[7:18:10] FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO RAISE THAT CONCERN.
[7:18:16] THERE IS A BIG PARKING LOT FOR PEOPLE
[7:18:17] TO PARK, BUT
[7:18:20] THEY HAVE TO PAY. SOME
[7:18:21] PEOPLE MAY DECIDE, I'M GOING TO FIND A
[7:18:23] PARKING SPOT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
[7:18:25] , AND SIMPLY WALKED TO THE ENTRANCE
[7:18:26] OF THE METRO THERE.
[7:18:29] >> THAT'S A GREAT
[7:18:30] QUESTION. I KNOW THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE
[7:18:35] THE DOT
[7:18:36] IN THE AUDIENCE LISTENING IN. WE WOULD
[7:18:38] BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE RESIDENCE WITH THE
[7:18:39] PROCESS FOR GETTING PERMIT PARKING ON THE STREET.
[7:18:41] THERE
[7:18:43] IS A PROCESS FOR THAT. IT IS SEPARATE
[7:18:44] FROM
[7:18:46] THE REGULATORY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
[7:18:50] >> ALL RIGHT. IF NOBODY
[7:18:53] HAS ANY OTHER CHANGES DOES
[7:18:56] ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION?
[7:19:05] >> LET ME JUST GO BACK
[7:19:06] IN HERE. I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION
[7:19:11] FOR THE PROPERTY,
[7:19:14] 9801 GEORGIA AVENUE
[7:19:17] , SKETCH PLAN NUMBER 320 .
[7:19:23] 23 0020.
[7:19:26] WE
[7:19:27] WILL ACCEPT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION
[7:19:37] AND WE ADVISE -- THE MEETING TODAY.
[7:19:41] >> UNDERSTANDABLE TO STAFF?
[7:19:44] ALWAYS HAVE TO MAKE SURE OF THAT ONE.
[7:19:53] >> YOU
[7:19:54] HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? >> WE HAVE A
[7:19:56] MOTION AND A SECOND. >>
[7:19:59] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
[7:20:02] >> AYE,
[7:20:10] >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSING?
[7:20:11] ALL OF THOSE ABSTAINING?
[7:20:14] >> I AM STATE. >> YOU WILL HAVE 4-0-1 AS
[7:20:16] YOUR VOTE. THIS WILL HAVE LOTS OF WORK.
[7:20:17] YOU HAVE
[7:20:20] BEEN PERSEVERING SO FAR
[7:20:23] AND SO HAS THE COMMUNITY. I HOPE YOU
[7:20:25] WORK MORE WITH THEM AS YOU GO FORWARD.
[7:20:26] >> THANK
[7:20:29] YOU. >> THANK YOU.
[7:20:59] >>
[7:21:23] [ THE EVENT IS ON A RECESS. CAPTIONER ON STANDBY.
[7:30:07] >>>
[7:30:09] I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THE NATIONALS ARE DOING.
[7:30:13] IN ANY EVENT WE HAVE AN
[7:30:15] ITEM BEFORE US NOW , POPLAR GROVE
[7:30:19] , PRELIMINARY PLAN
[7:30:22] AMENDMENT NUMBER 12019004 BE.
[7:30:28] THIS PROJECT HAS HAD
[7:30:31] EXTENSIONS IN THE PAST
[7:30:34] . RIGHT NOW IT IS IN A STATUS
[7:30:37] WHERE THE APF
[7:30:40] HAS
[7:30:43] -- >> SORRY, CHAIR. IT IS
[7:30:46] PLAN VALIDITY.
[7:30:49] THIS IS FOR PLANNING. >> YES.
[7:30:54] >> I'LL BE QUIET. YOU GO AHEAD. >> THE VALIDITY
[7:30:55] PERIOD FOR APF
[7:30:58] IS A LOT LONGER THAN
[7:31:01] THE PLANNING PERIOD. THEREFORE,
[7:31:04] WITHOUT REGARD
[7:31:06] TO THE REASONS FOR THE EXTENSION ,
[7:31:07] WHICH APPLY TO
[7:31:10] EVERYONE IN THE WORLD
[7:31:14] . THE PANDEMIC, THE SUPPLY PROBLEMS,
[7:31:16] THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION,
[7:31:19] WHICH MIGHT
[7:31:21] AT SOME POINT BE A SUBJECT FOR LEGISLATION
[7:31:25] RATHER THAN DOING THIS PEACEFULLY.
[7:31:28] IN ANY EVENT, THE SIMPLE THING ,
[7:31:29] EVEN WITH ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS PROPOSED BY STAFF,
[7:31:34] SIMPLY
[7:31:36] WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE THE
[7:31:37] PLAN VALIDITY PERIOD THE SAME
[7:31:40] AS THE VALIDITY PERIOD FOR THE ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES
[7:31:46] . DID I SAY IT RIGHT? YOU CAN CORRECT ME
[7:31:48] NOW. >> YES. VERY SORRY. YOU SAID IT WELL.
[7:31:54] >> I THINK THAT'S THE SIMPLE STORY
[7:31:55] HERE. AND I
[7:31:58] WILL ACCEPT A MOTION TO TAKE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION. >> SORRY,
[7:32:01] WE DID HAVE ONE REQUEST
[7:32:07] BASED ON THE TESTIMONY
[7:32:09] RECEIVED ON THE CEMETERY AND THE CURRENT STATUS. >>
[7:32:10] I FORGOT THE CEMETERY. >>
[7:32:11] YES, WE DID ORIGINALLY RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE
[7:32:13] EXTENSION REQUEST AS LAID OUT
[7:32:16] IN THE STAFF REPORT.
[7:32:19] HOWEVER,
[7:32:20] THE ORIGINAL CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
[7:32:25] REQUIRE THAT, PRIOR TO ANY CONSTRUCTION
[7:32:27] ACTIVITIES ON SITE FOR THE FIRST PHASE, THAT
[7:32:28] A MAINTENANCE
[7:32:31] PLAN FOR THE CEMETERY MAY BE
[7:32:34] ENTERED INTO THE APPLICANT
[7:32:37] AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION. TO THIS
[7:32:40] POINT YOU RECEIVE TESTIMONY OF
[7:32:42] PHOTOS TAKEN. THE CEMETERY WAS NOT BEING MAINTAINED
[7:32:46] .
[7:32:49] RIGHT
[7:32:51] NOW THERE IS NO VIOLATION OF ANY CONDITIONS BECAUSE
[7:32:52] CONSTRUCTION HAS NOT COMMENCED.
[7:32:54] HOWEVER, AS TIME KEEPS GOING ON THERE IS THE ISSUE
[7:33:00] THAT THE INTENT OF THE CONDITION IS
[7:33:01] NOT BEING MET AND THE CEMETERY
[7:33:04] IS NOT BEING MAINTAINED.
[7:33:06] THE APPLICANT RESPONDED WITH SOME
[7:33:07] PHOTOS SAYING THAT THEY DID
[7:33:09] IN FACT CLEANUP THE CEMETERY TEMPORARILY. HOWEVER,
[7:33:13] THERE ARE
[7:33:14] STILL SAPLINGS AND OTHER THINGS ON
[7:33:16] THE SITE THAT NEED TO BE CLEANED UP. SO WE
[7:33:18] ARE ASKING THAT YOU ACTUALLY DO FOR
[7:33:19] THIS ACTION ON TAKING ACTION
[7:33:22] FOR THE EXTENSION REQUEST TODAY TO GIVE STAFF
[7:33:27] A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO WORK WITH THE APPLICANT
[7:33:33] TO GET SOME BETTER MAINTENANCE IN PLACE BEFORE
[7:33:34] YOU TAKE
[7:33:36] ACTION ON THIS. FOR NOW WE WOULD ASK
[7:33:37] THAT YOU DO FOR. NOT
[7:33:40] SET A PUBLIC HEARING. WE WILL COME BACK WHEN READY.
[7:33:46] JUNE 1st. >> ARE
[7:33:49] WE DEFERRING OR CONTINUING?
[7:33:52] >> I
[7:33:54] BELIEVE IN THIS CASE IT WOULD BE A CONTINUANCE
[7:33:58] IF THE STAFF
[7:34:01] IS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. IT WOULD
[7:34:03] NEED TO BE DECIDED AS A PUBLIC HEARING
[7:34:04] .
[7:34:12] IF THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT OCCURRING
[7:34:13] TODAY THAT IT WOULD OCCUR IN
[7:34:15] THE FUTURE. I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF SEMANTICS.
[7:34:19] IN TERMS OF A CONTINUANCE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
[7:34:22] THE FULL BOARD WOULD VOTE ON AND COULD EITHER SET
[7:34:27] A DATE CERTAIN, IN WHICH CASE NO FURTHER
[7:34:28] NOTICE WOULD BE NEEDED.
[7:34:31] IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WOULD BE A PREFERENCE TO
[7:34:33] HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY, AND IN THAT
[7:34:34] CASE THE BOARD COULD JUST VOTE
[7:34:38] GENERALLY TO CONTINUE.
[7:34:39] >> SET A DATE AND RE-ADVERTISE. >> EXACTLY.
[7:34:44] >> ARE YOU GUYS OKAY?
[7:34:47] APPLICANT OKAY?
[7:34:55] >> HEATHER, ZONING ATTORNEY FOR THE APPLICANT.
[7:34:59] SHE IS THINKING
[7:35:02] , BECAUSE
[7:35:03] THERE ARE A LOT OF DYNAMICS GOING
[7:35:05] ON ON THE SITE
[7:35:08] , AS YOU ALLUDED TO,
[7:35:09] CHAIR. WITH COVID AND THE ECONOMY,
[7:35:10] SHE IS SEEKING THIS EXTENSION BECAUSE
[7:35:12] SHE NEEDS CERTAINTY AS SHE TALKS WITH
[7:35:14] POSSIBLE PURCHASERS AND INVESTORS.
[7:35:20] SHE IS VERY EAGER TO SEE ACTION
[7:35:23] WITH REGARDS THE EXTENSION
[7:35:28] . WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS
[7:35:29] OF THE COMMUNITY WITH REGARD
[7:35:30] TO THE CEMETERY. WE ARE NOT TRYING
[7:35:32] TO DISMISS THAT AT ALL.
[7:35:35] >> WE
[7:35:36] WILL PUT YOU ON THE AGENDA AS FAST
[7:35:38] AS WE CAN. >> WE
[7:35:39] HAVE REACHED OUT TO STAFF ABOUT SETTING A MEETING
[7:35:41] TO DISCUSS THE CEMETERY
[7:35:42] AND THE APPLICANT HAS IDEAS FOR THINGS THAT
[7:35:44] SHE CAN DO GOING FORWARD
[7:35:45] TO ALLEVIATE SOME CONCERNS. WE OBVIOUSLY UNDERSTAND THE
[7:35:47] REQUIREMENTS AND
[7:35:50] A LOT OF FOLKS ARE OUT NEXT WEEK
[7:35:51] ON SPRING BREAK. WE ARE DEFINITELY EAGER
[7:35:53] TO MEET WITH STAFF AS
[7:35:56] SOON AS WE CAN.
[7:35:59] >>
[7:36:01] I WILL ACCEPT A MOTION TO CONTINUE.
[7:36:02] >> CAN
[7:36:04] I ASK ONE QUESTION? IS IT AT ALL POSSIBLE
[7:36:07] , IF THERE IS AN AGREEMENT ON THE EXTENSION,
[7:36:11] TO CONTINUE ON
[7:36:14] THE ISSUE OF THE CEMETERY?
[7:36:17] >> I DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS
[7:36:18] BY WHICH WE WOULD MAKE THE CONDITION.
[7:36:23] YOU SAY THAT THIS
[7:36:24] IS THE WAY WE WOULD MAKE A CONDITION?
[7:36:28] >> I WOULD AGREE, CHAIR. FOR THE RECORD
[7:36:32] THAT WOULD PROCEDURALLY
[7:36:35] NOT BE AN OPTION.
[7:36:38] ONCE THE BOARD
[7:36:39] HAS VOTED ON THE EXTENSION THERE IS
[7:36:40] ESSENTIALLY A REFERENCE CLOSE AND
[7:36:44] NO REFERENCE. >> THANK YOU. THAT WAS
[7:36:45] THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO CONTINUE
[7:36:51] THIS DISCUSSION SO THAT WE COULD WORK
[7:36:53] THINGS OUT. >> I WILL TAKE
[7:36:55] A MOTION TO CONTINUE. >> CHAIR, I MAKE
[7:36:56] A
[7:36:59] MOTION THAT WE CONTINUE ON THE
[7:37:02] POPLAR GROVE PRELIMINARY PLAN
[7:37:11] . >> ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY
[7:37:14] AYE. >>
[7:37:20] AYE.
[7:37:22] >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >>
[7:37:23] WE ARE BACK TO 5-0.
[7:37:26] >> THINK YOU.
[7:37:53] >> [ THE EVENT IS ON A
[7:37:56] RECESS. CAPTIONER ON STANDBY.
[7:39:47] >>> GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S THE MARCH 30th
[7:39:53] 2023 PLANNING BOARD. WE ARE ON ITEM NUMBER 11. ADDITION
[7:40:05] TO RAY'S ADVENTURE
[7:40:08] PRELIMINARY PLAN.
[7:40:11] THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS FOR IT.
[7:40:14] THE STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS
[7:40:17] .
[7:40:23] DOES THE ATTORNEY
[7:40:26] WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? >> MICHELLE ROSENFIELD
[7:40:28] ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT. WE HAVE
[7:40:29] REVIEWED THE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS AND
[7:40:32] WE RECOMMEND A VOTE OF APPROVAL.
[7:40:38] >> IT'S SO NICE TO HAVE AN
[7:40:40] EASY TWO LOT SUBDIVISION. >> I DON'T
[7:40:41] KNOW IF I'M PERSUADED.
[7:40:44] >> OH, NO. IT'S GOING TO BE
[7:40:47] A LONG NIGHT TOO.
[7:40:53] CAN I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE STAFF CONDITIONS?
[7:40:56] >>
[7:40:59] I'M MAKING A MOTION TO APPROVE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION
[7:41:04] WITH THE CONDITION FOR ADDITION TO RAISE
[7:41:09] A RANCHER.
[7:41:11] FOR PRELIMINARY CONSERVATION NUMBER
[7:41:15] 120200030
[7:41:18] AND
[7:41:21] PRELIMINARY PLAN NUMBER
[7:41:24] 120200030 .
[7:41:28] >> WERE THERE TWO ACTIONS WE WERE
[7:41:30] TAKING? I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST
[7:41:32] THE PRELIMINARY PLAN APPROVAL. >> THE PRELIMINARY PLAN
[7:41:36] INCLUDES
[7:41:37] A PRELIMINARY FINAL CONSERVATION PLAN.
[7:41:42] IN THIS CASE IT WILL BE ONE
[7:41:43] RESOLUTION THAT COULD BE DONE. >> THANK YOU.
[7:41:48] I HATE CONFUSING MYSELF.
[7:41:51] WE ARE GOOD.
[7:41:54] >> I SECOND THE MOTION.
[7:41:55] >> ALL RIGHT. ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR
[7:41:57] OF THE MOTION SAY AYE.
[7:42:00] >> AYE, AYE. >> AYE.
[7:42:03] >>
[7:42:06] THE AYE'S HAVE IT. GREAT
[7:42:07] ADVOCACY. THAT CONCLUDES OUR AFTERNOON SESSION
[7:42:11] . DOES EVERYBODY THINK WE CAN MAKE IT BACK
[7:42:15] AS OF 5:30 AT THE START TIME? YES?
[7:42:18] WE ARE STAYING HERE.
[7:43:21] >>
[7:43:57] [ THE EVENT IS ON A RECESS. THE SESSION WILL RECONVENE AT 5:30 PM EST.
[7:44:00] CAPTIONER ON STANDBY ]
[8:37:19] STOMACH I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE
[8:37:20] NATIONALS ARE
[8:37:22] ONLY ONE GAME BELOW .500. THE SEASON
[8:37:23] IS A LITTLE BIT YOUNG.
[8:37:26] WE ARE HERE
[8:37:29] TONIGHT ON ITEM 12,
[8:37:31] BRIEFING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR LITTLE
[8:37:32] FALLS PARKWAY PILOT PROJECT.
[8:37:35] WE HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKERS. FIRST WE
[8:37:37] ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT
[8:37:38] ON
[8:37:41] WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
[8:37:44] WE
[8:37:46] HAVE A LOT OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THIS
[8:37:47] IS THE PRINTOUT FROM THIS MORNING.
[8:38:05] IN ANY EVENT WE
[8:38:08] WILL HEAR FROM EVERYBODY. WE HOPE THAT
[8:38:10] WE DON'T HEAR THE SAME THINGS FROM
[8:38:11] EVERYBODY. YOU DON'T NEED TO REPEAT EVERYTHING.
[8:38:23] WE WILL GIVE INDIVIDUALS THREE MINUTES.
[8:38:24] WE
[8:38:26] HAVE A CLOCK WHERE WE ARE GOING TO
[8:38:27] GET STARTED TO LET
[8:38:28] YOU KNOW HOW YOUR TIME IS GOING. WITH
[8:38:30] THAT I WILL TURN IT OVER
[8:38:32] TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. >> THANK
[8:38:33] YOU, MR. CHAIR.
[8:38:36] I AM THE PARKS DIRECTOR.
[8:38:38] I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE TEAM TO
[8:38:39] GO
[8:38:42] RIGHT INTO THE PRESENTATION.
[8:38:44] >> THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING. MY
[8:38:45] NAME IS
[8:38:46] DARREN. I'M THE DIVISION CHIEF FOR THE
[8:38:51] PARK PLANNING AND STEWARDSHIP.
[8:38:54] HAVE WITH ME ANDREW, KYLE,
[8:38:57] ANDY, AND BRIAN WHITE. THEY WILL INTRODUCE THEMSELVES
[8:39:00] AT THE APPROPRIATE
[8:39:03] TIME FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
[8:39:05] WE ARE PLEASED TO BE WITH YOU TONIGHT TO
[8:39:07] DO A PRESENTATION ON LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[8:39:09] PILOT PROGRAM
[8:39:12] AND PUBLIC HEARING.
[8:39:15] YOU MAY BE RELIEVED TO KNOW
[8:39:20] WE WILL NOT BE ASKING FOR YOU TO MAKE
[8:39:21] ANY DECISIONS ON THE
[8:39:22] PROJECT THIS EVENING. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY
[8:39:24] TO HEAR FROM PARK STAFF AND
[8:39:25] THE PUBLIC ON THE PROJECT. WE WILL
[8:39:27] RETURN TO YOU ON
[8:39:30] APRIL 13th TO ASK FOR APPROVAL
[8:39:33] FOR THE LONG-TERM CONFIGURATION
[8:39:34] OF TWO OPPOSING DRIVE LANES ON LITTLE FALLS PARK
[8:39:36] WAY BETWEEN ARLINGTON ROAD AND
[8:39:39] ARE SET AVENUE.
[8:39:45] JUST AN ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE,
[8:39:46] WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO LEAVE THE COMMENT PERIOD
[8:39:48] OPEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER
[8:39:49] FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPECTED TO TESTIFY TODAY.
[8:39:55] WE WOULD ASK THAT THE BOARD LEAVE
[8:39:59] THE COMMENT PERIOD OPEN UNTIL TUESDAY.
[8:40:03] THAT GIVES US ENOUGH TIME
[8:40:05] . >> AS LONG AS YOU CAN RESPOND TO
[8:40:08] THE TESTIMONY THIS EVENING. >> THE FOURTH.
[8:40:12] >> WHICH TUESDAY? THE FOURTH?
[8:40:18] >> FOR THE EXTENSION TO TUESDAY.
[8:40:19] >> FOR EVERYBODY'S INFORMATION, WE ARE NOT
[8:40:23] MEETING NEXT WEEK. THE NEXT MEETING IS APRIL 13th
[8:40:27] . WE WILL HEAR FROM STAFF
[8:40:29] RESPONDING TO THE TESTIMONY WE HEAR TONIGHT.
[8:40:33] >> THANK YOU. THIS EVENING
[8:40:35] WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE A PROJECT HISTORY AND
[8:40:39] OVERVIEW OF
[8:40:41] THE OPEN PARKWAYS PROGRAM. AND THEN WALK YOU THROUGH
[8:40:44] THE PHASING OF THE PILOT PROGRAM .
[8:40:48] REVIEW SOME
[8:40:49] OF THE VEHICULAR TRAFFIC COUNTS THAT
[8:40:51] WE HAVE COLLECTED DOCUMENTING THIS PROJECT.
[8:40:54] TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE POTENTIAL
[8:40:57] PARK AND IDEA
[8:41:00] FOR
[8:41:03] --THE COMMON CONCERNS
[8:41:06] THAT WE HAVE HEARD TO THE
[8:41:09] BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
[8:41:12] WITH
[8:41:13] THAT I WILL HAND IT OVER TO ANDREW.
[8:41:18] >> GOOD
[8:41:19] EVENING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ANDREW.
[8:41:21] I'M AN ENGINEER WITH THE PARKS
[8:41:24] DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
[8:41:27] --RUNS FROM JUST SOUTH OF FAIRFAX ROAD
[8:41:29] ALL THE WAY TO MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE.
[8:41:33] THE PORTION OF
[8:41:36] THE PARKWAY IS ABOUT
[8:41:38] HALF A MILE LONG JUST SOUTH OF FAIRFAX ROAD.
[8:41:45] -- RUNNING FROM GEORGETOWN
[8:41:48] ALL THE WAY UP
[8:41:49] TO THE BRANCH TRAIL CROSSES LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY.
[8:41:54] THE PRE-PILOT CONDITIONS
[8:41:57] --DRIVE
[8:41:59] LANES IN EACH DIRECTION THAT ARE SEPARATED
[8:42:00] BY A GRASS MEDIAN.
[8:42:05] MONTGOMERY COUNTY IS THE FIRST COUNTY
[8:42:08] IN THE UNITED STATES --THE GOAL IS TO REDUCE
[8:42:11] INDUSTRY IN FATALITIES AND INJURIES.
[8:42:12] AS PART OF THAT
[8:42:14] THE GOAL IS TO REDUCE CONFLICT SEVERITY
[8:42:20] . WE COORDINATE A LOT WITH OUR FELLOW AGENCIES
[8:42:21] IN THE COUNTY
[8:42:23] TO IMPLEMENT SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AS
[8:42:24] WELL AS PARK ROADS.
[8:42:27] ONE VERY IMPORTANT TENANT IS THAT
[8:42:30] LIFE TAKES PRIORITY
[8:42:33] OVER THE ROAD SYSTEM.
[8:42:39] ONE OF OUR GOALS
[8:42:42] IS TO REDUCE VEHICULAR SPEEDS.
[8:42:43] BY REDUCING THE VEHICULAR SPEEDS WE
[8:42:44] CAN INCREASE PEDESTRIAN CHANCES OF SURVIVAL
[8:42:57] . THE CHART HERE HIGHLIGHTS THAT AT 20 MILES
[8:42:59] PER HOUR AN IMPACT BETWEEN A VEHICLE AND PEDESTRIAN, THE PEDESTRIAN HAS
[8:43:00] A LARGE CHANCE
[8:43:02] OF SURVIVAL. DROPS TO 55% AT 30 MILES
[8:43:03] PER HOUR. AT 40 MILES PER HOUR
[8:43:05] THERE IS ONLY A 50% CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. REACTION TIME
[8:43:06] AND DRIVER VISION ALSO
[8:43:07] INCREASES SUBSTANTIALLY THE SLOWER THE
[8:43:09] DRIVER IS GOING. AT 40 MILES PER
[8:43:11] HOUR YOU CAN SEE THE REACTION SPEED IS VERY SMALL.
[8:43:15] IT GIVES DRIVERS MORE TIME TO REACT
[8:43:21] WITH A PEDESTRIAN OR CYCLIST.
[8:43:27] VISION ZERO
[8:43:29] IS SOMETHING AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE COUNTY.
[8:43:30] THEY RECENTLY INTRODUCED THE SAFE STREETS ACT
[8:43:33] AND THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL IS TO REDUCE
[8:43:36] GOALS. ONE
[8:43:38] EXAMPLE PROJECT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
[8:43:39] IS THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE COORDINATED
[8:43:42] TO CLOSE A SEGMENT
[8:43:47] OF THE NORTHWEST COMPLETELY, YEAR-ROUND,
[8:43:48] TO
[8:43:51] ALLOW FOR RECREATIONAL SPACE.
[8:43:54] THAT ROAD SAW 8000 CARS PER DAY.
[8:44:00] THE
[8:44:02] TRAIL CROSSING IN LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY WAS
[8:44:03] HISTORICALLY THE SITE OF FREQUENT CONFLICTS
[8:44:04] BETWEEN TRAIL USERS AND DRIVERS. IN 2016
[8:44:06] THERE WAS A FATALITY WHERE BICYCLIST WAS KILLED
[8:44:09] WHILE CROSSING ON HIS BICYCLE.
[8:44:12] AFTER THAT PARKS IMPLEMENTED IN INTERIM
[8:44:15] --AND SAFETY
[8:44:17] IMPROVEMENTS AT THE CROSSING. HERE
[8:44:18] WE GIVE AN OVERVIEW
[8:44:21] OF THE FLEXIBLE POSTS, WHICH ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED.
[8:44:27] AS WELL
[8:44:28] AS ASSOCIATED IMPROVEMENTS WITH SIGNAGE
[8:44:29] AND PAVEMENT MARKINGS. THE OBJECTIVE
[8:44:33] OF THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS WERE TO REDUCE
[8:44:36] VEHICLE SPEEDS AND REDUCE
[8:44:39] A MULTIPLE THREAT SCENARIO, WHICH IS
[8:44:41] THE GRAPHIC IN THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OVER THERE.
[8:44:45] THAT IS WHERE --SOMEONE
[8:44:48] IS TRYING TO CROSS
[8:44:51] . A VEHICLE IN ONE LANE MAY STOP BUT A VEHICLE IN
[8:44:53] THE OTHER LANE THEY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP
[8:44:55] OR REACT IN TIME
[8:45:01] >> MY NAME IS KYLE LUCAS.
[8:45:03] I'M GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON
[8:45:07] THE OPEN PARKWAYS PROGRAM. YOU
[8:45:08] CAN SEE, IN THIS GRAPHIC, THE FULL
[8:45:10] EXTENT OF THE OPEN PART
[8:45:11] WAY WHEN WE ORIGINALLY LAUNCHED IN APRIL OF 2020
[8:45:15] IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
[8:45:16] AS A WAY
[8:45:17] TO HELP ALLEVIATE CROWDING ALONG THE CAPITAL
[8:45:19] CRESCENT TRAIL, PROVIDE
[8:45:22] MORE SPACE FOR PEOPLE
[8:45:27] --WE STARTED THIS WITH APRIL 2020
[8:45:31] WHEN WE SUSPENDED THE PROGRAM
[8:45:33] DUE TO A VARIETY OF OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES
[8:45:38] . WHILE THAT WAS SUSPENDED WE HEARD A
[8:45:40] LOT OF INPUT ASKING
[8:45:43] US TO REINSTATE IT.
[8:45:46] IN MARCH OF 2021
[8:45:47] WE REINSTATED IT WITH A SMALL EXTENT FROM
[8:45:49] RIVER ROAD UP TO JUST SOUTH OF FAIRFAX
[8:45:50] ROAD. WE KEPT THIS UNTIL JUNE OF 2022.
[8:45:58] WE INSTITUTED PHASE TWO OF THE
[8:46:00] PILOT. A LITTLE INFO ON THE USAGE WE HAVE SEEN
[8:46:04] AT THE OPEN PARKWAYS. WE
[8:46:05] HAVE OPEN PARKWAYS ON LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[8:46:07] AS WELL AS BEACH DRIVE.
[8:46:10] WE INSTALLED TRAIL COUNTERS
[8:46:13] AT EACH OF THESE.
[8:46:16] WE SUSPENDED THE PROGRAM
[8:46:19] IN JUNE OF 2022 FOR PHASE
[8:46:20] ONE. WE COUNTED OVER 300,000 USERS,
[8:46:22] WHICH IS ABOUT 3000 USERS
[8:46:25] PER WEEK ON AVERAGE. AS
[8:46:27] YOU CAN SEE IN THE CHART THE USE WAS
[8:46:28] HIGHEST AT THE
[8:46:30] START OF THE PROGRAM. WE HAVE SEEN CONSISTENT USE THROUGHOUT.
[8:46:37] EVEN LOOKING BACK A YEAR
[8:46:38] AGO TO LAST FEBRUARY WE ARE STILL SEEING USE
[8:46:48] THE OPEN PARKWAYS AND OTHER STREETS, INCLUDING
[8:46:52] A VARIETY OF OTHER MEASURES
[8:46:55] INCLUDING
[8:46:56] THE TEMPORARY GREENWAYS, PAST RESOLUTION, SUPPORTING THESE,
[8:47:01] AND SUGGESTING THEY
[8:47:03] BECOME PERMANENT AND ENHANCED. WHILE
[8:47:04] THIS
[8:47:05] PROGRAM WAS EXTERNALLY POPULAR AND
[8:47:07] WE SAW A LOT
[8:47:08] OF GREAT RECREATIONAL USE WE HAD THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE
[8:47:10] OF
[8:47:13] CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC.
[8:47:16] IN
[8:47:17] PARTICULAR IT'S KENNEDY DRIVE. YOU
[8:47:19] CAN SEE IN THIS GRAPHIC
[8:47:22] THAT IT NEARLY DOUBLED
[8:47:25] TO
[8:47:28] 17 ON THE WEEKENDS.
[8:47:33] THAT LEADS US TO OUR SOLUTION, WHICH
[8:47:34] WE DEVELOPED IN COORDINATION WITH THE
[8:47:35] MONTGOMERY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
[8:47:36] THE PROPOSED SOLUTION IS TO SUSPEND
[8:47:40] THE OPEN PARKWAYS PROGRAM .
[8:47:43] AND TO CONDUCT A PILOT
[8:47:46] FOR A
[8:47:47] TWO-LANE SCENARIO WHERE THERE ARE
[8:47:49] TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC AND THE OTHER TWO LANES
[8:47:55] ARE FOR AN OPEN PARKWAY. WE SEE
[8:47:56] THIS WITH A COUPLE OF THINGS. THERE
[8:47:57] ARE NO ROAD CLOSURES RESULTING IN
[8:47:58] NEIGHBORHOOD CUT THROUGH
[8:48:00] TRAFFIC. WE HAVE AN OPEN PARKWAY THAT IS AVAILABLE
[8:48:05] 24/7. IT IS ALSO A COST-EFFECTIVE
[8:48:07] WAY TO ADD ADDITIONAL PARK AND RECREATIONAL
[8:48:10] SPACE TO OUR SYSTEM AND HELPS TO LOWER OPERATIONAL COST.
[8:48:12] WE HAVE SEVERAL TWO LANE PARKWAYS
[8:48:16] .
[8:48:19] AS WELL AS PARKWAY
[8:48:22] SOUTH.
[8:48:25] THEY HAVE SIMILAR
[8:48:28] LANE WIDTHS. THEY HAVE
[8:48:30] NARROW OR NO SHOULDERS. THEY ARE VERY
[8:48:31] SIMILAR IN THAT REGARD.
[8:48:40] THE FIRST IS TO MAINTAIN SAFE AND FUNCTIONAL ROADS.
[8:48:41] THE SECOND IS TO REDUCE NEIGHBORHOOD
[8:48:43] CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC THE THIRD IS TO
[8:48:46] PRESERVE RICK ADDITIONAL SPACE.
[8:48:48] JUST TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON THE
[8:48:49] PUBLIC INPUT AND PROCESS THAT
[8:48:51] HAS LED TO THIS POINT. JUST A KIND OF COVER THAT
[8:48:54] , WE SUSPENDED THE OPEN PARKWAYS IN WINTER
[8:48:55] OF 2020. WE
[8:48:57] HEARD STRONG OPPOSITION TO SUSPENDING THE PROGRAM.
[8:49:04] WE STARTED
[8:49:07] , LAST SUMMER,
[8:49:10] CONDUCTING TRAFFIC COUNTS IN LITTLE
[8:49:11] FALLS PARKWAY AS WELL AS THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
[8:49:15] AND WHEN THEY SUSPENDED THE OPEN PARKWAYS
[8:49:16] PROGRAM WE INSTITUTED A PILOT PROGRAM IN
[8:49:18] ORDER TO HELP REDUCE THE CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC.
[8:49:21] OUR TRAFFIC STUDIES HAVE CONTINUED TO
[8:49:22] MONITOR ALL OF
[8:49:25] THE PHASES OF THIS
[8:49:27] PROJECT. WE HAVE MADE ADJUSTMENTS
[8:49:28] TO EACH OF THE PHASE
[8:49:31] FOR PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO FOR PUBLIC FEEDBACK
[8:49:33] AND WHAT WE HAVE RECEIVED. WE POSTED
[8:49:34] THE TRAFFIC DATA TOWER PILOT
[8:49:35] PROJECT WEBSITE SO THAT MEMBERS OF
[8:49:37] THE PUBLIC ARE ABLE TO
[8:49:38] SEE TRAFFIC COUNTS COLLECTED. AND WE HAVE
[8:49:42] PRESS RELEASES IN ADVANCE OF EACH
[8:49:43] CHANGE WE HAVE MADE.
[8:49:46] IN FEBRUARY WE HOSTED
[8:49:55] --DEDICATED EMAIL
[8:49:57] BOX. WE ARE CURRENTLY HOLDING A PLANNING
[8:49:58] BOARD PUBLIC HEARING AND PLAN TO SOLICIT A
[8:50:01] DECISION ON THE 13th OF APRIL. ONE DECISION TO MAKE
[8:50:07] IN BETHESDA, ABOUT 40% OF HOUSING
[8:50:10] UNITS ARE MULTIUNIT STRUCTURES.
[8:50:11] THESE WILL TYPICALLY LACK BACKYARDS
[8:50:16] . ANOTHER WAY OF
[8:50:18] SAYING THAT, THE DEMAND FOR RECREATIONAL OPEN SPACE
[8:50:21] FOR 40% OF THE BETHESDA AREA WOULD
[8:50:22] LIKELY MAKE USE OF THIS.
[8:50:25] TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON
[8:50:26] THE PROJECT PHASING, THE PILOT PROJECT
[8:50:31] GOES
[8:50:33] FROM DORSETT AVENUE ALL THE WAY UP
[8:50:34] TO JUST SOUTH OF FAIRFAX ROAD. YOU
[8:50:37] CAN SEE THAT IN RED HERE. IT'S ALSO WORTH MENTIONING
[8:50:46] , MASSACHUSETTS TO THE RIVER, THAT
[8:50:48] SECTION OF LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY HAS
[8:50:49] HISTORICALLY BEEN TWO LANES. AND FROM DORSETT UP TO
[8:50:51] FAIRFAX IS NOW TWO LANES IN THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION
[8:50:52] BETWEEN RIVER ROAD AND DORSETT AVENUE
[8:50:55] IS FOUR LANES. YOU CAN SEE
[8:50:58] THE TOOLING PORTION IN RED.
[8:51:06] PHASE ONE, WHICH WE INSTITUTED IN JUNE
[8:51:07] OF 2020, WHICH INCLUDED NO OPEN PARKWAY
[8:51:09] AND WAS ESSENTIALLY AN EXTENSION OF THE
[8:51:10] EXISTING INTERIM SINGLE LANE ROAD. YOU CAN
[8:51:12] SEE HERE, WE CLOSE THE OUTSIDE LANES
[8:51:13] AND INSTALLED FLEX POSTS. PHASE TWO FIT
[8:51:22] --CREATED A 24/7 OPEN PARKWAY CONDITION.
[8:51:23] WE INSTALLED THIS
[8:51:26] IN OCTOBER OF 2022.
[8:51:27] THIS PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT
[8:51:29] PHASE TWO LOOKS LIKE.
[8:51:30] I WILL POINT OUT THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE
[8:51:32] TO IMPROVE
[8:51:33] SAFETY FOR THIS. WE APPROVED WATER-FILLED BARRIERS
[8:51:36] AT ALL INTERSECTIONS. WE ALSO MADE
[8:51:38] SOME IMPROVEMENTS
[8:51:44] SO WE ADDED A RIGHT TURN
[8:51:47] BAY ON DARLINGTON ROAD.
[8:51:52] AND FINALLY, I MENTIONED THAT WE MADE CHANGES
[8:51:53] BASED ON PUBLIC INPUT
[8:51:54] WE HAVE RECEIVED AND ONE OF THOSE
[8:51:55] WE DID AS WE INSTALLED FLEX POST AT
[8:51:56] THE
[8:51:58] DIVERGING AREA IN ORDER TO HELP CLARIFY. WE WILL TOUCH
[8:52:01] ON A FEW MASTER PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS TO
[8:52:02] GUIDE WHAT
[8:52:05] WE ARE DOING HERE.
[8:52:11] WE HAVE THE BICYCLE MASTER PLAN, ALL THREE OF THESE
[8:52:17] TOUCH ON THE FACT
[8:52:18] THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER USING SPACE
[8:52:19] THAT HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN ALLOCATED TO AUTOMOBILES
[8:52:23] WITH TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES
[8:52:31] FOR USERS OF ALL ABILITIES, WHETHER
[8:52:32] THEY ARE WALKING, BIKING, OR USING
[8:52:34] OTHER MODES. THERE'S ALSO THE WESTPARK SECTOR
[8:52:35] PLAN, WHICH I
[8:52:36] WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT A FEW THINGS FROM.
[8:52:38] I
[8:52:39] WILL READ THIS QUOTE AT THE TOP HERE,
[8:52:41] WHICH IS VERY RELEVANT TO THIS
[8:52:42] STUDY AREA. THE QUOTE IS, WHILE THE
[8:52:43] AUTOMOBILE STILL NEEDS TO BE ACCOMMODATED
[8:52:44] DUE TO
[8:52:47] TRANSIT IN THIS AREA
[8:52:53] INDICATES A SHIFT AWAY FROM THE AUTOMOBILE.
[8:52:54] THIS SHIFT PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO
[8:52:55] USE THE EXISTING AND PROPOSED RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR
[8:52:56] NEED OF TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES OTHER
[8:52:58] THAN JUST ROAD CAPACITY. THE SECTOR PLAN
[8:52:59] ALSO CONDUCTED A TRANSPORTATION
[8:53:00] ANALYSIS, FORECASTING UP TO THE FUTURE YEARS OF 2040.
[8:53:04] AND THAT ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THERE IS
[8:53:08] ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE
[8:53:13] , EVEN CONSIDERING ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS
[8:53:14] OCCURRING. FINALLY,
[8:53:15] THE WESTPARK SECTOR PLAN ALSO ENDORSES
[8:53:17] MAKING LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[8:53:18] A TWO-LANE ROAD BETWEEN DORSETT AVENUE AND MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE.
[8:53:23] A LOT OF THIS IS HELPING TO GUIDE OUR DECISION HERE.
[8:53:26] AND THEN I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
[8:53:28] ANDREW TO TALK ABOUT THE VEHICULAR TRAFFIC
[8:53:29] COUNTS. >>
[8:53:30] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WOULD LIKE
[8:53:32] TO TAKE A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW
[8:53:35] . LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY.
[8:53:38] WE FOUND THAT TRAFFIC
[8:53:41] HAS DECREASED 35%
[8:53:44] SINCE THEN.
[8:53:49] RIVER ROAD, BETWEEN THE D.C. LINE AND
[8:53:50] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY, THAT IS A FOUR
[8:53:51] LANE ROAD. TRAFFIC TRENDS HAVE BEEN DROPPING SINCE 2001
[8:53:56] . NOW WE ARE DOWN TO ABOUT 20%.
[8:53:59] WISCONSIN AVENUE, THE CLOSE
[8:54:01] --AT BETHESDA. ALSO A FOUR LANE ROAD.
[8:54:05] IT HAS INCREASED 20% AS WELL SINCE
[8:54:08] 2003. THE SOURCE OF THE ROAD
[8:54:09] WERE FROM PUBLICLY AVAILABLE FIELD DATA COUNTS.
[8:54:15] OUR TAKE AWAY FROM THIS INFORMATION
[8:54:17] IS THAT THE GROWTH WE HAVE SEEN
[8:54:20] IN THIS
[8:54:21] POPULATION HAS INCREASED SINCE 2001.
[8:54:22] BUT IT HASN'T NECESSARILY INCREASED
[8:54:26] FOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC IN THE AREA. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE
[8:54:28] TO COMPARE SIMILAR TWO LANE ROADS
[8:54:29] IN THE
[8:54:31] AREA INTO LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY. THESE ARE TWO LANE
[8:54:32] CONFIGURATIONS
[8:54:35] WITH MINIMAL SHOULDERS. BETWEEN
[8:54:38] RIVER AND BRADLEY,
[8:54:41] BETWEEN GOLDSBORO AND WILSON. LITTLE
[8:54:43] FALLS PARKWAY, THE LATEST COUNT SHOWED
[8:54:44] ABOUT 10,000 VEHICLES A DAY.
[8:54:47] THIS IS A LITTLE BIT LESS
[8:54:50] THAN GOLDSBORO.
[8:54:53] >> [
[8:54:56] CAPTIONERS TRANSITIONING ]
[8:55:13] >>
[8:55:16] IN MAY 2022
[8:55:17] THAT WAS THE FIRST COUNT AND THIS WAS
[8:55:18] BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION OF ANY PILOT
[8:55:19] PROJECT CONDITION.
[8:55:22] IN JULY AND SEPTEMBER OF 2022,
[8:55:24] THE CONDITIONS WERE IN PLACE WHICH
[8:55:25] WAS ONE LANE IN
[8:55:28] EACH DIRECTION.
[8:55:33] IN DECEMBER OF 2022, THE PHASE TWO
[8:55:34] CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT WHICH WAS
[8:55:37] TWO LANES OPPOSED WITH NO MEDIAN
[8:55:38] SEPARATION AND 24/7, OPEN PARKWAYS
[8:55:40] IN THE LANES THAT ARE NOW CLOSED
[8:55:43] TO TRAFFIC.
[8:55:51] THIS MAP GIVES AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE
[8:55:52] THE NINE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WERE
[8:55:53] TAKEN. WE BELIEVE IT PROVIDES A REALLY
[8:55:55] PROGRESSIVE VIEW OF TRAFFIC IN THE AREA
[8:55:56] ADJACENT TO LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY.
[8:55:58] THE FOUR COUNTS WERE SUMMARIZED
[8:56:01] AND AVERAGED INTO WEEKDAY
[8:56:04] WHICH WAS TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY,
[8:56:05] THURSDAY. WE TYPICALLY DISREGARD MONDAY
[8:56:07] AND FRIDAY
[8:56:16] BECAUSE THOSE VOLUMES ARE LOWER THAN TUESDAY,
[8:56:17] WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY. AS WELL AS WE
[8:56:19] CAN TRAFFIC WHICH IS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY,
[8:56:20] OF COURSE. SO ON LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[8:56:22] WE SEE A ROUGHLY SIMILAR AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC
[8:56:23] VOLUMES DURING THE WEEKEND WITH AN
[8:56:24] INCREASE IN WEEKEND TRAFFIC BECAUSE
[8:56:25] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY IS
[8:56:27] NOW OPEN FULL TIME ON THE WEEKENDS.
[8:56:28] ALSO SEES A
[8:56:31] SIMILAR AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC BUT
[8:56:32] INCREASED WEEKEND TRAFFIC BECAUSE
[8:56:34] OF THE ADJACENT LITTLE
[8:56:37] FALLS PARKWAY.
[8:56:40] ARLINGTON ROAD, WE FIND SIMILAR
[8:56:43] CONDITIONS. KENNEDY DRIVE
[8:56:46] IS IN THE COMMUNITY AND YOU SEE THAT THERE
[8:56:49] HAS BEEN A DECREASE
[8:56:52] IN
[8:56:53] WEEKDAY TRAFFIC AS WELL AS A SUBSTANTIAL
[8:56:55] DECREASE IN WEEKEND TRAFFIC. TO US IT
[8:56:56] SHOWS THAT THE MENTATION OF A TWO
[8:56:58] LANE OPEN CONDITION FOR VEHICLES AS WELL AS
[8:57:01] AN OPEN PARKWAY
[8:57:04] CONDITION IN THE ADJACENT TWO
[8:57:05] LANES HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING
[8:57:07] CUT THEIR TRAFFIC. FAIRFAX ROAD,
[8:57:10] PROCESSING
[8:57:13] THE SAME AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC.
[8:57:16] DORSET AVENUE, WEST OF LITTLE
[8:57:18] FALLS PARKWAY, YOU WILL SEE A SLIGHT DECREASE
[8:57:19] IN TRAFFIC VOLUMES.
[8:57:22] DORSET AVENUE EAST OF
[8:57:24] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY HAS ALSO SEEN
[8:57:25] A SLIGHT DECREASE IN TRAFFIC VOLUMES.
[8:57:27] BROOKSIDE DRIVE IS ALSO IN THE COMMUNITY
[8:57:28] AND A
[8:57:31] PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL DECREASE IN BOTH
[8:57:34] WEEKDAY AND WEEKEND TRAFFIC.
[8:57:43] AND DORSET AVENUE NORTH OF RIVER
[8:57:45] ROAD WHICH IS VERY CLOSE TO MARYLAND 190
[8:57:46] HAS SEEN AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC IN THE
[8:57:47] NORTHBOUND DIRECTION WHICH WE PARTLY
[8:57:49] BELIEVE DUE TO THE ONGOING CONSTRUCTION WITH THE REALIGNMENT
[8:57:50] ON RICHFIELD ROAD. WE ALSO CONDUCTED
[8:57:52] TRAVEL TIME RUNS. THIS WAS DONE THE
[8:57:55] OLD-FASHIONED WAY
[8:57:57] WITH AN ENGINEER WITH A STOPWATCH
[8:57:58] AND A CAR TRAVELING UP AND DOWN.
[8:58:01] THIS WAS DONE DURING RUSH HOUR, THE BUSIEST
[8:58:04] TIMES OF THE DAY.
[8:58:12] FIVE RUNS WERE DONE IN EACH DIRECTION.
[8:58:13] NORTH SOUTH AND SOUTH AND NORTH. THE
[8:58:15] TRAVEL TIMES WERE AVERAGE FOR THE
[8:58:16] DISTANCE TO GIVE AN AVERAGE TRAVEL SPEED
[8:58:17] AMOUNT PER HOUR. THE TRAVEL SPEED
[8:58:19] ALSO INCLUDES
[8:58:23] THE
[8:58:24] TIME THAT A CAR IS SPENT WAITING AT
[8:58:25] AN INTERSECTION AND THE TIME IT MIGHT
[8:58:26] BE
[8:58:27] WAITING FOR SOME IT ACROSS THE TRAIL,
[8:58:28] FOR EXAMPLE. THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE
[8:58:30] AVERAGE SPEED. WE FOUND THE AVERAGE
[8:58:31] FLEECE FOR SPEEDS BETWEEN STOPLIGHT TO
[8:58:32] STOPLIGHT WERE ABOUT
[8:58:33] 25 MILES PER HOUR WHICH IS THE CURRENT
[8:58:34] SPEED LIMIT OF LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY.
[8:58:36] USING THOSE AVERAGE SPEEDS WE TRANSLATED
[8:58:38] THAT TO A LEVEL OF SERVICE
[8:58:41] WHICH RESULTED IN A B OR C IN
[8:58:44] ALL DIRECTIONS. B BEING
[8:58:46] BALANCED TO TRAFFIC. IT'S VERY RARE
[8:58:47] FOR
[8:58:48] ANY INTERSECTION OR ANYTHING NEAR
[8:58:50] IT TO BE
[8:58:53] A RATING OF A OUTSIDE OF PEAK
[8:58:54] HOUR CONDITIONS. WE ALSO CONDUCTED
[8:58:58] INTERSECTION TURNING MOVEMENT COUNTS
[8:59:02] TO EVALUATE
[8:59:11] THE TRAFFIC VOLUMES
[8:59:12] THAT ARE GOING TO THE 300 SECTIONS AT
[8:59:13] ARLINGTON, HILLANDALE, AND DORSETT
[8:59:14] AND WE
[8:59:15] FOUND THAT CURRENTLY THE PEAKS ARE
[8:59:16] LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN IN 2018 BUT
[8:59:17] WELL WITHIN
[8:59:18] THE CAPACITY OF THE INTERSECTION IN
[8:59:20] THE ROAD AS WELL AS WE WILL SHOW AND
[8:59:23] A COUPLE SITES. THE CRASH
[8:59:24] DATA WAS VERY COMPELLING. WE FOUND
[8:59:25] THE CRASHES BETWEEN ARLINGTON ROAD
[8:59:26] AND HILLANDALE SINCE
[8:59:28] IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ROAD DIET SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
[8:59:29] OF
[8:59:30] 2017 AND MADE THAT SEGMENT SUBSTANTIALLY SAFER.
[8:59:35] ON THE LEFT, THAT IS A TOTAL CRASHES BETWEEN
[8:59:37] ARLINGTON AND HILLANDALE. INCLUDES
[8:59:38] VEHICLE
[8:59:40] CRASHES AS WELL. THAT DROPPED FROM
[8:59:53] EIGHT IN 2016 AND WE
[8:59:55] HAD A TOTAL OF TWO AND 2022 AND WE
[8:59:56] WERE HAPPIEST TO SEE
[8:59:57] THAT ACTUALLY AT THE CROSSING ITSELF
[8:59:58] THE NUMBER OF CRASHES FOR THE PAST
[8:59:59] THREE YEARS COMBINED
[9:00:02] HAS BEEN ZERO.
[9:00:04] COMPARED TO SIX AND 2016 INCLUDING
[9:00:05] A FATALITY. WE HAVE BEEN
[9:00:06] ASKED ABOUT AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED
[9:00:08] NEAR THE CROSSING IN DECEMBER OF 2022, THAT WAS
[9:00:09] AN UNUSUAL SITUATION WHERE A DRIVER
[9:00:11] GOT ON THE TRAIL OVER THE
[9:00:12] D.C. LINE, DROVE UP THE TRAIL FOR
[9:00:13] SEVEN MILES AND THEN ACTUALLY HIT
[9:00:14] A PEDESTRIAN CLOSE TO
[9:00:16] THE CROSSING BUT THAT IS AN UNUSUAL SITUATION.
[9:00:22] EMERGENCY RESPONSE, WE HAVE MET WITH
[9:00:25] MONTGOMERY COUNTY FIRE RESCUE AND
[9:00:26] THEY EXPRESSED
[9:00:29] NO CONCERNS
[9:00:31] WITH THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE. IT'S
[9:00:32] A CONFIGURATION THAT
[9:00:47] FIRE RESCUE IS USED TO
[9:00:48] DEALING WITH ON ROADS THROUGHOUT THE
[9:00:49] COUNTY. WE ARE AWARE THAT THERE HAS
[9:00:50] BEEN A
[9:00:51] LETTER WRITTEN BY A CHIEF OFFICER
[9:00:52] EXPRESSING SAFETY CONCERNS BUT WE
[9:00:53] RECEIVED AN EMAIL
[9:00:54] FROM CHIEF BAILEY WHO IS AN OPERATIONS
[9:00:56] CHIEF WITH FRS THAT SAID THAT AND THIS IS
[9:00:57] THE QUOTE, THAT LETTER DOES NOT REPRESENT
[9:00:59] THE OFFICIAL POSITION OF FRS ON THE
[9:01:00] ISSUE OF LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY. AND
[9:01:02] CHIEF BAILEY AS WELL AS A SPOKESWOMAN
[9:01:05] FOR THE SCHOOLS DID GIVE AN INTERVIEW
[9:01:06] IN THE WASHINGTON POST AND THERE ARE
[9:01:08] COUPLE OF QUOTES THERE THAT YOU CAN READ
[9:01:10] REGARDING THE ISSUE. BUT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
[9:01:11] HAVE NOT EXPRESSED ANY CONCERNS
[9:01:12] WITH THE TWO-WAY CONFIGURATION. WE
[9:01:13] HAVE BEEN COORDINATING WITH POLICE
[9:01:14] THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
[9:01:19] THEY SUPPORT THE TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES
[9:01:23] REDUCTION IN
[9:01:24] DRIVE LANES AND THEY BELIEVE THAT RESPONSE
[9:01:26] TIMES ARE NOT IMPACTED BY
[9:01:29] THIS CONFIGURATION.
[9:01:32] FUTURE TRAFFIC GROWTH IS A
[9:01:34] QUESTION THAT WE GET ASKED A LOT ABOUT
[9:01:35] THIS PROJECT. SO, NEW DEVELOPMENT IN
[9:01:38] THE COUNTY
[9:01:40] UNDERGOES A LOCAL AREA TRANSPORTATION
[9:01:41] REVIEW TO DETERMINE WHETHER
[9:01:44] OR NOT FACILITIES CAN
[9:01:45] ACCOMMODATE DEVELOPMENT. WE WENT AND
[9:01:47] WE LOOKED AT THE 2018
[9:01:50] WESTWOOD PROPERTIES
[9:01:51] TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY THEM HE FOUND
[9:01:53] THAT THE TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY RESULTED IN
[9:01:55] ADDITIONAL TRIPS IN BOTH THE MORNING
[9:01:56] AND AFTERNOON
[9:01:59] ON LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY AND
[9:02:01] WE HAVE QUANTIFIED WHAT THAT INCREASE IN
[9:02:02] TRIPS WAS. IT IS ABOUT
[9:02:05] 3.3%, 6.6% IN THE MORNING
[9:02:07] AND SOUTHBOUND AND NORTHBOUND DIRECTIONS
[9:02:08] AND 8% AND 5%
[9:02:11] IN THE AFTERNOON SOUTHBOUND AND
[9:02:14] NORTHBOUND, RESPECTIVELY. THE FULL
[9:02:15] AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC, WHICH RESULTS FROM
[9:02:17] THE FULL PULLED OUT
[9:02:23] STILL RESULTS IN LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY PEAK HOURS
[9:02:24] BEING BELOW THE 2016 VOLUMES. SO,
[9:02:26] HOW MUCH TRAFFIC DO WE THINK THE PARKWAY
[9:02:28] CAN ACCOMMODATE WITH A TWO-WAY CONFIGURATION
[9:02:31] WITH TURN POCKETS? WE LOOKED AT THE MODEL
[9:02:34] AND WE BELIEVE THERE IS ADDITIONAL
[9:02:35] CAPACITY FOR
[9:02:38] UP TO
[9:02:44] 350 CARS PER HOUR IN
[9:02:45] EACH DIRECTION BEFORE HITTING CRITICAL
[9:02:46] THRESHOLDS. THIS IS A 35% INCREASE
[9:02:47] FROM 2016 CONDITIONS AND
[9:02:49] IT'S A 50% INCREASE FROM CURRENT 2022
[9:02:50] PEAK VOLUMES. TYPICAL TWO LANE ROADS
[9:02:53] WITH TURN POCKETS CAN PROCESS
[9:02:55] ABOUT 20,000 CARS A DAY AND RIGHT
[9:02:56] NOW THE PARKWAY SEES
[9:03:01] 10,000. THERE'S 100% CAPACITY AS FAR
[9:03:02] AS CARS PER DAY AND
[9:03:04] WE THINK A 50% INCREASE CAPACITY FOR
[9:03:05] PEAK VOLUMES.
[9:03:08] AS COMMENTED EARLIER, THE 2016
[9:03:11] PLAN MODELS TRAFFIC THROUGH 2040 AND FINDS WITH
[9:03:14] FULL BUILDOUT AS WELL AS A KNOWN
[9:03:16] DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK
[9:03:23] IS IN BALANCE WITH THE LAND USE AND DENSITIES AND IT ALSO ENDORSED A
[9:03:26] TWO LANE PARKWAY.
[9:03:29] I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TOUCH ON THE
[9:03:30] DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH ISN'T NECESSARILY
[9:03:32] STATIC. ALL NEW DEVELOPMENT IS REQUIRED TO GO INTO
[9:03:33] THE INFRASTRUCTURE REVIEW AND IF THE
[9:03:35] REVIEW FINDS THAT
[9:03:40] EXISTING FACILITIES CANNOT ACCOMMODATE THAT
[9:03:41] GROWTH THEN THERE ARE CONDITIONS
[9:03:43] AS PER THEIR APPROVAL AND AS AN EXAMPLE,
[9:03:44] THE APPROVAL REQUIRED
[9:03:48] MULTIMODAL IMPROVEMENTS, CONNECTIONS
[9:03:50] TO BUS STATIONS, CONNECTIONS TO SIDEWALKS, AS WELL
[9:03:52] AS REALIGNMENT OF WESTWOOD AVENUE
[9:03:53] AT RIDGEFIELD ROAD.
[9:03:59] TO SUMMARIZE, THE REDUCTION IN DRIVE LANES
[9:04:02] AND VEHICLE SPEEDS, WITH
[9:04:04] THE PILOT PROJECT IT IS SAFER AND
[9:04:05] IT IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR VISION ZERO
[9:04:09] GOALS AND IT HAS RESULTED IN WE
[9:04:10] BELIEVE SAFER CONDITIONS FOR DRIVERS
[9:04:17] AS WELL AS ADJACENT TRAIL USERS AND
[9:04:18] USERS THAT
[9:04:19] ARE UTILIZING THE CURRENT CLOSED LANES.
[9:04:21] WE BELIEVE WE HAVE ELIMINATED
[9:04:25] THE RESIDUAL CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC FROM
[9:04:26] THE OPEN PARKWAYS PROGRAM. WE ARE
[9:04:27] STILL
[9:04:28] MAINTAINING FULL VEHICLE USE FOR LITTLE
[9:04:30] FALLS PARKWAY.
[9:04:31] AS WELL AS ALLOWING 24/7 OPEN SPACE
[9:04:33] AND RECREATIONAL USE ON THE
[9:04:34] POTENTIAL REPURPOSED LANDS. THE TRAVEL TIMES
[9:04:37] FROM THE SPEED RUNS WE HAVE CONDUCTED
[9:04:39] OUR REASONABLE AND IN
[9:04:42] LINE WITH OUR SPEED LIMIT OF LITTLE
[9:04:43] FALLS PARKWAY AND OUR SAFETY GOALS
[9:04:45] AND
[9:04:47] WE BELIEVE THAT THE TWO LANE PARKWAY
[9:04:48] HAS
[9:04:51] SUBSTANTIAL ROOM -- SUBSTANTIAL CAPACITY FOR ADDITIONAL
[9:04:54] FUTURE GROWTH
[9:04:55] AND THAT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY
[9:04:57] CONCERNS FROM FRS,
[9:04:59] MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR PARK
[9:05:00] POLICE REGARDING
[9:05:03] THE PILOT PROJECT
[9:05:06] TWO-WAY CONFIGURATION. THERE ARE OTHER
[9:05:07] BENEFITS AS WELL. THE SPACE CAN BE
[9:05:09] REPURPOSED FOR LINEAR PARK OR
[9:05:12] OTHER USAGE. IT REDUCES
[9:05:14] PARKS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONAL COSTS.
[9:05:22] THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
[9:05:24] THIS WAS A PILOT PROJECT SO IT IS
[9:05:25] AN INTERIM CONDITION. CERTAINLY THERE
[9:05:26] ARE MIRRORS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO
[9:05:27] EVALUATE AND
[9:05:30] ASSESS AND FIRST AND FOREMOST
[9:05:36] THAT WOULD BE ADDING
[9:05:37] A DEDICATED RIGHT TURN LANE AT LITTLE
[9:05:39] FALLS PARKWAY ON ARLINGTON ROAD. THAT
[9:05:40] WOULD REDUCE THE STACKING THAT OCCURS ON
[9:05:41] THE CROSSING AS WELL AS REDUCE THE
[9:05:42] BACKUPS AT
[9:05:43] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY AND THE STOPLIGHT
[9:05:44] WITH ARLINGTON ROAD. WE WOULD EXTEND
[9:05:45] THE
[9:05:46] DEDICATED RIGHT TURN LANE AT LITTLE
[9:05:47] FALLS PARKWAY AND HILLANDALE ROAD.
[9:05:48] WE WOULD ALSO ACCESS
[9:05:51] THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS TO SEE IF THERE ARE
[9:05:53] ANY AREAS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE TIMING
[9:05:54] TO
[9:05:55] SPEED THE FLOW UP A LITTLE BIT. WE WOULD
[9:05:57] CONTINUE TO MONITOR THEIR CROSSING SAFETY
[9:06:00] AS WELL AS
[9:06:01] TRAFFIC FLOW FOR REGULAR TRAFFIC COUNTS.
[9:06:06] >>
[9:06:07] SO, I'M GOING TO TOUCH BRIEFLY ON THE
[9:06:09] PILOT PARK
[9:06:17] CONCEPT THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED. AS FAR
[9:06:18] AS NEXT STEPS REPRODUCING THE LANES, IF THE BOARD
[9:06:20] APPROVES THE CURRENT ROAD CONFIGURATION
[9:06:21] ON APRIL 13th THEN MONTGOMERY PARKS
[9:06:24] WOULD WORK TO
[9:06:26] ACTIVATE THE LINEAR PILOT PARK. THERE'S
[9:06:27] A BRIEF
[9:06:28] RENDERING SHOWING THAT WE WOULD HAVE ROOM FOR
[9:06:29] SHARED USE PATH RUNNING THROUGH THAT
[9:06:30] SIDE
[9:06:32] AS WELL AS OPEN SPACE . HERE ARE A
[9:06:33] COUPLE OF PICTURES OF
[9:06:34] PREVIOUS ACTIVATION EFFORTS BY THE
[9:06:35] PARKS DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS IN MONTGOMERY
[9:06:36] COUNTY. THIS
[9:06:39] IS THE
[9:06:42] BETHESDA STREET
[9:06:43] ARRAY, LIVE MUSIC, A COUPLE OF OTHER
[9:06:45] THINGS. WE USE SOME OF THESE
[9:06:46] IDEA TO DEVELOP A PILOT PARK CONCEPT
[9:06:48] THAT FEATURES A VARIETY OF USES
[9:06:50] SO, SEATING FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE A BREAK
[9:06:55] , A VARIETY OF GAMES, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT
[9:06:57] HAS A LOT
[9:07:01] OF THINGS THAT WE COULD REUSE INCLUDING
[9:07:02] PING-PONG TABLES, CORN HOLE SETS,
[9:07:03] OTHER THINGS LIKE
[9:07:05] THAT. WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT A LEARN
[9:07:06] TO RIDE
[9:07:18] TRAFFIC
[9:07:19] SKILLS, TRAFFIC SAFETY AREA WHERE
[9:07:20] YOU CAN LEARN TO RIDE A BIKE. WE'VE HEARD
[9:07:22] FROM ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO
[9:07:23] IS TEACHING LEARN TO RIDE LESSONS
[9:07:24] OUT ON THIS
[9:07:25] AREA ALREADY AND DESCRIBES IT AS A
[9:07:27] REALLY GREAT AREA TO DO THAT BECAUSE YOU
[9:07:28] HAVE A GENTLE GRADE AND WIDE OPEN
[9:07:30] AND A LOT OF SAFETY. WE ALSO
[9:07:31] HAVE A VARIETY OF SKATE FEATURES,
[9:07:33] SO WE WOULD LOOK TO INSTALL SOME OF THOSE
[9:07:35] OUT OF HERE. SOME NATURAL PLAY AREAS FOR YOUNGER
[9:07:36] CHILDREN
[9:07:39] AND ESSENTIALLY
[9:07:42] A LOT OF VERY INTERESTING WAYS
[9:07:43] THAT WE COULD ACTIVATE AND PROGRAM
[9:07:44] THIS SPACE. SO, CONTINUING ON THE
[9:07:45] NEXT STEPS, AFTER
[9:07:47] WE ACTIVATE THE LINEAR PILOT PARK
[9:07:48] WE WOULD THEN
[9:07:56] INITIATE A PUBLIC PROCESS FOR A PERMANENT
[9:07:57] PARK
[9:07:58] FACILITY PLAN AT THIS LOCATION. WE WOULD
[9:08:00] THEN COME BACK TO THE PLANNING BOARD
[9:08:01] TO PRESENT THAT FACILITY PLAN AND IF
[9:08:03] AFTER YOU REVIEW WE REGAIN APPROVAL
[9:08:06] WE WOULD MOVE INTO A PERMANENT PARK DESIGN
[9:08:07] AND CONSTRUCTION PHASE. ONE THING
[9:08:09] I WANT TO TOUCH ON IS THAT ALONG OUR
[9:08:11] PARKWAYS, BOTH BEACH DRIVE AND SLIGO CREEK
[9:08:12] WE ALREADY
[9:08:15] HAVE A
[9:08:18] NUMBER OF AMENITIES THAT ARE
[9:08:19] LOCATED CLOSE TO THE TRAILS AS WELL AS
[9:08:21] ROADWAYS WITH AIR AND THAT AS A PART
[9:08:24] OF MAKING THIS MORE OF A
[9:08:35] PERMANENT PROJECT, IF WE HAVE THE GREEN
[9:08:36] LIGHT TO DO
[9:08:37] THAT, WE WOULD ALSO LOOK AT ADDING SOME
[9:08:38] ADDITIONAL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS SUCH
[9:08:39] AS FENCING BETWEEN
[9:08:40] THE VEHICULAR TRAVEL LANES AS WELL
[9:08:42] AS A REGULATION WILL SPACE. AS WELL AS POTENTIALLY
[9:08:43] REMOVING PAVEMENT BETWEEN THOSE SPACES.
[9:08:45] MAKE THE SEPARATION --
[9:08:48] HAVE THOSE
[9:08:50] LOOK AND LITTLE FEEL A LITTLE SAFER.
[9:08:51] I'M NOW GOING TO HAND
[9:08:52] IT OVER TO ANDY TO TALK ABOUT SOME
[9:08:54] OF THE COMMON CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HEARD THROUGHOUT THIS
[9:08:56] PROCESS AS WELL AS THROUGH THE PUBLIC
[9:08:57] INPUT. >> GOOD EVENING. AND THANK YOU ALL
[9:09:00] FOR THE INFORMATION
[9:09:05] . FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS ANDY
[9:09:06] FRANK. I'M HEAD
[9:09:07] OF THE PART DEVELOPMENT DIVISION. IT
[9:09:09] IS GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY. WE JUST WANTED TO
[9:09:12] GIVE A LITTLE CONTEXT
[9:09:15] TO SOME
[9:09:16] OF THE PAGES THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE
[9:09:18] YOU, SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE HEARD
[9:09:20] AND SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU
[9:09:21] WILL HEAR AND TESTIMONY TONIGHT. TO GIVE THAT
[9:09:23] A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, SO, THERE
[9:09:24] HAS BEEN A STATE
[9:09:26] OF CONCERN THAT THERE IS A LACK OF
[9:09:27] COMMUNITY SUPPORT
[9:09:30] AND THE EMAILS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED REGARDING THIS
[9:09:33] PROJECT MADE
[9:09:35] A DIFFERENT PICTURE AND A MORE MIXED PICTURE.
[9:09:36] YOU CAN SEE IN
[9:09:38] THIS GRAPHIC THERE ARE POSITIVE, NEGATIVE,
[9:09:39] VIEWS OF THIS PROJECT THAT
[9:09:42] ARE DISPERSED
[9:09:44] THROUGHOUT THE ADJOINING AREA. IT
[9:09:45] IS NOT ONE MONOLITH, IT IS
[9:09:48] A HETEROGENEOUS VIEWPOINT
[9:09:51] ON THIS IDEA. >> JUST ADD, THE
[9:09:53] GREEN DOTS HERE ARE EMAILS THAT WERE
[9:09:54] IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT
[9:09:57] AND THE RED DOTS ARE EMAILS THAT WERE NOT
[9:10:00] IN SUPPORT. THAT WERE AGAINST THE PROJECT.
[9:10:12] >> WE HAVE
[9:10:13] ALSO HEARD CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT IS
[9:10:15] THE VALIDITY OF THE TRAFFIC COUNTS AND THE ANALYSIS? I
[9:10:17] WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THE TRAFFIC COUNTS
[9:10:18] WERE CONDUCTED BY
[9:10:21] INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS IN ACCORDANCE WITH INDUSTRY STANDARDS.
[9:10:22] FURTHERMORE, THESE TRAFFIC COUNTS
[9:10:23] AND ANALYSIS WERE DONE IN COORDINATION
[9:10:24] WITH THE D.O.T. WITH
[9:10:27] THEIR INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION.
[9:10:30] PART OF THE REASON THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY
[9:10:33] IS WE HAVE NOW DONE MULTIPLE TRAFFIC COUNTS
[9:10:36] , THEY
[9:10:38] WERE COMPLETED WITH A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS
[9:10:39] BUT WITH VERY CONSISTENT RESULTS. ALSO,
[9:10:43] THE WAY THAT OPEN PARKWAY
[9:10:45] USER COUNTS WERE CONDUCTED WERE USING
[9:10:46] COMMONLY
[9:10:49] USED TRAIL COUNTERS, VERY
[9:10:50] CONSISTENT WITH HOW WE WOULD DO IT
[9:10:52] ELSEWHERE AND I WANT TO
[9:10:55] MAKE THE POINT
[9:10:57] THAT ALL COUNTS, WHETHER THEY ARE
[9:10:58] TRAFFIC COUNTS OR
[9:10:59] NONE TO KICK YOUR ACCOUNTS, THEY TRACK
[9:11:04] UNIQUE CROSSINGS AT
[9:11:05] A SET POINT AND DO NOT FILTER OUT
[9:11:07] MULTIPLE TRIPS MADE BY THE
[9:11:08] SIMPLE INDIVIDUAL. YOU COULD TRY AND
[9:11:10] ADJUST FOR THAT
[9:11:12] FOR YOUR DATA BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO
[9:11:13] DO
[9:11:15] IT FOR BOTH THE TRAFFIC AND THE NON-VEHICULAR COUNTS.
[9:11:16] WE BELIEVE
[9:11:19] THAT YOU WOULD FIND
[9:11:22] VERY SIMILAR CORRELATIONS BETWEEN
[9:11:25] THE TWO. SO, IF YOU DID IT FOR ONE, YOU WOULD
[9:11:28] HAVE TO DO IT FOR THE OTHER.
[9:11:34] WE HAVE HEARD THE CONCERN THAT
[9:11:35] THE PILOT PROJECT DESIGN IS NOT OPTIMUM.
[9:11:37] THAT IS NOT UNEXPECTED. IT IS THE
[9:11:38] NATURE OF A PILOT PROJECT THAT WE
[9:11:39] HAVE LIMITED ABILITY TO FULLY IMPLEMENT
[9:11:42] THE PREFERRED DESIGN. WITH THE APPROVAL
[9:11:43] OF
[9:11:44] THE PLANNING BOARD, A PERMANENT DESIGN
[9:11:46] WOULD FURTHER ADDRESS
[9:11:47] THE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED
[9:11:52] , BE ABLE TO OPTIMIZE
[9:11:53] TRAFFIC FLOW, INCLUDING THINGS AS
[9:11:55] ANDREW MENTIONED, IMPROVING
[9:11:57] TURN LANES, ADJUSTING SIGNAL TIMING, PAVEMENT
[9:11:58] SEPARATIONS AND GETTING RID OF SOME
[9:12:01] OF THE WATER-FILLED BARRIERS WHICH
[9:12:04] CAN BE CONFUSING.
[9:12:07] WE
[9:12:08] ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN THAT
[9:12:10] WAS RAISED THAT THE CAPITAL CRESCENT
[9:12:13] TRAIL CROSSING IN PHASE TWO
[9:12:16] IS LESS SAFE THAN IN PHASE ONE.
[9:12:19] OR WHETHER OUR BRIDGE WOULD BE A BETTER OPTION.
[9:12:21] I WANT TO START OFF BY EXPLAINING
[9:12:25] AS MENTIONED, PHASE ONE,
[9:12:34] IT IS ESSENTIALLY AN EXTENSION OF
[9:12:35] AN INTERIM ROAD DIET THAT HAS BEEN IN
[9:12:37] PLACE FOR SIX YEARS. SO, THE TRAIL
[9:12:38] USERS AND THE DRIVERS WERE VERY USED
[9:12:40] TO IT. WE DID NOT EXPECT ANY BIG
[9:12:42] ADJUSTMENT. WITH THAT. PHASE TWO CROSSING,
[9:12:46] IT IS SAFE AND IT IS ALSO CONSISTENT
[9:12:52] WITH OTHER VISION ZERO TRAIL CROSSING DESIGNS.
[9:12:54] HOWEVER, IT IS A NEW CONFIGURATION AND
[9:12:55] AS WITH WHAT
[9:12:58] OCCURRED IN PHASE ONE IN 2017
[9:13:01] WE WOULD EXPECT THAT
[9:13:02] IT WOULD TAKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
[9:13:04] TIME FOR THE TRAIL USERS AND
[9:13:06] THE CARS TO BECOME MORE USED TO THIS
[9:13:07] CONFIGURATION AND
[9:13:08] MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT. FURTHERMORE,
[9:13:12] WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE PLANNING BOARD,
[9:13:13] A
[9:13:15] PERMANENT DESIGN COULD IN FACT INCORPORATE
[9:13:16] A SAFE,
[9:13:19] MEDIAN REFUGE AT THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL
[9:13:22] WHICH WOULD BE SIMILAR TO WHAT
[9:13:24] WAS IN PHASE ONE AND SIMILAR TO SOME
[9:13:25] OF THE
[9:13:26] FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN. THAT
[9:13:28] CERTAINLY COULD BE INCORPORATED IN
[9:13:32] AN ORDINANCE SOLUTION. REGARDLESS
[9:13:34] OF ALL OF THIS WE HAVE TO MAKE
[9:13:35] THE POINT, RETURNING TO FOUR LANES
[9:13:37] IS SIMPLY NOT SAFE.
[9:13:40] IT WILL RESULT IN
[9:13:43] MORE ACCIDENTS. AS
[9:13:45] FAR AS THE BRIDGE OPTION IS CONCERNED
[9:13:47] AND WE KNOW THERE IS SOME INTEREST
[9:13:49] IN THAT,
[9:13:52] BASED ON THE LEVELS THAT WE HAVE OUT HERE,
[9:13:54] IT IS NOT WARRANTED AND WE ALSO HAVE NOTED
[9:14:01] IT COULD HAVE UNINTENDED
[9:14:02] CONSEQUENCES. FIRST OF ALL, IT IS
[9:14:03] OBVIOUSLY VERY EXPENSIVE, $10 MILLION,
[9:14:04] AT LEAST.
[9:14:06] THIS FUNDING WOULD COMPETE WITH OTHER
[9:14:07] IMPORTANT PRIORITIES SUCH
[9:14:10] AS THE PLAN FOR CCT UPGRADES.
[9:14:12] THIS WOULD REQUIRE MANY YEARS TO IMPLEMENT
[9:14:13] AND A LOT
[9:14:16] OF STUDY.
[9:14:21] THERE WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL
[9:14:22] IMPACTS AND IT
[9:14:23] WOULD ACTUALLY DIMINISH THE TRAIL
[9:14:24] USER EXPERIENCE DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT
[9:14:25] GRADE CHANGES.
[9:14:27] ANOTHER CONCERN THAT WE HAVE SEEN RAISED
[9:14:31] IS DOES THE PLANNING
[9:14:32] BOARD HAVE THE DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY
[9:14:37] TO MAKE
[9:14:39] THIS CHANGE? AND WHAT HAS BEEN THE
[9:14:40] COORDINATION WITH NCPC?
[9:14:43] WE JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR, PARKS
[9:14:45] DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN COORDINATED WITH THE
[9:14:48] NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION THROUGHOUT
[9:14:49] THE PILOT PROJECT
[9:14:51] AND THEY HAVE ADVISED US THAT NO FORMAL
[9:14:52] SUBMISSION WAS NEEDED
[9:14:55] TO IMPLEMENT THE PILOT PROJECT.
[9:14:58] NCPC OWNS
[9:15:01] LITTLE FALLS STREAM
[9:15:02] VALLEY PARK WHICH INCLUDES LITTLE
[9:15:04] FALLS PARKWAY. THE PLANNING BOARD
[9:15:07] HAS AUTHORITY OVER ITS PURPOSE AND USE.
[9:15:13] FURTHERMORE, I WANT TO REITERATE THAT THE
[9:15:15] PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS CLOSELY COORDINATED THIS
[9:15:16] WORK WITH
[9:15:19] NCDOT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE
[9:15:22] OPEN PARKWAY'S.
[9:15:27] THEY HAVE REVIEWED ALL THE PLANS,
[9:15:28] ALL THE TRAFFIC DATA, ALL
[9:15:30] OF THE MODELING, AND THEY HAVE ACTUALLY HELPED
[9:15:31] IMPLEMENT THE PHASE TWO SIGNAL. WE WANT TO
[9:15:34] LET YOU KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW,
[9:15:36] PENDING APPROVAL TO MOVE TO A PERMANENT
[9:15:37] DESIGN WE WILL RE-ENGAGE WITH
[9:15:40] NCPC AND GO THROUGH THEIR PROCESS,
[9:15:43] AS APPROPRIATE. AS A REMINDER,
[9:15:46] NCPC'S ROLE IS
[9:15:49] TO REVIEW
[9:15:52] ANY DEVELOPMENT OR MANAGEMENT PLAN
[9:15:54] AND THEIR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION AND
[9:15:55] PRESERVATION OF THE REGION'S
[9:16:00] VALUABLE WATERSHEDS AND PARKLANDS,
[9:16:01] SIMILAR TO YOURS. SO, WE WOULD EXPECT
[9:16:03] THEM TO SUPPORT THE PLANNING BOARD'S DECISION.
[9:16:07] THE CONCERN THAT ANDREW HAD
[9:16:10] ADDRESSED BEFORE
[9:16:15] IS, YOU KNOW, WITH A TWO LANE ROAD
[9:16:16] BE PROBLEMATIC FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE? THE ANSWER
[9:16:19] IS SIMPLY NO. TWO LANE ROADS
[9:16:22] LIKE THE PHASE TWO CONFIGURATION
[9:16:23] ARE VERY COMMON THROUGHOUT MONTGOMERY
[9:16:25] COUNTY AND WE HAVE CONFIRMED THIS EXPLICITLY
[9:16:28] WITH MONTGOMERY
[9:16:30] COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE AND PARK POLICE.
[9:16:31] IN FACT,
[9:16:34] TWO OPPOSING LANES ACTUALLY
[9:16:37] PROVIDE
[9:16:38] A LARGER CONTINUOUS AREA OF PAVEMENT
[9:16:41] WHICH IS PREFERRED
[9:16:43] BY FIRE AND RESCUE VERSUS TWO SEPARATED
[9:16:46] NARROW LANES IN TERMS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
[9:16:49] IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION ABOUT THIS,
[9:16:52] SLIGO CREEK PARKWAY WHICH HAS TWO
[9:16:55] OPPOSING LANES HAS PROVIDED EMERGENCY
[9:16:56] RESPONSE ACCESS
[9:16:58] TO HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL FOR DECADES
[9:16:59] . A
[9:17:01] TWO LANE ROAD IS QUITE APPROPRIATE
[9:17:05] AND QUITE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS
[9:17:08] OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
[9:17:11] WE HAVE ALSO HEARD THE CONCERN
[9:17:14] THAT
[9:17:15] THERE IS NO DEMAND FOR A RECREATIONAL
[9:17:17] OPEN SPACE IN THIS AREA.
[9:17:20] WE HAVE HEARD
[9:17:23] AND WE HAVE RESEARCHED AND THERE IS STRONG DEMAND
[9:17:26] FOR ADDITIONAL PARKLANDS, IS
[9:17:29] SPECIALLY IN THE BETHESDA AREA.
[9:17:32] EVEN AFTER THE PANDEMIC,
[9:17:35] KYLE SHOWED YOU
[9:17:37] HOW THE NUMBERS WERE UP IN THE PANDEMIC,
[9:17:38] EVEN AFTER THE PANDEMIC, ALL
[9:17:39] OF OUR OPEN ROADS PROGRAMS HAVE REMAINED
[9:17:41] POPULAR. IT SHOULD BE NOTED
[9:17:43] THAT THE DEMAND FOR PUBLIC OPEN SPACE
[9:17:47] WOULD VARY SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THOSE
[9:17:48] LIVING IN SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES WITH BACKYARDS
[9:17:50] AND TO THOSE WITHOUT.
[9:17:56] SO, I JUST WANT TO
[9:17:59] CONCLUDE WITH WE HAVE GIVEN YOU
[9:18:00] A DENSE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AND
[9:18:02] I WANT TO CONCLUDE WITH WHAT
[9:18:05] ARE YOU BEING ASKED
[9:18:07] TO CONSIDER? I WANT TO BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR
[9:18:10] THAT THE PLANNING BOARD IS NOT BEING
[9:18:11] ASKED TO CONSIDER --
[9:18:14] DECIDE ON HOW TO PERMANENTLY
[9:18:17] REPURPOSE THE ADDITIONAL
[9:18:18] OPEN SPACE THAT COULD BE CREATED.
[9:18:20] THAT WOULD
[9:18:22] BE A SEPARATE PLANNING AND APPROVAL
[9:18:23] PROCESS IF THE
[9:18:26] PLANNING BOARD
[9:18:28] WERE TO APPROVE THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION.
[9:18:29] SO, WHAT
[9:18:30] WE HAVE ASKED IS THAT ON APRIL 13th
[9:18:32] THE PLANNING BOARD
[9:18:35] DOES APPROVE THE LONG-TERM CONFIGURATION OF TWO
[9:18:36] OPPOSING DRIVE LANES ALONG LITTLE FALLS
[9:18:38] PARKWAY BETWEEN
[9:18:41] ARLINGTON ROAD AND DORSET AVENUE
[9:18:43] AND THAT WILL ALLOW THE PARKS DEPARTMENT
[9:18:47] TO CONTINUE
[9:18:48] OUR COORDINATION WITH OUR PARTNER
[9:18:49] AGENCIES, INCLUDING NCPC , IMPLEMENT
[9:18:52] ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE NOT ABLE
[9:18:56] TO BE
[9:18:57] INCLUDED IN THE PILOT PROGRAM, INCLUDING
[9:18:59] POTENTIAL ENHANCEMENTS TO THE CAPITAL RESIDENT
[9:19:02] TRAIL CROSSING ITSELF AND
[9:19:04] IT WOULD ALLOW US TO BEGIN TO STUDY
[9:19:05] HOW WE WOULD REPURPOSE THESE ADDITIONAL
[9:19:08] NON-VEHICULAR TRAVEL LANES.
[9:19:11] WITH THAT
[9:19:12] WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION,
[9:19:14] I KNOW IT IS A LOT. WE KNOW THAT
[9:19:15] YOU HAVE A LOT OF TESTIMONY THAT IS COMING
[9:19:17] YOUR WAY
[9:19:22] AND, SO, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK
[9:19:23] YOU VERY MUCH FOR
[9:19:25] YOUR TIME. >> WE THANK YOU FOR THE
[9:19:26] PRESENTATION. WE WILL RESERVE ALL OF OUR
[9:19:28] QUESTIONS FOR YOU AFTER THIS. THANK
[9:19:29] YOU. >> THANK YOU
[9:19:32] VERY MUCH. >> THINK. >> ALL
[9:19:35] RIGHT. AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT
[9:19:38] OF SPEAKERS ,
[9:19:41] SOME ARE ON TEAMS, SOME ARE IN
[9:19:44] PERSON, AGAIN,
[9:19:47] ORGANIZATIONS
[9:19:48] ALLOW FIVE MINUTES AND THREE MINUTES
[9:19:50] FOR INDIVIDUALS.
[9:19:53] JUST LIKE BASEBALL, WE DO HAVE A CLOCK.
[9:19:56] HOPEFULLY YOU
[9:19:58] CAN GET YOUR TESTIMONY IN AND I WILL
[9:19:59] REMIND PEOPLE
[9:20:02] THAT IF SOMEONE HAS SAID YOUR
[9:20:05] POINT BEFORE YOU
[9:20:07] CAN REMIND US THAT YOU'VE HEARD THIS
[9:20:08] BEFORE IN SOMEONE
[9:20:11] ELSE'S TESTIMONY.
[9:20:14] WITH THAT, I WILL ASK
[9:20:17] MAYOR JEFFREY OF THE TOWN OF SOMERSET
[9:20:20] WHO IS ON TEAMS TO
[9:20:23] GIVE US HIS PRESENTATION. >>
[9:20:26] GOOD EVENING. MY NAME
[9:20:29] IS JEFFREY AND I'M THE
[9:20:31] MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF SOMERSET. SOMERSET
[9:20:40] BORDERS THE EASTERN HALF OF LITTLE
[9:20:41] FALLS PARKWAY FROM RIVER ROAN
[9:20:43] TO NORTH OF DOUGH SET AVENUE. DORSET
[9:20:44] AVENUE IS A MAJOR ENTRANCE AND EGRESS INTO
[9:20:46] OUR MUNICIPALITY. OVER THE PAST THREE
[9:20:47] YEARS THE ROAD CLOSURES AND CHANGES
[9:20:53] ON
[9:20:54] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY HAVE CONFUSED,
[9:20:55] FRUSTRATED, AND ENDANGERED TO THE
[9:20:56] CITIZENS OF SOMERSET. I SUGGEST
[9:20:57] YOU DRIVE THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION
[9:20:59] OF LANES ON THIS SECTION OF LITTLE FALLS
[9:21:01] PARKWAY. DON'T JUST DRIVE IT DURING
[9:21:02] THE DAY BUT AT NIGHT
[9:21:05] AND WHEN IT IS RAINING. IF YOU
[9:21:07] WANT TO GET THE FULL IMPACT OF HOW
[9:21:08] DANGEROUS THE ROAD IS. TWO OPPOSING
[9:21:10] LANES SIDE BY SIDE, CLOSURES AND OPENINGS AT
[9:21:16] PARTS OF LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY HAVE
[9:21:17] BEEN THE NORM SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN
[9:21:20] IN MARCH 2020. IT WASN'T
[9:21:22] UNTIL LAST YEAR AT A MEETING ORGANIZED
[9:21:23] BY COUNCILMEMBER FRIESEN THAT WE
[9:21:26] FINALLY GOT THE REAL EXPLANATION. WITH REPRESENTATIVES
[9:21:29] FROM MY TOWN AND
[9:21:31] KENTWOOD AND CHEVY CHASE WEST CITIZENS
[9:21:32] GROUPS, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BASED
[9:21:35] ON A REQUEST
[9:21:37] BY MR. FRIESEN REVEAL ITS TRUE PLANS
[9:21:38] WHICH
[9:21:41] MR. FRIESEN CURIOUSLY CALLED A WIN WIN.
[9:21:48] TO CLOSE PART OF
[9:21:49] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY PERMANENTLY AND MAKE
[9:21:51] THE CLOSE PORTION INTO A LINEAR
[9:21:54] PARK, THIS STUNNED ME AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS PRESENT
[9:21:56] WHO THEN VOICED OPPOSITION. IT'S DONE DUST
[9:22:02] BECAUSE THE ACCEPTED DEMOCRATIC PROCESS
[9:22:03] IN THIS COUNTY FOR MAKING A MAJOR CHANGE
[9:22:05] LIKE THAT IS A WRIST SECTOR OR MASTER
[9:22:06] PLAN. THE BETHESDA MASTER PLAN FOR
[9:22:07] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY WAS MENTIONED
[9:22:09] AND IT
[9:22:12] WAS NOT
[9:22:13] REVISED SINCE 1990. THE AREA FROM
[9:22:14] FAIRFAX ROAD TO MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE
[9:22:15] SHOULD RETAIN
[9:22:18] EXISTING ROAD WITH AND FURTHER
[9:22:29] CHANGES, IF ANY, MUST RETAIN PARKWAY
[9:22:30] CHARACTER. THAT
[9:22:32] BEING THE CASE, WHY DIDN'T THE PARKS DEPARTMENT GO
[9:22:33] TO THE PLANNING BOARD FROM
[9:22:34] THE BEGINNING TO START THE PROCESS
[9:22:35] OF REVISING OR REMANDING THE MASTER
[9:22:36] PLAN? DOES IT APPEARS
[9:22:37] THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DID NOT
[9:22:38] WANT TO GO THAT ROUTE BECAUSE THEY
[9:22:39] WANTED
[9:22:42] TO MAKE THIS CHANGE
[9:22:45] WITH AS LITTLE PUBLIC
[9:22:46] INPUT AS POSSIBLE. THIS HEARING IS ONLY
[9:22:47] TAKING PLACE BECAUSE OF THE STRONG
[9:22:50] PUSH BACK FROM SOMERSET, CANNON WOOD,
[9:22:51] AND CHEVY CHASE
[9:22:53] WEST WHO ARE JOINED BY OTHER NEARBY COMMUNITIES
[9:22:57] INCLUDING SUMNER, WEST MORELAND, SPRINGFIELD, AND KENWOOD
[9:22:59] FOREST WHO CITIZENS ALL DEPEND ON
[9:23:00] THIS ROAD
[9:23:02] TO GET THEM BETWEEN THE WEST AREA
[9:23:03] IN
[9:23:06] DOWNTOWN BETHESDA.
[9:23:14] NOW WE HAVE A POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN
[9:23:15] THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE TAXPAYING
[9:23:16] PUBLIC. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT NEEDS
[9:23:17] TO REMEMBER THEY WORK FOR TAXPAYERS,
[9:23:18] NOT THE OTHER
[9:23:19] WAY AROUND. THAT'S WHY WE ARE ASKING
[9:23:20] YOU TO RESTORE LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[9:23:21] TO FOUR
[9:23:22] LANES EXCEPT FOR THE AREA AT THE INTERSECTION
[9:23:24] WITH THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL
[9:23:25] AND, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK
[9:23:27] YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[9:23:29] DEBBIE, SOMERSET, TOWN COUNCIL. OH,
[9:23:33] I'M SORRY.
[9:23:36] I'M
[9:23:39] LOOKING AT A COMPUTER.
[9:23:42] IF YOU'RE HERE, CAN I ALSO BY DAVID JOHNSON,
[9:23:45] PATRICIA JOHNSON, VILAS EDELMAN,
[9:23:47] AND BRYCE GEYER UP TO THE TABLE TOO.
[9:23:51] I FORGOT I
[9:23:53] WAS --I'VE BEEN TOO VIRTUAL TODAY.
[9:24:00] WE HAVE ONE MORE COMING UP.
[9:24:03] OKAY.
[9:24:06] COUNCILMEMBER HELLER,
[9:24:09] -- >>
[9:24:17] MY NAME IS DEBBIE HELLER. I'M FROM THE
[9:24:18] TOWN OF SOMERSET. I'VE
[9:24:19] LIVED IN SOMERSET FOR 38 YEARS. I'M
[9:24:21] SPEAKING TODAY TO URGE YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THE
[9:24:22] PERMANENT ROAD DIED BETWEEN DORSET
[9:24:24] AVENUE AND
[9:24:27] ARLINGTON ROAD. I'VE SEVERAL OBJECTIONS TO THE
[9:24:29] ROAD DIED FOR TODAY I WILL TALK ABOUT
[9:24:30] THE MOST IMPORTANT OBJECTION AND THAT IS
[9:24:32] SAFETY. TAKING AWAY THE MEDIAN AND
[9:24:33] CUTTING LANES
[9:24:37] FROM FOUR TO TWO IS CONFUSING AND
[9:24:39] IS CAUSE THE NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC TO BACK UP
[9:24:40] ALL THE WAY TO DORSET AVENUE. IT ENCOURAGES
[9:24:42] TRAFFIC TO CUT THROUGH THE TOWN
[9:24:45] OF SOMERSET.
[9:24:56] DORSETT IS BOOK ENDED BETWEEN LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[9:24:57] AND WISCONSIN AVENUE. IT IS
[9:24:59] THE PERFECT CUT THROUGH TO GET TO WISCONSIN AVENUE FROM LITTLE FALLS. ESPECIALLY
[9:25:00] WHEN IT IS
[9:25:01] BACKING UP AS IT DOES TO ACCOMMODATE
[9:25:03] THE CROSSING AT THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL.
[9:25:05] WITH THE LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY REDUCED
[9:25:06] TO TWO LANES, MORE CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC
[9:25:08] IS A GUARANTEE. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT
[9:25:14] PRESENTED DATED TO THE PLANNING BOARD TO
[9:25:15] SUGGEST
[9:25:17] THAT THERE IS BEEN NO INCREASE OF CUT
[9:25:18] THROUGH TRAFFIC SINCE THE ROAD DIET HAS BEEN
[9:25:20] IN PLACE. THEIR DATA IS FLAWED. FUTURE
[9:25:21] TRAFFIC COUNTS ASSESSMENT
[9:25:23] ARE INADEQUATE. IT WAS DONE DURING
[9:25:24] THE COVID PANDEMIC WHEN WE WERE
[9:25:25] ALL DRIVING LESS. WHEN THE DEVELOPMENT
[9:25:27] IS COMPLETED IT WILL CREATE 410
[9:25:36] NEW APARTMENTS AND HUNDRED AND SIX TOWNHOUSES.
[9:25:38] HOW CAN I NOT IMPACT THE TRAFFIC ON
[9:25:39] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY? THE STUDY ALSO IGNORES MAJOR
[9:25:40] DEVELOPMENT UNDERWAY OR ZONED AND
[9:25:41] PROPOSED IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA, AND
[9:25:42] ALONG RIVER
[9:25:45] ROAD.
[9:25:50] BETHESDA ALONE IS SLATED TO HAVE 6000
[9:25:51] NEW APARTMENTS. HOW CAN THAT
[9:25:53] NOT AFFECT TRAFFIC? I'M NOT SURE IF
[9:25:54] YOU KNOW THIS BUT SOMERSET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
[9:25:55] IS EMBEDDED IN THE TOWN OF SOMERSET.
[9:25:56] CURRENTLY THE SCHOOL HAS 330 STUDENTS
[9:25:57] AND 55 STAFF
[9:26:00] MEMBERS
[9:26:02] BUT THIS SCHOOL IS UNDER CAPACITY
[9:26:03] RIGHT NOW
[9:26:04] DUE TO BOUNDARY CHANGES THIS YEAR.
[9:26:05] IT'S ACTUAL CAPACITY IS 516 STUDENTS.
[9:26:06] IT IS EXPECTED THAT THAT
[9:26:08] ENROLLMENT WILL INCREASE OVER THE
[9:26:09] NEXT YEAR TO REACH
[9:26:12] CAPACITY AGAIN. CHILDREN
[9:26:13] TRAVEL BY WALKING, DRIVING, OR SCHOOLBUS.
[9:26:15] THERE ARE FOUR SCHOOL BUSES THAT ENTER THE NEIGHBORHOOD
[9:26:17] ON DORSET AVENUE. DORSETT IS A NARROW
[9:26:18] STREET THAT HAS TRAFFIC IN
[9:26:20] BOTH DIRECTIONS AND IT CAN BE CHALLENGING
[9:26:21] TO GET TO THE SCHOOL BECAUSE OF
[9:26:22] ALL THE CARS DROPPING OFF STUDENTS.
[9:26:24] IN ADDITION, CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC FROM LITTLE FALLS
[9:26:27] PARKWAY
[9:26:30] AS TO THE CONGESTION NOT TO MENTION
[9:26:32] OUR OWN RESIDENT TO ENTER AND LEAVE
[9:26:33] THE NEIGHBORHOOD. ALSO PROBLEMATIC IS THAT TO GET
[9:26:35] TO THE SCHOOL AND LEAVE THE SCHOOL
[9:26:36] YOU MUST TAKE DORSET AVENUE, THERE
[9:26:38] IS NO WAY AROUND THAT. THERE ARE TOO
[9:26:39] MANY CARS THAT TRAVEL.
[9:26:42] CARS CUTTING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD
[9:26:45] , THEY
[9:26:48] SPEED OVER SPEED BUMPS
[9:26:51] AND RUN STOP SIGNS. CARS
[9:26:53] ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO TRAVEL VERY
[9:26:54] FAST ON
[9:27:25] DORSET AVENUE. BIKERS DO THE
[9:27:26] SAME. JUST LAST WEEK I DROVE BEHIND
[9:27:27] A BIKER ON DORSET AVENUE DURING THE
[9:27:28] MORNING RUSH.
[9:27:29] WHEN I GOT TO THE RED LIGHT AT DORSET AVENUE
[9:27:31] AND WISCONSIN I WAS THE FOURTH
[9:27:32] CAR BACK IN THE LINE. THE BIKER THAT
[9:27:34] WAS IN FRONT OF ME RODE
[9:27:35] AROUND THE CARS IN THE OPPOSING LANE
[9:27:37] AND WHEN HE GOT TO THE LIGHT
[9:27:38] WHICH WAS STILL RED HE WENT AROUND
[9:27:39] THE CARS AND TURNED RIGHT ONTO WISCONSIN
[9:27:40] AVENUE.
[9:27:41] JUST AS HE WAS TURNING RIGHT, A SCHOOL BUS
[9:27:43] WAS TURNING ONTO DORSET AND
[9:27:44] THE BUS DRIVER NARROWLY MISSED THE
[9:27:45] BIKER BY MAY BE AFOOT. THE BUS DRIVER
[9:27:47] HAD TO STOP SHORT TO AVOID HITTING
[9:27:48] THE BIKER. IT WAS A TRAGEDY IN THE
[9:27:49] MAKING.
[9:27:50] DORSET AVENUE HAS ALWAYS HAD A LOT
[9:27:52] OF CARS TRAVELING ON IT DURING
[9:27:53] THE MORNING RUSH HOUR BUT NOW WE HAVE
[9:27:54] EVEN MORE CARS. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT
[9:27:55] WILL
[9:27:56] TELL YOU THAT TRAFFIC IS NOT INCREASED
[9:27:58] BUT I LIVE THERE AND I'M
[9:27:59] GOING TO TELL YOU THAT I KNOW FIRSTHAND
[9:28:01] THAT IS NOT TRUE. CARS, BUSES, BIKES,
[9:28:02] AND CHILDREN ON A NARROW STREET THAT NOW
[9:28:03] HAS MORE CAR CONGESTION THAN EVER
[9:28:04] IS
[9:28:05] A RECIPE FOR TRAGEDY. PLEASE REINSTATE
[9:28:06] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY TO ITS ORIGINAL
[9:28:07] FOUR LANES
[9:28:08] SO THAT DORSET AVENUE WILL HAVE LESS
[9:28:09] CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC AND HELP KEEP
[9:28:10] ALL
[9:28:11] OF A SAVER, ESPECIALLY THE CHILDREN.
[9:28:12] THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS ALL
[9:28:13] BEING HERE.
[9:28:15] >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. DAVID JOHNSON?
[9:28:16] >> YES, I'M DR. DAVID
[9:28:18] JOHNSON AND I AM WELL OVER 3000 PETITIONERS RESPECTFULLY
[9:28:22] ASK YOU TO ABANDON PLANS FOR THE LINEAR PARK
[9:28:23] AND RETURN TO FOUR TRAFFIC LANES TO
[9:28:24] THEIR ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION NORTH
[9:28:25] OF DORSET AVENUE ON
[9:28:26] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY. MY REASONING
[9:28:27] FOR THIS IS AS FOLLOWS. NUMBER ONE,
[9:28:32] THE ROAD DIET IS DANGEROUS. I'VE PERSONALLY
[9:28:33] EXPERIENCED IN YOUR HEAD ON COLLISION
[9:28:35] TRAINING NORTH FROM DORSETT ONTO LITTLE
[9:28:36] FALLS PARKWAY AND HAVE SINCE HEARD
[9:28:37] FROM TWO
[9:28:40] OTHER CITIZENS
[9:28:45] FROM NEAR HEAD-ON COLLISIONS. A FOURTH GENTLEMAN
[9:28:46] PHONING
[9:28:47] IN TO TESTIFY THE PUBLIC MEETING ON
[9:28:48] FEBRUARY 15th ALSO REPORTED A SIMILAR
[9:28:49] EXPERIENCE INDICATING THIS
[9:28:52] IS AN ONGOING DANGER. NUMBER TWO,
[9:28:53] THE CURRENT CROSSING OF THE CAPITAL
[9:28:54] CRESCENT TRAIL ACTUALLY FORCES DRIVERS
[9:28:55] AND BIKERS TO PLAY
[9:28:57] CHICKEN WITH EACH OTHER . WITH DRIVERS
[9:28:58] TRYING TO GUESS IF THE
[9:29:00] BIKERS WILL ACTUALLY STOP AT THE STOP SIGNS
[9:29:07] AND BIKERS
[9:29:08] ASSUMING THE DRIVERS WILL STOP, EVEN IF
[9:29:09] THEY DON'T. THAT IS WHY THE PLANNING
[9:29:10] BOARD ORIGINALLY
[9:29:11] VOTED FOUR TO ONE IN JUNE 2019 TO
[9:29:13] ABANDON THE ROAD DIET AND HAVE EVERYBODY
[9:29:15] STOP AT THE LIGHT AS BEING VISION ZERO.
[9:29:17] NUMBER THREE, CONSTRICTING TRAFFIC
[9:29:18] ON THE MAIN TRANSPORTATION ARTERY
[9:29:19] BETWEEN BETHESDA
[9:29:22] AND THE RIVER ROAD IN
[9:29:23] THE FACE OF THE SIGNIFICANT COMING
[9:29:25] DENSITY IS
[9:29:30] SHORTSIGHTED. NO MODELING HAS BEEN
[9:29:31] DONE TO
[9:29:32] DETERMINE THE AREAS TRANSPORTATION NEEDS
[9:29:34] OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
[9:29:36] THE BETHESDA MASTER PLAN CALLS FOR
[9:29:37] OVER 32 MILLION SQUARE FEET
[9:29:38] OF NEW COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL
[9:29:39] SPACE , THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN CALLS
[9:29:43] FOR ALMOST
[9:29:45] 2 MILLION SQUARE FEET AND ALL WITH
[9:29:46] LIMITED,
[9:29:49] PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
[9:29:55] AND THRIVE 2050 HAS
[9:29:57] DETERMINED RIVER ROAD TO BE A GROWTH ZONE.
[9:29:58] PARKS HAVE STATED THAT TRAFFIC ALONG THE
[9:29:59] PARKWAY HAS DECLINED BY 35% SINCE
[9:30:01] 2016 AND ASSUME THE CURRENT DECLINE IN
[9:30:02] TRAFFIC FROM THE PANDEMIC ON THE ROAD
[9:30:04] DIET WILL BE MAINTAINED.
[9:30:13] THEIR
[9:30:15] OWN COUNTS SHOW THAT THE TRAFFIC ON THE
[9:30:16] PARKWAY HAS ACTUALLY BEEN INCREASING SINCE JULY
[9:30:18] 2022. METRO HAS RECENTLY NOTED A SURGE
[9:30:19] IN RIDERS AND GOVERNMENTAL WORKERS HAVE BEEN
[9:30:20] ORDERED BACK TO WORK. NUMBER FOUR,
[9:30:22] THERE IS NO NEED FOR LINEAR PARK
[9:30:34] WHEN IT ALREADY SITS WITHIN 160 ACRES
[9:30:36] OF LITTLE FALLS STREAM VALLEY PARK, 17 ACRES OF NORWOOD PARK, THREE ACRES
[9:30:37] OF LITTLE FALLS
[9:30:38] PARK, TWO ACRES OF TRAILER PARK, THREE
[9:30:40] ACRES OF LITTLE FALLS AS VILLA PARK
[9:30:41] NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO AND THREE
[9:30:43] OUT OF 11 MILES OF CAPITAL CRESCENT
[9:30:44] TRAIL LET ALONE THE BETHESDA POOL.
[9:30:46] HOW CAN PARKS AND PLANNING IN
[9:30:49] GOOD CONSCIENCE
[9:30:52] STUFF YET ANOTHER PARK INTO THIS OVER
[9:30:53] PART AREA WHEN SO MANY CITIZENS ELSEWHERE
[9:30:55] IN THE COUNTY ARE IN DIRE NEED OF PARKS
[9:30:58] AND GREEN SPACE. THANK YOU
[9:30:59] FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND CONSIDERATION.
[9:31:01] >> THANK YOU. PATRICIA JOHNSON.
[9:31:07] >> I'M
[9:31:08] PATRICIA JOHNSON. I LIVE IN CHEVY CHASE.
[9:31:09] CHARLES BAILEY, THE OPERATIONS DIVISION
[9:31:10] CHIEF
[9:31:13] OF MONTGOMERY FIRE WAS QUOTED IN THE POST WHEN ASKED
[9:31:16] ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE SECTION OF PARKWAY.
[9:31:19] IF THERE WERE
[9:31:20] SOME DEMONSTRABLE IMPACT FOR SAFETY
[9:31:22] THEN I WOULD BE THROWING UP RED FLAGS IN THE BACKGROUND
[9:31:25] AND I JUST DON'T SEE THEM. PARKS
[9:31:28] USE THIS STATEMENT TO SUPPORT THEIR
[9:31:29] CLAIM THAT THIS SECTION OF THE PARK
[9:31:31] WOULD BE SAFE. I SPOKE TO CHIEF BAILEY AND
[9:31:33] ASKED HIM IF HE KNEW WHERE THE ROAD WAS
[9:31:46] HE
[9:31:48] SAID, SURE. IT JUST HAS A LOT OF SPEED BUMPS
[9:31:49] ON IT. WHAT'S THE
[9:31:50] PROBLEM? MISTAKENLY HE WAS REFERRING
[9:31:51] TO THE PARKWAY BETWEEN RIVER ROAD
[9:31:52] AND MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE. I TOLD
[9:31:54] HIM THAT THE PIECE OF ROADWAY IN QUESTION
[9:31:55] WAS BETWEEN DORSET AVENUE AND ARLINGTON ROAD.
[9:31:57] CHIEF BAILEY SAID HE DID NOT KNOW
[9:31:58] WHERE THAT PIECE OF ROAD WAS WHEN HE
[9:32:00] WAS QUOTED BY THE POST. I TOLD HIM
[9:32:01] I HAD REPORTS FROM FIRE
[9:32:03] STATION SIX AND BETHESDA AND GLEN ECHO
[9:32:04] FIRE PERSONNEL THAT THERE WAS
[9:32:05] A PROBLEM WITH THIS NARROW, CURVING, ROADWAY.
[9:32:07] ON MARCH 8th CHIEF BAILEY DROVE THAT PART OF THE
[9:32:08] PARKWAY. COINCIDENTALLY, HE WAS FIRST ON
[9:32:10] THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT AT THE INTERSECTION OF
[9:32:11] DORSET AVENUE AND LITTLE FALLS. A
[9:32:13] PERSON HAD FALLEN ON UNTRIMMED TREE ROOTS ON
[9:32:16] THE PARKS
[9:32:22] PATH AND BROKEN A LEG. I
[9:32:24] HAPPEN TO BE CROSSING THE INTERSECTION
[9:32:25] AT THAT TIME. I SAW FIRE CHIEFS CAR DIAGONALLY ON
[9:32:27] THE GRASS, AN AMBULANCE IN THE ROADWAY
[9:32:28] AND A FIRE TRUCK COMING UP FROM
[9:32:31] RIVER ROAD. CHIEF BAILEY CALLED
[9:32:33] ME AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND LEFT A MESSAGE.
[9:32:34] HE SAID, I SEE IT NOW.
[9:32:36] YOU HAVE A POINT. I'M GOING TO TALK
[9:32:37] TO MY CHIEFS. I OBSERVED FIRSTHAND THAT
[9:32:39] THERE WAS NO ROOM TO PULL AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE
[9:32:40] OVER TO GET
[9:32:42] TO THE VICTIM. I HAD AN AMBULANCE BEHIND
[9:32:43] ME AND I COULD NOT PULL OVER BECAUSE OF
[9:32:45] THE NARROW SHOULDERS AND PLANTED TREES.
[9:32:46] I OBSERVED HOOK AND LADDER RIDS.
[9:32:58] IT CAN COST PRECIOUS TIME AND IS DANGEROUS
[9:32:59] WHERE THERE
[9:33:00] ARE NO SIDEWALKS. I ALSO SUBMIT A LETTER
[9:33:01] FROM ASSISTANT CHIEF SAFETY ADAM JONES,
[9:33:02] CHIEF JONES
[9:33:03] VISITED THE AREA, HE ANALYZED THE CURRENT
[9:33:07] CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL CROSSING AND
[9:33:08] IDENTIFIED THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. NUMBER ONE, REMOVAL
[9:33:11] OF THE MEDIANS LEAVES
[9:33:14] USERS NO PLACE FOR REFUGE
[9:33:15] AS THE CROSS. NUMBER TWO, VEHICLE
[9:33:17] HEIGHTS CAUSE
[9:33:36] BLIND SPOTS FOR CROSSING PEDESTRIANS
[9:33:37] AND BIKERS. NUMBER THREE, THE NARROWED
[9:33:38] STREET CONFIGURATION PRIOR
[9:33:39] TO THE CROSSING CAN CAUSE EMERGENCY
[9:33:40] VEHICLES TO AVOID THE AREA AND USE
[9:33:41] THE NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS
[9:33:42] TO REACH AN ACCIDENT QUICKLY. TIME
[9:33:43] IS PRECIOUS WHEN SAVING A LIFE. I
[9:33:44] URGE YOU
[9:33:45] ALL TO DRIVE THIS STRETCH OF ROAD
[9:33:47] AT RUSH HOUR AND AT NIGHT BEFORE
[9:33:48] YOU VOTE. OPEN THE PARKWAY TO FOUR
[9:33:49] LANES AND RESTORE THE MEDIAN FOR SAFETY.
[9:33:50] I
[9:33:51] ALSO HAVE 30 SECONDS --I TOOK PICTURES
[9:33:53] OF THE PARKWAY EVERY WEEKEND FOR
[9:33:54] NINE MONTHS FROM OCTOBER 2021 TO JUNE
[9:33:56] 11th, 2022. THE PARK WAS CLOSED FROM ARLINGTON
[9:33:57] ROAD TO RIVER. NO MATTER WHAT KYLE
[9:33:58] SAYS THAT THERE WERE 3000 PEOPLE A
[9:33:59] DAY,
[9:34:00] THERE WAS NO ONE ON THAT PARKWAY.
[9:34:02] CAN I SUBMIT THIS TO YOU? I'VE
[9:34:03] SENT IT IN AS VIDEO BUT I WOULD LIKE
[9:34:05] TO GIVE YOU HARD COPIES.
[9:34:07] THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[9:34:15] PHYLLIS EDELMAN. >> GOOD EVENING.
[9:34:17] MY NAME IS PHYLLIS EDELMAN. I'M A
[9:34:20] RESIDENT OF SPRINGFIELD
[9:34:25] AND BETHESDA AND A PAST PRESIDENT
[9:34:26] OF THE SPRINGFIELD
[9:34:27] CIVIC ASSOCIATION. THE PUBLIC REASON
[9:34:28] FOR THIS HEARING IS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT
[9:34:29] IS SEEKING APPROVAL
[9:34:30] FROM THE PLANNING BOARD FOR ITS UNILATERAL
[9:34:32] CLOSURE OF TWO LANES OF
[9:34:33] TRAFFIC ALONG 4/10 OF A MILE OF LITTLE
[9:34:35] FALLS PARKWAY. I BELIEVE THE
[9:34:37] PARKS DEPARTMENT IS JUST INTERESTED
[9:34:38] IN PURSUING GOALS
[9:34:41] IT HAS SET IN ITS OWN 2022
[9:34:44] PARKS RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE PLAN.
[9:34:47] WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO
[9:34:49] SHUT DOWN HALF OF A VITAL CONNECTING
[9:34:50] ROAD IN
[9:34:53] AN AREA THAT IS PARK RICH?
[9:34:56] BECAUSE IT IS LOW HANGING FRUIT? PARKS
[9:34:58] DID NOT HAVE TO PURCHASE THE LAND
[9:35:02] AND THEY
[9:35:03] ADMIT TO SPENDING ONLY $130,000 ON
[9:35:04] CLOSING AND OPENING AND RE-CLOSING
[9:35:05] THIS 4/10
[9:35:08] OF A MILE OF ROAD.
[9:35:11] WHEN THEY GIVE THEIR NEXT REPORT
[9:35:12] TO THE COUNTY COUNSEL THOUGH THEY CAN
[9:35:14] INCLUDE HOW THEY HAVE RETURNED PARKWAY
[9:35:17] TO PARKLAND.
[9:35:19] THEIR WEBSITE ABOUT THE PROPOSED LINEAR
[9:35:20] PARK WENT
[9:35:23] FROM DESCRIBING IT AS INNOVATIVE
[9:35:25] , LIKE THE NEW YORK CITY HIGH LINE,
[9:35:26] TO NOW SAYING
[9:35:27] NOTHING ABOUT IT. NOTHING. AS THEY
[9:35:29] TOLD YOU TODAY, WHAT THEY CAN DO
[9:35:32] IS PROVIDE GAINS WHICH THEY HAPPEN
[9:35:35] TO HAVE IN STORAGE. INNOVATIVE?
[9:35:37] THEIR OBJECTIVE? TO ATTRACT NEW USERS
[9:35:38] WHO OTHERWISE
[9:35:41] WOULD NOT BE LORD TO VISIT OUR
[9:35:44] NEARBY PARKS.
[9:35:47] THE PARKS PLAN ALSO INDICATES ABOUT
[9:35:49] HOW PARKS FEEL ABOUT THE PUBLIC INPUT
[9:35:59] , ESPECIALLY AT A
[9:36:00] HEARING LIKE THIS. QUOTE, A FUNDAMENTAL
[9:36:01] WEAKNESS OF BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL
[9:36:02] MEETINGS, HOWEVER,
[9:36:04] IS A TENDENCY FOR THIS TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT
[9:36:05] TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF THE
[9:36:06] PEOPLE WITH THE STRONGEST BUT NOT
[9:36:07] NECESSARILY THE MOST REPRESENTATIVE OPINIONS
[9:36:12] . I HOPE THE PLANNING BOARD
[9:36:12] DOESN'T HOLD THE SAME OPINION. YOU
[9:36:14] ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY
[9:36:17] GENERATED PETITION
[9:36:19] ASKING THAT LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY BE RESTORED
[9:36:20] TO FOUR LANES
[9:36:23] TO
[9:36:25] SEE THAT THOUSANDS OF STAKEHOLDERS, TAXPAYERS
[9:36:26] AGREE.
[9:36:28] THEY WOULD LIKE TO ROAD OPEN. THE
[9:36:31] PARKS DEPARTMENT LACK OF RESPECT FOR
[9:36:32] INPUT IS EVIDENT
[9:36:35] IN THE MATERIALS
[9:36:37] THEY DID NOT PRESENT TO YOU. THEY
[9:36:38] STUDY THE TRAFFIC ON LITTLE FALLS
[9:36:42] PARKWAY BUT WHAT ABOUT A FORMAL
[9:36:45] NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY
[9:36:48] OF THE NEARBY COMMUNITIES ON CLOSING
[9:36:50] TWO LANES OF THE PARKWAY. THEY NEVER DID THIS.
[9:36:52] THE RESIDENCE OF THE KENWOOD COMMUNITY PUT
[9:36:53] TOGETHER A COMMUNITY
[9:36:55] AND PUT A SURVEY AND DISTRIBUTE IT
[9:36:56] TO OUR COMMUNITY.
[9:37:05] IT HEAVILY SUPPORTS REOPENING LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY TO
[9:37:07] FOUR LANES. WHEN I ASSUMED THAT PARKS
[9:37:08] WOULD DISCOUNT THIS BECAUSE IT WAS DONE
[9:37:10] BY THE PUBLIC , AND WE CLEARLY DON'T
[9:37:11] REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITIES.
[9:37:15] PARKS EMPHASIZES THE
[9:37:17] NEED TO PUT THE RIGHT PARK IN THE
[9:37:18] RIGHT PLACE. THIS IS NOT THE
[9:37:19] RIGHT PARK AND THIS IS DEFINITELY
[9:37:20] NOT THE
[9:37:23] RIGHT PLACE.
[9:37:25] PLEASE, RESTORE LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[9:37:26] TO FOUR LANES
[9:37:28] SAFETY ACCOMMODATIONS MADE FOR THE
[9:37:29] ROAD DIET
[9:37:34] AT THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL CROSSING.
[9:37:35] THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR
[9:37:38] TESTIMONY. BRYCE?
[9:37:41] >> MY
[9:37:44] NAME IS BRYCE. I LIVE
[9:37:46] IN GREENACRES. THAT IS ON THE CORNER
[9:37:48] OF RIVER
[9:37:51] ROAD AND LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY.
[9:37:53] ON MY WEEKENDS I'M EMPLOYED
[9:37:56] TO TEACH HOW TO RIDE A BIKE AND
[9:37:59] ABOUT 10% OF THE PEOPLE I TAUGHT LAST YEAR
[9:38:02] I TAUGHT ON THE LINEAR PARK.
[9:38:05] IT IS PROBABLY THE BEST PLACE
[9:38:08] THAT I'VE SEEN IN THE D.C. AREA ,
[9:38:11] GREATER D.C. AREA, TO TEACH BECAUSE
[9:38:17] IT IS A LINEAR PARK, NOT A PARKING LOT THAT
[9:38:21] IS BEING REPURPOSED . IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT,
[9:38:23] EVEN FOR LARGE ORGANIZATIONS, TO REPURPOSE
[9:38:25] PARKING LOTS, THERE IS ALWAYS THE
[9:38:26] THREAT OF CARS COMING IN
[9:38:29] AND CARS CAN BE PARKED AND LEFT EVERY
[9:38:31] NIGHT IN THE WAY OF THE SPACE. WHEN
[9:38:32] I TEACH FRIENDS
[9:38:35] AND
[9:38:37] TEACH MY OWN KIDS, IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT
[9:38:38] I CAN GO TO
[9:38:39] A PLACE THAT WILL ALWAYS BE READY
[9:38:41] AND AVAILABLE. I DON'T HAVE
[9:38:43] THE STRENGTH OF AN ORGANIZATION TO BLOCK
[9:38:44] OUT PARKING LOTS. YES,
[9:38:47] IT IS A GREAT PLACE.
[9:38:50] THERE ARE VARYING PITCHES TO IT.
[9:38:52] I'VE TAUGHT BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS
[9:38:53] HOW TO RIDE A BIKE. YOU NEED A
[9:38:56] SLOPE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE RIGHT
[9:38:57] GLIDE. YOU CONFIDE THAT THERE.
[9:39:12] OBVIOUSLY,
[9:39:14] IF YOU ROLL DOWN AND YOU CANCEL YOUR SPEED
[9:39:17] THE RUNWAY IS STRIKING THAT CURB.
[9:39:18] IT'S ALSO NICE
[9:39:20] AND WIDE. STREETLIGHTS AND POST THEIR.
[9:39:28] IT'S A PERFECT PLACE IN
[9:39:31] THE AREA.
[9:39:33] WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING
[9:39:36] I'VE NOTICED , HIGH SCHOOLERS ARE
[9:39:38] THE ONE THAT RIDE THEIR BIKES WITH
[9:39:42] A SHOVEL, BUT MOST OF THE
[9:39:45] LINEUP ON
[9:39:48] LITTLE
[9:39:49] FALLS PARKWAY HAS BEEN DUG UP AND TURNED
[9:39:50] INTO UNOFFICIAL MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS.
[9:39:51] I
[9:39:52] THINK THE JUMPS ARE COOL BUT THE LANDINGS,
[9:39:54] NOT SO GREAT. THAT WOULD BE A
[9:39:57] POTENTIAL OPTION FOR
[9:39:58] PARKS TO EMPLOY A PROPERLY DESIGNED
[9:40:01] AND BUILT COURSE.
[9:40:04] WITH THAT, HEY,
[9:40:06] I DRIVE IT,
[9:40:08] I'VE TRIED BIKE COMMUTING IT, WHEN
[9:40:10] IT WAS
[9:40:13] FOUR LANES,
[9:40:19] --THE
[9:40:22] ENTIRE TIME I BUY COMMUNITY,
[9:40:25] I BUY
[9:40:26] COMMUTED WHEN IT WAS FOUR LANES. I
[9:40:28] HARDLY SAW A CYCLIST.
[9:40:30] AT THE LINEAR PARK LAST NIGHT I SAW
[9:40:32] MORE BY COMMUTERS ON THAT ROAD THAT
[9:40:34] I HAVE EVER SEEN IN THE
[9:40:36] ENTIRE TIME BEFORE WHEN IT WAS A FOUR
[9:40:40] LANE ROAD. LET'S SEE, WITH THAT,
[9:40:44] I SUPPORTED THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU
[9:40:46] FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[9:40:49] >> ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT FIVE
[9:40:51] PEOPLE IF I COULD CALL UP, JENNY, REBECCA,
[9:40:58] HOLLY,
[9:41:01] CARL BECKER,
[9:41:04] AND DAVID.
[9:41:34] >> IF I
[9:41:37] COULD HAVE JENNY. MIKE,
[9:41:38] PLEASE. >> THAT WOULD HELP. THANK YOU.
[9:41:40] EARLY IN
[9:41:43] THE WEEK
[9:41:44] I SENT A COMPLETE LIST OF INVENTORY
[9:41:46] OF PARKS AND TRAILS
[9:41:52] ,
[9:41:53] I'M SORRY DID NOT BRING YOU ALL A COPY
[9:41:55] TODAY. I HOPE YOU WILL LOOK ON
[9:41:57] IT. IT HAS A LINK TO GOOGLE MAP AND
[9:41:58] IT IS A PRETTY
[9:41:59] COMPLETE DESCRIPTION AVAILABLE. SO,
[9:42:01] I HOPE YOU WILL LOOK AT THAT IN
[9:42:04] VIEW OF MY TESTIMONY. THANK YOU.
[9:42:09] I AM AWARE THAT THIS HEARING IS FOCUSED ON
[9:42:10] THE PROPOSED LANE REDUCTION
[9:42:12] OF LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY , MY COMMENTS
[9:42:13] ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE PROPOSED
[9:42:16] LINEAR PARK
[9:42:18] WHICH IS PARKS A GOAL IF THE LANES
[9:42:19] ARE
[9:42:22] PERMANENTLY REDUCED. I AM A SUPPORTER OF
[9:42:24] PARKS AND GREEN SPACE FOR ALL COUNTY RESIDENTS
[9:42:27] BUT I BELIEVE MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT
[9:42:28] WHERE IT IS
[9:42:29] NEEDED, WHERE IT IS WANTED, AND WHERE
[9:42:31] IT IS BENEFICIAL TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
[9:42:37] THE PROPOSED LINEAR PARK IS NOT NEEDED OR WANTED BY
[9:42:38] THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS THAT LIVE NEAR
[9:42:39] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY. THERE ARE NUMEROUS
[9:42:40] PLAYGROUNDS
[9:42:43] , TRAILS,
[9:42:46] AND WALKING AREAS ALL VERY CLOSE TO THE PARKWAY.
[9:42:49] THESE MANY AREAS OFFER
[9:42:51] AMPLE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR
[9:42:52] OUR RESIDENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN AND THEY
[9:42:55] ARE SAFE AND THEY DON'T DISRUPT OTHER
[9:42:58] ASPECTS OF OUR COMMUNITY LIKE
[9:43:01] TRAFFIC AND EMERGENCY SERVICES.
[9:43:02] THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS ADOPTED
[9:43:04] A POLICY OF SPENDING MONEY AND
[9:43:07] VIEWING PROJECTS WITH A CONCERN FOR EQUITY.
[9:43:10] THE PROPOSED LINEAR PARK
[9:43:15] DOES NOT PASSED THE TEST FOR EQUITY.
[9:43:16] SINCE THERE ARE OTHER AREAS IN OUR
[9:43:17] COUNTY WITH LESS AND NO CONVENIENT
[9:43:19] RECREATIONAL OPTIONS.
[9:43:22] CLOSE TO LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[9:43:27] AND MUCH MORE IN NEED OF GREEN SPACE IS
[9:43:28] THE WEST BARRED AREA WHICH
[9:43:31] RUNS ADJACENT TO THE BRANCH AND
[9:43:33] IS CONSIDERED THE PRIMARY COMMUNITY ASSET.
[9:43:34] THE
[9:43:37] SECTOR PLANNED
[9:43:40] NATURALIZATION AND GREENWAY
[9:43:42] ALONGSIDE THE STREAM THAT WOULD START AT
[9:43:43] RIDGEFIELD ROAD
[9:43:45] AND CONNECT TO THE CAPITAL CRESCENT
[9:43:46] TRAIL. MOREOVER, WHEN
[9:43:49] CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE THERE,
[9:43:54] THEY WILL HAVE APPROXIMATELY 100 TOWNHOUSES,
[9:43:55] 165 MULTIFAMILY UNITS
[9:43:58] IN NEW DEVELOPMENT AS
[9:44:01] WELL AS A NEW 155
[9:44:03] BED NURSING FACILITY ON THE CORNER
[9:44:04] OF RIDGEFIELD
[9:44:07] AND WEST BARRED. IN
[9:44:10] ADDITION TO THE NEW RESIDENTS IN AND
[9:44:12] NEAR THE WEST BARRED DEVELOPMENT,
[9:44:16] THE PROJECTION IS 8000
[9:44:20] ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL UNITS. WHY
[9:44:22] AREN'T WE FOCUSING ON THE INEVITABLE FUTURE TRAFFIC
[9:44:23] INCREASE ON LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY?
[9:44:25] WHY ARE WE FOCUSING
[9:44:28] ON DEVELOPING POCKET PARKS OR MORE GREEN SPACE
[9:44:30] AMONG THE MANY HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS
[9:44:31] IN BETHESDA.
[9:44:37] IT IS CRITICAL WE CONCERN
[9:44:46] PRESSING ISSUES ESPECIALLY SAFETY AND TRAFFIC ISSUES.
[9:44:48] AND IT IS VERY CRITICAL THAT A MORE
[9:44:49] DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IS USED AS WE GO FORWARD. THANK
[9:44:51] YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[9:44:55] REBECCA HANSON? >> YES, THAT'S ME.
[9:44:57] THANK YOU. MY NAME IS REBECCA HANSON.
[9:44:59] >> OH, YOU GET FIVE MINUTES.
[9:45:05] I DIDN'T INTRODUCE YOU PROPERLY.
[9:45:08] EXCUSE ME. >> THAT'S FINE.
[9:45:10] MY NAME IS REBECCA HANSON AND I'M
[9:45:11] COPRESIDENT OF THE
[9:45:14] WEST MORELAND
[9:45:20] CITIZEN ASSOCIATION, A COMMUNITY OF 1000 HOMES
[9:45:22] PARTIALLY ABUTTING LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY.
[9:45:23] I'VE LIVED HERE FOR
[9:45:24] 20 YEARS AND MY FAMILY USES THE CAPITAL
[9:45:26] CRESCENT TRAIL AND THE PARKWAY REGULARLY.
[9:45:27] I SUBMITTED WRITTEN TESTIMONY RESPONDED TO
[9:45:29] THE POINTS MADE EARLIER
[9:45:32] IN PARKS HIS PRESENTATION BUT TODAY
[9:45:33] I'M HERE TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT IN
[9:45:34] WHICH YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHAT YOU
[9:45:37] HEAR TODAY. I'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH
[9:45:38] OPPONENTS TO PARKS HIS
[9:45:39] PROPOSAL AND I CAN SAY UNEQUIVOCALLY
[9:45:44] WE ARE
[9:45:45] NOT AGAINST BIKERS, MANY OF US AND OUR
[9:45:46] FAMILIES BIKE THE TRAIL OFTEN AND
[9:45:47] WANT
[9:45:48] THE SAFEST TRAIL CROSSING POSSIBLE.
[9:45:50] THESE DO NOT BIND
[9:45:51] THE FALSE NARRATIVE THAT THIS DEBATE
[9:45:53] IS EITHER PRO OR ANTI-BIKER BECAUSE IT
[9:45:56] IS NOT.
[9:45:58] WE ARE NOT AGAINST PARK SPACE, WE
[9:45:59] LOVE
[9:46:00] THE 170 ACRE PLUS ACREAGE OF PARKLAND ACROSS
[9:46:03] THE TRAIL AND PARKWAY BUT WE WANT TO
[9:46:04] BALANCE HIS NATURAL BEAUTY WITH THE
[9:46:05] IMPORTANT
[9:46:06] FUNCTION, THE PARKWAY. WE ARE ALSO NOT
[9:46:11] NEED BE MINDED,
[9:46:12] INSULTING LABELS LIKE THIS DETRACT
[9:46:14] FROM THE HARD WORK
[9:46:17] AND
[9:46:18] MONEY THAT WE HAVE INVESTED IN OUR
[9:46:19] EFFORT. WE SUPPORT A COMMONSENSE APPROACH
[9:46:20] TO SAFETY
[9:46:23] AND PRUDENT USE OF PARK RESOURCES. OUR
[9:46:24] VIEWS ARE VALID AND SHOULD BE RESPECTED IN
[9:46:25] YOUR DELIBERATIONS. WE ARE AGAINST
[9:46:28] THE PROCESS THAT PARKS HAS FOLLOWED
[9:46:29] WITH
[9:46:31] THIS PROPOSAL. THEY HAVE COMPILED
[9:46:32] DATA THAT
[9:46:35] IS INCOMPLETE
[9:46:37] AND APPEARS TO BE GEARED TO SUPPORT
[9:46:38] THEIR DESIRED OUTCOME.
[9:46:41] THEY'VE IGNORED
[9:46:42] SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES WHICH ARE WELL
[9:46:43] DOCUMENTED IN THE RECORD WHICH YOU
[9:46:47] WILL SEE.
[9:46:57] THE APPEARED TO HAVE FAVORED PROPONENTS
[9:46:58] OF THE PLAN AND HAVE DISREGARDED LEGITIMATE
[9:46:59] OPPOSING
[9:47:00] VIEWS. IN ALL, PARKS HAS IGNORED BASIC
[9:47:01] DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES OF FAIRNESS
[9:47:02] AND TRANSPARENCY THAT MONTGOMERY COUNTY
[9:47:03] RESIDENTS EXPECT FROM THEIR GOVERNMENT
[9:47:04] OFFICIALS, WHETHER ELECTED OR APPOINTED.
[9:47:05] WE ARE HERE TO ASK
[9:47:06] YOU TO REJECT PARKS HIS PROPOSAL BASED
[9:47:08] ON PROCEDURAL AND SUBSTANTIVE AND FLAWS.
[9:47:11] TO THIS AND YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ALL
[9:47:14] DATA
[9:47:19] INCLUDING THE PROFESSIONAL ANALYSIS
[9:47:20] OF OUR
[9:47:21] TRAFFIC ENGINEERS HIGHLIGHTING THE
[9:47:22] DEFICIENCIES IN PARK'S'S DATA COLLECTION
[9:47:23] MISSIONS.
[9:47:25] YOU SHOULD READ OUR PETITION WHICH
[9:47:26] REQUEST THAT WE
[9:47:28] GO BACK TO THE JANUARY 2017 CONFIGURATION
[9:47:32] WHICH PARK'S REFERENCED IN
[9:47:35] THEIR PRESENTATION
[9:47:40] WHICH IS ALMOST 3500 SIGNATURES AND WHICH
[9:47:41] CONTINUES TO GROW AND WHICH
[9:47:42] YOU CAN'T IGNORE. YOU SHOULD HEED
[9:47:44] THE WARNINGS
[9:47:50] OF FIRE CHIEF JONES AS TO THE
[9:47:51] HAZARDS OF THE CURRENT PHASE TWO TRAFFIC
[9:47:52] CONFIGURATION. IT IS DEMONSTRATED
[9:47:53] BY CARL BECKER'S
[9:47:54] VIDEO EVIDENCE. WHETHER OR NOT IT
[9:47:56] IS AN OFFICIAL POSITION IT STILL
[9:47:58] WARNS OF DANGEROUS CONDITIONS AND
[9:47:59] SHOULD BE
[9:48:01] TAKEN SERIOUSLY. YOU SHOULD ALSO KEEP
[9:48:02] THE EVIDENCE
[9:48:04] SHOWING THERE IS NO DEMAND FOR RECREATION
[9:48:05] ON THE CLOSED LANES.
[9:48:08] VIEW PAT JOHNSON'S VIDEO
[9:48:11] LOG SHOWING THE CLOSED LANES BEING
[9:48:14] CONSTANTLY EMPTY
[9:48:16] , MONTH AFTER MONTH WHILE TRAFFIC
[9:48:17] BUILDS UP ON THE OTHER
[9:48:19] SIDE OF THE PARKWAY. DURING THE PANDEMIC
[9:48:26] AND SINCE CLOSING THE TWO LANES IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR
[9:48:27] THE CLOSED LANES HAVE NO BIKERS, NO
[9:48:29] JOGGERS, NO ROLLERBLADE OR'S, NO SKATEBOARDERS, NO
[9:48:32] DOG WALKERS, NO BABY STROLLERS, AND
[9:48:35] NO DADS TEACHING THEIR KIDS HOW TO
[9:48:38] RIDE BIKES.
[9:48:41] WITH
[9:48:43] ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE PREVIOUS TEST
[9:48:44] OF FIRE, BIKE LESSONS ARE NOT
[9:48:45] THE HIGHEST AND BEST USED OF LITTLE
[9:48:47] FALLS PARKWAY. DESPITE KYLE SPECULATION,
[9:48:52] NO ONE IN SIGNIFICANT VOLUMES IS USING
[9:48:53] THE CLOSED
[9:48:54] LANES BECAUSE THEY CONNECT TO NOWHERE
[9:48:56] AND WE HAVE SEEN NO DATA TO SHOW THAT THESE
[9:48:58] LANES WILL BE USED IN THE FUTURE.
[9:49:02] IF THESE
[9:49:04] LANES ARE NOT BEING USED NOW, THEY WON'T
[9:49:05] LIKELY BE USED IN THE FUTURE.
[9:49:11] WE
[9:49:13] ALSO REQUEST THAT YOU GO DOWN TO THE SITE
[9:49:14] AND SEE FOR YOURSELF WHAT WE
[9:49:15] HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE YOU
[9:49:17] CAN'T MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION WITHOUT DOING SO.
[9:49:26] FINALLY
[9:49:28] WE ASK YOU TO BE OPEN-MINDED TO OTHER
[9:49:29] ALTERNATIVES THAT
[9:49:30] PARKS HAS DISMISSED OUT OF HAND. IF
[9:49:31] PARKS WANTS FOOD TRUCKS AND PORT-A-POTTIES AND
[9:49:32] GAMES AND TOYS NEAR THE
[9:49:34] TRAIL, THEY CAN FIND OTHER LOCATIONS
[9:49:35] THAT DO NOT COMPROMISE OUR SAFETY. LIKE NEIL
[9:49:36] POTTER PARKS, FOR EXAMPLE. YOU SHOULD
[9:49:38] ALSO CONSIDER A WALKING, BIKING BRIDGE ACROSS
[9:49:47] LITTLE
[9:49:49] FALLS PARKWAY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY
[9:49:50] SOME BIKERS ARE LOBBYING FOR THE MOST DANGEROUS
[9:49:51] TRAIL CROSSING IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
[9:49:53] THEY SHOULD WANT A BRIDGE AND PARKS SHOULD DO PROPER
[9:49:55] DUE DILIGENCE ON THAT SOLUTION. TO
[9:49:56] CONCLUDE, WE ARE LOOKING TO THE PLANNING BOARD
[9:49:58] TO REJECT PARKS HIS PROPOSAL AND RETURN
[9:49:59] TO THE PARKWAY TO THE PARKWAY TO
[9:50:02] THE CONFIGURATION
[9:50:05] WHICH IS
[9:50:06] THE SAFEST CONFIGURATION THE PARKWAY'S
[9:50:08] EVER HAD. THANK YOU. >> THANK
[9:50:11] YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. HOLLY?
[9:50:14] >> YES, THANK YOU.
[9:50:20] MY NAME
[9:50:22] IS DR. HOLLY. I LIVE ONE BLOCK FROM
[9:50:23] THE INTERSECTION OF LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[9:50:25] AND RIVER ROAD AND I FULLY SUPPORT
[9:50:26] THE
[9:50:29] LINEAR PARK
[9:50:30] AND PILOT PROJECT. THE LINEAR PARK
[9:50:32] IS A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE LOCATION FOR KIDS TO LEARN
[9:50:34] TO RIDE BIKES GIVEN THE ABSENCE OF
[9:50:42] SIDEWALKS OR PROTECTED BIKE
[9:50:43] LANES ANYWHERE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FROM
[9:50:44] MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE TO DORSET AVENUE.
[9:50:45] THE CAPITAL CRESCENT
[9:50:46] TRAIL IS AT OR ABOVE CAPACITY AND
[9:50:47] NOT A SAFE ACCESS ROAD FOR YOUNG KIDS
[9:50:49] TO LEARN TO RIDE. MY 5 YOUR LEARN
[9:50:51] TO RIDE HIS BIKE DUE TO
[9:50:52] THE OPEN PARKWAYS PROGRAM AND MY TWO-YEAR-OLD
[9:50:54] CONTINUES TO
[9:50:57] USE THE LINEAR PARK TO LEARN
[9:50:58] TO RIDE HIS BIKE. ON THE 12th OF NOVEMBER
[9:51:00] 2022 MY TODDLERS JOINED 15
[9:51:03] CHILDREN FOR A PRACTICE SECTION
[9:51:05] AT THE LINEAR PARK TO LEARN HOW TO
[9:51:06] WRITE A PEDAL BIKE.
[9:51:07] IT WAS A PERFECT PITCH FOR THEM TO
[9:51:08] GAIN THE CONFIDENCE THEY NEEDED AND
[9:51:09] THE
[9:51:10] SAFETY OF PROTECTIVE LANES. I ASK
[9:51:12] THAT THE PLANNING BOARD
[9:51:15] PLEASE MAKE THE LINEAR PARK PERMANENT SO
[9:51:16] I MAY BRING MY TWO-YEAR-OLD AND FRIENDS
[9:51:18] FROM NEAR AND FAR TO TEACH ALL
[9:51:19] OF OUR CHILDREN HOW TO RIDE PEDAL
[9:51:20] BIKES. SEVERAL NEIGHBORS AND I RODE
[9:51:27] AND SIGNED A JOINT LETTER WHICH
[9:51:28] WE SUBMITTED TO THE PLANNING BOARD
[9:51:29] THIS PAST TUESDAY. WE APPLAUD THE
[9:51:30] PARK DEPARTMENT
[9:51:31] DATA-DRIVEN EVIDENCE BASED APPROACH
[9:51:42] . IT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS,
[9:51:44] AND DRIVERS ALIKE TO INCREASE ACCESS BY
[9:51:45] FOOT AND BIKE IN A
[9:51:47] SAFE AND EFFICIENT WAY SO AS TO REDUCE TRAFFIC
[9:51:48] VOLUME AND INCREASED
[9:51:51] TRAFFIC FLOW.
[9:51:56] THE LINEAR PARK PREVENTS HUMAN ERROR
[9:51:57] FROM RESULTING IN
[9:51:58] PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE FATALITIES
[9:51:59] THROUGH ITS AFFORDABLE PROTECTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE
[9:52:00] IMPROVEMENTS, GOOD TRAFFIC FLOW, AND
[9:52:01] I WILL RESTATE, LESS THAN FOUR MINUTES,
[9:52:03] HIGH PEDESTRIAN USE WOULD INCREASE MORE
[9:52:04] INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS
[9:52:05] PROTECTED SIDE PATHS OR LANES WITH
[9:52:06] FLEX POSTS TO EXTEND
[9:52:09] PEDESTRIAN CYCLISTS ACTIVIST
[9:52:12] FROM THE LINEAR PARK TO
[9:52:15] MASS AVENUE. IT BREAKS MY HEART
[9:52:18] WHEN MY KID
[9:52:21] ASKED ME TO RIDE THE BIKE TO THE POOL
[9:52:24] . MY
[9:52:26] TWO TODDLERS AND I WERE WEEKLY USERS
[9:52:27] OF
[9:52:30] THE PANDEMIC
[9:52:35] ALMOST EVERY WEEKEND AND AT LEAST
[9:52:36] EVERY OTHER WEEKEND
[9:52:37] DURING COLDER MONTHS. WITHOUT A PROTECTED
[9:52:39] LANE FROM MASS AVENUE TO DORSETT AVENUE ACCESS
[9:52:41] TO LINEAR PARK IS NOT SAFE ENOUGH
[9:52:51] TO ALLOW THEM TO WRITE ALONG THE
[9:52:52] PARKWAY. RATHER, EITHER DRIVE AND PARK
[9:52:54] AT THE BETHESDA POOL OR RIDE
[9:52:55] MY BIKE ALONG THE PARKWAY WITH MY
[9:52:56] TODDLERS AND THEIR BIKES IN TOW IN
[9:52:57] MY BIKE TRAILER.
[9:52:58] WITHOUT A PROTECTED BIKE LANE, ONE
[9:53:00] OF THOSE WHO SIGNED OUR LETTER SURVIVED
[9:53:03] A PARKWAY
[9:53:06] HIT AND RUN AND WAS
[9:53:07] LEFT UNCONSCIOUS ON THE GROUND. THIS
[9:53:09] WAS PRIOR TO THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION. THE
[9:53:10] PARKS DEPARTMENT REPORTS NO ACCIDENTS
[9:53:12] AT THE CAPITAL CRESCENT
[9:53:13] CROSSING SINCE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
[9:53:14] WERE MADE. CURRENT USE IS SUBSTANTIAL
[9:53:15] AND WOULD ONLY
[9:53:16] INCREASE OR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT NEEDS
[9:53:18] TO INSTALL FLEX POSTS AND WE NEED THE
[9:53:20] PLANNING BOARD TO PLEASE APPROVE THIS
[9:53:21] CONFIGURATION SO THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE
[9:53:23] THAT GOAL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU
[9:53:24] FOR YOUR
[9:53:27] WELL-TIMED TESTIMONY.
[9:53:30] MR. CARL BECKER?
[9:53:39] SUMNER CIVIC ASSOCIATION, YOU FIVE MINUTES. >> CAN
[9:53:40] I GET THE COMPUTER SCREEN APPEAR?
[9:53:42] >> IT IS UP ON OURS.
[9:53:45] >> YES. >> OKAY.
[9:53:50] CARL BECKER. I LIVED A FEW HOUSES
[9:53:51] FROM THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL AND
[9:53:54] I BOUGHT OUR HOUSE THERE BECAUSE WE
[9:53:57] USE THE PARKS EVERY DAY.
[9:54:00] THE CURRENT TRAIL CROSSING
[9:54:03] IS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS THAN IT
[9:54:05] WAS JUST SIX MONTHS AGO BECAUSE THE MULTI-
[9:54:06] LANE THREAT
[9:54:09] HAS BEEN REINTRODUCED
[9:54:12] AND THIS IS
[9:54:13] A CRITICAL COMPONENT THAT HAS NOT
[9:54:15] BEEN DISCUSSED YET TODAY.
[9:54:18] WHEN
[9:54:19] THE UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT HAPPENED
[9:54:21] IN 2016 WHEN THE PEDESTRIAN ,
[9:54:23] I'M SORRY, WHEN THE BICYCLIST WAS KILLED,
[9:54:24] HE
[9:54:26] WAS CROSSING FOUR LANES OF ROADWAY,
[9:54:27] TO AND THEN TWO MORE.
[9:54:33] THE ROAD
[9:54:34] I WAS IMPLEMENTED AND IT WAS TOUTED
[9:54:36] AS MAKING THE CRUSH AND
[9:54:41] VISION ZERO COMPLIANT AND THAT WAS A
[9:54:42] BIG DEAL, A MULTI-LANE THREAT
[9:54:45] WAS ELIMINATED
[9:54:51] AND I HAVE A LOT OF
[9:54:53] HISTORICAL CONTEXT" IN MY 25 PAGE POWERPOINT
[9:54:54] PRESENTATION. I'M NOT GOING TO COVER ALL OF
[9:54:56] IT HERE BUT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO MEET
[9:54:57] WITH YOU ALL AND DISCUSS LATER.
[9:54:59] THIS IS A SCREENSHOT OF THE ROAD DIET.
[9:55:00] YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE
[9:55:03] TWO LANES
[9:55:06] AT THE TRAIL CROSSING AND THEN IT WIDENED
[9:55:08] BACK TO FOUR LANES SOUTH OF HILLANDALE
[9:55:09] ROAD AND THEN TWO SIX LANES. NOW WE
[9:55:12] GO FROM TWO LANES TO SIX LANES
[9:55:15] AT RIVER
[9:55:17] ROAD JUST A HALF MILE SOUTH OF HERE.
[9:55:18] IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE. THIS
[9:55:20] IS THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION , YOU
[9:55:21] WILL SEE HERE ON THE
[9:55:24] RIGHT SIDE
[9:55:27] , CURRENTLY WE HAVE ONLY TWO LANES FROM HILLANDALE
[9:55:30] ROAD TO DORSET AVENUE.
[9:55:39] IN THE DESIGN THAT WAS CIRCULATED IN 2019, ALTERNATIVES A
[9:55:41] AND B, THERE WERE FOUR LANES THERE.
[9:55:42] WE CURRENTLY HAVE A DESIGN THAT
[9:55:43] WAS NEVER EVEN ENGINEERED OR THOUGHT
[9:55:45] ABOUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO YET IT HAS
[9:55:48] HAPPENED ANYWAY. COMPARED TO THE ROAD DIET THE
[9:55:51] CURRENT CONFIGURATION FORCES THE TRAIL USER
[9:56:01] TO CROSS THE FOUR LANES
[9:56:02] AT ONCE INSTEAD OF JUST SIX MONTHS
[9:56:03] AGO HAVING TO CROSS ONLY ONE LANE
[9:56:04] AT A TIME.
[9:56:05] NOW YOU HAVE TO LOOK BOTH WAYS WHILE
[9:56:06] YOU ARE CROSSING INSTEAD OF LOOKING
[9:56:07] JUST
[9:56:08] ONE WAY AND YOU CAN NO LONGER STOP
[9:56:10] IN A PROTECTED MEDIAN
[9:56:13] OR REFUGEE
[9:56:14] ISLAND. I'VE A LOT OF DATA IN HERE
[9:56:15] FROM FEDERAL ORGANIZATIONS TALKING
[9:56:16] ABOUT
[9:56:19] WHY IT WAS SAFER BEFORE.
[9:56:28] ANDREW AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT A MONTH AGO
[9:56:30] HE SAID, OH, WOW, THAT'S A MULTILANE THREAT WE
[9:56:31] HAVE NOW.
[9:56:32] I HAD NOT HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE BUT
[9:56:33] APPARENTLY USERS ARE ROUTINELY FACING
[9:56:34] MULTILANE FRETS
[9:56:37] NOW BECAUSE
[9:56:47] OF THE BACKUPS. NOT JUST THE NORTHBOUND
[9:56:49] BACKUP WHICH WILL BE SOFTENED WHEN THE RIGHT TURN LANE
[9:56:51] IS REINTRODUCED BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOUTHBOUND
[9:56:52] BACKUPS. WE HAVE ABOUT 30
[9:56:53] MINUTES OF CONSOLIDATED YOUTUBE VIDEOS
[9:56:54] HERE, I SPENT OVER 15 HOURS ON SITE
[9:56:55] DOCUMENTING THIS, RECORDING VIDEOS, I'VE CONSOLIDATED
[9:56:57] AS MUCH AS I COULD. IT TOOK ME 45
[9:56:58] MINUTES
[9:56:59] TO GO THROUGH TWO MINUTE VIDEO. WE
[9:57:01] WILL JUMP INTO THE 1A
[9:57:04] VIDEOS HERE.
[9:57:05] YOU WILL SEE THIS BICYCLIST RUNNING THE
[9:57:07] STOP SIGN, RUNNING THE STOP SIGN
[9:57:10] IS A RECURRING OFFENSE.
[9:57:11] HE WAS UPSET THAT THIS VEHICLE GOT
[9:57:13] SO CLOSE TO HIM. THE
[9:57:14] VEHICLE IS 30 FEET PAST THE STOPPING MARK.
[9:57:34] HERE'S A MULTILANE THREAT.
[9:57:35] HERE'S ANOTHER ONE. THE JEEP IS ACCELERATING
[9:57:36] AT THE BICYCLIST STOPPED HALFWAY THROUGH
[9:57:37] THE ROAD. THEY ALMOST
[9:57:38] HAD A COLLISION. I'VE WITNESSED SEVERAL
[9:57:39] OTHER COLLISIONS HERE. HERE'S A RUNNER.
[9:57:40] THIS IS A
[9:57:41] MULTILANE THREAT, RUNNING BEHIND A
[9:57:42] STOPPED VEHICLE, THE VAN, THAT TRUCK
[9:57:43] SHOULDN'T EVEN BE
[9:57:44] ON THE ROAD. LOOK HOW CLOSE HIS BIKER
[9:57:46] GETS, HALFWAY INTO THE ROAD. THIS
[9:57:47] VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD.
[9:57:49] I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP THE
[9:57:50] WHOLE TIME LOOKING AT THIS BUT I'VE
[9:57:51] GOT TONS OF THIS. IT'S EASILY DOCUMENTED
[9:57:52] THAT
[9:57:53] THE CROSSING IS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS
[9:57:54] NOW. I HAVE ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF VIDEO
[9:57:55] SHOWING BICYCLIST
[9:57:58] RUNNING THE STOP SIGN
[9:58:01] INSISTENTLY. THERE IS
[9:58:02] ANOTHER PICTURE OF A CYCLIST RUNNING
[9:58:03] THE STOP SIGN. THIS IS A DANGEROUS
[9:58:04] COMPONENT
[9:58:05] TO THIS DESIGN BECAUSE THE BICYCLIST
[9:58:07] WHEN THEY ARE HEADING SOUTH ON
[9:58:08] THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL THEY MAKE A
[9:58:09] QUICK TURN TO THE LEFT WHERE FOR 50
[9:58:10] FEET OR
[9:58:11] SO THEY ARE RUNNING PARALLEL TO CARS
[9:58:13] TRAVELING SOUTH ON
[9:58:16] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY. IF YOU CAN IMAGINE
[9:58:17] YOUR VEHICLE DRIVING SOUTH AND GOT
[9:58:19] A BICYCLE TO YOUR LEFT
[9:58:28] WAS ALSO DRIVING SOUTH AND ALL
[9:58:30] OF A SUDDEN THAT BICYCLE MAKES A REALLY QUICK
[9:58:31] 90 DEGREE TURN GOING 15 MILES AN HOUR
[9:58:33] ALL'S ON THE VEHICLE IS STOPPING RIGHT AT
[9:58:34] THE TRAIL CROSSING JUST AS
[9:58:35] THE BICYCLE IS. IS A TERRIBLE DESIGN.
[9:58:36] PREVIOUSLY, THE SOUTHBOUND VEHICLE
[9:58:37] LANE WAS ABOUT 30 FEET
[9:58:40] SOUTH OF THERE
[9:58:46] AND HE GAVE THE BICYCLIST MORE VISIBILITY
[9:58:48] TO THE CAR AND HE GAVE THE CAR MORE VISIBILITY
[9:58:49] TO THE BICYCLIST. YOU DISTANCE AND
[9:58:50] YOU HAVE TIME YOU HAVE MORE SAFETY.
[9:58:52] WE HAVE TAKEN ALL OF THAT AWAY WITH
[9:58:55] THIS CURRENT CONFIGURATION.
[9:59:03] AM UP? >> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS
[9:59:04] UP. >> I COULD TALK
[9:59:05] FOR TWO MORE HOURS. I DIDN'T GET THERE
[9:59:07] ANY MY SIDES. HOPEFULLY ALL OF THE TIME TO
[9:59:09] GO TO THE REST OF THESE. MAYBE WE
[9:59:10] CAN MEET LATER. >> THANK YOU.
[9:59:11] >> I SUBMITTED IT TO THE RECORD AS
[9:59:13] WELL. >> AND DAVID CATHERINE, -->>
[9:59:16] DAVID. I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT TO GO FROM
[9:59:19] FOUR LANES TO TWO LANES . MY
[9:59:21] HOUSE IS A FEW YARDS FROM THE INTERSECTION
[9:59:23] OF DORSET AVENUE AND LITTLE FALLS
[9:59:25] PARKWAY
[9:59:27] IN THE TOWN OF SOMERSET. I HAVE A
[9:59:28] FRONT ROW
[9:59:29] SEAT FROM MY HOUSE ON DORSET AVENUE
[9:59:31] TO OBSERVE TRAFFIC ON
[9:59:34] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY AND ON
[9:59:35] DORSET AVENUE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC,
[9:59:36] DURING THE PANDEMIC CLOSURES, AND
[9:59:37] DURING THE CURRENT
[9:59:40] ROAD DIET.
[9:59:42] PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, TRAFFIC ON LITTLE
[9:59:43] FALLS PARKWAY FLOWED
[9:59:45] SMOOTHLY BUT AT HIGH SPEEDS AND DORSET
[9:59:46] AVENUE HAD ITS USUAL HIGH-LEVEL OF CRUST
[9:59:49] OR TRAFFIC.
[9:59:52] UNDER THE CURRENT ROAD DIET, I
[9:59:54] HAVE NOT OBSERVED ANY CHANGE OR INCREASE IN
[9:59:55] TRAFFIC ON LITTLE FALLS
[9:59:58] PARKWAY
[10:00:01] OR DORSET AVENUE FROM
[10:00:02] PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. NOR HAVE I WITNESSED
[10:00:04] ANY INCREASE TRAFFIC OR TRAFFIC TIEUPS ON LITTLE FALLS
[10:00:05] PARKWAY. TRAFFIC DATA PRESENTED BY
[10:00:07] PARKS
[10:00:08] SUPPORTS AND CONFIRMS MY OBSERVATIONS
[10:00:10] ABOUT TRAFFIC. THE CURRENT
[10:00:13] TWO LANE CONFIGURATION
[10:00:16] A
[10:00:17] SAFER AUTOMOBILES, PEDESTRIANS, AND
[10:00:18] BICYCLES. THE AVERAGE SPEED OF AUTOMOBILE
[10:00:19] TRAFFIC IS
[10:00:27] LOWER. LATE-NIGHT DRAG RACES ARE THING
[10:00:28] OF THE PAST. TRAFFIC FLOW SMOOTHLY, AT
[10:00:30] LEAST AT THE SAME LEVEL THAT IT DID
[10:00:31] PRE-PANDEMIC. I USE LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[10:00:34] BY CAR MANY TIMES A WEEK TO GET TO BETHESDA AND
[10:00:36] POINTS NORTH AND I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY
[10:00:37] DELAYS OR TRAFFIC.
[10:00:40] A TWO LANE ROAD
[10:00:42] IS EASIER TO CROSS AS A PEDESTRIAN
[10:00:43] OR CYCLIST THAN THE CLOSE SECTION OF
[10:00:46] THE PARKWAY
[10:00:51] AND IT PROVIDES A SAFE SPACE FOR PEDESTRIANS AND
[10:00:52] BICYCLISTS. UNLIKE PREVIOUS TESTIMONY, I
[10:00:54] WALK AND BIKE AT THE CLOSE SECTION
[10:00:55] OF THE PARK WEIGHT FREQUENTLY
[10:00:57] AND I SEE OTHER FOLKS ON THAT ALSO.
[10:00:58] IN REGARDS
[10:01:01] TO THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL
[10:01:04] AT LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY, I USES CROSSING
[10:01:07] FREQUENTLY. I FOOT AND BY
[10:01:09] BICYCLE AND I HAVE NEVER FELT UNSAFE.
[10:01:16] I BELIEVE THE TWO LANE
[10:01:17] CONFIGURATION FROM THE CROSSING IS
[10:01:19] SAFER BECAUSE TRAIL USERS CAN SEE BOTH LANES OF TRAFFIC
[10:01:21] AT THE SAME TIME PLUS DRIVERS HAVE A
[10:01:22] VISUAL CLUE THAT THEY NEED TO
[10:01:24] STOP IF THE OTHER LANE IS STOP FOR
[10:01:25] TRAIL USER.
[10:01:28] MY SUPPORT OF THE
[10:01:29] CURRENT CONFIGURATION IS SIGNIFICANT
[10:01:30] BECAUSE I TESTIFIED BEFORE THE PLANNING
[10:01:31] BOARD IN THE PAST
[10:01:33] ARGUING FOR A SHIFT OF THE CAPITAL
[10:01:34] CRESCENT TRAIL TO A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION
[10:01:37] AT ARLINGTON ROAD BECAUSE OF MY SAFETY CONCERNS.
[10:01:40] I STILL SUPPORT A SHIFT
[10:01:46] TO THAT INTERSECTION AND NOW BELIEVE THE TWO
[10:01:47] LANE CONFIGURATION IS SUFFICIENTLY
[10:01:48] SAFE. PARKS DATA SHOWS LOWER AVERAGE
[10:01:49] SPEED AND NO ACCIDENTS THE CROSSING FOR
[10:01:51] THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. I'M FULLY
[10:01:52] IN SUPPORT OF THE ADDITION
[10:01:54] OF NEW GREEN SPACES THAT WILL BE CREATED
[10:01:55] AND THE NEXT PHASE OF
[10:01:57] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY. WE LIVE IN A
[10:01:58] DEEPLY DENSE PART OF MONTGOMERY
[10:02:01] COUNTY AND WE NEED TO
[10:02:04] REMOVE IMPERVIOUS SERVICES. I
[10:02:06] URGE IN THE NEXT PHASE OF LITTLE FALLS
[10:02:08] PARKWAY WE WILL
[10:02:11] REMOVE
[10:02:14] WHICH WILL HELP LITTLE
[10:02:17] FALLS WATERSHED
[10:02:19] WHICH WILL HELP THE RIVER IN THE CHESAPEAKE
[10:02:20] BAY. >>
[10:02:21] THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[10:02:23] THAT CONCLUDES THIS PANEL.
[10:02:26] CAN I HAVE LEANNE, JOHN,
[10:02:29] MALCOLM,
[10:02:32] DAVID FOREMAN,
[10:02:35] AND CHARLOTTE STEWART.
[10:02:47] MISS
[10:02:50] TOBIAS GETS FIVE MINUTES.
[10:02:59] >> I'M LEANNE TOBIAS,
[10:03:02] BOARD MEMBER OF THE SPRINGFIELD
[10:03:05] CIVIC ASSOCIATION WHICH REPRESENTS
[10:03:08] OVER 650 FAMILIES
[10:03:09] IN SPRINGFIELD, BETHESDA. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
[10:03:11] IS ALSO HOME
[10:03:14] TO THE NEW DEVELOPMENT.
[10:03:17] SCA SUPPORTS ADDITIONAL
[10:03:18] SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS FOR CAPITAL CRESCENT
[10:03:20] TRAIL
[10:03:23] AS IT CROSSES LITTLE FALLS
[10:03:26] PARKWAY HOWEVER, WE ALSO ASK
[10:03:28] THAT LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY BE IMMEDIATELY
[10:03:29] RESTORED TO
[10:03:31] TWO LANES WITH THE CENTRAL MEDIAN.
[10:03:35] LONGER-TERM, WE SUPPORT REINSTATING
[10:03:37] FOUR LANES BETWEEN HILLANDALE ROAD
[10:03:38] AND
[10:03:41] DORSET AVENUE.
[10:03:43] WE TAKE THIS POSITION BECAUSE LITTLE
[10:03:44] FALLS PARKWAY
[10:03:46] IS HEAVILY USED BY OUR COMMUNITY.
[10:03:52] IT IS SPRINGFIELD'S MAJOR EAST, WEST ROAD
[10:03:53] CONNECTION
[10:03:54] TO DOWNTOWN BETHESDA. OUR POSITION
[10:03:56] WAS DEVELOPED WITH THE HELP
[10:03:58] OF A NEW COMMUNITY SURVEY, UNLIKE
[10:04:02] PARKS WHICH YOU HAD TO SYSTEMATICALLY
[10:04:05] CONSULT AFFECTED NEIGHBORHOODS.
[10:04:09] THE 631 PERSON SURVEY INCLUDES RESIDENCE
[10:04:11] FROM SIX NEIGHBORHOODS
[10:04:13] SURROUNDING LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY ,
[10:04:14] INCLUDING SPRINGFIELD.
[10:04:17] ALMOST 80%
[10:04:20] OF RESPONDENTS OPPOSE
[10:04:23] THE CURRENT
[10:04:25] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY CONFIGURATION IN
[10:04:26] THE PERMANENT LANE CLOSURES.
[10:04:29] SOME 84% BELIEVE THAT MONTGOMERY PARKS
[10:04:32] HAS NOT ADEQUATELY CONSULTED
[10:04:35] WITH RESIDENTS , UNDER 20%
[10:04:38] SUPPORT THE LINEAR PARK.
[10:04:40] THE SURVEY RESULTS ARE ACCURATE. WITHIN
[10:04:41] THREE
[10:04:44] PERCENTAGE POINT
[10:04:47] WITH A 95% LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE.
[10:04:50] SCA OPPOSES THE
[10:04:52] PARKS PROPOSAL FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. THE
[10:04:53] CURRENT CONFIGURATION
[10:04:56] OF LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY IS
[10:04:59] UNSAFE. THERE IS NOWHERE TO
[10:05:01] PULL OVER FOR EMERGENCIES. THE PUBLIC RECORD
[10:05:02] INCLUDES THE
[10:05:05] HERRING ACCOUNT OF A HEAD INJURY VICTIM
[10:05:07] WHOSE AMBULANCE WAS DELAYED MULTIPLE TIMES
[10:05:11] ON LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[10:05:13] BECAUSE TRAFFIC COULD NOT PULL OVER.
[10:05:14] THE
[10:05:17] NEW CONFIGURATION
[10:05:18] MAKES LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY DIFFICULT
[10:05:20] TO NAVIGATE SAFELY .
[10:05:26] MONTGOMERY COUNTY FIRE CHIEF ADAM
[10:05:27] JONES WARNS OF CONSTANTLY CHANGING
[10:05:29] BLIND SPOTS
[10:05:31] THAT AFFECT MOTORISTS, CYCLIST, AND PEDESTRIANS.
[10:05:35] WE ASK THAT THE PLANNING BOARD REVIEW THE
[10:05:37] MENDING LETTERS IN THE RECORD REPORTING COLLISIONS.
[10:05:41] SECOND, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
[10:05:44] THE ACCURACY
[10:05:45] OF THE TRAFFIC ANALYSIS AND URGENT
[10:05:47] ADDITIONAL STUDIES.
[10:05:49] THE PARKS ANALYSIS APPEARS INCONSISTENT
[10:05:52] WITH STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION DATA
[10:05:53] FOR LITTLE FALLS
[10:05:56] PARKWAY , RELIES HEAVILY ON
[10:05:59] PANDEMIC ERA TRAFFIC DATA, AND ADDRESSES
[10:06:02] NEITHER EMERGING POST-PANDEMIC TRAFFIC PATTERNS
[10:06:05] NOR THE
[10:06:08] 8.5 MILLION SQUARE FEET
[10:06:11] OF DEVELOPMENT PENDING IN DOWNTOWN
[10:06:14] BETHESDA , FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS
[10:06:17] AND WEST BARD.
[10:06:23] 3 MILLION SQUARE
[10:06:26] FEET ZONED.
[10:06:29] FIVE 2050 HAS DESIGNATED
[10:06:31] LOWER RIVER ROAD FROM THE D.C. LINE
[10:06:32] TO THE BELTWAY AS A
[10:06:34] GROWTH CORRIDOR WHICH WILL ADD ADDITIONAL
[10:06:35] DENSE DEVELOPMENT IN
[10:06:38] THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF LITTLE
[10:06:41] FALLS PARKWAY.
[10:06:44] CUTTING LITTLE FALLS
[10:06:45] PARKWAY TO FOUR TO TWO LANES UNDER
[10:06:47] THESE CONDITIONS WILL INCREASE CONGESTION
[10:06:50] ON WISCONSIN AVENUE, RIVER ROAD, AND OTHER MAJOR
[10:06:53] ARTERIES. ENCOURAGE CONSUMERS
[10:06:55] TO SHOP IN D.C. AVOIDING BETHESDA
[10:06:56] AND
[10:06:58] INCREASE NEIGHBORHOOD CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC.
[10:07:01] I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS WHAT
[10:07:02] I
[10:07:05] BELIEVE IS A MISPERCEPTION
[10:07:08] CREATED IN THE TESTIMONY TODAY BY PARKS.
[10:07:11] WEST BARD AND SPRINGFIELD ARE
[10:07:14] IN FACT HEAVILY AUTO DEPENDING,
[10:07:17] ROUGHLY 70% OF OUR RESIDENTS
[10:07:20] UTILIZE AUTOS FOR DAILY ERRANDS AND
[10:07:23] FOR COMMUTING TO AND FROM WORK. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
[10:07:26] IS 2.2 MILES FROM THE FRIENDSHIP
[10:07:29] HEIGHTS METRO AND 3.3 MILES
[10:07:32] FROM THE BETHESDA METRO CENTER,
[10:07:35] SEPARATED FROM THOSE METRO
[10:07:38] STATIONS BY MAJOR ROADWAYS.
[10:07:41] OUR AREA IS SERVED BY ONE BUS LINE THAT
[10:07:44] RUNS 30
[10:07:46] TO 45 MINUTE INTERVALS DURING WEEKDAY RUSH
[10:07:47] HOURS ONLY. IN
[10:07:50] OTHER WORDS, LESS FREQUENTLY
[10:07:53] OUTSIDE WEEKDAY RUSH
[10:07:56] HOURS. FINALLY,
[10:07:59] THE 2016 WEST BARD SECTOR PLAN
[10:08:01] RECOMMENDED A SHUTTLE BUS TO METRO
[10:08:03] BUT THAT IS NO LONGER
[10:08:06] BEING OFFERED. >>
[10:08:08] THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY.
[10:08:12] JON STEWART?
[10:08:15] >> YES, THANK YOU.
[10:08:18] MY NAME IS JON STEWART. I LIVE
[10:08:21] ON DORSET
[10:08:23] UP THE HILL FROM DAVID. I HAVE LIVED WITHIN
[10:08:24] A LONG
[10:08:25] BLOCK OF LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY FOR
[10:08:27] MORE THAN 40 YEARS. I
[10:08:28] HAVE WALKED THE TRAILS, HAVE RIDDEN
[10:08:30] MY BIKE
[10:08:33] , ALTHOUGH, I WISH PARKS
[10:08:36] WOULD MAINTAIN LITTLE FALLS
[10:08:37] TRAIL A LITTLE BETTER BECAUSE IT IS HARD
[10:08:39] ON THE SEATS. I'VE TAUGHT MY
[10:08:42] OWN KIDS TO RIDE THEIR
[10:08:43] BIKES THERE AND THEY HAVE TAUGHT THEIR
[10:08:44] GRANDCHILDREN TO RIDE BIKES WITHOUT
[10:08:45] USING LITTLE FALLS
[10:08:48] PARKWAY. I'M NOT GOING TO
[10:08:51] READ WHAT I'VE WRITTEN BECAUSE
[10:08:53] A LOT OF IT HAS BEEN SAID BUT I WANT TO
[10:08:54] GO
[10:08:55] BACK TO WHAT JEFFREY SAID. THE WAY
[10:08:57] THIS QUESTION AROSE
[10:08:58] IS THAT PARKS UNILATERALLY DECIDED
[10:09:00] TO CLOSE THE ROADWAY
[10:09:03] AND THEN IT BRINGS
[10:09:05] THIS QUESTION TO YOU, THE PLANNING BOARD,
[10:09:12] ABOUT WHETHER, BASED ON THE DATA THAT
[10:09:13] IS COLLECTED, AND THERE IS A LOT OF
[10:09:15] DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER IT IS ACCURATE OR MEANINGFUL, WHETHER THE CLOSURE IS
[10:09:17] TOLERABLE. WHETHER IT IS SO BAD THAT
[10:09:18] YOU NEED TO CHANGE
[10:09:20] IT BACK. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AS A
[10:09:21] CITIZEN AND
[10:09:23] AS A TAXPAYER, THIS WAS A PLANNING QUESTION.
[10:09:28] SHOULD A ROADWAY THAT IS BEEN USED
[10:09:30] FOR DECADES
[10:09:36] , AND IS UNIQUE, IT IS AN ARTERY THAT
[10:09:37] IS FOUR LANES DIVIDED HIGHWAY THROUGH
[10:09:38] BEAUTIFUL PARKLAND, SHOULD IT BE CLOSED
[10:09:39] OR NOT GIVEN
[10:09:40] THE INTERESTS OF THE BROADER COMMUNITY?
[10:09:42] ESPECIALLY GIVEN
[10:09:44] THE COMING DEVELOPMENT. AND, SO, THE
[10:09:48] QUESTION --AND TO LEARN NOW THAT
[10:09:51] PARKS SAYS,
[10:09:57] THE REASON WE ASKED YOU FOR
[10:09:58] THIS IS BECAUSE OF A LINEAR PARK BUT
[10:10:00] WE ARE NOT GOING TO TELL YOU
[10:10:01] WHAT THAT IS. WE WANT YOU TO PERMANENTLY
[10:10:03] CHANGE THE ROADWAY SO THAT WE
[10:10:05] CAN TRY SOME THINGS OUT AND SEE WHETHER
[10:10:06] PEOPLE WILL LIKE A PARK. THERE OUGHT
[10:10:08] TO BE AN EVALUATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES
[10:10:09] OF THE REMOVAL OF
[10:10:12] THE ROADWAY
[10:10:14] VERSUS THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS SO THAT
[10:10:15] WE CAN
[10:10:16] DECIDE WHETHER IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST
[10:10:18] TO DO THIS.
[10:10:21] ON THE NEEDS SIDE, I FIND IT IRRATIONAL,
[10:10:24] EXTRAORDINARILY IRRATIONAL
[10:10:27] TO
[10:10:28] BUILD A THIRD A LINEAR PARK BETWEEN TWO
[10:10:30] LINEAR PARKS THAT WORK VERY WELL. THEY
[10:10:31] BOTH FIT THE DEFINITION OF LINEAR
[10:10:33] PARKS. AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ALL OF
[10:10:34] THE PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT THEY USE THAT
[10:10:36] AREA, WHY NOT?
[10:10:41] BUT THEY ARE NOT BEING ASKED OF THE
[10:10:42] QUESTION, ESPECIALLY IN THESE LETTERS
[10:10:45] THAT YOU HAVE PILES OF, WHY DIDN'T
[10:10:47] YOU USE THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL OR
[10:10:48] THE LITTLE FALLS TRAIL?
[10:11:00] YESTERDAY I SAW LOTS AND LOTS
[10:11:01] OF PEOPLE GOING DOWN CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL
[10:11:02] AND NOBODY TURNING DOWN THIS ROAD
[10:11:03] TO NOWHERE
[10:11:04] WHICH JUST CONNECTS WITH BOTH LITTLE
[10:11:05] FALLS TRAIL AND CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL
[10:11:06] AT THE
[10:11:07] TOP AND THE BOTTOM. THERE IS NO PURPOSE
[10:11:09] FOR IT.
[10:11:14] I WAS THE PERSON IN THE AMBULANCE
[10:11:15] ACTUALLY AND
[10:11:17] I HAD NEVER BEEN IN AN AMBULANCE BEFORE AND
[10:11:18] IT WAS SHOCKING TO ME THAT
[10:11:19] THE AMBULANCE CAME TO A STOP SEVERAL
[10:11:20] TIMES AFTER ZOOMING THROUGH OTHER
[10:11:21] PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY
[10:11:23] BECAUSE THERE IS NO PLACE TO TURN
[10:11:24] AND WE NEED A STUDY TO CONFIRM WHETHER
[10:11:25] THAT IS ADEQUATE. THANK YOU. >> THANK
[10:11:27] YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. SORRY YOU WERE IN
[10:11:30] AN AMBULANCE. MALCOLM? >>
[10:11:36] MY NAME
[10:11:37] IS MALCOLM. I'VE LIVED IN CHEVY CHASE
[10:11:39] FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND I THANK YOU
[10:11:40] FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY. WHEN
[10:11:42] I SPOKE WITH THE SPARC STAFF ABOUT THE PROPOSED CHANGES
[10:11:44] TO LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY I ASKED A
[10:11:45] QUESTION I ALWAYS ASK WHEN THE
[10:11:48] PROPOSALS PUT ON THE TABLE. WHAT IS
[10:11:50] A PROBLEM YOU ARE TRYING TO SOLVE?
[10:11:51] THEIR ANSWER WAS, THERE IS
[10:11:54] NO PROBLEM.
[10:11:59] I SAID, WELL, WHY ARE YOU PROPOSING
[10:12:00] THESE CHANGES? THEY
[10:12:01] SAID BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE WOULD LIKE
[10:12:02] TO SEE ADDITIONAL PARK AREAS. WELL,
[10:12:03] I'M A LOVER OF
[10:12:06] PARKS AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL
[10:12:09] THAT WE ARE ALREADY BLESSED WITH AN
[10:12:12] ABUNDANCE OF THEM IN OUR AREA. AND WE
[10:12:14] HAVE THE CRESCENT TRAIL. IT IS A TREASURE.
[10:12:18] I ENJOY IT ALMOST EVERY DAY.
[10:12:21] THE PROPOSAL TO ADD A VERY
[10:12:24] SHORT STRIP OF NARROW PARKLAND ALONG
[10:12:27] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY MAKES ABSOLUTELY
[10:12:30] NO SENSE.
[10:12:36] IT WOULD NOT MAKE A MATERIAL DIFFERENCE.
[10:12:41] DURING THE COVID SHUTDOWN, THE NUMBER OF
[10:12:42] PEOPLE WALKING IN THE PARKWAY
[10:12:45] WAS MINIMAL AND IT IS EVEN LESS TODAY AS POINTED OUT
[10:12:46] IN ANOTHER PRESENTATION. WHAT WOULD
[10:12:48] MAKE SENSE IS TO
[10:12:56] IMPROVE THE EXISTING LOVELY PARKLAND
[10:12:57] ALONG THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL AND THE
[10:12:58] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY BY DEVELOPING
[10:13:00] HIKING TRAILS AND PATHS AND ADDING SEATING IN
[10:13:02] SELECTED AREAS. INSTEAD OF SOLVING
[10:13:03] A NONEXISTENT PROBLEM,
[10:13:06] EXCUSE ME.
[10:13:09] THE PROPOSED CHANGES
[10:13:11] CREATE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THE TWO
[10:13:15] TRAFFIC LANES THAT ARE RUNNING CONTIGUOUS
[10:13:18] IS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS FOR THOSE CROSSING
[10:13:26] THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL AS POINTED
[10:13:27] OUT IN THE LETTERS SUBMITTED BY MR.
[10:13:29] JONES. ONE IS REQUIRED TO MAKE QUICK
[10:13:30] CHECKS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS BEFORE CROSSING
[10:13:32] AND ON TWO OCCASIONS I ALMOST STEPPED IN
[10:13:33] FRONT OF AN ONCOMING CAR. THE
[10:13:35] CROSSING ON DORSET AVENUE HAS A MEDIAN
[10:13:36] STRIP
[10:13:39] . RESTORING THE MEDIAN STRIP
[10:13:45] ON LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN SACRIFICING
[10:13:47] IT TO AN UNNECESSARY SLIVER OF PARKLAND.
[10:13:49] I LOVE PARKWAYS, THEY PROVIDE
[10:13:52] A WELCOME ESCAPE FOR MOTORISTS
[10:13:55] FROM WELCOME --
[10:13:59] FROM REGULAR ROADS. IT WAS THE CASE
[10:14:00] WITH LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY BEFORE THE
[10:14:02] ABOMINABLE MESS THAT HAS BEEN INFLICTED
[10:14:04] UPON IT. THE UGLY ORANGE
[10:14:07] AND WHITE
[10:14:09] BALUSTERS ARE AN ABSOLUTE EYESORE.
[10:14:10] THE PROPOSED CHANGES
[10:14:12] TO LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY HAVE ABSOLUTELY
[10:14:13] NO
[10:14:15] TANGIBLE BENEFITS. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST
[10:14:19] THAT THE BOARD REJECT
[10:14:21] THE STAFF PROPOSAL AND RESTORE LITTLE
[10:14:22] FALLS PARKWAY TO
[10:14:23] ITS FORMER, SAFER , AND MORE COMPATIBLE
[10:14:28] CONFIGURATION. THANK
[10:14:29] YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[10:14:31] DAVID
[10:14:34] FOREMAN REPRESENTING
[10:14:35] THE CITIZENS COORDINATING COMMUNITY
[10:14:37] ON FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS.
[10:14:40] IS YOUR MIC GONE?
[10:14:43] OH.
[10:14:46] THERE. OKAY. >>
[10:14:49] I'M THE CHAIR OF THE CITIZENS COORDINATING COMMUNITY
[10:14:52] ON FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS.
[10:14:55] >> GET CLOSER
[10:14:57] TO YOUR MIC. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU.
[10:15:01] >>
[10:15:04] I AM THE CHAIR OF THE CITIZENS
[10:15:07] COORDINATING COMMITTEE
[10:15:08] ON FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS. WE ARE A COALITION
[10:15:10] OF 19 ORGANIZATIONS
[10:15:12] FROM COMMUNITIES IN AND AROUND THE FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS AREA. REPRESENTING
[10:15:16] ABOUT 20,000 COUNTY RESIDENTS,
[10:15:19] OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IMMEDIATELY
[10:15:20] SURROUND LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY AND
[10:15:22] WE ARE THE PEOPLE
[10:15:25] MOST DIRECTLY
[10:15:30] DEPENDENT ON AND AFFECTED BY LITTLE
[10:15:31] FALLS PARKWAY. THEREFORE, THE PLANNING
[10:15:32] BOARDS SHOULD GIVE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION
[10:15:33] AND WEIGHT TO OUR VIEWS ON THE ISSUE.
[10:15:34] THERE
[10:15:35] IS WIDESPREAD OPPOSITION IN OUR COMMUNITIES
[10:15:38] TO THE CLOSING OF TWO LANES OF LITTLE
[10:15:40] FALLS PARKWAY.
[10:15:42] AND THE PLANNED LINEAR PARK. LITTLE
[10:15:43] FALLS
[10:15:46] PARKWAY
[10:15:47] IS THE UNIQUE MAJOR ARTERY BETWEEN
[10:15:49] OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA.
[10:15:52] WE
[10:15:53] TRAVEL LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY NOT OUT
[10:15:55] OF LAZINESS BUT OUT OF NEED ,
[10:15:58] WE MUST
[10:16:01] DRIVE LITTLE FALLS
[10:16:02] PARKWAY TO GO TO WORK, TO MEDICAL
[10:16:04] POINT IS, TO TAKE OUR
[10:16:05] CHILDREN TO PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE TO
[10:16:06] GO, AND ALSO TO GO TO RESTAURANTS
[10:16:07] AND
[10:16:08] SHOPPING IN BETHESDA IN POINTS NORTH.
[10:16:13] VALUABLE BUSINESS THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE GO
[10:16:16] TO D.C. OR VIRGINIA. LITTLE FALLS
[10:16:19] PARKWAY IS THE MAJOR
[10:16:24] ROUTE FROM THE LARGE TRAFFIC OF COMMUTERS
[10:16:25] COMING FROM
[10:16:28] D.C. AND VIRGINIA TO BETHESDA
[10:16:30] AND POINTS NORTH. THERE ARE NO CONVENIENT
[10:16:31] ALTERNATIVE ROUTES. THE
[10:16:34] CURRENT CONFIGURATION IS SUBSTANTIALLY
[10:16:36] LESS SAFE THAN THE FOUR-LANE PARKWAY
[10:16:40] THAT WAS ORIGINALLY THERE. IT
[10:16:43] IS OBVIOUS AND IS SUPPORTED BY
[10:16:45] OBJECTIVE DATA THAT A FOUR-LANE ROAD
[10:16:46] WITH A
[10:16:49] WIDE MEDIAN AND SHOULDERS
[10:16:51] TO PULL OFF ON IN AN EMERGENCY IS
[10:16:52] MUCH SAFER THAN
[10:16:55] A ROAD OF NARROW, OPPOSING SINGLE
[10:16:57] LANES WITH NO MEDIAN AND NO SHOULDER.
[10:17:01] IF THERE WAS
[10:17:04] NO PLAN TO REPURPOSE LANES
[10:17:07] TO BUILD A LINEAR PARK, THERE
[10:17:08] WOULD NOT BE ANY JUSTIFICATION WHATSOEVER
[10:17:12] FOR CONVERTING A BEAUTIFUL, WELL RUNNING,
[10:17:13] SAFE PARKWAY
[10:17:16] INTO A SMALL ROAD THAT
[10:17:19] , ALTHOUGH APPARENTLY ADEQUATE FOR CURRENT
[10:17:21] TRAFFIC VOLUME, IS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS SAFE
[10:17:25] , CONFUSING, AND UNCOMFORTABLE
[10:17:28] TO DRIVE.
[10:17:30] WE ARE OPPOSED TO THE LINEAR PARK THAT
[10:17:31] IS
[10:17:34] THE REASON FOR THE ROAD CONFIGURATION.
[10:17:37] I MUST EMPHASIZE
[10:17:40] THAT WE LOVE OUR PARKS. INDEED, LAST YEAR
[10:17:43] OUR ORGANIZATION
[10:17:46] WROTE
[10:17:47] THE COUNTY COUNCIL STRONGLY SUPPORTING TWO
[10:17:49] OTHER PARTS. WE JUST DON'T WANT THIS PARTICULAR PARK.
[10:17:51] THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY THIS SPECIFIC
[10:17:52] PARK IS A MISTAKE.
[10:17:55] IT IS NOT WANTED OR NEEDED
[10:17:58] , VERY FEW PEOPLE USE
[10:18:00] IT TODAY FOR BICYCLING OR WALKING,
[10:18:01] ALTHOUGH
[10:18:03] THOSE ACTIVITIES ARE QUITE FEASIBLE CURRENTLY.
[10:18:04] THIS IS
[10:18:07] NOT SURPRISING SINCE IT IS
[10:18:08] A SHORT, UNATTRACTIVE STRETCH OF ROAD
[10:18:10] THAT GOES NOWHERE NEXT TO
[10:18:13] A BUSY HIGHWAY WITH
[10:18:16] AMPLE, MUCH BETTER ALTERNATIVES.
[10:18:19] THERE ARE MUCH BETTER
[10:18:22] ALTERNATIVES. THE CAPITAL CRESCENT
[10:18:25] TRAIL
[10:18:27] PROVIDES WONDERFUL BICYCLING AND WALKING.
[10:18:28] THE 14 ACRE NORWOOD
[10:18:31] PARK PROVIDES A SPACIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL PARKLAND
[10:18:34] AND THERE ARE OTHER
[10:18:37] FINE PARKS AND TRAILS AS WELL.
[10:18:40] I EMPHASIZE THAT THESE
[10:18:42] ARE JUST NOT PARKS IN THE GENERAL AREA,
[10:18:43] THEY ARE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO LITTLE
[10:18:45] FALLS PARKWAY AND ARE MUCH BETTER ALTERNATIVES
[10:18:46] FOR
[10:18:49] EVERY USE.
[10:18:54] EVIDENCE OF THE FAILURE OF THE CLOSED
[10:18:55] LANES FOR THEIR ORIGINAL PURPOSE,
[10:18:58] BICYCLING AND WALKING, IS THAT PARKS APPEARS
[10:19:00] TO BE DESPERATELY TRYING TO FIND SOME
[10:19:01] OTHER WAY
[10:19:04] , ANY OTHER WAY, TO
[10:19:06] USE THE DESERTED LANES AS A PARK. PROPOSING
[10:19:10] GIANT CHESSMEN, CORN
[10:19:12] HOLE GAMES, FOOD TRUCKS, MUSICAL EVENTS ADJACENT
[10:19:13] TO A
[10:19:16] NOISY ROADWAY AND SO ON.
[10:19:19] SOME OF THESE IDEAS ARE
[10:19:22] ALMOST LUDICROUS. THEY ARE OUT OF TOUCH
[10:19:27] WITH THE PHYSICAL LOCATION, THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS,
[10:19:28] THE LACK
[10:19:31] OF PARKING, AND THE LACK OF
[10:19:34] ENTHUSIASM FOR SUCH ACTIVITIES. WE URGE YOU TO
[10:19:37] SCRAP THE PILOT AND THEREFORE RETURN
[10:19:40] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY TO IT'S A LITERAL STAY.
[10:19:49] APART THAT
[10:19:51] THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOES NOT NEED OR
[10:19:52] WANT SHOULD NOT JUSTIFY MAKING A VITAL, ESSENTIAL
[10:19:53] ROADWAY UNSAFE, INCONVENIENT FOR THE
[10:19:54] MANY RESIDENTS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
[10:19:55] WHO NEED TO TRAVEL ON
[10:19:57] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY. >> THANK YOU
[10:19:58] FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[10:20:01] MY SYMPATHIES
[10:20:04] FOR THE LOSS WHO I WORKED WITH FOR
[10:20:07] MANY YEARS. CHARLOTTE STEWART IS NOT HERE?
[10:20:11] NO. OKAY.
[10:20:14] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[10:20:20] PETE ,
[10:20:23] JOHN NICHOLSON,
[10:20:26] ALLISON, PHILIP,
[10:20:29] AND STEPHEN SCHAPIRO
[10:20:32] .
[10:20:35] I'M SORRY.
[10:20:38] JOHN NICHOLSON IS ON TEAMS.
[10:20:44] I THINK NEIL CAN ALSO COME UP.
[10:21:02] >>
[10:21:08] THANKS.
[10:21:15] I'M PRESIDENT OF THE KENWOOD CITIZENS
[10:21:16] ASSOCIATION. WE HAVE 290 HOMES IN
[10:21:17] A NEIGHBORHOOD
[10:21:18] THAT IS ADJACENT TO LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY.
[10:21:20] WE RIDE BIKES AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD,
[10:21:21] KENWOOD, WE USE THE CAPITAL CRESCENT
[10:21:23] TRAIL ,
[10:21:28] MY WIFE GREW UP IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
[10:21:29] SHE RODE
[10:21:31] BIKES AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I RAISED
[10:21:34] MY CHILDREN THERE, THEY RODE BIKES THERE
[10:21:35] AND ON
[10:21:37] THE TRAIL. AND NOW I AM TEACHING MY
[10:21:38] GRANDCHILDREN TO
[10:21:40] RIDE BIKES. WE LOVE BIKES. WE USE
[10:21:41] THE CAPITAL
[10:21:44] CRESCENT TRAIL. WE ARE VERY MUCH AGAINST
[10:21:47] THIS PILOT
[10:21:49] PROJECT, THE ROAD DIED, THE LINEAR PARK.
[10:21:50] I TALKED
[10:21:53] TO NEIGHBORS, WHO ASKED ME,
[10:21:59] BASIC QUESTIONS, WHY ARE WE CANNIBALIZING
[10:22:01] TWO LANES OF A FUNCTIONING FOUR-LANE
[10:22:03] PARKWAY THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE
[10:22:05] FOR 60 YEARS? A MAJOR ARTERY THAT
[10:22:06] TAKES MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE QUARTER
[10:22:08] DOOR DOWN INTO
[10:22:11] BETHESDA AND BACK. TO
[10:22:14] BUILD A LINEAR PARK WHEN WE HAVE
[10:22:17] PARKS ON BOTH SIDES
[10:22:21] , IT MAKES NO SENSE. I DON'T HAVE AN
[10:22:23] ANSWER FOR IT. THE PEOPLE WHO
[10:22:24] UNDERSTAND HOW SOME OF THIS WORKS
[10:22:26] IN THE COUNTY ASKED ME AND I DON'T HAVE
[10:22:29] THE ANSWER
[10:22:31] ABOUT THE --I GUESS THERE WAS A 2019
[10:22:32] 41
[10:22:35] VOTE, WHAT HAPPENED THERE?
[10:22:44] PEOPLE ASKED ME, WHY DID THEY CLOSE THE PARKWAY?
[10:22:45] I SAID WELL, I SAID, IT'S COVID. THIS BEEN
[10:22:47] A COUPLE MILLIONS DOLLARS, THEY PUT
[10:22:48] GATES UP, CLOSED ALL FOUR LANES, NO
[10:22:50] ONE USED --I'M TELLING YOU. I'M THERE
[10:22:51] EVERY DAY. NO ONE USED IT. PAT JOHNSON'S
[10:22:53] VIDEOS ARE THE REAL STUFF.
[10:22:58] WE HAVE TALKED TO PEOPLE, AT FIRST
[10:22:59] I CANNOT BELIEVE IT.
[10:23:01] WE SURVEYED OUR COMMUNITY, WE SURVEYED
[10:23:05] --
[10:23:06] SOMEONE RECENTLY REFERRED TO THE SURVEYS, SOMERSET,
[10:23:08] SUMNER, WEST MORELAND HILLS, SPRINGHILL,
[10:23:11] SPRINGFIELD, EXCUSE ME.
[10:23:14] I THOUGHT IT WOULD
[10:23:17] BE MAYBE 60%, 65. IT WAS WELL ABOVE 80%
[10:23:20] AND
[10:23:22] IN KENWOOD IT WAS ABOVE 95% AGAINST
[10:23:23] THIS WHOLE IDEA.
[10:23:26] RESOUNDING.
[10:23:29] SOMEONE ASKED ME ABOUT, WELL, GOSH, THERE
[10:23:30] ARE APARTMENT BUILDINGS HERE. THEY DON'T
[10:23:32] HAVE BACKYARDS. IT'S A VERY BIG
[10:23:35] CONDOMINIUM ON
[10:23:37] THE CORNER OF RIVER ROAD AND LITTLE FALLS
[10:23:38] PARKWAY. THAT CONDOMINIUM
[10:23:41] WOULD REQUIRE A HALF-MILE WALK ON A
[10:23:43] DANGEROUS PARKWAY JUST TO GET TO THE
[10:23:44] BEGINNING OF THIS
[10:23:47] LINEAR PARK. POTTER PARK IS 390 FEET AWAY.
[10:23:50] SO, IF WE REALLY WANT
[10:23:52] TO DO SOMETHING FOR THEM, LET'S FIX
[10:23:53] POTTER PART.
[10:23:56] THIS ROAD DIED
[10:23:58] HAS SOME SAFETY PROBLEMS I WOULD LIKE TO
[10:24:02] POINT OUT. I THINK FOLKS OF ALREADY
[10:24:03] TALKED ABOUT THEM. OBVIOUSLY, WHEN
[10:24:05] YOU NARROW LANES AND SLOW TRAFFIC
[10:24:07] YOU SHOULD GET HIGHER SAFETY AND YOU
[10:24:08] PROBABLY DO ON THAT
[10:24:11] ROAD BUT ON THIS PARTICULAR CASE,
[10:24:14] YOU DON'T.
[10:24:20] YOU
[10:24:21] GET NO SHOULDER, NO MEDIAN, LOTS OF
[10:24:23] OVERFLOW TRAFFIC INTO KENWOOD, SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN KENWOOD.
[10:24:25] >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. ALLISON.
[10:24:29] >> HELLO. I'M HERE
[10:24:31] TONIGHT TO SUPPORT THE CHANGES TO
[10:24:32] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[10:24:37] AND THE RECONFIGURATION OF THE ROAD
[10:24:38] FROM FOUR LANES TO TWO LANES
[10:24:40] AND THE CREATION OF THE LINEAR PARK.
[10:24:47] I RIDE THROUGH BETHESDA A LOT TO GET A LOT OF
[10:24:49] THINGS I LIKE DOING. A LOT OF MY FRIENDS
[10:24:50] HAVE RECENTLY BEEN OVERJOYED TO
[10:24:52] MOVE INTO HIGH-RISES IN THE AREA AND THERE
[10:24:53] ARE GREAT TRAILS
[10:24:57] THAT CONNECTED THINGS ALL OVER THE
[10:24:59] COUNTY. THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO THERE AND I'M
[10:25:01] REALLY GLAD TO SEE ALL OF THE HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS GOING
[10:25:02] UP AND ALL
[10:25:03] OF THE GREAT CHANGES COMING TO BETHESDA.
[10:25:05] I THINK IT'S GREAT.
[10:25:11] I THINK THAT THE NEW LINEAR PARK CAN POTENTIALLY PROVIDE A LOT OF
[10:25:12] RECREATION SPACE THAT IS REALLY BADLY
[10:25:14] NEEDED. I ALSO THINK IT WILL TAKE A LOT
[10:25:16] OF PRESSURE OFF THE CAPITAL CRESCENT
[10:25:17] TRAIL AND ALLOWED TO FUNCTION BETTER.
[10:25:19] THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT COULD
[10:25:20] BE TWEAKED IN THE PROPOSAL, THERE ARE A
[10:25:22] LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADJUSTED,
[10:25:23] BUT THERE ALWAYS ARE. I HAVE TO
[10:25:25] TELL YOU THREE YEARS AGO I BEGAN RIDING
[10:25:26] MY BIKE
[10:25:28] AGAIN SERIOUSLY AFTER NOT WRITING
[10:25:29] AND I HAVE BEEN OVERJOYED TO FIND MORE
[10:25:31] SAFE PLACES TO RIDE. I WOULD REALLY
[10:25:32] URGE ANYONE THAT
[10:25:35] HAS CONCERNS ABOUT THIS RECONFIGURATION
[10:25:38] TO DRIVE ON SLIGO
[10:25:56] OR BEACH DRIVE. IT IS FINE. I DO IT ALL THE TIME. I WATCH
[10:25:58] AMBULANCES GO UP AND DOWN BOTH THOSE
[10:25:59] ROADS ALL THE TIME AND IT IS FINE.
[10:26:00] IT
[10:26:01] IS ABSOLUTELY FINE. THIS ROAD HAS
[10:26:02] ALWAYS BEEN OUTLIER AND IN FACT, I
[10:26:03] USED TO
[10:26:04] HATE DRIVING ON IT BECAUSE IT WAS
[10:26:05] ALWAYS FULL OF REALLY AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS
[10:26:08] GOING REALLY FAST WHO DROVE IN REALLY
[10:26:09] AGGRESSIVE WAYS. NOT
[10:26:10] ONLY DID I NOT LIKE BIKING OVER THERE,
[10:26:12] I DO NOT LIKE
[10:26:13] DRIVING OVER THERE AND I AVOIDED IT LIKE
[10:26:14] THE PLAGUE. THE RECONFIGURATION HAS BEEN
[10:26:15] A WONDERFUL THING FOR
[10:26:16] ME BOTH AS A DRIVER AND A BIKE RIDER.
[10:26:18] I WOULD URGE THE PLANNING
[10:26:19] BOARD TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING, PARKS
[10:26:20] DO NOT BELONG TO ANYONE. THEY BELONG
[10:26:21] TO EVERYONE.
[10:26:22] THEY DON'T BELONG TO THE PEOPLE THAT
[10:26:23] LIVE CLOSEST TO THEM, THEY BELONG
[10:26:24] TO EVERYONE.
[10:26:25] WE HAVE TO THINK OF EVERYONE'S NEEDS
[10:26:27] AND USES
[10:26:29] WHEN WE THINK OF HOW WE GOVERN THEM.
[10:26:45] PEOPLE
[10:26:46] THAT LIVE CLOSE BY TO PARKS DON'T
[10:26:48] GET THE LAST SAY BUT I WILL
[10:26:49] SAY THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE CLOSEST TO THIS
[10:26:50] PARK DID SOMETHING INTERESTING, I
[10:26:51] WAS WRITING OVER
[10:26:52] THERE LAST WEEK AND I HAPPEN TO NOTICE
[10:26:54] THAT THEY PUT UP ALL KINDS OF
[10:26:55] SIGNS SAYING, NO PARKING. NO CARS.
[10:26:57] CARS GO AWAY. DO NOT PARK HERE. THE
[10:26:58] PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS
[10:26:59] THAT YOU'VE JUST HEARD FROM UNDERSTAND
[10:27:00] INHERENTLY HOW MUCH
[10:27:02] IT HELPS TO GET CARS OUT OF THE PICTURE BECAUSE
[10:27:03] WHEN THEY WANT TO
[10:27:04] HAVE THEIR FRIENDS COME AND WALK AROUND
[10:27:06] AND LOOK AT PRETTY CHERRY TREES
[10:27:07] THE FIRST THING THEY DO IS GET RID
[10:27:09] OF THE CARS. >> BULLSHIT.
[10:27:12] >>
[10:27:15] PLEASE, SIR. >> I WOULD
[10:27:18] ASK YOU
[10:27:24] --THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY
[10:27:26] THOUGHTS. >> THANK YOU. PHILIP? >>
[10:27:27] GOOD
[10:27:30] EVENING, GUYS. OR, EVERYBODY, I
[10:27:33] SHOULD SAY.
[10:27:34] THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY CONTESTED
[10:27:36] PIECE OF LAND HERE
[10:27:39] . I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL KEEP IT
[10:27:40] CORDIAL. SO, I AM ALSO IN SUPPORT
[10:27:45] OF MAKING THE ONE LANE STRUCTURE PERMANENCE.
[10:27:46] I THINK THAT IT WILL CREATE SPACE,
[10:27:48] IT WILL CREATE SAFETY, AND IT HAS
[10:27:50] NOT HINDERED THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC.
[10:27:54] THE CRESCENT TRAIL
[10:28:00] --OR, I SHOULD START ACTUALLY BY SAYING
[10:28:01] THAT I HAVE LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE,
[10:28:03] 27 YEARS,
[10:28:05] I HOPE THAT NOBODY SHOWS UP AT MY
[10:28:06] PLACE WITH PITCHFORKS.
[10:28:09] I WOULD SAY
[10:28:15] THAT
[10:28:16] THE CRESCENT TRAIL HAS BEEN EXTREMELY
[10:28:17] DANGEROUS FOR MY WHOLE LIFETIME UNTIL
[10:28:18] ABOUT TWO
[10:28:19] YEARS AGO. BIKERS HAVE NOW BEEN MOVED
[10:28:26] --THEY'VE TAKEN A ROUTE ON THE QUESTION TRAIL
[10:28:29] AND ARE USING THE OPEN ROAD NOW WHICH
[10:28:30] HAS A
[10:28:32] LOT MORE SPACE. THERE IS LESS PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC
[10:28:35] AND I BELIEVE THAT OVERALL IT IS MADE
[10:28:39] THINGS SAFER. I ALSO FEEL
[10:28:42] THAT WE IN
[10:28:43] THIS COUNTRY IN GENERAL HAVE TENDED
[10:28:45] TO PRIORITIZE
[10:28:47] CARS OVER PEDESTRIANS AND I THINK
[10:28:48] THAT THAT
[10:28:51] IS THE WRONG THING.
[10:28:53] I THINK THAT PRIORITIZING THE SAFETY
[10:28:54] OF WALKERS, BIKERS,
[10:28:57] AS WELL AS DRIVERS
[10:28:59] IS VERY IMPORTANT. THAT'S ALL. THANKS.
[10:29:00] >>
[10:29:03] THANK YOU. STEPHEN SHAPIRO
[10:29:06] ? >> GOOD EVENING, ALL.
[10:29:09] I'M STEVE SCHAPIRO.
[10:29:12] I
[10:29:13] LIVE NEAR THE SOUTHERN END OF THE
[10:29:15] PARKWAY. I WOULD LIKE TO REFER YOU TO
[10:29:17] THE MAP AT FIGURE 1 ON PAGE TWO OF
[10:29:18] THE STAFF REPORT. AGENDA
[10:29:21] ITEM 12
[10:29:22] REALLY ADDRESSES TWO ISSUES THAT THE
[10:29:24] BOARD SHOULD SEPARATE. THE FIRST IS
[10:29:27] HOW TO IMPROVE SAFETY AT THE TRAIL CROSSING
[10:29:33] BETWEEN ARLINGTON
[10:29:34] ROAD AND HILLANDALE ROAD. THE SECOND SEPARATE
[10:29:36] ISSUE IS WHERE THERE ANY PARKWAY SOUTH OF
[10:29:37] HILLANDALE ROAD AND SHOULD THEY BE
[10:29:39] REPURPOSED AND HOW? I WOULD LIKE TO START
[10:29:42] WITH THE SECOND. IT PUTS THE CART BEFORE
[10:29:45] THE HORSE FOR THIS BOARD
[10:29:47] TO VOTE TO POSSIBLY CLOSEDOWN PARTS
[10:29:48] OF THE
[10:29:50] PARKWAY BEFORE THE BOARD HAS REVIEWED
[10:29:51] HOW
[10:29:52] IT WOULD BE REPURPOSED BECAUSE IT
[10:29:54] SHOULD ONLY BE
[10:29:57] CLOSED IF THERE IS A COMPELLING LEE USEFUL
[10:30:00] NEED TO DO SO. I
[10:30:03] WOULD URGE THE CHAIR TO
[10:30:06] APPROVE AND
[10:30:12] VIEW
[10:30:14] THE LINEAR PARK BEFORE AND CONCURRENT
[10:30:15] WITH THE DECISION OF CLOSING PART
[10:30:16] OF THE PARKWAY. THE PARKWAY WAS DESIGNED 60
[10:30:18] YEARS AGO TO SERVE AS AN ARTERY BETWEEN THE
[10:30:20] MASS. AVENUE, RIVER ROAD, AND BETHESDA.
[10:30:21] IT WAS DESIGNED TO
[10:30:22] BE FAST, EFFICIENT, AND SCENIC AND
[10:30:24] IT SHOULD STAY THAT WAY ABSENT OF
[10:30:27] COMPELLING NEED. MAKING A
[10:30:29] 25 MILES AN HOUR AND TWO LANES UNDIVIDED
[10:30:32] JUST BECAUSE SLIGO AND BEACH DRIVE ARE
[10:30:33] THAT WAY IS NOT
[10:30:35] A REASON. GOING SOUTHBOUND, HEADING
[10:30:36] SOUTHBOUND ON THE PARKWAY AT
[10:30:39] RIVER ROAD
[10:30:41] ABOUT HALF OF THE TRAFFIC TURNS LEFT
[10:30:45] ONTO RIVER TOWARDS D.C., HALF CONTINUE STRAIGHT ON THE
[10:30:47] SEGMENT TOWARDS MASS AVENUE. IT IS
[10:30:48] NOT APPROPRIATE
[10:30:51] TO CONSIDER THE CONFIGURATION OF THE
[10:30:54] SOUTHERN SEGMENT AS MEANING THAT IT IS
[10:30:57] OKAY OR APPROPRIATE TO MAKE THE ENTIRE PARKWAY
[10:31:00] TWO LANES UNDIVIDED.
[10:31:03] TWO LANES UNDIVIDED IS
[10:31:05] SLOWER AND LESS SAFE THAN WHAT WE
[10:31:06] HAVE NOW.
[10:31:09] LOOKING AT THAT MAP THERE IS
[10:31:12] A SHARP CURVE SOUTH OF
[10:31:15] HILLANDALE ROAD AND THEN THERE IS THE
[10:31:16] TRANSITION BACK ACROSS THE MEDIAN
[10:31:18] JUST NORTH OF DORSET AVENUE.
[10:31:20] THAT CONFIGURATION IS BOTH AWKWARD
[10:31:21] AND DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY
[10:31:24] AT NIGHT. I ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO MAINTAIN
[10:31:27] THE MEDIAN. THE MEDIAN IS IMPORTANT
[10:31:30] FOR SAFETY. ALSO,
[10:31:33] THERE IS NO GOOD REASON TO TURN THE
[10:31:36] GOOD ROAD
[10:31:39] INTO A
[10:31:41] POORER ROAD. AS YOU CAN SEE LOOKING
[10:31:42] AT THE MAP, THERE IS A LOT
[10:31:44] OF PARKLAND ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PARKWAY
[10:31:45] THAT COULD BE REPURPOSED FOR THE OTHER
[10:31:48] FACILITIES THAT ARE ENVISIONED ARE THE LINEAR PARK
[10:31:50] OR OTHER FACILITIES. THEY DO NOT NEED
[10:31:52] TO BE ON
[10:31:54] THE ROADWAY. LOOKING AT SAFETY AGAIN,
[10:31:58] AT THE TRAIL REFERRING TO FIGURE
[10:32:00] 9 ON PAGE 11, I WOULD CONSIDER THE
[10:32:01] BOARD
[10:32:04] TO MOVE THE TRAIL SOUTH
[10:32:07] ACROSS THE HILLANDALE ROAD
[10:32:08] WHERE THERE IS AN EXISTING LIGHT AND
[10:32:10] AN
[10:32:13] EXISTING
[10:32:14] CROSSING AND ALSO TO REVISIT THE TRAFFIC
[10:32:16] LIGHT CONSIDERED IN 2019. THANK YOU.
[10:32:19] >> THANK YOU. NEIL.
[10:32:22] KENWOOD CITIZENS ASSOCIATION. >>
[10:32:23] THANK YOU. AND GOOD EVENING. IT'S
[10:32:25] MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
[10:32:27] I'M NEIL, A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER
[10:32:28] AND A
[10:32:29] PROFESSIONAL TRAFFIC OPERATIONS ENGINEER.
[10:32:37] I'M WORKING
[10:32:38] WITH THE CITIZENS ASSOCIATION AND
[10:32:39] THE TOWN OF SOMERSET TO PROVIDE AN INDEPENDENT
[10:32:40] TRAFFIC
[10:32:41] ANALYSIS USING EXISTING DATA THAT
[10:32:42] WE HAVE AN NEW DATA. I HAVE PASSED OUT
[10:32:43] A
[10:32:44] COPY OF THE REPORTS TO YOU, YOU HAVE
[10:32:46] THAT. THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
[10:32:49] IS ON PAGE TWO, THAT'S A PRETTY EASY READ.
[10:32:52] IF YOU
[10:32:53] WOULD LIKE APPENDICES, THERE ARE HUNDRED
[10:32:55] AND 50 PAGES. I CAN SEND YOU
[10:32:58] THOSE BY EMAIL.
[10:33:00] FIRST, BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WANT
[10:33:01] TO SAY
[10:33:02] THAT I THINK THE PARKS AND THE PLANNING
[10:33:04] COMMISSION DID A FANTASTIC JOB
[10:33:07] AFTER THE FATAL CRASH IN 2016
[10:33:10] WHEN BICYCLISTS
[10:33:13] WERE CRASHED AT
[10:33:14] CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL. IT ONLY TOOK
[10:33:15] THEM ABOUT THREE MONTHS TO MOMENTOUS
[10:33:16] CHANGE
[10:33:17] AND SINCE THEN CRASHES HAVE BEEN REDUCED.
[10:33:19] THEY DID USE
[10:33:22] VISION ZERO AND THEY DID IMPROVE THE
[10:33:24] SITUATION THERE . I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
[10:33:25] TO REMEMBER WHY THESE
[10:33:27] CHANGES STARTED AT THE CAPITAL CRESCENT
[10:33:30] TRAIL, LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY AND TO THE
[10:33:31] REST OF
[10:33:34] THE PARKWAY.
[10:33:36] PARKS STATED IN THEIR TESTIMONY THAT
[10:33:37] THEY BELIEVE
[10:33:39] IT IS UNSAFE TO OPEN IT UP TO A FOUR
[10:33:40] LANE HIGHWAY AND I WOULD
[10:33:42] AGREE. AT THE CCT IN LITTLE FALLS
[10:33:43] PARKWAY IT
[10:33:44] IS UNSAFE BUT ACTUALLY WHAT THEY'VE
[10:33:46] DONE RIGHT NOW HAS MADE IT LESS
[10:33:48] SAFE THAN IT WAS BEFORE. THE CHANGE
[10:33:49] THEY DID IN 2017 WAS
[10:33:52] SAFE. YOU HAD ONE LANE
[10:33:58] , A 20 FOOT MEDIAN,
[10:34:00] AND ONE LANE. ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS CROSS
[10:34:01] 12 FEET AT A TIME
[10:34:02] AND ONLY LOOK ONE DIRECTION. NOW WHAT
[10:34:04] THEY HAVE DONE
[10:34:09] IS INSTITUTED 24 FEET THAT YOU HAVE
[10:34:10] TO CROSS AND YOU
[10:34:11] HAVE TO LOOK IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AT
[10:34:13] THE SAME TIME. THEY'VE CREATED SIGHT DISTANCE PROBLEMS
[10:34:14] WITH THE BACKUPS FROM THE TWO NEAR
[10:34:15] INTERSECTIONS. THAT IS UNFORTUNATE.
[10:34:16] I THINK WE NEED
[10:34:18] TO REMEMBER WHY WE GOT TO WHERE WE
[10:34:19] ARE TODAY, NOT TO GO FORWARD
[10:34:22] TOO FAR BEFORE WE REMEMBER WHERE WE
[10:34:25] ARE. THE SECTION BETWEEN
[10:34:28] DORSET AVENUE AND HILLANDALE ROAD,
[10:34:30] THAT WAS OPENED BEFORE, 2017 AND ON
[10:34:31] IT WAS OPEN.
[10:34:36] IT WAS OPERATING JUST FINE. THERE
[10:34:37] WERE NO SAFETY CONCERNS THAT
[10:34:39] I HAVE SEEN IN THAT SECTION OF ROADWAY. SO,
[10:34:46] WHAT HAPPENED WHEN
[10:34:47] WE DID CHANGE IT? WHEN PARK DID CHANGE
[10:34:49] IT AND GOT RID OF TWO LANES?
[10:34:50] WELL, IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS ACCOUNT
[10:34:52] IN 2022
[10:34:55] AND THERE WAS THE JUNE CHANGE
[10:34:57] AND THEN A JULY COUNT IN 2022. IN
[10:34:58] BETWEEN THOSE TWO COUNTS
[10:35:10] IT WAS A 33.7%
[10:35:11] DECREASE. PARKS TALK TODAY ABOUT, OH,
[10:35:13] THE ROAD TRAFFIC IS DECREASED ON LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY.
[10:35:14] WELL, YES, YOU JUST DECREASED IT FROM
[10:35:16] FOUR LANES TO TWO LANES. OBVIOUSLY THAT IS
[10:35:18] WHY. YOU CAN SEE IT IN JUST THESE
[10:35:19] TWO COUNTS BETWEEN MAY AND JUNE.
[10:35:21] IT'S A MAJOR PROBLEM. ONE OF THE REASONS
[10:35:22] THAT THEY BUILT THE LITTLE
[10:35:25] FALLS PARKWAY WAS SO THERE
[10:35:27] WOULD BE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, IT
[10:35:28] WILL CONNECT
[10:35:34] DIFFERENT PARKS AND IT WOULD PROVIDE TRAFFIC RELIEF
[10:35:36] TO OTHER INTERSECTIONS IN THE AREA
[10:35:37] THAT ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS.
[10:35:40] YOU'VE ALL DRIVEN
[10:35:42] THERE, RIVER ROAD, IT IS QUITE BACKED
[10:35:43] UP. THERE ARE SEVERAL FAILING INTERSECTIONS AND
[10:35:45] STUDIES SHOW THAT JUST ONE OF THEM
[10:35:52] , BUT MANY ROADWAYS ARE FAILING AND IF
[10:35:53] YOU HAVE AN OPERATING LITTLE FALLS
[10:35:54] PARKWAY IT COULD HELP RELIEVE THIS
[10:35:55] OTHER INTERSECTION AND PROVIDE THE
[10:35:56] CAPACITY THAT IS NEEDED AND PROVIDE
[10:35:58] SAFETY AT OTHER INTERSECTIONS BY PROVIDING CAPACITY ON
[10:36:00] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY. WE NEED TO MAKE
[10:36:01] SURE THAT WE CONTINUE
[10:36:04] TO MAKE LITTLE
[10:36:06] FALLS PARKWAY SAFE AND THE MAIN POINT
[10:36:07] IS THAT THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL WHERE IT
[10:36:10] CROSSES LITTLE FALLS
[10:36:11] PARKWAY, I'VE ESTABLISHED WHAT WE
[10:36:12] HAVE DONE RIGHT NOW. WHAT WAS DONE
[10:36:13] IN OCTOBER,
[10:36:19] IT IS
[10:36:21] NOT SAFE. IT IS NOT THE SAFEST. IT
[10:36:22] IS ACTUALLY DECREASE SAFETY FROM BEFORE. YOU
[10:36:24] ACTUALLY HEARD OTHER PEOPLE SAY IT.
[10:36:25] IT IS IN THE REPORTS I DON'T NEED
[10:36:28] TO SHOW YOU THESE BUT
[10:36:31] THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES THAT WE HAVE
[10:36:33] COME UP WITH THAT ARE FAIRLY EASY.
[10:36:34] ONE IS YOU GO BACK TO ONE LANE
[10:36:36] EACH DIRECTION ON EACH SIDE OF THE
[10:36:37] MEDIAN AND CLOSE IT ONLY BETWEEN
[10:36:39] THE PART LIKE THEY DID IN 2017. IT
[10:36:40] WORKED. IT WAS EFFECTIVE. THE OTHER OPTION,
[10:36:43] IT WOULD BE TO HAVE THE CROSSING
[10:36:46] OF THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL, HAVE A COMMENT EXACTLY
[10:36:49] WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW
[10:36:54] AND THEN TAKE THIS EXTRA LANE, NOW
[10:36:55] THEY ARE IN
[10:36:56] THE INSIDE, TAKE THE OUTSIDE LANE,
[10:36:58] PUT A CROSSWALK, HAVE A NEW CROSSWALK ACROSS AND
[10:36:59] THEN RELOCATE A LITTLE BIT CAPITAL
[10:37:01] CRESCENT TRAIL SO THAT YOU COULD CONNECT IT BACK
[10:37:04] IN. THAT IS ONE SOLUTION.
[10:37:07] IT IS ACTUALLY QUITE A LOW
[10:37:08] COST SOLUTION. THE BIG, MAJOR COST
[10:37:10] IS GOING TO BE THE REAL PAYDAY. THIS SECTION
[10:37:12] OF THE TRAIL. IT DOES ALLOW THAT ALL
[10:37:13] CROSSINGS HAPPEN AT A PROTECTED SIGNALIZED
[10:37:16] INTERSECTION WHICH
[10:37:18] PROTECTIONS YOUR SHOW IS THE SAFENESS
[10:37:19] WAY TO GO
[10:37:22] ACROSS THE ROADWAY.
[10:37:40] WITH REASONABLE BUDGETS I THINK GOING
[10:37:41] TO A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION
[10:37:42] IT MAKES SENSE. THE OTHER ONE WOULD
[10:37:43] BE INSTEAD OF GOING OVER TO ARLINGTON,
[10:37:44] GO DOWN TO HILLANDALE ROAD, RELOCATE
[10:37:46] THE TRAIL AND THAT WOULD BE A LONGER
[10:37:47] SECTION. THERE'S
[10:37:48] A LOT MORE IN THE REPORT. I REALLY
[10:37:50] PRAISE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN
[10:37:51] TO ME TONIGHT AND I HOPE IT'S HELPFUL.
[10:37:53] IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU NEED
[10:37:54] FROM ME, ANY QUESTIONS, MY EMAIL IS
[10:37:56] AT THE END OF THE REPORT. THANK YOU
[10:37:57] VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[10:37:58] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. FREDERICK,
[10:38:02] LLOYD, RICHARD,
[10:38:05] AND,
[10:38:08] AND CHRISTOPHER.
[10:38:23] FREDERICK AND STARR. >> OKAY.
[10:38:31] >> PRESS YOUR -->> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
[10:38:35] >> I'M FRED.
[10:38:45] I'M A CONSULTANT TO THE KENWOOD CITIZENS
[10:38:46] AND SUMNER HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS. I'VE
[10:38:47] A PHD
[10:38:48] IN TRANSPORTATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY
[10:38:49] OF PENNSYLVANIA AND 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE
[10:38:50] AT THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION AND
[10:38:51] THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AND TRAFFIC
[10:38:53] MODELING ANALYSIS AND SIMULATION.
[10:38:55] PARK AND PLANNING ANALYSIS DOES NOT
[10:38:56] SUPPORT A ROAD
[10:38:58] DIED DECISION ON LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY.
[10:39:02] OR IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS?
[10:39:13] THE WEST BARD DEVELOPMENT AND PARTICULARLY
[10:39:14] GROWTH AND BETHESDA WILL CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY
[10:39:17] TO TRAFFIC GROWTH. FURTHER, RIVER
[10:39:19] ROAD IS A PRIORITY AREA FOR DEVELOPMENT
[10:39:20] IMPLYING A
[10:39:23] LOT OF GROWTH. IN
[10:39:24] WHAT YEAR WILL THIS PROJECTED GROWTH
[10:39:26] AFFECT FUTURE
[10:39:27] TRAFFIC OF LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY? SIMULATION MODELS
[10:39:37] RAN A SIM TRAFFIC MODEL TO UNDERSTAND
[10:39:38] LITTLE
[10:39:39] FALLS PARKWAY. SIM TRAFFIC IS APPROPRIATE
[10:39:40] TO ANALYZE INDIVIDUAL INTERSECTIONS
[10:39:45] BUT CAN'T EASILY ANALYZE THE TRAFFIC
[10:39:46] IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OR ON ADJACENT STREETS.
[10:39:47] WE NEED
[10:39:49] TO KNOW THE COVERAGE AREA OF THE MODELS
[10:39:52] , ASSUMED GROWTH PROJECTIONS, FUTURE
[10:39:53] TRAFFIC PROJECTED, THE YEARS
[10:39:56] OF GROWTH WILL OCCUR
[10:39:58] AND THE IMPACT ON LOCAL STREETS FROM
[10:39:59] ALL
[10:40:02] OF THIS.
[10:40:03] THIRD, VALIDATION OF SIMULATION MODELS.
[10:40:08] HOW IS THE ACCURACY
[10:40:09] OF THE SIMULATION MODELS DETERMINED? WERE
[10:40:11] THEY MEASURED AGAINST
[10:40:13] TRAFFIC CAMS? Q DISTANCE? AND CURE DURATION?
[10:40:15] WHAT GROWTH PROJECTIONS WERE USED
[10:40:17] FOR FUTURE
[10:40:22] ANALYSIS. GROWTH PROJECTIONS ARE NEEDED
[10:40:23] TO ANALYZE IMPACTS ON LITTLE FALLS
[10:40:24] PARKWAY AND ON A LOCAL STREET. FINALLY,
[10:40:29] FOR TRAFFIC
[10:40:31] DECLINE, TRAFFIC GROWTH, AND COVID.
[10:40:34] PARKS AND PLANNING HAS STATED THAT LITTLE
[10:40:35] FALLS PARKWAY CAN ABSORB
[10:40:38] UP TO A 30% INCREASE
[10:40:41] SINCE TRAFFIC IS DECLINING.
[10:40:44] SINCE
[10:40:47] THE AREA IS GROWING,
[10:40:50] WHAT YEAR WITH
[10:40:52] A 30% INCREASE BE REACHED? WE DON'T KNOW.
[10:40:53] IT IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM
[10:40:54] THE INFORMATION. HAS THIS BEEN ACCOUNTED
[10:40:56] FOR IN THE PARK
[10:40:59] AND PLANNING ANALYSIS? COVID HAS AFFECTED
[10:41:01] TRAFFIC NATIONWIDE, WHAT ROLE HAS
[10:41:04] COVID PLAYED IN THIS TRAFFIC CHANGE
[10:41:07] AND HOW HAS IT BEEN ESTIMATED? TRAFFIC
[10:41:11] NATIONWIDE AND IN THIS AREA
[10:41:14] TRAFFIC DECLINED DURING COVID
[10:41:17] AND BEGAN TO RISE AGAIN. HOW
[10:41:18] IS COVID ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE TRAFFIC
[10:41:20] ANALYSIS? OKAY?
[10:41:23] THAT'S IT. >> THANK YOU. THANK
[10:41:26] YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[10:41:29] LLOYD.
[10:41:33] THANK YOU. I'M SORRY MISPRONOUNCED HER NAME. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THREE
[10:41:35] MINUTES. >>
[10:41:38] I'M LLOYD FROM CHEVY CHASE WEST. FIRST,
[10:41:40] AS THE PUBLIC SENTIMENT, 3386 PEOPLE
[10:41:41] HAVE SIGNED
[10:41:44] A PETITION TO RESTORE
[10:41:47] THE LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[10:41:50] TO FOUR LANES EXCEPT AT THE CAPITAL
[10:41:53] TRAIL CROSSING.
[10:41:58] SECOND, TWO SAFETY THINGS, FIRST, WE
[10:41:59] HAVE DISCUSSED THAT AT THE CAPITAL
[10:42:02] CRESCENT TRAIL CROSSING, IT IS
[10:42:04] ALL WRONG AS THEY CHANGED IT IN OCTOBER 22.
[10:42:05] IT IS GOT TO
[10:42:08] BE A ROAD
[10:42:11] --WHAT IS CALLED A PEDESTRIAN REFUGE OR BICYCLE
[10:42:14] REFUGE AND A ROAD. THERE IS A STATISTIC, IN MY
[10:42:15] WRITTEN TESTIMONY, FEDERAL HIGHWAY
[10:42:17] ADMINISTRATION SAID THAT A
[10:42:19] PEDESTRIAN REFUGE ISLAND CAN PRODUCE
[10:42:23] -- REDUCE CRASHES BY
[10:42:32] 75%. THAT IS SIGNIFICANT. IT IS GOT TO CHANGE. AS OVERALL
[10:42:33] SAFETY, PARKS IS CONVERTING A DIVIDED
[10:42:35] ROAD INTO A TWO LANE TWO WAY
[10:42:38] UNDIVIDED ROAD.
[10:42:40] AS CITED IN MY WRITTEN TESTIMONY,
[10:42:41] ONE STUDIED SHOWED
[10:42:44] THAT A MULTILANE DIVIDED ROADWAY
[10:42:47] WAS SAFER THAN A TWO LANE
[10:42:50] ,
[10:42:52] TWO WAY ROADWAY. THIS WAS IN NORTH CAROLINA,
[10:42:53] INDICATED BY 93%
[10:42:56] REDUCTION IN FATAL CRASHES.
[10:42:59] THE PROBLEM IS HEAD ON.
[10:43:01] HAVING A ROAD THAT IS NOT DIVIDED
[10:43:02] IS
[10:43:05] PLAINLY NOT AS SAFE AS ONE
[10:43:08] WITH THE MEDIAN. THIRD,
[10:43:11] I'M VERY CONFUSED ABOUT A STATEMENT
[10:43:14] BY THE PARKS PEOPLE TODAY.
[10:43:17] THE AGENDA
[10:43:20] FOR THIS SAID THEY WERE GOING
[10:43:22] TO MAKE A PERMANENT CONFIGURATION
[10:43:25] OF TWO OPPOSING DRIVE LANES ALONG
[10:43:26] THE PARKWAY
[10:43:30] WITH FUTURE STUDY
[10:43:34] OF REPRODUCING TRAVEL LANES. THEN
[10:43:35] ALL OF A SUDDEN IN THE PARKS TESTIMONY THEY
[10:43:37] SAY THEY'RE GOING TO ACTIVATE A LINEAR
[10:43:39] PILOT PARK. WELL,
[10:43:45] WE HAVE AN INVITED PUBLIC
[10:43:46] TESTIMONY ON THE PILOT PARK. THAT
[10:43:47] IS SEPARATE. THAT IS VERY TROUBLING
[10:43:48] TO ME. I
[10:43:49] DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD LET THEM DO
[10:43:50] IT UNTIL WE HAVE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
[10:43:51] ON
[10:43:53] IT. LASTLY, THERE IS A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH
[10:43:55] WHAT PARKS HAS DONE. THEY HAVE UNILATERALLY
[10:43:57] DID THIS AND THEN THEY
[10:44:00] CAME BACK.
[10:44:07] SECOND, THEY PROPOSE ONLY ONE CONFIGURATION
[10:44:08] OF THE PARKWAY FOR APPROVAL HERE WHICH
[10:44:09] WOULD TEND
[10:44:10] TO MAKE THEIR DESIRED OUTCOME MORE
[10:44:12] LIKELY. THIRD,
[10:44:17] THEY SEPARATED BOARD REVIEW OF THE
[10:44:18] LINEAR PARK FROM THE LANE CONFIGURATIONS WHICH
[10:44:19] IS SEGMENTATION WHICH THE COUNCIL
[10:44:20] OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY SAID NO,
[10:44:21] NO,
[10:44:24] NO. PARKS BIFURCATED THE PROCESS
[10:44:26] THAT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM
[10:44:27] TO GET
[10:44:28] THE LINEAR PARK. BECAUSE ONCE YOU
[10:44:30] BASICALLY HAVE CLOSED TWO LANES
[10:44:33] AND YOU HAVE FREE
[10:44:35] LAND IT IS GOING TO BE EASIER TO SAY, YES,
[10:44:36] WE OUGHT TO HAVE A
[10:44:37] PARK THERE SINCE THERE IS NOTHING THERE.
[10:44:41] THE PROPER WAY IS TO LOOK AT THE THING FROM
[10:44:43] THE BEGINNING AS OTHERS HAVE SAID.
[10:44:44] THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY.
[10:44:45] >>
[10:44:48] THANK YOU. >>
[10:44:51] THANK YOU. MY NAME
[10:44:54] IS RICHARD.
[10:44:55] I'M PLEASED THAT I CAN SPEAK TO YOU
[10:44:57] TODAY. AND CONGRATULATIONS
[10:45:00] ON YOUR APPOINTMENTS, YOUR OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS
[10:45:03] AND YOUR REAPPOINTMENT ,
[10:45:06] I THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY TWO
[10:45:08] TERM COMMISSIONER IN TWO MONTHS. EVER.
[10:45:15] I'M A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER
[10:45:18] , CAREER FIREFIGHTER. THE LAST EIGHT
[10:45:20] YEARS OF MY CAREER I SERVED AT THE STATION
[10:45:26] WHICH WAS FIRST DUE ON THE CAPITAL
[10:45:27] CRESCENT TRAIL AND
[10:45:28] MOST OF LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY. AND
[10:45:30] THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
[10:45:33] I SUPPORT THE PARKS PLAN,
[10:45:35] I THINK IT IS A GROUNDBREAKING PLAN
[10:45:39] AND I FULLY SUPPORT IT
[10:45:42] AND THINK THAT IN THE FUTURE
[10:45:43] IT SHOULD BE ADVANCED AND EXTENDED
[10:45:45] AND APPLIED ELSEWHERE. OVER MY CAREER
[10:45:51] I HAVE BEEN A LIFE ACTIVE MEMBER
[10:45:53] OF THE BETHESDA RESCUE SQUAD AND I
[10:45:54] BIKE TO
[10:45:57] WORK
[10:45:59] ALONG THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL AND THE
[10:46:00] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY WHEN
[10:46:03] I SERVED AT THE STATION.
[10:46:06] SO, I KNOW
[10:46:09] THE AREA AS A FIREFIGHTER AND AS A
[10:46:11] TRAIL USER AND AS A PARKWAY USER.
[10:46:15] GOING FROM FOUR LANES AND
[10:46:18] A MEDIAN TO TWO LANES WITHOUT
[10:46:21] A MEDIAN IS A DEFINITE SAFETY
[10:46:24] IMPROVEMENT. AS A FIREFIGHTER
[10:46:29] , DRIVING APPARATUS AND RESPONDED
[10:46:30] TO CALLS AND CRASHES, I
[10:46:31] SEE THE INHERENT SAFETY BENEFIT OF
[10:46:33] REDUCING THE LANES
[10:46:36] AND HAVING A TWO WAY STREET
[10:46:44] . THIS REDUCES THE SPEED OF TRAFFIC
[10:46:45] WHICH REDUCES TRAFFIC'S
[10:46:46] AND THE SEVERITY OF CRASHES. THAT'S
[10:46:48] NUMBER ONE TO ME AS A CAREER FIREFIGHTER, LOOKING
[10:46:49] AT ALL OF THE HUMPTY DUMPTY'S THAT
[10:46:51] WE CAN'T PUT BACK TOGETHER.
[10:46:54] YOU KNOW,
[10:46:56] WE COULD PREVENT SO MANY OF THESE TRAGEDIES
[10:46:57] BY GOOD DESIGN WHICH THIS
[10:47:00] IS. SO, I
[10:47:03] SUPPORT THE PLAN , I USE THE TRAIL
[10:47:06] AND I USE THE TRAIL NOW WITH
[10:47:08] THE BIKE AND THE SIDECAR FOR MY DOG.
[10:47:14] USING THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL IS
[10:47:15] A LITTLE BIT TRICKY. IT IS VERY
[10:47:16] CROWDED AND USING THE LITTLE FALLS
[10:47:18] PARKWAY RECLAIMED SPACE IS A
[10:47:20] DEFINITE BENEFIT FOR A WIDE VEHICLE.
[10:47:21] WE ARE SEEING
[10:47:29] THESE MORE AND MORE. FAMILIES ARE GETTING
[10:47:30] CARGO BIKES AND ARE OUT WITH THEIR
[10:47:31] CHILDREN IN TRAILERS AND SO ON. THIS
[10:47:33] IS A DEFINITE BENEFIT FOR GROWING SEGMENT OF
[10:47:36] THE COMMUNITY. I ALSO SUPPORT
[10:47:39] --I WENT ON BIKE TOURS SO
[10:47:41] THIS WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. I
[10:47:42] WOULD SAY TWO THINGS,
[10:47:45] ONE, RESPONSE TIMES,
[10:47:51] LOOK AT
[10:47:53] AND IF '17 10, THERE ARE MULTIPLE
[10:47:54] ISSUES ABOUT RESPONSE TIMES. THIS IS NOT THE
[10:47:56] ISSUE HERE. NUMBER TWO, STUDY CAREFULLY
[10:47:57] ROUNDABOUTS FOR THE
[10:48:00] ARLINGTON ROAD
[10:48:06] , LITTLE FALLS
[10:48:07] INTERSECTION, THE HILLANDALE ROAD INTERSECTION
[10:48:08] AND DORSET AVENUE. ROUNDABOUTS REDUCE
[10:48:09] CONFLICTS, REDUCE
[10:48:12] SPEED,
[10:48:15] AND INCREASE ROAD CAPACITY.
[10:48:17] >> THANK YOU. >> THEY SHOULD BE STUDIED
[10:48:18] SERIOUSLY IN THE FUTURE. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK
[10:48:21] YOU. >>
[10:48:24] ANNE?
[10:48:26] >> FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I AM
[10:48:27] A RESIDENT OF
[10:48:30] 50+ YEARS
[10:48:33] BELIEVE IT OR NOT. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE
[10:48:35] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY IS THE PRIMARY ROUTE
[10:48:36] INTO BETHESDA FROM THIS AREA OF
[10:48:38] THE COUNTY. THE ALTERNATIVES, ASIDE FROM
[10:48:41] TRAVELING THROUGH ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS WHICH
[10:48:42] WE KNOW
[10:48:45] ARE NOT DESIRABLE ARE WESTERN
[10:48:47] TO WISCONSIN THROUGH FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS
[10:48:48] OR RIVER TO GOLDSBORO
[10:48:51] TO BRADLEY. THE LITTLE FALSE PARKWAY
[10:48:54] HAS NOT ONLY BEEN AN
[10:48:57] EXTREMELY SAFE AND EFFICIENT
[10:49:02] TRAIL BUT IT IS ALSO AN ATTRACTIVE ROUTE
[10:49:03] TO BETHESDA. HOWEVER, IT IS NO
[10:49:05] LONGER A SAFE ROUTE. THINK OF AN AORTIC
[10:49:06] ARTERY WITH AN ANEURYSM.
[10:49:09] THE CLOSING OF THE SOUTHBOUND LANES ON
[10:49:11] THE PARKWAY , MODIFICATION OF THE
[10:49:12] NORTHBOUND LANES ,
[10:49:15] HAS CREATED A SITUATION
[10:49:18] WHERE AN ACCIDENT IS GOING TO HAPPEN
[10:49:24] , IF IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET, IT IS GOING
[10:49:25] TO HAPPEN. ESPECIALLY IN
[10:49:26] THE EVENINGS OR IN BAD WEATHER, YOU
[10:49:27] CAN LITERALLY THINK IN TERMS OF HEAD
[10:49:30] ON OR SIDESWIPE COLLISIONS. IT IS
[10:49:31] A GIVEN.
[10:49:34] WE ALSO TOLD
[10:49:37] ADDRESSING THE LINEAR PARK ISSUE
[10:49:40] BRINGS UP SOME SAFETY CONCERNS.
[10:49:43] AMONG THEM,
[10:49:46] WHERE ARE PEOPLE WHO COME
[10:49:47] TO THIS LINEAR PARK GOING TO PARK
[10:49:49] WHEN THEY COME?
[10:49:51] THE BETHESDA POOL PARKING LOT IS USED
[10:49:52] BY THE PATRONS OF THE
[10:49:54] POOL AND THEY OVERFLOW FOR THE POOL
[10:50:01] AT
[10:50:03] THE PARK AND RIDE LOT. WHAT IS LEFT
[10:50:06] IS NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS THAT ARE NOT DESIGNED
[10:50:07] FOR PUBLIC PARKING EVENTS. HOW
[10:50:10] WOULD PEOPLE
[10:50:12] ACCESS THE LINEAR PARK ONE THEY HAVE
[10:50:13] RESOLVED THE PARKING
[10:50:14] PROBLEM? UNLESS THEY ARE ARRIVING
[10:50:15] VIA THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL FROM
[10:50:19] RIVER ROAD THEY WILL NEED TO
[10:50:21] CROSS A TWO LANE ROAD WITH OPPOSING TRAFFIC.
[10:50:25] MAYBE
[10:50:26] AT 25 MILES AN HOUR BUT THAT IS STILL
[10:50:28] 25 MILES AN HOUR.
[10:50:30] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY WAS DESIGNED
[10:50:31] WITH A MEDIAN SO
[10:50:34] THAT BIKERS AND WALKERS COULD
[10:50:35] SAFELY CROSS THE LANES. THIS IS BEEN DISCUSSED
[10:50:37] AND I WON'T GO ON WITH
[10:50:39] IT. LASTLY, I WANT TO STRONGLY RECOMMEND
[10:50:40] THAT EACH
[10:50:43] OF YOU , PERSONALLY, VISIT THIS SECTION
[10:50:45] OF THE PARKWAY SO THAT YOU CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND
[10:50:49] AND VISUALIZE OUR CONCERNS
[10:50:50] . BY VISITING IT YOU WILL UNDERSTAND
[10:50:58] WHY THE NEW
[10:50:59] CONFIGURATION OF THE LITTLE FALLS
[10:51:00] PARKWAY SHOULD BE ABANDONED AND THE
[10:51:01] PARKWAY RETURNED TO
[10:51:02] ITS ORIGINAL SAFE AND FUNCTIONAL DESIGN.
[10:51:04] IT IS A SAVER CONFIGURATION FOR BIKERS
[10:51:05] AND WALKERS AS WELL AS FOR AUTOMOBILES.
[10:51:07] THE MONIES COULD BE BETTER
[10:51:08] SPENT ENSURING THAT THERE IS A SAFE
[10:51:11] CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL INTERSECTION. THANK
[10:51:13] YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR
[10:51:16] YOUR TESTIMONY.
[10:51:21] CHRISTOPHER DELANEY? >> MR. CHAIRMAN
[10:51:22] AND COMMISSIONERS,
[10:51:24] GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENDURANCE.
[10:51:25] MY NAME IS CHRIS.
[10:51:27] I'M A RESIDENT OF KENWOOD AND SUBMITTED
[10:51:31] TESTIMONY ABOUT THE
[10:51:34] NCPC.
[10:51:37] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY
[10:51:38] WAS PURCHASED WITH FEDERAL FUNDS. WHAT
[10:51:40] THIS MEANS IS THAT THE
[10:51:43] NCPC
[10:51:45] HAS A COMPREHENSIVE APPROVAL PROCESS
[10:51:46] THAT MUST BE UNDERTAKEN
[10:51:47] BEFORE ANY PHYSICAL ALTERATIONS HAPPEN
[10:51:51] AT LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY. NOW, I UNDERSTAND
[10:51:52] THE PARKS
[10:51:53] IS NOW ALLEGING THAT IT HAS APPROVAL
[10:51:55] FROM NCPC BUT
[10:52:00] UNTIL THAT IS SHOWN IN WRITING, PREFERABLY
[10:52:01] ON NCPC LETTERHEAD, I
[10:52:02] WOULD TREAT THAT ALLEGATION IS UNPROVEN.
[10:52:07] NCPC'S COMPREHENSIVE APPROVAL PROCESS
[10:52:08] IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION
[10:52:10] SO I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO IT NOW. THE
[10:52:12] POINT IS THOUGH THAT THE NCPC'S PROCESS
[10:52:13] IS DEFINED
[10:52:16] AND TRANSPARENT.
[10:52:19] WHAT IS NOT TRANSPARENT IS HOW PARKS
[10:52:22] HAS HANDLED THIS ENTIRE PROCESS. NO PARK DIRECTIVE
[10:52:23] HAS EVER BEEN ISSUED CONCERNING THIS
[10:52:27] ACTION AT LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY. THAT VIOLATES
[10:52:28] CHAPTER 1 SECTION
[10:52:31] 3 OF PARKS OWN RULES AND
[10:52:32] REGULATIONS AND HAS KEPT THEIR ACTIONS
[10:52:34] AWAY FROM OVERSIGHT UNTIL NOW.
[10:52:37] INSTEAD PARKS HAS
[10:52:40] BEEN GOVERNING BY PRESS RELEASE. WE
[10:52:43] OFTEN READ ABOUT WHAT DECISIONS
[10:52:45] PARKS HAS MADE AFTER THE FACT WITH
[10:52:46] NO CHANCE FOR
[10:52:49] MEANINGFUL INPUT.
[10:52:52] IF PARKS CANNOT EVEN BE BOTHERED TO FOLLOW ITS
[10:52:53] OWN PROCEDURES THAN THEY'RE PROBABLY
[10:52:55] SCARED TO DEATH OF BEING HELD TO NCPC
[10:52:58] STANDARDS. I KNOW
[10:53:00] I WOULD BE SCARED TO DEATH TOO IF MY
[10:53:01] MAIN PROJECT WAS PLANNING THE WEEKEND
[10:53:03] HAPPY HOUR FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS.
[10:53:07] YOU KNOW WASN'T SCARED OF THE NCPC
[10:53:10] APPROVAL PROCESS? THE D.C. CITY GOVERNMENT, PRINCE
[10:53:13] GEORGE'S COUNTY, AND NUMEROUS FEDERAL AGENCIES.
[10:53:30] NCPC HAS REVIEWED NUMEROUS PROJECTS OVER
[10:53:31] THE YEARS. I LISTEN
[10:53:33] TO A FEW OF THE PROJECTS IN MY WRITTEN TESTIMONY
[10:53:34] BUT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE
[10:53:36] OF THOSE. IT WAS A PROJECT FOR STORM
[10:53:37] WATER MANAGEMENT POND THAT THE MARYLAND NATIONAL
[10:53:38] CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION
[10:53:40] SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY TO
[10:53:41] NCPC FOR APPROVAL. THE NCPC PROCESS
[10:53:43] WAS FOLLOWED, THE PLAN WAS APPROVED, AND THEN
[10:53:45] WORK WAS UNDERTAKEN AFTER THE APPROVAL.
[10:53:49] HEAR PARKS HAS ALREADY STARTED WORK AT
[10:53:50] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY WITHOUT GETTING
[10:53:51] NCPC'S APPROVAL OR EVEN HAVING ANY
[10:53:52] SORT OF FINAL PLAN.
[10:53:53] PARKS HASN'T EVEN SHARED ITS FINAL
[10:53:55] PLAN WITH YOU.
[10:53:57] IT'S EMBARRASSING TO ME THAT EVERYONE
[10:53:59] ELSE CAN FOLLOW NCPC'S
[10:54:02] PROCESS
[10:54:04] ,
[10:54:06] EXCEPT FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY. IT'S
[10:54:07] NOT SURPRISING THAT PARKS WOULD TREAT THE NCPC
[10:54:09] AS IT HAS TREATED US, LIKE AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
[10:54:10] PARKS DEVOTED ONLY ONE PARAGRAPH TO THIS
[10:54:12] TOPIC IN ITS RECOMMENDATION TO YOU
[10:54:13] AND THAT PARAGRAPH
[10:54:16] CONTAINED A BUNCH OF EMPTY BUZZWORDS.
[10:54:18] DEMAND PROOF FROM PARKS THAT IT HAS
[10:54:19] NCPC APPROVAL
[10:54:25] , UNTIL THEN I ASK YOU TO DENY PARKS RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU.
[10:54:28] >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
[10:54:31] YOUR TESTIMONY.
[10:54:36] WE HAVE TWO MORE IN PERSON SPEAKERS.
[10:54:41] MARSHA AND DAVID.
[10:54:44] THEN WE HAVE TEAMS.
[10:55:06] >>> I LIVE IN BETHESDA. I APPRECIATE
[10:55:08] THE FACT YOU ARE STILL LISTENING TO
[10:55:09] US. AT
[10:55:11] LEAST I HOPE SO.
[10:55:13] I'VE ALREADY WRITTEN TO SEVERAL OF YOU AND
[10:55:14] I HAVE SUBMITTED WRITTEN TESTIMONY.
[10:55:20] I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL
[10:55:21] THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED BY THE PARKS
[10:55:22] DEPARTMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU
[10:55:27] THREE REASONS. ONE, IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE
[10:55:30] TO BE RESTRICTING TRAFFIC
[10:55:32] ON CRITICAL LANE BETWEEN THE MASSACHUSETTS
[10:55:33] AVENUE CORE DOOR.
[10:55:35] I LIVE OFF OF MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE.
[10:55:36] AND
[10:55:39] DOWNTOWN BETHESDA. THE
[10:55:42] VERY SAME TIME, THAT
[10:55:45] MOVE IS A FOOT TO INCREASE HOUSING DENSITY WHICH
[10:55:48] IS IS AGREED WE NEED.
[10:55:50] BOTH IN BETHESDA AND IN WESTPORT.
[10:55:51] 2,
[10:55:53] YOU HEARD A PRESENTATION FROM PARKS
[10:55:54] THE TRAFFIC
[10:55:57] IS IN A PROBLEM.
[10:56:02] OTHERS WILL TELL YOU THAT THE PROPOSED CONFIGURATION IMPROVED
[10:56:03] SAFETY FOR
[10:56:04] THOSE USING THE CAPITAL TRAIL. YOU
[10:56:06] HAVE HEARD THAT.
[10:56:08] WELL IF TRAFFIC IS NOT A PROBLEM,
[10:56:09] WHY ARE
[10:56:12] THERE BACKUPS?
[10:56:14] NOT JUST DURING RUSH HOUR BUT IN MIDAFTERNOON.
[10:56:15] BACKUPS CREATE
[10:56:18] SAFETY PROBLEMS AT
[10:56:20] THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL CROSSING
[10:56:21] AS YOU
[10:56:23] HAVE HEARD. AND I WOULD JUST LIKE
[10:56:24] TO GO
[10:56:27] OFF OF THE RECORD SO AS TO COUNTER SOME
[10:56:30] OF WHAT I'M HEARING IN INNUENDO.
[10:56:33] I WANT CYCLISTS AND
[10:56:35] PEDESTRIANS USING THE TRAIL TO BE SAFE.
[10:56:36] I USED THE TRAIL.
[10:56:39] NOW,
[10:56:42] IF THERE ARE BACKUPS NOW
[10:56:46] WHAT HAPPENS WHEN EVEN MORE PEOPLE
[10:56:48] RETURN TO WORK AND THERE ARE SEVERAL
[10:56:51] THOUSAND ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS
[10:56:54] ? THERE IS MORE RIGOROUS ATTENTION
[10:56:55] REQUIRED FOR TRAFFIC PROJECTIONS.
[10:57:00] THREE,
[10:57:03] WHAT IS THE POINT OF DISRUPTING A FUNCTIONING
[10:57:06] ROADWAY FOR HALF AN ACRE OF RECREATION SPACE?
[10:57:09] IF YOU USE THE PARKWAY
[10:57:12] WHICH I,
[10:57:15] YOU WILL KNOW THAT EVEN SEEING ONE OR TWO PEOPLE
[10:57:18] IN THE CLOSED AREA
[10:57:21] IS UNUSUAL.
[10:57:23] AND I'VE HEARD THIS EVENING THAT THERE
[10:57:24] ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
[10:57:26] USE IT ALL THE TIME. I HAVE USED THE
[10:57:27] PARKWAY AT VARIOUS TIMES. I HAVE NOT
[10:57:30] SEEN THEM. FURTHER,
[10:57:33] PARKS SAID HE DOES NOT DO TRAFFIC
[10:57:44] IT DOES PARKS. AND FURTHER INCITES
[10:57:45] THE NEED TO PROVIDE OUTDOOR RECREATION SPACE FOR
[10:57:46] WHAT IT ESTIMATES TO BE PROXIMATELY
[10:57:48] 40% OF WITH US THE RESIDENCE YET LACKING YARDS. THAT IS AN ADMIRABLE
[10:57:51] GOAL. I WOULD SAY THAT THAT IS THE FOCUS OF THE
[10:57:54] NEW 3.3 ACRE PARK WHICH IS GOING IN BEHIND THE FARM
[10:57:57] WOMEN'S MARKET ADJACENT TO MANY OF THE
[10:57:59] NEW HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS IN BETHESDA.
[10:58:03] THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR
[10:58:06] YOUR TESTIMONY. >> MR. WOODWORTH. >> IT
[10:58:09] IS GREAT TO BE HERE. I LIVE IN
[10:58:12] MONTGOMERY VILLAGE. I VISIT THE AREA
[10:58:14] OCCASIONALLY FOR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS.
[10:58:15] I'VE ALSO BEEN UNDER
[10:58:18] CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL. I'VE BEEN A LITTLE
[10:58:20] FALSE PARKWAY. HER YOUNGER BROTHER AND
[10:58:22] YOUNGER SISTER HAVE BEEN
[10:58:25] BIKED IT
[10:58:27] AND THE AREA PROVIDES A GREAT RELEASE
[10:58:28] FROM THE SURROUNDING
[10:58:29] SUBURBAN AREAS. I'M VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT
[10:58:31] OF THE PILOT PROJECT.
[10:58:33] AND I WANT TO EXPLAIN WHY BOTH TECHNICALLY
[10:58:34] AND
[10:58:36] SUBJECTIVELY. FIRST OFF, THE D.O.T.
[10:58:40] HAS CONCLUDED THE TRAFFIC FLOW
[10:58:45] IS AT AN ACCEPTABLE SPEED ON AVERAGE I BELIEVE
[10:58:46] IT IS 18 TO
[10:58:47] 20 MILES PER HOUR. THE D.O.T. HAS
[10:58:49] ALSO CONCLUDED THE PARKWAY TRAFFIC HAS
[10:58:52] PARKWAY TRAFFIC HAS BEEN ON
[10:58:53] THE DECLINE EVER SINCE THE 2000'S.
[10:58:55] ANYWAY IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH
[10:58:56] THE PANDEMIC. PLUS THERE ARE MANY
[10:58:58] PEOPLE WHO
[10:59:01] TELEWORK. I HAVE
[10:59:02] NOT HAD TO GO INTO AN OFFICE IN ALMOST
[10:59:04] 4 YEARS. D.O.T.
[10:59:05] HAS FOUND THAT THE INCREASE IN CUT
[10:59:07] THROUGH TRAFFIC TO SURROUNDING
[10:59:10] NEIGHBORHOOD ROADS IS NOT VERY SIGNIFICANT.
[10:59:13] THOUGH AS A FATHER WHO LIVES NEAR
[10:59:14] A BUSY ROAD I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO
[10:59:16] THAT CONCERN. THERE ARE
[10:59:18] 1 MILLION CHEAP WAYS THAT YOU CAN
[10:59:22] ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC ON NEARBY
[10:59:23] NEIGHBORHOOD ROADS. YOU CAN PUT SPEED
[10:59:25] BUMPS AND PICK YOU COULD
[10:59:27] ADD SIDEWALKS. SOME OF THE ROADS DON'T
[10:59:28] HAVE
[10:59:31] SIDEWALKS. PUT TRAFFIC CONES ARE WATERFIELD BARRIERS.
[10:59:34] YOU CAN SLIM DOWN LANES.
[10:59:37] YOU COULD DO A BUNCH OF STUFF TO
[10:59:38] MAKE THOSE RESIDENTIAL ROADS SAFER.
[10:59:39] NONE OF THOSE FIRST OFF THOSE ARE
[10:59:40] CHEAP. SECOND OFF
[10:59:43] EXCEPT THE SIDEWALKS.
[10:59:44] SECOND OFF THEY DON'T INVOLVE TAKING
[10:59:46] AWAY THE BIKE LANES.
[10:59:49] ON LITTLE FALSE PARKWAY.
[10:59:52] ALSO IT IS CHEAPER
[10:59:53] BECAUSE BIKES ARE MUCH LIGHTER THAN
[10:59:55] CARS AND STUFF.
[10:59:58] IN THE LONG RUN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
[10:59:59] TO PAVE THE STATE OF SIDE OF THE ROAD
[11:00:01] USED BY BIKES MUCH LESS.
[11:00:03] SUBJECTIVE REASONS THAT THE PILOT
[11:00:04] SHOULD
[11:00:07] BECOME PERMANENT. THE BIKE
[11:00:08] LANES PROVIDE AN ESSENTIAL CONNECTOR
[11:00:10] FROM THE
[11:00:13] NEIGHBORHOOD
[11:00:16] HOUSES TO DOWNTOWN BETHESDA.
[11:00:28] I WOULD BET A LOT OF MONEY IF YOU SURVEYED
[11:00:29] ALL THE CHILDREN OF THOSE WHO OPPOSE
[11:00:30] THE BIKE LANES AND ASKED THEM WHETHER
[11:00:31] OR NOT THEY WOULD
[11:00:32] LIKE TO HAVE EASY ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN
[11:00:33] BETHESDA THEY WOULD BE OVERWHELMINGLY
[11:00:34] IN FAVOR OF IT. I HAVE
[11:00:35] SPENT YEARS WORKING WITH YOUTH IN
[11:00:36] THE COUNTY AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW
[11:00:37] THEY ARE
[11:00:38] CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH A MENTAL HEALTH
[11:00:39] CRISIS. LARGE NUMBERS OF THEM ARE
[11:00:40] DELAYING GETTING THEIR
[11:00:42] DRIVER'S LICENSES. SINCE THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT FAVORS CARS ABOVE ALL
[11:00:43] ELSE IN
[11:00:44] THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS
[11:00:46] IN THE COUNTY
[11:00:50] SPENT TOO MUCH TIME COOPED UP IN THE
[11:00:51] BASEMENTS OF SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES
[11:00:52] ISOLATED FROM THEIR FRIENDS AND
[11:00:53] GLUED TO THEIR SCREENS. THEY GET OUT TO
[11:00:55] ALL KIND OF RISKY BEHAVIOR.
[11:01:01] HAVING THE ABILITY TO GO OUT AND GET
[11:01:02] FRESH AIR AND EXERCISE SOCIALIZE WITH
[11:01:03] FRIENDS AND DOWNTOWN BETHESDA WILL
[11:01:04] DO WONDERS FOR THESE KIDS WELL-BEING. I
[11:01:05] DO NOT SEE THESE KIDS REPRESENTED
[11:01:06] IN THIS HEARING. I DO NOT SEE THEM
[11:01:07] REPRESENTED IN ALL
[11:01:08] THE COMPLAINTS YOU ARE HEARING. I'M
[11:01:10] OUT OF TOWN. DO THE RIGHT THING.
[11:01:13] YOU ALL KNOW WHAT IT IS. THANK YOU. >>
[11:01:16] THANK YOU. WE SHIPPED TWO PEOPLE WHO
[11:01:18] ARE ON TEAMS. WE START WITH PETER GRAY.
[11:01:19] FROM THE
[11:01:22] WASHINGTON AREA
[11:01:25] ASSOCIATION.
[11:01:31] IF YOU COULD
[11:01:34] PROCEED PLEASE. >> YES
[11:01:37] GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS
[11:01:40] PETER GRAY. I REPRESENT
[11:01:43] THE CAN YOU HEAR ME? >>
[11:01:45] WE ARE JUST SAYING YOU GET FIVE MINUTES. >> GREAT.
[11:01:49] I REPRESENT THE 1300 PLUS
[11:01:52] MEMBERS WHO LIVE
[11:01:55] IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY. AND I'M
[11:01:57] HERE TONIGHT TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT
[11:02:01] THE PROPOSED PLAN BY THE
[11:02:03] PARKS DEPARTMENT. AND THE POINT THAT I
[11:02:04] WANT TO
[11:02:07] MAKE TONIGHT AND IT IS REALLY DISTRESSING TO ME
[11:02:10] TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD
[11:02:13] ACTING IN A WAY THAT
[11:02:15] I JUST CANNOT UNDERSTAND. HOW DO WE HAVE
[11:02:19] FAITH IN OUR GOVERNMENT FOR ALL
[11:02:21] THESE YEARS TO DO THE RIGHT THING,
[11:02:22] TO BE
[11:02:24] HONEST, TO BE TRANSPARENT AND SUDDENLY
[11:02:28] WHAT I
[11:02:30] HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE OPPOSED TO
[11:02:31] THIS IS THAT THEY ARE OPPOSED TO
[11:02:33] THE FACTS? PARKS AND NCDOT HAVE DONE
[11:02:34] TRAFFIC STUDIES.
[11:02:37] THESE TRAFFIC STUDIES HAVE SHOWN CLEARLY
[11:02:40] THAT THE AMOUNT OF
[11:02:42] TRAFFIC CONGESTION IS THE MINIMUS.
[11:02:48] I UNDERSTAND FOR PEOPLE WHO DRIVE ON THE
[11:02:49] ROAD ON A REGULAR BASIS, THAT
[11:02:50] CHANGING THE CONDITIONS OF THE ROAD
[11:02:52] IS SOMETHING THAT WAS UPSETTING TO THEM.
[11:02:53] BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED A FEW
[11:02:55] YEARS AGO.
[11:02:57] AND IT HAPPENED FOR A REASON THAT
[11:02:58] IS CLEAR TO ALL.
[11:03:01] SOMEBODY DIED AT THIS
[11:03:02] INTERSECTION. AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF
[11:03:04] THE MULTI-LANE THREAT THAT WAS CAUSED BY
[11:03:07] ONE LANE OF CARS STOPPING
[11:03:09] AND THE OTHER ONE NOT WE KNOW WHAT THE
[11:03:10] PROBLEM IS.
[11:03:13] THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN ASSESSED.
[11:03:16] THE CHANGE IN THE ROAD
[11:03:18] HAS CLEARLY CREATED A MUCH SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR
[11:03:24] WALKERS BIKERS PEOPLE WITH WHEELCHAIRS
[11:03:25] AND OTHER MOBILITY DEVICES TO CROSS.
[11:03:28] THE LITTLE FALSE PARKWAY ON
[11:03:31] THE TRAIL. I JUST URGE THE
[11:03:34] PLANNING BOARD
[11:03:36] TO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, DON'T BE
[11:03:37] SUBJECT TO JUST
[11:03:40] APPEAR A MOTION OF WHAT YOU
[11:03:41] ARE HEARING FROM SOME OF THE PEOPLE
[11:03:43] IN THE ROME. LET'S LOOK AT THE FACTS. AND LET'S
[11:03:46] ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THE RECONFIGURATION OF
[11:03:49] THE ROAD HAS MADE
[11:03:51] THINGS SAFER FOR PEOPLE USING THE TRAIL.
[11:03:52] YOU CAN
[11:03:55] DEBATE WHETHER I ALSO THINK THAT
[11:03:58] CREATING MORE OPEN PARK
[11:04:01] SPACE IS A REAL BENEFIT
[11:04:04] . NOT JUST FOR THE PEOPLE IN
[11:04:06] THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
[11:04:07] COMING FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY.
[11:04:10] AND, I THINK THAT IT BEHOOVES
[11:04:13] THE PLANNING BOARD TO BE VERY CLEAR
[11:04:16] THAT WE ARE ON THE SIDE
[11:04:19] OF DATA . WE ARE ON THE SIDE
[11:04:22] OF FACTS. AND WE KNOW THAT
[11:04:28] THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THE SAFEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME FOR PEOPLE
[11:04:30] WHO USE THE TRAIL. WITHOUT ACTUALLY CAUSING
[11:04:32] ANY REAL HARM
[11:04:35] IN THE FORM OF CONGESTION.
[11:04:36] TO PEOPLE WHO DRIVE ON THE PARKWAY.
[11:04:41] AND SO, I WILL YIELD BACK THE
[11:04:42] REST OF MY TIME. BUT I REALLY HOPE
[11:04:45] THAT THE PLANNING BOARD IS ABLE TO FOLLOW
[11:04:47] THE FACTS
[11:04:50] AND ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE
[11:04:52] PARKS DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>
[11:04:55] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. DANIEL --
[11:04:59] SARAH
[11:05:02] BIKE SAFETY
[11:05:05] MEMORIAL FUND. >> THANK YOU
[11:05:08] VERY MUCH. THANK YOU
[11:05:11] TO PETER FOR THAT PERSUASIVE SPEECH.
[11:05:14] MY NAME
[11:05:16] IS DAN LANG AND KIM. SOME OF YOU WILL KNOW
[11:05:20] MY NAME BECAUSE MY WIFE
[11:05:22] WAS KILLED ON RIVER ROAD LAST YEAR.
[11:05:23] IN AUGUST.
[11:05:26] WHILE SHE WAS BIKING TO
[11:05:31] CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL FROM OUR CHILDREN'S
[11:05:32] ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN
[11:05:34] WOOD ACRES. SINCE HER DEATH I HAVE DEDICATED
[11:05:38] MY FREE TIME
[11:05:41] AND MORE TO TRY
[11:05:43] TO INCREASE ROAD SAFETY AROUND BETHESDA
[11:05:47] IN WASHINGTON DC AND
[11:05:48] ITS AREA AND ALSO THE NATION. AND
[11:05:53] I SUPPORT THESE CHANGES TO
[11:05:56] RIVER ROAD. FOR A
[11:05:59] SIMPLE REASON. THEY MAKE RIVER
[11:06:02] ROAD SAFER. ONE
[11:06:05] OF THE
[11:06:06] KEY LESSONS THAT I HAVE LEARNED IN
[11:06:08] TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
[11:06:10] HOW SAFETY WORKS IS THAT SLOWER SPEEDS
[11:06:14] SAVE LIVES. AND TO THE NEIGHBOR
[11:06:16] THAT SAID HE HAD BEEN ASKED BY HIS
[11:06:17] NEIGHBORS WHY
[11:06:20] THESE CHANGES WERE MADE, I
[11:06:23] WOULD SIMPLY REQUEST THAT HE RESPOND
[11:06:29] THAT WE MADE THESE CHANGES THAT THESE CHANGES
[11:06:30] WERE NECESSARY BECAUSE SOMEONE DIED THERE.
[11:06:32] SOMEONE WITH A FAMILY. SOMEONE WITH
[11:06:35] A FUTURE. SOMEONE WITH
[11:06:38] MAKING HUGE CONTRIBUTIONS
[11:06:41] TO OUR SOCIETY. THE
[11:06:44] CHANGES WERE MADE FOR
[11:06:47] THAT REASON.
[11:06:50] AND THEY HAVE HELPED ALSO OPEN UP
[11:06:52] SPACE FOR A PARK WHICH IS GREAT. THAT
[11:06:53] IS THE
[11:06:54] OTHER SECOND THE SECOND POINT I WOULD
[11:06:56] LIKE TO MAKE WHICH IS THAT,
[11:07:02] WE NEED TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW
[11:07:04] OUR SOCIETY IS ENGINEERED. AND IF WE
[11:07:05] ENGINEER OUR SOCIETY
[11:07:08] FOR CARS PEOPLE WILL DRIVE CARS.
[11:07:11] IF WE ENGINEERED OUR SOCIETY FOR
[11:07:14] SAFE STREETS AND FOR PARKS,
[11:07:17] FOR CHILDREN
[11:07:18] WHO RIDE BIKES, FOR FAMILIES WE WILL FIND
[11:07:20] MORE PEOPLE RIDING BIKES
[11:07:23] . WE WILL FIND MORE FAMILIES ON THE
[11:07:24] STREETS AND ENJOYING THEM. I WAS STRUCK
[11:07:26] THIS WEEKEND BY
[11:07:28] THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WERE IN
[11:07:29] THE
[11:07:30] KENWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THERE WERE
[11:07:32] VERY FEW CARS THEY ARE. IT WAS GORGEOUS.
[11:07:37] IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. AND I THINK THE RESIDENCE
[11:07:38] FOR OPENING UP THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
[11:07:40] AND MAKING IT CLEAR THAT CARS WERE
[11:07:41] NOT WELCOME.
[11:07:43] IT WAS ACTUALLY A BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL
[11:07:44] SCENE. AND I'M CONFIDENT
[11:07:47] THE SAME WOULD HAPPEN ON RIVER ROAD
[11:07:50] THE PARK WITH THE TRACTION THAT FAMILIES
[11:07:52] WOULD USE. I'M ACTUALLY ABSOLUTELY
[11:07:53] CONFIDENT IN IT.
[11:07:56] LISTEN I AM A DRIVER.
[11:07:59] ALL OF US ARE DRIVERS. AND WE NEED TO
[11:08:01] GET FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER. BUT,
[11:08:05] WE
[11:08:06] ALSO AGREE THAT THERE ARE CHANGES
[11:08:07] THAT ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MAKE
[11:08:08] OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER. FOR EXAMPLE
[11:08:10] WE STOPPED AT BUSES TO ALLOW THE SCHOOLCHILDREN
[11:08:11] TO CROSS THE
[11:08:14] ROAD. WE SLOWED DOWN FOR SCHOOL ZONES.
[11:08:17] BECAUSE WE
[11:08:18] CARE ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND THEIR
[11:08:20] SAFETY THERE. TO MEET THESE CHANGES ARE JUST
[11:08:23] LIKE THAT.
[11:08:25] IT IS A SLIGHT INCONVENIENCE FOR SOME DRIVERS
[11:08:26] TO SLOW DOWN
[11:08:27] A LITTLE BIT ON RIVER ROAD. SO THAT
[11:08:29] WE ALL CAN HAVE A BETTER COMMUNITY.
[11:08:32] AGAIN,
[11:08:38] I SUPPORT THE CHANGES AND I URGE THE
[11:08:39] PLANNING BOARD TO LOOK AT THE DATA THAT
[11:08:40] WAS SO CAREFULLY CAREFULLY COLLECTED
[11:08:41] IN THE RUN
[11:08:44] UP TO THIS THESE CHANGES.
[11:08:47] AND TO THINK
[11:08:48] ABOUT WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY THAT
[11:08:49] WE ARE GOING TO CREATE FOR THE FUTURE.
[11:08:50] THANK YOU. >>
[11:08:52] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. >>>
[11:08:56] SOPHIA BLAKE >>
[11:08:59] YES
[11:09:01] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >>
[11:09:05] YES >> THANK YOU.
[11:09:08] I'M A LITTLE
[11:09:11] YES THANK YOU I'M SORRY I GUESS
[11:09:14] REALLY SORRY FOR YOUR FOR THE LOSS OF
[11:09:17] YOUR WIFE. I'M SORRY I AM RIGHT AFTER
[11:09:20] YOU. BECAUSE, I AM --
[11:09:23] MY INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY.
[11:09:26] NYE WANTED I'M NOT
[11:09:29] GOING TO READ MY TESTIMONY. I'M GOING TO JUST
[11:09:32] TRY AND MENTION SOME OF THE
[11:09:35] MOST OBVIOUS POINTS FOR ME.
[11:09:38] WHICH MAKE
[11:09:41] ME OBJECT PARKS PLAN TO CLOSE
[11:09:44] THE TWO LANES.
[11:09:47] I
[11:09:50] DO HAVE TO SAY THAT
[11:09:53] I AM IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS DIVERSE IN TERMS
[11:09:54] OF AGE. WE HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIES.
[11:09:56] I LIVE IN --.
[11:09:59] MORE AND MORE YOUNG FAMILIES ARE MOVING
[11:10:02] TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. MY FAMILY IS
[11:10:05] ALWAYS OUTSIDE
[11:10:08] HIKING, BIKING, WALKING.
[11:10:14] IN FACT MY HUSBAND BELIEVES THAT
[11:10:16] YES CAR SHOULD NOT BE PRIVILEGED AND WE
[11:10:17] SHOULD HAVE MORE GREEN SPACES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
[11:10:19] SO ONE OF MY MAIN OBJECTIONS TO THE
[11:10:20] WAY THIS IS UNFOLDING
[11:10:23] IS THIS ARTIFICIAL DIVISION
[11:10:27] THAT IS BEING CREATED WITHIN COMMUNITIES
[11:10:29] AND BETWEEN COMMUNITIES. BETWEEN PEOPLE
[11:10:32] WHO SUPPORT RHODES VERSUS PEOPLE WHO
[11:10:35] SUPPORT PARKS.
[11:10:37] AND THE MORE I HEAR PEOPLE WHO ARE
[11:10:38] IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT THE MORE I'M
[11:10:41] CONVINCED HOW THIS IS NOT HEADING
[11:10:42] IN THE RIGHT WAY
[11:10:44] AND THE WAY WE ARE HAVING THIS DEBATE.
[11:10:48] ONE
[11:10:51] THE MAIN MY MAIN OBJECTION
[11:10:53] TO THE PILOT PROJECT, BEYONCE SAFETY TRAFFIC
[11:10:57] , IS REALLY
[11:11:00] JUST COMMON SENSE.
[11:11:02] AND I HEARD PREVIOUSLY PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT
[11:11:05] THE JUSTIFICATION OF THESE PLANS.
[11:11:09] AND THE WHOLE SETUP THAT
[11:11:10] WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE CLOSURE OF
[11:11:12] TWO LANES WHEN WE REALLY
[11:11:15] HAVE NOT DISCUSSED AGREED
[11:11:19] SCENE PLANS AND HAVE REALLY CLARITY
[11:11:21] ON WHAT IS THE PURPOSE
[11:11:23] THAT WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE THE TWO
[11:11:24] LANES. WHEN I
[11:11:27] HEAR PEOPLE, THE PREVIOUS
[11:11:30] MEMBERS OF THE BIKERS COMMUNITY,
[11:11:32] EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT CLOSING --
[11:11:36] BETWEEN RIVER AND ARLINGTON.
[11:11:39] AND WHAT I WANTED TO REMIND MYSELF
[11:11:43] AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS THAT
[11:11:44] THE PROPOSAL FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN EVERYWHERE
[11:11:45] ON
[11:11:47] THE PARKS WEBSITE AND WE HAVE TALKED
[11:11:48] IN THE PRESENTATION
[11:11:51] --IT IS REALLY BETWEEN DORSET
[11:11:54] AND
[11:11:55] ARLINGTON. SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
[11:11:57] A SMALL SLIVER OF THE
[11:11:59] LITTLE FALL PARKWAY IN THE MIDDLE
[11:12:00] OF NOWHERE. IN
[11:12:02] THE MIDDLE OF THE PARK. THAT IS PLANNED
[11:12:06] TO BE --PARKWAY BETWEEN
[11:12:09] TWO PARKS. >>
[11:12:12] PLEASE CONCLUDE. >> YES, SO
[11:12:15] I LOVE PARKS. I LOVE
[11:12:17] OUTDOOR SPACES. THE PROPOSED PLAN
[11:12:18] IS NOT GOING TO
[11:12:21] BENEFIT BIKERS.
[11:12:23] THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE WOULD BE
[11:12:24] THROUGH THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL.
[11:12:27] IT WILL BE DANGEROUS. AND IT SERVES NO
[11:12:29] PURPOSE WHATSOEVER. BECAUSE IT IS
[11:12:30] SURROUNDED BY TWO
[11:12:32] FUNCTIONING PARKS. AND TRAILS. >>
[11:12:35] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. BRIAN McGREGOR. >>
[11:12:42] CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES >>
[11:12:44] TERRIFIC. I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE WITH
[11:12:50] THE POINTS SOPHIA BLAKE WAS MAKING. REGARDING
[11:12:54] THE COMMONSENSE NATURE OF WHAT
[11:12:56] WE ARE DISCUSSING HERE. IF YOU LOOK AT
[11:13:00] WHERE THE PARK OR THE POTENTIAL PARK
[11:13:03] IS LOCATED, IT IS
[11:13:06] RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF AN
[11:13:07] AWFUL LOT OF EXISTING GREEN SPACE.
[11:13:09] FROM A VALUE ADD PERSPECTIVE,
[11:13:14] WHAT IT ACTUALLY BRINGS TO THE TABLE TO
[11:13:15] CLOSE A
[11:13:18] MAJOR ARTERY DOES
[11:13:19] NOT ENHANCE THE OVERALL CHARACTERISTICS
[11:13:21] FOR THE COMMUNITY.
[11:13:24] I THINK FROM A COMMON SENSE PERSPECTIVE
[11:13:26] WE HAVE ALSO HEARD FROM THE VAST MAJORITY
[11:13:30] OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS
[11:13:32] AS WELL AS THE HEADS OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS
[11:13:35] WHO HAVE ALL PAINSTAKINGLY HAD THESE
[11:13:36] DISCUSSIONS WITH
[11:13:38] THEIR CONSTITUENTS. AND I THINK IT
[11:13:39] IS VERY VERY CLEAR
[11:13:43] THAT THE OVERALL SENTIMENT OF THE
[11:13:44] SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS WHICH BY
[11:13:45] THE WAY ARE THE ONES THAT WOULD
[11:13:47] BE MOST APT TO USE A PARK ARE ACTUALLY
[11:13:51] AGAINST IT. I THINK FROM A COMMON
[11:13:54] SENSE PERSPECTIVE,
[11:13:55] IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA THAT PARKS
[11:13:57] DEPARTMENT HAS PRESENTED, TO SAY THAT
[11:14:00] THERE ARE MANY THOUSANDS OF NEW RESIDENTS IN
[11:14:03] THE AREA THERE ARE HUNDREDS ABOUT TO
[11:14:06] COME ONLINE. YET
[11:14:07] TRAFFIC HAS DECREASED. THAT DOES NOT
[11:14:09] MAKE SENSE EITHER.
[11:14:15] ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS MY STATISTICS PROFESSOR TAUGHT
[11:14:17] ME IN BUSINESS SCHOOL WAS THE BEST WAY
[11:14:18] TO TELL A LIE IS TO
[11:14:20] USE STATISTICS. WE ALL KNOW THAT THE
[11:14:21] DATA AND THE REPRESENTATION OF THE DATA
[11:14:22] CAN BE SKEWED VERY EASILY. PARTICULARLY
[11:14:24] WHEN IT WAS GATHERED DURING A VERY VERY
[11:14:27] ABNORMAL TIME I.E. DURING COVID.
[11:14:30] I WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE WITH A
[11:14:33] SAFETY CONCERN. WHICH AGAIN AS SOPHIA SAID
[11:14:35] IT JUST DOES NOT MAKE COMMON SENSE WHEN
[11:14:39] VISION ZERO
[11:14:42] IS TO REDUCE SAFETY CONCERNS
[11:14:45] FOR PEDESTRIANS.
[11:14:47] AND TO REDUCE NEIGHBORHOOD CUT THROUGH
[11:14:48] WHICH BY THE WAY THOSE
[11:14:51] WERE THE TWO THINGS THE PARKS
[11:14:52] DEPARTMENT ARTICULATE WHERE THE FIRST
[11:14:53] AND SECOND OBJECTIVES OF VISION ZERO.
[11:14:54] TO CLOSE A
[11:14:57] MAJOR ARTERY IN WHICH IS SURROUNDED
[11:15:02] BY NEIGHBORHOODS WE ALL KNOW THAT
[11:15:03] THAT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE IN TERMS OF
[11:15:06] LIMITING CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC. I HAPPEN
[11:15:09] TO LIVE ON KENNEDY DRIVE. WITH THREE
[11:15:11] CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF SIX YEARS OLD.
[11:15:12] THE LAST
[11:15:15] THING I'M GOING TO SAY IS,
[11:15:18] AS SOMEONE WHO SITS THERE AND OBSERVES DAILY TRAFFIC
[11:15:21] THERE IS EGREGIOUS VIOLATIONS ON A DAILY BASIS
[11:15:24] OF CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC
[11:15:27] WHICH WILL BE EXACERBATED BY
[11:15:30] THE CLOSING OF A MAJOR EVERY
[11:15:31] THAT RUNS DIRECTLY PARALLEL TO THE
[11:15:33] NEIGHBORHOOD. IT IS COMMON SENSE. IT
[11:15:35] DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. THANK YOU. >>
[11:15:36] THANK
[11:15:38] YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. ANDREW HYDE. >>
[11:15:42] GOOD EVENING.
[11:15:45] THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING.
[11:15:47] CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW ROLE.
[11:15:51] AND FOR TAKING THE TIME TONIGHT TO HEAR
[11:15:53] THE VIEWS OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
[11:15:54] BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT FOR
[11:15:56] ME IS I SUPPORT THE PILOT PROJECT.
[11:15:59] I SEE NO CONTINUING NEED FOR 4 LANES
[11:16:00] OF FAST TRAFFIC THROUGH A PARK.
[11:16:03] PARK SHOULD BE FOR RECREATION. AND
[11:16:04] NOT TO FACILITATE TRAFFIC MOVEMENT
[11:16:06] IN MY VIEW.
[11:16:08] I LIVE VERY CLOSE TO LITTLE FALL PARK
[11:16:09] AND PARKWAY.
[11:16:11] I'M A REGULAR VEHICLE IN BIKE USER.
[11:16:15] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY IN THE CAPITAL CRESCENT
[11:16:18] TRAIL. I COMMUTE BY
[11:16:20] BIKE TO WORK. I'VE USED A LINEAR PARK
[11:16:21] AS WELL. I KNOW IT IS STILL A
[11:16:24] WORK IN PROGRESS. WHAT WE SEE IS NOT NECESSARILY
[11:16:26] WHAT WE ARE GOING TO GET. I THINK
[11:16:27] CONTRARY TO THE CLAIMS WE HAVE HEARD
[11:16:30] BY SOME MANY WHO LIVE NEAR THE
[11:16:33] LITTLE
[11:16:35] FALLS PARKWAY IN THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL
[11:16:36] SUPPORT THE LINEAR
[11:16:38] PARK CONCEPT. I'M GLAD ASSOCIATION
[11:16:39] LEADERS HAVE COME TONIGHT
[11:16:42] AND PARTICIPATED IN THEIR VOICES
[11:16:45] IS VERY IMPORTANT.
[11:16:47] THEY DON'T NECESSARILY SPEAK ON BEHALF OF
[11:16:48] ALL OF THEIR RESIDENCE AS WELL.
[11:16:50] I THINK THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING
[11:16:51] DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TRAFFIC
[11:16:54] THAT HAVE COME TONIGHT FROM THE
[11:16:56] PARKS SERVICE AND OTHER PEOPLE TESTIFYING.
[11:16:58] BUT
[11:16:59] THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES TO USING LITTLE
[11:17:00] FALLS PARKWAY. THEY ARE LESS CONVENIENT
[11:17:02] YOU CAN ADD MINUTES TO A JOURNEY.
[11:17:06] I DON'T SEE THOSE AS ONE MYSELF WHO
[11:17:07] HAS USED THEM AS A SERIOUS DRAWBACK. SOME TESTIMONY AS
[11:17:09] WE HAVE HEARD THE FOCUS ON THE SAFETY.
[11:17:10] CAPITAL CRESCENT
[11:17:12] TRAIL CROSSING A LITTLE FALLS PARK.
[11:17:16] THAT IS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN.
[11:17:18] I'VE HAD SOME CONCERNS WHEN I HAVE WRITTEN
[11:17:19] ACROSS IT.
[11:17:26] I BELIEVE THE LINEAR PARK IS HELP THE
[11:17:27] SAFETY AND IT HAS REQUIRED IT IS TRUE
[11:17:28] IS
[11:17:29] THE PARKS THAT IT SAID REQUIRES A
[11:17:30] MEDITATION FOR ALL USERS. I THINK
[11:17:31] WHAT WE SEE IS NOT
[11:17:32] AGAIN WHAT WE ARE GOING TO GET. THE
[11:17:33] PARK SERVICE AS THEY TESTIFIED TONIGHT IS
[11:17:34] GOING
[11:17:36] TO WORK OUT A MORE SAFE CROSSING THEN
[11:17:37] WHAT WE
[11:17:39] SEE NOW. ONCE THIS IS APPROVED. I
[11:17:40] THINK IT
[11:17:41] IS WORTHY TO SORT OF CONSIDER WHAT
[11:17:43] THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
[11:17:48] INEVITABLY STORE SPEEDS ON LITTLE
[11:17:49] FALLS PARKWAY IF
[11:17:50] YOU ARE LANES HELP IMPROVE SAFETY.
[11:17:52] I
[11:17:54] KNOW THIS IS A FRAUGHT ISSUE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
[11:17:55] WE'VE HEARD THAT TONIGHT
[11:17:57] OVER THE LAST FEW HOURS. I HAVE TO
[11:17:58] ADMIT THE
[11:18:01] PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
[11:18:03] ON BEHALF OF THE PARK SERVICE HAVE
[11:18:04] BEEN UNCERTAIN LIMITED
[11:18:07] AND OFTEN REACTIVE. I THINK
[11:18:11] A MISSED CHANCES MANY MISSED CHANCES
[11:18:12] TO EXPLAIN THE SUSPENSION OF THE OPEN PARKWAYS
[11:18:13] AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PILOT. IT
[11:18:15] IS USEFUL TO LEARN ABOUT IT TONIGHT.
[11:18:16] IT DID LEAD TO A LOT
[11:18:19] OF CONFUSION AND CONCERN.
[11:18:21] I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU AS
[11:18:22] YOU CONSIDER THIS
[11:18:23] UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BENEFITS WILL
[11:18:25] BE GOING FORWARD.
[11:18:26] AND HOW THE LINEAR PARK WILL WORK
[11:18:28] UNDER THE PLAN OF THE PARKS
[11:18:29] SERVICE. I HOPE YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO
[11:18:30] PROVE IT TONIGHT AND THANK YOU VERY
[11:18:31] MUCH. >>
[11:18:34] THANK YOU. OLIVER HARRIS. >>
[11:18:40] NOT THERE. >> YES.
[11:18:43] I AM HERE. I'VE BEEN TRYING
[11:18:45] TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE. >> WE HEAR YOU. >>
[11:18:49] THANK YOU. I GUESS
[11:18:52] PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING HAS
[11:18:53] BEEN SAID. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT
[11:18:55] I THINK
[11:18:56] BEAR REPEATING AND CONSIDERATION ARE
[11:19:00] IF THERE WAS SO MUCH DEMAND FOR THIS
[11:19:01] PARTICULAR PARK
[11:19:04] OR WHETHER IT BE FROM THE FRONT END OR
[11:19:06] A BUILT IT SO TO SPEAK AND IT WILL
[11:19:09] COME PERSPECTIVE. I DRIVE UP AND DOWN
[11:19:10] THE PARKWAY
[11:19:13] ON A REGULAR BASIS.
[11:19:16] I JUST
[11:19:17] HAVE FAILED TO SEE THE DEMAND FOR
[11:19:19] THIS IN TERMS OF THE USE. SO, THAT
[11:19:21] I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD
[11:19:25] BE CONSIDERED. ALSO
[11:19:27] IF IT WERE AS POPULAR AS I THINK THE
[11:19:28] PROPONENTS OF THIS SUGGESTS
[11:19:31] THAT IT IS,
[11:19:33] WHERE IS THE PARKING GOING TO BE FOR
[11:19:34] THAT
[11:19:37] USE? SO, I JUST --
[11:19:40] I THINK THE SAFETY IS A BIG ISSUE. I
[11:19:42] THINK THE 2017 ROAD DIET THAT OCCURRED
[11:19:46] AT THE CROSSING WITH THE TRAIL AND
[11:19:49] I RUN ON THE CAPITAL
[11:19:52] CRESCENT TRAIL. REGULARLY.
[11:19:55] OCCASIONALLY I WILL GO UP
[11:19:58] AS FAR UP AS
[11:20:01] THE CROSSING AT LITTLE FALLS.
[11:20:04] I'VE ONLY COME DOWN THAT ONE TIME AND
[11:20:06] IT IS NOT A WELCOMING LANDING IF YOU WILL.
[11:20:10] WHEN YOU GET TO THE END OF WHERE THE LANE
[11:20:13] CLOSURES STOP AND YOU HAVE TO SORT OF JUST
[11:20:16] WORK YOUR WAY BACK UP OVER TO THE
[11:20:19] CRESCENT TRAIL.
[11:20:21] AT THE ENTRANCE TO KENWOOD ON DORSET. SO,
[11:20:24] I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN ISSUE. I
[11:20:25] THINK
[11:20:27] EVERYONE IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE
[11:20:28] BEST OUTCOME HERE. BUT
[11:20:31] THERE IS CERTAINLY
[11:20:32] EXCESS LAND TO CONSIDER OTHER PLANS
[11:20:34] . AND THE
[11:20:37] CONGESTION THAT THESE CLOSURES CREATES. AND
[11:20:40] I THINK THE SAFETY HAZARD
[11:20:42] WHERE YOU HAVE TO LANES OF TRAFFIC
[11:20:43] AS YOU CROSS
[11:20:46] WITHOUT THE MEDIAN ,
[11:20:49] IS A PROBLEM.
[11:20:51] IT SHOULD BE RECONSIDERED AS BEING
[11:20:52] PUT BACK
[11:20:54] WITH THE OTHER LANE OPENINGS. >> THANK
[11:20:55] YOU VERY MUCH.
[11:20:58] STACY --
[11:21:00] BRANTLEY HOUSE CONDO ASSOCIATION. >>
[11:21:07] HELLO. GOOD EVENING.
[11:21:10] THANK YOU COUNTY LEADERS
[11:21:11] FOR ALLOWING US THIS OPPORTUNITY.
[11:21:15] SO MY FAMILY LOVES USING THE PARKS
[11:21:16] IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
[11:21:19] AS A MEMBER OF A CONDO COMMUNITY WITHOUT
[11:21:21] A BACKYARD WE VISIT LOCAL PARKS EVERY
[11:21:22] WEEK WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.
[11:21:25] HOWEVER, WE HAVE NEVER VISITED
[11:21:27] THE LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY WHEN IT WAS
[11:21:28] CLOSE. WE HAVE YET TO VISIT
[11:21:31] IN ANY OF HIS MODIFIED VERSIONS.
[11:21:34] ON BEHALF OF THE BRANTLEY HOUSE COMMUNITY WE
[11:21:37] URGE YOU TO REINSTATE LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY IS A FOUR-LANE ROAD
[11:21:39] WITH A MEDIAN WE CAN STOP DETOURING
[11:21:40] OUT OF THE WAY TO
[11:21:43] WILLARD AVENUE OR GOLDSBORO ROAD TO
[11:21:45] REACH ESTABLISHMENTS ON RIVER ROAD
[11:21:46] DUE TO THE LACK OF SAFETY
[11:21:49] WE FEEL A
[11:21:51] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY IN HIS MANY REITERATIONS. WE
[11:21:52] REQUEST THAT PROPER TREE
[11:21:55] ROOT WORK
[11:22:01] WE
[11:22:02] SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE IS COMPLETED
[11:22:03] ON THE LITTLE FALLS PARK TRAIL THAT
[11:22:04] RUNS PARALLEL TO LITTLE FALLS
[11:22:05] PARKWAY AND HALLANDALE ROAD. FROM DORSET
[11:22:07] ALL THE WAY TO NORWOOD PARK.
[11:22:09] SO THIS PARK SPACE CAN BE SAFELY UTILIZED
[11:22:10] FOR ALL RECREATIONAL PURPOSES.
[11:22:13] ADDITIONALLY,
[11:22:14] WE REQUEST THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL
[11:22:16] IS WIDENED APPROPRIATELY DUE TO ITS USAGE.
[11:22:21] SO THIS TRAIL CAN CONTINUE TO BE UTILIZED
[11:22:22] FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES
[11:22:25] AS WELL. LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY AS YOU KNOW
[11:22:28] IS A MAIN
[11:22:31] VEHICULAR ARTERY FOR
[11:22:32] RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHWEST
[11:22:34] MONTGOMERY COUNTY TO REACH DOWNTOWN BETHESDA.
[11:22:37] THERE ARE SAFETY ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE CLOSELY EXAMINED
[11:22:40] AND FURTHER EVALUATED.
[11:22:43] AS
[11:22:45] A RESULT OF THE LATEST CONFIGURATION,
[11:22:46] ALONG WITH THE LACK OF REFLECTIVE MATERIAL
[11:22:49] ON BLOCKADES,
[11:22:51] AND ELECTRONIC SIGNAGE THAT CAN BE
[11:22:52] CONFUSING FOR THOSE THAT ARE UNAWARE OF
[11:22:53] THE MODIFICATIONS SPECIFICALLY --
[11:22:56] NEIGHBORS HAVE REPORTED
[11:22:58] NUMEROUS NEAR MISS HEAD ON COLLISIONS SITUATIONS.
[11:23:02] FIRE AND RESCUE CONCERNS.
[11:23:03] IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUES HAVE BEEN
[11:23:06] OPENLY DISCUSSED BY PERSONNEL AT THE
[11:23:08] BETHESDA AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
[11:23:11] IMAGINE THIS. IN AN EMERGENCY
[11:23:15] THE ONLY WAY THAT A VEHICLE AN EMERGENCY
[11:23:17] VEHICLE CAN MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH IS
[11:23:20] FOR ONE LANE
[11:23:24] OF VEHICLES TO BASICALLY GO OFF ERODING
[11:23:25] INTO THE GRASSY AREA TOWARDS THE ACTUAL
[11:23:26] TRAIL WHERE
[11:23:27] RESIDENTS COULD OR WOULD BE USING
[11:23:29] THIS SPACE RECREATIONALLY
[11:23:33] WHILE THE CARS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION
[11:23:34] WILL BE LOCKED IN THEIR LAME DUE TO
[11:23:35] THE BOLLARDS OR A FUTURE WALL. EMERGENCY VEHICLES
[11:23:37] WOULD BE UNABLE TO MOVE AS DESCRIBED
[11:23:39] AN EXAMPLE AN AMBULANCE STUFF AND
[11:23:41] STUCK IN TRAVEL TRAFFIC.
[11:23:44] FOR 3 SIGNAL CYCLES.
[11:23:50] DENSITY
[11:23:51] CONTINUES TO BE ADDED TO WEST BART AND
[11:23:52] DOWNTOWN BETHESDA TRAFFIC ON THE PARKWAY
[11:23:53] WILL INCREASE. PARKS DOES
[11:23:55] NOT ADEQUATELY ACCOUNT FOR THIS POTENTIAL CHANGE.
[11:24:00] MISCONSTRUE DATA WHICH I KNOW IS RECENTLY
[11:24:01] JUST MENTIONED BY THE PERSON THAT
[11:24:02] SPOKE
[11:24:05] BEFORE ME.
[11:24:09] THE ROAD RESTRICTIONS ENCOURAGE VEHICULAR
[11:24:10] TRAFFIC TO CONTINUE DETOURING THROUGH
[11:24:11] NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE
[11:24:13] NO SIDEWALKS. THE DETOURING TRAFFIC
[11:24:14] HAS LIKELY INCREASED ON
[11:24:15] GOLDSBORO ROAD BETWEEN RIVER ROAD
[11:24:17] AND BRADLEY BOULEVARD BUT IT HAS
[11:24:19] NOT BEEN COLLECTED ON GOLDSBORO. THE
[11:24:23] DATA PRESENTED ON FEBRUARY 15th
[11:24:26] APPEARS INCOMPLETE
[11:24:27] AND CHERRY PICKED TO SUPPORT PARKS
[11:24:29] GOAL OF MAKING THE ROAD
[11:24:30] PERMANENT RATHER THAN ACTUALLY PRESENTING
[11:24:35] THE FULL DATA. FOR EXAMPLE IF
[11:24:36] THEY COLLECTED SEVEN DAYS WORTH OF DATA,
[11:24:38] WHY DID THEY NOT SHARE SEVEN
[11:24:41] DAYS WORTH OF DATA?
[11:24:43] THEY SELECTED THREE WOOD DAYS AND COMPARED
[11:24:44] IT TO TWO
[11:24:45] WEEKEND DAYS. AND DID NOT NECESSARILY TAKE
[11:24:47] INTO ACCOUNT
[11:24:51] POTENTIAL FUTURE CHANGES IN THE TRAFFIC
[11:24:53] LEVELS ON THE PARKWAY AS A
[11:24:54] RESULT OF THE INCREASED RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
[11:24:57] IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA AND THE SHIFT
[11:24:59] TO FULL OR HYBRID OFFICE WORK FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
[11:25:02] AND OTHERS.
[11:25:07] INSTEAD OF SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT
[11:25:08] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY PLEASE REVIEW
[11:25:09] POSSIBLE EFFORTS TO MANAGE MAINTAIN
[11:25:11] AND IMPROVE
[11:25:13] THOUGH FALLS PARK TRAIL IN THE CAPITAL
[11:25:14] CRESCENT TRAIL. THANK YOU
[11:25:17] FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU.
[11:25:20] TOM ELDRIDGE. >>
[11:25:23] YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME? >>
[11:25:26] WE CAN. >>
[11:25:29] I'M A CHEVY CHASE RESIDENT OF
[11:25:32] 30 YEARS. I
[11:25:33] WAS ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE TOWN OF SOMERSET
[11:25:35] FOR 8 YEARS. I'M A CYCLIST
[11:25:38] WHO HAS CYCLED ON
[11:25:41] ALL THE MAJOR ROADS OF THE AREA. COMMUTED TO
[11:25:44] DC MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA. AVERAGING
[11:25:46] ABOUT 5000 MILES A YEAR. I'M ALSO
[11:25:47] THE FORMER
[11:25:50] COUNTY PROSECUTOR IN CHARGE
[11:25:52] COMMITTEE PROSECUTOR IN CHARGE OF BETHESDA.
[11:25:56] I JUST WOULD LIKE TO
[11:26:02] SUGGEST AS THE JURY IF
[11:26:03] YOU WILL IN THIS DECISION-MAKING AS WE
[11:26:04] OFTEN SAID TO THE JURIES WE PRESENTED
[11:26:05] TO, YOU DON'T LOSE
[11:26:08] YOUR COMMON SENSE WHEN YOU --
[11:26:11] AND BECOME BOARD MEMBERS. THERE IS DATA.
[11:26:14] THERE IS EVIDENCE. YOU HAVE
[11:26:17] HEARD LOTS PLEASE
[11:26:18] DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT YOU
[11:26:20] HAVE COMMON SENSE.
[11:26:22] YOU USE THAT COMMON SENSE I'M CONVINCED
[11:26:25] YOU'RE GOING TO RESULT IN THE CONCLUSION
[11:26:26] THAT YOU SHOULD REJECT
[11:26:29] WHAT PARKS IS PROPOSING TO CLOSE HAVE
[11:26:31] TO LANES. ANYONE WITH COMMON SENSE
[11:26:38] CAN SEE THAT THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION IS LESS SAFE THAN
[11:26:39] WHAT WAS IMPOSED IN 2017. THE TWO
[11:26:41] LANE VERSION
[11:26:44] IS LESS SAFE THAN THE FOUR LANES WITH
[11:26:47] A MEDIAN. ALBEIT WITH TWO LANES
[11:26:50] AT THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL.
[11:26:53] THE LACK
[11:26:55] OF THE MEDIAN AT THE CAPITAL CRESCENT
[11:26:56] TRAIL IS LESS SAFE THAN WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE.
[11:26:58] THAT IS COMMON SENSE. EMERGENCY VEHICLES
[11:26:59] OBVIOUSLY HAVE A HARDER TIME
[11:27:02] --THAN WHEN THERE WERE
[11:27:05] FOUR LANES. THEY HAVE NO MEDIAN.
[11:27:08] THEY HAVE NO SHOULDER TO PULL OFF ONTO.
[11:27:11] VARIOUS INCREASED CUT
[11:27:14] THROUGH TRAFFIC IN NEIGHBORHOODS
[11:27:16] . PEOPLE ARE DISCOURAGED THE DATA
[11:27:17] SHOWS THIS FROM USING
[11:27:19] LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY. I MYSELF LIVING IN
[11:27:20] CHEVY CHASE ON PART OF
[11:27:23] THAT DATA. I AVOID LITTLE
[11:27:26] FALLS PARKWAY. BECAUSE IT IS A MESS
[11:27:28] BECAUSE IT GETS BACKED UP. COMMON
[11:27:29] SENSE TELLS YOU THAT
[11:27:35] COMMON SENSE TELLS YOU THERE
[11:27:36] IS A MUCH BETTER USE MULTIPLE BETTER
[11:27:37] USES OF TAXPAYER FUNDS THAN THIS PARK.
[11:27:38] IMPROVING THE CAPITAL CRESCENT TRAIL.
[11:27:41] IMPROVING LITTLE FALLS PARK.
[11:27:46] WE'VE HEARD MANY OF THEM. YOU'VE ALSO
[11:27:47] HEARD THE EVIDENCE FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEERS PARKS HAS
[11:27:49] FAILED TO ADEQUATELY MODEL FUTURE
[11:27:50] TRAFFIC NEEDS.
[11:27:54] IT WOULD BE PLANNING MALPRACTICE FOR
[11:27:56] YOU TO DECIDE BASED ON THE DAY THAT YOU HAVE TO THIS
[11:27:59] POINT TO CLOSE TWO LANES. PARKS CANNOT WHICH AWAIT
[11:28:02] THESE ISSUES. THE PLANNING BOARD CANNOT WISH
[11:28:05] AWAIT THESE ISSUES. IF YOU USE COMMON
[11:28:07] SENSE YOU WILL COME TO THE CONCLUSION
[11:28:08] THAT THERE IS
[11:28:11] MUCH MORE DATA AND STUDY NEEDED OF THESE
[11:28:13] FUTURE TRAFFIC NEEDS AND CAPACITY NEEDS
[11:28:17] BEFORE ANY DECISION COULD BE MADE TO CLOSE
[11:28:20] TWO LANES. I THEREFORE URGE YOU TO REJECT
[11:28:23] PARKS RECOMMENDATION.
[11:28:27] AND PROTECT THE SAFETY AND THE FUTURE
[11:28:28] TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF RESIDENTS OF
[11:28:29] MONTGOMERY COUNTY. >> THANK YOU.
[11:28:33] LEN BATTLE. >>
[11:28:39] YOU ARE THERE BUT YOU
[11:28:42] ARE MUTED. >> WE CANNOT
[11:28:45] HEAR YOU. >>
[11:28:48] I'M SURE IT IS
[11:28:51] GREAT TESTIMONY. >> YOU
[11:28:54] ARE MUTED. >>
[11:29:00] WE STILL CANNOT HEAR YOU. >>
[11:29:18] *SIX IF YOU CALL IN. >>
[11:29:30] CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? >>
[11:29:33] YES. >> WONDERFUL.
[11:29:36] THANK YOU. I'M SORRY. MY NAME
[11:29:39] IS LEN BATTLE. AND I LIVE IN --
[11:29:42] TOWNHOUSES.
[11:29:44] WHICH ARE AT THE CORNER OF WEST BART AVENUE.
[11:29:49] I THINK THERE IS AN ECHO HERE. >>
[11:29:51] IT IS
[11:29:54] BUT WE CAN HEAR YOU. >>
[11:29:57] I WALK THE TRAIL AND I DRIVE
[11:30:00] ON LITTLE FALLS ALMOST
[11:30:03] MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY. >>
[11:30:05] TURNED THE SPEAKER OFF ON YOUR COMPUTER. >>
[11:30:08] MY SPEAKER IS OFF ON THE COMPUTER. >> OKAY.
[11:30:12] PROCEED. >>
[11:30:15] I OPPOSE THIS PROPOSAL
[11:30:18] . LITTLE FALLS IS
[11:30:21] A VITAL CORE DOOR CONNECTING
[11:30:24] THE --CORE
[11:30:25] DOOR WITH DOWNTOWN BETHESDA. THIS
[11:30:27] IS THE WRONG TIME
[11:30:30] TO BE PROPOSING THIS KIND
[11:30:32] OF PROPOSAL TO REDUCE LITTLE FALLS
[11:30:33] FROM
[11:30:36] FOUR LANES TO 2. WE ARE ABOUT
[11:30:38] TO HAVE HUNDREDS OF NEW RESIDENTS
[11:30:39] IN
[11:30:42] WEST BART.
[11:30:44] AND THOUSANDS OF ADDITIONAL RESIDENCES
[11:30:48] IN BETHESDA. ALL OF THAT CONSTRUCTION
[11:30:49] IS UNDERWAY. AND YOU SHOULD WAIT TO
[11:30:51] SEE WHAT
[11:30:54] IMPACT IT HAS ON THE TRAFFIC
[11:30:57] ON LITTLE FALLS.
[11:31:00] SECONDLY, AS HAS BEEN SAID
[11:31:02] THE CONFIGURATION CURRENTLY USED IS
[11:31:06] VERY UNSAFE.
[11:31:07] IT IS UNSAFE FOR PEDESTRIANS AND MOTORISTS.
[11:31:09] GIVING UP THE MEDIAN
[11:31:12] IS A TERRIBLE IDEA.
[11:31:15] IT IS AWFUL FOR
[11:31:17] EMERGENCY VEHICLES. AS YOU HEARD FROM
[11:31:18] THE PERSON
[11:31:21] WHO WAS IN AN AMBULANCE. AND FINALLY,
[11:31:24] ALL OF
[11:31:27] THIS UNSAFE THIS DANGER TO PEDESTRIANS
[11:31:30] AND MOTORISTS IS RIDICULOUS AND
[11:31:33] WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A GOOD REASON
[11:31:36] TO DO IT. THE RESIDENTS DO
[11:31:39] NOT WANT THIS KIND OF A PARK. IF THERE
[11:31:42] IS MONEY IN PARKS BUDGET
[11:31:45] , WE SHE USE
[11:31:47] IT TO IMPROVE THE PARKS THAT ALREADY
[11:31:48] EXISTS. TO WIDEN CRESCENT TRAIL.
[11:31:51] TO HELP WITH THE INVASIVE
[11:31:54] VINES ALONG THE LANDSCAPING. AND
[11:31:57] TO FIND THE WILL IT BRANCH GREENWAY
[11:32:00] WHICH WAS TO BE THE JEWEL OF THE WEST BART
[11:32:03] SECTOR PLAN. IT SHOULD BE
[11:32:06] OPPOSED NOW.
[11:32:08] IF IT NEEDS TO COME UP LATER WHEN
[11:32:09] WE SEE THAT IS FINE.
[11:32:12] BUT IT IS ABOUT
[11:32:14] IT IS A BAD IDEA TODAY. >> THANK YOU
[11:32:15] FOR
[11:32:18] YOUR TESTIMONY. SHERRY DEL CAMPO. >>
[11:32:21] HELLO.
[11:32:27] MY NAME IS SHERRY AND MY FAMILY
[11:32:28] AND I ARE MOVING TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY THIS
[11:32:30] YEAR. WE ARE IN SUPPORT
[11:32:32] OF THE LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY PILOT PROJECT.
[11:32:33] AFTER
[11:32:36] LIVING IN A CAR DEPENDENT TOWN
[11:32:39] FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW WE ARE
[11:32:40] CRAVING MORE THAN EVER FOR THERE TO
[11:32:42] BE PARKS WHERE WE CAN WALK
[11:32:45] AND BIKE TO WITH OUR DAUGHTER.
[11:32:48] WE KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE OF
[11:32:50] LIVING IN A WALKABLE CITY PREVIOUSLY,
[11:32:54] THAT WALK ABILITY AND SAFE BIKE LANES
[11:32:57] ARE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL
[11:32:59] FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND ALSO JUST ESTABLISHING A
[11:33:00] GREATER SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
[11:33:03] AND SO
[11:33:05] I SUPPORT KEEPING THE PARKWAY AT TWO
[11:33:06] LANES RATHER THAN FOUR.
[11:33:09] THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[11:33:11] THE LAST SPEAKER IS JOHN NICHOLS. >>
[11:33:17] I WAS SURE. THAT IS WHAT THEY TOLD
[11:33:18] ME. HE IS NOT HERE. >>
[11:33:21] I'M HERE. >> WE CAN SEE
[11:33:24] YOUR EYES. WE CAN HEAR YOU. >>
[11:33:27] HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE ME.
[11:33:30] JOHN NICHOLS. I LIVE IN SUMNER.
[11:33:33] WANT TO GIVE THE PERSPECTIVE OF A PARENT
[11:33:36] OF TWO KIDS WHO ARE IN OUR LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
[11:33:39] IF THEY COULD BE HERE NOW THEY WOULD SAY
[11:33:42] IN EFFECT, DON'T
[11:33:44] GIVE ME A NEW PARK THAT IS FAR AWAY.
[11:33:45] INSTEAD FIX MY LOCAL
[11:33:48] PARK THAT I CAN WALK TO. I HAVE ATTENDED
[11:33:51] A FEW OTHER PUBLIC MEETINGS ON
[11:33:53] THIS TOPIC. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN IMPRESSED
[11:33:54] BY THE
[11:33:56] PARKS TEAM. THEY SEEM INNOVATIVE AND
[11:33:57] HAVE CLEARLY
[11:34:00] PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT
[11:34:03] INTO THIS IDEA OF A LINEAR PARK.
[11:34:05] I APPLAUD THE IDEA OF PROVIDING MORE
[11:34:06] OUTDOOR SPACE
[11:34:09] FOR RECREATION AND EXERCISE.
[11:34:12] MUCH OF THE CURRENT FOCUS IS ON TRAFFIC AND
[11:34:15] THERE SEEMS TO BE THIS
[11:34:18] PREMISE THAT IF THE TRAFFIC FLOW
[11:34:20] AND CUT THROUGH AND SAFETY ARE NOT
[11:34:21] PROBLEMS THAN THIS PROJECT IS A GOOD IDEA. AND SHOULD
[11:34:24] BE APPROVED. BUT, I
[11:34:27] STRONGLY FEEL
[11:34:29] THAT IF THE IDEA BEHIND THE PARK THE
[11:34:30] LINEAR PARK IS
[11:34:32] TO PROVIDE MORE SPACE FOR RECREATION
[11:34:33] AND EXERCISE,
[11:34:36] PART
[11:34:39] IS INVESTING HIS TIME AND RESOURCES IN THE
[11:34:41] WRONG PLACE. WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE
[11:34:46] FOUR MONTGOMERY COUNTY LOCAL PARKS
[11:34:48] THAT ARE EITHER A SHORT WALK OR BIKE RIGHT AWAY. THE ALL
[11:34:52] HAVE PLAYGROUNDS
[11:34:53] TENNIS BASKETBALL MOST OF THEM HAVE FIELDS
[11:34:55] FOR SOCCER AND BASEBALL. WE
[11:34:58] DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME
[11:34:59] IN THESE PARKS FOR SOCCER PRACTICES
[11:35:00] AND TO PLAY WITH FRIENDS. WHEN I ASKED
[11:35:04] MY KIDS IF THEY HAVE A CHOICE WHERE
[11:35:07] THEY WANT TO GO,
[11:35:08] THEY USUALLY PICK A DC PARK THAT WE
[11:35:10] HAVE TO DRIVE TO. TO ME
[11:35:13] IT IS PAINFUL TO HEAR THAT.
[11:35:16] SO WE OFTEN END UP DRIVING
[11:35:19] TO PALISADES --.
[11:35:22] IF YOU ASKED THE KIDS WHY,
[11:35:25] THEY WOULD SAY IF
[11:35:26] WE GO TO THE LOCAL PARKS IT IS OLD
[11:35:27] PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT THAT HAS NOT
[11:35:30] BEEN UPDATED. DECADES POORLY MAINTAINED.
[11:35:34] OVERGROWN FEELS.
[11:35:36] YOU SHOULD SEE THESE STILL SOMETIMES
[11:35:38] DURING SOCCER PRACTICE. THEY ARE NOT EVEN
[11:35:39] PLAYABLE. TENNIS COURT SERVICES ARE DANGEROUS.
[11:35:42] BASKETBALL COURTS ARE IN PORSCHE A.
[11:35:46] WE GO TO A DC PARK
[11:35:47] LIKE PALISADES NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.
[11:35:49] A NICE TURF FIELD NEXT TO THE
[11:35:51] GRASS FEELS. RESURFACED TENNIS COURTS.
[11:35:54] THEY DID NOT BUILD A NEW OUTDOOR SPACE.
[11:35:56] THEY FIXED AND IMPROVED AN EXISTING
[11:35:58] SPACE THAT IS
[11:36:00] EMBEDDED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IF YOU
[11:36:01] GO THERE YOU
[11:36:03] WILL SEE LOTS OF MARYLAND LICENSE
[11:36:04] PLATES IN THE
[11:36:05] PARKING LOTS. IN ALL OF THIS TALK
[11:36:07] ABOUT TRAFFIC
[11:36:10] ,
[11:36:11] LET'S NOT FORGET TO DISCUSS THE GOAL OF THE
[11:36:13] LINEAR PARK IMPROVING THE
[11:36:16] LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS
[11:36:17] . MIGHT NOT SOUND AS EXCITING AS A
[11:36:19] NEW SPACE WITH PING-PONG AND
[11:36:22] CORN HOLE. IT
[11:36:23] IS A MUCH BETTER PATH TOWARDS INCREASING
[11:36:25] EXERCISE AND RECREATION.
[11:36:28] THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
[11:36:31] THAT WAS OUR
[11:36:34] LAST SPEAKER.
[11:36:37] THIS TOPIC WILL BE ON OUR
[11:36:40] AGENDA ON APRIL 13th.
[11:36:42] HOPEFULLY WE WILL COME TO SOME CONCLUSIONS
[11:36:43] .
[11:36:45] IF WE NEED MORE DATA WE WILL GET MORE DATA.
[11:36:49] THAT IS THE SCHEDULE. I THANK
[11:36:52] YOU EVERYBODY FOR PATIENTS
[11:36:55] FOR ATTENDING. I THINK THE BOARD FOR
[11:36:58] BEING HERE FOR 12 HOURS AND
[11:37:01] 40 MINUTES. WITH THAT WE ARE
[11:37:03] IN RECESS.
[11:37:04] NO MEETING NEXT WEEK.