January 15, 2006

SHADY GROVE MASTER PLAN

COMMENTS PROVIDED BY THE GREATER SHADY GROVE CIVIC ALLIANCE

REGARDING THE SCHEDULED JANUARY 17, 2006 COUNCIL VOTE

Dear Montgomery County Council Members,

The citizens of Derwood and the surrounding neighborhoods have invested much time and effort in providing the County Park and Planning staff and County Council members with needed input and feedback through every step of the Master Plan development process. The Greater Shady Grove Civic Alliance (GSGCA) in particular, has worked closely with Karen Kumm and her staff, and has briefed every Councilmember more than once on the issue. Overall, we believe the Master Plan process has been open and in many cases inclusive of the positions presented by our membership. However, there are a few key issues which must be addressed before the scheduled January 17 vote.

On behalf of the GSGCA membership, I am asking each Councilmember to strongly consider the following points, and to amend the Master Plan document accordingly. Insertion of these points in the final Shady Grove Master Plan will produce a final document that can be viewed by all parties, particularly the Derwood Community, as comprehensive, responsive, balanced, and most importantly, people friendly.

1 - Town Center Building – Provide funding for a town center, which will become the focal point of the community for both current and new residents. A town center as a distinct building, not to be part of addition to the planned library. The GSGCA views an extension on the library a penny-wise, but pound-foolish decision for a Master Plan with a 20-year horizon. The Council has an opportunity to be proactive and visionary in planning for its citizens. Future attempts by the County Council to add a “needed” town center after the plan has been implemented will be far more costly to the taxpayers of Montgomery County.

2 – Expand Jeremiah Park and surrounding amenities – Expand Jeremiah Park to six acres with a gazebo for outdoor concerts, films, community gatherings, etc. The park should be located within walking distance of the distinct town center building and the separate library. The expanded Jeremiah Park should not be far from the planned retail area, which should include: a grocery store, gift and coffee shops, restaurants, a bakery and more. By implementing point 2, the County Council turns an on-paper only functional Master Plan into a livable and walkable community, a key objective of the Shady Grove Master Plan.

3 – Citizen Advisory Group – Amend the language of the Master Plan to insert wording to "create a citizen advisory group to assume continued community involvement in the planning and implementation of the Master Plan.” Let’s continue to maintain the positive and beneficial dialogue between the citizens of the sector plan and the Park and Planning staff & select builders/developers.

4 –Study of Gude Drive Landfill as Site For County Service Park Facilities – Provide funds for a Gude Drive Landfill study to determine if the landfill property can handle some of the bus and other County Service Park functions. The GSGCA views Gude Drive as a positive alternative to keeping County facilities in place along Crabbs Branch Way or shifting them to Shady Grove Road. The Webb Tract property should be used to house less transportation heavy functions of the County Service Park.

5 – Below Market Housing – The GSGCA supports the County Council decision to assure that affordable and work force housing is available throughout the county. However, the Derwood Community will only accept its fair share of this type of housing if other county communities are required to do the same. The Master Plan should reflect this position.

6 - Purchase Casey Mill Creek School Property – The Council should provide the necessary funding to purchase the school property as called for in the Plan. The funds should be made available now rather than wait and possibly jeopardize the Plan by losing access to the land. The potential lose of the favored school site will have a negative domino effect on other amenities in the current Master Plan

7 – Lower the Overall Number of Units – 6,500 units is not a functional number unless the separate Town Center (see bullet 1), expanded Jeremiah Park and related Retail area (see bullet 2) are all included in the Plan and implemented. The increased number of new residents, combined with the current Derwood and surrounding population (thousands of County residents literally across the road from the artificially defined Shady Grove Planning area), will quickly overwhelm the limited services and amenities provided in the current Master Plan. The GSGCA recommends a 30 percent drop in total units allowed in the Plan without all the above recommended amenities.

8 – Staging – The GSGCA fully supports the Councilmember Andrew’s efforts to incorporate tough staging requirements in the Master Plan.

Finally, it has been brought to the attention of the GSGCA that Karen Kumm of Park and Planning and her staff are being transferred to other duties at the very moment the County Council is to approve the final Plan. It does not make sense to transfer the creators and knowledgeable officials on the Shady Grove Master Plan at the point of implementation. The GSGCA strongly recommends that the Council intervene to reverse this decision and return Karen Kumm and her staff to being responsible for the Shady Grove Master Plan.

I thank you for your attention and consideration of the points above.

Sincerely,

Brad Botwin, Acting President

Greater Shady Grove Civic Alliance

15704 Kanawha Court

Derwood, MD 20855

w-202-482-4060

h-301-921-0187

bb67chev@aol.com