Next
Meeting: Wednesday,
March 25th 8:00 p.m.
Mill Creek Towne Elementary School
17700 Park Mill Drive in Derwood
Topic: County Service Park -- Current
Status
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January 29, 2009
Dear Council President Andrews, The Greater Shady Grove Civic Alliance is opposed to the Department of Transportation's recommendation to relocate EMOCH to the site on Casey 7 at the corner of Crabbs Branch Way and Shady Grove Road. Casey 7 is currently an empty field across from the Grove Shopping Center. Casey 7 is located approximately ½ mile from the Shady Grove Metro. To use a site, which is within such close walking distance to Metro, in order to house buses is totally contrary to Smart Growth policy recommendations. I have called the bus systems in Prince Georges and Fairfax County which also serve the Metro facilities in their respective counties. None are located in such close proximity to the Metro station. The bus systems in other Maryland and Virginia locations which serve the end of the line Metro system are all located many miles away from the end of the line Metro sites. Smart Growth would recommend that the residential uses that had been proposed would be far more appropriate to be placed on Casey 7. Over 6,000 new housing units are being planned for the Shady Grove Metro area. This includes over 300 housing units in the area across from Casey 7, around the Grove Shopping Center. Casey 7 should serve to provide recreational and other amenities, such as ball parks, restaurants, movie theaters, shops, etc. to serve the existing and 6,000 additional planned residents of Derwood. Commercial uses such as a hotel, hi tech or professional offices, which take advantage of the close proximity to Metro, would also be more in keeping with Smart Growth policies. Besides being an eyesore to the community and creating additional traffic congestion EMOC will generate a great deal of heavy bus traffic with its accompanying air and noise pollution. For too long the Derwood community has been and continues to be literally the dumping ground of Montgomery County. There are already too many undesirable uses in the Derwood area including the County's Waste Trash Transfer site and the Metro maintenance and rail yard facility. At other Metro locations in the Washington DC area, there have been great efforts in making the increasingly dense Metro sites appealing for the newly developed or planned residences and also improving the surrounding existing communities. We ask that the same be done at Shady Grove Metro. Sincerely yours, Pat Labuda President Greater Shady Grove Civic Alliance |
| Shady Grove Implementation Advisory
Committee January 29, 2009
Dear Council President Andrews, Last fall the Shady Grove Advisory Implementation voted to oppose the recommendation of the Department of Transportation to locate the EMOCH facility on the property known as Casey 7 located on Crabbs Branch Way in Derwood. The Casey 7 property is located approximately 1/2 mile from Metro. A 16 acre site, in such close proximity to Metro, which is being sold for close to $1,000,000 an acre needs to be developed to optimize Smart Growth policies. During the many years of the Charette process, which were used to receive community input in the development of the Shady Grove Area Master Plan, many suggestions for the use of this undeveloped property were recommended. These suggestions included ball fields, residential use, a community center, commercial uses such as an upscale grocery store, movie theaters, shops, office uses, a hotel, professional services such as doctor’s offices, etc and other uses which would benefit the growing and existing community. Any of these uses would take advantage of the close proximity to Metro, encouraging walking and discouraging automobile use which is a central goal of Smart Growth. The Sector Plan was meant to transform the Shady Grove Metro Station area into a center of housing, commercial and community space. An article in the January 28 Gaithersburg Gazette quotes Marilyn Balcombe, President of the Gaithersburg, Germantown Chamber of Commerce saying “……we’ve all paid a lot of lip service to the ideas of Smart Growth….We need to have housing and jobs near the metro station…From an economic development standpoint and quality of life perspective, we feel that having housing and jobs is the best and highest purpose of the land near the Metro station.” To place EMOCH at a site that is within easy walking distance to Metro is in total violation of Smart Growth Policies. We urge you to oppose this recommendation. Sincerely yours, Pat Labuda Resident Member Shady Grove Implementation Advisory Committee |