WESTBARD SECTOR PLAN LAUNCHES - FIRST MEETING SEPTEMBER 23 - WESTBARD REDEVELOPMENT

The Westbard Sector Plan process has officially launched, as the Montgomery County Planning Department welcomed the public to a new website with an overview of the process schedule. Residents, business owners and other interested parties can sign up for newsletters and RSVP for the first public meeting, which will be September 23, 7-9 PM at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda.

There are a couple of minor issues on the website and Twitter account. First, the images used could be refined to be more indicative of the true character of the west Bethesda area. Currently, the pictures include a Cherry Blossom-season photo from Kenwood (with homes cropped out) and a nature scene. Those are  accurate. The Capital Bikeshare photo suggests the goal of getting more people to ride bikes to or from downtown Bethesda, Friendship Heights, or into the District. Fair enough, and a laudable goal.

But the second photo isn't a photo at all - its an artist rendering taken directly from promotional materials for developer EYA's Little Falls Place townhomes. This seems inappropriate for several reasons.

Townhome image (R) is taken directly
from developer EYA's promotional
materials 

First and foremost, EYA is one of the developers whose fortunes will depend upon the outcome of this Westbard Sector Plan. It has partnered with Equity One to redevelop the Westwood Complex. For the planning department to utilize a developer's promotional material for a process in which that developer stands to profit is unwise. It could - wrongly, I would hope - suggest that planners are showing favor to that developer, and to a particular land use with which it is associated - namely, high-density, multi-family housing.

Second, and not far behind, is the fact that townhomes and apartments are not the predominant land use in the neighborhoods served by the commercial-industrial area termed the "Westbard Sector." There should be a photo of a single-family home up there. The handful of high-rise buildings that exist in the Westbard area are not compliant with the new zoning that will be applied; they are grandfathered in. Single-family homes are the dominant land use, and should not be entirely missing from any promotion imagery used by the County in the planning process.

Finally - and most obviously - it's just a drawing! If you want to show a townhome, show one that already exists. As is, the image favors a developer directly involved in the Westbard process, and absolutely is not representative of the area as a whole.

The other minor issue was an inaccurate statement about the history of the Westbard area, and the residential neighborhoods around it. It reads:

"Over a period of years, the residential uses were built around the commercial/industrial areas which extend along River Road and Westbard Avenue."

In reality, several residential neighborhoods predate the commercial/industrial areas. The commercial-industrial zone itself was actually an African-American residential community, dating back to Maryland Emancipation through the 1950s. Kenwood was founded prior to World War II. Many homes and neighborhoods existed before the Westwood Shopping Center was opened in 1959. The history of the area is tremendous, and should be respected in the planning process going forward.

Going forward...

Have concerns about the outcome of the Westbard Sector Plan process? For news and analysis going forward, continue to follow this blog, and @BethesdaRow on Twitter.

If you're really interested in the Westbard process, you'll also want to follow this special @Westbard account on Twitter, as well.