Sunday, April 12, 2015

First Kenwood cherry blossoms (Photos)

The buds that were opening on Friday were blooming on Saturday, as the first crowds began to descend on the picturesque Kenwood neighborhood off of River Road in Bethesda. No street parking is allowed in the neighborhood where No Parking signs are posted. No climbing on the trees is allowed, either.

As you take this virtual tour of suburbia in bloom, here's my public service announcement for the day: Remember that some Montgomery County Councilmembers, some on the Montgomery County Planning Board, and some development firms are attempting to disingenuously redefine the character of the area around Kenwood as "urban". Really?

Keep that in mind as you take this photo tour. Does this look like an urban area to you? The fact is that Kenwood, Springfield, Green Acres, Sumner and other neighborhoods that surround the commercial-industrial area along River Road and Westbard Avenue, are squarely suburban, residential neighborhoods. Let's keep them that way.

Bonus: a Chevrolet Volt








Yep, just like I promised
you the other day - an
actual lemonade stand

One of the grand entrances
to Kenwood, showing some
of the work of the
Kenwood Garden Club

46 comments:

Robert said...

Beautiful suburban neighborhood sitting right next to an urban area with growth potential. Love it!

Robert Dyer said...

7:54: There is no "urban" area. There is no Metro station. You got the first 3 words of your comment right, however.

Anonymous said...

Lots of urban areas don't have Metro stations.

Robert Dyer said...

8:53: This one isn't urban to begin with. You have to have a Metro station in order to build high-density, transit-oriented development.

Robert Dyer said...

3:38: So you're acknowledging that your goal is to urbanize the suburbs. And you are calling the residents of the area "stupid". Good luck winning any public support with that approach.

Anonymous said...

Because only your opinion counts?

Anonymous said...

Your approach doesn't seem to be winning any public support either.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Dyer is right. Kenwood and the surrounding areas are very, very suburban. Any plans to change this without providing transportation are failing current residents, as well as those who would be moving there.

Robert Dyer said...

5:10: Yeah, I guess that's why every resident who spoke at the public meeting was opposed to the Westbard Sector Plan draft. 250 present; zero residents spoke in favor. Doesn't sound like I'm in the minority.

Robert Dyer said...

5:07: It's not my opinion, it's a fact. There's no Metro station at "Westbard".

Anonymous said...

That public support isn't exactly for you. ;)

Anonymous said...

Does urban only mean metro?

Anonymous said...

Is Georgetown urban? There's no Metro there.

Anonymous said...

Downtown Washington DC didn't exist until the Metro opened in 1976.

Anonymous said...

I thought the idea was to maximize density around Metro stations? Or is there a new planning strategy?

Robert Dyer said...

6:34: Never said it was. What I did say, was that my opinion is the consensus opinion of the vast majority of residents.

Robert Dyer said...

6:47: "Westbard" doesn't resemble Georgetown. It is a low-density commercial/industrial area. Even Georgetown is not entirely urban. You're off topic here. Westbard is in the same category as Spring Valley, Palisades, and Potomac Village. Not urban, not Georgetown.

Robert Dyer said...

6:48: I'm assuming you're being sarcastic, but in any case, low-density Westbard is nothing like urban, downtown DC.

Anonymous said...

I hope the Planning Board does NOT allow Equity One/EYA to add so many units. Upgrade the shopping center, but we don't need another 1000 residences on Westbard. Image how Kenwood will be overrun in future cherry blossom weeks.

Anonymous said...

I can't wait for this area to keep growing bigger!

Anonymous said...

Kenwood is not a hard walk from Friendship Heights or Bethesda Metro. Then when the purple line goes in there will be another stop a 20 minute walk away.

Anonymous said...

Friendship Heights would be atleast a 45 minute walk. No exactly steps to Metro.

I know you're trying to make a point, but let's be realistic: you'd most likely hop on the Metro bus to Friendship Heights instead, right?

Anonymous said...

Google says 1.5 miles from where I dropped the marker. If I lived there and needed something from World Market or H&M I would walk. Uphill on the way there downhill on the way back.

Anonymous said...

7:05 AM Nice weather, maybe. I can't imagine walking that everyday to commute. Assuming a short Red Line trip after the walk, you're talking about 2 hours commuting total every day.

I'd just hop on the Metro bus. Runs regularly during rush, the problem is during weekends and after rush hour when it becomes infrequent.

Anonymous said...

Love the Equity One plan!! Looks beautiful for a blighted area now dotted with run down and decrepit retail, industrial spaces, etc.

Anonymous said...

Leave it to Robert Dyer to make a story about beautiful cherry blossom trees into a political rant. No wonder nobody voted for this grump. Not very likeable.

Robert Dyer said...

6:25: So "smart growth" and "transit-oriented development" are officially dead? You're just going to allow urban density anywhere, with no Metro station? That's called sprawl, which is the word that best describes the Westbard Sector Plan shown in November. The Purple Line? That's not only not in any plan, but it wouldn't even fit the right-of-way anymore the way it got so wide with 2 tracks and a trail.

Robert Dyer said...

7:05: There's no study that has ever shown any significant number of people willing to walk the ridiculous length you're describing. If that was the case, they'd be doing it now. "Survey says...BRRRRNNNT!"

Robert Dyer said...

8:18: The Equity One plan for the Westwood Shopping Center is a good starting point for discussion, and much better than what the Sector Plan draft showed for that site. Not perfect by any means, but a step in the right direction. However, the other side of Westbard and the nursing home site need to be scaled back in Equity One's plan.

Just because the County failed to plan adequately for the future of "Westbard" for decades doesn't mean residents have to accept a lesser plan now. The Stockholm Syndrome is a terrible planning tool.

Robert Dyer said...

10:59: Yeah, out-of-state developers and inept Wall Street-bankrolled councilmembers are much more likable than me.

Anonymous said...

Robert is a good Lorax, and he speaks for the trees.

A thnead is NOT what everyone needs.

Y'all voted for Oncelers cos they're blue.

Anonymous said...

1. The Bethesda Purple Line station isn't planned for and won't fit?

2. One and a half miles is now a ridiculous distance to walk among the people from Bethesda. I guess I understand their mindset better now.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Didn't you show the "bankroll" was a few hundred dollars worth of campaign contributions? Lol.

Anonymous said...

Wait is there a study saying they won't?

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I meant "Riemer's campaign". LOL.

Anonymous said...

The new plan looks great!!

Anonymous said...

The voting surely confirmed that, Robert

Robert Dyer said...

6:24: No, the $500 was just the check Mitt Romney's Bain Capital wrote to Hans Riemer. He had tens of thousands more from Wall Street, Danaher, and health insurance company lobbyists - and that's not including the $100,000+ from developers.

Robert Dyer said...

4:18: The Bethesda Purple Line station is nowhere near Westbard.

Robert Dyer said...

6:26: Yes - have you examined any transit study from the last 20 years, which were used to set the distance from a subway station people are willing to walk, for transit-oriented development planning? The truth is out there.

Anonymous said...

Are we talking about Kenwood or Westbard?

Robert Dyer said...

6:31: We're talking about the Westbard Sector Plan, which directly impacts Kenwood.

Anonymous said...

Oh wow developers donated over 100k?

Anonymous said...

Do you have any sources? Don't disbelieve you by any means, just saying there are lots and providing some reference goes a long way.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your blogpost regarding our neighborhood. Please note Kenwood is in Chevy Chase - 20815. Only the Radnor Road portion is actually in Bethesda.