Citizen group incorporates as 501(c)4 to "get serious" on Bethesda downtown plan

The Coalition of Bethesda Area Residents (CBAR), a citizen group advocating to downsize the draft Bethesda Downtown sector plan while increasing parkland, announced Saturday that it has incorporated as a 501(c)4 non-profit. Its first goal, now that it has the ability to raise funds, is to hire a community organizer.

According to the group's founder, Mary Flynn, the community organizer will raise community awareness of what the implications of the current plan are for residents, engage and activate them to participate in the plan process, and use their input to achieve revisions to the draft plan.

CBAR is now soliciting donations, which are not tax-deductible, on a GoFundMe page. They have already raised $5640 of their $25,000 goal in only 48 hours, as of this writing.