Monday, December 19, 2016

Sumner Citizens Association contributes $5000 to Save Westbard legal fund

More than 220 individual residents have contributed to the Westbard Legal Fund, in support of a lawsuit against Montgomery County over the Westbard sector plan. Now the effort has received a major boost from the Sumner Citizens Association, which has just announced it will contribute $5000 to the fund. While opposition to the new sector plan is the prevailing opinion across all nearby communities, the SCA is the first homeowners association to financially contribute to the legal fund.

"The lawsuit at this point is the only way to get the County Council and planners to revisit the Westbard Sector Plan," SCA President Sid Clemans told Sumner residents in a message announcing the decision. "They can change it to ensure redevelopment compatible with area infrastructure in this long-mature, suburban, residential area. The Board hopes that its donation will encourage other communities to take similar action. Since compatible development is so important, we also encourage Sumner citizens and members of other communities to support the Westbard Legal Fund."

As I reported earlier, a recent decision on a similar case in the D.C. Appeals Court suggests the Westbard legal case is a strong one that won't simply be dismissed by a judge. The legal effort was spearheaded by the Save Westbard citizen organization, which hired attorney Michele Rosenfeld, who prevailed over the County and Costco in the Kensington Heights gas station controversy.

48 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:07 AM

    "The Save Westbard citizen organization hired attorney Michele Rosenfeld, who prevailed over the County and Costco in the Kensington Heights gas station controversy."

    So now Dyer is a loyal foot soldier in The War On Cars?

    ReplyDelete
  2. 7:07: Where in that sentence do you find any opinion regarding the issue? It's a statement of fact. I am on the record opposing the taxpayer payment to Westfield to facilitate Costco, which was related to that matter, but I expressed no opinion on that here - you're just making stuff up. Better head back over to your favorite website with the fake news.

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  3. Anonymous7:48 AM

    Your choice this holiday season donate to feed the hungry or save a over sized parking lot.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous8:03 AM

      The insane Westbard plan will impact the quality of life of Bethesda residents for generations.

      Long after the PR firms, Councilmembers and bloggers get paid, residents will have to deal with this mess.
      Meanwhile, Berliner will likely be retired in Florida, enjoying that EYA $$.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous7:57 AM

    Does "long-mature community" mean that it's full of old people?

    Just wait a few more years and everything will be fine.

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  5. Skippy8:14 AM

    We're seeing green shoots of progress in Bethesda:

    Bethesda residents organizing, defying their Council and "Planning" Board.

    Also voted overwhelmingly to eject Berliner, Leventhal, etc by term limiting them.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous8:31 AM

    Wow that's a worse way to spend your money that donating to Hilary's campaign. Might as well wipe your ass with that cash - you can't fight Regency...their esquires will piss on your face Rob.

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  7. Anonymous8:36 AM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    Replies
    1. 8:36: Nope, I actually broke the story on that one. Secret hearing that wasn't posted whenever I checked certainly threw a tardy advantage to the media outlet that is unethically embedded with liquor interests in the county. Oh, well, in an autocracy, an independent news outlet isn't going to win them all but my ethics are intact. #Compromised #DarkMoney #AngelInvestors

      Delete
  8. Anonymous8:38 AM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:10 AM

      8.31, 8.36, 8.38: Too bad you don't know how to write without resorting to vulgarity. Or is your content so weak that you feel you need to shock in order to make your point?

      Delete
  9. Anonymous8:45 AM

    8:36 and 8:38, please just go away. Nobody likes you here.

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  10. Anonymous8:57 AM

    The rich of Bethesda see progress in new developments or opposition to new developments. Stupid political fights among the rich the rest of the world does not care about. The poor just continue to focus on getting by.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:05 AM

      The poor should certainly be top of mind, but that does not invalidate the concerns of others.

      On Westbard: the 15% affordable housing set aside is terrific, but the project is too big for its setting. It needs to be scaled back so that it is compatible with adjacent single family neighborhoods.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous8:59 AM

    Thank you, Sumner! It would be great if other area civic associations that oppose the height and density of the Westbard redevelopment (Springfield, Kenwood, Westwood Mews, Wood Aces and many others) would support the lawsuit. I will be asking my civic association to use some of my dues to support the lawsuit.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous9:06 AM

    Good to see folks weren't bamboozled by this plan.
    The cold truth is that your favorite Giant bagger or butcher won't be getting a $2 million EYA townhome out of this plan.

    Luxury studio and 1 bedroom apartments aren't going to solve the affordable housing crisis for MoCo families.

    Preserving existing garden apartments with multiple bedrooms will help more.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous9:26 AM

    Borderstan is shutting down this week: https://www.borderstan.com/2016/12/19/borderstan-to-cease-publication-again/

    Robert: Aren't they owned by the same people (Arlington Now) as BM? If so, another site from your competing empire bites the dust. Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous9:53 AM

    The ARLNow guy still writes a good dog poop story. His series on the Arlington phantom dog pooper was local Edward R. Murrow Award type stuff.

    Sorry to hear he has beaten back across the Potomac and Maryland/DC won't enjoy his shit work.

    ARLNow guy's failures will continue to get more coverage in the local legacy media (Post) than Mr. Dyer's good work here and on East Moco/Rockville Nights.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous10:10 AM

    I just come here to read the nasty comments from Dyer and his trolls.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous10:48 AM

    ArlNow.com gets 30 times as much traffic as Dyer:

    https://www.similarweb.com/website/robertdyer.blogspot.com?competitors=arlnow.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 10:48: Totally fake numbers, as are the others you posted. Disappointed that Borderstan went out of business before I or anyone else could figure out WTF the name Borderstan means.

      Probably a bad idea if your site name doesn't invoke the area you cover.

      If you ever do find a site with accurate analytics, you'll also have to factor in the angel investor $$$ the Arlington sites and Bethesda Magazine have. They pay Google to get into Google News. Google News won't allow me in because I won't pay them to do so. They also pay for search engine result placemen. They pay Twitter & Facebook for newsfeed priority and to gain followers.

      In short, I am outperforming all of these sites in that context. If I had a million bucks from angel investors, I would crush everybody. I'm not even getting into the matter of Washington Post & Washingtonian boosting certain blogs, while refusing to cover my websites and success. Sad.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous10:48 AM

    10:10AM - Yay! An honest comment!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous10:53 AM

    Even the moribund Borderstan.com had 7 times as much traffic as Dyer:

    https://www.similarweb.com/website/robertdyer.blogspot.com?competitors=borderstan.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous11:17 AM

    10:48 AM Also has 30 times the dog poop stories :)
    Maybe Purina is an advertiser?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous11:17 AM

    I come here to hear the many stimulating conversations between Robert Dyer and himself, such as @ 9:26 and 9:53 am.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous11:18 AM

    @1117 - Maybe Dyer will take a hint.

    #ShutDyerDown #MakeBethesdaSafeAgain

    ReplyDelete
  22. Every morning I get up and read Robert Dyer. And everyday he reports on a new development.

    Since I read it over breakfast, I'm glad Robert Dyer doesn't cover dog poop mystery stories!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous11:32 AM

    Looks like Dyer had 45,000 site visits in July, but only 12,000 in November. At this rate of decline, his blog will shut down sometime in February 2017.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 11:32: Fake numbers. Stop lying, you dumpster diving hobo.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous5:32 AM

      Dyer @ 8:31 - So why can't you produce any actual numbers documenting your own claims?

      Delete
  24. Anonymous11:45 AM

    Wow... there's a Reston Now site!?
    Reston is pretty sleepy...must be a lot of phantom dog poop stories to cover.
    We're glad that site will continue!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous12:16 PM

    10:53am I doubt "Borderstan" has 7x the traffic of Dyer.
    I mean, they posted an article saying they were shutting down the site and there's literally 4 comments lamenting the closure. That means there's about 5 people reading "Borderstan" and no one cares that it's gone. Sorry about that...I don't take pleasure that folks will be out of work for the holidays. Bad time to lay staff off.

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  26. Anonymous1:34 PM

    5 people reading Borderstan, 2 reading Dyer.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous1:49 PM

    Just looking at the comments, it's obvious Dyer's site has more readers than "Borderstan". Their biggest story, announcing their closure, had 4 comments!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous6:34 PM

    Citizens associations in Bethesda need to form neighborhood watch to stop the burgulary, home invasions and auto thefts or the county needs cameras in residential areas

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous7:18 PM

    @ 1:49 - It's obvious that Borderstan had more readers than Dyer did in November.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous7:28 PM

    7:18 PM It's not that obvious actually. They just announced they're closing and there's a handful of comments. I guess no one cares!

    Meanwhile, Dyer has a vibrant, growing readership here. Dyer is providing a safe, well lit environment to discuss everything Bethesda.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous7:36 PM

    Dyer had 45,000 site visits in July, 12,000 in November. That's not a "vibrant, growing readership".

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous7:41 PM

    7:36PM wow...you have access to Dyer's analytics? Or are you just making shit up again? :)

    Borderstan failed. There was no vibrant, loyal readership like Dyer has here.
    They just announced they're closing and there are a handful of half hearted comments! Come on man.
    Sucks the ARLNow guy is laying off staff right before Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous8:01 PM

    Dyer, got a tip for you. Looks like Gusto grill (now renamed Gusto Farm to Market or some nonsense) continues to struggle. Today they had a $5 pizza deal on Ubereats at lunchtime. Now, what type of restaurant would want to overload their staff with making $5 orders at what should be the busiest time of day for them? One that's not busy at lunchtime, of course. The pizza was good -- I ordered it -- but not a good sign for them if they are selling at fire-sale prices.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous10:09 PM

    7:41 = Vibrant, loyal sockpuppet

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous6:32 AM

    ARLnow guy is Scrooge. Fired everyone right before Christmas. :(

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous7:44 AM

    This site is wonderful. I love it when Dyer calls his readers dumpster diving hobos. Shows what a class act he is. Best, Totally not Robert Dyer But How Would you Know Since I (he) use the Worst Commenting System from 1999.

    ReplyDelete
  37. 7:44: It is wonderful - the real scoop on what's going on, not the County Council's fake news version of it you get elsewhere. Readers love it when "Dyer" calls the lone paid troll a dumpster-diving hobo. Good clean family entertainment.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Anonymous9:46 AM

    Dyer, when you only have 5 readers, it's not a good idea to insult 4 of them on a regular basis.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Anonymous10:50 AM

    9:46 AM That's a couple more than "Borderstan"

    ReplyDelete
  40. Anonymous2:03 PM

    Very sad day when the citizen's have to use their hard earned money to sue the Council who is supposed to be representing their interests. Your government has failed you folks but if you keep electing these left-wing progressive global warming Urban loving ideologs, expect much more of the same in Montgomery County.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Anonymous7:58 AM

    Don't include global warming with the BS.
    Global warming is 100% true.
    It only gets dicey when you try to determine why

    ReplyDelete