Edelman said that Springfield, which will be the neighborhood most heavily-impacted by the construction of the 22+ acre megaproject, emphasized 3 priorities it would like to see in the amended plan: Less density, retaining the proposed realignment of Westbard Avenue, and construction of the Willett Branch Greenway park.
Regency is expected to file its amended plan, which it will reveal at a public meeting, in January. It is unknown if the company will use the new filing to extricate itself from the PR disaster over its plan with the County Housing Opportunities Commission to build a parking garage on top of an African-American cemetery by Westwood Tower. Should the amendments be substantive enough, a new public hearing before the Planning Board will be required for its approval.
12 comments:
I love Montgomery County. Its great to see developers admitting mistakes and residents making everyone's lives a living nightmare if they attempt to change up anything that could potential ruin the suburbian lifestyle. I love that we have residents who will support the cause to block a developer from building a parking garage do alleviate parking needs in order to preserve our past (and prevent the build up of Westbard so it does not become a new downtown Bethesda and keep plans for purple line away from the area). I love that we are against changing the name of our beloved Redskins, but will tear down any and all signs of the Confederacy! Those losers don't need their participation trophies and most Native Americans are ok with the Redskins logo so people need to grow up. It's just honoring them over our mistakes of the past.
You live here Betty and if you don't like it, MOVE!!!
Why aren't you re-posting your day-late (with racist spin added) articles about the murder in Wheaton, on your Bethesda blog?
6:12: Nothing "racist" about reporting the facts of a crime - in which a Latina was murdered, no less. Nothing "day-late" either - I just broke the story this morning that the suspect in the murder was in police custody twice since 2012, but let go due to Montgomery County and Rockville City policies - free on the streets to kill a young mother last week. Despicable!
By the way, Wheaton is not in Bethesda, old sport.
Wheaton is not in Rockville, either. Yet you re-posted the article on your Rockville blog.
6:27: No kidding, because the alleged killer has lived in Rockville over the last decade, and was detained by Rockville police in 2012, as I reported this morning. Both times he was detained, it was in Rockville, as well. A real Rockville story, old sport.
Cash me outside, how bou dat?
Dear Hypocrite Betty, don't ever compare the confederacy to the native americans. There is a huge difference between honoring slave owners and honoring a peaceful society who was wrongfully destroyed by those same racists.
Dyer - only 50 year olds living in their morher’s basement say cash me outside and old sport. I guess that’s why Mr. Reimer has the wife and kids...because he doesn’t make stupid comments like old sport in a silly effort to belittle someone and sound cool.
That is not true.
This is the truth:
its plan with the County Housing Opportunities Commission to build a parking garage on top of a paved parking lot.
I strongly oppose what is currently proposed to be built at Westbard. 2.3 million square feet and apartment building heights of 75-110 feet are excessive for a suburban site that is not served by Metro and which has minimal bus transit.
If Regency Centers satisfactorily scales down the project with respect to height and density, I will applaud them, as will the surrounding community.
My asks for the project:
Heights capped at 50 feet (which will reduce density)
More green space, including land dedication for the proposed greenway
Protection of nearby residential streets, including the single-family portion of Westbard Avenue, from truck and cut-through traffic. If a realignment of Westbard Avenue is required to accomplish this, fine. Alternatively, I wonder if there is a less expensive solution that would also be acceptable?
A thorough delineation study of the potential cemetery site, with appropriate use to be determined depending on results.
If the developer needs to cut expenses to accomplish the above, well-screened and landscaped structured parking (not that I like structured parking, but...) might be an option. If surface parking is preferred, it should be constructed with LEED-compliant pavement. (My preference is for underground parking, but this is very expensive.)
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. - Westbard residents
Thank you Anonymous 11:14 for getting to the potential positive in this report, instead of all the carping about unrelated stuff. If Regency is responsive along the general lines you stated, it will go a long, long way toward addressing the legitimate concerns of those of us who live nearby and prefer our suburban setting to the more urban feel of downtown Bethesda - no offense intended to downtown B-town; in fact, we have friends who moved there and love it, but those of us who live around Westbard mostly chose to do so because it is not urbanized. If Regency is smart, they will work with the community instead of trying to pull off another insider, behind the curtains power play with complicit members of the Council. The result will be a new Westbard that is appropriate for our area and offers amenities, housing and gathering places that fit.
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