Westbard, Auburn Prof. Building seek Planning Board extensions; St. Elmo Apartments recommended for approval

Several Bethesda development projects will come before the Montgomery County Planning Board on Thursday, October 11, 2018. Regency Centers, as expected, is requesting an extension for board review of its site plan for the Westwood Shopping Center. The developer is seeking a three-and-a-half month extension until January 31, 2019, saying it needs more time to address Development Review Committee comments and recommendations for the project. Those DRC comments were provided outside of public view, when the committee allowed Regency to avoid public discussion of the project in favor of private meetings with the developer.

Planning staff are recommending approval of Regency's request.

Also seeking an extension, in this case for their sketch plan and preliminary plan, is the developer of 4915 Auburn Avenue. Auburn Building Associates, L.P. is seeking an extension until December 20, but believes the mixed-use redevelopment of the Auburn Professional Building will be ready for review at the board's November 29 meeting. Stacy Silber, the applicant's attorney, says the delay is due to new concerns raised by the County Department of Transportation about an existing storm drain easement that could conflict with project's design at the site plan stage.

Staff are also recommending approval of this extension request.

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Finally, Lenkin Co.'s St. Elmo Apartments project returns to the board for approval of amendments to its sketch and preliminary plans. The mixed-use tower has grown in size since its original iteration, and the architectural design has greatly improved in the process.

The primary sticking point is the distance between the building and next-door neighbor Bainbridge Bethesda. Lenkin has already met with representatives of the Bainbridge apartment tower, and received their blessing on the current planned distance. But some members of the Design Advisory Panel have protested that the distance is less than the design guidelines recommended in the Bethesda Downtown Plan. Staff are making a condition on that front, but are not yet requiring Lenkin to increase the distance at this point. Instead, they are requesting that the developer consider meeting the design guideline at the site plan stage of the project.

Lenkin has indicated that moving the Bainbridge-facing facade back would potentially conflict with other structural aspects of the tower, and possibly require them to abandon the new design in favor of the one they already have approval for. At least one member of the Design Advisory Panel expressed concern that the DAP might set a precedent if they allow non-compliance on the issue. Most members agreed, however, that the new design is far superior to the original.

Staff are recommending approval of the St. Elmo plans, with conditions.