Issue number one - the question of which side of Battery Lane to place a cycle track on - has now been answered by the County Department of Transportation, which has formally recommended it go on the south side of the street. Now MCDOT wants Aldon to resubmit the preliminary plan so that it can review all of the implications of placing it on the south side.
A second issue is stormwater exiting into the stormwater management pond by NIH. Regelin says the County has asked for an additional flood plain study for the relevant stormwater outlet there. This will require additional engineering study by Aldon, and further review by the County.
For these reasons, Aldon is asking to postpone the end of the preliminary plan review period to April 30, 2020. Planning staff is recommending approval of the extension. The extension request will be taken up by the Planning Board at its January 30, 2020 meeting.
5 comments:
Too bad the separated bike lane will be moved to the south side. This means that due existing underground utilities, the small island between the bike lanes and the traffic lanes will not have any shade trees. The idea of three rows of threes along both sides and near the middle of the paved area in now lost. Maybe they can still plant smaller bushes, and still include pedestrian scale lights.
The idea of daylighting the storm water to create an open creek is good, but the existing underground pipe is very deep. I don’t think Battery Lane needs to have a dangerous Snake River Canyon just to expose a bit of storm water. An expanded bio-swale and green space seems like a better idea.
Looking forward to seeing these buildings get built. Many folks seem to be critical that many existing affordable units will be lost to gain a lesser number of MPDU’s, but Aldon has pledged to keep two existing high rise apartments in the area at below market rate rent. The area has many other below market rate apartments as well. The project as a whole pledges to have 25% MPDU, which is much more than the required 15%.
In many ways it would be nice to continue to have more affordable, non-MPDU units, but it seems that this might be the best compromise to maintain some affordable units, add lots of MPDU’s and create a dense core of new market rate units. The distance from the Metro stations will likely keep the rent down a bit on even the market rate units, at least compared to more downtown locations. This area could really use a boost and a refresh, and with up to eight new towers on five sites, it looks like Battery Lane might soon be very much transformed with the new housing, separated bike lane, Bethesda Trolley Trail improvements all centered in the newly refurbished Battery Lane Park. Having all of the parking in structures will be a great improvement, compared to all the nasty surface parking lots. Those existing four story Aldon Apartment building that will be removed are very repetitive, almost like military barracks. A the new towers look to be much more interesting, with lots more variety, and much more green space and plaza’s built-in, especially near the Trolley Trail.
Regarding the loss of affordable housing, I guess you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.
Battery Lane is great, but it's going to be GREATER with two grocery stores nearby!
I'm pretty annoyed about MCDOT's decision regarding the bike lane. The north side makes more sense as a direct connection to the Trolley Trail on the NIH side, and to allow for the street trees that 6:13 mentioned.
6:13: Yes, including the new Trader Joe's at 7900 Wisconsin (8001 Woodmont) that I broke the news on SIX YEARS ago:
https://robertdyer.blogspot.com/2014/07/trader-joes-said-to-be-anchor-tenant-at.html
Short walk to Barrel & Crow as well! Great and CLEAN!
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