Montgomery County cracks down on owner of vacant Bethesda properties

Montgomery County code enforcement officials have taken action on several eyesore properties in downtown Bethesda associated with the long-delayed Artena Bethesda development. Inspectors issued a violation notice to Artena Equities, LLC of Manassas, Virginia, in regard to the trash-strewn premises at 8000-8011 Wisconsin Avenue. A fine of $1000 per day was threatened if the garbage, plastic bags, bottles, food containers, and metal debris were not removed within 10 days. It appears an effort was then made to clean up the mess, although the dilapidated, boarded up site remains an eyesore and favorite haunt of vagrants and mischief makers.