tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post839549593629320311..comments2024-03-28T11:51:32.579-07:00Comments on Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row: New cemetery legislation doesn't help Westbard burial site, church saysRobert Dyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01975969463714952623noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-7348216228690700672017-06-30T13:02:23.269-07:002017-06-30T13:02:23.269-07:00@ 7:50-- The people who own this land are subject ...@ 7:50-- The people who own this land are subject to local planning requirements and to state laws related to the relocation of cemeteries.<br /><br />As you know, Westbard has been subject to an extensive planning process which rightly should consider whether the cemetery ought to be memorialized in some way. Sadly, the County did not publicly examine the cemetery issue until *after* the Westbard master plan had been approved. The investigation of the cemetery's boundaries should be done thoroughly and should influence the final layout of the Westbard site. In addition, any human remains still on site should be treated with dignity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-31476247517750748102017-06-30T12:53:42.711-07:002017-06-30T12:53:42.711-07:006:09: The Church cares because a)some of its congr...6:09: The Church cares because a)some of its congregants were buried there and b)because the church's current congregation includes descendants of those buried at Westbard.<br /><br />It is unclear how and when the cemetery land was transferred to the developer of what is now Westwood Towers, because the relevant records have been destroyed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-62667801522032608152017-06-30T07:50:50.042-07:002017-06-30T07:50:50.042-07:00So, the owners of the cemetery sold it? Interesti...So, the owners of the cemetery sold it? Interesting. If you want to keep property, don't sell it. What a bunch of whiney freeloaders! The people who own this land have every right to do with it what they please. NIMBY's go away!Dobert Reyernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-76217279169468415342017-06-30T06:30:46.158-07:002017-06-30T06:30:46.158-07:006:09: Macedonia never owned the cemetery but membe...6:09: Macedonia never owned the cemetery but members of their congregation were buried in it. The cemetery was created and owned by an African-American fraternal organization, until it was sold for unknown reasons in the late 1950s.Robert Dyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01975969463714952623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-12311225769217115232017-06-30T06:09:25.137-07:002017-06-30T06:09:25.137-07:00@11:18 Thanks for the explanation. So why does the...@11:18 Thanks for the explanation. So why does the church care if the land was never theirs, but rather controlled by another organization?<br /><br />For example, let's say the Knights of Columbus on Old Georgetown Road had a burial ground for their members, then sold it. Why would the Beth El synagogue just down the same road care at all? Shoulnd't it be the Knights of Columbus members complaining, and do they even have a standing to complain if they willingly sold the land?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-6774960557867196172017-06-29T13:54:50.795-07:002017-06-29T13:54:50.795-07:00I want to elect Robert Dyer just so he will be sub...I want to elect Robert Dyer just so he will be subject to the FOIA.<br /><br />Dodging Dyer = Jailed Dyer!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-5088322380784024602017-06-29T12:14:06.763-07:002017-06-29T12:14:06.763-07:0011:29 & 11:55-- 11:55 is right about the Washi...11:29 & 11:55-- 11:55 is right about the Washington Post article, which says that the Westbard cemetery development records were shredded in 2015:<br /><br />Citation: Bill Turque, "Battlefield of Memory," Washington Post, February 23, 2017.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-9500320007746320922017-06-29T12:04:56.754-07:002017-06-29T12:04:56.754-07:0011: 29 and 11:55-- FWIW, County residents can ask ...11: 29 and 11:55-- FWIW, County residents can ask for the Planning Department's internal documents about the cemetery through a freedom of information request. Might be a good story for Dyer to pursue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-25944655250803827942017-06-29T12:00:31.810-07:002017-06-29T12:00:31.810-07:00The Maryland Historical Trust is involved in docum...The Maryland Historical Trust is involved in documenting the existence of cemeteries. Perhaps that is an organization that could implement a cemetery registry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-37317285623850377512017-06-29T11:55:26.887-07:002017-06-29T11:55:26.887-07:0011:29: The records destruction information came to...11:29: The records destruction information came to light in legal discovery for the Westbard lawsuit, from Planning Department internal documents. I believe that a February 2017 Washington Post story also reported that the records had been destroyed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-7042408812470416692017-06-29T11:51:30.049-07:002017-06-29T11:51:30.049-07:00The bill is sponsored by Councilmembers Berliner, ...The bill is sponsored by Councilmembers Berliner, Leventhal and Rice, all of whom are running for County office in 2018. <br /><br />I just read the bill and Dyer is correct: it would not have protected the Westbard cemetery and does nothing to prevent such situations in the future. That doesn't inspire confidence in Messrs. Berliner, Leventhal and Rice.<br /><br />A meaningful bill would require the Planning Department:<br /> - to publicly disclose all information discovered about a possible cemetery site during the land use planning process;<br /> -to publicly inform community members, the Planning Board and, if applicable, the County Council about the possible cemetery in all subsequent public presentations and hearings;<br /> - to have the cemetery site investigated by the landowner, using best practices, before a land use plan could be approved;<br /> -to solicit stakeholder input, including descendant and community views, on the appropriate memorialization or relocation of the cemetery;<br /> - to take the results of the investigation and stakeholder input into account when finalizing the master plan and development plans for the cemetery site.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-33733000074734257822017-06-29T11:48:42.294-07:002017-06-29T11:48:42.294-07:00this whole blog could be titled [citation needed]this whole blog could be titled [citation needed]Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-81571594928580289962017-06-29T11:29:11.361-07:002017-06-29T11:29:11.361-07:00"The records concerning the development of th..."The records concerning the development of the cemetery land were destroyed in 2015."<br /><br />[citation needed]Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-3306193851811696412017-06-29T11:18:52.153-07:002017-06-29T11:18:52.153-07:00I agree that the proposed legislation does not add...I agree that the proposed legislation does not address the development issues surrounding the presumed cemetery at Westbard.<br /><br />No reason to oppose the legislation, but County residents should know that the bill does not offer a protocol to follow when a cemetery is discovered during development planning, as in this case. In no way is the problem solved.<br /><br />7:40: The cemetery was owned by an African-American fraternal organization that bought land for burials; the land was not owned by Macedonia Baptist Church. It is unclear how the developer of what is now Westwood Towers gained control of the cemetery land. <br /><br />The records concerning the development of the cemetery land were destroyed in 2015. Coincidentally or not (and I tend to think not), this was the same year that Montgomery County's historical research on the cemetery came to light.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-90605430853701874692017-06-29T08:27:41.777-07:002017-06-29T08:27:41.777-07:00all dyer says is "argle bargle"all dyer says is "argle bargle"Rans Hiemernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-83102765168024528312017-06-29T07:51:08.563-07:002017-06-29T07:51:08.563-07:00http://robertdyer.blogspot.com/2013/12/equity-one-...http://robertdyer.blogspot.com/2013/12/equity-one-launches-westbard.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-12839909451063997462017-06-29T07:50:48.368-07:002017-06-29T07:50:48.368-07:00Here is Dyer's old view on Westbard<a rel="nofollow">Here is Dyer's old view on Westbard</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-4009043299376847272017-06-29T07:40:57.514-07:002017-06-29T07:40:57.514-07:00So.. doesn't the church already know where the...So.. doesn't the church already know where their cemetery is, or that's part of the issue?<br /><br />If they don't know, isn't it the church's fault for not keeping track of where they buried people?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-29012398628562860942017-06-29T07:34:12.937-07:002017-06-29T07:34:12.937-07:00Umm, the "Montgomery County Historical Commis...Umm, the "Montgomery County Historical Commission" is actually the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission. It is housed in the Montgomery County Planning Department and staffed by the Planning Department.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-5690148122559260542017-06-29T07:17:23.309-07:002017-06-29T07:17:23.309-07:00Where's your usual outrage about Hans Riemer?Where's your usual outrage about Hans Riemer?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28521945.post-22463591130957690792017-06-29T06:40:22.645-07:002017-06-29T06:40:22.645-07:00Ugh, more government oversight and regulation and ...Ugh, more government oversight and regulation and a crappy mapping and inventory tool that will immediately be out of date and likely clunky and useless. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com