The managing member of the Battery Gardens apartments at 4918-4938 Battery Lane, John W. Gill, Jr., is warning the Montgomery County Planning Board that his garden apartment complex will be plunged into "virtual darkness for so much of the day" if the Brightview Bethesda senior high-rise is built directly behind it on Rugby Lane. The 90' building, which would be the first such assisted living facility in downtown Bethesda, would "block out virtually all sunlight for 22 of our apartments for over 8 months out of the year," Gill wrote in a letter to the County Planning Department. Other units would be affected for long portions of the year, he said.
One major issue besides the height of the building, is the fact that it will be right up against the property line, only about 20' from the apartment windows of current residents at Battery Gardens. Gill says he is concerned the impact of the building could leave him with vacant apartments, which he currently is leasing at affordable prices relative to the market rate of newer buildings downtown.
In response to his concerns, planners ordered a shadow study for the proposed development. I am not an expert in this field by any means, so I welcome comments by more knowledgable readers below. Reviewing the scenes that represent various times of the day and year, only one "before and after" jumped out as showing a significant difference:
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| Before |
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| After |
You can review all of the shadow study images
in the staff report (scroll down near the end of the PDF file). Share your thoughts in the comments below as to what you think the impact would, or would not be, or even whether or not you think the study is examining the correct angles of concern to Battery Gardens.
If you are a resident of Battery Gardens? You're probably the most qualified to speak to this question.
