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Crest of Wickford Condominium Association:: Response To Developer Proposals and Draft Plan For The White Flint Sector

The Crest of Wickford Condominium Association presented concerns to the Montgomery County Planning Board regarding the White Flint Sector Plan, including that the proposed 30 million square feet of density was too high, existing communities would be negatively impacted by the placement of 100 foot tall buildings close to neighborhood borders, and the plan needed to better address mobility, walkability, sustainability and compatibility with existing communities.

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55 views

Crest of Wickford Condominium Association:: Response To Developer Proposals and Draft Plan For The White Flint Sector

The Crest of Wickford Condominium Association presented concerns to the Montgomery County Planning Board regarding the White Flint Sector Plan, including that the proposed 30 million square feet of density was too high, existing communities would be negatively impacted by the placement of 100 foot tall buildings close to neighborhood borders, and the plan needed to better address mobility, walkability, sustainability and compatibility with existing communities.

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Crest of Wickford

Condominium Association:
Response to Developer Proposals and Draft Plan for
the White Flint Sector

Presentation to the Montgomery County Planning Board


April 13, 2009

Mary Ward
Crest Board member
Key concerns:

• Destination, i.e., ―Smart core‖


• Mobility: Balancing Density and
Infrastructure
• Walkability/bikeability
• Compatibility with Existing Communities
• Sustainability

Crest of Wickford Condominium


Association
“Smart” Core Density
• Reduce density – 30 million sf too much
• Developers presentations proposing higher
FAR than Bethesda or Silver Spring
although these were economically viable
developments
• Total density needs to be scaled back while
maintaining highest density at core

Crest of Wickford Condominium


Association
“Smart” Core Mobility
• High densities within 1/4 mile of metro
• Metro survey (in transportation presentation) shows Metro
use for commuting <10% at distances >1/2 mile
• Rockville Pike is major transportation corridor, vital link
for local residents
• Ensure that Smart Core works during non-rush hours and
weekends
– Traffic monitoring on weekends – not just evening
rush
– Capacity of Metro?
– Support Bus Rapid Transit – dedicated lane
– Bikeability/walkability

Crest of Wickford Condominium


Association
“Complete the streets” completestreets.org

“The streets of our cities and towns ought to be for everyone,


whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or
wheelchair user, bus rider or shopkeeper…”

But too many of our streets are designed only for speeding cars,
or worse, creeping traffic jams. They’re unsafe for people on foot
or bike — and unpleasant for everybody.
Crest of Wickford Condominium
Association
Rockville is planning implementation of
“complete streets”… Why not White Flint?
October 2008: In response to Mayor and Council's
Vision…. staff proposes the City adopt the "Complete
Streets" policy framework to ….enable safe access for
all users - pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and
motorists.

I have a copy of the Rockville Draft Plan – presented to


Rockville Bike Advisory Committee (RBAC) on April
1, 2009 by Carrie Sanders, Transportation Planner,
City of Rockville

Crest of Wickford Condominium


Association
Key concerns:

• Destination, i.e., ―Smart core‖


• Mobility: Balancing Density and
Infrastructure
• Walkability/bikeability
• Compatibility with Existing Communities
• Sustainability

Crest of Wickford Condominium


Association
Crest of Wickford
• 67 townhomes
built in 1972
• Wickshire Way is
Wickshire Wa
the only exit – only
• Across from 1/8 1/4 entrance
l to the Crest
Flanders Ave
• Hillary Way is
northern border
– no buffer!
– not on any map
in draft plan

Crest of Wickford Condominium


Association
Crest of Wickford – Wickshire Way
• Hillary Way (south sector border) is the north
border of our property; ~60 feet north of WW

Crest of Wickford Condominium


Association
Crest of Wickford Condominium
Association
Draft Plan calls for 100 ft
buildings at our doorstep

Crest of Wickford Condominium


Association
Draft Plan calls for 100 ft
buildings at our doorstep

Crest of Wickford Condominium


Association
“Smart” Core: Compatibility
• ―Compatibility with existing neighbors‖

• Object to allowing 100 ft Sector Plan height limits


buildings adjacent to our
communities on both sides of
Pike 100 ft heights

• 600 feet in from Pike is


adjacent to Crest of Wickford
townhomes & Wickford
single family homes
600 ft depth

Crest of Wickford Condominium


Association
Bottleneck at Strathmore and Pike

• Access to the Pike at Flanders, Wickshire


Way and Golf Lane is difficult with current
traffic volume
• Traffic from our communities adds to back-
up at left turn lane to Strathmore (U-turn is
only safe way to go north on the Pike from
Golf and Wickshire

Crest of Wickford Condominium


Association
“Smart” Core: Sustainability
• New development should include substantial
increases in pervious surfaces and tree canopy
• ―No net loss‖ of pervious surface is not ―smart‖
development; Sector Plan must do better
• Stormwater management must minimize dangers to
existing streams, watershed, and Chesapeake Bay,
enhance and restore our streams and soils.
• New development and traffic management should
measurably and rapidly reduce carbon emissions
from both buildings and automobiles.
• Developers fail to mention, let alone plan to achieve
sustainability goals
Crest of Wickford Condominium
Association
Conclusion: For a “Smart Core”

• Density/height step down rapidly from core


• Complete the streets in core and adjoining
areas to WF sector
• Improve connections to the WF sector via
transit, pedestrian access, bikes -including
Bethesda Trolley Trail to be proud of
• Walkable, bikeable areas - 360º

Crest of Wickford Condominium


Association

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