Mark N Posted Wed 10-24-07
Both the Washington Post and Bethesda Gazette filed reports on the recent Maryland Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) subcabinet meeting in Rockville, which was chaired by Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown.
Mark N Posted Wed 10-10-07
Work continues on the White Flint Sector Plan: The Gazette reports on the recent meeting between Planning Board members, developers, and residents.
Nearly 50 developers and residents packed the room Monday night to hear Planning Board members’ thoughts on how staff should craft the White Flint Sector Plan.
The draft, expected in December, will define future roads, schools and business and residential districts for the North Bethesda center.
‘‘This will be North Bethesda’s downtown,” said Margaret Rifkin, of the community planning division with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. The area, she told the Planning Board, is well suited for a housing center and marketplace rather than a dense commerce center as found near the Bethesda or Silver Spring Metro Stations.
Mark N Posted Wed 10-10-07
You’ve driven by it hundreds of times. The Bethesda Fire Station opened 50 years ago this week, and they had a party to celebrate.
Nearly 40 former firefighters returned to Bethesda Fire Department Station 20 to celebrate its 50th anniversary Saturday.
National, county and state representatives, along with former and current firefighters, met to rededicate the station on Old Georgetown Road and Cedar Lane, nearly 50 years to the day of its opening, Oct. 5, 1957.
Janet M Posted Tue 9-18-07
The local communities are awaiting release of the Dept of Navy’s Environmental Impact Study (EIS) as it relates to the scheduled BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) move of Walter Reed Army Medical Center to the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center scheduled for 2011. The EIS, originally anticipated to be released in September 2007 and which is expected to be delayed, will provide detailed information on the environmental impact of the consolidation, with traffic being a major focus. The EIS will be subject to an organized 45-day public comment.
A County website devoted to the BRAC issues both locally and throughout Maryland is under construction and will facilitate community understanding of BRAC-related issues. The Montgomery County BRAC Implementation Committee will hold its next monthly meeting on Tuesday, October 16th at the B-CC Regional Service Center (near Bethesda Metro) at 4805 Edgemoor Lane at 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Time is allowed at the end of the meeting for public comments.
Webmaster Posted Mon 9-17-07
Following major remodeling of its primary campus on Forest Rd., the French International School has devised a new Traffic Management Plan (TMP). Pending approval by the MCA and Board of Appeals, this TMP will supersede the existing one, which dates from 2003. The new plan has been in effect for over a year on a trial basis, and the feedback from the neighbors heard by the Neighborhood Liaison Committee has been very positive. In addition, despite the fact that the school operates the most extensive and highly utilized bus service of all of the private schools in the Washington area, the number of daily bus trips is anticipated to drop.
The essential elements of the new plan are summarized below. The MCA membership will vote on its approval of the plan at the upcoming meeting on September 19.
Cars: Primary access to the campus by carpooling parents, some faculty, student drivers and administrative staff is via Montgomery Drive. When picking up students, drivers enter via Montgomery Drive, remain in their cars, and wait in queuing lines along Access Road. Security guards direct cars while drivers wait for students to arrive at the shelter on Access Road for pickup. If a driver prefers to park, s/he may do so in the parking lot adjacent to the shelter. No right turn onto Forest Place is permitted upon exiting the campus. Some faculty arrive via Forest Road. Secondary access by visitors, buses and temporary pickup is also via Forest Road.
Buses: The French International School transports over 55% of its total enrollment. The anticipated number of daily bus trips for 2007/08 is 80, excluding field trips and extra-curricular activities. This drop reflects a consolidation of two routes.
Drop-off and pick-up is done around the central circle. A shuttle bus that circulates between campuses makes a brief stop on Access Rd. prior to dropping students on the circle. No buses are parked on the school premises.
Webmaster Posted Sun 9-16-07
In July, the preliminary draft plans designed by the American College of Cardiology were presented to the Development Review Committee of the Park & Planning Commission. The Committee is comprised of Planning staff members and representatives from other Montgomery County departments. The draft plan was severely criticized in several areas including lack of parking, lack of emergency vehicle access, storm water management, and site forestation.
Most importantly for Maplewood, the Committee recommended that Camberley Avenue be cut through the property to Alta Visa Road or made into a cul-de-sac on the property. The College is revising its plans to take into consideration the concerns of the Committee and hopes to present the revised plans to Park & Planning in October. Cathy Gates, the College’s facilities manager, will present the revisions at September MCA meeting.
Mark N Posted Sun 8-20-06
Citing the need for a larger and more modern facility, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) has announced they are relocating their headquarters at 9111 Old Georgetown Road to a new location in Washington DC.
The decision to move from the current Heart House campus in Bethesda, Maryland, to downtown Washington was the result of considerable research and analysis involving many members aided by our outstanding staff. The central themes underlying this decision included the need for a larger and better-configured facility to respond to our growth in membership and our increased scope of activity. Most important, this relocation reflects the need for a strong presence in Washington to interact with legislative and regulatory leaders.
When it located there in the 1970s, the ACC was among the first of many associations that moved to Bethesda in the past 30 years. There is no definite word yet on the future disposition of the Heart House campus, or whether the MCA will be permitted to continue holding its general membership meetings there.
Webmaster Posted Thu 6-15-06
The market has slowed down, say local Realtors, and sellers are offereing incentives to buyers of luxury homes.
‘There are 65 houses right now in Bethesda-Chevy Chase above the price of $2 million,’ Bethesda realtor Jane Fairweather said. ‘And 51 percent are spec houses — empty, brand new, accruing interest every month spec houses. There’s huge choice, with very few buyers right now.’
Real estate agents also think that there will be fewer tear-downs as the market continues to cool.
Mark N Posted Tue 6-13-06
Montgomery County has heightened its search for a new chairperson of the Planning Board to replace Derick Berlage.
Leventhal said the field of nine finalists to replace Berlage was whittled down from 14. Council members extended the application deadline from April 12 to May 31 to encourage more people to apply after only a handful expressed interest.
The council will make its final selection next month.
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