Mayor and Council to Approve 82-Townhouse Development Despite Environmental and School Capacity Concerns
At its Monday, October 2, 2023 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss permission to build 82 townhouses at 2200 Tower Oaks Boulevard and reduce parking by 18% at 2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are increasing funding for stormwater management from $95,000 to $422,000 and appointing David Sklar to the Board of Supervisors of Elections. The Mayor and Council will also receive reports on the Seven Locks Road Diversion Center (aka “county jail”), Financial Advisory Board, and Pedestrian Master Plan.
The Planning Commission, Bicycle Advisory Committee, and Pedestrian Advocacy Committee reviewed and approved the proposed 82-townhouse development, but strangely, the Mayor and Council excluded the Environment Commission and Education Commission. This project will replace about 10,000 sf of forest and with 7,600 sf of “new” forest; is adjacent to a stream; and subject to an existing Forest Conservation Plan (pages 47-8)—aren’t these environmental issues? For those who are concerned about school capacity in the Richard Montgomery Cluster Area, the proposed townhouse development will generate 18 students at the elementary school grade level; 10 students at the middle school level; and 14 students at the high school level (page 44). That means capacity is expected to rise to 99% for Bayard Rustin Elementary School, to 95% for Julius West Middle School, and to 123% for Richard Mongomery High School. By fall 2027, however, “capacity at Richard Montgomery is slated to be adequate due to an approved CIP project that will reassign students among Gaithersburg HS, Richard Montgomery HS, Quince Orchard HS, Thomas S. Wootton HS, and Crown HS.” What’s the purpose of the Education Committee if they aren’t aware of one of the most contentious school issues?
On pages 135-166, the Financial Advisory Board, chaired by Bob Wright, presented its FY2023 Annual report and found no discrepancies in Rockville’s financial reports; had no recommendations on the financial policies (although noted that no policies on donations was needed); found that the investment portfolio declined in value due to rising interest rates; stated that the city staff had done an outstanding job in preparing the annual budget; made three recommendations regarding the Capital Improvements Program; made complex findings and recommendations regarding the 2015 Purchasing Study; reported that the City has spent nearly $6 million on the King Farm Farmstead (and noted that the Mayor and Council do not agree on future uses); and that City is making good progress on including performance measures in the budget.
On pages 167-189, the Pedestrian Master Plan seems to be running ahead of itself and should take a step back. It offers five goals and ten recommendations, but nothing sufficiently specific nor any priorities to help the Mayor and Council know what to do next and why. Strangely, the Traffic and Transportation Department is hoping to propose an ordinance to City Council on October 23 even though the nearly 300 public comments collected since May haven’t been summarized (it doesn’t even close until October 13!). Perhaps they’re trying to get in done in “Walktober” month but it looks like they need to do a lot more research and analysis. For examples, here are pedestrian master plans from Portland and Seattle. Let’s hope the Mayor and Council provides clarity on expectations for a master plan.
October is National Arts and Humanities Month and the Rockville’s Cultural Arts Commission recommends that you celebrate by reading book, putting your child’s art on the fridge, and singing in the car, among others. Alas the expectations are pretty low, so here are five better suggestions from the non-human ChatGPT:
- Visit a Local Museum or Art Gallery: Explore the rich cultural heritage and artistic talent in your community by visiting local museums and art galleries.
- Attend a Workshop or Lecture: Many institutions offer workshops, lectures, or webinars during National Arts and Humanities Month. These can provide a deeper understanding of various art forms and humanities topics.
- Participate in a Community Art Project: Engage with your local community by participating in a collaborative art project or humanities event. This could be a mural painting, a community theater production, or a local history project.
- Read a Book: Celebrate the humanities by reading a book on a topic you’re interested in, such as history, philosophy, or literature. Consider joining a book club to discuss and share insights.
- Support Local Artists and Scholars: Purchase artwork from local artists or attend performances and presentations by local scholars. Your support can help sustain the arts and humanities in your community.
The Mayor and Council are conducting hybrid meetings. If you wish to submit comments in writing for Community Forum or Public Hearings, please email the comments to MayorAndCouncil@RockvilleMD.gov by no later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of the meeting.
More details in the 197-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10022023-7016.
Clouded Judgment? Mayor and Council to Discuss Vape Shop Regulations
At its Monday, July 31, 2023 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss a park impact fee for new residential developments, taxes for FY2024, amending the responsibilities of the Cultural Arts Commission, and extending the moratorium on vape shops. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are contracts for improvements to the King Farm Farmstead. This regular meeting will be preceded by a Closed Session to discuss the retention of a business (in an unusual move, the public may join the audio conference by phone).
In March 2023, the Mayor and Council adopted a nine-month moratorium on vape shops (businesses that dedicate more than 25% of its floor area to the sale, display, or use of electronic cigarettes; business with less than 25% of floor space dedicated to e-cigarettes are not affected). This moratorium expires on December 27, 2023, so the City is considering whether to adopt new regulations for vape shops or extend the moratorium. There seem to be ten vape and/or tobacco shops located in the city limits, primarily along Hungerford Drive and Rockville Pike (MD 355) along with numerous convenience stores (such as 7-Eleven), grocery stores and other retailers that sell cigarettes and electronic smoking products. Interestingly, the federal government adopted legislation in December 20, 2019 that increased the minimum age of the sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21 years old (somehow at 18 you have enough intelligence to vote, get married, or join the army but not enough smarts to buy a cigarette).
It’s unclear why the moratorium was implemented or what the Council is attempting to control, but if it’s to keep children from smoking, this may be the wrong solution. The staff report reveals that, “most underage vape/e-cigarette users do not purchase vapes from vape shops…Numerous studies show that the majority of underage users purchase or borrow vape pens from friends, purchase them online, or purchase them from convenience stores or grocery stores where age verification may be more lax.” Are e-cigarettes worse for your health than cigarettes, thus require additional regulation? Are national laws so insufficient that Rockville needs its own unique response? Somehow, this reminds me of Footloose. More details starting on page 141.
The Mayor and Council is considering revised responsibilities for the Cultural Arts Commission with troubling consequences for citizen involvement. This change is happening at the behest of the Cultural Arts Commission to promote “inclusivity and cultural richness” but they may not have noticed that the revised responsibilities also disempowers them. As proposed, the Commission will no longer review the budget for the Civic Center (where performing and visual arts are primarily presented in Rockville) nor review the design of all new City-owned cultural facilities. Instead, their primary responsibilities are to advise and make recommendations to the Mayor and Council, not encourage, assist, foster, or work. How often will the Mayor and Council ask for their advice or recommendations? The Commission is becoming more passive, less active. More details starting on page 135.
The Mayor and Council are conducting hybrid meetings. If you wish to submit comments in writing for Community Forum or Public Hearings, please email the comments to MayorAndCouncil@RockvilleMD.gov by no later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of the meeting. More details in the 214-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07312023-6977.
Next meeting on August 7 with a presentation by Delegate Joe Vogel and an update on the Rockville Villages Program.
Should the Mayor and Council Give Themselves a Raise?
At its Monday, July 17, 2023 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss whether to ask voters to lower the voting age, allow non-citizens to vote, adopt term limits for council members, adopt ranked choice voting, and create representative districts for council members. They are also considering an annexation of 1202 Seven Locks Road (an office building south of Wootton Parkway near Seven Locks Plaza); a revision of the maximum rental rate for Moderately Priced Housing; adoption of Floating Zones; affordable housing on North Stonestreet Avenue in Lincoln Park; and a letter to the County Council regarding rent control. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are agreements for employee retirement management, workers’ compensation, and water quality management, among others. The Mayor and Council will also receive reports on the final Rockville branding initiative and compensation for council members.
Many residents assume that the Mayor and Council are volunteers, but they are considered “part time” positions and given an “annual stipend” of $37,560 for the Mayor and $30,483 for council members. Ten years ago, it was $25,750 for the Mayor and $20,600 for council members. They are also issued a laptop computer and printer; can request office supplies, furniture, and equipment; have access to all City facilities at the same rate as City staff; and have access the City’s health, dental, vision, and life insurance at their own expense. To consider whether this should change or remain the same, the Compensation Commission conducted a city-wide survey that received 95 responses (of which 56% felt that the current compensation was reasonable; the rest were mixed) and a public forum (only two residents provided comments). They also compared stipends with other jurisdictions (Gaitherburg’s Mayor is paid $37,560 and Frederick’s is $105,937–but that’s a fulltime position), but did not consider the income of Rockville residents ($57,336 per capita; $116,031 per household; 7% live in poverty according to the US Census Bureau). The Commission is recommending that the annual stipend increase at the same COLA rate given to City staff; increase the travel allowance for council members according to the Consumer Price Index and for the Mayor by 10% to $6,600 (travel for Sister City events is provided elsewhere in the budget). Otherwise, no additional benefits (e.g., no additional funds for cell phones). The Commission also discussed the role of the annual stipend on attracting candidates for council. More details starting on page 50 of the agenda.
Interested in running for Mayor or Council? Right now there are two candidates for Mayor and nine for Council. There were 13 candidates for Council in 2019. The deadline for petitions is Friday, September 8. More details at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/2262/Running-for-Office.
Coming up on the next agenda is a report from Rockville Housing Enterprises, allowing accessory apartments as a conditional use in single family residential zones, revising the responsibilities of the Cultural Arts Commission, and extending the moratorium on vape shops.
The Mayor and Council are conducting hybrid meetings. If you wish to submit comments in writing for Community Forum or Public Hearings, please email the comments to MayorAndCouncil@RockvilleMD.gov by no later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of the meeting.
More details in the 463-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07172023-6963.
Mayor and Council to Consider Increasing Lots of Fees; Can it Untangle 900 Rockville Pike?
At its Monday, May 8, 2023 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss amending master fees for community planning and development services. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are the pension plan for 2023. The Mayor and Council will also receive reports on the Vision Zero Action Plan, Bikeway and Pedestrian Master Plans, development of 900 Rockville Pike, and the historic preservation work plan.
Fees for building permits, inspections, and licenses are proposed to increase 2.5% to keep up with inflation; include a 10% fee to offset the cost of technology; adopt a fee structure based on square footage or estimated construction cost; and assess a separate application fee. For example, a building permit for new residential construction or to repair fire damage will be $0.25 per square foot, including the basement, garage, and roof; a license for short-term rentals is $450; and a building permit for a swimming pool or to demolish a building of any size is $553.
Interestingly, the staff report admits that the actual cost of providing services is unknown and it is uncertain whether the revenues from fees are sufficient to cover their expenses (170). Secondly, new construction accounts for 35-40% of global greenhouse gas emissions and “virtually every green rating program (LEED, USGBC, IgCC) recognizes the value of adaptive reuse” (173). Nevertheless, the City is comfortable granting inexpensive demolition permits (where does all that building material go? into the county dump!). Instead, it should encourage adaptive reuse by significantly increasing the demolition permit fees on a square-foot basis.
J. Danshes LLC has filed an application to build a 4,400 square foot one-story retail building at 900 Rockville Pike (southeast corner of Rockville Pike and Edmonston Drive, one of the narrowest lots on the east side of the Pike due to the railroad tracks). In 2006, the City adopted a Mixed-Use Corridor District zone for this small lot, which allowed up to 12,754 square feet of retail space. Despite this new proposal being a much smaller building, it is now subject to several new city regulations that have been adopted over the years plus it needs to accommodate the proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route. As a result, this project has been in the pipeline since 2017 and is becoming an enigma wrapped in a puzzle—what would you do with this property when you’re faced with the following situation:
“To create the right-of-way land area dictated by the public agencies, the Applicant must dedicate 6,523 square feet of area (0.15 acres, 25.2% of existing lot area) to public use. Said dedication reduces the size of the site from 25,862 (0.59) acre to 19, 339 square feet (0.44 acre).” (257)
More details in the 329-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05082023-6899.
Mayor and Council to Approve Isolated Neighborhood on Tower Oaks Blvd.
At its Monday, April 24, 2023 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss an amendment for a permit to construct 83 townhouses in Tower Oaks and a work session on the 2024 budget. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are the installation of solar canopies on two city parking lots, an agreement with the Rockville Baseball Association, contracts to repair pedestrian bridges in city parks, and installation of murals at the Senior Center (artist Katie Giganti) and on the City Hall generator screen (artist Shawn James), among others.
Another isolated neighborhood is under consideration, ironically at the same meeting the Mayor and Council will approve a mural that represents the “City’s commitment to celebrating community connections.” Michael Harris Properties, LLC. has filed a Project Plan Amendment to construct 83 townhome units with a small community green space at 2200 Tower Oaks Boulevard, and to request a parking waiver for the existing office building located at 2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard. It was originally approved as a hotel and a health and recreation facility at 2200 Tower Oaks Boulevard and an office building at 2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard. An isolated forest stand (forest conservation easement), roughly 10,000 sf, is proposed for removal. The replacement forest conservation will be provided through the long-term preservation of additional forested area (~7,600 sf) contiguous to the primary forest conservation easement off the back property boundary, in addition to individual trees planted on the subject property for forest conservation credit (~2,400 sf). The proposed Project Plan will require a finding of adequate public facilities for the change in use to residential townhouse development. For the office building, Michael Harris Properties is requesting a reduction of 115 vehicle parking spaces or an approximately 18% parking reduction from the required 650 vehicle parking spaces. A couple residents have already voiced concerns about several aspects of the project (a very thoughtful letter starts on page 213) and I’ll include my concerns about the continuing fragmentation of Rockville into isolated neighborhoods, in this instance physically separated from any other neighborhood. Seems like the Mayor and Council needs to examine the larger context to see that this is NOT a good location for residential use—there are no connections between this neighborhood and others in the city. How did this get through Planning Commission with hardly any discussion? Looks like they were asleep at the wheel.
More details in the 279-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04242023-6882.
Mayor and Council to Review Latest Concepts for Rockville Metro Station
At its Monday, December 5, 2022 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss the latest concepts for redesigning the Rockville Metro Station and allowing self-storage warehouses in an MXE zone. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are a CDBG grant application and agreements with local performing arts organizations, among others. The Mayor and Council will also receive reports on procurements for FY 2022 and an outreach program for minority, female, disabled, or veteran-owned businesses.
The Rockville Metro Station serves WMATA, MARC, and Amtrak, as well as Metrobus, making it a major transportation hub for the state—although it’s incredibly understated. A year ago, the City Council reviewed five preliminary concepts and wanted to explore four further (seems they had a hard time prioritizing). At this meeting, the consultant team is returning with their findings and recommendations on these four concepts:
- Concept 1: Iconic Train Hall with High Rise
- Concept 2: Town Center Station with High Rise
- Concept 3a: MD 355 Tunnel with Local Surface Lanes
- Concept 3b: MD 355 Tunnel with Surface-Level Open Space
The consultant team evaluated each of these concepts according to their ability to provide convenient connections to transit and safe access for pedestrian and bicycle users; create an attractive station environment that encourages ridership; improve wayfinding and integration of the site with surrounding areas; accommodate a mix of uses and amenities; and support economic development. Concept 1 scored the highest due to attractiveness, site integration, and economic development and might be similar to The Avenue in Baltimore or the planned station in New Carrollton. Concepts 3a and 3b scored the lowest due to the very high project cost (did the City Council actually think that placing one mile of a six-lane highway underground through downtown Rockville was going to be remotely feasible? What a waste of consultant fees!). After this meeting, the consultant team will hold two workshops with the community to review the concepts and the final report is expected in spring 2023.
U-Haul‘s request to convert an office building into a self-storage warehouse at 1355 Piccard Drive has become a dumpster fire and consumed more than 400 pages of the agenda packet. Seems they failed to obtain building and occupancy permits for their existing use, and have been parking trucks and equipment outside of a designated location. Recent complaints are supported by LOTS of photos documenting violations and noted that maintenance of the building has deteriorated so badly that tenants have left. Looks like U-Haul is a bad business and yet wants a special favor from the City. A surprising twist: the building is owned by the Montgomery County Board of Realtors (you’d assume they’d know how to manage a multi-million-dollar property). How did it get this bad? The Council’s efforts to reduce expenses in 2016-2018 left the City with only one Senior Zoning Inspector, which prevented pro-active zoning enforcement. Another example of “penny wise, pound foolish.”
Did you know that the Rockville Little Theatre, Rockville Musical Theatre, and Victorian Lyric Opera Company are considered RESCOs (resident community performing arts organizations). They receive reduced rental rates at the Fitzgerald Theatre in exchange for mounting a minimum number of productions annually and paying the City $1.50-$3.00 per ticket sold.
More details in the 743-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12052022-6758.
Mayor and Council to Discuss Priorities for Federal Actions and Funding
At its Monday, October 3, 2022 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss priorities for federal funding; a $7.5 M renovation for 6 Taft Court (a new facility for Public Works and Recreation and Parks departments); a Town Center “Road Diet” project (narrowing lanes on Washington Street and Middle Lane); FY 2024 budget; and an amendment to the Twinbrook Commons development on Chapman Avenue (adding parking spaces for electric vehicles). On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are approval of easements for King Buick and King Farm Farmstead Parking Lot; authorizing the City Manager to begin electricity supply agreements; awarding a $1.4 M contract for Storm Water Management (SWM) Facilities improvements; closing of an unnamed road adjacent to Twinbrook Quarter, and approving a charter for the zoning ordinance rewrite, among others. The Mayor and Council will also receive reports on performance measurement, make appointments to boards and commissions, and declare October 10 as Indigenous Peoples’ Day to recognize the “conquest, enslavement, displacement, and disease” which decimated the native people in the area.
Continue reading →Planning Commission to Approve Subdivision near King Farm
At its Wednesday, September 28, 2022 meeting, the Rockville Planning Commission is set to approve EYA Development’s subdivision of a 20-acre site to develop up to 252 townhouses and 118 condominiums, of which 58 will be moderately priced, on the site of a car dealership adjacent to King Farm. It is difficult to understand what exactly is being proposed because the site has been broken into ten plats of 1-3 acres and there is no summary.
An unusual aspect of this project is that the streets will be named for African Americans who had a prominent role in education in the region, such as Nina Clarke, Odessa Shannon, Henson Norris, and Margaret Jones. How far the City has come from the 1960s when they demolished the African American business district for a shopping mall and a decade ago, nearly changed Middle Lane—the only element that survived—to Choice Hotels Lane (a business that has already announced its departure from Rockville).
The Planning Commission continues to be working without a full deck—only five of the seven seats are filled. Indeed, there are 33 vacancies among nine city commissions. Is no one interested in serving or is the City Council failing to act?
More details in the 58-page agenda packet available at https://rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09282022-6703.
Mayor and Council to Discuss Big and Dull Changes in Twinbrook
At its Monday, March 7, 2022 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss Twinbrook Commons, Tropical Storm Ida, and the proposed FY2023 budget. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) are multiple construction contracts for stormwater maintenance and repair for a total not to exceed $9 million over four years. The Mayor and Council will also receive reports from Human Services Advisory Commission and on a 37-question survey (good heavens, that’s too long) conducted by the Human Rights Commission on the impact of the pandemic and the community’s perception of discrimination and inclusion following the murder of George Floyd (the results seem unreliable: 24% of the respondents were from Fallsmead and 14% from Twinbrook—why do cities insist on conducting surveys??).
Continue reading →County Shares Development Plans for Justice Center and Bus Depot with City Council
At its Monday, February 28, 2022 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss board appointments, FY 2023 operating and capital improvements budgets, a $20/year increase for refuse collection, a $6/year increase in stormwater management fees, maintaining the current property tax rate for 2023 (unchanged since 1995), and tree planting requirements for new townhouses and duplexes. On the Consent Calendar (items approved without discussion) is the provision of a mental health specialist for the police department for calls for service involving persons with mental illness. The Mayor and Council will also receive a report on the county’s plans for its properties along Seven Locks Road including a proposed bus depot. This is a short meeting and scheduled to end at 10:15 pm.
Continue reading →
Max for Rockville 