Action Request from the MoCo Civic Federation

The Montgomery County Civic Federation (MCCF) has put out this request (below) asking citizens to tell the County Council, we don't want overcrowded schools. We don't want failing streams and a polluted Chesapeake Bay. We don't want inadequate failing infrastructure. We don't want failing faulty watermains. We want thoughtful consideration of real issues, and decisions that support a sustainable quality of life in our county.

July 12, 2009

ACTION REQUESTED - PLEASE CONTACT COUNTY COUNCIL

THE CIVIC FEDERATION BELIEVES THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS OVERLOADED THEIR SCHEDULE FOR LAND USE RELATED ISSUES

The MCCF is troubled that the list of issues this Council intends to address in their remaining 17 months in office is too lengthy for them to pay adequate attention to details which will impact resident's quality of life and the health of the natural environment. The list of issues the Council intends to consider includes:

- 5 more master plan revisions (6, if they reopen the Clarksburg Master Plan);
- creation of a new mixed use zoning category for use in 4 of those plans;
- changes to the County growth policy; and,
- a rewrite of the Housing Chapter of the County General Plan.

The Federation has sent a letter to all of the members of Council explaining our concerns.
WE ARE ASKING YOU TO EMAIL COUNCILMEMBERS AND TELL THEM YOU'RE CONCERNED, TOO !

To have an impact, the Council will need to get several hundred emails starting now and continuing over the August break, so please forward this email to all county residents on your contact list. Thank you in advance for weighing in on this important matter.
To make it easier for you to contact Council, we are providing--
an introductory sentence for you to copy into the body of your email, and
a choice of 4 bulleted items--use any or all that address your issues of concern.
______________________________

Dear County Councilmembers,
I am concerned that you have scheduled too many land use related issues for consideration in the remaining 17 months of this Council, and this work program overload could prevent you from paying sufficient attention to the important details of each of these issues.
· I fear the amount of new development being considered in master plan revisions will increase school overcrowding and that lack of adequate roads and transit planning will only worsen traffic congestion.
· I am troubled that the proposed Growth Policy changes would allow increased development without insuring adequate infrastructure to support the growth.
· I am concerned the new mixed use zone will increase development but not provide safeguards to protect the environment, especially stream watersheds.
· I strongly believe county policies must preserve existing affordably priced housing.
Please reduce the number of issues you intend to address. It is better to carefully consider fewer items, than to rush approval. Thank you.
(be sure to include your name & address, and send to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov)