Stop the White Flint Sector Plan

All,
The proposed White Flint Sector Plan, which will bring 20,000 new jobs and 12,600 new residential units to our neighborhoods with no plan for a new school or any way to accomodate the new children, will be up for public hearing at the County Council on October 20, 2009. Below I provide 1. contact information; and 2. bullet points for your letter. I would greatly appreciate letters sent to the council, thank you so much.
Paula Bienenfeld

DATE: Tuesday, OCTOBER 20, 2009
TIME: 7:30 PM
LOCATION: Council Bldg, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD

I would ask everyone reading this to voice their opposition to this ill-conceived plan that will flood our area with tens of thousands of cars; increase congestion in the area; add hundreds of children with no increase in school capacity; and no increase in supporting infrastructure except of course to support the new developments. The plan is not sustainable from an environmental perspective. Council contact information and letter bullet points are below.

Please write the council at:

county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov
or
Montgomery County Council
Stella B. Werner Council Building
100 Maryland Ave,
Rockville, MD 20850

Here are the individual council members' email addresses:
Phil Andrews, Council President councilmember.andrews@montgomerycountymd.gov
Roger Berliner, Council Vice President, councilmember.berliner@montgomerycountymd.gov
Nancy Navarro councilmember.navarro@montgomerycountymd.gov
George Leventhal councilmember.leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov
Marc Elrich councilmember.elrich@montgomerycountymd.gov
Mike Knapp councilmember.knapp@montgomerycountymd.gov
Nancy Floreen councilmember.floreen@montgomerycountymd.gov
Valerie Ervin councilmember.ervin@montgomerycountymd.gov
Duchy Trachtenberg councilmember.trachtenberg@montgomerycountymd.gov

Here are bullet points for the letter:

Overcrowded Schools; Redistricting As a Solution: 37,000 people will live in the new White Flint, but the Board failed to provide a coherent plan—or funding—for an elementary school. Overcrowding of existing K-12 schools will occur. The Planning Board raises the specter of redistricting—including redistricting of Walter Johnson High School—as a possible solution.

61,000 More People, No Plan to Increase Public Transit: According to the Board, the number of people living and working in White Flint will swell by 242% from 25,000 to 86,000, and this does not include tens of thousands of visitors and shoppers. This increase is equivalent to adding the entire population of Rockville to our community, yet the Planning Board has no plan to increase capacity for Metro, buses or Bus Rapid Transit.

Increased Congestion, Cut-Through Traffic: Despite the promise of overcoming “auto-centered” development, the projected increase in population and the failure to expand public transit will inevitably result in more traffic. The Planning Board projects a 53% increase on Old Georgetown Road and 68% on Edson Lane. Congestion at Strathmore Avenue and Rockville Pike will increase by 24% and will exceed the current standard. There will be greatly increased cut-through traffic in your communities.

Overcrowded Schools; Redistricting As a Solution: 37,000 people will live in the new White Flint, but the Board failed to provide a coherent plan—or funding—for an elementary school. Overcrowding of existing K-12 schools will occur. The Planning Board raises the specter of redistricting—including redistricting of Walter Johnson High School—as a possible solution.
300-foot Building Heights: The Board will allow buildings taller than the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and JBG’s new Whole Foods building.

High-Rise Sprawl: The Board says the tallest buildings will be concentrated at the White Flint Metro station, but the plan in fact permits 300-foot buildings for nearly a mile along Rockville Pike, replacing today’s auto-oriented suburban sprawl with high-density, auto-oriented “high-rise sprawl.” From your backyards you will look out at a 30-story concrete and glass canyon up and down the Pike.

Rockville Pike Developed Last, If At All: The Board’s phasing plan does not envision redeveloping Rockville Pike until approximately 2030. As the main traffic artery through White Flint, the Pike should be re-built first with development to follow.

Tall Buildings, Dense Development Don’t Make A Community: Despite promises to create a vibrant, urban community, the Plan does not require a full-sized library, community center, theater, senior center, or child-care facility, nor does it protect much-loved local businesses that will be unable to afford increased rents. The Board’s “Midtown on the Pike” makes no provision for the civic and cultural amenities that in fact make cities livable.

No Environmental Plan: The Board makes bold statements about creating a greener community, including stream restoration, carbon emission reductions, forest planting, and increased tree cover. But these are not requirements; developers are awarded increased density if they choose to pursue them. The plan provides no details or timeline for accomplishing any of these aims.

No Plan To Pay For It All: The Planning Board says substantial public and private investment in infrastructure and public facilities will be required, but fails to provide the financing plan or specify the public entities that will implement the plan. It says that these must be created within 12 months of adopting the plan! It is not prudent—especially in the current economy—to begin redevelopment before figuring out how to pay for it.