MC Planner: Early Dialogue Was Needed On Brickyard

Potomac Almanac: Early Dialogue Was Needed On Brickyard

To the Editor:

Last week, I was asked if I knew that the Board of Education was considering a lease with the County or if I was aware of today’s agenda item. I answered that I did not...

...I recollect outlining the history of the site, stating that if the school was declared surplus, there would be local opposition to the use of the land for meeting recreation needs if it meant the removal of the certified organic producer. As we always do to with either the public or private sector, Planning staff emphasized that it was absolutely critical to have a dialogue with the Brickyard Road citizens group and the West Montgomery County Citizens Association before any decisions were formalized, and that public reaction to agenda items or notices that decisions had already been taken would be overwhelmingly negative.

The meeting was over a year ago, and as far as I am aware the site has not been declared surplus, and there has been no circulation to other Departments or agencies requesting expressions of interest, so this development comes as a surprise...

The timing is especially unfortunate, as it coincides with Bruce Adam’s sustainable community food system initiative, the Commission’s agricultural incubator efforts, and current efforts to produce more local food in urban areas.

Callum Murray

Team Leader for Potomac

Montgomery County Park and Planning