West Montgomery County Citizens Association
JOIN US FOR A VIRTUAL MEETING!
Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. via ZOOM
or call in with 301-715-8592 (Meeting ID: 854 6118 0253, Passcode: 553611)
A recording of this meeting, and hotlinks within the Newsletter, will be available on our website: www.WMCCA.org
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SPEAKERS:
Theodora Scarato, WMCCA Board Member to Discuss 5G
Scott Plumer, Darnestown Civic Association to Discuss Thrive Montgomery 2050
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Addressing 5G and Thrive Montgomery 2050 Concerns
President’s Letter by Carol Van Dam Falk
We hope all of you survived the nor’easter which evolved into a “bomb cyclone” last weekend and are staying warm and dry. The weeks of frigid weather we’re experiencing may well be due to climate change. According to the Washington Post, several studies link higher snowfall amounts in the eastern United States to changes in the Arctic. “When the Arctic is warm, one study found, cold blasts and heavy snowfalls in the eastern U.S. are two to four times more likely to occur than when the Arctic is cold.” As we warm our toes by the fire and contemplate the future of our neck of the woods, we thought now would be a great time to hear from the folks who have been urging the Montgomery County Council to revise the Thrive Montgomery 2050 document, to make it more environmentally friendly and less focused on development. In late October, the County released the “Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee Draft of Thrive Montgomery 2050,” an update to the County’s general plan. Unfortunately, it ignored all of the concerns and ideas we and others had raised in 2021.
In December, the Council asked the County’s five Citizen Advisory Boards to hold talks with members and communities about the Plan at their January meeting. The Thrive site mentioned a Western Montgomery County Advisory Board Committee meeting at 7:00pm on Jan. 27th, but offered no other information, including no link to the meeting. Along with WMCCA, Scott Plumer, of the Darnestown Civic Association, has been actively involved in trying to revise the document to better protect our area and the green wedges north of us from over-development. We look forward to hearing Scott’s recommendations and how we can make our voices heard on Thrive Montgomery.
The second half of our meeting will be devoted to a discussion of 5G plans for Montgomery County. The Council passed two resolutions on January 25, 2022 related to rules and fees for ZTA 19-07 fast tracking the deployment of 5G, 4G and new wireless networks in County residential areas. Last summer, the Council passed zoning amendment ZTA 19-07, which removes routine notice and hearings for short "small" cell towers in residential areas. That means poles can be erected in your front yard or directly adjacent to your yard, so long as the pole is 30 feet or more from your home. The ZTA streamlines the ability for telecommunications companies to access public rights of way in residential areas. Several thousand residents went on record opposing the ZTA. Theodora Scarato, our newest WMCCA Board member and an expert on the subject, will discuss the latest developments concerning 5G in the County.
As always, the general meeting is open to the public. Bring your questions and invite your neighbors!
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Council Passes New Rules on Short 5G Cell Tower Deployment into Residential Areas
Submitted by Theodora Scarato
The new rules govern fees and rules for ZTA 19-07. Fees are set at levels intentionally well below processing costs, leaving residents/taxpayers to subsidize the wireless industry’s OZAH waiver and hearing processes for small cell towers. The second resolution sets rules that govern expedited conditional use processes for small cell towers - such as cases where the companies want to erect their cell tower poles closer than 30 feet. The new rules limit participation in critical pre-hearing matters. On January 31, 2022, the Planning, Housing, and Economic Development (PHED) Committee will have a briefing on the status of the master licensing agreements for 5G deployment. If you want to stay updated on new permits for wireless antennas, sign up for the County e-subscription newsletter: https://www.
Join the residents' campaign to bring public notice and hearings back at: https://actionnetwork.org/
