November 18, 2004


Steven A. Silverman                                                                        Sent Via Email
President
Montgomery County Council
100 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850

Re:     Olney Master Plan

Dear Mr. Silverman, Montgomery County Council:

I am a life-long resident of Montgomery County and an active member of the Upper Rock Creek Coalition, an organization with which you are familiar. I am writing today to voice my concerns over the Olney Master Plan, and in particular, plans to change the zoning on a 32-acre tract of land off Bowie Mill Road to allow for higher-density housing.
 
Having spent three years fighting overdevelopment of the Upper Rock Creek, I am flabbergasted by this Council's determination to impose higher-density housing on every square inch of undeveloped land.
 
In an article in the Washington Post today, citizens and experts alike commented on the exponential increase of traffic on I-270. The same thing has happened along Bowie Mill Road and other routes across the county. Traffic literally stops in front of my house in the morning. That happened only on occasion last year. It's now a daily event. I urge you to rethink your housing goals until we get a better handle on our gridlock problem. To my way of thinking, that shouldn't be an issue since many of you won your council seats by promising to "End Gridlock."
 
In all due respect, I ask you to maintain the existing zoning on the 32-acre tract and build housing that would  compatible with existing neighborhoods. Olney and the surrounding communities, including the Upper Rock Creek, cannot accommodate the increased traffic that comes with higher-density communities.
 
Sincerely,
 
Lori Keesey
17431 Bowie Mill Road
Derwood, Maryland  20855