Sent

Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 9:58 AM
To: Councilmember.Silverman@montgomerycountymd.gov; County.Council@montgomerycountymd.gov; councilmember.leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov; Councilmember.Denis@montgomerycountymd.gov; Councilmember.Praisner@montgomerycountymd.gov; Councilmember.Subin@montgomerycountymd.gov; Councilmember.Knapp@montgomerycountymd.gov; Councilmember.floreen@montgomerycountymd.gov; Councilmember.Andrews@montgomerycountymd.gov; Councilmember.perez@montgomerycountymd.gov
Cc: muncasterareaca@aol.com; douglas.duncan@montgomerycountymd.gov; mcp-chairman@mncppc-mc.org
Subject: Olney Master Plan

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:
The Muncaster Area Civic Association represents an area of over 600 households in Derwood, MD. While we are within the Upper Rock Creek Master Plan area, we neighbor the Olney Master Plan area and have a keen interest in its future development. In general, we have not seen any End to Gridlock from this Council. Conversely, many of us recognize a Council who is recklessly exacerbating gridlock effects by increasing the density in housing development in the Upper Rock Creek, Olney and Shady Grove Master Plans against the objections of the people who live in these communities. The lack of consideration to the ensuring adequate infrastructure of schools, roads and county services prior to this explosive growth is an act of negligence that will be harming the quality of life in these areas of Montgomery County for years to come.

Olney is an extension of our sense of community and neighborhood with its hospital, shopping, dining, sports, library, theatre and social amenities. We ask that the Council support the Planning Board's recommendations that preserve Olney's quality of life, for the people of Olney, for us their neighbors, and the general welfare of Montgomery County.

Olney is a suburban haven. People we know who have decided to live Olney feel that they have found the "American Dream" of home ownership and community. Olney should continue to be a "satellite town" with all commercial development in a Town Center to preserve the quiet residential neighborhoods in which these good citizens have chosen to dwell and raise their families. The planning design of concentric rings of decreasing density from the Town Center outward to the Agricultural Reserve provides a variety of housing options. New development must be the correct size, scale, and location.

If you are going to rezone developable large lot properties to RNC, the density must not to exceed 0.33 on sewer. Even at that threshold, developers will enjoy approximately twice the density they would get with current zoning of RE1 and RE2 on septic. Any additional densities developers are seeking are unnecessary and greedy, and would have significant negative impacts on the environment, quality of schools, roads, and public services. Limit RNC development with sewer only to the properties that can connect to existing sewer lines without new pumping/grinding stations. This will help to protect sensitive environmental resources in areas zoned RNC.

Extend the Upper Rock Creek Special Protection Area (SPA) to include the entire North Branch of Upper Rock Creek regardless of whether it is located in the Upper Rock Creek or Olney planning area.

Do not rezone the controversial 32-acre county-owned property. If it is not needed for educational purposes, use it for affordable housing consistent with the R200 zone and compatible with adjacent R200 neighborhoods, and in which case it should be workforce housing for households with incomes at 80% to 100% of the median income for Montgomery County.

We thank you for the opportunity to allow our thoughts and desires to be considered in this revision of the Olney Master Plan.