preserving the quality of life in Olney, Maryland

County Council Work Session Summary

The Council is expected to make a FINAL vote in March on the Olney Master Plan.  Below is a summary of the decisions made during the work session on January 18, 2005.  All decisions could be revisited prior a final vote if a Council member makes a motion for a change.  Click here to see the staff packet which contains background information and Planning Board Draft recommendations. 

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

A.  North Branch Upper Rock Creek Watershed

The Council supports the recommendations of the Planning Board Draft to extend the Upper Rock Creek Environmental Overlay Zone to the area designated in the Plan north of Route 108.  The Council also supports extending the Upper Rock Creek Special Protection Area with the 8% impervious cap to include the Norbeck Country Club Property.

B.  Northwest Branch

The Council supports the Master Plan, which does not recommend an impervious surface cap or overlay zone in this watershed. 

NORTHERN OLNEY

A.    Central Union Mission Property

The Council supports amending the Master Plan to indicate that only the “high” priority forests should be protected and that the Plan clarify that Central Union Mission should be able to use the property as long as they operate the camp.

B.    Mess, Simms and Brooke Grove Foundation Properties 

The Council supports Master Plan recommendation of Mess property – RNC with .33 units per acre; Simms property – RNC with .2 units per acre or .33 if combined with Mess.

SOUTHWEST QUADRANT

A.      Silo Inn

The Council supports C-1 zoning for all three acres.

B.      Tower Company Property (Small’s Nursery)

The Council supports development under the RT-10 floating zone and recommends that the Master Plan be amended to indicate that land adjacent to the existing park should be considered by acquisition, if it becomes available.

C.      Bowie Mill School Site

By a 5 (Denis, Leventhal, Perez, Silverman, Subin) to 4 (Knapp, Andrews, Praisner, Floreen) vote, the Council reversed the PHED vote and endorsed Councilmember Silverman’s position rezoning this property R-200/PD-3.  Councilmember Leventhal added a friendly amendment to Councilmember Silverman’s motion and incorporated Olney Coalition's criteria for affordable housing on this site:

1) Affordable Housing is the highest un-met public need for this land.  If the land is not needed for a school or swapped for land for a civic center then the next highest need is for workforce housing.

2) The size, scale, and design of the housing development preserve the sensitive environmental resources on this site and enhance the natural storm water filter and recharge function the land around the streams, wetlands, and floodplain perform today.

3) The density of development and the resulting population increase does not overwhelm the area’s already severely strained public facilities (an infrastructure shortfall put Olney in moratorium and this shortfall has never been addressed even though the moratorium was lifted by this Council.)

4) Lot sizes, the mix of housing types (single family detached and townhouses), and the density are compatible with adjacent properties (see quote from September 21, 2004 testimony.)

D.     Norbeck Country Club

The Council supports RNC at 0.45 units per acre zoning for this property density with an extension of the Upper Rock Creek Special Protection Area and an 8% impervious cap.

E.      County-owned property on Emory Lane

The Council supports the Master Plan zoning recommendation but deletes reference to the potential uses if the ICC is not built.  Add language clarifying that the property should be purchased for mitigation as well as right-of-way.

SOUTHEAST QUADRANT

The Council supports the Committee’s recommendations for each property in the Southeast quadrant.  Council member Praisner reserved the right to return to the Golden Bear property after the Town Center is discussed.

Each property over 5 acres that is currently zoned RE-2 is recommended for RNC zoning.  Properties within the sewer envelope were recommended for 0.33 units per acre density (or up to 0.4 with MPDUs); those outside the sewer envelope are recommended for 0.2 units per acre.  All properties currently zoned LDRC are recommended for RNC zoning at 0.2 units per acre and the Plan recommends eliminating this zone from the Zoning Ordinance.  The Council supports R200/TDR-7 for Golden Bear Property.

TOWN CENTER

The public hearing was held January 18, 2005 and the PHED Committee will hold a work session on February 7, 2005. 

A.      FREEMAN AND ASSOCIATES PROPERTY

The Council supports no change in the master plan.

B.      MILLER PROPERTY

The Council supports no change in the master plan recommended zoning and directs Planning staff to review the two potential options for text amendments that would allow a clinic on this property and draft a text amendment for introduction and the Council’s review.

PARKS AND RECREATION PLAN

The Council supports the Plan’s recommendations for parks and recreation to acquire various pieces of property, including the Kimble, Simms, and all or part of the Graefe properties, as well as the open field site adjacent to Farquhar Middle School (the Casey property), in order to expand existing parks or create new parks.  The Planning Board also recommends that various properties, including Griffith Local Park, the Oaks Landfill site, and the open field adjacent to the Olney Boys and Girls Club, be retained for future recreation purposes.  Additionally, the Master Plan contains recommendations for expanding and maintaining various trail corridors.

COMMUNITY FACILITY ISSUES

The Community Facilities section of the Master Plan appears on pages 125-129 and addresses schools, libraries, public safety, the post office and the Olney Theater.  Plan recommendations regarding the library and post office were discussed above in the section on Town Center.

A.      Schools

The Council supports the Plan’s recommendations to retain the Oakdale Junior High School site on Cashell Road for future school needs.

B.      Public Safety

The Council supports language regarding police issues:

Public safety services are provided by the Montgomery County Police and the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, in conjunction with the Sandy Spring and Laytonsville Volunteer Fire Departments.  The area is within the Fourth District of the Montgomery County Police Department.  The Police Department currently maintains a drop-in police trailer in Olney.  The current facility could be used as a regularly staffed satellite if changes in population or crime, traffic conditions, or other factors indicate that a facility closer than the Fourth District Police Station is needed.  Should the current trailer need to be replaced, any satellite facility should be located in the Town Center, possibly in a civic center or co-located with other County facilities. 

C.      Olney Theater

The Council supports the plan’s language to more broadly support Olney Theater plans (rather than only those concepts consistent with existing plans).