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Westbard

Sector Plan

Comparison of: (1) Existing Residential Units; (2) Units Allowed Under Current Zoning; (3) Units Permitted Under
MoCo Planning Staff August 2015 Recommendations. (Columns A through E Below)

Updated Needed (Column F) for Planning Board Action at November 19, 2015 to: (1) Increase Building Heights Above
Planning Staff 8/2015 Recommendations; and (2) Add 75 Affordable Housing at current Little Falls Library Site.

A
B
C
D
E
F
Total
Existing
Max
Max Allowed
Max Proposed by Max Allowed Under
Allowed
Under Planning
Planning Staffs
Draft Plan After
Today
Staffs 8/2015 Draft 8/2015 Draft
Planning Board
Plan
Plan with
11/19/15 Action to

Floating Zone*
(1) Raise Building
Heights Above Staff
Recommendation;
and (2) add Housing
on Current Little
Falls Library Site
Residential
1,104
1,684
3,200**
Up to 3,600***
?? 4,500? 5,500?
(units)
6,000?
Retail (sq ft)
247,822
576,933
544,803
544,803
544,803
Office (sq ft)
142,415
145,591
169,490
169,490
169,490
Industrial (sq
667,573
1,372,585
434,660
390,640
434,660
ft)
* Traffic Analysis shows road network can support this level of development
** This includes 910 potential new units on Equity One and Park Bethesda property
*** This includes 400 potential units from properties with Floating Zone

Since December 2014, Montgomery County Planning staff has shared a chart reflected by columns A through E above. The
3,200 estimate for residential units in column D and the 3,600 residential unit estimate in column E reflect the draft Westbard
Sector Plan that MoCo Planning Staff released for public comments in August 2015.

The residential unit estimates in columns D and E raised serious concerns among residents in the surrounding communities of
tradition 1-4 bedroom homes. Of particular concern was that the school capacity in the MCPS Whitman and BCC clusters was
not adequate to accommodate the additional students that an increase of residential units to by 2,000 to 2,600 would bring.


In response to these community concerns, Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson and George Leventhal sent this unsigned
letter to MCPS on November 30, 2015 seeking clarification about the school capacity questions.
https://www.scribd.com/doc/293010844/11-30-15-CC-to-MCPS

Mr. Leventhal explained his concern about the capacity question in this briefing with reporters.
http://www.mymcmedia.org/councilmembers-and-planning-board-chair-question-mcps-about-capacity-plans-video/

At its November 15, 2015 Worksession on the Westbard Sector Plan, despite community requests that building heights
recommend by planning staff be reduced to no higher than 50 feet, the Planning Board staff voted to significantly increase
those heights above the staff recommendation, in some cases to 90 feet or 110 feet. The Planning Board also voted to rezone
the current site of the Little Falls Library so that a 75 residential building could be constructed with 200 units.

In order for MCPS to provide an accurate assessment of the capacity issue, it will need planning staff to update the estimate of
additional housing units, in column F above that will be added to the Westbard Sector under the plan as revised by the
Planning Board on November 19.

Tom Hearn
Questions? Email at WestbardWatch@verizon.net
Twitter: @WestbardWatch

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