Hello

At the PRA meeting last night I provided copies of a letter I received from a Chevy Chase View resident with whom I have been discussing the Kensington Sector Plan. Copies ran out so I am posting the letter here for your reference. The planned development in Kensington impacts the traffic calming measures on Cedar as well as the KP enrollment figures over the next 20 years, although it is not clear whether the responsible parties are considering the whole in addressing each part of the issues at hand. Together we can ask the responsible parties for a holistic approach to each of these parts that impact Parkwood.

The Kensington Committee, a group of Kensington area residents, has been working with the County to communicate concerns that remain with aspects of the Kensington Sector Plan, making recommendations for specific language changes that will reduce density, particularly at adjacent/confronting properties, and request a shift in focus of the town center (not the building heights but the public amenities) from Connecticut avenue to the current center of town located near the MARC train. There are also questions to clarify how the Plan will achieve stated goals such as pedestrian safety crossing Conn Ave or broad, tulip-lined sidewalks on Conn Ave in conjunction with bus rapid transit lanes, all without bringing traffic to a crawl. Progress is being made – the PHED Committee is responding to certain requests and we continue dialog on others. You r emails will help center results on those issues of greatest import to the communities in and around Kensington, all impacted greatly by the population increases that will come with the residential development in Kensington planned over the next 20 years.

Molly and Theresa, who wrote the attached letter, decided to communicate their concerns with their Chevy Chase View neighbors, and shared the letter with members of the Kensington Committee in case we want to do the same. Before approving the Kensington Sector Plan, the letter identifies concerns to request the Montgomery County Council to (in summary):

  1. Protect the existing neighborhood from overdevelopment by in part by gradually reducing the height of new tall buildings (“stepping them down”) to existing, historic, residential heights so the taller buildings gradually slope down in a stepwise fashion, rather than being a high wall next to an older, smaller building.
  2. Promote shopping by having “mixed use” (both residential and commercial) on the first floor of each new building so th at people will be more likely to walk from one shopping area to another.
  3. Maintain the historic character of Kensington by completing design guidelines before approving the KSP and preserving the historic area as the center of town
  4. Ensure traffic improvement and adequa te parking by completing the Kensington Parking District and developing a comprehensive traffic improvement plan to ameliorate current and future problems soon, and fully funding the Summit Ave. extension.

Also – the timeline for upcoming meetings discussed last night will be posted to the PRA website along with the attached letter – look for a new section on our site for the Sector Plans which will include the White Flint as well as Kensington (maybe the Wheaton) information. To summarize the timeline:

Email County Council President Roger Berliner and Councilmembers (Be sure to write your street address on emails): county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov

Gail Dalferes on Parkwood

Attachment:
Letter to Chevy Chase View residents


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