Silver Spring, MD
20906
January 25, 2007
Montgomery County Executive Leggett
101 Monroe Street
Rockville, MD 20850
Dear Mr. Leggett:
I am writing you on behalf of the Glenmont Civic Association (GCA). The association represents residents who live in Glenmont on
the west side of Georgia Avenue in an area bordered by Georgia Avenue and Randolph Road. We have a web site, saveglenmont.org
and a large e-mail list. In addition, the larger community supports our efforts to stand up for Glenmont.
The purpose of this letter is to inform you that the Glenmont Civic Association opposes the 1200 space parking garage the
Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT) plans to build in our neighborhood. We ask that you
meet with several members of our community to discuss this issue, and we ask that you stop this garage from being built.
West Side Neighborhood
DPWT plans to build this parking garage near the west side entrance to the Glenmont Metro station on a three acre parcel known as
the “WMATA Triangle.” This property surrounds the west side Metro entrance and is bordered by single family houses along three
sides– on Urbana Street, Flack Street, and Denley Road. Beside the west side Metro entrance, this property contains a small Kiss
and Ride area, an open green space with tall trees along the rear, and an environmentally sensitive wetlands in the area where Flack
Street is unconnected.
Done in Haste
On April 26, 2006, WMATA held a public hearing on the garage. (GCA was given 3 days notice.) The County Council approved
the west side location less than two weeks after the hearing and before the time for public response had ended. The speed of
its passage did not allow for an in depth study or analysis and gave the appearance that the hearing was only a formality. On
November 28, the Council rushed through a vote on supplemental funding for the garage. Why the rush? Was this done to prevent
the newly elected Council from voting on the issue?
Garage Against Zoning and Sector Plan
A primary reason for opposing the garage is that the WMATA Triangle is zoned residential and has been zoned that way since the
community was built in the late 1940’s. If a garage is built, the zoning would change. The garage will degrade the residential area
around it.
The planned garage also goes against the current 1997 Glenmont Sector Plan which says on page 35 “a sizeable portion of the
WMATA Triangle may be used for important community facilities, for a proposed minimal Kiss and Ride, and a possible child care
center.” It goes on, “Another significant portion of the property consists of a wetlands and tree save area. This environmentally
sensitive area should be enhanced as a natural green area serving the community.” And finally, the sector plan says town houses may
be built on this “strategically located parcel (WMATA Triangle) …(to) provide increased housing opportunities near the Metro
station.”
Size
The garage will be large and ugly. It will be 350 feet long, longer than a football field with end zones, and will be 186 feet wide,
with six floors of above ground parking, plus towers that reach up two more levels. On the roof, lights will illuminate the
neighborhood. It will be built on high ground next to Georgia Avenue and will dominate Glenmont.
Safety
We fear that many drivers will use neighborhood streets when driving to or from the garage. The garage will bring increased traffic
to our neighborhood and will put pedestrians at risk-- including hundreds of young children who walk to buses and school. In
addition, parking garages frequently attract undesirable persons which can lead to increased crime.
Opposition to the West Side Garage
A large number of officials, groups and individuals oppose building a garage on the west side. Following are excerpts of their letters
and testimony:
· On April 27, 2006, the Montgomery Park and Planning Board held a public hearing and voted unanimously (5 - 0) to
locate the structure on the east side of Georgia Avenue. The Planning Board said that if a west side garage were built, it must not
be a stand alone structure; it must not destroy the existing Glenmont green space; and it must be part of a mixed use development
that includes town houses.
· In a memorandum dated April 14, 2006, the Planning Board Staff told the Planning Board, “ A parking structure on the
west side of Georgia Avenue …would be inconsistent with goals and objectives of the Glenmont Sector Plan.”
· In a letter dated April 28, 2006 to the County Council, former Planning Board Chairman Derrick Berlage said, “a free-
standing multi-level structure on the west side of Georgia Avenue…is incompatible with adjacent land uses and inconsistent with the
County’s overall long-term objective of promoting community compatible smart growth initiatives near a Metrorail station.
· In a letter to WMATA dated April 27, 2006, the Washington Regional Network of Livable Communities opposed building
any new garage in Glenmont. It favors better pedestrian and bicycle access and the creation of a transit village in Glenmont.
· In remarks given April 26, 2006 at the WMATA hearing, James Clutter, speaking for the Georgia Avenue Baptist Church,
said any new garage should be built on the east side.
· In response to the April 26, 2006 WMATA hearing, 37 citizens spoke or wrote letters to oppose placing a garage on the
west side. Six speakers favored the west side garage of whom four were county employees.
· In a letter dated May 5, 2006 to the County Council, the Montgomery County Civic Federation (MCCF) said, “The MCCF
Executive Committee endorses locating the proposed WMATA parking garage … on the east side of Georgia Avenue, as
recommended by the Planning Board and staff…”
· On May 8, 2006, the Coalition for Smarter Growth sent a letter to the County Council that said, “We urge you to reject the
proposal for a new parking garage at Glenmont Metro and instead focus … on providing better access for more people via feeder
buses, shuttles, safer walking and bicycling routes and the ability to live and work near Metro.”
· On December 22, Montgomery County Planning Board Chairman Hanson, reiterated the statement from former
Chairman Berlage that the west side location “was incompatible with adjacent land use and inconsistent with long term…..smart
growth initiatives near a Metrorail station.” He went on to “urge the County to work with the Planning Department Staff and the
community…..to address the community’s concerns”, and stated that these issues “should be resolved before the project design is
complete and submitted to the Board for a mandatory referral review”.
Summary
In summary, the Glenmont Civic Association believes it would be better if a new garage were not built, but if one is added, it should
be built on the east side, where it could use access roads that serve the current garage with 1700 spaces.
According to Metro, Glenmont is the fourth largest Metro station in Montgomery County with a total of over 11,000 rides each day
– counting entries and exits. We believe Glenmont should be allowed to develop into the transit oriented community described in the
sector plan, where residents walk to jobs, shops, restaurants, schools, transit, and churches.
If DPWT is permitted to discard the Glenmont Sector Plan and residential zoning and build a parking garage, it will be a tragedy for
Glenmont. Its effects will also be felt in other communities that may suffer a similar fate.
We hope you will allow a small delegation from the Glenmont community to visit with you to discuss the issues in this letter, and we
look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Michael McAteer
Vice President, Glenmont Civic Association
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