Kensington Council Talks Wheaton Sector Plan, Beautification and More

Here are the highlights:

• The town will issue nine cones and Do Not Enter signs to implement local traffic control measures. The signs would hopefully further discourage cut-through traffic, and will be first placed on Lexington St. & Perry Ave., and Perry Ave. and St. Paul St. from a 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. period
• Beautification of town will continue, as a local area that the town does not own is littered with about 60 pieces of loose concrete. If items are removed, the look of overall neighborhood should be improved.
• wants town to consider allowing a pumpkin patch fundraiser in October at the park across street. The special event would include local vendors and merchants and will need to be open for eight hours a day. Mayor Peter C. Fosselman sees no harm in event but will need to discuss it more with council before allowing them to move forward.
• Despite concern over historic areas painting curbs, one resident hopes to repaint curbs near St. Paul’s to avoid blockage of two handicap ramps in locations adjacent to St. Paul’s on Mitchell. This motion was approved.
• A proposed zoning amendment would pull the MARC train out of the commerical/residential zones for the Wheaton Sector Plan as transit proximity. If the zoning amendment passes, the site would not get parking reductions and would not be able to maximize density just by being next to MARC station. A public hearing on this matter will take place on April 10.
• Councilmember Mackie Barch disagrees with removing MARC, although he does believe there needs to be a distinction made between MARC and the metro, as it has the most to do with identifying a geographical landmark and less to do with transportation. The development costs could increase as a result by taking MARC out, he says.
• Some residents still disagree with the sector plan, specifically density and height allowances at 75 feet. The council retains the highest densities and heights in sector plan.
• Larysa Kurylas, who attended the meeting as a resident and not a representative for the Wheaton Redevelopment Advisory Committee, supports the platform project in an upcoming budget that will be voted on March 20. She said it's a key first step in transforming Wheaton into an urban sector. Without this first step, Wheaton will be “relegated to the backwaters.”
• The project will involve a $41 million investment from the county to build a platform over top of the bus phase at Georgia Ave and Veirs Mill Rd., costs including construction of town square and leasing space for mid-county regional services center during construction.
• The project has garnered the support of council Vice President Nancy Navarro, who reports that alternative options, like that on Lot 13, would cost two or three times as much as the platform project.
• The project would house 1.3 million square feet of office and retail space, and is supported by the Dept. of General Services. Traffic wouldn’t be of high concern, Kline said, as a high quality structure would encourage pedestrian environment, particularly with the metro nearby.
• One plan already underway is the Safeway Patriot Project, a mixed-use development which will encompass about 59 square feet, 17 stories.  
• MNCPPC has asked for money to move to Wheaton, Rob Kline from Montgomery County Department of General Services says. The development will hopefully garner the likes of other architectural entities.
• Councilmember Sean McMullen suggested the council motion to write letter to county council as opposed to a resolution, suggesting they postpone decision-making in order to explore further details of the platform plan and its alternatives. The letter will be sent by Friday.
• The was approved with the deletion of brief language. However, there is some concern the resolution may have legal pitfalls.