Konterra Parking Lot Slated for November Opening

The space on Metropolitan Avenue north of the is soon to be a parking lot, set to open in November.

Building Inspector Neil Stablow gave the Town Council an update on the project last night, and he said the 54-space lot is on schedule despite all the summer rain.

The lot, which is owned by Konterra, is the former site of a concrete plant, and excavating buried sediments has been time-consuming for work crews, Stablow said. However, they've managed to stay in budget and on time, he said.

"We're pretty much out of the woods when it comes to unforseen conditions," Stablow said.

The lot will feature LED lights, instead of regular bulbs, which cost the town an extra $5,000. Stablow said the lights will pay themselves off within three years because of their low energy consumption and long lifespan.

The parking lot will also contain bio-retention ponds, which collect excess water and filter it on-site.

"It's the state of the art in terms of storm-water management," Stablow said. "Instead of letting it run off, these ponds maintain the water on-site and clean it."

Construction started in mid-July, and the total project cost will be around $750,000, Stablow said.

The lot is intended for visitors looking to shop at the stores around Howard Avenue, and the town is yet to decide how it will charge for parking.

Town Manager Sanford Daily said he is looking at private metering and enforcement firms and will ask them for proposals.

When the town starts charging for parking, the revenues will be split 50-50 with Montgomery County, Mayor Peter Fosselman said. The town's share of the revenues will pay for the ongoing maintenance of the lot, he said.