At 10:30 this morning Montgomery County and State of Maryland officials unveiled new state road signs at the major entry points into the county’s nationally recognized Agricultural Reserve. Now drivers who experience the transition from surrounding suburbs into the 90,000 acre reserve will see “Welcome to Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve” signs to know that they are entering a special place in the Washington DC region.
Author: Elena Sorokina
Open Letter to Governor Kaine on Land Use, Transportation and Funding
We are encouraged by your initiatives over the past two years to address Virginia’s land use and transportation challenges. Public support for better growth management remains at high levels, making your efforts to better link land use and transportation critically important. Your collective initiatives have included increased support for transit and freight rail, traffic impact studies, urban development areas, land conservation, stronger access management policies and changes to subdivision street standards.
Conservation and Smart Growth Groups Weigh-in on Transportation Funding
Joining the renewed debate over transportation funding, the Virginia conservation and smart growth community released an open letter today to Governor Kaine, Lieutenant Governor Bolling, Attorney General McDonnell and all 140 members of the General Assembly. “The energy crisis and climate change make it more important that ever that we buy the right transportation system for the next 50 to 100 years,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.
Arlington: Accessory Dwelling Units
We strongly support the proposed ordinance, which proposes to establish a legal permitting process for accessory apartments. We commend the County for recognizing the potential of accessory units as an important opportunity to address the County’s tremendous housing shortfall–for households at all income levels. Accessory Dwelling unit permissions are recognized as a national best practice for mature, single-family housing neighborhoods like in Arlington.
TOD Presentation to Prince George’s County Council
A presentation given on May 20, 2008 which explains the benefits of transit-oriented development in Prince George’s County.
At $80,000 per Space, Proposed Bethesda Parking Garage Needs a Second Look
In the midst of painful budget cuts and transit fare increases, the Montgomery County Council is on the verge of voting to spend $89 million, or $80,000 per space, for a 1,150 space parking garage in the heart of the walking and biking-oriented Bethesda Row district. The new garage will be adjacent to the Capital Crescent Trail and a block away from the planned South entrance of the Bethesda Metro station. The Council’s transportation committee voted for the garage on Friday, before sending the issue to the full Council.
D.C.: FY2009 Budget Support Act of 2008
I am here today to speak on two specific tax policy issues, both of which could be targeted to more efficiently support those communities they were created to serve, and to appeal to the City Council to remain especially prudent and careful in exercising tax relief during lean economic cycles such as we are experiencing at the current time.
Pedestrians Unsafe on Washington Region’s “Mean Streets”
A few days before a regional pedestrian safety summit, the Coalition for Smarter Growth released a new study of pedestrian safety in the Washington, D.C., region. The report finds that suburban jurisdictions are the least safe for walkers, especially Fairfax County, Virginia, and Prince George’s County, Maryland. While jurisdictions are taking steps to improve safety, the Coalition is calling on our region’s leaders to redouble their efforts to ensure that walking is a safe means of travel, and to commit to reducing by half the number of pedestrian crashes that result in death and severe injury in our communities.
Washington Area’s Mean Streets
A disturbing increase in the number of pedestrian deaths in the Washington, D.C., region is prompting public concern. In response, area officials have launched a “Street Smart” education campaign exhorting both walkers and motorists to watch out. Area jurisdictions are also stepping up law enforcement. Caution is always warranted and enforcement essential, but the only lasting way to ensure all users can travel safely is to design communities and streets that make walking and bicycling less risky and provide convenient connections. Each land use and transportation decision must consider and design for safe walking and bicycling.
Accelerated Global Warming from the ICC
This Friday and next Wednesday, the Maryland House of Delegates Environmental Matters Committee will hold public hearings on bills that would stop state expenditures on controversial Intercounty Connector until Maryland agencies assess and disclose the highway’s climate and public health impacts.