Category: News

CSG in the News: Prince George’s Zoning Rewrite Stalls Over Unique Ethics Rule

CSG in the News: Prince George’s Zoning Rewrite Stalls Over Unique Ethics Rule

Posted on by Cheryl Cort

UPDATE 4/12/2021: The revised bill, HB 980, passed both the Maryland House of Delegates and the Senate. Thanks to all those who took action! The final bill was amended (changes we supported) to address concerns and ensure broad support. View final bill here.

“First on FOX 5: Prince George’s County has spent millions of dollars over six years on a massive countywide rezoning plan. Leaders say it’s crucial to make the county more competitive and business friendly, but after all that time and money, the process has hit a hurdle.” View FOX 5 story here.

CSG testified in support of the state bill because adjusting the County’s unique ethics rules for the Countywide Zoning Map amendment will be the final step in implementing the years-long update to the zoning code. Adopting the modern, updated zoning regulations is a once in a generation opportunity. Montgomery County and Baltimore City do not have this ethics rule, unique to Prince George’s, and have already adopted their next-generation zoning regulations.

View CSG’s testimony in support of completing the Countywide rezoning here. View our action alert here. The proposed legislation can be viewed here and final bill is here.

Photo Credit: C. Cort

STATEMENT: White’s Ferry Closure

Posted on by Emily Maurer

Coalition for Smarter Growth
December 28, 2020


Statement on the Announced Closure of White’s Ferry


“We are disappointed by the announcement of the closure of White’s Ferry, which appears to be due to the failure of the operators to reach an accommodation with the landowners on the Virginia side of the river. We urge the State of Virginia and Loudoun and Montgomery Counties to seek a solution that restores this helpful service that carries an estimated 600 to 1000 vehicles per day.
We expect that longtime boosters of a new bridge over the Potomac will once again claim we need another bridge. However, this was rejected in the early 2000’s after extensive study (the Congressman Wolf study) showed the harm it would cause to neighborhoods on both sides of the Potomac and to the Montgomery Agricultural Reserve. 
In addition, the 2003-2004 VDOT/TPB Origin and Destination Study and the 2015 VDOT Potomac Crossings study showed that less than 5% of peak hour trips might benefit from a bridge between the American Legion Bridge and Point of Rocks. These studies showed that the real need is at the American Legion Bridge, where a high-capacity transit connection must be part of any solution.
Finally, employees and employers have now seen the advantages of telecommuting which is expected to lead to a significant reduction in peak hour work trips, allowing for existing facilities to handle projected traffic.”
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RELEASE: Historic Climate Win at Transportation Planning Board

Posted on by Emily Maurer
2020.12.16-Release-TPB-votes-to-prioritize-cutting-VMT-GHG-emissions-1Download

Press Release

For immediate release:

December 16, 2020

Contact:

Stewart Schwartz, CSG, 703-599-6437

Historic climate vote took place today at Metropolitan Washington’s Transportation Planning Board (TPB) 

Elected officials agree to prioritize transportation projects and policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Today, at the launch of the process to create the Washington DC region’s next multi-billion dollar regional transportation plan, Visualize2045, elected officials on the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) voted to “[require] (emphasis added) its member agencies to prioritize investments on projects, programs, and policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, prioritize the aspirational strategies, and achieve COG’s land use and equity goals as they submit their input for inclusion in the TPB’s [Long-Range Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program].” The TPB also agreed to prioritize the aspirational initiatives they adopted in early 2018 including linking jobs and housing, a regional bus rapid transit network, Metro, demand management, bike/walk access to transit, and the capital region trail network.

“This is a historic vote. For the first time, regional elected officials committed to prioritizing transportation projects, programs, and plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the region’s transportation plan,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG). “They also agreed on the need to reduce vehicle miles traveled to achieve the greenhouse gas emissions reductions we need.”

During the debate, representatives of Prince William and Loudoun counties raised concerns about the challenges of reducing VMT in outer suburbs, and sought to soften the resolution from “requires” to “urges.” Their motion failed, and the vote on the full package of amendments passed 22 to 1 with 7 abstentions and 6 members absent. A full list of elected officials’ votes can be found below.

“In response to the concerns of the outer suburbs,” Schwartz said, “we believe that the outer suburbs can help tackle transportation emission, through better land use including walkable, mixed-use ’15-minute’ neighborhoods, commuter rail, and bus.”

The TPB’s action follows the commitment by the Council of Governments to reduce the region’s total greenhouse gas emissions 50% below 2005 levels by 2030.

“Our analysis shows that adoption of electric vehicles is essential, but the timeline is uncertain, and we’ll have to do more – which means reducing how much we have to drive, through better land use – walkable, transit-oriented communities; addressing the east-west jobs imbalance; and investing more in transit, walking and biking infrastructure,” said Bill Pugh, Senior Policy Fellow for CSG. Bill’s analysis for CSG is laid out in his recent post in Greater Greater Washington, and in a draft paper – Cutting Transportation Emissions by 2030 and Beyond: Smart Land Use and Travel are Essential submitted to the Transportation Planning Board by CSG.

THE VOTES:

Here is how Transportation Planning Board members voted on amendments to strengthen commitments to reducing vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions (the full Technical Solicitation document can be found at a link here and amendments debated today can be found at Agenda Item 9; official vote tally should be confirmed with TPB staff).

Motion by Loudoun County Supervisor Kristen Umstattd, seconded by Manassas Park Vice-Mayor Pamela Sebesky to “urge” rather than “require” that jurisdictions prioritize projects, programs, and policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

“Through this technical solicitation input process the TPB urges/requires its member agencies to prioritize investments on projects, programs, and policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, prioritize the aspirational strategies, and achieve COG’s land use and equity goals as they submit their input for inclusion in the TPB’s [Long-Range Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program].”

Motion failed with 16 no, 14 yes (with 6 members absent)

Voting yes (for “urges”)

1.     DDOT represented by Mark Rawlings

2.     MDOT represented by Asst Secretary Jeffrey Hirsch

3.     Charles County – Jason Groth (staff)

4.     City of Frederick Alderman Kelly Russell (TPB 2020 Chair)

5.     City of Laurel – represented by staff Phil Goddard (?)

6.     Virginia Department of Transportation

7.     Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn

8.     Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw

9.     Loudoun County Supervisor Kristen Umstattd

10.  Loudoun County staff representative Bob Brown

11.  City of Manassas Vice-Mayor Pamela Sebesky

12.  City of Manassas Park Mayor Jeanette Rishell

13.  Prince William County Chair Ann Wheeler

14.  Prince William County Board Member Victor Angry

Voting no (favoring “requires”)

1.     DC Office of Planning – Kristin Caulkins

2.     DC Councilmember Charles Allen

3.     College Park Councilmember Denise Mitchell

4.     Frederick County Alderman Kai Hagen

5.     City of Greenbelt – Mayor Emmett Jordan

6.     Montgomery County Executive – represented by Gary Erenrich 

7.     Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass

8.     Prince George’s Councilmember Deni Tavares

9.     City of Rockville Mayor Bridget Newton

10.  City of Takoma Park Councilmember Kacey Kostiuk

11.  Maryland Delegate Carol Krimm

12.  City of Alexandria Councilmember Canek Aguirre

13.  Arlington County Board member Christian Dorsey

14.  City of Fairfax Mayor David Meyer 

15.  City of Falls Church Councilmember David Snyder 

16.  WMATA represented by Shyam Kannan

Absent:

1.     DC Councilmember Phil Mendelson

2.     DC Councilmember Brandon Todd

3.     City of Bowie 

4.     City of Gaithersburg

5.     Prince George’s County Executive represented by Victor Weissberg (Dept of Transportation)

6.     Fauquier County

Motion to adopt all six amendments (found at Agenda item 9) first proposed by Falls Church Councilmember David Snyder with final drafting by TPB staff including amendment B with “requires.” Motion made by Mayor Bridget Newton of the City of Rockville and seconded by Councilmember Charles Allen of DC.

Motion passed with 22 yes, 1 no, 7 abstentions (with 6 members absent)

Yes (for the amendments on VMT and greenhouse gas emissions)

1.     DC Office of Planning – Kristin Caulkins

2.     DC Councilmember Charles Allen

3.     MDOT represented by Asst Secretary Jeffrey Hirsch

4.     College Park Councilmember Denise Mitchell

5.     Frederick County Alderman Kai Hagen

6.     City of Frederick Alderman Kelly Russell (TPB 2020 Chair)

7.     City of Greenbelt – Mayor Emmett Jordan

8.     City of Laurel – represented by staff Phil Goddard (?)

9.     Montgomery County Executive – represented by Gary Erenrich 

10.  Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass

11.  Prince George’s County Executive represented by Victor Weissberg (Dept of Transportation)

12.  Prince George’s Councilmember Deni Tavares

13.  City of Rockville Mayor Bridget Newton

14.  City of Takoma Park Councilmember Kacey Kostiuk

15.  Maryland Delegate Carol Krimm

16.  City of Alexandria Councilmember Canek Aguirre

17.  Arlington County – Dan Malouff for Board member Christian Dorsey

18.  City of Fairfax Mayor David Meyer 

19.  City of Falls Church Councilmember David Snyder

20.  Fairfax County Board Member Walter Alcorn

21.  Fairfax County Board Member James Walkinshaw

22.  WMATA represented by Shyam Kannan

No

1.     Virginia Department of Transportation

Abstentions

1.     DDOT represented by Mark Rawlings

2.     Loudoun County Supervisor Kristen Umstattd

3.     Loudoun County staff representative Bob Brown

4.     City of Manassas Vice-Mayor Pamela Sebesky

5.     City of Manassas Park Mayor Jeanette Rishell

6.     Prince William County Chair Ann Wheeler

7.     Prince William County Board Member Victor Angry

Absent:

1.     DC Councilmember Phil Mendelson

2.     DC Councilmember Brandon Todd

3.     City of Bowie 

4.     City of Gaithersburg

5.     Fauquier County

6.     Charles County

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The Coalition for Smarter Growth advocates for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the Washington, DC region to grow and provide opportunities for all.

RELEASE: “Devastating. Leaders must step up to save WMATA.”

Posted on by Emily Maurer

PRESS STATEMENT

December 1, 2020

Contact:
Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director

703-599-6437 (cell)

Proposed cuts to WMATA would be devastating

Leaders must step up!

“The reality of proposed cuts to our Metrorail and Metrobus service in the absence of a rescue package is now clear. It would be simply devastating – to our workers, our economy, our transportation network.

Congress needs to step up and this includes every Republican. We are one nation, one economy, with a huge share of our economy dependent on our cities and metropolitan regions.

If the cuts were to take place they would gut a system the DC region built over four decades and upon which our essential workers and economy depends. It would undermine decades of real estate investment, prompt flight of our next generation workforce, and have a disproportionate impact on the essential workers upon whom our food and health and services systems depend.

We shouldn’t let our two Governors and local elected officials off the hook either. We cannot afford to continue wasteful road expansion and sprawl, massive toll roads that benefit few, and boondoggles like the Maglev when we can’t afford to maintain and operate what we’ve already built. We must be shifting funding from road expansion to save the transit system that is the backbone of our region’s economy.

‘Fix-it-first’: maintain, rehabilitate, and operate our existing infrastructure and locate new development in walkable communities with both jobs and frequent transit.”

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RELEASE: CSG Joint Comments on Proposed Expansion of I-495/I-270

Posted on by Emily Maurer

November 9, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, November 9, 2020

Contact:
Lindsey Mendelson, Maryland Sierra Club, lindsey.mendelson@mdsierra.org, 240-706-7901 

MARYLAND — Today, fifty groups came together to deliver one simple message: Governor Hogan’s plan to widen the I-495 and I-270 toll lanes is flawed, incomplete, legally vulnerable, and would fail to reduce congestion for the vast majority of drivers. 

On behalf of the diverse coalition of groups, the Maryland Sierra Club and Rock Creek Conservancy released over 200 pages of technical and legal comments today, the final day of the 120-day public comment period for the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). According to the groups, “the state’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement violates the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as well as other federal laws, and is a disservice to the public because it presents incomplete and inadequate analyses.”

The coalition comments are the result of work by Jill Grant & Associates, dozens of community experts, and three contracted consultants. They present a sophisticated legal analysis demonstrating a project that is not in the public interest, with countless unanswered questions, and would be extremely harmful for the environment and public health. 

The comments include a new study by renowned traffic modeler Norm Marshall that shows expanding I-495 and I-270 will shift traffic into the peak hours and create or exacerbate bottlenecks at the ends of the toll lanes and on connecting roads. There would be no congestion improvements for the majority of drivers and no benefits for non-users of the toll lanes.

Meanwhile, the DEIS presents an incomplete and unclear estimate of capital costs and revenues and ignores significant financial costs the project would impose on Maryland communities. These costs include a direct subsidy to a private developer, costs of relocation of utilities, decreases in property values, and public-private partnership (P3) financial risks.

The comments describe the DEIS’s failure to adequately assess impacts to parkland, air and water quality, adjacent and environmental justice communities, and historic and cultural resources. The report also describes how the Maryland Department of Transportation refused to provide key information to the public–denying, delaying or charging the Sierra Club and other groups $300,000 for public information requests that would have shed more light on this project. 

“Our analysis shows that Governor Hogan’s highway boondoggle will not solve congestion; instead, it will be a disaster for our climate and health and cause further harm to communities already impacted by environmental injustices. We must invest in equitable solutions that actually increase mobility and connectivity across the region. We are grateful for the groundswell of partner and community support in this major effort and thank everyone who has voiced their concerns about this flawed and harmful project.” –Josh Tulkin, Director, Maryland Sierra Club  

“Rock Creek is a primary driver of quality of life in our region – for people and for our ecosystems. The state’s study offers few details for a plan to permanently remove land from the Rock Creek stream valley parks and make up for impacts to water quality with changes many miles away. Their plan strips local residents of quality of life benefits in favor of short-lived travel time benefits for drivers and at a great cost to the taxpayers of Maryland and to downstream communities. The P3 calls for innovative techniques, yet the state’s proposal represents a complete failure of imagination.” –Jeanne Braha, Executive Director, Rock Creek Conservancy

“The draft environmental impact statement does not consider any real alternatives to highway expansion and consistently fails to take a hard look at the environmental and health impacts of the project, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. Because of the extensive failings of the statement, along with the many harms to air quality, water quality, parklands, and historical and cultural resources that the expansion would cause, the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration should not move forward with the project.” –Ian Fisher, Jill Grant & Associates

“The proposed expansion of the I-495 Beltway and I-270 is the wrong path for Maryland’s transportation networks – instead of decreasing congestion, it would only increase traffic and pollution and damage our neighborhoods and our environment. It’s time for our state to work with local communities on developing stronger solutions to our transportation challenges that are more sustainable for our environment and work better for our residents.” –Patrick L. Wojahn, Mayor, City of College Park, Maryland

“This study represents a failure to protect people and the environment. It fails to show how wildlife and wild places will be hurt by water pollution, air pollution, and forest loss. It fails to account for climate change by considering an alternative that relies on public transit rather than more pavement and more cars. It fails to account for the people who will be harmed by more air pollution. Maryland is better than this. There are cheaper, longer-lasting, more equitable and sustainable solutions to traffic than adding more luxury lanes.” –Eliza Cava, Director of Conservation, Audubon Naturalist Society

“MDOT started with the conclusion: private toll lanes. But we know that the best path to lessen congestion and create a greener world is a comprehensive transit, land use, demand management solution. More highway lanes and more driving is the absolute wrong way to go during the climate crisis.” –Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth

“The proposed Capital Beltway-widening project would adversely affect the National Register-eligible site of Morningstar Moses Cemetery/Hall in the historic African American community of Gibson Grove in Cabin John, MD.  This site, consisting of a sensitive, extant burial ground containing an estimated 80 bodies and the foundation of the county’s only remaining Moses Hall, already suffered from racial injustice and adverse environmental impacts in the 1960s when the highway’s initial construction concretely separated it from Gibson Grove AME Zion Church, the community’s other lynchpin. The Friends of Moses Hall OPPOSES any planned highway construction that would further desecrate and damage the Morningstar Moses Cemetery/Hall, an important cultural and historic African American resource.” –Diane Baxter, Community Descendant, Friends of Moses Hall

“The Purple Line P3 is in disarray because, despite all of MDOT’s study and preparation, the private partner abandoned the project. The tollway DEIS fails to provide the detail or assurance that the $11 billion Beltway P3 proposal won’t collapse like the Purple Line, won’t cost taxpayers billions of un-budgeted dollars, and won’t force commuters to choose between bad-as-ever traffic and unaffordable $50 tolls.” –Brad German, Co-Chair, Citizens Against Beltway Expansion 

“Every year, more than 20 million people visit the C&O Canal, Greenbelt, Rock Creek and four more national parks in the Capital region. If the Maryland Department of Transportation adopts this ill-advised plan, the air and water in these parks will be dirtier, and park visitors will lose access to valuable green space within park borders. MDOT must reject this proposal and embrace proven transit-friendly alternatives that address traffic congestion while protecting our national parks.” –Pam Goddard, Senior Program Director, Mid-Atlantic Region, National Parks Conservation Association 

“North Hills of Sligo Creek Civic Association opposes efforts to move forward with the P3 project during the COVID-19 pandemic and believes that the cost of this project to our community and environment has not been thoroughly accounted for. We are also concerned that the DEIS fails to provide for any other transportation alternatives or options to take cars off the road. The negative environmental, economic and social impacts of expanding these highways will be borne by the adjacent neighborhoods.” –Eric Cathcart, President, North Hills of Sligo Creek Civic Association 

Background: 

Prior to the new information presented in these comments, recent headlines have broken news of the high tolls, the 21 utilities that would need to be involved, fundamentally flawed traffic modeling, and rebukes by the bi-county parks and planning commission and Montgomery County Council and Executive.

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