Montgomery County and other jurisdictions in the Washington DC region are in the midst of a transformation from wholly auto-dependent development to the creation of networks of walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented centers and neighborhoods. County Executive Leggett, the Montgomery County Council, and the Planning Board have committed to this vision and the market is responding with nearly unlimited demand to live and work in walkable, mixed-use, transit accessible locations. The CEO of Marriott recently created a stir when he unequivocally stated that the company would be moving to a Metro station location within the next five years. Not only do his young employees want to live and work near Metro, but according to a recent article, he too appreciates the convenience of walkable, mixed-use and transit.
Category: Testimony & Letters
Testimony: Seven Corners Community Business Center (CBC)
Chairman Bulova and members of the Board, the Coalition for Smarter Growth strongly supports the Seven Corners Plan but we also have equally strong recommendations. Our reasons for support are as follows: First, if not here then where? Fairfax will continue to grow and the best way to grow without impacting single family home neighborhoods is in the county’s commercial corridors.
Testimony in Support with Recommendations for the Prince George’s County Regional Medical Center
We want to express our strong support for this proposal. We applaud Prince George’s County and its partners for locating a state-of-the-art new Regional Medical Center at the Largo Metro station. We agree that this new healthcare facility at this Metro location is a game-changing investment for the county. To ensure the full potential of this investment, we need to create pedestrian-oriented designs for buildings, streets, and public spaces.
Testimony on partial offsite Inclusionary Zoning and affordable housing benefit in the Highline development project
We are enthusiastic about this project because it takes full advantage of the site’s proximity to Metro and bus lines, employment, services and burgeoning new commercial districts. I will spend the rest of my time discussing our qualified support for the proposed partial off-site compliance for Inclusionary Zoning regulations (IZ), and an affordable housing proffer.
Letter of Support to US DOT for Potomac Yard Metro
I am writing to express our strongest possible support for the City of Alexandria’s application under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s FY 2015 National Infrastructure Investments discretionary grant program (formerly “TIGER”) for the Potomac Yard Metrorail Station. The project involves construction of an infill station on the Blue and Yellow Metrorail lines in the City of Alexandria, which is one of the core jurisdictions in the Metropolitan Washington region. The station would serve a major redevelopment site within five miles of downtown Washington, DC.
Testimony at Public Roundtable on Sense of the Council in Support of Improving Inclusionary Zoning Resolution of 2015
The time is ripe to do this, given the results of the recent Urban Institute assessment commissioned by DMPED which found IZ to be fundamentally sound. IZ is also ripe for revision because now we have enough early experience to see that it is working as designed, but not accomplishing the affordable housing goals we had originally sought to achieve.
Testimony Regarding Potomac Yard Metro Station Location
We support Alternative B as the best alternative from a smart growth, transportation, economic development and environmental perspective. We recognize that Alternative B will have an impact on National Park Service land, a related easement, and a limited amount of wetlands. However, we support the mitigation measures being proposed and believe that the mitigation, together with the environmental benefits of Alternative B, support selection of this alternative.
Testimony at FY16 Budget Oversight Hearing of DMPED and Office of Planning by Cheryl Cort
The capital budget includes important funds to move forward on a major redevelopment that was approved by agencies and the DC Council – McMillan Sand Filtration site. This redevelopment of a 25- acre historic industrial site is innovative but complex. It will provide significant historic restoration, major new public park facilities, and mixed use development. The mix expands the housing supply by 677 units for our rapidly growing city.
Testimony at FY16 Budget Oversight Hearing of DHCD by Cheryl Cort
We want to commend the Mayor and Director Polly Donaldson for bringing a clear, bold and strategic vision to address our city’s deepening affordable housing crisis. Consistent with this vision, we commend the Mayor’s budget priorities which propose a record investment in affordable housing. We ask the Council to support these budget proposals. Specifically, we ask the council support the Mayor’s proposed funding levels for the Housing Production Trust Fund at $100 million, Local Rent Supplement Program, and the Permanent Supportive Housing Program. We also commend the leadership of the Mayor and Director Donaldson for launching a preservation strike force.
Testimony at FY16 Budget Oversight Hearing of DDOT by Cheryl Cort
We are hopeful that the Mayor and the Council will continue to support our city’s award-winning Long Range Transportation Plan (MoveDC), and commit the necessary operating and capital dollars, and policy changes needed to ensure that it is implemented. This begins with implementation of the 2 year action plan.