Looking Forward to More and More
President’s Letter by Susanne Lee
Our December meeting with Council President Friedson as our speaker was very lively with discussions on a wide variety of issues and legislative initiatives – from those he reported on to others raised by individual members. Overdevelopment and its short and long term impacts, especially stormwater runoff, disastrous impacts on residents’ quality of life as a result of National Airport changes in flight patterns, the closing of the Avenel equestrian center, and the proposed Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 23-09 allowing motel type structures as farming in the Agricultural Reserve. All these and more were the subject of thoughtful discussion and debate, albeit there is never enough time. But it is so good to be able to have these discussions in person.
We look forward to continuing to work with members on these issues and many others. The Board has since voted to oppose proposed ZTA 23-09. Barbara Hoover’s description of the ZTA in this newsletter details some of the reasons why. WMCCA is very fortunate to have Barbara as a WMCCA Board Member and our Treasurer as she also serves as an At-Large Member of the County’s Rustic Roads Advisory Committee – a key player in the preservation of the Agricultural Reserve. Representatives of Spectrum, the 110 bed assisted living facility approved for construction at 9545 River Road will be our speakers for our March 13th General Meeting. Representatives from Heritage Potomac, a senior care facility approved for 10701 South Glen Road have committed to presenting an update at a Fall General Meeting but have not confirmed an exact date. The Washington Aqueduct, constructed in 1853 and still operating today, should prove a great topic for our January meeting – not only its history, but also its current condition and the repairs to it that are beginning on MacArthur Boulevard.
We’re also hoping to include future programs and activities to help further the goals of Douglas Tallamy, the author and University of Delaware entomologist who is leading the efforts to preserve and expand biodiversity at the super local ecosystem level – our own yards and gardens. There have been catastrophic declines in the numbers of birds just in the amount of time I have lived in the Potomac Subregion. Although bird declines are discussed the most, this is true as well for other elements of the biodiversity we used to see and hear– box turtles, fireflies, Spring peepers, etc. Recalling this from Conservationist Aldo Leopold: “The oldest task in human history is to live on a piece of land without spoiling it.”
Bill 40-23: Tree Canopy and Roadside Tree Requirements – Fee Revisions
Submitted by Ginny Barnes
Introduced by District 1 Councilmember Andrew Friedson and At-Large Councilmember Evan Glass, this legislation seeks to update the County’s current tree planting fee by adjusting the fee structure for trees removed in the County’s right-of-way. The fee to re-plant has not been raised in 10 years. Under the County’s Roadside Tree Law, any development permit that necessitates removal of a roadside tree in the County’s right-of-way must pay a fee to the Street Tree Planting Fund, which is maintained by the Department of Transportation (DOT). As of September 2013, the rate has been $250 per tree, far less than the actual cost of each new tree. The proposed legislation will raise the fee to $450 per tree, which aligns with the current cost of planting a tree in this County and takes into consideration future inflation increases. Updated fees will help mitigate effects of canopy loss. Trees are one of our most important natural resources, reducing air pollution, mitigating run-off and helping meet our County climate goals. WMCCA strongly supports this overdue increase.
Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 23-09 Farming-Incidental Outdoor Stays
Submitted by Barbara Hoover
Proposed ZTA 23-09 would allow a new type of overnight lodging in the Agricultural Reserve (Ag Reserve). Consistent with the positions of the Montgomery Countryside Alliance and the Sugarloaf Citizens Association (SCA), the WMCCA Board voted to oppose this ZTA. This position statement of the Sugarloaf Citizens Association provides a summary of many of the issues:
SCA is opposed to the ZTA. It is overly broad, poorly justified, and could set a perilous precedent. The measure should be pulled from Council consideration. This is too big a change to Ag Reserve zoning and policy to move forward without a much better understanding of the interest of farmers and the impact on the Ag Reserve. The Council and County Executive should consider supporting a public dialogue in 2024 on the status and future direction of agritourism in the Ag Reserve, which is only one component of supporting agriculture in Montgomery County. That dialogue could include a full evaluation of whether permitting overnight stays on Ag Reserve farms is of interest to farmers and residents and, if so, how best that might be done.
Additional specific reasons supporting our opposition include:
Permanent and semi-permanent structures were not envisioned by Maryland law: The law passed by the Maryland General Assembly (Senate Bill 296) in 2022 which was quoted by ZTA sponsor Natali Fani-González (District 6 County Councilmember) as the basis for this ZTA, in fact only addresses camping and incidental overnight stays. This new State language in no way paves the way for permanent or semi-permanent structures as envisioned by the sponsors of this ZTA and Marc Potash, a private citizen and ZTA supporter who envisions permanent “Ritz Carlton” quality cabins.¹
Lacks appropriate analysis about the long-term impact of this poorly thought-out change in laws upon other long-term goals and planning for one of Montgomery County’s greatest gems: Overnight lodging is addressed in the County Code’s Chapter 54. Advancing this use outside of the proper zoning category with requisite regulatory requirements raises a whole host of additional issues.
Notably, the Maryland law refers to “camping” in the context of the “incidental outdoor stays language;” it does not mention permanent or semi-permanent structures. The Maryland Farm Bureau supported the measure to allow camping but when asked about this MoCo ZTA, a Farm Bureau representative said:
“Maryland Farm Bureau supports farm camping (incidental outdoor stays). However, the position on adding permanent structures for temporary stays should be viewed as a bed and breakfast or Airbnb. Not as an agritourism activity. Farm Bureau has no policy supporting the development of bed and breakfast structures as an Ag activity and would not support as agritourism.”
Considering that the most visible and well-known stakeholder organizations in the Ag Reserve have unanimously opposed this ZTA² should cause this ZTA to be pulled until a more thoroughly examined and vetted proposal can be found. In addition to farmers and residents, other important users of the Ag Reserve were not consulted in the creation of this ZTA. A public meeting sponsored by Montgomery Countryside Alliance and the Sugarloaf Citizens Association was held on December 13, 2023 and attracted about 75 community members, Ag Reserve farmers and residents. Most attendees were opposed to this ZTA.
The ZTA’s lead sponsor is County Councilmember Natali Fani-González (District 6 – outside the Ag Reserve) and the perception is that she has been swayed by one wealthy landowner at the expense of the long-term well-being of the Ag Reserve. The citizens who attended the December 13th SCA sponsored public meeting made it clear that consumer demand for overnight stays on farms had not been demonstrated, nor had interest in the idea from farmers.
¹Montgomery Countryside Alliance Newsletter, https://www.mocoalliance.org/news/overnight-accommodation-proposal-requires-balance-and-stakeholder-engagement
²Letter dated December 15, 2023 from Montgomery Agricultural Producers, Inc, Montgomery County Farm Bureau, Montgomery Countryside Alliance, and Sugarloaf Citizens Association to Andrew Friedson, County Council President
REMINDER: IT’S TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR 2023-2024!
Please renew or become a new member of WMCCA. Go to our website www.wmcca.org to download a membership form or join using PayPal: Individual: $25 / Family: $50. We encourage donations to our Legal Fund. While we strive for positive results without litigation, sometimes it is unavoidable and highly effective. Contributions from members enabled us to join efforts to successfully address several issues as they affect the Potomac Subregion Master Plan, zoning, and environmental threats to the “Green Wedge”, our creeks and water supplies, and the Agricultural Reserve. If you have any issues or concerns in your neighborhood, please contact WMCCA. We appreciate the input from our neighbors. Thank you for your support !! Our Membership year runs from October 1st to September 30th.
IN-PERSON WMCCA Meeting January 10, 2024 – 7:30 p.m.
SPEAKER: Ralph Buglass, Author and Local Historian speaking about The Washington Aqueduct and its Chief Engineer Montgomery Meigs
A Montgomery County native and avid history buff, Ralph Buglass is a frequent speaker on a wide variety of local history topics for Montgomery History, the County’s historical society. He also teaches at lifelong learning institutes associated with Johns Hopkins and American Universities and Montgomery College. In 2020, with Peerless Rockville, he co-authored Images of America: Rockville, a pictorial history of the city’s 250 years. Through lots of illustrated slides he will relate the fascinating history of the Washington Aqueduct, now a National Landmark, and look at its equally fascinating chief engineer, Montgomery Meigs, who was also Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army during the Civil War. Although the aqueduct took over a decade to construct, the current repair project is expected to last only a year, enabling the aqueduct to continue supplying water to the nation’s capital for decades to come.
West Montgomery County Citizens Association Newsletter
P.O. Box 59335, Potomac, MD 20854-9335
President – Susanne Lee: President@WMCCA.org
Website: WMCCA.org – Thomas Fahey, Newsletter Editor – Nancy Madden
West Montgomery County Citizens Association 