SILVER SPRING, MD – On Thursday, June 28 at approximately 9:15 a.m., the
Montgomery County Planning Board will take another look at a development
proposal for Ashton, a rural community in the northwest corner of the county,
which could include a shopping center, restaurants, condominiums and offices.
Developers of Ashton Meeting Place, located at intersection of
Routes 650 (New Hampshire Avenue) and 108 (Ashton Road), modified their
original plan after going before the Board in April. During that hearing,
dozens of residents testified about the project, some speaking in favor, the
majority against.
The Board postponed action on the item to consider testimony
and recommendations from its staff. Planning staff recommended denial because of possible parking
limitations in the zone, encroachment on environmentally sensitive wetlands and
concern that the building design would detract from the character of the rural
village.
The new proposal pulls buildings out of environmentally
sensitive areas, addressing one of the concerns. Yet, planners continue to recommend denial because of the
shopping center’s proposed density, the orientation of storefronts away from
main streets and the prevalence of paved areas rather than green space. Planners also say the development deviates
from the area’s master plan, which guides development in rural Sandy Spring and
Ashton and calls for village centers with attractive entry areas and a
main-street ambiance.
Since the Board heard 2½ hours of public testimony about
Ashton Meeting Place in April, Board Chairman Royce Hanson has limited public
comment at this week’s hearing to one hour. Some 20 residents already have
signed up to testify.
WHO:
Montgomery County Planning Board
WHAT:
Hearing on Ashton Meeting Place, a proposed mixed-use
development project in Ashton
WHEN:
Thursday, June 28, 2007 – approximately 9:15 a.m.
WHERE:
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, Md.