Britton hopes to take planning experience to council

Since moving to Rockville eight years ago, Britton has served on the Cultural Arts Commission and the Representatives of Rockville Zoning Ordinance Review (RORZOR), in addition to his work on the Planning Commission, where he served as chairman in 2005.

The West End resident believes his work on the Planning Commission and in Alexandria has prepared him for further work in Rockville.

‘‘I think that would be one big factor in my decision to run is taking that next step of what I do on the Planning Commission, taking this experience, this knowledge and expertise that I have from the commission, and applying it and maybe fine-tuning it on the council,” Britton said.

He is a managing partner of the Washington, D.C., office of Schnader, Harrison, Segal & Lewis LLP.

He said his environmental work in Alexandria, such as protecting water and air resources, is something he hopes to bring to Rockville.

‘‘I think we’re behind the times here in Rockville,” Britton said. ‘‘I think we need more things in our code and our ordinances that impose a higher standard of environmental quality on our living.”

In addition to pedestrian access safety and neighborhood protection and enhancement, Britton said he hopes to look into more managed development.

‘‘Not just looking at traffic and classroom space, as we now do under Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, but to see how development affects our health and environmental quality of life,” Britton said.

He said he hopes to do that by imposing more green technology, such as roof gardens, or using more energy-efficient construction. In addition, he wants to make Rockville more walkable by creating more mixed-use developments.

That idea overlaps the issue of pedestrian safety, specifically protective crossing and making sure all sidewalks and pedestrian passageways are continuous.

‘‘If you go to the downtown places, even though they’re more urban and much more crowded and have much more traffic, pedestrians do much better,” Britton said. ‘‘You have traffic lights at every intersection, you have timed traffic lights for pedestrians.”

Britton received his law and master’s degree from George Washington University. He also serves as Rockville’s representative on the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee of Council of Governments.

John B. Britton

Age: 53

Experience: Rockville Planning Commissioner, 2002-present, served as chairman in 2005; served on the Cultural Arts Commission, 2001-2002; member of RORZOR (Representatives of Rockville Zoning Ordinance Review); former member of ad hoc Arts in Public Places Committee, 2005; Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee of Council of Governments, 2006-present.

Top Issues: sustainable development, neighborhood protection and enhancement, pedestrian access safety.

For more: www.vote4john.org, or 202-419-4218 (work), 301-340-2269 (home).