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MCAA a strong voice

in dealing with county

The MidCounty Citizens Alliance would like to thank the East Village Homes Corporation Board of Directors for pointing out that there is a community-based organization that is watching out for residents' interests (Montgomery Village News, East Village Echo, "A letter from the board," Sept. 24).

MCCA includes residents from Eastgate, East Village and other Montgomery Village communities, as well as Hadley Farms, Hunters Woods, Rockville and Saybrooke. MCCA was formed in 2004 when the county wanted to put 400 school buses on the Webb Tract. We mobilized the residents and were successful in keeping the Webb Tract school bus free. For the last five years, MCCA has been meeting with the Montgomery County Council, the county executive and the owner of the Webb Tract regarding development on the property. We have been meeting with additional senior officials of Montgomery County government and providing testimony at council hearings for the last year regarding county plans for development on the Webb Tract. MCCA has been there representing residents' interests when other agencies, including homeowners associations, have been mute on the subject of Webb Tract development.

After numerous meetings with the county and the Webb Tract owner, it became obvious that the county would be a better neighbor for the communities surrounding the Webb Tract. The facts speak for themselves. The Webb Tract will be developed, of that there is no question. There is an approved site plan that allows for 23 lots for warehouse and industrial development, a daily seven days a week traffic load on Snouffer School Road of over 9,000 vehicle trips per day, and no ability for the community to work with the owner to resolve concerns raised by residents. The county plan calls for four facilities to be located on the Webb Tract with a daily weekday traffic load of almost 3,000 vehicle trips per day (33 percent of the approved plan volume) and a willingness to work with the community to resolve concerns expressed by residents.

The fact that MCCA endorsed the purchase of the Webb Tract by the county should come as no surprise to the East Village Board or to Montgomery Village Foundation leadership. MCCA has stated publicly, as long ago as April 2009, that we believed the county would be a better neighbor than other potential tenants.

The county's decision to purchase the Webb Tract was made partially on information provided by the voice of the organization that has been working with residents of the communities surrounding the Webb Tract for the last five years. Residents need a strong voice when dealing with the county, and MCCA has been and will continue to be that voice.

Roy Bevington, Montgomery Village

Confused about opposition

to Science City

I honestly don't know why so many people are against the idea of John Hopkins developing a large "science city" in Montgomery County. I have heard many times the concerns that it shouldn't be built due to the increased traffic it will generate. But that point of view seems to be narrow-minded for a project that has the potential to become the backbone of our counties economy for decades to come. How is Montgomery County going to remain competitive with Northern Virginia and other biotech-related developments within the state if it cuts the size of this project? World class research institutions are already in the process of being developed all across the country by states looking for growth in the biotech industry and they will move ahead of the Shady Grove Life Science Center if nothing is done. But it seems that individuals against this project can't seem to see past the issue of traffic and it seems they wish to continue seeing high-tech job growth in Fairfax rather than in Montgomery County. The Montgomery County Civic Federation's immediate past president and current transportation committee chairman, Arnold Gordon, has even gone as far as to say the John Hopkins plan is racist in a essay he wrote opposing the Master Plan:

"Now let's talk about the need for all of this. Do we need more employment here? The figures show our unemployment rate is very low given the economic downturn. Nothing in this Science City plan requires that development be for businesses oriented toward the biosciences, technology or the like, except for the Johns Hopkins portion. What would be created is a gigantic office park in an era when commercial space is already adequate for years to come. Put this where it belongs — Baltimore, where there is a genuine need for employment. One wonders why Johns Hopkins has become so enamored of this county at the expense of its native city. Could race be a factor at play here?"

This has to be one of the most ridiculous arguments I have heard since this project has became such a large issue. It seems to me that people are so bent against this from happening that they are beginning to make arguments that don't even have any form of rational logic anymore.

Akil Lester, Ashton

Support for Gaithersburg

West Master Plan

I am writing in support of the Gaithersburg West Master Plan. I have lived in the area since 1991 and have enjoyed the benefits of proximity to transportation, educational facilities and employment. This plan would provide an opportunity for the development of talent within the county and Maryland, offer housing that is convenient to employment and shopping, as well as transportation to allow for commuters without disturbing the balance of the environment. I believe a great deal of thought has gone into the planning effort and hope that our representatives will vote favorably on the implementation.

Marge Meyer, Germantown