The City of Rockville, Maryland holds non-partisan elections for Mayor and 4 Councilmembers 2-year terms during odd numbered years (this year on November 3rd). This year is unusual in that a sitting Mayor, Susan Hoffman, is being challenged by an incumbant councilmember, Phyllis Marcuccio (which hasn't happened since 1987). In this diary, I have brought together what web resources are available, summarized each candidates positions on the affordable housing development projects, Bealls Grant II.
Bealls Grant II/Victory Court
background: The City of Rockville seems to have an ambivalent intentions when it comes to housing which necessitates striking a careful balance between smart development to provide affordable housing to Rockvilles lower income residents and maintaining adequate facilities capacity within pre-existing neighborhoods. Within this atmosphere, the private non-profit Montgomery Housing Partnership introduced a plan to develop a 104 unit apartment complex on the edge of the newly developed Town Center and the West End neighborhood. Faced with widespread opposition, mainly from the West End Civic Association (WECA) Mayor and Council have held providing a letter of support (needed to obtain low income housing support from the State) for the project to allow MHP and WECA to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution yet dithering on both sides has resulted in delay.
During this time, former Mayor Larry Giammo instituted an adequate public facilities lawsuit claiming that such a large development would put the local elementary school over capacity. However, a subsequent study based on Beall's Grant I residents indicate this to be an unlikely consequence. Subsequent studies have addressed other resident concerns, predicting lower than feared impacts on traffic and crime. A new plan has been proposed by MHP that will; conform to Rockville's new green zoning ordinances, improve pedestrian access to the area, create a "townhouse-like" facade, reduce the number of parkings spots, floors from 4.5 to 2.5 and reduce the number of units to 74. Still, at the most recent opportunity WECA refused to endorse the negotiated plan due to MHPs dubious agreement duplication process.
Links:
http://rockvillemd.granicus.com/...
http://www.stopbeallsgrant2.com/
http://mhpartners.org/...
http://rockvillecentral.com/...
http://www.gazette.net/...
Hoffman: Her response to the question in the WECA forum made four succinct points. One, She is a West End resident herself who supports affordable housing where-ever it might occur. Two, Beall's Grant II is well located at the interface bewteen the high density Town Center and the Suburban density of West End, and is thus minimally invasive. Three, it is near public transportation. Four, there was a responsive process with substantial clarification and compromise on issues important to WECA.
Marcuccio: At the same West End forum, she made three points. First, she does not support the development as proposed (but did not indicate whether she was referring to as originally proposed or as currently proposed). Second, she objects to increased density as a matter of course while averring support for affordable housing and implying that life in the West End will become unpleasant (in the same breath). Third, Marcuccio asserts that the current plan has finagled surface area coverage requirements by incorperating the open space from the adjacent Beall's Grant.
Enterik: It is a sad testimony that there is far more to write about Beall's Grant II than the City Budget for fiscal year 2010. The concerned citizens of the West End have been articulating the worst stereotypes associated with affordable housing and NIMBY sentiments. I think this is due mainly to a lack of effective communications during early plan development. The city seems not to be learning that public comment periods need to be extensively advertised and posted so as to avoid late breaking hang-ups and widespread citizens discontent. Having said this I believe the Mayor and Council have been responsive to the West End resident concerns by slowing the process down enough for public facility requirements to be assessed and site planning to accomodate WECA requests.
Personally, I think the abstracted notion of affordable housing near ones place of employment and public transportation are more than just quaint ideas, that sooner or later ground must be broken in the service of such sensible ideals. In a mature city like Rockville, with a variety of undeveloped/underdeveloped plots this will most certainly require higher density, especially if it is to be near public transit. Surely, at the very early stages stakeholders in the community must be involved to ensure a compromise solution. I give the advantage to Susan Hoffman, hands down, beacuse she has articulated a nuanced position most closely reflecting the sentiments which I hold to be self-evident whereas a see Marcuccio grousing at the margins with little intention of promoting compromise.