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Personally, I think suburban America needs to break down it's incredibly rigid zoning system and everything else.
Get outside of the U.S., and you see a million entrpreneurs all over the place around public transit. Little alleys, and kiosks, and food stands, and everything else. People can walk from half mile around with a million amenities and everything else around there. The subways make sense as you're in a dense area, and you can quickly move to another dense area.
The U.S. is so incredibly sterile comparitively. It's so car-oriented. I don't think public transportation can do much, as everything is so non pedestrian-friendly in every non-friendly way imagineable.
1. Long interval between each bus. You would wait half an hour or an hour for a bus to come. I would like to see that be shortened to every 10 minutes, in order to attract people to give up cars. But the proposed BRT seems could shorten waiting time significantly, so am looking forward to that.
2. Not much shops right at metro stations. Shady Grove metro station, for example, there is no mall, shops, or restaurant, groceries, or cinemas right outside the station. People come to this station and still need to transfer to other stations for activities. The planned BRT or CCT all lead to Shady Grove where there is really nothing. It's good for people to go to work, but other than that, no more attractions. If public transit wants to thrive, it must connect with many amenities. People don't like carry shopping bags and transfer trains underground if they can simply choose to drive directly from A to B.
Some stations in DC or VA, like Clarendon, pentagon city, there are tons of restaurants or shops right there --- that's when people want to take metro. I'd like to see more shops or restaurants or boutiques, food stands at stations along red line.
1. Long interval between each bus. You would wait half an hour or an hour for a bus to come. I would like to see that be shortened to every 10 minutes, in order to attract people to give up cars. But the proposed BRT seems could shorten waiting time significantly, so am looking forward to that.
2. Not much shops right at metro stations. Shady Grove metro station, for example, there is no mall, shops, or restaurant, groceries, or cinemas right outside the station. People come to this station and still need to transfer to other stations for activities. The planned BRT or CCT all lead to Shady Grove where there is really nothing. It's good for people to go to work, but other than that, no more attractions. If public transit wants to thrive, it must connect with many amenities. People don't like carry shopping bags and transfer trains underground if they can simply choose to drive directly from A to B.
Some stations in DC or VA, like Clarendon, pentagon city, there are tons of restaurants or shops right there --- that's when people want to take metro. I'd like to see more shops or restaurants or boutiques, food stands at stations along red line.
There is a major redevelopment project about to break ground at Shady Grove Metro Station. A 6,000 unit mixed use development.
"Montgomery officials want to move forward on Smart Growth on County Service Park
Planning Board must decide if plans are in line with Shady Grove Sector Plan
A developer can begin building townhouses and apartments late this year on land now home to a mix of county services if the county Planning Board decides the construction does not violate a community growth plan.
Diane Schwartz Jones, assistant chief administrative officer for Montgomery County, said the county is planning to sell the 40-acre western section of the 90-acre County Service Park, near the intersection of Shady Grove Road and Crabbs Branch Way in Derwood, to Eakin-Youngentob Associates of Bethesda for redevelopment.
Jones said Eakin-Youngentob Associates will purchase the portion of the service park known as Metro North for $64 million to develop 338 market-rate townhouses and 600 market-rate apartments and condominiums.
The sale is part of County Executive Isiah Leggett's (D) 2008 Smart Growth Initiative, which proposes moving county services from the service park to other tracts of land to allow more houses to be built around mass transit. The county has purchased several properties to relocate service park uses, including the Webb Tract on Snouffer School Road and the GE Tech Park/National Geographic property on Darnestown Road.
But the proposal to build townhouses, apartments and/or condominiums might violate the Shady Grove Sector Plan because the county had not finalized the relocation of county services within the two-year limit outlined in the plan.
According to planning documents, the relocation of facilities in the County Service Park would allow for a maximum of 6,340 townhouses, apartments and/or condominiums, compared with 4,100 if the county services are not moved to another location.
The county and the developer are hoping the Planning Board will allow the maximum number of houses to be built, despite missing the two-year deadline.
The sector plan also recommends 40,000 square feet of retail and more than 130,000 square feet of office space for Metro North.
The County Service Park has been home to the county's Department of Liquor Control headquarters and warehouse, Montgomery County Public Schools' Food Distribution Center and Bus Depot, a Park and Planning maintenance facility and other county services for more than 30 years, said Nkosi Yearwood, a senior planner with the county Planning Department.
The service park is bordered by Shady Grove Road to the north and Redland Road to the south, with Crabbs Branch Way cutting diagonally through. It is about one mile from the Shady Grove Metro station.
The sector plan is designed to concentrate residential construction near the Metro station. The plan also proposes a network of streets, bikeways, parks and open space, and new public facilities, including a library and elementary school.
At a March 17 Planning Board discussion in Silver Spring, staff recommended two options for an amendment to the Shady Grove Sector Plan that would allow the maximum number of homes to be built — a limited amendment to the staging recommendations, which would take six months to approve, and a larger one that would address land use issues and staging to redevelop the service park, which would take 18 months.
Jones said the county is opposed to reopening the sector plan for amendment. She said the county's plan for redeveloping the service park is in line with the sector plan because both stress the need for transit-oriented development.
"If you do open it, it should be a very minor technical amendment," she said. "Six months is too long. We're ready to go now."
Bob Youngentob and Barbara Sears, representatives of Eakin-Youngentob Associates, said they support a minor amendment that would allow the maximum number of houses.
"In 2006, we went into the worst real estate crisis that the country has ever known, fighting for survival," Youngentob said, referring to real estate developers. "Here we are, back again, well financed, well structured. I don't want us to be punished when we've spent three years of our lives fighting for that."
He said a preliminary plan should be ready by late summer.
Jones said Eakin-Youngentob Associates will purchase the eastern part of the County Service Park, known as Jeremiah Park, for redevelopment after plans for Metro North are finalized.
She said the county has purchased land for all of the facilities in the County Service Park except for the school system's Food Distribution Center and Bus Depot. She said the county has some options for relocating the center but would not comment on where the land could be purchased.
The Planning Board will review the preliminary plan and determine which amendment option could apply to the redevelopment project. The board also has the authority to approve the project if it finds that the project conforms to the sector plan.
About the Shady Grove Sector Plan
The Shady Grove Sector Plan allows for a maximum of 6,340 townhouses, apartments and/or condominiums and the creation of 7,000 new jobs on what now is the County Service Park, near the intersection of Shady Grove Road and Crabbs Branch Way in Derwood.
If the service park is not moved to another site, there would be a limit of 4,100 townhouses, apartments and/or condominiums and the creation of 7,000 jobs.
improving transit in and around montgomery county alone wont help the transit INTO montgomery needs an overhaul as 991 is the fastest growing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MDAllstar
There is a major redevelopment project about to break ground at Shady Grove Metro Station. A 6,000 unit mixed use development.
"Montgomery officials want to move forward on Smart Growth on County Service Park
Planning Board must decide if plans are in line with Shady Grove Sector Plan
A developer can begin building townhouses and apartments late this year on land now home to a mix of county services if the county Planning Board decides the construction does not violate a community growth plan.
Diane Schwartz Jones, assistant chief administrative officer for Montgomery County, said the county is planning to sell the 40-acre western section of the 90-acre County Service Park, near the intersection of Shady Grove Road and Crabbs Branch Way in Derwood, to Eakin-Youngentob Associates of Bethesda for redevelopment.
Jones said Eakin-Youngentob Associates will purchase the portion of the service park known as Metro North for $64 million to develop 338 market-rate townhouses and 600 market-rate apartments and condominiums.
The sale is part of County Executive Isiah Leggett's (D) 2008 Smart Growth Initiative, which proposes moving county services from the service park to other tracts of land to allow more houses to be built around mass transit. The county has purchased several properties to relocate service park uses, including the Webb Tract on Snouffer School Road and the GE Tech Park/National Geographic property on Darnestown Road.
But the proposal to build townhouses, apartments and/or condominiums might violate the Shady Grove Sector Plan because the county had not finalized the relocation of county services within the two-year limit outlined in the plan.
According to planning documents, the relocation of facilities in the County Service Park would allow for a maximum of 6,340 townhouses, apartments and/or condominiums, compared with 4,100 if the county services are not moved to another location.
The county and the developer are hoping the Planning Board will allow the maximum number of houses to be built, despite missing the two-year deadline.
The sector plan also recommends 40,000 square feet of retail and more than 130,000 square feet of office space for Metro North.
The County Service Park has been home to the county's Department of Liquor Control headquarters and warehouse, Montgomery County Public Schools' Food Distribution Center and Bus Depot, a Park and Planning maintenance facility and other county services for more than 30 years, said Nkosi Yearwood, a senior planner with the county Planning Department.
The service park is bordered by Shady Grove Road to the north and Redland Road to the south, with Crabbs Branch Way cutting diagonally through. It is about one mile from the Shady Grove Metro station.
The sector plan is designed to concentrate residential construction near the Metro station. The plan also proposes a network of streets, bikeways, parks and open space, and new public facilities, including a library and elementary school.
At a March 17 Planning Board discussion in Silver Spring, staff recommended two options for an amendment to the Shady Grove Sector Plan that would allow the maximum number of homes to be built — a limited amendment to the staging recommendations, which would take six months to approve, and a larger one that would address land use issues and staging to redevelop the service park, which would take 18 months.
Jones said the county is opposed to reopening the sector plan for amendment. She said the county's plan for redeveloping the service park is in line with the sector plan because both stress the need for transit-oriented development.
"If you do open it, it should be a very minor technical amendment," she said. "Six months is too long. We're ready to go now."
Bob Youngentob and Barbara Sears, representatives of Eakin-Youngentob Associates, said they support a minor amendment that would allow the maximum number of houses.
"In 2006, we went into the worst real estate crisis that the country has ever known, fighting for survival," Youngentob said, referring to real estate developers. "Here we are, back again, well financed, well structured. I don't want us to be punished when we've spent three years of our lives fighting for that."
He said a preliminary plan should be ready by late summer.
Jones said Eakin-Youngentob Associates will purchase the eastern part of the County Service Park, known as Jeremiah Park, for redevelopment after plans for Metro North are finalized.
She said the county has purchased land for all of the facilities in the County Service Park except for the school system's Food Distribution Center and Bus Depot. She said the county has some options for relocating the center but would not comment on where the land could be purchased.
The Planning Board will review the preliminary plan and determine which amendment option could apply to the redevelopment project. The board also has the authority to approve the project if it finds that the project conforms to the sector plan.
About the Shady Grove Sector Plan
The Shady Grove Sector Plan allows for a maximum of 6,340 townhouses, apartments and/or condominiums and the creation of 7,000 new jobs on what now is the County Service Park, near the intersection of Shady Grove Road and Crabbs Branch Way in Derwood.
If the service park is not moved to another site, there would be a limit of 4,100 townhouses, apartments and/or condominiums and the creation of 7,000 jobs.
1. Long interval between each bus. You would wait half an hour or an hour for a bus to come. I would like to see that be shortened to every 10 minutes, in order to attract people to give up cars. But the proposed BRT seems could shorten waiting time significantly, so am looking forward to that.
this is the worst, and it seems to be the case everywhere outside of the downtown core, especially at night. I once waited about 35 minutes for a bus the departs from an urban Metro station. It sucks.
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