The Gaithersburg West Master Plan was approved by the County Council and will change the zoning
to allow for high-rise, high-density commercial development and housing in what is now purely a
medical, research and development area. To see a map of the master plan area of the so-called
"Science City", click MAP.
The Evolution of a Totally Bogus Master Plan - click to read
Cheryl Cort of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, comments on the problems with current proposals
for the Life Sciences Center. (Full document)
Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, comments on the
problems with current proposals for the Life Sciences Center. (Full article)
The Gaithersburg West Master Plan approved:
- 17.5 million square feet of development and 5,700 housing units for a total of 23,200,000
million square feet of development which is equivalent in size to FOUR PENTAGONS in an area
that is about 1.5 square miles! - Six- and eight-lane highways with ten- and twelve-lane multilevel highway interchanges to
handle the additional traffic. - Belward Farm will be developed for 15,000 people in 12- to 15-story high-rise buildings up to
- 150 feet high.
- The Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) is being offered as 'mass transit' but will carry only about
12-15% of the additional people leaving 85% or over 50,000 cars added to the already
congested roads. - Once all the infrastructure and the Corridor Cities Transitway are completed, the average rush
hour speed is expected to be, on a good day, 10 mph.
The residents were not involved in the development of this plan and even though we have
expressed our concerns about this plan for years; very few if any of our concerns have been
sufficiently addressed.
It is imperative that we monitor this plan as it goes through the development stages. At least
one person from each subdivision should be signed up to receive announcements and
planning documents. To be placed on the list to receive these documents, call ARNITA
JACKSON in the Community Relations Office (301-495-4601) and ask to be put on their list as
your community's contact person to receive all plans and notices for projects in the Great
Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan area and in the North Potomac area to the south.
To see the text of the Resolution and a Letter from Mayor Sidney Katz, click HERE.
Rockville Resolution regarding Montgomery County's Gaithersburg West Master Plan.
To see the text of the Resolution, Recommendation and Discussion, click HERE.
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