Chevy Chase Lake Public Hearing Tonight

A full house is expected tonight in Rockville for the County Council’s public hearing on the Chevy Chase Lake Sector Plan.

The proposal would allow two phases of residential and commercial development around Connecticut Avenue and the planned site of a Purple Line light rail station at Chevy Chase Lake Drive.

A large coalition of residents and local political leaders have identified three major issues with the Planning Board’s recommended Plan: Approval for a 150-foot building from the Chevy Chase Land Company next to the existing 8401 Connecticut office building, phasing and heights for the Newdale Mews apartments and the concept of separate pre- and post-Purple Line sectional map amendments.

While the Land Company’s plans for building up its existing Chevy Chase Lake shopping center will be a focus of testimony tonight, so will the particularly divisive issue of Newdale Mews.

Chevy Chase Hills residents with homes backing up to the existing Newdale Mews apartments say the apartment owner should only be allowed to build higher after the Purple Line is certain. Planning Staff agreed, but a reversal from the Planning Board in its final recommendations has spurred lobbying efforts by both sides.

The Public Hearing will begin at 7:30 p.m. and include oral testimony from up to 30 residents, developers, Planning Department representatives and others.

It’s not expected that Council members, who will have final say on the Plan, will say much about their feelings on the issues tonight. That will likely come in the first Planning Committee worksession on the Plan, scheduled for Monday, March 18 at 2 p.m.

The hearing will be televised live on County Cable Montgomery (Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon).

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