Not all big box expansions produce an uproar. Aspen Hill residents are opposed to a Wal-Mart opening in their community and feel the project may be being pushed down their throats, but they are sanguine about a significant expansion by Home Depot next door.
The 133,000-square-foot Home Depot on Georgia Avenue near Connecticut Avenue received approval in March for a 30,000-square-foot expansion, and neighbors are OK with that, The Gazette reports.
Members of the Aspen Hill Civic Association have met with Home Depot representatives and support the expansion, according to Alexandra Minckler, president of the civic association. One reason may be the history of the project. Minckler said the original plan in the 1990s allowed for construction of a 163,000-square-foot store.
The neighborhood remains opposed to a zoning change that would allow a Wal-Mart to be built next to the Home Depot, fearing increased traffic and other concerns.
Home Depot’s expansion is not without conditions. Montgomery County’s Planning Board imposed many and the retail giant is in the process of completing them. They include providing an easement for possible future improvements that could include a wider pathway along Georgia and Connecticut; installing vehicular signs to upgrade pedestrian safety; and trimming trees along Georgia.
The State Highway Administration also requested a traffic signal warrant study for access points at Georgia and Connecticut, but there is not a condition to install a signal.
