North Bethesda Market Update

According to a nugget in this week’s Washington Business Journal, JBG has signed three new tenants for the North Bethesda Market complex on the Rockville Pike across from the White Flint Mall. These are: Seasons 52, Dolcé Amoré Café, and Arhaus Furniture.  These additions will join Whole Foods and L.A. Fitness.

Seasons 52 is a restaurant chain based in Florida, and owned by the Darden Restaurants, according to Wikipedia. Other restaurant chains in their portfolio include Red Lobster and the Olive Garden. Seasons 52 boasts 4 menus, one for each season (the '52' refers to the 52 weeks of one year). We checked out the dinner menu for summer which states the menu consists of “Seasonally inspired cooking with every item under 475 calories." Entrees seem reasonably priced and include this random sample: Tiger Shrimp Penne Pasta, Grilled Boneless Rainbow Trout, Grilled Rack of New Zealand Lamb. Key Lime pie, one of my personal favorites, is on the dessert menu, and given that the chain is based in Florida, we are assuming this will be made with fresh key limes!  We can’t wait to try it out.

Dolcé Amoré Café is rooted in Del Ray, Florida (we sense a theme here) where, according to tripadvisor, it is a ‘hidden gem.’ The dinner menu ranges from Chicken Saltimbocca to Eggplant Parmigiana to Chicken Caprese. The menu is moderate to expensive. The owners seem firmly rooted in their community too, which will be a big plus.

When JBG presented their plans to the Planning Board they talked about open sidewalk cafes facing Woodglen and we assume these restaurants will fulfill that promise to we nearby residents who will be walking to the restaurants.

We can't wait too for the sculpture on the interior 'Paseo' street that JBG promised in their presentation to the Planning Board way back when.

Finally, furniture store Arhaus, which looks to be a chain store with branches in Annapolis and Baltimore, as well as Tyson’s Corner and Fairfax. To get an idea of their furniture, check out the website, here.

Gee, these all sound like great additions to our neighborhood. One comment to all the developers: please keep looking for some more unusual stores and restaurants as well. Check out Busboys & Poets; check out E Street Cinema; take a chance on some local restaurants. That’s how Volt and The Tasting Room got started up in Frederick. We who live here all know that little Thai or Cuban restaurant, or that barbeque spot located out of the way…Take a chance.

Paula B.

White Flint Sector Plan Design Guidelines Out Now

The Planning Department has released the Draft Design Guidelines for the White Flint Sector Plan, and here they are!  The Planning Board will discuss and vote on the Guidelines this coming Thursday, May 27.

White Flint Urban Design Draft Guidelines May2010

...and here is the May 21, 2010 Staff Report that accompanies the Draft Design Guidelines

White_Flint_Design_Guidelines Staff Report May 21, 2010

Paula B.

Sectional Map Amendment

Yesterday I attended the public hearing on the White Flint Sectional Map amendment. There was only one speaker with no written testimony, just casual comments. It's interesting that the PHED committee meeting on this is set for the end of July. This is May. I'm curious why there was such a rush to approve White Flint when there appears to be several months to spare.

Metro Report is Public and we have it!

There has been so much going on with Metro, its safety, maintenance, and financing now and for the future that I thought I would roll up the articles that have been published in the neighborhood newspapers to address our question, how exactly will Montgomery County achieve the 50 percent non-auto mode share promised in the White Flint Sector ‘Plan.’ And, according to the ‘Plan’ when will this be achieved? Is there a Plan B in case the 50 percent target is not reached? Well, of course, the second question is easy to answer. No. There is no Plan B. And the corollary question, what then? Answer from the Council: So what. It is only a ‘Plan.’


Most recently, a study was completed describing in some detail the problems with Metro.  The report was presented by David Gunn, General Manager of WMATA from 1991-1994.  Thanks to pushing by Congress to make this report public, including our own Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), the study was made public in late April. And, here it is!
Paula B.

Washington, D.C. Metro Study David Gunn Presentation March 11, 2010

Proposed Sectional Map Amendment for the White Flint Sector Plan

Here you go, folks! The Sectional Map Amendment, to be heard by the Montgomery County, MD Planning Board on Tuesday, May 18th, at 1:30 pm. What great timing for public involvement, in keeping with the philosophy of this Planning Board and Planning Department.  Hold the public hearing in the middle of the afternoon, so no one from the public can attend unless they can take an entire day off.  We expect the room will be filled with the developers, their planners, and their attorneys however. happy days.
Paula B.

Montgomery County MD Sectional Map Amendment for White Flint April 2010

The Proposed New Transportation Policy Area Review

Here is the latest and greatest from our Montgomery County, MD County Executive, Ike Leggett, and MoCo DOT, Edgar Gonzalez and staff.  If you have comments post them here and of course don't hesitate to tell our County Exec, at ocemail@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Paula B.


Montgomery County, MD Proposed Transportation Policy Area Review 4-19-2010

Growth Policy Amendment

This Tuesday the Council unanimously passed the Growth Policy amendment, with no discussion of the staff recommendations or of the community concern for a balance between density and infrastructure..

A number of Councilmembers including Councilmember Berliner, Councilmember Leventhal, Councilmember Elrich and Councilmember Tractenberg spoke about the importance of the financial plan and how it is going to insure that the needed infrastructure is funded. Mentioned was how the Financial Plan is a public process and that it requires approval by the Planning Board and the Council. What was missing from the discussion is the fact that infrastructure alone will not provide balance and that there needs to be a clear measure for adequacy.

The Sector Plan provides for CLATR and identification of problems, but not until the end of Phase I or the end of Phase II is there any mention of delaying development until intermediate mode share goals are met. Until then existing communities will be forced to deal with increasing congestion.

If the Council argument is correct and you can buy your way out of congestion via the Financial Plan, then why are they loath to support the APFO and loath to have an adequacy test? The existing communities are the losers on this.

Natalie