Councilmember Navarro Requests Greater Forest Conservation for the Third District Police Station

January 29, 2010

Royce Hanson, Chairman
Montgomery County Planning Board
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Dear Chairman Hanson:

I am writing to you regarding the plan for the Third District Police Station that was recently submitted to the Planning Board for mandatory referral. While I support relocation of the station, I have concerns regarding the current plans for this project.

First, neighbors in the surrounding area are concerned with the seemingly inadequate levels of buffering between the police station and the surrounding neighborhood. The adjacent communities were originally promised large buffers before supporting the Milestone site for a police station, but since the subsequent consideration of housing adjacent to the police station project, that buffering was both dramatically reduced and moved offsite. If the station is relocated to a more central point on the site, a greater buffer can be provided between the existing homes and the new facility. This and other measures should be considered to minimize the project’s visual and construction impacts.

In addition, I believe that the plans for the Third District Police Station should provide for 100% on-site forest conservation, in order to minimize the environmental impact on the surrounding community and the nearby Paint Branch Special Protection Area.

I would appreciate your consideration of these points as you review this plan. I believe the Third District Police Station can be designed and built consistent with a commitment to exceptional public safety facilities and environmentally sensitive County development.


Sincerely,


Nancy Navarro
County Councilmember District 4