![]() ![]() VIOLATES THE AREA'S MASTER PLAN AND WORSENS TRAFFIC: The Takoma Central District Plan was devised to let the community help set development parameters. EYA's reluctance to present such details - like a massing study that would compare the project to surrounding residences - suggests they're being withheld because they will be a big "con" that might derail their plans. As with anything, the pros and cons to the community need to be evaluated. And none of the new buildings at the Fort Totten, Catholic University & NOMA Metro stations exceed five stories in height, even though they're in more urban neighborhoods. The four other apartment buildings that are already built or approved by the tracks are 50 feet tall - in conformity with DC zoning regulations. A well thought-out, properly designed project could improve the neighborhood, but the plan's placement of all parking above ground level makes it 75 feet tall. To believe in smart growth, one does not have to endorse something this overbearing in scale and insensitive to its surrounding neighborhood. RIGHT-SIZED, NOT SUPER-SIZED DEVELOPMENT: Neighbors of this project are open to replacing the ugly parking lot near their homes with something more aesthetic and useful, but the plusses must outweigh the minuses. The company hired a lobbyist and PR company called Chesapeake Public Strategies to gin up astroturf support and EYA-funded cheerleaders like the so-called "Coalition for Smarter Growth," are peddling misinformation about the scope of the current plan. At that time, EYA and some purported "smart growth" groups insisted the disastrous blueprint they've now abandoned was the sort of transit-oriented development to be hailed with Hosannas. The old incarnation would have hogged all the Metro station's exterior acreage, save for a sliver of green space in front of the 7-Eleven which the company euphemistically described as a "village green." Despite that proposal's many obvious flaws - like blocking WMATA from future transit use of the property - entities including WMATA seemed eager to rubber stamp it. This time, the developer is substituting vertical overreach for horizontal sprawl. Jamie Raskin: Sheila Hixson: Will Smith: David Moon: Park Mayor Kate Park Ward 1 Councilmember Peter OFF TRACK: The current design isn't as awful as the maze of two-car garage townhouses that EYA previously tried to impose on Takoma Park under the guise of "smart growth," but it's still too big. Below are links to a transcript of a June 2014 hearing WMATA conducted on the plan, WMATA's staff report on the hearing, and DC-MD Neighbors for Takoma Transit's comments.ĬLICK HERE TO READ THE JUNE 18 TRANSCRIPTĬLICK HERE TO READ WMATA's HEARING REPORT ![]() We will provide updates as DC planning officials vet the proposal. In response to comments from our group, it agreed to consider underground parking as a way to reduce height. In March 2015, WMATA voted to proceed with a development agreement.
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