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Sandy Spring
Ashton Rural Preservation Consortium
The SSARPC (PreserveAshton.net)
supports development in Ashton that conforms to our Master Plan.
We are pro-Master Plan; not anti-development.
Summer is going by very fast and the Sandy Spring-Ashton Rural
Preservation Consortium (the SSARPC) Steering Committee continues to be active.
This email is a quick update of recent events.
June 22nd Town Meeting
On June 22nd, the SSARPC sponsored a town meeting where
attendees met Dave Brown, our land use attorney, and Stuart Sirota, our expert
town planner. Dave Brown explained how the Ashton Meeting
Place (the AMP) conflicts with the Master Plan for our community as well as with
the current zoning limitations which do not permit commercial parking on land
that is zoned for residential purposes. In addition, Dave explained that
the AMP must obtain a special exception for building residential units on land
zoned for commercial purposes.
Stuart Sirota presented a conceptual alternative vision for developing
a pedestrian-friendly community center that would facilitate both pedestrian
and vehicular traffic. He emphasized that sensible development can go
hand in hand with a pedestrian friendly community center that retains and
enhances a sense of place. A number of Stuart’s conceptual
renderings are on the SSARPC’s web site at www.preserveashton.net.
SSARPC and AMP on
Channel 9
On July 6th, Doug Farquhar, a local resident and member of
the SSARPC, and Bill Conner (AMP), debated issues related to the AMP proposal
on Channel 9’s Andrea Roane show. Doug reiterated not only the
AMP’s conflicts with the Master Plan and zoning requirements, but also the
SSARPC’s alternative vision. Members of the SSARPC may send an
email to SSARPC@preserveashton.net
and request that a copy of the debate be emailed to them.
AMP Files for Special
Exception
On July 25, the AMP filed for the special exception (petition no. S-2683)
to allow development of residential units on property that is zoned for
commercial development. This plan for residential units is integral to
the AMP’s current design. A hearing on this special exception is
scheduled for mid-December. You may also contact the Montgomery County
Board of Appeals at 240-777-6600 for an update on the hearing
schedule. We will also periodically provide updates on the status
of this special exception.
SSARPC Meets with State Highway Administration
On July 27, representatives from the SSARPC again met with
representatives from the State Highway Administration (the SHA) to further
address traffic concerns at the junction of 108 and 650. This was a very
positive and productive meeting. As a result, we believe the likelihood
is high that the SHA will make a number of critical changes to the road
improvement plan that will facilitate traffic flow while ensuring overall safety,
including pedestrian safety, and compatibility with our rural heritage as the
gateway to historic Sandy Spring.
Future Updates
We will be emailing additional information in the weeks ahead to continue
to update you on current events and on how you can help participate in this
community effort to ensure that our community retains its unique character and
develops in a manner that is consistent with the Master Plan. Until then,
we invite you to periodically visit our web site at www.preserveashton.net to learn more
about what the SSARPC is doing.
Respectfully yours,
Elizabeth Garrettson and Paul David Mannina, Co-Chairs, SSARPC
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