Testimony Before the Planning Board

June 28, 2007

Beth Garrettson

18001 Bentley Road

Sandy Spring, MD 20860

Ashton Meeting Place

Preliminary Plan No. 120050060

Site Plan No. 820070100

Chairman Hanson and Planning Board Members:

My name is Beth Garrettson and I live at 18001 Bentley Road in Sandy Spring, less than 1/2 mile from the proposed Ashton Meeting Place

At the hearing on April 12th,  I spoke in  opposition to the proposed AMP plan.

When I heard that Mr. Nichols had submitted a new plan that it was completely off the wetlands and  buffer, I was  truly optimistic that he had  proposed a plan that included  the parts of the previous plan that SSARPC had worked so long and hard on  with him, and would follow the Master Plan.

The facts that he has included, among other things, the blank wall that he knew we strongly objected to, and also reduced the pedestrian-friendly and inviting “green”,  show that he has no desire to  have AMP  meet the desires of the group that he had worked with or the Master Plan’s  desire to “maintain the aesthetic and rural character of Ashton”.  I was once told by the developers that the area was no longer rural and therefore there was no need to follow Master Plan.   That, to me, is faulty logic.  .
 
That his original plan had to be on the wetlands and then the only way he could come up with another plan was parking on R-60 , seems to make it very clear that the land he wants to build on is just not big enough for his needs.  The entire time we worked on a compromise with him, we told him that the plan was  too big.

The way this land is developed will determine the aesthetic and rural quality of the whole intersection, so it is extremely important that what happens on this quadrant is carefully planned for the future of the entire area.

He would not be in the position that he now is in if he had read the Master Plan carefully, had honored the work that the community had put into revising it in 1998 and had listened  to SSARPC as we tried to plan an appropriate and attractive village center.

I do not understand how he thinks this new plan can be approved -   I certainly don’t

think it should be and  I hope you will agree with the Planning Staff and recommend denial

Thank you for your careful consideration of this important matter.