Dear neighbors,
The Autumn Meeting of the Rock Creek Hills Citizens’ Association will take place at 7:30 PM on Monday, September 22nd, in the multipurpose room of Grace Episcopal Day School, at 9411 Connecticut Avenue. The primary topic of the meeting will be review of the plans submitted by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), to the Montgomery County Planning Board, for construction of a middle school on the site of Rock Creek Hills Park.
You can see the site plan at <http://goo.gl/DV26Xi>, the architectural drawings at <http://goo.gl/5Jdz7B>, and the “preliminary forest conservation plan” at <http://goo.gl/ZNLf2U>. The Planning Board has posted the full MCPS submission at <http://goo.gl/Yhhv72>.
As you may recall, the Planning Board’s “Mandatory Referral” hearing, for review of these plans, was originally scheduled for July 17th. In late June, the hearing was rescheduled to September 18th, because MCPS had decided to study revising the site design, in order to respond to concerns from Planning Board staff regarding tree loss and excessive retaining walls; the Planning Board expected new plans to be submitted by MCPS in late July or early August. However, as of this writing, the Planning Board has not received new plans from MCPS, the September 18th hearing has been cancelled, and no new date has been given for the hearing. Under these circumstances, it is reasonable for us to review the plans that have been submitted. We will be assisted in this by Ms. Amy Lindsey, Senior Planner, Montgomery County Planning Board, and we have invited MCPS to send a representative.
The meeting will also include:
• an update on our new online directory;
• a treasurer’s report.
At the last meeting of our Association, the membership asked your Board to report on the subject of accessory apartments for rental purposes in Rock Creek Hills. The Board did so electronically on July 18th (see <http://goo.gl/02DRcF>), and via first-class mail to all Rock Creek Hills households soon after. If members have questions about this matter, there will be an opportunity to discuss them at the meeting.
[I note that it would not be appropriate for us to discuss pending litigation seeking to preserve Rock Creek Hills Park, the transfer of which for construction appears to be unlawful, at a meeting to which we have invited representatives of the Planning Board and the Board of Education.]
If you have any other matters you would like discussed at the meeting, please advise me or any Board member at your earliest convenience.
I hope to see you on the 22nd of September!
With best regards,
Jim Pekar
President, Rock Creek Hills Citizens’ Association