Rockville Planning Commission
Minutes

 Mayor and Council Chambers
Meeting No. 04-06
February 22, 2006, 7:00 p.m.

The City of Rockville Planning Commission convened in regular session in the Mayor and Council Chambers at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 22, 2006.
    

Commissioner Ostell announced that Special Exception SPX2005-00356 has been removed from this agenda and will be back on the Planning Commission agenda in a month.

REVIEW AND ACTION

Final Record Plat PLT2005-00440, Fallsgrove Associates

The applicant is requesting approval to create an open space parcel consisting of 12.2735 acres along West Montgomery Avenue, south of Gude Drive in the Fallsgrove development.

Ms. Hall presented the staff report. 

The Commission discussed concerns regarding the impact of this parcel on I-270 interchange, corrections shown on the plat and whether the parcel would remain in its natural state. 

Commissioner Holtz moved, seconded by Commissioner Wiener to approve Final Record Plat PLT2005-00440, Fallsgrove Associates per staff recommendations.  The motion passed unanimously.

Final Record Plat PLT2005-00441, Fallsgrove Associates

The applicant is requesting approval to create an open space parcel consisting of 8.8439 acres on the north side of West Gude Drive between West Montgomery Avenue and Research Boulevard in the Fallsgrove development.

Ms. Hall presented the staff report. 

Commissioner Hilton moved, seconded by Commissioner Wiener to approve Final Record Plat PLT2005-00441, Fallsgrove Associates per staff recommendations.  The motion passed unanimously.
 
Final Record Plat PLT2006-00445, Route 28 Associates

The applicant is requesting approval to create a record lot consisting of 1.4214 acres at the corner of Wood Hill Road and West Montgomery Avenue in the Fallsgrove development.

Ms. Hall presented the staff report. 

Commissioner Hilton moved, seconded by Commissioner Wiener to approve Final Record Plat PLT2006-00445, Route 28 Associates per staff recommendations.  The motion passed unanimously.

ZONING BRIEFING

Zoning Ordinance Update – briefing on Zoning Ordinance on recent issues papers discussed by the Mayor and Council.

Mr. Wasilak presented an update of the issues.  The Zoning Review Committee would be beginning its deliberations in about a month.  The Mayor and Council will be appointing members of that group in its entirety on Monday evening.  He noted that Commissioners Ostell and Britton would be appointed to that group as official members and Commissioner Hilton had expressed an interest in participating in the outline portion of the program. 

Mr. Wasilak stated that staff has distributed the white papers to the Commission this evening.  Staff would like to outline the process and to get some direction from the Commission on the process.

Ms. Cross presented a status report.  She said she presented a number of white papers to the Mayor and Council.  Staff has an overview scheduled for February 27 and that is everything that has been presented to the Mayor and Council since January 2006.  A City Environment paper will be presented on March 6, 2006.  There are 13 papers in total.  

Ms. Cross presented highlights of the white papers such as accessory terms, modifying home based business regulations, consideration of administration adjustments, simplifying special developments into amenity development options, planned development procedure, reorganize/reconsider land uses, special development procedures, new residential regulations, landscaping/screening manual, review parking standards/design requirements, and providing new standards for sidewalk design.

Ms. Cross stated that they are calling the Citizen Board Review Committee RORZOR (Representatives of Rockville Zoning Ordinance Review.  She noted that the task force is going to be appointed on Monday, February 27, which is also the date of the overview.  Ms. Cross stated that RORZOR is expected to meet in mid-March to mid-April to discuss the outline.  Staff would like to plan for a group meeting with the Mayor and Council, the Planning Commission and the Committee in May to go over the outline and have final approval from everybody.  The group is expected to reconvene in September to discuss the draft.     

The Commission discussed land use rezoning, mixed-use in the Town Center, buffer areas to separate residential from industrial, adjacent land use compatibility issues, environmental issues, parking lot surfaces, technical utility issues regarding infrastructure such as monopoles, and setting up a method of operation for the Committee. 

Mr. Wasilak stated that the Commission could have a little session at its next meeting.  The Commission could bring a list of priorities to discuss.

COMMISSION ITEMS

Old Business

Approval of Decision Letter, Use Permit USE2005-00693, Rockville Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 626 Great Falls Road.

Commissioner Hilton stated that this item is on this agenda because the Commissioners who acted on this matter were not present at the last meeting.

The Commission discussed some modifications to the letter.

Commissioner Hilton moved, seconded by Commissioner Britton to approve the Decision Letter for Use Permit USE005-00693, Rockville Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.  The motion passed on a vote of 5-0-2 with Commissioners

Commissioner Hilton stated that he attended the Lincoln Park community meeting managed by City staff on Saturday to discuss the Lincoln Park Conservation Plan.  The meeting ran for 3 hours and FOX News joined the meeting at the last hour.  Interviews were conducted after the meeting for it was part of their Black history month coverage and they saw the announcement of this meeting and decided to cover it.  Commissioner Hilton said that there were a list of many questions regarding the two Plans and he was informed that answers would be presented to the community by staff at a later date.   Therefore, he committed to bringing this up during Old Business his recommendation to keep the record open on this issue and delay considering the Conservation Plan and the Master Plan rewrite until April. 

Commissioner Hilton recommended having a Commission meeting on April 12, and to keep the record open until April 12.  He said he is not convinced that all 122 or more households in that community understand what these Plans mean to them.  He noted that there was a difference of opinion of what the Conservations Plan can do for the community.   

The Commission discussed the difference between the two Plans and keeping the record open until April 12. 

Mr. Wasilak stated that FOX News was interested in covering Black history month.  They ran the story on the 10 o’clock news on Saturday.  They interviewed Sharon Duffin, who was a former resident of Lincoln Park.  FOX News was trying to understand what was happening with the Conservation Plan. 

The Commission further discussed notification procedure to the Lincoln Park community, and clarification of the two Plans to the community.

Commissioner Hilton commended Judy Christensen and Mr. Wasilak for putting on a very nice community meeting.

The Commission and staff discussed notification, procedure and dates for the next public hearing on the two Lincoln Park plans.  Commissioner Ostell suggested putting up signs in the neighborhood as notification.

Commissioner Britton moved, seconded by Commissioner Holtz to re-open the record for Lincoln Park Neighborhood Plan and the Conservation Plan until one week after the public hearing on these issues.  The motion passed unanimously. 

Chief of Planning Report

Mr. Wasilak reported that the Stonestreet Task Force meeting met last week.  They will meet to start on the zoning issues at the next meeting, which is scheduled for March 30.

Mr. Wasilak discussed the upcoming monopoles proposed for Twinbrook and Julius West Elementary School.  He noted that the citizens are concerned about the radiation affects and health hazards from monopoles. 

Mr. Wasilak reported that Commissioners Britton and Holtz were reappointed for another five-year term.