Friday, May 29, 2009
9 To Be Interviewed by County Council For Soon-to-Be Open Position on Montgomery County Planning Board
* Release ID: 09-074
* Release Date: 5/20/2009
* Contact: Justina Ferber 240-777-7938
* From: Council Office
9 To Be Interviewed by County Council For Soon-to-Be Open
Position on Montgomery County Planning Board
Interviews to Be Conducted on Tuesday, June 16
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 20, 2009—The Montgomery County Council will interview nine applicants on Tuesday, June 16, as it seeks to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Montgomery County Planning Board. The term of John Robinson (Democrat) will expire on June 14. Mr. Robinson has served two terms and is not eligible for reappointment.
A total of 18 applications were received by the April 22 deadline. The Council will meet individually with those selected for interviews starting at 2 p.m. on June 16.
Those who have been invited to interview are: Alan S. Bowser (Democrat) of Silver Spring; Carol Van Dam Falk (Democrat) of Potomac; Ilaya Rome Hopkins (Democrat) of Bethesda; Patricia H. Lee (Democrat) of Olney; Chris Paladino (Democrat) of Silver Spring; Donna Mandel Perlmutter (Democrat) of Potomac; Roberto R. Piñero (Democrat) of Silver Spring; Cynthia Rubenstein (Democrat) of Silver Spring; and Marye Wells-Harley (Democrat) of Silver Spring.
No more than three members of the Planning Board may be from the same political party, and all members must be residents and registered voters of Montgomery County when appointed. Members serve four-year terms and are limited to two full terms. The position can be filled by a Democrat; a Republican; a voter who declines to affiliate with a party; or by a member of another party officially recognized by the Montgomery County Board of Elections.
In addition to Mr. Robinson, the current board members are Chairman Royce Hanson, a Democrat; Joseph Alfandre, a Democrat; Jean B. Cryor, a Republican; and Amy Presley, a Republican. Annual compensation for board members currently is $30,000.
The Planning Board serves as the Council’s principal adviser on land use planning and community planning. Planning Board members also serve as commissioners of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
The Planning Board’s responsibilities with regard to planning include preparation and amendment of the County General Plan; preparation and amendment of Master Plans and functional plans; formulation of subdivision regulations; preparation of, or recommendations, on text amendments to the County Zoning Ordinance; implementation of the subdivision process by reviewing and approving all preliminary plans, site plans and other plans for development; advice on the planning implication of capital facilities and programs of the County government, Montgomery College, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and Montgomery County Public Schools; commenting, under its Mandatory Referral authority, on plans for public facilities of local, state and federal agencies; and approval of the work program and the annual operating budget for the Planning Department and the commission’s bi-county offices.
The Planning Board sits as the Park Commission and approves the annual Parks Department operating budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget; land acquisition contracts and major development contracts for parks; development plans for individual park facilities; policies for park operations; and park user fees.
The Montgomery County Planning Board meets all day every Thursday and often meets on one other evening a week. The entire Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission meets the third Wednesday of every month. On average, a Planning Board member can expect to spend at least two full days a week in scheduled and informal meetings. Additionally, substantial time is required for preparatory work and other activities related to Planning Board responsibilities.
* Release Date: 5/20/2009
* Contact: Justina Ferber 240-777-7938
* From: Council Office
9 To Be Interviewed by County Council For Soon-to-Be Open
Position on Montgomery County Planning Board
Interviews to Be Conducted on Tuesday, June 16
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 20, 2009—The Montgomery County Council will interview nine applicants on Tuesday, June 16, as it seeks to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Montgomery County Planning Board. The term of John Robinson (Democrat) will expire on June 14. Mr. Robinson has served two terms and is not eligible for reappointment.
A total of 18 applications were received by the April 22 deadline. The Council will meet individually with those selected for interviews starting at 2 p.m. on June 16.
Those who have been invited to interview are: Alan S. Bowser (Democrat) of Silver Spring; Carol Van Dam Falk (Democrat) of Potomac; Ilaya Rome Hopkins (Democrat) of Bethesda; Patricia H. Lee (Democrat) of Olney; Chris Paladino (Democrat) of Silver Spring; Donna Mandel Perlmutter (Democrat) of Potomac; Roberto R. Piñero (Democrat) of Silver Spring; Cynthia Rubenstein (Democrat) of Silver Spring; and Marye Wells-Harley (Democrat) of Silver Spring.
No more than three members of the Planning Board may be from the same political party, and all members must be residents and registered voters of Montgomery County when appointed. Members serve four-year terms and are limited to two full terms. The position can be filled by a Democrat; a Republican; a voter who declines to affiliate with a party; or by a member of another party officially recognized by the Montgomery County Board of Elections.
In addition to Mr. Robinson, the current board members are Chairman Royce Hanson, a Democrat; Joseph Alfandre, a Democrat; Jean B. Cryor, a Republican; and Amy Presley, a Republican. Annual compensation for board members currently is $30,000.
The Planning Board serves as the Council’s principal adviser on land use planning and community planning. Planning Board members also serve as commissioners of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
The Planning Board’s responsibilities with regard to planning include preparation and amendment of the County General Plan; preparation and amendment of Master Plans and functional plans; formulation of subdivision regulations; preparation of, or recommendations, on text amendments to the County Zoning Ordinance; implementation of the subdivision process by reviewing and approving all preliminary plans, site plans and other plans for development; advice on the planning implication of capital facilities and programs of the County government, Montgomery College, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and Montgomery County Public Schools; commenting, under its Mandatory Referral authority, on plans for public facilities of local, state and federal agencies; and approval of the work program and the annual operating budget for the Planning Department and the commission’s bi-county offices.
The Planning Board sits as the Park Commission and approves the annual Parks Department operating budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget; land acquisition contracts and major development contracts for parks; development plans for individual park facilities; policies for park operations; and park user fees.
The Montgomery County Planning Board meets all day every Thursday and often meets on one other evening a week. The entire Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission meets the third Wednesday of every month. On average, a Planning Board member can expect to spend at least two full days a week in scheduled and informal meetings. Additionally, substantial time is required for preparatory work and other activities related to Planning Board responsibilities.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
County Council Set to Pick A Planner - Washington Post
Nine Applicants Seek Board Post
By Miranda S. Spivack | Washington Post Staff Writer | Thursday, May 28, 2009
In the coming month, the Montgomery County Council will step into the process of filling a vacant position on the Planning Board, interviewing nine applicants in a one-day marathon scheduled on June 16.
The County Council, which supervises the board, must select one of the applicants for the post, which is part time and pays $30,000 annually.
Although the rules governing board membership require some political balance, the open position can be filled by a Democrat, Republican or someone affiliated with another political party. At times, a spot on the Planning Board has served as a stepping-stone to elected office.
Unlike in most Maryland jurisdictions, the Montgomery parks and planning agency, with a $122 million budget and a staff of about 1,000, mostly on the parks side, reports to the County Council, not to the county executive, and operates semi-autonomously in its relationship with county government.
In recent years, the board has played a pivotal role in efforts to rebuild older sections of the county, manage increasing traffic and determine what should be built on the small amount of remaining buildable open space.
The agency also has been at the center of some political storms over lax oversight of development, most recently in disputes over plans for Clarksburg, Montgomery's final frontier for development. Amy Presley, one of the citizen-leaders of Clarksburg residents' efforts to pressure government to ensure compliance with county laws, was appointed to the Planning Board last year.
Council member Nancy Floreen (D-At Large) served on the Planning Board previously. Royce Hanson, who was appointed chairman in 2006, is a former board member who twice ran for Congress.
The vacancy that this year's appointee will fill arose because the term of John Robinson, a lawyer at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, expires June 14. Robinson has served two four-year terms and is ineligible for reappointment.
No more than three members of the Planning Board may be from the same political party, and all five members must be residents and registered voters of Montgomery County when appointed.
The other board members are Hanson, a Democrat; Joseph Alfandre, a Democrat; Jean B. Cryor, a Republican; and Presley, a Republican.
All those who have been invited to interview are Democrats:
Alan S. Bowser of Silver Spring; Carol Van Dam Falk of Potomac; Ilaya Rome Hopkins of Bethesda; Patricia H. Lee of Olney; Christopher Paladino of Silver Spring; Donna Mandel Perlmutter of Potomac; Roberto R. Piñero of Silver Spring; Cynthia Rubenstein of Silver Spring; and Marye Wells-Harley of Silver Spring.
Bowser, a graduate of Princeton, Johns Hopkins and Georgetown's law school, is a community activist in Silver Spring who sought appointment to the board previously. An economist and lawyer, he is president of the Park Hills Civic Association and a member of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board.
Falk is a National Public Radio reporter who covered last year's campaigns. A resident of Potomac, she is involved in community efforts to limit the density of the Johns Hopkins-proposed "science city" near Gaithersburg. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin.
Hopkins, a Bethesda resident, is a member of the Western Montgomery Citizens Advisory Board and has degrees from Hopkins and the University of Wisconsin. She also has been a project manager and consultant and served as associate director of external affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.
Lee, of Olney, is a lawyer and has served as chairman and general counsel for the National Institute for Urban Entrepreneurship. She formerly worked for the Institute for Justice and as head of the Montgomery County Conflict Resolution Center. She holds a bachelor's degree and a law degree from Northwestern University.
Paladino is formerly executive director of the county chapter of the American Red Cross who served as a lead spokesman for Red Cross development activities and responses to major disasters. A Silver Spring resident, Paladino holds a bachelor's degree from Rutgers.
Perlmutter, a Potomac resident with a master's in urban planning from the University of Pennsylvania, is a member of the architectural design review committee of the Potomac Falls Homeowners Association. She has worked as a writer and editor, as well as a radio broadcaster, and has raised funds for the Montgomery Housing Partnership.
Piñero, of Silver Spring, is a senior analyst with the federal Government Accountability Office and serves as a commissioner for the Montgomery Housing Opportunities Commission and as a board member for the Town Center Apartments of Rockville, a senior low-income housing development. He holds a doctorate in city and regional planning from the University of California at Berkeley.
Rubinstein, a Silver Spring civic activist, is the executive director of Passion for Learning, a nonprofit organization that supports underserved students in Montgomery public schools. The organization raises funds to hire and supervise up to 24 after-school instructors and program assistants and recruits up to 100 volunteers. She holds a master's degree in design and housing from the University of Iowa and a bachelor's in fine arts and French from Cornell College in Iowa.
Wells-Harley, of Silver Spring, formerly served as director of parks and recreation in Prince George's County, managing an agency with more than 1,000 full-time employees, more than 2,500 seasonal employees and 30,000 volunteers. A community activist, Wells-Harley holds a bachelor's degree from Winston-Salem State University and has attended the Executive Leadership Institute affiliated with the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/27/AR2009052701800_2.html
By Miranda S. Spivack | Washington Post Staff Writer | Thursday, May 28, 2009
In the coming month, the Montgomery County Council will step into the process of filling a vacant position on the Planning Board, interviewing nine applicants in a one-day marathon scheduled on June 16.
The County Council, which supervises the board, must select one of the applicants for the post, which is part time and pays $30,000 annually.
Although the rules governing board membership require some political balance, the open position can be filled by a Democrat, Republican or someone affiliated with another political party. At times, a spot on the Planning Board has served as a stepping-stone to elected office.
Unlike in most Maryland jurisdictions, the Montgomery parks and planning agency, with a $122 million budget and a staff of about 1,000, mostly on the parks side, reports to the County Council, not to the county executive, and operates semi-autonomously in its relationship with county government.
In recent years, the board has played a pivotal role in efforts to rebuild older sections of the county, manage increasing traffic and determine what should be built on the small amount of remaining buildable open space.
The agency also has been at the center of some political storms over lax oversight of development, most recently in disputes over plans for Clarksburg, Montgomery's final frontier for development. Amy Presley, one of the citizen-leaders of Clarksburg residents' efforts to pressure government to ensure compliance with county laws, was appointed to the Planning Board last year.
Council member Nancy Floreen (D-At Large) served on the Planning Board previously. Royce Hanson, who was appointed chairman in 2006, is a former board member who twice ran for Congress.
The vacancy that this year's appointee will fill arose because the term of John Robinson, a lawyer at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, expires June 14. Robinson has served two four-year terms and is ineligible for reappointment.
No more than three members of the Planning Board may be from the same political party, and all five members must be residents and registered voters of Montgomery County when appointed.
The other board members are Hanson, a Democrat; Joseph Alfandre, a Democrat; Jean B. Cryor, a Republican; and Presley, a Republican.
All those who have been invited to interview are Democrats:
Alan S. Bowser of Silver Spring; Carol Van Dam Falk of Potomac; Ilaya Rome Hopkins of Bethesda; Patricia H. Lee of Olney; Christopher Paladino of Silver Spring; Donna Mandel Perlmutter of Potomac; Roberto R. Piñero of Silver Spring; Cynthia Rubenstein of Silver Spring; and Marye Wells-Harley of Silver Spring.
Bowser, a graduate of Princeton, Johns Hopkins and Georgetown's law school, is a community activist in Silver Spring who sought appointment to the board previously. An economist and lawyer, he is president of the Park Hills Civic Association and a member of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board.
Falk is a National Public Radio reporter who covered last year's campaigns. A resident of Potomac, she is involved in community efforts to limit the density of the Johns Hopkins-proposed "science city" near Gaithersburg. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin.
Hopkins, a Bethesda resident, is a member of the Western Montgomery Citizens Advisory Board and has degrees from Hopkins and the University of Wisconsin. She also has been a project manager and consultant and served as associate director of external affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.
Lee, of Olney, is a lawyer and has served as chairman and general counsel for the National Institute for Urban Entrepreneurship. She formerly worked for the Institute for Justice and as head of the Montgomery County Conflict Resolution Center. She holds a bachelor's degree and a law degree from Northwestern University.
Paladino is formerly executive director of the county chapter of the American Red Cross who served as a lead spokesman for Red Cross development activities and responses to major disasters. A Silver Spring resident, Paladino holds a bachelor's degree from Rutgers.
Perlmutter, a Potomac resident with a master's in urban planning from the University of Pennsylvania, is a member of the architectural design review committee of the Potomac Falls Homeowners Association. She has worked as a writer and editor, as well as a radio broadcaster, and has raised funds for the Montgomery Housing Partnership.
Piñero, of Silver Spring, is a senior analyst with the federal Government Accountability Office and serves as a commissioner for the Montgomery Housing Opportunities Commission and as a board member for the Town Center Apartments of Rockville, a senior low-income housing development. He holds a doctorate in city and regional planning from the University of California at Berkeley.
Rubinstein, a Silver Spring civic activist, is the executive director of Passion for Learning, a nonprofit organization that supports underserved students in Montgomery public schools. The organization raises funds to hire and supervise up to 24 after-school instructors and program assistants and recruits up to 100 volunteers. She holds a master's degree in design and housing from the University of Iowa and a bachelor's in fine arts and French from Cornell College in Iowa.
Wells-Harley, of Silver Spring, formerly served as director of parks and recreation in Prince George's County, managing an agency with more than 1,000 full-time employees, more than 2,500 seasonal employees and 30,000 volunteers. A community activist, Wells-Harley holds a bachelor's degree from Winston-Salem State University and has attended the Executive Leadership Institute affiliated with the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/27/AR2009052701800_2.html
Friday, May 22, 2009
Community Engagement
...a community meeting with the Maryland Transit Administration on the Purple Line
...the dedication of the Turning Point Mural at the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and Piney Branch Road
...the Steering Committee of the Northwest Park Oakview Weed and Seed Program
...the public charrette for Silver Place, a new headquarters for the Park and Planning Commission in Silver Spring
...the Safe Silver Spring Summit at Montgomery College
...the "Fenton Village Forum" organized by the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board
...the architectural design charrette for the exterior of a new Silver Spring Library
...at the Black History Month exhibit at the Gwendolyn Coffield Center in the Lyttonsville community of Silver Spring
...at a design charrette for the Comsat building with world-renown architect, Cesar Pelli, and Montgomery Preservation Inc. President, Wayne Goldstein
...the dedication of the Turning Point Mural at the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and Piney Branch Road
...the Steering Committee of the Northwest Park Oakview Weed and Seed Program
...the public charrette for Silver Place, a new headquarters for the Park and Planning Commission in Silver Spring
...the Safe Silver Spring Summit at Montgomery College
...the "Fenton Village Forum" organized by the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board
...the architectural design charrette for the exterior of a new Silver Spring Library
...at the Black History Month exhibit at the Gwendolyn Coffield Center in the Lyttonsville community of Silver Spring
...at a design charrette for the Comsat building with world-renown architect, Cesar Pelli, and Montgomery Preservation Inc. President, Wayne Goldstein
Thursday, May 21, 2009
BCC Chamber of Commerce - Questionaire and Responses
Planning Board Commissioner - Candidate Questionnaire - May 2009
1. ABOUT YOU: Please explain why you believe you are the best candidate for the position of Planning Board Commissioner? I have over three decades of experience as an economist, attorney, and public policy analyst. In Montgomery County, I have been involved in a broad range planning and design programs, including the Silver Spring Civic Building, the Silver Spring Library, and the Bi-County Transitway aka Purple Line. I have developed constructive relationships with civic organizations throughout Montgomery County, with the County Executive and County Council, with the State delegations, and with the private sector in Silver Spring and Montgomery County. I have worked extensively with individuals and organizations throughout the County on issues such as transportation, environmental protection, housing, and historic preservation.
2. YOUR EXPERIENCE: What interactions have you had with Park and Planning? I have significant interaction with Park and Planning in my roles as a member of the Montgomery County Dept. of Permitting Services Advisory Committee, as a member of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board and immediate past chair of its Neighborhoods Committee, and as President of the Park Hills Civic Association. I currently serve as a member of the Planning Board’s Purple Line Functional Master Plan Advisory Group.
3. YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS: What are your leadership skills and how can you use them effectively for the benefit of the Planning Board? I’ve served as a member of the Senior Executive Service of the United States and as a U.S. Dept. Assistant Secretary of Commerce, leading an organization of more that 120 career civil servants. I currently serve as President of the Park Hills Civic Association in Silver Spring and as President of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. I’m a staff oriented executive, who believes in team building, innovation and results. I look forward to a constructive and dynamic relationship with other Planning Board members and the Planning staff.
4. CURRENT PROJECTS: What project currently before Park and Planning has affected Montgomery County? Please discuss. I’m particularly interested in the Board’s review of the Growth Policy, Housing Policy, and the revision of the Zoning Code. I believe that the Board’s conclusions and recommendations about adequate public facilities, traffic, design and sustainability will greatly affect the Council’s deliberations about these issues and the direction that the County will take in the future. Regarding specific projects, I’m interested in the plans for Gaithersburg West, Takoma Langley and White Flint, and the CCT and Bi-County Transitway transit projects.
5. ISSUES: What issues or topics currently before the Planning Board, are a priority? Please explain. As noted above, I believe that the Zoning Code Revision is of particular importance. I’m also very interested in the recommendations to be made about the Growth Policy, with a particular interest in the proposed refinements of the traffic formulae.
6. WOODMONT TRIANGLE: What is your view on Woodmont Triangle regarding dollar contributions in lieu of onsite amenities? I believe, in general, that onsite amenities, if required by law and properly developed and agreed to by stakeholders and the appropriate regulatory authorities, should be maintained. Exceptions to that general role need to be carefully evaluated and publicly vetted.
7. PURPLE LINE: Would you support sector plan amendments for Purple Line Stations? I support the Master Plan process. I think that proposed sector plan amendments for Purple Line Stations need to be carefully evaluated on a case by case basis.
8. HEALTH CARE: Montgomery County is blessed with 5 excellent hospitals, and 4 of them are located in residential neighborhoods. The present special exception process, which gives considerable weight to the objections of the neighborhood residents, makes it extremely difficult, time consuming and expensive for these not-for-profit organizations to receive County approval to expand and renovate in order to meet the growing healthcare needs of the patients they serve. How do you fell about the expansion of Suburban Hospital? Candidly, I do not know enough about the Suburban Hospital expansion issues to state an opinion at this time.
9. COMMENTS: Is there anything you would like the BCC Chamber PAC Board to know, in addition to your comments above? I strongly believe in effective public private partnerships, and have worked to make them a reality in every position of responsibility that I’ve held. I’ve worked in private, public and non profit sectors and have an appreciation of their respective strengths.
1. ABOUT YOU: Please explain why you believe you are the best candidate for the position of Planning Board Commissioner? I have over three decades of experience as an economist, attorney, and public policy analyst. In Montgomery County, I have been involved in a broad range planning and design programs, including the Silver Spring Civic Building, the Silver Spring Library, and the Bi-County Transitway aka Purple Line. I have developed constructive relationships with civic organizations throughout Montgomery County, with the County Executive and County Council, with the State delegations, and with the private sector in Silver Spring and Montgomery County. I have worked extensively with individuals and organizations throughout the County on issues such as transportation, environmental protection, housing, and historic preservation.
2. YOUR EXPERIENCE: What interactions have you had with Park and Planning? I have significant interaction with Park and Planning in my roles as a member of the Montgomery County Dept. of Permitting Services Advisory Committee, as a member of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board and immediate past chair of its Neighborhoods Committee, and as President of the Park Hills Civic Association. I currently serve as a member of the Planning Board’s Purple Line Functional Master Plan Advisory Group.
3. YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS: What are your leadership skills and how can you use them effectively for the benefit of the Planning Board? I’ve served as a member of the Senior Executive Service of the United States and as a U.S. Dept. Assistant Secretary of Commerce, leading an organization of more that 120 career civil servants. I currently serve as President of the Park Hills Civic Association in Silver Spring and as President of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. I’m a staff oriented executive, who believes in team building, innovation and results. I look forward to a constructive and dynamic relationship with other Planning Board members and the Planning staff.
4. CURRENT PROJECTS: What project currently before Park and Planning has affected Montgomery County? Please discuss. I’m particularly interested in the Board’s review of the Growth Policy, Housing Policy, and the revision of the Zoning Code. I believe that the Board’s conclusions and recommendations about adequate public facilities, traffic, design and sustainability will greatly affect the Council’s deliberations about these issues and the direction that the County will take in the future. Regarding specific projects, I’m interested in the plans for Gaithersburg West, Takoma Langley and White Flint, and the CCT and Bi-County Transitway transit projects.
5. ISSUES: What issues or topics currently before the Planning Board, are a priority? Please explain. As noted above, I believe that the Zoning Code Revision is of particular importance. I’m also very interested in the recommendations to be made about the Growth Policy, with a particular interest in the proposed refinements of the traffic formulae.
6. WOODMONT TRIANGLE: What is your view on Woodmont Triangle regarding dollar contributions in lieu of onsite amenities? I believe, in general, that onsite amenities, if required by law and properly developed and agreed to by stakeholders and the appropriate regulatory authorities, should be maintained. Exceptions to that general role need to be carefully evaluated and publicly vetted.
7. PURPLE LINE: Would you support sector plan amendments for Purple Line Stations? I support the Master Plan process. I think that proposed sector plan amendments for Purple Line Stations need to be carefully evaluated on a case by case basis.
8. HEALTH CARE: Montgomery County is blessed with 5 excellent hospitals, and 4 of them are located in residential neighborhoods. The present special exception process, which gives considerable weight to the objections of the neighborhood residents, makes it extremely difficult, time consuming and expensive for these not-for-profit organizations to receive County approval to expand and renovate in order to meet the growing healthcare needs of the patients they serve. How do you fell about the expansion of Suburban Hospital? Candidly, I do not know enough about the Suburban Hospital expansion issues to state an opinion at this time.
9. COMMENTS: Is there anything you would like the BCC Chamber PAC Board to know, in addition to your comments above? I strongly believe in effective public private partnerships, and have worked to make them a reality in every position of responsibility that I’ve held. I’ve worked in private, public and non profit sectors and have an appreciation of their respective strengths.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
The Grand Canyon of Paint Branch
In May 2009, I explored the dramatic erosion to the hillside bordering the Paint Branch stream valley caused by uncontrolled storm water. My guide was Diane Cameron, Conservation Program Director of Audubon Naturalist Society, who has been working on storm water and environmental protection issues in Montgomery County for many years.
The Grand Canyon of Paint Branch is the result of uncontrolled storm water running off the roofs and parking lots of a corporate office park, east of Route 29, in Silver spring, MD. The enormous volumes of water have eroded tons of soil and rock and have carved a "canyon" into the hillside.
The storm water runs into one of Montgomery County's most pristine streams, the Paint Branch, a tributary of the Anacostia River.
There are several important organizations that are concerned with storm water and stream restoration: Friends of Sligo Creek, the Audubon Naturalist Society, and Stormwater Partners.
According to the Maryland Department of the Environment, “urban development has a profound influence on the quality of Maryland’s waters. To start, development dramatically alters the local hydrologic cycle. The hydrology of a site changes during the initial clearing and grading that occur during construction. Trees, meadow grasses, and agricultural crops that intercept and absorb rainfall are removed and natural depressions that temporarily pond water are graded to a uniform slope. Cleared and graded sites erode, are often severely compacted, and can no longer prevent rainfall from being rapidly converted into stormwater runoff.”
“The situation worsens after construction. Roof tops, roads, parking lots, driveways and other impervious surfaces no longer allow rainfall to soak into the ground. Consequently, most rainfall is converted directly to runoff. The increase in stormwater can be too much for the existing natural drainage system to handle. As a result, the natural drainage system is often altered to rapidly collect runoff and quickly convey it away (using curb and gutter, enclosed storm sewers, and lined channels). The stormwater runoff is subsequently discharged to downstream waters such as streams, reservoirs, lakes or estuaries.”
“Water Quality is affected by the accumulation of trash, oil and rubber from cars, fertilizers and pesticides applied to lawns, sediment from bare or poorly vegetated ground and other pollutants entering streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Inflow of sediment can cloud water, blocking sunlight from submerged plants. Sediment also settles to the bottom of streams, clogging the gravel beds used by fish for laying their eggs. Nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, from fertilizers enter the water and promote unusually rapid algae growth. As this algae dies, its decomposition reduces or eliminates oxygen needed by fish, shellfish, and other aquatic life for survival.“
Read more at Why Stormwater Matters: Impacts of Runoff on Maryland's Watersheds
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