Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship Heights 6224 Winnebago Rd. Bethesda, MD 20816 August 16,2017 Robert Hanis, Esq. Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chartered 7600 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 700 Bethesda, MD 20814 (via email) Re: 5550 Friendship Blvd., Friendship Heights Dear Mr. Harris: I am in receipt of your letter of this past August 10 with reference to the proposed development at 5550 Friendship Blvd. The Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship Heights would welcome a presentation of the proposed plans by the owner and yourself. The earliest that we can accommodate a presentation is in our meeting of Wednesday, October 18. We do not meet in August and have previously scheduled a presentation for September that cannot be changed. I hope that date will work for your schedule. If so, it would be useful for you to provide background information to us on the owner and developer and also concept renderings ofthe project in order that we may be prepared for productive discussion. Electronic receipt of such information would be appreciated. We meet at the Somerset Town Hall at 8:00 p.m. It is located at 4510 Cumberland Ave, Chevy Chase. You will be the first item on the agenda and we would anticipate half an hour for presentation and subsequent discussion. We look forward to your prospective presentation on October 18. Sincerelv. gfuaW Harold Pfohl, Chair Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship Heights Representing the citizens Associatlons of Brookdale, chew chase villate, chevv chase west, Drummond, Friendship Heights, Glen Echo Heithts, Green Acres-Glen cove, Kenwood, Kenwood condominium, Kenwood House Cooperative, Kenwood Place condominium, somerset, springtield, sumner, sumnef vlllage Condominium, Westmoreland, westbard mews, Westwood Mews, and Wood Acres
LerchL arliiBrewer 7600 Wlsconsrr AvenLe. Suite 7OO ' Bethesca. vD 20814 . lerchearty.com Robert R. Harris Aftomey 301-841-3826 nhanis@lerchearlv.com August 10, 2017 Mr. Harold Pfohl Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship Heights 6224 Winnebago Road Bethesda. MD 20816 Re: 5550 Friendship Boulevard, Friendship Heights Dear Mr. Pfohl: Thank you for your letter ofJuly 9, 2017 regarding the potential redevclopmcnt of this property in the heart of Friendship Heights. I am writing to you to provide you and the Citizens Coordinating Commiuee on Friendship Heights additional information on the project. I hope that this information will lead you to reconsider your position about the project. Additionally, the prop€rty owner and I are happy to meet with the Coordinating Committee to discuss the project in more detail. (As an aside, we had offered to meet u'ith CCCFH, as we did with many others, but we did not hear back until we received your letter opposing the project). By way of background, the existing site is developed at only a fraction of its potential under the cunent zoning. The property is zoned for 3.0 FAR but the cunent development is only approximately 1.14 FAR. By contrast, most ofthe rest ofFriendship Heights has the same zoning but those properties are developed at far greater densities and heights. Few ifany provide any public open space. The property owner is proposing to add a small footprint second building with up to 100 condominium units on an unused portion of the property, at a height comparable to buildings around it but remaining within the 3.0 FAR for which the property is currently zoned. It also would include dedicated public green space. We believe this proposal is consistent with land use principles in Montgomery County. It would add to the efficient use of land that is already zoned for significantly greater density than exists, and would provide new housing opportunities within a short walk of METRO and close to shopping, jobs, recreation facilities and many other amenities desired by county residents. We already have evaluated the traflic impact and, given the transit proximity, there will be no noticeable effect on traffic. Schools in the area have sufficient capacity to accommodate the limited number of children coming from an wban condominium project. The project also will add Moderately Priced Dwelling Units to an area where very few exist today. For all of these reasons, we believe the proposal is consistent with county policies. 2671177.1 00000.500
Mr. Harold Pfohl . August 10,2017 Page 2 As an aside, contrary to your understanding, we are not seeking to amend the Friendship Heights Sector Plan, although it already is nearly 20 years old and has reached the normal lifespan of such plans. Rather, we are contemplating a Flo ating Zone Amendment that would retain the existing zoning density but allow a height up to I 80 feet so that a useable portion of the property can be dedicated to public open space. We believc the approach would be superior to a shorter, fatter building with very little public open space, as the current zoning allows. Over the past several months, we havc had a number of mectings with neighboring building owners and the general public to understand the best possible design options and the preferred use ofthe planned open space, and will be designing the project accordingly. We thank you for your interest and would welcome an audicncc with you and thc Coordinating Committee. Cordially yours, Robert R Hanis 00000.500 26'711r/.1
Recommend
More recommend