VICKI’S PERSPECTIVE ON YOUR DISTRICT
The Councilmember At-Large must be knowledgeable and responsive to the unique needs of the residents of each District. Below are synopses for each District per my understanding and perspective.
District 1
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District 2
Economic development is a concern of District 2 residents. The I-270 Corridor is an ideal location for economic growth. It is a hub for technology and biotechnology, and it spans from Bethesda to Frederick. There also is an abundance of vacant and redevelopable land. The I-270 Corridor is a key asset for economic development in Montgomery County, and the Council must use a laser focus on life sciences because that field is uniquely anchored by the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and a range of private firms that focus on research as well as specialized manufacturing and tech services. I would support the existing development strategies and initiatives to promote the County’s unique market position in technology and biotechnology.
Infrastructure to support economic development, particularly that related to public services, is a concern concurrent to economic development.
- Transportation to reduce traffic congestion is critical. The County already is focused on
this through a variety of initiatives. The challenge is what to build and when to assure the success of public transit.
- Housing that is diverse and affordable also is critical. Particularly due to the span of the I-270 Corridor, there already are diverse housing options; however, there also is a small inventory of each type of housing, and most are not affordable. The solution must involve a mix of new rental and owned housing, as well as the rehabbing of communities and neighborhoods that are either old or in need of an upgrade. Here is where the County needs to develop a housing policy that assesses existing housing inventory, and
makes shrewd investments in rehabbing where economically feasible instead of simply going for “tear-downs”. There are a range of “out-of-the-box” solutions that can be used – one of which I successfully initiated and implemented to financially stabilize my condominium community.
- Education sufficient for capacity and excellence also will be key to the long-term success of economic development along the I-270 corridor. School boundaries are a significant issue at this time, and would encourage the MCPS Board of Education to more prominently factor in travel time and options related to regular school hours and pre- and
after-school activities.
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District 3
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District 4
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District 5
Citizens in this district are in need of diverse, affordable housing. While there is considerable vacant housing that provides potential rehabbing opportunity, the County’s current approach to housing is “tear-down” and replace with “luxury”. Also, the Council is focusing on corridor plans that involve several major roadways, along which the County is exercising eminent domain and encouraging the development of new housing – duplexes, triplexes and small apartment buildings on single-family lots. Believing that location near public transit is a boon for these property owners, the County also is interested in creating a “special additional tax” for the targeted homes oin the Corridors. The bottom line for the owners and residents of these neighborhoods is that the County’s approach to their quality of life puts them in a category of “sacrifice zones” with regard to virtually every aspect of environmental justice. There are other solutions that I would encourage that would increase density and timely access to public transit while providing a quality living environment for District 5’s current and future residents.
School boundaries also are a major concern, and is juxtaposed to the County’s focus on “15 minutes” to everywhere.
This district has established, older neighborhoods with distinctive characteristics. The challenge is integrating additional commercial and residential development into the so that the newcomers bring out the best of each of these neighborhoods while addressing their shortcomings. As with any development, it is essential that burgeoning public safety issues and school overcrowding be treated with the same attention afforded to development. A key place to start is the Glenmont Shopping Center that is the oldest un-renovated strip mall in the County. The sitting Council is taking a heavy-handed approach to eminent domain for the “public good” in the Corridors where our most vulnerable populations own and live. I believe that this approach is inappropriate for our District 5 neighbors, but long overdue with the 13 business owners in the Glenmont Shopping Center that is stifling economic development in that area.
Please forward your comments to: VickiV4Us@gmail.com
District 6
Similar to District 5, citizens in this district also have need of diverse, affordable housing. Unfortunately, the current Council is attempting to address this issue via a corridor plan that involves several major roadways, along which the County is exercising eminent domain and encouraging the development of duplexes, triplexes and small apartment buildings on single-family lots. Believing that location near public transit is a boon for these property owners, the County also is interested in creating a “special additional tax” for the targeted homes on the Corridors. The bottom line for the owners and residents of these neighborhoods is that the County’s approach to their quality of life puts them in a category of “sacrifice zones” with regard to virtually every aspect of environmental justice. There are other solutions that I would encourage that would increase density and timely access to public transit while providing a quality living environment for District 5’s current and future residents.
This district has established, older neighborhoods with distinctive characteristics. The challenge is integrating additional commercial and residential development into these neighborhoods so that the newcomers bring out the best of each of these neighborhoods while addressing their shortcomings. As with any development, it is essential that burgeoning public safety issues and school overcrowding be treated with the same attention afforded to development. A key place to start is the Glenmont Shopping Center that is the oldest un-renovated strip mall in the County. The sitting Council is taking a heavy-handed approach to eminent domain for the “public good” in the Corridors where our most vulnerable populations own and live. I believe that this approach is inappropriate for our District 6 neighbors, but long overdue with the 13 business owners in the Glenmont Shopping Center that is stifling economic development in that area.
Please forward your comments to: VickiV4Us@gmail.com
District 7
Of primary concern is the rapidly rising rate of violent crime. I would recommend establishing a Citizen/Police Task Force that would identify the types and locations of the criminal activity (i.e, commercial business districts and multi-family dwellings), define potential causes, and then propose a range of solutions, each of which would identify the responsible parties for implementation and have an attached cost. From that, I would encourage the Task Force to develop a five-year plan with budgets to present to the Council’s Public Safety Committee. Special attention should be paid to the impact of public safety on economic development and vice-versa.
Other issues of concern needing solutions are the nexus of development with transportation
(i.e., walkability, bikeability, public transit, traffic congestion for which impact taxes were collected but did not result in roadways); overcrowding of schools; and limited housing inventory that is neither affordable nor diverse enough to serve the population.
Please forward your comments to: VickiV4Us@gmail.co
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