SOME ON ROCKVILLE COUNCIL IMPATIENT WITH ROCKVILLE PIKE PLAN PROGRESS

Is the Rockville Planning Commission taking too long to produce the final draft of a new Rockville Pike Plan for approval by the Mayor and Council? The answer varies among city elected officials. Councilmember Beryl Feinberg brought up the issue at the March 17 Mayor and Council meeting, under the Future Agendas item.

Feinberg requested that an update on the commission's Pike Plan progress be scheduled for a future meeting, saying that - in her view - "it's been stalled." Mayor Bridget Newton said her perception is directly the opposite. "I don't think it's stalled at all," Newton responded, adding that the "Planning Commission has been working hard on that."

"They have had this plan for years," Councilmember Tom Moore countered. Moore said recent decisions by the commission to further study some elements of the plan "alarmed some of us."

Several councilmembers reached a consensus that summoning Planning Commission Chair Don Hadley to provide an update at a future meeting would be satisfactory. Feinberg said she is seeking a "timeline for completion," and the ability of the council to "have our input to what's going on."

"What's going on," of course, is really more a projection of underlying tension between factions, with very different visions for future development in the city of Rockville. It's also an interesting study in the specific power, and influence, the office of mayor holds in the city. While the outcome of November's election appeared to favor the more pro-development Team Rockville faction, the ability of a mayor to strongly influence the makeup of commissions can allow him or her to still have a significant impact on major decisions.

Choices made by former mayor Phyllis Marcuccio have had just such an impact on the Pike Plan, and the process. When the plan process was, indeed, started "years" ago, there was a much more favorable majority for a high-density plan on the Planning Commission. There was a sense that the process was, if anything, moving too swiftly for some at that time. But with the exception of Jerry Callistein, Marcuccio's approved nominees have taken a decidedly more skeptical view of whether or not Rockville should rush to be just like White Flint.

Not only have the originally-proposed building heights come into question, but aspects of the plan glossed over by the well-paid consultants - and in the initial discussions - have come under more scrutiny. Hadley took a deliberate, thoughtful approach as a commissioner, and his elevation to chair has permitted the commission to operate in a similar fashion. New commissioners Jack Leiderman, Charles Littlefield and Anne Goodman have brought a fresh approach. Leiderman in particular has convinced many colleagues, and even city staff, to question points in the draft plan that had previously just been accepted as fact or fate. And many more of the concerns raised by the majority of citizens, who opposed the draft as written, have been taken into account.

As a result, the plan that will be sent to the council will be notably different than the one many had expected to be approved by 2012. While at this point still far more urban than today's Pike, many fairly radical proposals have been scaled back.

A plan that will have major impacts on the city, and particularly upon the neighborhoods that border the Pike Plan area, deserves a thorough process. With White Flint's radical changes still unproven to be financially sustainable or wise planning, there's no urgent need to rush completion of this document.

TACO BELL BREAKFAST PHONE UNBOXING (VIDEO)

Taco Bell sent me a special package: a Taco Bell Breakfast Phone! As you've probably heard, Taco Bell is launching breakfast nationwide this Thursday, March 27. Let's open the package, and see what the Breakfast Phone is all about.

Apparently, Taco Bell will be sending text messages and voicemails with "secret missions" to carry out, related to the Taco Bell Breakfast theme. What other surprises does the phone have in store between now and Thursday?

Stay tuned, because you know as much as I do.

PIKE AND ROSE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

The massive construction operation continues at Mid-Pike Plaza on Rockville Pike, in the rapidly-developing White Flint area. The main shopping center building at Mid-Pike Plaza is officially closed to the public now, with only construction personnel and vehicle being allowed to physically access the property at this point. A separate retail center on the property, with a Starbucks, remains accessible to the public.

What you're seeing here are primarily two luxury apartment buildings (PerSei, delivering this year; and Pallas, delivering in 2015), an office building (11800 Grand Park Avenue), as well as the related retail, iPic Theater and parking facilities. I'm still struck by how similar Grand Park Avenue (looks from Old Georgetown Road) to an early construction photo I have from Rockville Town Square. I think the reason for this, is that - temporarily - the scene in the distance is very similar. You have the canyon created by the buildings on either side of the street. But in the distance, flat ground, much like what is north of Rockville Town Square.

The outcome will be radically different at Pike and Rose, however. That is for one key reason: Federal Realty owns the land beyond these buildings, unlike the situation at Rockville Town Square. Whereas town center Phase II has stalled out in Rockville, the town center at Pike and Rose will be larger in scale, by the end of all phases of construction.

PerSei luxury apartments,
now leasing

PerSei marketing banner
with Pike and Rose branding

A variety of brick colors

Floor-to-ceiling windows
in these units

Streetlamps installed

Old Georgetown Road will
be reconfigured to have
a traditional intersection,
instead of the existing curve

One of the tower cranes
on-site

Plenty of sun on this side of
the building

11800 Grand Park Avenue (center) and
Pallas (left of center)

11800 Grand Park Avenue

Interesting stone detail

BEEKEEPING HOW-TO PRESENTATION, AND LOCAL HONEY TASTING, SATURDAY IN ROCKVILLE

BZzzzzzzz. You'll be hearing that a lot in the months ahead around Rockville. Bee season is just about upon us, but the positive side of bees is the topic at a free presentation this Saturday, March 22, at Dawson's Market.

Come out to Rockville Town Square tomorrow at 2:00 PM, and learn all about beekeeping from an expert, Marie Rojas, of the Montgomery County Beekeepers Association.

Find out what to expect in your first year as a novice beekeeper. Learn the tricks of the trade, like how to protect yourself, where to place hives in your yard, and the surprisingly complex behavior of bees.

Afterward, enjoy a free tasting of local honey. Space is limited, so RSVP at customer service, or call 240-428-1386 to reserve your spot.

Dawson's Market

225 N. Washington St.

in

Rockville Town Square

ROCKVILLE RESIDENT QUESTIONS PROPOSED REFUSE FEE INCREASE

David Thomas, a resident of Hungerford in Rockville, questioned the proposed increase in refuse fees in the draft of the city's next budget. Speaking at Monday night's Mayor and Council meeting, Thomas noted that funds were previously designated to be moved from the refuse fee funds to other expenditures. He said such a transfer "means you had plenty in the refuse fund at this point."

ROCKVILLE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETS THURSDAY MORNING

The Rockville Development Review Committee will meet tomorrow morning, March 20, at 10:00 AM, in the Black Eyed Susan Conference Room at Rockville City Hall. On the agenda are two projects: a self-storage facility at 1175 Taft Street, and a 740 square foot addition to a child care facility at 850 Nelson Street.

ROCKVILLE TO BACK CURRENT ETHICS STANDARDS IN ANNAPOLIS

Rockville's city council last night voted to send a letter to District 17 legislators in the Maryland General Assembly, notifying them that the city supports the current ethics standards demanded of all elected officials in the state. Legislation that would alter the ethics reporting requirements is on the table in Annapolis.

Councilmember Tom Moore, who has been a strong advocate of the tightened reporting standards adopted a few years ago, warned his colleagues to oppose any efforts to weaken the existing requirements. Mayor Bridget Newton said she believes some of the information demanded is beyond what is necessary or appropriate. Moore said every piece of property owned by a public official, regardless of how it was obtained or its geographic location, should be known to the public.

A majority of the council agreed with Moore's support for the current law, voting 3-2 to send a letter backing today's standards to Annapolis. Voting in favor were councilmembers Moore, Julie Palakovich Carr and Beryl Feinberg. Opposed were Newton and Councilmember Virginia Onley.

Some municipalities have opposed the recent standards, citing privacy concerns and a reduction in those willing to run for office and make such extensive disclosures. Others, such as Moore, have said having the full story on what a politician owns is essential knowledge for voters, in order to reveal any and all conflicts of interest.