Fire at Noodles and Company in Rockville Town Square

A kitchen fire brought Montgomery County Fire and Rescue personnel to Noodles and Company last night. The fire was quickly extinguished, and there were no injuries, according to MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer. However, there is no word - as of this writing - as to if the restaurant will reopen today, or the extent of the damage.

Montgomery County Civic Federation to preview the future of transportation on April 13

Montgomery County elected officials' widely-panned proposals for Bus Rapid Transit, and a powerful new taxing authority to force taxpayers to foot the bill for it, have generated rage and controversy countywide. But expensive transit projects are not the only way to address Montgomery County's nation-leading traffic congestion.

There are the county's long-delayed master plan highways, such as the Midcounty Highway Extended (M-83), Rockville Freeway and new Potomac River crossing to Northern Virginia, that need to be built. And there are ways to better manage our existing roads and highways, and bus service, through rapidly-advancing technology.

The Montgomery Civic Federation will be hosting an interesting discussion of the latter at its Monday, April 13 meeting, which will be held in the First Floor Auditorium of the County Council Office Building, at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville, at 7:45 PM.

Speakers at the Transportation of the Future seminar will include representatives for the United States Department of Transportation's Beyond Traffic initiative, and the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITSA). In addition, Christof Spieler, a member of the Metro board in Houston, Texas, will join the meeting via conference call.

According to Jim Zepp, MCCF First Vice President, Spieler will discuss how Houston was able to use technology to greatly improve existing bus service in the city - and unlike BRT or the ITA, this was accomplished at no cost to the taxpayer.

The meeting is free, and open to the public.

Hair Design Zone posts Coming Soon signage at Rockville Town Square (Photo)

Some coming soon signage has appeared at the future home of Hair Design Zone, at 141-C Gibbs Street in Rockville Town Square. Owner Juan Ma is a veteran of top salons in Japan.

Future Rockville hotel applies for liquor license

The future Cambria Suites hotel, nearing completion in Rockville Town Center, has applied for a liquor license. A hearing on the matter will be held on Thursday, April 16, at 11:30 AM by the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control's licensing board.

Rockville hotel switching to senior housing requests APFS waiver (Photo)

The Quality Suites at 1380 Piccard Drive wants to convert its building into senior housing, and has requested a waiver from Rockville's Adequate Public Facilities Standards requirements. Under their plan, the 219 room hotel would become a 203-unit seniors-only (age 62+) apartment building.

Their development application was approved by the city's planning chief, Jim Wasilak, on January 10. Because no exterior changes are being made to the building, the Chief of Planning was the approving authority in that case.

However, the applicant must obtain a minimum of 5 approving votes from the Planning Commission to receive the APFS waiver. Based on the current APFS standards, city planner Nicole Walters says the applicant is eligible for the waiver. The rules allow exemptions for "age-restricted residential uses."

The commission will take up the waiver request at its April 8 meeting, at 7:00 PM in City Hall.

Rockville construction update: Bainbridge Shady Grove apartments (Photos)

The future Bainbridge Shady Grove apartment building has come a long way since my last update. It actually now resembles the multi-colored facade found in the above rendering. "Reed Brothers Dodge - what's that?" It's the historic Dodge dealership this building replaces, a former landmark at 15955 Frederick Road.

Mayor, residents seek correction to Rockville Reports' APFS decision coverage

The characterization by official Rockville public relations materials that the Mayor and Council "declined to vote" on changes to the city's Adequate Public Facilities Standards on school capacity has generated some controversy among city officials and residents. 

Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton said "I think we need to correct the record," on the wording in Rockville Reports that the Mayor and Council "declined to vote" on changes to the APFS. Rockville Reports is the official city newsletter that is mailed to all residents, making it an influential source of information.

The "factually incorrect" statement created a "tsunami" of inaccurate coverage, Newton said. "The Gazette wrote it, Rockville Reports wrote it," and other communications included the characterization of the APFS decision, she said.

Councilmember Tom Moore disputed the inaccuracy of the statement. Newton said the characterization was "disingenuous," as Moore withdrew his motion when he realized it would fail. "You were the one who put it on your Facebook page first," that the council had declined to vote, she noted. 

Moore's motion, which would have weakened the city's APFS standards on school overcrowding, and put them in line with Montgomery County's lower standards, was withdrawn by the councilman at the February 9, 2015 Mayor and Council meeting.