Rockville Council tables proposal to allow more school overcrowding until next week

There's still no compromise solution with majority support on the proposal to allow more overcrowding at Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville. A majority of the City Council voted to table the discussion last night, when the body had been expected to vote on the matter. Developer B.F. Saul had warned that if the city failed to loosen its Adequate Public Facility Standards to avoid a development moratorium, it is possible that their Twinbrook Quarter anchor tenant Wegmans could back out of the project.

B.F. Saul had said if the vote was postponed beyond last night, the Wegmans deal could be in jeopardy. The Mayor and Council will take up the matter again at their February 4 meeting, postponing a high-stakes, election-year "Wegmans vs. schools" vote by seven days.

AutoZone coming to Rockville

AutoZone Auto Parts is coming to Rockville. They will be opening in the former Patio.com store space at 824 Rockville Pike. Renovation of the building for the new store is now underway. Currently, the closest AutoZone is in Aspen Hill.

Montgomery College-Rockville water main break closes several campus buildings

A water main break this morning at the Rockville campus of Montgomery College has shuttered several buildings, and forced the cancellation of some classes today. The Counseling and Advising (CB), Music (MU), South Campus Instruction Building (SCIB), Parilla Performing Arts Center (PAC), and Art (ART) buildings are closed. All classes and activities in those buildings are canceled today, the college has announced.

Parking Lot 11 is also closed, which should make parking even more difficult in other lots later this morning.

You could be the next member of the Rockville City Council

Tired of shouting at the TV during Rockville Mayor and Council meetings? Now you can trade your recliner for a seat on the Rockville City Council. The Mayor and Council are now accepting applications from Rockville citizens interested in filling the just-vacated seat of Councilmember Julie Palakovich Carr, who was elected to the Maryland General Assembly last November.

If chosen by the Mayor and Council, you would serve out the remainder of Palakovich Carr's term until this November. You would then have the advantage of incumbency running in the November 5, 2019 Mayor and Council election.

It's easy to apply, by following the steps on the official city webpage for candidates interested in serving on the Council. The Mayor and Council will then hold candidate interviews on Saturday, March 2; and Tuesday, March 5. The interviews will be conducted in the Mayor and Council chambers at City Hall, 111 Maryland Ave, and will be broadcast live on Channel 11 and the internet.

Here's your chance to take on the criminal Montgomery County cartel, with actual power as an elected official. The deadline to apply is 5:00 PM on Friday, February 22, 2019.

Rockville public hearing on school overcrowding sets up dramatic vote next week

Rockville's Mayor and Council are no closer to a consensus on changing the city's Adequate Public Facilities Standards test for school overcrowding despite postponing the matter until after the holidays. Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton expressed disappointment that the extra time was consumed with "more finger-pointing," rather than solving the dilemma. The dilemma is shaping up as a vote on Wegmans as much as about schools, which is also the way it was framed prior to the holidays.

"I don't want this to be a 'Wegmans or schools' issue," developer B.F. Saul's Todd Pearson told the Mayor and Council at a packed meeting that continued past 11:00 PM last night. But Pearson added that he had "serious concerns" as to whether or not B.F. Saul could meet the requirements of its lease with the grocery giant if elected officials punt the decision past next Monday night. In December, Pearson had warned that Wegmans might back out of the deal if their timeline for the Twinbrook Quarter development is not met. Wegmans is currently expected to be the retail anchor of that development at the northeast corner of Rockville Pike and Halpine Road.

Councilmember Virginia Onley noted that Wegmans had already ended negotiations with Lerner at their former White Flint Mall site when that property became entangled in a prolonged court battle. The news of the store's lease at Twinbrook Quarter has been the main generator of excitement about the development among the public. But based on resident and civic association testimony last night, the public also largely opposes the proposed allowance of 150% of capacity school overcrowding.

"I'm not wedded to 150%," Councilmember Mark Pierzchala said after all testimony had been heard, expressing a willingness to "go lower" to reach a deal. Pierzchala was the one who proposed the changes now on the table last year. The changes were put forward after Pierzchala realized that existing 120% overcrowding standards would trigger a development moratorium, freezing the Twinbrook Quarter project until Montgomery County Public Schools provide new capacity (although some residents have pointed out that this was known over a year ago). Resident Brigitta Mullican suggested that the city entirely drop any school test from the APFS, arguing that MCPS has total control over the matter and the city has none.

With no new compromise proposals yet emerging, a dramatic showdown is set for next Monday night at 7:00 PM, when the Mayor and Council are scheduled to vote on the matter. The drama will not only be from the potential for an elected official to be blamed for losing Wegmans or worsening school overcrowding, but also from the fact that the body is short a member. The recent resignation of Councilember Julie Palakovich Carr, who was elected to the General Assembly last November, leaves an even number of voters on the Council. Newton and Councilmember Beryl Feinberg could counterbalance the "Team Rockville" votes of Onley and Pierzchala, resulting in deadlock.

Newton held out some hope for a mutually-beneficial compromise to be worked out in the next five days. "It's not a one-person decision. It's not a two-person decision. It's a city decision," she said.

Construction wall comes down at Drybar in Rockville

The construction barrier in front of the future Drybar at Pike & Rose has been taken down. While the salon's interior is still hidden from view, "coming soon" window screens are now installed. Drybar will be located on Grand Park Avenue, next to UNIQLO.

Meanwhile, there are similar window screens announcing the future arrival of Olive & Loom, also on Grand Park Avenue by Francesca's. Olive & Loom is a brand from the owner of Sabun Home at Bethesda Row. Its product line was originally was sold online and through Sabun Home's bricks-and-mortar location on Bethesda Lane, but now will get its own storefront here at Pike & Rose.

Rockville banking firm wins national award

Capital Bank N.A., a Rockville-based national commercial banking association, has received a national award for its innovative services in the small-and-medium size business sector. The company accepted an Impact Innovation Award at Aite Group's recent "Innovation in Cash Management and Payments Forum" in New York City.

"This recognition is a great validation of the consultative approach we take at Capital Bank in deploying client-facing technology, and extending the capabilities of the products we offer beyond its generic use," Capital Bank's VP of Product Development Nikhil Bijlani said yesterday. Bijlani has been invited to speak at the Deluxe Exchange conference next month in Miami. Capital Bank is located on Church Street, directly across from the Rockville Metro station.