Councilmembers Divided on Wheaton Redevelopment Approach

In considering options for Wheaton redevelopment and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission headquarters, members of the Montgomery County Council found themselves equally divided on how to move forward at a joint committee meeting Wednesday.

Councilmembers Hans Riemer and Valerie Ervin joined Council President Nancy Navarro in supporting a "split project" approach in which Park and Planning could move forward with its plans for a new headquarters building south of Reedie Drive, separate from the redevelopment possibilities being explored for other parcels of county land in Wheaton.

Park and Planning prefers this option because it wants responsibility for its own building, Planning Board Chair Francoise Carrier said.

Councilmembers George Leventhal, Marc Elrich and Nancy Floreen argued in favor of a “developer proposal option” backed by County Executive Isiah Leggett. The county would solicit proposals from the private sector for redeveloping multiple projects in Wheaton together, including the Park and Planning headquarters building.

“We know there’s private sector interest. We know it; they’ve been contacting us,” said Leventhal.

The council must also decide its preference and a set of criteria for the possibility of moving the county’s Department of Permitting Services and Department of Environmental Protection to Wheaton.

Although Leggett recommended against the move earlier this year because of its high costs, the request for proposal process he supports as part of the second option “might make a multi-agency building a more cost­ effective and feasible option,” he said in a May 7 memo to the council.

If the county does pursue the developer proposal option, it would put out to bid three publicly owned parcels of land in Wheaton: the Mid-County Regional Services Center site at 2424 Reedie Drive, Parking Lot 13 and Parking Lot 34 (located at 2510 Ennalls Ave).

Added to these would be 8787 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, where the Park and Planning headquarters is currently located. This property would be the one to attract developers, but for construction to occur there, Park and Planning would need to first relocate to a new headquarters in Wheaton.

With 8787 Georgia Avenue as the valuable land chip, the Reedie Drive site does not need to be part of this bundle, and letting Park and Planning manage it separately would help simplify the process, said Commissioner Norman Dreyfuss, a Planning Board member.

“If you put all your eggs in the basket of a joint development--having all the properties in one place--I think you risk not getting anything done quickly,” Dreyfuss told the committees.

Carrier and Dreyfuss said that Park and Planning has already discussed possible property acquisition with the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority, which owns land on the triangle between Georgia Avenue, Veirs Mill Road and Reedie Drive.

But Leventhal and Elrich firmly stated their opposition to land acquisition.

“I think it would be a serious mistake to buy more land when we already own land,” said Elrich.

“That makes no sense to me at all, when we’ve got a ton of land in the place we want to develop and then we’re looking to buy some more land," he said.

The full council will consider these options for Wheaton redevelopment at a worksession on Monday. The council must vote on proposed amendments for the Wheaton Redevelopment Program and the M-NCPPC headquarters in the county's CIP budget before the end of the month.

Related Links:

• Council Weighs Options for Park and Planning Headquarters
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• Wheaton Redevelopment: Different Site Considered for Park and Planning Headquarters 
• Report: Leggett Opposes Moving County Agencies to Park and Planning Headquarters in Wheaton 
• How to Voice Your Opinion About Wheaton Redevelopment