Councilman Leventhal,
Subject: Webb Tract Vote
Thank you for following up on my Citizen-Centric Consensus Report to the County Council. I do appreciate learning that this served to inform you on the issues.
However, you stated incorrectly that I had seen the “letter that the Council received from the MidCounty Citizens Alliance which represents the neighbors of the Webb Tract”. I had not seen the letter before you sent it to me. You need to understand that MidCounty Citizens Alliance may represent some of the neighbors of the Webb Tract, but it does not represent all the neighbors of the Webb Tract. Notably absent from its representation are at least the Montgomery Village Foundation and its Webb Tract Committee, East Village where the signatories of the letter reside, Whetstone which has traffic concerns along Centerway Road and Goshen Road, and Hunters Woods which possesses no HOA structure.
Needless to say I was disappointed in the 6-2 vote taken by the County Council in favor of immediately purchasing the entire Webb Track both Phase I and Phase II. Beyond that I was especially disappointed in the failure of the process. The flip in the position of several Council members including yours was astonishing.
At the September 17 TEI committee meeting, it was decided to recommend option 2 to purchase just the East side now and to wait until December to act on the West side since the County Executives representative when asked could identify no harm in waiting.
Just prior to the September 22 session of the full County Council, Miller & Smith changed the game at the last minute by offering the County $225,000 in incentives to consummate an immediate purchase. These incentives were composed of a price reduction of $75,000 and the Miller & Smith carrying costs for September to December of $150,000. The carrying charges of $150,000 are now the burden of the County and its taxpayers; therefore, this portion does not represent a cost reduction that delivers any savings to the County at all. We are left with a miniscule price reduction of $75,000, an insignificant savings of about a quarter of one percent of the Phase II purchase.
In another last minute move, the County Council on September 22 chose to react to the MidCounty Citizen's Alliance Webb Tract Development Resident's Concerns and Questions report as if it were breaking news. George, the report dated September 14 was available to you earlier at the September 17 TEI committee meeting and its contents would have served to inform the committee recommendation to the full County Council. The report stated, “MCAA and the communities surrounding the Webb Tract recognize that development will take place on the property and we are in agreement that the county will be a better neighbor than others who could build there.” This statement did not mention or press for the Phase II purchase at this time yet it was improperly exploited to garner the vote by some and to justify the vote by others.
We have established that there was no harm in waiting until December, but what is the harm in this premature purchase?
1. The County Council has taken an action that presumes at least in part the outcome of the Gaithersburg West Master Plan decision process.
2. The MCCA and the citizens of Montgomery Village have lost negotiating leverage and power with the County Executive’s office.
3. In the event that the $100M PSTA relocation project is dubbed unaffordable with a scaled back Gaithersburg West Master Plan implementation depreciating the expected sales value of the land or Gaithersburg West Master Plan decision making becomes tangled and protracted, the County may choose to abandon its plans to relocate the PSTA and cast about for another County facility to populate the Webb Tract.
4. The consideration of alternate facilities was alluded to by the County Council at the September 22 meeting. The motivation for doing this lies in the need to vacate the Shady Grove Metro Development area along Crabbs Branch Way and this would place the dreaded bus depot back on the table.
This was not Montgomery County government at its best. Throughout all this, the only saving grace for the County has been Council President Phil Andrews whose integrity and common sense stood out among all others.
Best Regards,
Don O’Neill
Montgomery Village
Whetstone
Friday, September 25, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
July 28, 2009 Testimony to County Council
Montgomery County Council Meeting, July 28, 2009
Testimony on Webb Tract Funding Proposal
CIP Project #470907
Don O’Neill, Montgomery Village Resident
(301) 990-0377, ONeillDon@aol.com
I am Don O’Neill, a resident of Montgomery Village. Citizens are opposed to the relocation of County facilities to the Webb Tract. Inspired by these aroused citizens, HOA boards across Montgomery Village have voted unanimously in opposition to the Webb Tract in its entirety. The attention of the community is now riveted on your decision.
The County Executive has too eagerly traded away the quality of life of its citizens for easily promised yet uncertain economic development. Well times are bad, and the Smart Growth Initiative is not looking very smart and is even described as “lacking elements of perfection” by the Planning Board Chairman . Grandiose visions and political legacies must be set aside. You must reject this “buy now, pay later” credit card thinking which has destroyed our economy.
I urge you not to be an enabler for this imperfect project and not to approve the funding request for the purchase of the Webb Tract. In the business climate we find ourselves in, companies are pleased when they find ways to drop pennies to the bottom line. Yet we find ourselves in a County where the County Executive’s vision would drop hundreds of millions of dollars to the deficit line for a Science City seen by one Planning Commissioner as a “Science blob”.
The Webb Tract has been divided into two acquisitions, a Phase I purchase no later than September 30 and a Phase II subject to approval of the relocation of the PSTA .
1. I urge you to postpone the Phase I purchase option until the design and planning of the Multi-Agency Service Park are further along so that there is an in-depth and conclusive basis for decision-making. This should begin with an objective site selection evaluation study for each facility.
2. The tilt towards Rapid Bus away from Light Rail for the CCT reduces the basis and impetus for relocating the PSTA to the Webb Tract . So I urge you to set aside any consideration of the Phase II purchase involving the PSTA until the macro issues weighing on the Gaithersburg West decision are fully unraveled and sorted out.
We are depending on you to put an end to this shell game. Relieve both the political pressure you are feeling and the anxiety Montgomery Village residents are feeling. Reject the funding request for the Webb Tract purchase, both Phase I and Phase II.
Testimony on Webb Tract Funding Proposal
CIP Project #470907
Don O’Neill, Montgomery Village Resident
(301) 990-0377, ONeillDon@aol.com
I am Don O’Neill, a resident of Montgomery Village. Citizens are opposed to the relocation of County facilities to the Webb Tract. Inspired by these aroused citizens, HOA boards across Montgomery Village have voted unanimously in opposition to the Webb Tract in its entirety. The attention of the community is now riveted on your decision.
The County Executive has too eagerly traded away the quality of life of its citizens for easily promised yet uncertain economic development. Well times are bad, and the Smart Growth Initiative is not looking very smart and is even described as “lacking elements of perfection” by the Planning Board Chairman . Grandiose visions and political legacies must be set aside. You must reject this “buy now, pay later” credit card thinking which has destroyed our economy.
I urge you not to be an enabler for this imperfect project and not to approve the funding request for the purchase of the Webb Tract. In the business climate we find ourselves in, companies are pleased when they find ways to drop pennies to the bottom line. Yet we find ourselves in a County where the County Executive’s vision would drop hundreds of millions of dollars to the deficit line for a Science City seen by one Planning Commissioner as a “Science blob”.
The Webb Tract has been divided into two acquisitions, a Phase I purchase no later than September 30 and a Phase II subject to approval of the relocation of the PSTA .
1. I urge you to postpone the Phase I purchase option until the design and planning of the Multi-Agency Service Park are further along so that there is an in-depth and conclusive basis for decision-making. This should begin with an objective site selection evaluation study for each facility.
2. The tilt towards Rapid Bus away from Light Rail for the CCT reduces the basis and impetus for relocating the PSTA to the Webb Tract . So I urge you to set aside any consideration of the Phase II purchase involving the PSTA until the macro issues weighing on the Gaithersburg West decision are fully unraveled and sorted out.
We are depending on you to put an end to this shell game. Relieve both the political pressure you are feeling and the anxiety Montgomery Village residents are feeling. Reject the funding request for the Webb Tract purchase, both Phase I and Phase II.
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Webb Tract issues have advanced along several dimensions
1. The County has accepted the Route Protocol, and the County Executive has made a commitment to its implementation.
2. The County has compiled extensive traffic flow data for each of the four occupants of the Webb Tract.
a. The PSTA accounts for 57% of the traffic load and determines the shape of the time of day traffic flow curve.
b. The MNCPPC Central Maintenance dominates the three remaining occupants.
3. Lot 7 of the Webb Tract sized at 8 acres will become a park. The County Executive has made a commitment to this transfer to Park and Planning and it has been discussed with Royce Hanson.
4. No commitment to a sound wall has been made. Instead the County strategy is to mitigate noise at its source wherever possible before considering a sound wall which must be justified on the basis of engineering data.
5. The County has reneged on its commitment to confine siren noise to inside the vehicle as once promised. The County Executive’s representative says that the technology is not there.
6. The Mandatory Referral on the Webb Tract Site Selection Public meeting on July 27 was a sham. I wrote a strong letter to Royce Hanson objecting to the disingenuous tactics the County used and demanded a do over. The letter appeared in the Planning Report which highlighted the citizen concern over the correspondence among site layout diagrams.
7. The Howard County PSTA was identified to the County Council as the “state of the art” in PSTA’s. I visited the James N. Robey Public Safety Training Center last week to see for myself what was so special at this facility.
a. This project on 38 acres bordering a landfill is being accomplished on a 10 year $35M CIP.
b. It is served by a superior road system [I-70 and Route 32].
c. However, there serious limitations:
i. There is no flashover training capability, Furthermore, Howard County fire and safety personnel travel to Montgomery County PSTA to receive flashover training. The Webb Tract PSTA will also not have flashover training capability, which Chief Bowers considers essential.
ii. The burn building is just 3 stories. The Webb Tract plan is for 4 stories and the proposed 6 stories met airport resistance by the FAA.
iii. There was no driving track in evidence. Capt. Foss of the Montgomery County PSTA confirmed that there is no high speed driving track at the Howard County PSTC.
d. A great many homes are for sale at the Sand Hill Estates community bordering the site. I have requested the County Executive’s representative to conduct an economic study to determine what impact this PSTA has had on house prices, and she agreed to do this.
2. The County has compiled extensive traffic flow data for each of the four occupants of the Webb Tract.
a. The PSTA accounts for 57% of the traffic load and determines the shape of the time of day traffic flow curve.
b. The MNCPPC Central Maintenance dominates the three remaining occupants.
3. Lot 7 of the Webb Tract sized at 8 acres will become a park. The County Executive has made a commitment to this transfer to Park and Planning and it has been discussed with Royce Hanson.
4. No commitment to a sound wall has been made. Instead the County strategy is to mitigate noise at its source wherever possible before considering a sound wall which must be justified on the basis of engineering data.
5. The County has reneged on its commitment to confine siren noise to inside the vehicle as once promised. The County Executive’s representative says that the technology is not there.
6. The Mandatory Referral on the Webb Tract Site Selection Public meeting on July 27 was a sham. I wrote a strong letter to Royce Hanson objecting to the disingenuous tactics the County used and demanded a do over. The letter appeared in the Planning Report which highlighted the citizen concern over the correspondence among site layout diagrams.
7. The Howard County PSTA was identified to the County Council as the “state of the art” in PSTA’s. I visited the James N. Robey Public Safety Training Center last week to see for myself what was so special at this facility.
a. This project on 38 acres bordering a landfill is being accomplished on a 10 year $35M CIP.
b. It is served by a superior road system [I-70 and Route 32].
c. However, there serious limitations:
i. There is no flashover training capability, Furthermore, Howard County fire and safety personnel travel to Montgomery County PSTA to receive flashover training. The Webb Tract PSTA will also not have flashover training capability, which Chief Bowers considers essential.
ii. The burn building is just 3 stories. The Webb Tract plan is for 4 stories and the proposed 6 stories met airport resistance by the FAA.
iii. There was no driving track in evidence. Capt. Foss of the Montgomery County PSTA confirmed that there is no high speed driving track at the Howard County PSTC.
d. A great many homes are for sale at the Sand Hill Estates community bordering the site. I have requested the County Executive’s representative to conduct an economic study to determine what impact this PSTA has had on house prices, and she agreed to do this.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Mandatory Referral Site Layout Issue
On September 10, 2009 the Montgomery County Planning Board took affirmative action on the following Webb Tract Resolutions.
--Item 10 Manatory Referral No. 09303-DGS-1
--Item 11 Preliminary Plan 12004018E- Limited Amendment, Centerpark
Unfortunately there was no one from the Montgomery Village Foundation, Webb Tract Committee, or the MidCounty Citizens Association to argue the case. There was one individual who valiantly argued the case for Hunters Woods. This is not Montgomery Village governance at its best!
More disturbing, Diane Schwartz-Jones presented a Site Layout not seen before. It did not correspond to the site layout shown by David Dise, Director of General Services, at the July 28 Mandatory Referral public review. In my comments contained as attachments in the August 27 report to the Montgomery County Planning Board, I identified the site layout as an issue. The County highlighted this in the body of the report on page 10 when it stated, "The lack of availability of a layout plan for the subject property" as a community concern. Showing the public an obsolete site layout on July 28 and showing the Planning Commission a revised site layout on September 10 is underhanded, unprofessional, and disingenuous. This is not Montgomery County government at its best!
--Item 10 Manatory Referral No. 09303-DGS-1
--Item 11 Preliminary Plan 12004018E- Limited Amendment, Centerpark
Unfortunately there was no one from the Montgomery Village Foundation, Webb Tract Committee, or the MidCounty Citizens Association to argue the case. There was one individual who valiantly argued the case for Hunters Woods. This is not Montgomery Village governance at its best!
More disturbing, Diane Schwartz-Jones presented a Site Layout not seen before. It did not correspond to the site layout shown by David Dise, Director of General Services, at the July 28 Mandatory Referral public review. In my comments contained as attachments in the August 27 report to the Montgomery County Planning Board, I identified the site layout as an issue. The County highlighted this in the body of the report on page 10 when it stated, "The lack of availability of a layout plan for the subject property" as a community concern. Showing the public an obsolete site layout on July 28 and showing the Planning Commission a revised site layout on September 10 is underhanded, unprofessional, and disingenuous. This is not Montgomery County government at its best!
Citizen Concerns and County Actions Needed
+ A. Maintain lots 6 & 7 as green space: Follow through on commitment made on parkland designation. Execution Trustworthiness
+ B. Build a sound wall between the PSTA driving track and residential areas: Obtain an unconditional commitment from the County Executive to build a sound wall between the PSTA driving track and residential areas.
+ C. Establish “no drive zones”, aka “route protocol”: Follow through on commitment made on adopting and enforcing the route protocol.
- D. PSTA Burn Building: Reconcile the height of the burn building against the state of the art Howard County facility.
- E. Hours of operation for PSTA: Reconcile the impact on the community of a 6:00am to 11:30pm operation. Reconcile the hours of operation against the state of the art Howard County facility.
- F. Limit use of emergency lights and sirens: Reconcile the impact on the community through the use of emergency lights and sirens.
- G. What are the county’s plans for traffic flow?: Reconcile the impact on the community of increased traffic.
- H. Snouffer School Rd. widening will place the road very close to homes in East Village and Hunters Woods: Reconcile the impact on the community of widening Snouffer School Road. Traffic engineering
- I. Environmentally, what is the long-range effect of propane gas, diesel fumes, theatrical smoke, etc.?: Reconcile the risk to the community due to the long- range effect of propane gas, diesel fumes, theatrical smoke, etc.
- J. Public health-wise, what are the long-term affects of smoke from burn building, combustion of propane for fire training, diesel exhaust, pollutants from heavy vehicle maintenance yard?: Reconcile the risk to the community of long-term affects of smoke from burn building, combustion of propane for fire training, diesel exhaust, pollutants from heavy vehicle maintenance yard.
- K. Safety-wise, there are concerns about storage of large quantities of propane, diesel fuel and gasoline at the end of an active runway for Montgomery County Airpark: Reconcile the risk to the community of storage of large quantities of propane, diesel fuel and gasoline at the end of an active runway for Montgomery County Airpark.
- L. What is the plan? Residents still do not know exactly what the county has planned?: Acknowledge that citizens do not know what the plan is. Reconcile the impact on the community on the lack of readiness and preparation for the Webb Tract development.
+ M. What will the county do for residents of East Village, Eastgate, the greater Montgomery Village area, Hunters Woods, Hadley Farms and other surrounding communities?: Follow through on conducting an economic impact study on Sand Hill Estates.
- N. Parks Department Maintenance Facility Site Selection: Revise the site selection study and include citizen sentiment as an evaluation criterion.
- O. Public Safety Training Academy Site Selection: Produce a site selection study and include citizen sentiment as an evaluation criterion.
- P. MCPS Food Distribution Warehouse Site Selection: Produce a site selection study and include citizen sentiment as an evaluation criterion.
- Q. School System Maintenance Operation Site Selection: Produce a site selection study and include citizen sentiment as an evaluation criterion.
- R. Unhealthy Economic Status: Move selected strategic planning milestones to the right by six months to better synchronize the capability of producers and the needs of consumers. Postpone the Smart Growth Initiative until the economy recovers.
+ B. Build a sound wall between the PSTA driving track and residential areas: Obtain an unconditional commitment from the County Executive to build a sound wall between the PSTA driving track and residential areas.
+ C. Establish “no drive zones”, aka “route protocol”: Follow through on commitment made on adopting and enforcing the route protocol.
- D. PSTA Burn Building: Reconcile the height of the burn building against the state of the art Howard County facility.
- E. Hours of operation for PSTA: Reconcile the impact on the community of a 6:00am to 11:30pm operation. Reconcile the hours of operation against the state of the art Howard County facility.
- F. Limit use of emergency lights and sirens: Reconcile the impact on the community through the use of emergency lights and sirens.
- G. What are the county’s plans for traffic flow?: Reconcile the impact on the community of increased traffic.
- H. Snouffer School Rd. widening will place the road very close to homes in East Village and Hunters Woods: Reconcile the impact on the community of widening Snouffer School Road. Traffic engineering
- I. Environmentally, what is the long-range effect of propane gas, diesel fumes, theatrical smoke, etc.?: Reconcile the risk to the community due to the long- range effect of propane gas, diesel fumes, theatrical smoke, etc.
- J. Public health-wise, what are the long-term affects of smoke from burn building, combustion of propane for fire training, diesel exhaust, pollutants from heavy vehicle maintenance yard?: Reconcile the risk to the community of long-term affects of smoke from burn building, combustion of propane for fire training, diesel exhaust, pollutants from heavy vehicle maintenance yard.
- K. Safety-wise, there are concerns about storage of large quantities of propane, diesel fuel and gasoline at the end of an active runway for Montgomery County Airpark: Reconcile the risk to the community of storage of large quantities of propane, diesel fuel and gasoline at the end of an active runway for Montgomery County Airpark.
- L. What is the plan? Residents still do not know exactly what the county has planned?: Acknowledge that citizens do not know what the plan is. Reconcile the impact on the community on the lack of readiness and preparation for the Webb Tract development.
+ M. What will the county do for residents of East Village, Eastgate, the greater Montgomery Village area, Hunters Woods, Hadley Farms and other surrounding communities?: Follow through on conducting an economic impact study on Sand Hill Estates.
- N. Parks Department Maintenance Facility Site Selection: Revise the site selection study and include citizen sentiment as an evaluation criterion.
- O. Public Safety Training Academy Site Selection: Produce a site selection study and include citizen sentiment as an evaluation criterion.
- P. MCPS Food Distribution Warehouse Site Selection: Produce a site selection study and include citizen sentiment as an evaluation criterion.
- Q. School System Maintenance Operation Site Selection: Produce a site selection study and include citizen sentiment as an evaluation criterion.
- R. Unhealthy Economic Status: Move selected strategic planning milestones to the right by six months to better synchronize the capability of producers and the needs of consumers. Postpone the Smart Growth Initiative until the economy recovers.
Route Protocol
The County Executive will sign an Executive Order adopting a route protocol to be agreed upon.
The Route Protocol purpose and definition are as follows:
1. As the County moves ahead with the Smart Growth Initiative and the Shady Grove Metro area development, numerous dislocations and relocations of County facilities will be necessary. The County plans include taking over the Webb Tract adjacent to Montgomery Village to accommodate some of these relocations including the Public Safety Training Academy, the MCPS Food Distribution Warehouse, the County Parks Department Facility Maintenance Complex, and the School System's Maintenance Operation.
2. The “no drive zones” would serve to insulate the community from the effects of these traffic impacts by specifying the streets to be avoided by delivery trucks and other vehicles coming and going from the Webb Tract. The streets to avoid include Centerway Road, Goshen Road, Montgomery Village Avenue, Wightman Road, Lewisberry Road, and East Village Avenue.
3. The Route Protocol would implement the “no drive zones” by providing explicit shipping and receiving instructions including route instructions for arrivals and departures at the Webb Tract. The Route Protocol for arrivals would instruct trucks destined for the Webb Tract to take I-270 or Route 355 to Shady Grove and then to Snouffer School Road. The Route Protocol for departures would instruct the driver to exit left on Snouffer School Road, proceed past Centerway to Route 124 and then to Shady Grove Road.
4. Two specific exceptions from complying with the Route Protocol Policy are identified as Personal Patrol Vehicles (PPV) and Fire Trucks on call. As a clarification, Fire Trucks designated as backup are exempt from the Route Protocol both en route to and departing from the Webb Tract.
The Route Protocol purpose and definition are as follows:
1. As the County moves ahead with the Smart Growth Initiative and the Shady Grove Metro area development, numerous dislocations and relocations of County facilities will be necessary. The County plans include taking over the Webb Tract adjacent to Montgomery Village to accommodate some of these relocations including the Public Safety Training Academy, the MCPS Food Distribution Warehouse, the County Parks Department Facility Maintenance Complex, and the School System's Maintenance Operation.
2. The “no drive zones” would serve to insulate the community from the effects of these traffic impacts by specifying the streets to be avoided by delivery trucks and other vehicles coming and going from the Webb Tract. The streets to avoid include Centerway Road, Goshen Road, Montgomery Village Avenue, Wightman Road, Lewisberry Road, and East Village Avenue.
3. The Route Protocol would implement the “no drive zones” by providing explicit shipping and receiving instructions including route instructions for arrivals and departures at the Webb Tract. The Route Protocol for arrivals would instruct trucks destined for the Webb Tract to take I-270 or Route 355 to Shady Grove and then to Snouffer School Road. The Route Protocol for departures would instruct the driver to exit left on Snouffer School Road, proceed past Centerway to Route 124 and then to Shady Grove Road.
4. Two specific exceptions from complying with the Route Protocol Policy are identified as Personal Patrol Vehicles (PPV) and Fire Trucks on call. As a clarification, Fire Trucks designated as backup are exempt from the Route Protocol both en route to and departing from the Webb Tract.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
September 17, 2009 Testimony to County Council
Montgomery County Council Public Hearing, September 17, 2009
Testimony on Planning Board Draft Gaithersburg West Master Plan
Don O’Neill, Montgomery Village Resident
ONeillDon@aol.com
I am Don O’Neill, a resident of Montgomery Village. I oppose the relocation of the PSTA. The core issue is whether the planned investment of $25 million to overhaul the existing facility would be better applied to a new PSTA at a different location.
1. The Master Plan argues, “The County recognizes that all PSTA needs cannot be satisfied at this location with its limited expansion capability and has identified a site where the PSTA could be relocated.”
2. The PSTA sits on 52-acres and is served by a superior road system. The County Executive would rather abandon this site and spend $125M to place a “state of the art” facility on the Webb Tract in Montgomery Village.
3. How does the current PSTA compare with Howard County’s James N. Robey Public Safety Training Center located just off I-70 at the edge of a landfill? Dedicated in 2007, this 38-acre facility is being accomplished on a 10-year $35M CIP and is identified as a “state of the art” facility despite having no flashover training capability, no high-speed driving track, and only a three-story burn building. Howard County fire and safety personnel must travel to the Montgomery County PSTA for their flashover training.
4. The County’s Smart Growth Initiative web page poses the right question when it asks, “If the current PSTA occupies 52 acres, how will you fit it on 29 acres?” The web page blithely responds, “The present facility has added many additional buildings over the past 30 years which are scattered on the parcel. The future PSTA site will be constructed to accommodate all its necessary functions in a more efficient manner.” Why then will the future PSTA not be equipped with flashover training considered necessary and essential by Fire Chief Bowers ?
5. How can a smaller site support the needs of the PSTA and provide for an expansion capability? The claim to “accommodate necessary functions in a more efficient manner” was made without the benefit of a site plan, crucial evidence to buttress such an assertion. The County Executive’s request for $1.6M for a Webb Tract relocation plan is tacit acknowledgement of this missing evidence.
6. The facts do not support the Planning Board assertion that “all PSTA needs cannot be satisfied at this location...” To the contrary, the current site exceeds the capability of the vaunted “state of the art” facility in Howard County. With the planned $25M renovation, this site would substantially meet the projected requirements for fire and police training. On the other hand, the $125M Webb Tract PSTA relocation would fall short of matching the capability of the current PSTA, now emerging as the true “state of the art” facility.
Testimony on Planning Board Draft Gaithersburg West Master Plan
Don O’Neill, Montgomery Village Resident
ONeillDon@aol.com
I am Don O’Neill, a resident of Montgomery Village. I oppose the relocation of the PSTA. The core issue is whether the planned investment of $25 million to overhaul the existing facility would be better applied to a new PSTA at a different location.
1. The Master Plan argues, “The County recognizes that all PSTA needs cannot be satisfied at this location with its limited expansion capability and has identified a site where the PSTA could be relocated.”
2. The PSTA sits on 52-acres and is served by a superior road system. The County Executive would rather abandon this site and spend $125M to place a “state of the art” facility on the Webb Tract in Montgomery Village.
3. How does the current PSTA compare with Howard County’s James N. Robey Public Safety Training Center located just off I-70 at the edge of a landfill? Dedicated in 2007, this 38-acre facility is being accomplished on a 10-year $35M CIP and is identified as a “state of the art” facility despite having no flashover training capability, no high-speed driving track, and only a three-story burn building. Howard County fire and safety personnel must travel to the Montgomery County PSTA for their flashover training.
4. The County’s Smart Growth Initiative web page poses the right question when it asks, “If the current PSTA occupies 52 acres, how will you fit it on 29 acres?” The web page blithely responds, “The present facility has added many additional buildings over the past 30 years which are scattered on the parcel. The future PSTA site will be constructed to accommodate all its necessary functions in a more efficient manner.” Why then will the future PSTA not be equipped with flashover training considered necessary and essential by Fire Chief Bowers ?
5. How can a smaller site support the needs of the PSTA and provide for an expansion capability? The claim to “accommodate necessary functions in a more efficient manner” was made without the benefit of a site plan, crucial evidence to buttress such an assertion. The County Executive’s request for $1.6M for a Webb Tract relocation plan is tacit acknowledgement of this missing evidence.
6. The facts do not support the Planning Board assertion that “all PSTA needs cannot be satisfied at this location...” To the contrary, the current site exceeds the capability of the vaunted “state of the art” facility in Howard County. With the planned $25M renovation, this site would substantially meet the projected requirements for fire and police training. On the other hand, the $125M Webb Tract PSTA relocation would fall short of matching the capability of the current PSTA, now emerging as the true “state of the art” facility.
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