Emily's Blog

Montgomery County Dept. of Environmental Protection Posts Resource Site

2012-01-22T08:34:00.001-05:00

This site, www.MyGreenMontgomery.org -

1. Search for local, state, and federal utility information for energy programs
2. Create your personal "green" plan
3. Comment on projects and join discussion groups
4. View calendar events
5. Central resource for public information on environmental and energy topics

Source: The Gazette, 1/18/12

Zoning Code Rewrite for Montgomery County

2011-12-08T16:06:00.001-05:00

Before starting this discussion, it's important to understand the difference between the master plan process and zoning. Zoning is the codification of rules that govern what can be built or what uses are allowable under a specific zoning classification. In the creation of a master plan, specific land parcels are assigned to zoning classifications. An owner of a property can look up the zoning classification for his/her property and should be able, from the zoning code, to determine what can and cannot be built there and what uses are allowable.

The following information is from a community meeting conducted last night by Parks and Planning at the Trinity Lutheran Church on Old Georgetown Road (thank you, Trinity, for donating the space!). This effort is my interpretation and understanding of the presentation.

Parks and Planning has been working on a new zoning code for the past three years.
The process is available to the public at www.zoningmontgomery.org.
Here are some background stats for our county:
1. The last rewrite was in 1977.
2. 49% of the county is in the agricultural reserve and parks, leaving 51% as "develop-able"
3. Of the 51%, only 4% remains today as available for new construction of any kind (as opposed to tear-downs and infill). the rest has been built upon.
4. 42% of the county land is residential, 97% of which is zoned for single family dwellings. Only 2.5% is multi-family residential.

The current zoning code is the most complicated and redundant code in the country. There are 121 zoning categories, and the code is in excess of 1152 pages long. There are many pages of charts simply listing the zoning categories; each one has multiple references and footnotes. It is extremely difficult for anyone who wants to build something here to figure out what they are allowed to do.

The new code is not finalized, but is reaching the stages for public comment, further refinement, and eventually, will be brought to the County Council for adoption. It will have a single chart page with all possible classifications. Once online, the public can click on a classification and be brought to all relevant information about allowable building envelope and uses.

Uses for any given classification will be P (Permitted), L (Limited), or C (Conditional). The old category of "special exception" will now be Conditional Use.

Examples of the new classifications are:
RLD20 (Residential Low Density, 20,000 sq. ft. minimum lot size), which replaces R200
RMD9 (Residential Medium Density, 9,000 sq. ft. minimum lot size), which replaces R90
EOF (Employment Office) will be a new commercial category. There will be several other E.. categories for science, education uses.

The residential categories will not change permitted uses from those in the current residential zoning code. Rumors of commercial activity or multi-family uses in currently-zoned residential neighborhoods are untrue. There will be some relaxing of standards for accessory or "granny" dwellings, allowing a maximum 800 sq. ft. attached accessory dwelling or 1200 sq. ft. detached accessory dwelling. There will be specific requirements for parking, limitation to number of residents, and limits on the number of such dwellings on a residential block. These do not allow two-family rental housing, but are designed for an owner-occupant to have an additional dwelling space within their own property.

The most noticeable changes to the zoning code, including in the residential categories, will be the concept of "setback planes." Currently, setbacks are based on the "footprint" of a building, with each zoning category specifying how many feet a side yard, front yard, or rear yard is to be set back from the lot line. There are also height limitations do not correct for topography (slope). The new code will introduce the equivalent of a 3-D "box" into which the new house must fit. There will be standards to determine how much a new building may pierce the box, known in the code as planes. This will prevent a new house from towering over its neighbors and will be easier to understand for builders and homeowners seeking to construct within an existing neighborhood.

The various Employment categories will be written to allow for different levels of mixed-use so that a new commercial development may have retail on the ground floor with residential units above. Current zoning only allows mixed use in certain transit areas, where the new zoning was imposed on top of old, outdated commercial zoning. In addition, developer applicants for new construction will have clear standards to meet. They may have the option of adding space or other design elements that they want by selecting public amenities from an established list to add to their project. During this meeting, there was discussion about bringing the public into the sketch plan process (early in the approval process) so that public input is gathered before county staff and the developers come to an private agreement.

In a discussion of the unfriendly nature of Executive Boulevard for transit and non-vehicular access, it was noted that this commercial area will be in the White Flint 2 master plan. Now that the White Flint Sector Plan has been adopted, this area will be examined next. It will be rezoned with the new classifications so that it is likely to include some residential and retail uses in the future.

Plans for a WalMart in the Pike Center (currently, Office Depot, Bagel City, TGIFridays are there with other retail stores) were discussed. So close to the Twinbrook Metro station, this property is decidedly unsuitable for a retailer that is 100% vehicle-dependent. The discussion of zoning for this property centered on how zoning could encourage transit-friendly uses and discourage a WalMart-type use.

The director of Parks and Planning, Rollin Stanley (who was the presenter at this meeting with several of his staff), has a blog. Go to www.montgomeryplanning.org and click on The Director's Blog.

Again, the zoning rewrite is available on www.zoningmontgomery.org. It is a work in process, and appears to be a vast improvement over the current system.

A Great Site for Innovation and Energy Consumption Information

2011-11-03T09:45:00.001-04:00

I've added a new link in the panel to the right... check it out, the Smithsonian Magazine has an online site devoted to eco-issues. Come back to it often for all new information.

Montrose Parkway Degrading Cabin John Watershed

2011-09-03T17:35:00.001-04:00

Thank you to Eliot Applestein for taking these photos, writing the analysis, and bringing it to the county's attention. Please let us know if you want to work on getting this problem addressed and fixed, insofar as the damage from the parkway can be fixed.

New solar-powered charging dock for electric vehicles

2011-08-09T13:24:00.000-04:00

Wildwood is the first location to have a tracking solar dock for charging any electric vehicle. The charging dock is powered by a solar array that uses GPS to follow the sun's movements and deliver maximum charge to the cars. Any electric or hybrid plug-in will be compatible with this dock, such as a Nissan Leaf, Prius plug-in, or Chevy Volt. Park your car, plug it in, and go shopping. When you come back to the car, you will have gained approx. 20 miles of driving range for each hour you were busy in the shopping center.

Check out the details and photos at the link below:

EV Charging Station on Old Georgetown Road

Want to test drive a Nissan Leaf electric car????

2011-08-05T15:28:00.000-04:00

Nissan has set up a demo station at Montgomery Mall (Westlake Terrace side near Macys) till sometime on Sunday, August 7. I walked in, registered, and was able to ask all kinds of questions, examine the car, drive it, and talk with a rep of the company that installs the charging docks. See below for my impressions.

Drivability: the car handles and drives very well, is comfortable, and includes nav, bluetooth, and other cool items. The more expensive model (approx. $37k before gov't rebate of about $7500) has a solar panel that trickle-charges the accessories, so the radio, etc. won't stress the batteries. It also has a backup camera and quick-charge outlet in addition to the standard charging outlet on the front of the car.
Batteries: lithium-ion cells set up on a rack that is bolted below the seats so that it can be removed from below the car when it is on a rack. Warranted for 8 yrs. or 100,000 miles, but engineered to still have 75% of charging capacity after 10 years. The nice thing about this is that single cells can be replaced, as opposed to my Civic Hybrid, which has one large battery. The battery array health is evaluated electronically in a yearly service, so that any poorly performing cells can be swapped out. Nice design.
Charging: charging takes 8 hours in the standard method with a 220v dock. Nissan sends someone to your house to evaluate the house's ability to have a charging dock (photo above) before they sell you a car. Standard dock installation costs about $2500, with a 30% gov't rebate till the end of this year. It requires a 40 amp breaker on your house box with 220v. The dock has a cord of about 15' to reach the car. Could be longer. The dock is completely weatherproof, and the rep said that you could put the plug into a bucket of water with no ill effects. It only runs current when it senses that it is hooked up to the vehicle. The company, AV (evsolutions@avinc.com) is installing charging docks all over the place, including workplaces, condos, etc. I was told that there will be one soon at the end of Democracy Blvd (I'm assuming they meant somewhere around Wildwood Shopping Center). It is possible to quick-charge in 30 minutes with the beefier outlet and corresponding dock (avail. only in a commercial setting, so they are working to install them along I-5 in California to facilitate trips longer than 100 miles).
Range: it goes an average of 100 miles per charge, according to the company, but that will vary with the electric usage you have while driving (heating, AC, radio, etc. along with your driving habits). Long trips would require a coffee stop periodically with a 30 minute quick-charge. Not convenient, but most of our driving is around town.
Power drains: this was interesting. Apparently, heating in winter is a bigger drain than summer AC. The 2012 Leaf is designed (all models) with heated seats and steering wheel so that the driver and any passengers can warm themselves directly through their seats and keep the air temp in the cabin cooler than they normally would have. The engineers have determined that this cuts the power load substantially, allowing the car to travel further per charge.

All in all, a very, very interesting car, and I think it's ready for prime-time if your driving habits are mainly local.

Regular maintenance can keep you from costly home repairs

2011-08-03T10:41:00.000-04:00

Here's a great checklist that I came across; it will give you monthly and seasonal items to check into and has links to information about each item:
Home Maintenance Checklist

And on a similar note, check out Pro-Tec Inspections' terrific page of links. Rob Hopkin at Pro-Tec is a highly respected and very experienced home inspector (with tremendous credentials) and has a reference link page:
Helpful Links Page from Pro-Tec

Transit Heaven! Take a look at Vienna, Austria

2011-07-04T09:26:00.000-04:00

I just returned from 11 heavenly days in Vienna, and the transit system there deserves some serious analysis for possible emulation. For the entire time I was there, I never scanned a farecard, bought a coin, pushed through an entrance barrier, or had to interact with any bus or street trolley driver. How does Vienna manage to run a world-class transit system that cover the ENTIRE city and its suburbs, running nearly every mode every 10 minutes or so?

Street trolleys in front of the Opera House

On this trip, I was visiting my sister and brother-in-law, who were living in the city for 4 months while Jared was teaching at the university. By the time my daughter, Rachel, and I arrived for our visit, my sister was thoroughly familiar with the system and had purchased two passes for us. The first, a Vienna Pass, was good for 4 days and entitled us to reduced entrance fees to nearly every museum and palace tour, many shops and cafes, and unlimited access to the transit system. The second pass was a standard weekly pass, used by Viennese residents, that simply covered all transit. There is no way to purchase a fare for a single trip. The passes are sold for time periods, daily, several days, weekly, monthly. After purchasing a pass, it becomes active once it is stamped at one of the time-stamping machines that are everywhere, and it then goes into your pocket or wallet and carried whenever you travel.

Enforcement is intermittent and unannounced. Enforcement officials, called Kontrol, will occasionally board a bus, Metro, or tram and check the passengers' passes. If caught riding without a current pass, the passenger is removed from transit and given a fine. Here's how the system is effective...the fines are really, really hefty. Therefore, it doesn't pay to try to evade paying for a pass, since getting caught will be truly punishing.

The result, from the point of view of the passenger, is that, once the pass has been purchased and activated, it makes sense to use transit rather than taxis or private vehicles under almost every circumstance. You've already paid for the transit, and there is no impediment whatsoever to getting on and off any modality. Step on, step off, no gates, no fumbling for farecard or money, no machines in the way. Just get on a bus, get off, wait no more than 10 minutes for the trolley, get on it, go wherever you want, get on and off the subway, etc. It was easier than walking or even trying to hail a cab.

From the point of view of the transit authorities, there is no need for all the machinery that monitors entrances and exits, no holdup at buses for payment at the driver's door, access to all forms of transportation can be at any door (front, middle, back), and the manpower requirements for each station are dramatically reduced. What is added is the enforcement squad. If the fines for noncompliance are not very high, $100-$250 for instance, this system will not work. It will also not work if the transit system is spotty in coverage and unreliable in frequency.

When it works, as it does in Vienna, the incentives for the public to keep a current pass and then use transit extensively are very high. The fee has already been paid and the transit is there for the riding. As much fun as it was to play with my daughter and sister, visiting beautiful and interesting sites, eating pastries (yum, yum!), and learning new things at every turn, one of my greatest joys was popping on and off buses, trams, and subways with no obstacles whatsoever. It was truly transit heaven!

Plastic bags vs. reusable outrageous lawsuit

2011-05-18T08:51:00.000-04:00

http://www.greenamerica.org/about/newsroom/editorials/stand-up-to-Big-Plastic-ChicoBag-lawsuit-reuseable-bags.cfm

Do you know your "walk score?"

2011-01-13T11:25:00.000-05:00

Part of the effort to reduce greenhouse gases and improve our quality of life is related to how easily we can get to work, shops, and recreation without overusing our automobiles. The Smart Growth movement emphasizes clustering housing with retail and commercial locations, especially around areas that have transit options for longer distance travel (outside of the neighborhood). There is a website, albeit very limited in its algorithms, that helps prospective buyers and renters know if their new home is within walking distance of multiple amenities. Go to www.walkscore.com and plug in any address. It reveals a map showing the amenities nearby and applies a score to the location. 100 is best, 0 means you live on the moon. Unfortunately, it will not rate how "bikable" the location is, since many homes have great resources in biking distance, whereas the walking distance is very limited. There appears to be a bike forum on the walkscore site, so, perhaps there will be some enhancements in this direction. Walkscore also gives transit ratings for locations.
http://www.walkscore.com/services/amenity-map.php

Green Festival comes to DC in October!

2010-10-04T13:21:00.000-04:00

If you've never been to the Green Festival, this is a real treat. It doesn't come to DC every year. Held at the Washington Convention Center, it is a huge fantasmagoria of everything sustainable, with vendor booths, food, and speakers. Topics cover energy conservation, organic foods and products, fair trade, and anything else you can imagine. Two years ago, Dan & I managed to find a number of organic chocolate suppliers, and we bought a wide variety of dark chocolates for our choco-loving son-in-law. He was ecstatic, and one of the "finds" turned into his favorite chocolate of all time. The entry fee is reasonable (see the website), but you can get in for a reduced cost if you are a senior, student, come by transit or bicycle. Admission is free with a Ford dealer pass, if you bring a cell phone to recycle, purchase $25 in October at Mom's Organic Market (Nicholson Lane), are a member of Green America or Global Exchange, volunteer, or are under 18.
I can't tell you how much fun this is!!!

Take Metro directly to the convention center
October 23-24

Really fun, inspiring, and interesting!!!

13 Questions to Ask Before You Buy Anything

2010-09-12T11:54:00.001-04:00

I just read this list on the Mother Nature Network weekly email. If you don't get this service, it's great, but this one really got my attention, particularly after spending 3/4 of last year cleaning out the detritus of my parents' house. They were prodigious collectors of memorabilia, antiques, art, ceramics, books, and anything else that came their way. As a child, I heard "we might need it someday," "this would make a great gift for.... (then buy 5 more for other people)," and "I couldn't possible do without this...."

With a view toward consuming less, conserving more, and generally not burdening our children with unnecessary "stuff" (my mother's most hated word; her things were never to be called "stuff"), check this out:

1. Is this purchase something I need?

2. Do I already own something that will serve the same purpose?

3. Can I borrow one instead of buying new?

4. Can I make something that will serve the same purpose?

5. Can I buy a used one?

6. Would someone be willing to split the cost and share this with me?

7. Can I buy or commission one made locally?

8. Can I buy one that was made with environmentally responsible materials?

9. Can I buy one that serves more than one purpose?

10. Can I get something human powered instead of gas or electric?

11. Can I compost or recycle it when I’m done with it?

12. What is the impact on the environment of the full life cycle of it?

13. Does the manufacture or disposal of it damage the environment?

Miscellaneous design features for parts of North Bethesda

2010-07-18T20:46:00.000-04:00

The county has approved the White Flint sector plan for North Bethesda with certain goals/requirements. One is to have a community center, and also to have a civic green for use by the new residents and residents of surrounding communities. At this time, the civic green may be placed on the south side of Old Georgetown Road, where the car dealerships are right now, and is planned for 1-2 acres. The White Flint Coalition is pushing for at least a 2-acre green/park. This is worth lobbying for.

Wall Park, next to the aquatic center (between Old Georgetown Rd & Executive Blvd., north of Nicholson Lane) will become a highly programmed park with ballfields, tennis courts, and other sports activities.

The Bethesda Trolley Trail, which currently connects from Tuckerman to the corner of Edson Lane and Woodglen, is to be extended through to Marinelli, ultimately connecting to the Metro station.

North Bethesda buildout politics & funding

2010-07-18T20:39:00.000-04:00

It may be possible to obtain federal matching funds to develop the public infrastructure for the sector plan. It is critical that the Rockville Pike boulevard "complete street" design, as planned, be completed in as early a phase as possible to promote further development along rational, staged lines and to create a sense of place for North Bethesda. In order for this to happen, all of the political powers must include the creation of a new, improved Rockville Pike and North Bethesda as a priority. The plan, as approved, is a major step forward in the cooperation of public, private, and community sectors and could serve as a model for other emerging urban areas nationwide.

Currently, many of our local, state, and national leaders are on board to push this project for federal funding. On board are councilmembers Elrich and Berliner (I haven't confirmed with others, but suspect that Trachtenberg and Andrews are also proponents). Other local leaders in the City of Rockville are intrigued and would want to tie in with Rockville Town Center. On the state level, our delegates, Frick and Lee, state Senator Frosh, and Governor O'Malley are enthusiastic. Senators Cardin and Mikulski will also fight for the funding. However, Executive Leggett seems to be focusing on the Shady Grove Science Center and the Corridor Cities Transitway, leaving this important economic and social engine unattended. If you agree, please call or write Ike Leggett to let him know that we want his attention and backing for this project and the possibility of applying for and receiving federal funding.

The design for Mid-Pike Plaza

2010-07-18T20:28:00.000-04:00

Hopefully, FRIT will have their sketch plan posted online, keep an eye out for it as a link from www.Friendsof WhiteFlint.org.
Here is a short text description that covers some of the points and questions made by community members during the July 14 sketch plan presentation. I hope that I don't butcher the plan with a clumsy description!

There will be nine blocks. Phase 1 is on the south end of the property, abutting Old Georgetown Road, and will comprise primarily 4-story buildings with a residential component above retail street-fronts. Since the plan for the sector modifies the current Old Georgetown/Executive Blvd intersection (the southwest corner of FRIT's property) so that Hoya Street will be opened to Old Georgetown Rd, Executive Blvd will no longer curve to intersect in that location and will be straightened through the current auto dealer sites so that it will continue through Mid-Pike Plaza (to be renamed...any nominations to send to FRIT?) and become the property's "main street" running north-south. The new streets that define the blocks will run roughly along the same driving routes that the current parking lot uses. The Exec. Blvd. "main street" will deadend at a T intersection at a large public plaza (the largest of 3 pedestrian/public plaza areas planned for the development). This public space will be larger than the plaza in Rockville Town Center in front of the regional library. For comparison, Rockville Town Center (also owned and developed by FRIT) is 13 acres, total. The public space will have lawns and pavilion shops, and can be closed off for large events (farmers' market, movie night, etc.) A hotel is projected to front this plaza. At the far north section of the property, The public space will be in phase 2, with the hotel in phase 3. Other public spaces will include a "raised street" with distinctive paving to delineate areas and uses, and another programmable space with a wide sidewalk. It is unknown if the paved surfaces will be pervious, but the engineers involved are aware that the community is asking for the most environmentally friendly designs possible. Most of the office space will be located closest to the southeast corner of the property, near the White Flint Metro station. The sector plan provides for an additional entrance to this station on the north end, catercorner from FRIT's property.

Parking and trucks- Parking will be along some of the streets and in 3 parking garages, which will utilize the red/green light technology used in Rockville to indicate where there are open spaces. It is unknown if there will be parking fees, but it is to be assumed that, eventually, all parking in the sector will be charged. The garages will be about 4 levels above ground. Some retail tenants may validate parking, and there will be ample parking for retail use, 3-4 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. Office parking will be limited, as in the current Nuclear Regulatory Commission buildings, 2 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. (approx. 3-4 workers). There will be 1 space per residential unit. It is calculated that residents of condos/apartments in the sector development will have fewer vehicles and will use buses, walk, bike, or use Metro more that in standard developments. Residential and office parking will be dedicated, not open to the general public for retail parking. Loading docks will be internal to each building, so that there will be no need for trucks to stop on the streets for loading or unloading.

Phase 1 will build the first part of the main street area at the south end, with residential above retail. Mid and high-rise buildings will be LEED certified (a certification process to rate "green" buildings). Due to stormwater management requirements and the need to reduce energy use, a number of the roofs will be vegetated. Phase 2 will complete the main street, with most of the retail space. Commercial (office) buildings will have bike racks and showers to encourage walkers and biker commuters. FRIT is negotiating with potential retail and commercial tenants, with the construction of high-rise office buildings dependent on leasing.

Process/Timeline for the redevelopment of Mid-Pike Plaza

2010-07-18T17:51:00.000-04:00

On July 14, Federal Realty Investment Trust presented the sketch design for Mid-Pike Plaza to the community at large. The presentation was made by Evan Goldman. FRIT owns a number of very successful commercial properties and has made a specialty of developing transit-oriented mixed-use projects. Mid-Pike Plaza is located at the very north end of the White Flint Sector Plan, bounded on the north by Montrose Parkway, south by Old Georgetown Road (where it bends to meet Rockville Pike), east by Rockville Pike, and west by the old Old Georgetown Road, recently renamed Hoya Street. It is 24 acres, the 3rd largest property in the sector (after White Flint Mall and LCOR's WMATA site behind the White Flint Metro). The plan is to be completed in three phases, with the projected calendar as follows (take this with a large grain of salt; no one knows how long the process will take, but these are goals):

Process:
Next 2 months, Evan will meet with any and all community groups to share the presentation. White Flint Coalition's meeting is Aug. 3.
The sketch plan will go to the county sometime in September, with a public hearing in the fall and approval by the end of the year.
During the next year, 2011, the detailed site plan for phase 1 will go through the approval process.
Groundbreaking on phase 1 will occur in about 2 years. This will cover the area currently occupied by ToysRUS and the old Linens 'n Things space. Those leases expire at the end of 2012.
The other leases on the property (smaller stores, including Filene's Basement, Bally's, CVS, La Madeleine, Chipotle) are valid until the end of 2014, so that area will be part of phase 2. Phase 3 will be built on the parking area north of the shops.

Recycling bin- what can go in? Guidelines for Montgomery County

2010-05-12T12:54:00.000-04:00

Last night, one of our neighbors heard a talk by Montgomery County's Recycling Coordinator. We knew most of what he covered, but learned (or was reminded of) several things:

- Milk and juice cartons are now recyclable; rinse and put into big blue bin with other paper.

- Yogurt containers (and other tub shaped plastic containers, including flower pots) are now recyclable.

- Plastic bottles from cooking oil or salad dressing are recyclable; wash with soap and put in with other plastic.

- Plastic bottles from motor oil are NOT recyclable.

- Styrofoam and other plastic containers with that feel are still NOT recyclable.

- Clear plastic clam shell containers (from fruit, salad) are NOT recyclable, no matter what number is on them; most are #1, but they melt at a different temperature from other #1 plastic containers and mess up the result! (This is the one I definitely didn't know about and have been guilty of)

- Bottle tops are recyclable, but put them in the plastic/metal bin separately from the container they belong to (i.e., not attached)

- Metal can tops are OK if they are still attached to the can and pushed down inside it, but not if they are separated because they may have sharp edges that could injure handlers.

Check the link for all recycling questions, including all of the other myriad items that are recyclable and/or are taken at the solid waste facility.

Did you know that you can get free mulch at the Shady Grove Transfer Station? It's in a big heap; just drive up and shovel as much as you want.

Jobs projections for White Flint area and Montgomery County

2010-02-19T12:05:00.002-05:00

This morning, the White Flint Partnership sponsored the third event in its speaker's series. The subject today was on the future of jobs in Montgomery County and, in particular, the vision for the White Flint sector. Speakers were Nancy Floreen, county council president (thank you for the correction in the comment below); member of the PHED committee (also attending was fellow PHED member Marc Elrich), Dr. Stephen Fuller, director of the Center for Regional Analysis and professor at George Mason Univ., and Jim Dinegar, president of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. Here is a summary of their comments:
Nancy Floreen- the current job status in the county is better than the country in general, but the county was still affected by the recession. We have 5.2% unemployment, with 13,000 jobs lost in the county in 2009. The county is 2nd to last in the Metro area in job growth. Relative to the rest of the country, this is good, but the county is actively seeking means to encourage business to grow and to add jobs. The White Flint Sector Plan council review has been in the PHED committee and will go to the full council next week. They will begin with the staging plan, with an emphasis on determining funding levels and developing an appropriate public-private financing plan. There should be a decision out of the full council by mid-March. With regard to the county in general, she is trying to create a Montgomery Business Partnership which will work with the Chambers of Commerce and the Office of Economic Development. It was not clear what the purpose of the partnership will be as opposed to what the Chambers are already doing.
Prof. Fuller- although not official, the recession ended last June, and we are 8 months into the recovery cycle. The labor market hasn't stabilized yet, and there has been job loss of approx. 25,000 in the region, with Montg. Cty. taking a proportionally large "hit." The federal government has created 13,000 jobs, most of which are on the higher end in salary and education requirements. Unemployment nationwide will decrease slowly during the next several years. His forecast for Montgomery County for the next ten years (2010-2020, which is short-term in forecasting terms) includes the following: there will be a slowing of job growth (less than the metro area average), giving the county a smaller share of the regional economy. This, however, includes 20% job growth and 44% economy growth during this 10-year period. 25% of people who are currently employed in the county will retire or separate from their jobs, so that "new hires" will have to include replacing workers in existing jobs. Housing units lag behind jobs, and, with 49,500 housing units proposed to be added, this will only be 2/3 of the units needed for the job growth projected. In other words, we will not be building enough housing to accommodate the workers and their households that will be coming to the county. There is a need for more housing locally in the county. There is a high proportion of available jobs that require higher education and experience and are higher-salaried, with much of the available labor force in the lower-salaried retail, service industry, and construction sectors.
Jim Dinegar- there is a great opportunity for advancing the region in several industries in which the Metro region is already strong. These include health (NIH & bio-tech), hospitality (Marriott, Ritz, and others), green research & technology (BP Solar, ULI, AIA, Green Building Council, and numerous others), and cyber-terrorism (Google security headquarters debating coming here or to Texas). Do not underestimate the power of BRAC to bring related companies to the area and to affect our region, nor of NIH & the new Johns Hopkins campus to influence business relocation. We will never be a manufacturing center, so should be concentrating on our strengths, which include the presence of the federal government and all of the industries above, transportation systems, availability of suitable housing, entertainment, recreational, and cultural opportunities, and school quality.
Each speaker recognizes the changing character of our unique location, which was, until recently, a suburban community serving jobs in DC. The growth of business and federal involvement in Montgomery County dictates a re-alignment of the vision of the future to an urban community (in close-in Montg. Cty), utilizing smart-growth concepts to create higher density and provide cultural opportunities without overloading the transportation system.

After the storms- preventing ice dams in the future

2010-02-16T16:24:00.000-05:00

There are a couple of ways to minimize ice dam damage or to avoid the ice damming problem altogether.

1.This method can only be implemented when you install a new roof. Insist that your roofing contractor install an ice dam shield material under the shingles toward the gutter edges of the new roof. This is a strip of material that will prevent water, backed up from an ice dam in the gutters and on the roof shingle edges, from seeping back up the underside of the shingles. This will not prevent the ice dam process, but should prevent it from destroying your interior ceilings, walls, etc.

2. Add insulation on your attic floor and improve ventilation inside the attic. If your attic air space is not conducting heat from the house (through the attic floor) to the underside of the roof underlayment, the ice on the roof will melt more slowly, giving it time to drain properly without seeping under the shingles. This is not foolproof, but is a prudent precaution. Besides, it makes your house more energy efficient. Try using a cellulose insulation and get the federal tax break!

3. Prevent ice dams to begin with. You can install gutter heating strips. When the next huge storm hits, you can plug in the strips so that ice will never form in your gutters again. I have not researched these completely, but it seems that you can also install a sensor that will turn the strips on when conditions require. Go to www.heatersplus.com and search for Wrap-On Roof and Gutter Heating Cable, EasyHeat ADKS Roof and Gutter Heating Cable, Danfoss RX Roof & Gutter Deicing Cables, EasyHeat PSR Pre-Terminated Self-Regulating Freeze Protection Cable for Water Pipes and Roofs, or Chromalox Commercial Grade Roof and Gutter Heat Trace Cable.

Ice Dams- the next step after the storm

2010-02-11T17:34:00.000-05:00

For many people with townhouses or detached houses, the huge amount of snow on our roofs will soon create ice dams. As a result, we will see water leaking into our houses, most likely near the junction between wall and ceiling. There is nothing that can be done to prevent this happening, but you may be able to reduce the damage. First, what is an ice dam? This occurs when the snow melts from the roof (it will often melt at the shingle level, since that is warmest with the heat from the attic). The water flows under the ice pack, ending in the gutters and downspouts, where it freezes. Once the gutters freeze full of ice, the continuing water melt backs up under the ice pack and on top of (and often, in between) the shingles. Freezing water at the shingle level will lift the shingles, so that water will now flow beneath the shingles. With no other way out (remember, the gutters are frozen, so nothing is passing through them), the water seeps into the attic or through the wall at the edge of the attic and house exterior. How will you know that ice damming is occuring? You may see buckling on your ceiling, or water dripping down the walls. In our house, the water pools above the bay window (a great place for an ice dam to occur, since it juts out from the exterior wall, just under the roof line) and then drips onto the window sill. This will damage drywall, paint, woodwork, etc. Will insurance cover it? Since this is a problem that comes from above, it is normally covered by homeowners insurance. If you ever have a water problem that comes from seepage from the ground, that would not be and would require a separate flood insurance policy. Ice dams, however, are storm-related and roof-generated, so you can put in a claim. So, what on earth are these pictures on this blog???? This is our method of minimizing the damage. Since there would be water pooling in the ceiling area, we have drilled small holes in the ceiling (where we had similar damage in 1993). In each hole is a piece of a paperclip, cut to look like a U, with a string tied to it. The paperclip is inserted in the hole so that, when the problem is over, it can be pulled out by the string. The string is then hung to sit inside a bucket on the windowsill. This way, when water pools above the holes, the water will travel down the strings and collect in the bucket. We will not have actual water damage to the woodwork or drywall (most likely), and only have to patch the holes when it is all over. Can ice dams be prevented? Not at this point, but, if you are installing a new roof, ask your roofer to install a barrier near the roof edges that is designed to prevent the movement of water below the shingles in the event of a huge storm like this. Also, if your house is well-insulated in the attic area, it will prevent the heat from the house from melting the snow pack on the roof too fast so that your gutters may (just MAY) have time to handle the flow. Not a fix, but can't hurt. If you decide to add insulation to your attic, please be conscious of the environmental qualities of the insulation that you choose. We added blown-in cellulose to our attic a little over a year ago (made the house much more comfortable!), which is a recycled material and has great insulation qualities. Happy springtime musings, but get out there and enjoy this lovely winter while we have it.

WF Sector Plan testimony

2009-10-31T20:03:00.000-04:00

Continuing from last post...

Diverse groups testified in support of the plan, with modifications:

Sierra Club - the plan "has the basics right" but there need to be tightened environmental standards.
Coalition for Smarter Growth - plan needs jobs-housing balance with more housing, more aggressive TDM (transportation demand management) techniques to encourage people not to use cars, east-west BRT (bus rapid transit) service, and transit service on Rockville Pike
Action Committee for Transi- reduce lane width to 10-11' to promote proper driving patterns on a 25 mph design for Rockville Pike using Glatting Jackson design, and build smaller city blocks
Washington Area Bicyclists Association (WABA)
AARP - interested in walkable communities convenient for seniors

With regard to environmental issues, the sector plan calls for very strict storm water management, all new building will be green certified (no definition of this, that is why the Sierra Club wants some clarification of standards). The presenters stated that the final buildout could even have more impervious surface than the current condition, due to the replacement of vast paved parking lots with smaller blocks that include park and landscaped areas, some buildings with green roofs, and the upgraded storm water management.

Community groups that testified on Tuesday (I was unable to get to the Thursday hearing) were:

Timberlawn HOA - wanted buildings no higher than the NRC, at 275 feet, larger civic greens, a dedicated library site for full-service, a community center, and the creation of the sector as a destination space with dedicated theater and arts spaces
Randolph Civic Assoc. - in favor of Glatting Jackson "complete street" design for the Pike, and lobbying for 2 school sites, reopening Rocking Horse ES and a new site within the sector plan. See the discussion on schools in the previous post about cluster districting issues, etc.
Garrett Park Estates/White Flint Park - want a school site in the sector, are working with Lerner & Tower Companies (owners of White Flint Mall) to design proper buffer areas between White Flint Mall buildout and their detached home neighborhoods, want the plan "to be better" and concerned about how the proposals will be financed
Luxmanor Citizens Association - want building heights limited, designate the area as an arts center, including a senior center with dining area, auditorium and classorrms, publicly owned series of pocket parks with resident-tended gardens, and a full-service library site
Forum Condominium - wants rezoning of NE 2 acres of their property, adjacent to the new Maple/Chapman Rd corridor, to be able to add a companion building with new "street edge" with 304 FAR (floor area ratio), with maximum 150-250 foot building heights
Fallstone HOA - support Glatting Jackson design for Rockville Pike and support the White Flint Partnership tax plan for infrastructure financing. Strong message to phase in the infrastructure improvements first
Crest of Wickford Condominium - concerns about permitted height of buildings south of Edson Lane, within yards of condominium property. Sector plan, at this time, allows 150', they want no more than 50'. Also concerned about difficulty of getting in and out of their community on Rockville Pike, which is already problematic.
Mayor of Garrett Park - want attention given to impacts of community at edges of the development, adverse traffic effects, and ecological sustainability
White Flint Community Coalition - want to reduce the density from sector plan proposal, expressing concerns about creating an "urban canyon" effect from taller buildings and pushing for a residential cap of 9800 residential units, the opposite of the testimony from the Coalition for Smarter Growth. The WFCC speaker mentioned "dense urban sprawl," which is an oxymoron. A major concern is about the possibility of future overcrowding at Walter Johnson HS and other cluster schools. The coalition wants the plan to require centers for the arts, seniors, and a full library, with a reserved site for a future elementary school.
Other community representatives speaking from were Coalition of Kensington Communities, WJ cluster PTAs, Montgomery County Civic Federation, Wisconsin Condominium, and numerous individual speakers from North Bethesda and surrounding neighborhoods
The final testimony from a community organization was from the Gaithersburg/North Potomac/Rockville Coalition, which recently had hearings for the West Gaithersburg Plan - this was the only group to try to deep-six the sector plan, comprised of members who are not stakeholders in North Bethesda. They have a website, http://www.scaleitback.com/, and are interested in stopping development.

Business organizations that testified are:

Bethesda/Chevy Chase and Montgomery County Chambers of Commerce
Developers & landowners in the sector: Combine Properties, Vika, LCOR, Gables, Lerner, Tower, Mayhood, 11610-11620 Rockville Pike Partnership, Federal Realty Investment Trust, JBG
Fitzgerald - wants to remain in the sector, but will not maintain a dealership on Rockville Pike; can move it to one of the other two properties owned by Fitzgerald
White Flint Partnership, a coalition of 55% of the developer/landowners in the sector

Overall, there was concensus in nearly all of the testimony that Rockville Pike and surrounding road infrastructure should be among the first projects undertaken, with the Glatting Jackson design for Rockville Pike nearly unanimously hailed as superior to the sector plan design and desired by practically everyone. A public-private venture to finance the infrastructure improvements, instituting a special tax district with dedicated funding for this sector is desired. Rockville Pike should have a design speed of 25 mph. A school site, library, and multi-generational community center is critical, with arts as a focus for the sector. The council should set environmental guidelines that are more specific to make all new construction conform with quantifiable "green" standards, making sure that connectivity of bikeways is enhanced, with parks as large as practicable. Wall Park and the Gables VOB property to be a main recreational site, with community consultation at all stages and maintaining a forested buffer to Old Georgetown Road.

I would like to add that, just outside the sector plan boundaries to the north, DOT has insisted on building a Park-and-Ride lot at the corner of Montrose and Rockville Pike, a site so unsuited as a vehicle gathering-place (imagine having people drive to the park-and-ride lot in the middle of a new urban center to pick up transit to another urban center- madness!) that there was a 20-minute tirade from the planning board directed at DOT, with the demand that the lot be moved "as soon as possible." DOT has no such plans. This area, proposed as a pedestrian promenade to link the sector to Montrose Crossing, Mid-Pike Plaza, and the nearby apartment at The Monterey, may become a new fire/police center. Either way, the park-and-ride lot has to go, and this message needs to go directly to County Executive Ike Leggett, who has some influence on DOT (we hope).

County Council conducts public hearings on White Flint future

2009-10-22T17:16:00.005-04:00

The White Flint Sector Plan, developed over a period of three years with the cooperation of community leaders, property owners, developers & their land use attorneys, planning staff, etc. has come to the county council after being passed by the planning commission. This plan will establish the guidelines and aspirations for the White Flint/ North Bethesda central business area for the next 20-30 years. The county council has the power to modify and pass the plan.

On Tuesday evening, the full council heard public testimony from 46 speakers. Tonight at 7:30 pm, the hearings will continue with another round of testimony. Written testimony from anyone in the public arena will be accepted until October 30. You can write to Council President Phil Andrews, County Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850, or email your testimony to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov and councilmember.andrews@montgomerycountymd.gov.

The overwhelming testimony on Tuesday evening was positive and in favor of passage of the plan, which will transform the strip mall/surface parking character of North Bethesda to an urban center with structured parking, mixed use buildings with a greater emphasis on housing units (than previous plans), street-level retail and public spaces, and millions of square feet of office space. Each speaker had suggestions for improvement of the plan.

Several coalitions have formed with specific needs and "takes" on the designs. The White Flint Parnership is composed of about 55% of the property owners in the sector. The WF Partnership commissioned a study by Glatting Jackson to guide urban design concepts and develop a plan for Rockville Pike that would turn it into a "complete street," meaning that it would separately accommodate public transit, cars and trucks, pedestrians, and bicyclists along an urban boulevard. In the Glatting Jackson plan, the 3 travel lanes in each direction would be separated by a median with mass transit, either light rail, trolley, or bus rapid transit (BRT). Parking lanes would flank the travel lanes, and a dedicated bike path would be protected from the travel lanes by the parking lanes. Sidewalks would be wide and, in places, have room for seating and public gathering. Landscaping is emphasized. Another coalition is the Friends of White Flint, of which the White Flint Partnership is a member. Other members include community leaders and residents of surrounding neighborhoods, business owners, and county planners. The White Flint Community Coalition is comprised entirely of several civic organizations and homeowner associations of surrounding communities.

Issues at stake are the amount of density allowable, phasing of the street infrastructure, amount of public space within the sector plan, and whether or not the county council will designate a dedicated site for a full library, elementary school (there is a major debate over the location of a school site in the sector), community and senior centers, and how the surrounding communities may be protected from cut-through traffic generated by the higher density urban core.

Library: currently, the plan calls for an "express" library, which will not have areas for congregating, book stacks of any size, and will only serve as a place to drop off & check out books, with some public computer access. Community groups want a full library site.

School: there is some conflict over the interpretation of the projected numbers of students that this plan will generate. Typically, a highly urban housing core has very few school-age children, since the housing stock is primarily 1-2 bedroom apartments and condominiums. However, an elementary school site should be identified and set aside within the sector boundaries. The current proposal promotes opening Rocking Horse Elementary School, in the Randolph Hills subdivision. This site will alleviate crowding in Veirs Mill ES, but is not within the planning sector and is outside of the Walter Johnson cluster. If this plan is followed, the cluster will have to be redistricted, which is not acceptable to the community. A school site behind White Flint Mall, currently an employee parking lot, is a poor choice for its size, topography, and difficulty of access. The ideal site, in my opinion (and others) is the WMATA bus depot between Nicholson Lane and Old Georgetown Rd. This site is opposite many of the high-rise residential buildings, accessible for children and parents, and is large enough for a full-featured school. Maintaining a bus depot in the center of this new urban center is inappropriate.

Cut-through traffic in local communities: the council should approve the use of restrictive turns that are approved by the surrounding neighborhoods to prevent over-use of local residential streets.

Infrastructure phasing: the current plan calls for development in four phases, phased by geographic area and not by the readiness of a particular property owner and its economic viability. The planning staff wanted to be sure that a certain density would be reached in a given area to make it "work." However, leaving the street grid and Rockville Pike boulevard improvements to Phase 3 is universally abhorred by all but the planning staff. The White Flint Partnership and Friends of White Flint are actively working to propose private-public funding mechanisms that will put the infrastructure improvements into Phase 1, around which the developers can place their new buildings.

Building heights: currently, the highest building in the sector is NRC, at 275 feet. The new residential tower at North Bethesda Market will be 289 feet. The plan calls for higher buildings (not monolithic- the upper floors must have a very small floor area per level) in the center of the sector (within 1/4 mile of White Flint Metro and along Rockville Pike), with building heights stepping down to existing communities. This is a problem for the Crest of Wickford Condominiums, which are townhouse-sized buildings right on Rockville Pike and will be impacted by the height of buildings nearby at Edson Lane. Timberlawn HOA also testified in favor of building heights no higher than the NRC.

The next post will go into some more detail on the testimony given pro and con aspects of the plan.

Almost anything can be recycled - NEW CATEGORIES ALLOWED

2009-10-22T16:24:00.000-04:00

Montgomery County has recently added new capability to its recycling program. Check the link for full details, but the highlights are that, in the paper category, waxed cartons and food packaging is now recylable, along with the newspapers, household paper, and cardboard that we have been recycling for years. All of these items can go into the large blue rolling bin that has the lid. As a matter of procedure, I keep a paper grocery bag near the kitchen, into which goes paper egg cartons, toilet paper and paper towel rolls, newspapers, magazines, junk mail & envelopes, and now, milk cartons and the boxes from frozen foods. When full, this goes out to the blue bin. In my home office, I keep a yard waste bag (the paper kind that people use to put out leaves in the fall) in the closet and fill it with the shreddings from my shredder. All mail that has our name or any other personal information, confidential work papers, financial papers that are no longer needed get shredded, then the shreddings fill a yard waste bag, which goes into the blue bin when the bag is full. That way, no paper leaves our house in the garbage.

Also noteworthy is that practically anything that is plastic (short of plastic bags, which can be recycled at the collection bins at our grocery stores) can be recycled in the smaller open blue bin. The new guidelines now include containers like Tupperware and other semi-permanent food storage containers. Empty aerosol cans and their lids are allowed. I also recycle the packaging from newly purchased products.

If you haven't made a pilgrimage to the Solid Waste Transfer Station (on Rockville Pike, just south of Shady Grove Road), you have missed a treat (really!). This is a great field-trip for kids old enough to appreciate the industrial process of multiple recycling streams. There are collection stations for fabric (don't throw fabric into the trash- recycle it!), cardboard, books, computers, TVs, building materials, scrap metal, yard waste (finished lumber is not recyclable), hazardous materials, and practically anything else you can think of. The county has found vendors to process and reuse most of what we throw away these days.

Lessons from the Solar Decathlon

2009-10-20T15:51:00.000-04:00

This year's Solar Decathlon ended on Sunday, Oct. 18, and was a leap forward from other years in several respects. For those who are not familiar with this contest, it is sponsored by the Department of Energy, occurs every 2 years, and involves 20 universities from around the world. The goal is to create an energy efficient residence that is judged in numerous categories. The Solar Decathlon houses are constructed on the Mall and are open to the public for about 10 days, with some house closures scheduled for judging.

The DOE conducts this contest partly to educate the public in energy conservation and efficiency techniques, showing the values of different construction types, insulation value, window design and construction, thermal solar uses, and the latest in photovoltaics. There is always an exhibit at the center of the "street" of houses with interactive displays, docents give tours, and each university team has its members & volunteers available to describe the specific advantages and design features of its house.

The rules for the decathlon change from event to event, and, this year, the DOE decided that the teams could not set up battery storage systems for their solar arrays. All of the houses were connected to the grid with net metering, under the DOE assumption that the standard homeowner who installs a solar photovoltaic system would utilitze net metering (if the solar system doesn't provide enough power for the house, the power company will supply the shortage; if the solar system generates more power than needed at that time, the excess power is "sold" back to the power company and the electric meter runs backwards). With this system, there is virtually no power generated for use at night, and the house must draw from the electric grid. Adding storage battery capacity to a new solar installation adds significant cost, but allows the homeowner to store generated energy for use when the photovoltaics aren't sufficient for the need.

The houses were judged on their energy generation (net metering), architecture, market viability, engineering, comfort zone, hot water, appliances, home entertainment, lighting design, and communications. Although the University of Alberta's SolAbode ranked 10th in the architecture (and 6th overall), I found this house to be gorgeous, made from natural materials blended in a warm and stylish design. Team Germany came in 1st overall, with a really innovative house "skin" made of super-thin solar panels. This house combined many advanced technological concepts in a modern package, achieving great results with a larger square footage of living space than other teams attempted. To my taste, the ultra-modern styling left me a bit cold, but it was a worthy winner. Team California was third, with a nice twist to the solar model in that they turned their modules at angles to create a small courtyard effect, quite different from the standard box.

The entertainment category was also interesting. Each of the teams that we visited used LED TVs, which use approximately 42% less energy to run than LCDs and dramatically less than a plasma TV, which is a noted energy hog. The two companies chosen for the TVs were Sharp and Samsung. I don't know if any other manufacturers are in the LED TV market, but these two were prominent.

As for sustainabililty and environmental friendliness, this aspect is not emphasized in the Solar Decathlon, the DOE's main thrust being energy efficiency. Although the teams made efforts (some more than others) to use recycled materials, there was no concerted drive to find materials whose manufacture doesn't pollute or generate undue amounts of greenhouse gasses, etc. Using local materials was clearly secondary to the stated goal of conserving and generating energy. Not a crime, just an observation.

Take a look at the houses and their special features on the official website. It was a real education, and I look forward to the next Solar Decathlon.

White Flint Sector Plan Before County Council

2009-10-19T13:00:00.004-04:00

The county council will hear testimony on the plans for the North Bethesda urban area on Tuesday 10/20 and on Thursday 10/22 starting at 7:30 pm. The council is accepting written testimony and comments from the public, either submitted at the hearings or emailed to the council. The council president is Phil Andrews, councilmember.andrews@montgomerycountymd.gov, and our district member is Roger Berliner, councilmember.berliner@montgomerycountymd.gov. You can also write our progressive at-large council members, councilmember.elrich@montgomerycountymd.gov and councilmember.trachtenberg@montgomerycountymd.gov. The hearings are in the County Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850. Some concepts that are important in this conversation are: 1. It is vital that increased density come to this area with enhanced transit opportunities. That could include subsidies for transit use, restrictions on parking in the urban area (particularly for the new residents and workers who will occupy the urban center), a shuttle on a frequent schedule that will circulate in the district, covered "smart" bus shelters, new MARC stations and more frequent Red Line service 2. The Park-and-Ride lot that is being built at the intersection of Montrose Road and Rockville Pike is IN THE WRONG LOCATION! We should not be encouraging car trips into our urban center to pick up shuttles to take the riders to another urban center. The planning board was unanimously opposed to the location of this parking lot at this site, but the county and state are building it anyway. It should be moved to a location next to I-270, which is where the traffic is coming from. 3. There are currently no plans for an elementary school or a library in the White Flint Sector Plan area. This is absurd, considering the numbers of new residents projected for this area. Currently, a school site is being considered nearby, but it is in a location that will take park space from a local neighborhood and is out of the planning area. An ideal location is where the current county bus depot is located off Nicholson Lane. 4. Wall Park, next to the Aquatic Center, must be protected, and the local citizens must be consulted if any changes are proposed. Please contact the council to let the members know what your critical issues are.

Rockville Pike/Montrose Road intersection detours

2009-09-14T13:24:00.002-04:00

Last week, the traffic at the intersection was realigned (again), and it will be changed again at the end of this week. In a nutshell, Montrose Parkway is being tunneled under Rockville Pike, which involved building a new bridge so that the Pike can go over the Parkway. The bridge is now nearly completed. During the construction of the bridge, all Pike traffic was shifted eastward, out of the construction zone. Since the bridge is done, southbound Pike traffic as routed onto the new bridge, but the northbound traffic remained in the old detour alignment. At the end of this week, all north-south Rockville Pike traffic will be on the new bridge. Where does that leave us for now? There is NO LEFT TURN allowed from eastbound Montrose Road onto northbound Rockville Pike. If you want to go north on the Pike, you have two choices; at East Jefferson St., you can turn left, then get to the Pike further north, or you can turn right, take Executive Blvd. to Old Georgetown Rd, then Old Georgetown to the Pike. I don't know if we will ever get that left turn at Montrose/Pike restored, but it will disappear forever once the Parkway underpass is completed. The reason is that, with the opening of the Parkway (maybe late 2010??) underpass, it will intersect with the Pike only by ramps. This will be a true interchange. Montrose Road will deadend into a new parking lot that replaces the park-and-ride lot that was at the north end of the Mid-Pike Plaza parking areas (southwest corner of Montrose and the Pike; this is where the underpass is being constructed). By the same token, Randolph Road also will be a deadend. The only way across Rockville Pike will be by the Montrose Parkway underpass, and the ramps will be the only way to get onto the Pike. Wait till you see it!

White Flint Community Coalition

2009-09-14T13:18:00.003-04:00

This is an additional organization involving the neighborhoods surrounding White Flint. They are working on the sector plan, growth policy, etc. to get sustainable development and public transit. They welcome new members and community interest. The website is www.whiteflintcommunity.org, and I have added it to the list of links in the right panel.

Widening I-270 proposal

2009-07-16T18:06:00.003-04:00

Despite all of the financial issues in our economy, and the clear recognition that dependence on foreign oil is a national security risk, burning fossil fuels pollutes our environment, and sprawl development degrades our standard of living, the proposal to widen I-270 is alive and being debated. Next Tuesday, the Montgomery County Council will vote whether or not to support a $4 Billion widening project. Go to http://citizen-networks.org/campaign/270widening to sign a petition to oppose further degrading Montgomery County and spending billions of dollars that are needed to promote transit opportunities and walkable/bikable communities. For some unimaginable reason, and despite all evidence to the contrary, some people have not realized that building roadways promotes the use of transportation options (single-occupancy vehicles, specifically) that are contrary to our welfare and communities. It has been demonstrated time and again, in city after city, that road construction leads to greater use of SOVs, which results in clogging the new roadway. Congestion cannot be cured through pavement. It has also been shown that, for the square footage of land used, a lane of vehicular traffic transports the fewest individuals. Therefore, road construction and widening is wasteful of precious dollars, precious land, and the health of our citizens who live nearby. Please sign the petition and let the council know that this is an issue that needs to be solved through other transportation options.

Energy audits, supply sources, & tax credits

2009-04-23T12:38:00.000-04:00

It's a great idea to have an energy audit performed on your house. A good auditor will be able to identify the sources of energy leakage, possible issues with air quality, and create a report that will quantify the energy savings vs. cost of making suggested improvements. It will cost $400-$500. Make sure you use a certified Home Energy Rater. RESNET has a directory, http://www.natresnet.org/directory/raters.aspx. A local company that does a wonderful job is AccessGreen, http://www.accessgreen.com/. You can schedule an audit directly from their site, which is very informative. Montgomery County has just passed a new program called HELP, Home Energy Loan Program, which is modeled after a program in Anne Arundel County. Our councilmember, Roger Berliner, has been spearheading energy conservation efforts in the county. The program specifies that, if a homeowner has an energy audit, the costs of the suggested energy measures can be borrowed from the county at a zero to nominal rate and is paid back over an extended period of time (I have heard 10-15 years, but I haven't seen the actual legislation yet) on the property tax bill. No separate checks to be paid, and, if you sell the house, the cost remains on the tax bill, and doesn't follow you. My understanding is that the cost of the audit itself can be made part of the long-term loan. Savings on energy bills after remediation often more than pay for the remediation itself. To follow through with energy repairs, the Amicus Green Building Center, www.amicusgreen.com, which sells quality products that are sustainable, energy conscious, and healthy (such as top-quality paint that doesn't emit toxic chemicals). Prices are very competitive, but you will find products that are unavailable elsewhere, as well as staff that is extremely knowledgable. They are in Kensington on Howard Ave., but you can shop online as well. Amicus Green has created relationships with reliable contractors who are familiar with the products and energy issues, so you won't have to re-educate a contractor. Montgomery County has a program called Clean Energy Rewards. Among other incentives, you can get credits on your electricity bill if you specify that you want 50% or 100% wind power to supply your home's energy needs. The county site for the various incentive programs is http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/deptmpl.asp?url=/content/dep/rewards.asp There are other incentive programs available from the state and fed'l gov't, often involving tax credits. These programs are expanding all the time. You can check for fed, state, and local incentive programs at www.dsireusa.org.

Join Friends of White Flint

2009-04-16T09:43:00.002-04:00

The White Flint Sector Plan is the blueprint for the next 20 years' development of the "downtown" area of North Bethesda. With the White Flint Metro station at its core, North Bethesda is creating a new town center. Residents, community leaders, business interests, and the planning department have been hard at work for the past few years to create a walkable, livable, vibrant environment for the future. Friends of White Flint is a new organization that we can all join to learn more about our community, participate in its growth, comment on the challenges, and enjoy the results. Check out the link, www.friendsofwhiteflint.org to join. Membership is free until May 11, after which a nominal $15/year fee will apply.

Disposing of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL)

2009-03-22T09:56:00.003-04:00

These bulbs last a very long time and are becoming more and more popular. As I've written before, a "color temperature" of 2700k to 3000k will simulate the familiar look of an incandescent bulb. You can now get these energy-efficient bulbs usable as floodlights, vanity lights, and other common shapes. Since they have a tiny bit of mercury in the tube, they shouldn't be thrown away in trash destined for the landfill. We don't want to see any toxic chemicals leaching into the groundwater or contaminating the soil. Montgomery County's transfer station at 11601 Frederick Road (on the Pike just south of Shady Grove Road) accepts CFLs in the hazardous waste area. It is open every day, including Sat. and Sun., from 9am to 5pm. If you've never been to the transfer station, it's a great field trip...you can recycle TVs, computers, fabric, mixed paper, scrap metal, leaves, and usable building materials, in addition to disposing of regular trash and hazardous waste.

Energy audit vs energy rating: What's the difference?

2009-02-19T09:11:00.003-05:00

Essentially, an energy audit is an inspection resulting in a report of the energy usage of an existing building. An energy auditor can test the various components of your house, checking for the efficiency of the appliances and HVAC system, helping you analyze your utility bills, and suggesting repairs, upgrades, and maintenance items that will result in energy savings. A certified auditor (look for an auditor that has been certified by HERS) has tools that are not commonly available, such as the capability of doing thermal tests of the building envelope and pressurizing the house to discover hidden sources of air leakage. Standard home inpectoions, used for decades when buying and selling houses, do not substitute for a good home energy audit. Often, many of the corrections noted are not costly, such as caulking, sealing leaks, adding insulation where electric junction boxes are on exterior walls, etc. Anywhere that we can conserve energy reduces our utility costs, reduces our personal carbon "footprint" (coal-fired power plants put out a lot of carbon into the atmosphere, as well as other toxic pollutants), and can reduce our country's dependence of foreign energy sources. Good all around! An energy audit will cost between $400 and $550, but will teach you things about your house that you could never have learned another way!! As a certified Eco realtor, trained in energy and environmental issues surrounding property, I can help you find an energy auditor. Your energy audit is a bonus when you go to sell your house, since it shows that you have taken steps to reduce the utility bills for the property. Now, let's talk about an energy rating. At this point in time, it is not possible to "rate" an existing building, but new construction can apply for an energy rating. The most well-know and oldest rating system is a LEED rating, which predominantly rates commercial construction. The developer designs the project to include as many energy and environmental attributes as possible from a detailed list of possible "green" building techniques, materials, and design guidelines. Depending on how "green" the final project, it is then rated as LEED Gold, LEED Platinum, or other levels of enviromental and energy efficiency. LEED is working on ratings for new home construction. New homes are more typically submitted for an Energy Star rating, which is set up by the EPA and includes a checklist of the many design, materials, and techniques that can be used in residential construction. You will find more and more new homes projects advertised that the community is being built as an Energy Star rated community. The builder will then provide the prospective homebuyer with a list of the elements that make the property conform to the Energy Star rating. It is not yet possible to rate older construction for energy usage and environmental advantages. Older homes were built with using many different techniques, types of materials, siting, etc., but there are moves in the field to create a credible rating system for existing homes. At this point, we are happy to be able to have our older homes audited so that we can make them as earth-friendly and energy efficient as possible.

Commuting vs. housing cost trade-off

2009-02-15T09:41:00.003-05:00

As I noted in the April 15, 2008 post on this blog, there is growing demand for housing near transit with buyers weighing the advantages of location vs. possible loss of living square footage and some privacy. The link at the end of that post is no longer working, so this link is the one to use to calculate the cost-benefit in the location choice, http://www.uli.org/ResearchAndPublications/TerwilligerCenterforWorkforceHousing/Cost%20Calculator.aspx It is possible to save several addresses, edit each category shown in the calculator, and compare the cost of living in a specific location with the cost of the commute to work for that household. Check the Information link for specific instructions or just play with the categories to edit them. The calculator was created by the Urban Land Institute, an organization that develops land use policy in the DC Metro area. You will find all kinds of interesting information on their site; check the navigation panel to the left of the calculator tool.

Eco-friendly closet systems

2009-01-16T18:41:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's possible to build a beautiful closet and use recycled and reclaimed wood materials as well as working with a company that cares about energy usage and environmental concerns. We haven't yet filled our closet, but it was built by Eco-Nize, www.eco-nize.com. The price is competitive with the many closet installation companies, but the quality is great and you don't have to worry about the environment. We are thrilled with our new closet!

Now, to a "greener" closet by Eco-Nize

2008-12-28T16:24:00.004-05:00

The next step, after remodeling the bathroom, is re-organizing the walk-in closet in our bedroom. We were able to recover some extra space in the closet by removing the HVAC flue chase. The flue was no longer in use, since our 2007 installation of a high-efficiency hydronic furnace system vented out the side of the house. The bathroom remodeling included removing the chase to create a rectangular closet, moving the closet door to center it, and wiring the light to a switch outside the door. Now it's time to add shelving, etc. We have contracted with Noel Sweeney of Eco-Nize, www.eco-nize.com, a green closet systems installer. Noel is able to offer a high-quality product at a wonderful price in comparison to the standard closet installers. The materials are "EPP certified 100% recycled or recovered wood or wood fiber." The company business practices are tuned to energy efficiency and recycling, with the company a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. Noel measured our space, listened carefully to our needs and budget concerns, then send us several great designs. He worked with us to choose an optimal layout. The designs were sent by email, with great graphics detailing what we should expect. We hope to have the systems installed in the next couple of weeks and I will write about it when it's done, along with posting photos.

Before & After- "Green" bathroom remodeling

2008-12-24T16:58:00.015-05:00

The first three photos show the tiny bathroom before construction began. The house was built in 1962 and the bathroom was leaking from every possible pipe. The 24" door blocked a small closet that took up room to the right of the sink cabinet. The closet was mostly obscured by an old accordian door. We believed that the space to the right of the sink cabinet, hidden by a wall, was an empty chase formerly used for the old furnace chimney flue. When the furnace was replaced last year with an ultra-high efficiency hydronic system (see previous posts) that vented to the side of the house, the old flue, which went through the room, was abandoned. We intended to pick up this space for use in the remodeled bathroom. As it happened, there was a return duct in the space, which had to be re-routed. Delayed progress, but was workable. When demolishing this bathroom, the contractors carefully removed anything we could reasonably donate as usable building materials or recycle. The vanity cabinet was donated to Habitat for Humanity ReStore, the sink & faucet and toilet went to the usable building materials section of the county recycling center, the medicine cabinet (minus the mirrored doors, which we are using elsewhere) was recycled, and excess aluminum from the re-routing of the ductwork was recycled.

The view from the pocket door to the shower. All of the tile is of recycled material. The red tile is from Sandhill Industries, Inc. and is made in the USA of 100% recycled glass. The shower walls (Terra Classic) and bathroom floor (Terra Traffic) tiles are from Terra Green Ceramics. From a supplier's website, "The body of the tile contains over 55 percent waste glass from windows, mirrors, and post-consumer glass like bottles and jars. The rest of the tile is made of nonmetallic minerals such as special clays, feldspar, sand, and silica." The shower floor is by Oceanside, a recycled glass mosaic blend called Disco Inferno. The manufacturer is in Mexico, a negative to the product, and the manufacturing process is not as energy-conscious as with Sandhill Industries or Terra Green Ceramics. All of the companies' tiles are handmade.

The toilet is a Toto dual flush, which, incidentally, performs like magic- a very efficient flush.

We purchased some of the items online, but much of the tile and the toilet were ordered through Amicus Green Building Center, a complete "green" supply company located on Howard Avenue in Kensington. The owner and staff are very knowledgable and prices are quite competitive.

This is the Oceanside tile.

The granite pieces used in this bathroom were scraps from a kitchen remodeler who polished these pieces for us instead of discarding them.

The 12" sun tube illuminates the room completely in the daytime, even though it was installed on a north-facing roof and it is winter. We anticipate that the summer light will be even brighter. This photo was taken without flash. The sun tube is Energy Star rated.

The light in the shower is part of an Energy Star exhaust fan using CFL lighting. Reflecting in the glass doors (standard construction, not "green") are two LED recessed light fixtures. They are 12 watts each, are dimmable (we installed a dimmer) and are expected to last 50,000 hours.

The other end of the small bathroom (only 48" wide) has the two vanities. The vanities and medicine cabinets are made of old rubber trees, but the sink bowls and faucets are standard. The counter bridging the cabinets is recycled plastic from 3-Form, Inc. The material comes in 4' x 8' sheets and is easily cut, but I found a scrap in their online "reclaim" page. It comes in a huge variety of thicknesses, textures, and colors. Amicus Green Building Center has a complete selection of samples and can order the material.

The pendant light between the mirrors (shown without the translucent white cylindrical globe, still on order) is a CFL fixture.

All in all, this was a really interesting project to see to completion. We are enjoying the new bathroom immensely. Our contractor was excellent. During the process of the job, he insulated wherever possible (and useful), and installed cellulose insulation in the attic to an R-38 rating.

State of the real estate market in North Bethesda

2008-12-22T17:03:00.002-05:00

As in other areas of the country, prices are declining in our DC Metro area. Fall and early winter are often "slow" seasons for real estate sales, as people are focusing on getting children in school and gathering for the holidays. However, there are still buyers looking for good properties, and the buyers who are looking during this season are serious about purchasing. Many potential sellers are waiting for the "spring" market to list their homes, so the available housing inventory is now lower than it had been for the past two years. The combination of reduced attractive inventory and fewer, but more serious, buyers means that sales continue, with reduced volume of transactions. Here in North Bethesda, we have a variety of housing types, and the detached single family homes and newer townhouses have the advantage over the condominiums in this market. For the month of November, 2008, there were 51 single family and townhouse listings in the 20852 zipcode, with 101 condominium listings. Fourteen houses and ten condos went under contract in the same month. This gives an absorption rate of 27.5% for houses and 10% for condominiums. The absorption rate defines how much of the available inventory is removed (sold) in that time period. An absorption rate of about 30% is a reasonably balanced market between buyers and sellers, so the 27.5% rate for houses shows more strength in the market than we had previously. It is neither a sellers' nor a strong buyers' market for houses that are well kept and properly priced. Properly priced, for our area, means that the housing prices are roughly what they were in early 2005. The condo market, on the other hand, with a 10% absorption rate, is a strong buyers' market, so that, if the inventory is not reduced, prices will have to drop to create an environment in which buyers will be confident in making the commitment to buy.

I have been certified by the Association of Energy and Environmental Real Estate Professionals

2008-12-12T14:32:00.005-05:00

As an adjunct to my other professional designations and specialties, I have completed the certification process for the green Realtor designation. The education requirements include coursework on air quality, hazardous materials, environmental issues, energy-saving products and building techniques, passive and active solar systems, building orientation issues, insulation, window design and materials, energy ratings for new construction, energy audits for existing residences, special financing for energy-efficient residential property, and other relevant topics. It is my goal to be able to serve my clients in the most complete manner possible, and I look forward to working with some of the excellent business partners in the field. Call or email me (or comment to this blog!) if you have are interested in referrals to green contractors, suppliers, products, energy auditors, air quality and environmental evaluators, etc.

Green bath remodeling update

2008-10-29T08:28:00.004-04:00

For the background, see my post from September. We have ordered all but one or two items, and it's all piled up in the dining room, waiting for construction to begin next week. The tile is gorgeous, but we did order a little tile from Oceanside after all, since Sandhill's glass is too expensive (and slippery) for the shower floor. The cabinets arrived and are everything I hoped for. We bought a dual-flush Toto toilet at Amicus Green Building Center in Kensington. As for lighting, which hadn't been addressed previously, Rexell Lighting off Gude Drive & Calhoun Ave. has a number of low-energy-use options. Mel was very helpful and respectful of my priorities when I came in there, asking for guidance. We will install two LED recessed fixtures. The light color is wonderful, there is no heat generated, the lamps never need to be replaced (guaranteed well past my lifespan!) they are each 12 watts, and they are dimmable, unlike compact flourescents. Between the 2 medicine cabinets, we will hang a pendant fixture, which uses a 13 or 18 watt compact flourescent lamp (about 8" long). We bought an energy-star exhaust fan online; a little research gets the best price. Upon demolition, the contractor will save any reusable items, and we will take them either to the Habitat for Humanity Restore on Gaither Road (just east of Home Depot off Shady Grove Rd.) or to Community Forklift in Prince Georges County, off Kenilworth Avenue. Both of these places have normal working hours, take donations, and sell reusable building materials. It's amazing what you can get there! We shopped at Community Forklift, but they didn't have enough tile for our whole job or cabinets that would fit, but I encourage you to check them out. Habitat for Humanity is closer to us, and the offerings change daily. A good choice for recycling.

Check out proposed building heights

2008-09-23T06:57:00.004-04:00

Some of the plans for North Bethesda include building heights as high as 28 stories around Rockville Pike. This is approximately 300 feet. On Saturday, Sept. 20, Luxmanor Civic Association sponsored a balloon test, in which they flew a huge balloon near Marinelli Road, demonstrating the potential height of such buildings in our town center.

Letter to planners regarding North Bethesda development plans

2008-09-23T06:50:00.002-04:00

Below are some of my suggestions to the county planners and councilmembers as they consider White Flint Sector Plan. Currently, planning staff is recommending phasing the development by geographic area, which ignores the readiness of owners of various sites and will throw the area into chaos. Also at stake is the redevelopment of Rockville Pike into a Bethesda-style boulevard (see Wisconsin Avenue), with smaller blocks to facilitate pedestrian crossing and use. We can't create a "town center" if people can't walk around, and the shops created won't be successful without pedestrians. They are now talking about needing a new elementary school to accommodate the new local population. Placement of the school is being discussed... 1. Rockville Pike improvements phasing - Rockville Pike is the backbone of the sector. All planning is directed toward its success as a circulation corridor. It is critical that the conversion in the Rockville Boulevard concept is begun in Phase 1 so that any commercial development in the corridor can proceed with the Pike infrastructure in place. It cannot be left till the last phase. 2. Geographic project phasing - I heard about this concept first at the last advisory board briefing by staff. This concept was dismissed by all of the private citizens and developers in attendance as an artificial barrier to the development process. Phasing should proceed using the criteria currently in place in the Bethesda CBD, with individual projects staged based on the sector development and needs, not cutting the sector into smaller geographic pieces. This coordinates with the concept that the Pike must be constructed in its "boulevard" design at the earliest opportunity. 3. Revenue distribution - Any tax revenues generated by developers in the White Flint sector must remain in the sector for infrastructure and transit use. These monies cannot be diluted into the general Montgomery County "pot." Infrastructure needs in this sector are and will remain extremely high, and the money the developers contribute is critical to the success of the overall plan. 4. MCPS elementary school site - I understand that MCPS wants a future school site to be located within the sector plan. However, the two sites that have been identified to date, Wall Park and White Flint are each totally unacceptable. Wall Park is right on major roadways and will be an unsafe site, as well as removing an important park asset for the surrounding residential communities. White Flint is too close to Garrett Park Elementary School, is on the fringe of the sector (not near much of the new housing to be built) and will also remove a valuable asset from the White Flint and Garrett Park Estates communities. The optimal site for a new elementary school is the current WMATA bus depot, which is of sufficient size and is located near The Sterling, The Gallery, and the new LCOR residential units. As a bus depot, it is a supreme waste of acreage as the sector density increases. The depot must be relocated and the land used as a positive community resource.

New, free website rates consumer products

2008-09-12T19:36:00.002-04:00

Check out www.goodguide.com. This new site is free and has rankings on over 61,000 household products, with ratings for effectiveness, environmental responsibility of the company, social responsibility, and consumer satisfaction. The detailed information on each product includes the product's ingredients, and there is a "shopping list" you can compile for the products you want to start buying so you will remember the ones you liked the best. It is easy to use, and you can also sign up so that your settings can be saved. All around, a great new site!!

"Green" remodeling- our bathroom adventures

2008-09-11T18:36:00.002-04:00

We are in the middle of planning a total remodeling job in our master bathroom, which was precipitated by leaks in the shower pan, shower drain, and sink drain in our 44 year old house. The room is small and has no windows, and we have decided to make this environmentally as low an impact as possible. To this end, I have been doing massive research on materials, designs, supply sources, etc. So far, here are some of the factors involved (what to look for and where I found it): 1. Cabinetry Looking for a renewable wood (companies that harvest trees in a sustainable manner earn the FSC certification). Bamboo can be problematic if it has to be shipped here from across the Pacific Ocean, so bamboo (and cork) should be checked for where they were harvested. Maple grows like a weed around here, so it is reasonably OK to use. Another factor is whether or not the manufacturing process includes VOC (volatile organic compounds) and/or formaldehyde. Most particle board contains both, which can be respiratory irritants or worse. Greenway Cabinetry, Inc. has a product line called Breathe Easy, using non-toxic water-based glues, formaldehyde-free plywood, and FSC woods or bamboo. I found a company in Baltimore and another south of here that will order these cabinets. However, due to design and space needs, I ended up ordering a different cabinet that is made from the remains of used-up rubber trees. Tile: Ceramic tile is available that is made with a high content of recycled glass and the remains of other ceramic processes. I found wall and floor tile in many colors and sizes at Amicus Green Building Center, 4080A Howard Avenue, Kensington. This store features all kinds of building materials, and the staff is very knowledgable regarding the sources and processes for the materials they sell. I will be using floor and wall tiles (matte and gloss) from Terra Green Ceramics, Inc., which I will order from Amicus. Glass tile made from recycled glass is trickier (also gorgeous and more expensive, but great for accents); the most common manufacturer is Oceanside, sold both at Amicus and at Home Depot's Expo. However, Oceanside moved its manufacturing plant to Mexico and uses a lower % of recycled materials with a production process that is higher in energy use that two other tile sources. Online, I found Sandhill Industries (www.sandhillind.com) and Stardust Glass (www.stardustglasstile.com). Both use up to 100% recycled glass (post-consumer and bits from windows, etc.) and a less energy-intensive process. These are stunning tiles. Sandhill is based in Idaho, and Stardust Glass is in Washington State. I will be ordering from Sandhill; they are sending me some samples. Neither of these companies has a local dealer, so I have told the owners of Amicus about them. Hopefully, they will expand their product lines. Other architectural-quality recycled glass tile manufacturers are Blazestone from Bedrock Industries and Aurora Glass Architectural Accents. I have not researched these thoroughly, so I can't comment on their product lines. Vanity countertop: We will probably be using a recycled plastic product called 3form (www.3-form.com). It comes in sheet of every possible color, texture, and thickness. The website includes instructions for cutting and modifying the material. I was looking for a thick material that is translucent, and find that I can even find scraps large enough for our purposes on the website. Lighting: We are installing an 18" suntube, which is an energy-efficient version of a skylight. We saw one installed in a friend's bath, and it delivers a lovely diffused light all day long (and will glow gently on moon-lit nights). As we move further along in this endeavor, I will report on our progress.

Parkway closed between E. Jefferson St. and old Old Georgetown Rd.

2008-09-09T00:25:00.000-04:00

The forested property to the east of the Getty gas station on Montrose Road is owned by Wilgus Associates. Wilgus Assoc. received permits years ago to build two office buildings between the Getty station and old Old Georgetown Road. This year, Wilgus held an informational meeting about its new plans for the site. Guess where they put the public notice??? This sign is facing the CLOSED SECTION of Montrose Parkway...no traffic, no one passes by. As you can see, the meeting was last month. Traveling east toward East Jefferson Street on the closed parkway, there is a sign pointing to Stonehenge Place, as street that parallels the parkway, but doesn't intersect with it. This will be the entrance to Stonehenge Place. Even though the parkway was not supposed to be a local road and was to have smooth-flowing traffic through North Bethesda, the Wilgus property owners were able to get this curb cut approved with their development. It will lead to the back of the Cherington townhouses, the back of the Getty station, and branch to feed the new Wilgus buildings. Another view of the future Stonehenge Place access point from the Montrose "Parkway." Note that the median accomodates turns across the future traffic. Of course, this section of the parkway is not open. The contractor told me that, although it is completed, it will not be opened until Phase II (the intersection tunnel under Rockville Pike) is built.

Digging under Rockville Pike

2008-09-08T23:50:00.001-04:00

The Montrose Parkway Phase II is underway, with construction set up in the old commuter lot at the corner of Montrose Road & Rockville Pike. The first three photos show the construction, as of today, from the corner of old Old Georgetown Road and the closed section of Montrose Parkway. You can see the earth movers have dug right up to the Pike, preparing to tunnel the Montrose Parkway under Rockville Pike. You may have noticed that the trees on the east side of the Pike have been removed. This is to divert the Pike to the east during construction; we will be routed around the intersection on a temporary road that is being built right now. This is a view south on old Old Georgetown Road, looking toward the cul-de-sac behind the Garden Center and Toys-R-Us. The street is being widened to accomodate Montrose Parkway traffic. Eventually, the cul-de-sac will be opened so that this tiny road spur, in its widened form, will intersect with Old Georgetown Road at Executive Boulevard.

Detached houses sell well

2008-08-21T17:53:00.003-04:00

There aren't many houses on the market in Tilden Woods, North Farm, Old Farm, Luxmanor, and Walnut Woods. The few that come on the market and look great with fair market pricing will sell, although the current average Days on Market is more than it was in the heyday of the market rush a few years ago. Within Montgomery County, the average Days on Market (the number of days it takes for an active listing to go under contract) is just over 90. In our market in North Bethesda, the average is 44 days. This shows great strength for our area. Prices have not dropped as much as elsewhere, although most detached homes that were in the $800k-$900k range several years ago might sell now for $725k-$825k. The key to a sale in a reasonable time and at the best price is to have the house "staged" to show to its best advantage, have the entrance landscaped, the house looking fresh and clean (free of distractions inside), with, hopefully, updated kitchen and baths. Our homes are now 42 to 50 years old, and even servicable original elements now lack the pizzazz that a current buyer is looking for. Some remodeling efforts are well worthwhile. I am an expert in knowing what updates will pay you back and which ones will cost more than they are worth.

Why houses might go to foreclosure

2008-08-21T17:34:00.003-04:00

North Bethesda is holding up reasonably well, considering the general market and media attention on the national real estate scene. It is true that, in my 25+ years as a real estate professional, I have never seen such a rate of foreclosures before, the fact remains that the current price rollback is not worse than the percentages we saw in the mid-1990s. My take on the foreclosure situation is as follows: In the lower price ranges, many people struggled to buy their first homes in the past 5-10 years, often combining several incomes from various extended family members to qualify for a loan. I have seen some of them badly used by corrupt loan officers, who placed marginal buyers in loans that were not explained to them and that would be impossible to maintain; typically, the disreputable lender would promise a low interest rate, not revealing that the loan terms would change dramatically in a few years and the payment would jump. Compounding the problem would be if the borrower's first language is not English and they were unable to understand the complicated documents they were told to sign. They might trust a lender who was only trying to get the largest fee. Another scenario would be the marginal buyer who had great credit and worked for years to afford a first home, then lose a job or get sick. There is no help for this situation, and the house can go to foreclosure. Those who owned their homes for a long time and had built significant equity from appreciation sometimes have to foreclose if they have been continually refinancing and taking the equity out of the house. Someone may have paid $200,000 for their house, but refinanced it to $600,000 when the market was high and it could appraise for a little more than that amount. There is no room for error, and when the prices dropped back so that the house might be worth $550,000, there is now a bigger loan out on the house than its value. In this case, it is not the fault of the appraiser, who placed a market value on the house based on its actual value at the time of the appraisal. These scenarios are new with this recent market, which explains the foreclosure rate rising in an area that historically had very, very few foreclosures. Be aware that the figures you see in the media can be misleading; if an area had 10 foreclosures a few years ago, and today there are 20, that will be reported as a "doubling" of the rate. This represents a very small percentage of property sales for this area, which continues to be in some demand due to its proximity to transportation and other amenities.

Condominiums in North Bethesda

2008-08-21T17:31:00.002-04:00

A blogger on another site asked about condos in North Bethesda and wanted to know what types and prices there are, whether any back to golf courses, and if there are any designated for seniors. My answer is below: North Bethesda is sprouting condos all up and down Rockville Pike. Existing high-rise condo communities include The Wisconsin, Fallswood, Grosvenor Park, The Gallery, The Sterling, Midtown, and TenTenOne. A bit further north in Rockville are Rockville Town Center (The Palladium), The Fitz, and Americana Center. Just across I-270 in Potomac is a huge community, under construction, Park Potomac. Others are under construction. None are age-restricted at this time, but there are other high-rise communities nearby that are over-55 with various amenities. With the current market, some of the builders who were planning to construct condos have decided to make their new buildings luxury rentals. Garden-style condos include The Gables, Bentley Place, Edson Place, Parkside, and Georgetown Village. The high-rise buildings tend to have upscale facilities. Because we have 3 metro stations in the immediate area, it’s not suburban enough anymore to have golf course properties (other than a few townhouses in Rockville that back to the Woodmont Country Club), but the growing urban environment is exciting, and there is a wealth of opportunity for shopping, entertainment, employment, and outdoor recreation in our parks. Prices for a 2 bedroom unit can range from $300,000+ for a garden community to $500,000-$800,000 in a high-rise. Check my website EmilyMintz.com for a property search in the area and for my pages on local communities & things to do.

EcoBroker certification coursework- Initial Topics

2008-08-04T16:28:00.004-04:00

The Association of Energy and Environmental Real Estate Professionals has created a certification course for real estate agents. The EcoBroker certification process is broken up into three main courses, each of which covers a series of topics relevant to energy concerns and environmental health. I have now completed the first course, which covered health and safety issues in real estate. The specific topics, covered in some depth, are:

Radon
Lead
Water quality - private well systems, public treatment programs, and sources of contamination as well as remediation techniques
Mold
Asbestos
Indoor air quality - irritants from volatile organic compound (VOC) off-gassing, allergens, pesticide residue, mold, and radon
Historic contamination - any type of property contamination, such as leaking underground storage tanks or industrial contamination that occurred during prior ownership
Green buildings and health - contruction programs and certifications for new and existing property, along with government-sponsored incentive programs

I have access to certified and insured professional inspectors and remediators who specialize in each of these areas of concern.

The second area of study, which I am currently working on, addresses energy efficiency, materials, and techniques for a sustainable environment.

Birds attracted to flowers

2008-08-03T12:38:00.003-04:00

On a walk this morning, we saw several bright yellow goldfinches feeding on the seed heads of a neighbor's coneflowers. These particular flowers are, I believe, a species of rudbeckia, which includes black-eyed susans. I don't know what attracted these gorgeous little finches to this patch, but the flowers are a light purple in color, with the signature rudbeckia downturned petals and large spherical seed head.

I don't know if the goldfinches are attracted to the type of flower or the specific color of this variety. They don't seem to feed on the black-eyed susans or daisies that I have in my yard, so I will be buying some of the purple rudbeckia and will make sure not to dead-head my flowers to allow them to go to seed and, hopefully, bring some more goldfinches to my yard.

Handling air quality inside your home

2008-08-01T11:22:00.004-04:00

Lately, I have been involved in several cases of homes with poor indoor air quality. In each case, the owners have been coughing or have become ill repeatedly, but they have not tied their health concerns to problems with mold, dust, allergens, or other air contaminants. The worst offenders are mold spores and airborne dust. There are specialists to help identify sources of irritants and to give you do-it-yourself remedies or to carry out professional remediation. In the case of mold, I am in the process of assisting an elderly friend in 1. bagging & throwing out all of the moldy materials in his basement (using a proper respirator so that I won't get sick!), 2. identifying & bagging the things he wants to keep so that they can be properly sanitized later, 3. scheduling the mold remediator (in this case, RTS Environmental Services- certified & experienced) to safely kill the mold and coat surfaces so that it won't recur. Mold requires moisture (as do termites!), and my friend had not checked his house for leaks in many years. Our first item was to have a plumber go over the house, top to bottom. He found a leak in the hot water tank and most of the faucets and valves upstairs. The problem in the basement was so severe that we have found both mold and termites. So, the takeaway lesson is to be sure, first, that the moisture issues that started the mold blooms is corrected. That way, the remediation that kills the current mold (and the termite treatments) will not be wasted and the problem can be "solved." As for dust and allergens, consider a good filtration system on the furnace. We won't have to have the ducts and evaporator coils cleaned in this case, since the HVAC system is nearly new & doesn't show signs of mold blooms. Upstairs, we will be placing a few portable air purifying devices. I am avoiding any device that adds ozone, which can be a respiratory irritant. The best one I have found is the BlueAir 402 (sold at Bed, Bath, & Beyond for $399- your 20% off coupon will help), which will scrub the air and not add ozone. If you have these issues and your carpet is more than 15-20 years old, you should replace the carpeting, which, over time, becomes a haven for mold spores. Shampooing it can cause the mold to bloom. It is now possible to buy carpet with low VOC (volatile organic compounds, which can be hazardous) emissions. I can refer you to a good carpet company with "green" and low VOC options.

White Flint Sector Plan Piles on New Development

2008-07-28T13:05:00.002-04:00

The White Flint Advisory Group has been meeting for about a year, making recommendations to the county planning staff about what downtown North Bethesda should look like in the next 20 years. Essentially, the county revises, about every two decades, the projections for parts of the county. The North Bethesda/Garrett Park Master Plan was adopted in 1992, so we are coming up for the long revision process before a new Master Plan is adopted. In this go-round, since our area is urbanizing rapidly, the planners have sub-divided the Master Plan area to create a separate plan that addresses only the central business district for North Bethesda. They are calling this are the White Flint Sector Plan. The advisory group has been composed of business owners, land use attorneys (hired by major commercial property owners and developers), and volunteer members of surrounding communities. Representing us in the Luxmanor, Tilden Woods, Old Farm, Walnut Woods area have been Paula Bienenfeld (current LCA president), Ken Hurdle, and Ed Rich. I have attended a few of the sessions as an observer, and have been allowed to participate on the perifery. The members of the group have invested an enormous amount of time, giving the community's input for our needs as pedestrians, bikers, drivers, shoppers, employees, and residents of the region. At the last meeting, July 22, the planning staff presented the recommendations and plans that they hope to present to the planning board as a result of the advisory group's meetings. However, the plans presented were not at all what the members of the group had seen before. Prior to the presentation, staff was instructed to increase the density of housing, retail, and commercial development for the sector. The members have not been able to get any studied reasoning from the staff or other participants as to how the density increases were derived. As part of the density discussions, there are assumptions about school enrollment, number of school-age children that will be generated by the higher densities, and where any new schools might be located. This type of change to studied plans, at the last minute, is not new to us. It happened with some regularity with the planning of the Montrose Parkway, and we have some bizarre traffic patters as a result.

Realtor association creates Green Task Force

2008-07-01T14:59:00.002-04:00

I will be joining the newly formed Green Realtors task force as a member. Our next meeting is in the end of July. We hope to provide information to the public as well as advising the realtor associaton (GCAAR, the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors) about environmental issues and solutions. With many members dedicated to awareness and education in this field, we will have a lot to teach each other. I'm looking forward to hearing new ideas and finding ways to help our communities develop in an environmentally sensitive way. EcoBroker is the new designation for Realtors who are trained in green technologies, materials, safe building practices, and means of assisting buyers and sellers for whom a healthy environment is a priority. The training for the EcoBroker designation is relatively lengthy; I will be starting the training as soon as possible & will update this blog as I progress & learn more to share with others.

Cheer on Eric Friedland!

2008-07-01T14:48:00.002-04:00

Eric is competing for a spot on the US Olympic swim team. He is from Tilden Woods, 18, a recent graduate of Walter Johnson HS. Trials are occurring at this time.

"Green" remodeling for older homes

2008-06-22T10:56:00.002-04:00

As we plan our bath and kitchen remodeling projects, we are trying to incorporate as many environmentally friendly aspects as possible to the design and selection of materials. This may include a sun-tube for day lighting, looking for tile that is produced and transported with conservation and recycling in mind, finding recycled countertop and flooring materials, and requiring that our contractor recycle as much removed material as possible. Quoted from the new website, www.regreenprogram.org, "The American Society of Interior Designers’ Foundation and the U.S. Green Building Council have partnered on the development of best practice guidelines and targeted educational resources for sustainable residential improvement projects." Check the site to download the guidelines. Renovation tips can be found at the USGBC site www.greenhomeguide.org. Contractors who work in remodeling can become certified in environmentally friendly construction practices. Asking contractors if they have any of these designations can encourage them to get the training, as they perceive consumer interest:

Green Advantage has an education program, completion of which confers GA Certification
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) issues the Certified Green Professional designation
National Association of the Remodeling Industry education program can confer a Green Certified Professional designation.

Make sure your house numbers are visible in the dark

2008-06-19T22:13:00.001-04:00

The fire & rescue departments find our houses easier with luminescent numbers painted on our curbs at the driveway curb-cuts. In previous years, we waited until someone put a notice on our door that they would be in the neighborhood to paint, and we would leave the payment on the door when they came by. However, it's been a number of years since any company solicited our business to refresh our painted numbers. There is a company that will do this work, if you call. They do a great job, use reflective paint, and add reflective crystals to the numbers. They can paint in a couple of color schemes. Call David Adamo, 714-580-0582, and leave a message if you'd like this service. You can email him at curbcareplus@yahoo.com. He is charging $19.95. In addition, he can paint iron railings, lamp posts, etc.

Let's get organized

2008-06-17T11:52:00.002-04:00

It's been quite some time since Tilden Woods had a civic association meeting...so long that many people in our neighborhood don't even know that we used to have a civic association, collect dues ($15 per year), take care of our entrance, distribute a quarterly newsletter, hold community events, and sponsor occassional improvements at Farmland School. We paid (with Old Farm) for the bulletin board at Old Stage and Tilden Lane, which was built by neighbor volunteers. Tilden Woods Civic Association pressured the county to provide some traffic relief on Tildenwood Drive and Old Stage Road, which resulted in the traffic calming islands and circle that help slow the cars. We were rather active as a community when fighting the Montrose Parkway, but interest in our community has faded. Our new challenges are the maintenance of the entrance, possible rebuilding of the gazebo at the entrance, and monitoring of the traffic, now that the Montrose Parkway construction created a dedicated turn lane into Tildenwood Drive. Luxmanor Citizens Association has been quite proactive lately, working with the county to find solutions for cut-through traffic. They have a traffic committee. Shouldn't we have an organization that will participate in these discussions? Please post your comments- does anyone have a suggestion for how to get our civic association jump-started? Old Farm has had difficulty in organizing as well. Do you think that Old Farm, Walnut Woods, Hickory Woods, and Tilden Woods should re-organize with one meeting, election, and board? Do we have anyone in the overall communities (our FarmlandNeighbors.com community) who can serve as treasurer, or someone who knows how to set up the legal framework for our new organization? Does anyone know how to structure insurance for the new board? For those of you not familiar with a civic association, this is not a mandatory homeowner's association. Dues are voluntary (but highly suggested!) and there is no architectural control over what you can or cannot build on your property.

Update on the TW Drive cherry trees

2008-06-15T13:26:00.003-04:00

Believe it or not, we got the new cherry trees that we asked for! Thanks so much to the county office of tree maintenance. Although the original plan was to have all of the old trees removed or pruned, with stumps taken out, prior to the planting, a vast majority of the trees to be planted were put in a week ago, with some additional plantings last Friday. I called Brett Linkletter, tree maintenance program director, to find out what changed the plans, and he said that, at this late date in the fiscal year, he would have to wait until the next fiscal year begins to have the contractor come and remove the old trees. After that, there will be a time gap before the rest of the new trees can be planted in their places. We are still trying to find out who will landscape the earth berm along Tildenwood Drive behind the new access to Faith Methodist Church. The contractor for the parkway is still responsible for completing the pavers on the traffic island and replanting it. There will be a redbud tree put on the island.

The "Flat People" are gone!

2008-06-15T13:18:00.002-04:00

Finally, the owners of Montrose Crossing have removed the hideous sculpture that was on the northeast corner of the Montrose Road/Rockville Pike intersection. It was removed a week ago, presumably to make way for the construction project about to begin- the tunneling of Montrose Parkway under Rockville Pike. Since it was installed years ago, the "sculpture" was reviled by everyone I ever met in North Bethesda. It was a circle of huge flat consumers in primary colors. It seemed that the shopping center owners, who commissioned and installed it, consider the residents of the area to be devoid of depth or subtlety. After seeing many of the inspiring and interesting pieces of public art in other parts of the metro area, it was disappointing beyond measure to have this prominent piece "in our face." I am thrilled to see it go and hope that it never reappears. Public art should have some basis in the art world.

Montrose Road intersection opens June 16

2008-05-29T17:53:00.004-04:00

Today, I stopped by the offices for Concrete General, the contractor building the Montrose Parkway West project, asking for clarification on some dates, construction goals, and issues we've had with the project "progress." Here is the recap:

There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10am on Monday, June 16, for the Montrose Road bridge and tie-in intersection (in front of St. Elizabeth's Church) opening. This will eliminate the current detour for westbound Montrose Road traffic, and we will no longer have to turn onto East Jefferson St. when heading toward I-270. Montrose Road will intersect Montrose Parkway.
The piece of Montrose Parkway between E. Jefferson St. and old Old Georgetown Rd. (behind La Madeleine) is complete, but will not be opened to traffic until the state intersection project is built. This will take several years. The intersection project takes Montrose Parkway under Rockville Pike and dumps it back onto Randolph Road before the CSX tracks. Funding has been allocated (the county is "lending" some of the funds to the state to start construction sooner; don't hold your breath for getting this money back), but engineering is not complete. Concrete General won the construction contract (big surprise). So, we have a completed road section that will sit there, unused, for years, while all eastbound Montrose Parkway traffic has to turn at E. Jefferson St.
There is some confusion about the trees that were planted today on Tildenwood Drive. The old cherry trees were not taken down first, and I still don't know if the county planted the new trees (unlikely), or they were mistakenly installed by Concrete General's landscaping crew (more likely). I will write again about this when I find out what happened.
Final paving for Montrose Road & Parkway will occur between July and September, and Concrete General will consider the project complete. They think it's likely to be July-August, but are saying September to be conservative.
The sign for Hitching Post Lane at Montrose Road is missing. Conc. Gen'l's rep told me that they have the sign, but, until the final paving and re-alignment of the lanes, they can't install it. Hoping that it will be up within the next month.
They still haven't finished the brickwork or planting in what remains of the traffic island on Tildenwood Drive. Promises, promises. I asked about planting shrubbery or ground cover around the new eastern redbud tree that's supposed to go in, but the staff on hand were not aware of any landscaping plans that included anything other than a single tree. Negotiations continue.
I understood that Concrete General was responsible for planting trees and other screening on the berm next to the sidewalk on Tildenwood Drive (between the sidewalk and the new storm management pond behind Faith Methodist Church). Staff at the office had no record of this requirement. Again, I will follow up on this with the county tree maintenance department and with Roger Brown, the project manager for Concrete General.
There are currently no crosswalks at the intersection of Montrose Parkway and E. Jefferson Street. I have had to take my life into my hands getting around that intersection on foot or on my bike. Final plans show crosswalks for all four sides of the intersection, with pedestrian signals to be installed. I hope to find out when this will occur and let you all know.

Paying for "greening" your home

2008-05-06T11:14:00.002-04:00

As of December 31, 2007, the federal tax credit incentives for installing energy-efficient windows, insulation, HVAC systems, etc. expired. Our current federal government has not yet re-instituted any of these incentives. Hopefully, this will be corrected (and post-dated, if we're lucky). Meanwhile, if you want to keep track of possible financial incentives, check out the federal, state, and local government programs to see what is available to you. They do change from year to year, so be sure to check often. We found that it is possible to install advanced & efficient systems that, after tax credits or other incentives, cost practically the same as a standard installation would have cost. After that, energy savings into the future are "gravy" and we are all doing what we can to reduce our impact on the planet. Besides, when you are ready to sell your home, you have some very positive selling features! Here are some sites that can help identify financial incentives: Federal - www.energytaxincentives.org Maryland - http://dsireusa.org/library/includes/map2.cfm?CurrentPageID=1&State=MD&RE=1&EE=1 This site (the home page, which covers the entire US, is www.dsireusa.org) also has links to federal programs and local programs, so the Montgomery County program is linked, as well. Montgomery County - http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/deptmpl.asp?url=/content/dep/rewards.asp Currently, this site is showing that the Energy Rewards program is out of funding. However, it has a lot of useful links to energy programs with Pepco, etc., and could be a future source of incentives. I wouldn't rule it out. Be sure to post any comments if you have any additional ideas.

The Cost of Commuting vs. Housing Costs

2008-04-15T13:46:00.003-04:00

The cost of commuting and getting to the activities and places you want to go to has become a significant factor in deciding if a house is affordable or not. Along with the calculation of house size, determining the cost of transportation, parking, and the value of your time spent commuting can determine which neighborhoods you would consider living in. In past years, the decision of location vs. house size and age was not foremost for many relocating buyers. With the rise in gas prices, parking costs, and the terrible toll a long commute can take, I am finding that buyers are more likely to list location and access to transit as a higher priority than they did in the past. Many buyers are more willing to consider buying a condominium next to a transit station, shopping, and entertainment venues than in the past, even if the price is comparable to that of a detached home in a more suburban setting. I am often asked why a buyer would pay $650,000-$1,000,000 for a condo when, for the same price, he/she could have a house, yard, and greater privacy. The convenience of walking to stores, movies, and, sometimes, work, coupled with the ability to lock up and go on a trip can tip the balance. Add to that the modern, elegant surroundings of many of the new condo buildings (which often offer a security desk, fitness room, pool, business and function rooms, etc.), and it really is a choice to live in smaller space of high quality near "the action." Here in North Bethesda, we can have the best of all these worlds. There are plenty of luxurious condos to choose from, but we also have the advantage of the local amenities in the detached homes of Tilden Woods, Old Farm, North Farm, Walnut Woods, Old Hickory Woods, Luxmanor, Windemere, Montrose, Garrett Park, Wickford, and other lovely communities surrounding the North Bethesda "core." A new website is rich in analytical tools that help a buyer determine the travel-housing affordability of neighborhoods throughout the US. The DC Metro area has been charted on this site, www.htaindex.cnt.org.

North Bethesda real estate market

2008-03-24T10:10:00.004-04:00

The market for detached houses has fallen into two categories; houses that are in good condition and are priced appropriately for this market (more about this below), and those whose owners are trying to recapture prices from a year or two ago. The first group is selling. The second group will linger on the market as buyers check them out, either in person or online, then reject them at the current prices. Buyers are actively looking at homes; I am having excellent "traffic" in open houses this spring. Yesterday, at an open house on Pooks Hill Road, several buyers told me that, although they had been thinking about buying for some time, they were getting more serious now that interest rates are dipping. No one knows if prices will stabilize or decline a bit further, but the threat of an interest rate increase in future months may cause some buyers who had been on the fence to commit to making an offer. As to the offers themselves, most buyers will make a very low first offer to test what the "floor" is for the sellers. Sellers should not be angered by this; in the buyers' position , they would likely do the same thing. The critical matter is the intent of the two parties. If the buyer is looking for a particular type of property at a reasonable price, then a house that meets those criteria will be attractive to that buyer and a proper price can be negotiated. Buyers whose main goal is to find a true, outright bargain in this market will continue to make serial offers on multiple properties until they find the seller who will take a particularly low price. For the sellers, the most successful tactic is to evaluate the current competition, the active listings that are similar to their home that a typical buyer would view before making a choice. Then, the sellers can set an asking price that will communicate to the buyers that "this house is a better buy today than the other ones you are looking at." This should be done with consultation with a really experienced Realtor who has success in selling properties in a slower market. Choosing an asking price based on the comparable sales of a year ago will not bring a buyer today. Buyers will only check comparables after they have selected a property. They will choose the property to make an offer on based on the current inventory, then check comparables as one of the tools to determine the price to offer. The newer listings, priced propertly, are actually selling within 45-75 days of coming on the market. Properties that are perceived by buyers' agents and buyers to be overpriced for what they offer (against other active listings) will linger for 12-200+ days on the market. The average days on market for detached houses in the Montrose/Old Georgetown wedge area is changing: Sold homes (these have gone to settlement and, therefore, were likely to have started on the market in the fall/winter of 2007) average 91 days, Currently Under Contract (these are the most recent spring 2008 sales) average 57 days on the market.

Saying goodbye to a dear old friend

2008-03-18T09:50:00.002-04:00

Just before midnight on March 16th, Helen Zuppas, our dear next-door neighbor, passed away quietly in her sleep. Helen had been ill for some time, tenderly cared for by her daughter, sons, and daughters-in-law. We will miss her & her kind and gentle spirit, and will remember her for her devotion to her family, intelligence, smile, and the way she and Simos welcomed us and our children (very small when we first moved in!) into their home.

Retrofitting an older house for energy efficiency

2008-02-21T13:47:00.003-05:00

When replacing the HVAC and hot water systems in our house this past summer, we were faced with a 44 year-old brick home, supplied by natural gas. Research indicated that a geo-thermal system would be too disruptive and expensive, while installing a standard high-efficiency natural gas forced air system would not provide the fuel efficiency that we were after. A solar hot water system or gas tankless system for water would have been workable, but, since we had to replace the furnace, AC, and hot water heater at the same time, the best choice was for an integrated hydronic system, which involved a natural-gas fired ultra-high efficiency boiler. This provided heat for the furnace (no more "dry" heat), still utilizing the forced-air ductwork, while providing virtually "free" hot water all winter as a residual benefit of the HVAC's boiler system. This system met the federal standard for energy credits, while costing only about 10% more than the installation costs of a new standard high-efficiency system. It is working flawlessly. Energy conservation and sustainable living are among my major concerns, and I have made a study of many of the techniques, materials, and systems that are being developed to "green" our world. I am delighted to share this information with any neighbor, customer, or client who is also interested in this exciting and promising area. Reducing your energy usage, living "greener," and, in general, being more sensitive to our impact on the environment is a huge area of study. Among the topics are

Modifications that can be made to an older home to conserve energy (such as adding insulation, plugging up gaps around windows and exterior outlets, replacing windows, doors, and old appliances with Energy Star items, installing solar or wind systems)
Materials that can be used in construction that are sustainable and renewable
Lifestyle changes to reduce waste (such as choosing products with less packaging, choosing items that are local, changing lights to compact fluorescents, and composting)
Choosing transportation & workplace options that reduce the use of the automobile

A note about compact fluorescent light bulbs. We tried many of them, and find that, if you search for the bulbs that are rated 2700-2800k (kelvin), you will have a bulb that most closely replicates the light quality and color of an incandescent bulb. The lower the kelvin rating, the "yellower" the light; the higher the rating, the "bluer" the light. We found the higher k bulbs to be very harsh. You cannot use the standard compact flourescent bulbs on circuits with dimmer switches; there are special compact bulbs for that purpose. We are using them everywhere we can, and find virtually no difference at all. They also last many, many times longer that the comparable incandescent bulbs. Just be sure to take the "spent" bulbs to the Shady Grove transfer center (not in your recycling bin) so that they can be disposed of properly; there are trace amounts of mercury inside the tubes.

Church tower driving neighbors crazy

2008-02-19T11:10:00.008-05:00

The new bell tower at St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church is lit all night long, and the bells are set to ring every 15 minutes, causing havoc in the houses across the street on Tildenwood Lane. Our neighbors need our support to ask the church to turn off the lights after 9pm and to stop ringing the bells all day, every day. Below is a letter I received from Julie Winston, outlining the difficulties they are having: The bell tower started operation around December 10th (we were away till the 16th, but they certainly coordinated with the opening of the Montrose Parkway). We returned from our trip and the entire upstairs of my house (6709 Tildenwood Lane) was lit up...thought I had been robbed, but found it was the LIGHT from the church bell tower brilliantly shining into my upstairs bathroom, hallway and bedroom. Little did I realizethat the church BELLS would affect me even more than this problem. These "lovely" bells ring EVERY 15 minutes all day long, and even more so on Sundays. They are on a BIG BEN system like in London, and very few churches buy this program because it does affect the neighbors. I can accept Sundays, as this is church time. I contacted the church 6 times via phone, and was told it was the holiday season and no one would be able to respond to my message until after the 1st of January. No one ever returned my call, but on January 8th, I finally spoke to a Mr. Foria who is the building engineer. He said he was surprised to hear about the light being an issue, and would try to dim it with a filter. I asked for it to be turned off after 9pm, as it was disturbing our sleep. He told me that was impossible as they wanted it to be seen all night from the MONTROSE PARKWAY! The noise from the bells was not an issue, as far as he was concerned. He never did get back to me, as he had promised. I called the county Dept of Environment , and Dan McAnn (240-777-7743) has been out here to check the sound levels and has even spoken personally to Mr. Foria at the church, but to no avail. Dan says the sound levels are ok and they do go off at 9pm, so that is acceptable to the county, but he agrees that the quality of life is definitely disrupted by the bell sounds every 15 minutes. This is not a way to live..... the light is shining on my breakfast room table, in my den, and my entire upstairs... and the bells are driving me crazy!!!! Happy retirement at 6709 Tildenwood Lane. At least 4 of the residents of this street are affected as well, and I haven't asked the remaining houses as of yet. I so appreciate the community's support in resolving this awful problem. See the article below re: Reston Church bells, law suit. Thanks again, Julie 301-468-9399 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/30/AR2006113001419_pf.html

Montrose Road bridge construction

2008-02-18T14:32:00.016-05:00

Dan & I just took a walk over to the closed section of Montrose Road. They are well on their way to creating the new bridge over Old Farm Creek. The photos here were taken while walking on the St. Elizabeth's Church side of the street, heading east toward East Jefferson Street. You can see the Montrose Parkway veering off to the right. To recap what the construction is all about:

Montrose Road used to have a "dip" over Old Farm Creek between St. Elizabeth's Church and Treeline Way (townhouses). The creek passed under Montrose Road through a small culvert. They are raising Montrose Road about 7' above where is used to be, eliminating much of the dip, removing the culvert, and building a bridge over the creek that will be large enough to accommodate a wildlife crossing beneath it. I believe that they are also talking about having a human path (bike path? - I'll be checking on this) to link our new parkway bike path to the north side of Montrose Road, into Rockville.
Once Montrose Road, traveling westbound, crosses the new bridge over the creek, it will veer left (south, and away from St. Elizabeth's) to intersect with the parkway. When you are on the parkway, you can see what looks like an incomplete intersection, with the booms for the traffic lights already installed. That's where Montrose Road will tie into Montrose Parkway.
The part of the old Montrose Road that went in front of St. Elizabeth's (between Tildenwood Drive and the new Montrose Road/Montrose Parkway intersection) will be removed.

So, here are the pictures of the construction so far...

View eastward from Tildenwood Drive & Montrose Road, taken from the north side. You can see the parkway veering off to the right. The construction is further along on the left, on the closed section of Montrose Road.

Here is where the construction begins, just past St. Elizabeth's old entrance.

Continuing eastward, they built a temporary footbridge over the creek for pedestrians & bicyclists. This will be removed after the new roadway is opened.

Standing on the footbridge, this is the view north into the Rockville side.

Turn around in the same spot, and this is the view south into the construction of the new Montrose Road bridge. The cylinder is the old culvert that used to go under Montrose Road, with Old Farm Creek channelized through it. Flanking each side of the culvert are the forms, under construction, for the embankments of the new bridge. You can see how much higher it will be than the old roadbed was.

More of the same. Montrose Parkway is in the distance, past the strip of trees.

We have crossed the pedestrian bridge and are now standing in the middle of Montrose Road, near the townhouses, looking back (west) across the gulf where they are building the bridge (between where the cranes are). It is apparent that the "dip" is now pretty much gone. On this side, they are also working on building the new roadbed.

Montrose Parkway construction problems

2008-02-15T15:38:00.002-05:00

There are still many problems with the way the contractor has left the neighborhoods around the parkway as they work on completing construction. If you know of issues beyond the ones I will outline below, please post them as comments so that I can bring all of our problems to the contractor and the county for correction.

The Tilden Woods gazebo, just east of Tildenwood Drive & Montrose, is falling down and needs to be replaced or removed. In fact, contractors who illegally removed trees from the adjacent property felled limbs on the gazebo, making a bad situation worse.
On Tildenwood Drive, the traffic island was ripped up and has not been rebuilt or replanted.
Sidewalks were not built along the new length of Hitching Post Lane; the sound walls only allow vehicles through so that walkers cannot follow Hitching Post Lane to the swim club.
Numerous cherry trees were cut down along Tildenwood Drive, particulary near the new storm water management pond south of the back of Faith United Methodist Church and near the intersection with Montrose Road, leaving large blank spaces in our tree canopy. I have arranged with a county department to have these replaced, no thanks to the parkway construction contractor.
The contractor was to replant and landscape the earth berm between the storm water management pond (just mentioned above) and the sidewalk.

That's just near the entrance to Tilden Woods! Further east on the parkway,

The bike path gets to East Jefferson Street, continues on the other side, but there is no crosswalk. In fact, the vehicular traffic around that corner does not stop, and it is decidedly treacherous to cross the street to stay on the bike path.
The county transportation department (DPWT) has striped and re-striped the pavement along East Jefferson Street so that lanes suddenly appear, disappear, merge, and make forced turns in such a bizarre pattern that accidents are nearly a daily occurrance.
Although the utility companies have finished moving cables from the poles that were in the middle of the widened Montrose Road, not all of the poles have been removed. Notably, there is a pole in the street at the corner of Montrose & Tildenwood Drive. After I sent an email to the county, the contractor put a few barrels around it and nailed neon stripes to it, but it's an accident waiting to happen if someone rounds that corner and doesn't see it (or the barrels get blown aside, as one did this past week).

Do you know of other problems to be addressed? Be sure to post them. Thanks.

Street trees - County policy

2008-02-15T15:10:00.002-05:00

The county will be replacing cherry trees on Tildenwood Drive due to the immense destruction that was caused by the construction crews when building the Montrose Parkway. Since first notifying everyone that the dead trees will be removed and new ones planted, a lot of people on other streets have asked to have trees removed and/or planted. First, I will outline the county tree maintenance department policy, as I understand it (having discussed these requests with Brett Linkletter, the tree maintenance program manager). Next, we can discuss the Montrose Parkway construction "fallout" as it pertains to the contiguous neighborhoods. I will put that into another post. A short course in ownership...property ownership does not extend to the street curbs. The grassy strips at the edge of the streets are generally easements for utilities and the county to do public maintenance. As a side note, the street itself is a public right-of-way, and parking along the streets is open to the public at large, if parking is permitted on that street. No property owner "owns" or controls the parking space on the street in front of his/her house. This issue has come up in the past, so I thought I'd clarify it. The trees next to the street are county-controlled. If there are power lines on that side of the street, pruning of the trees is done by Pepco, with the intention of keeping the lines clear and free from breakage. Pepco's tree-trimming subcontractors are notably unskilled at properly pruning for appropriate future growth. The county government is not responsible for these prunings. Any tree that is a county street tree in poor health or decayed beyond saving can be removed by the county, with a new tree planted in its place. The new tree may not be the same variety or species as the one removed. Since our communities were built 45-50 years ago, the science of street trees has grown, so that the list of "approved" trees for different locations has changed. In addition, the tree removal and subsequent replanting schedules vary widely. It may take a year to get a dead tree removed, and another year to get its replacement planted. The county will not plant a tree just to fill in a blank space; if there wasn't a tree there, they won't be likely to add one. It is up to each homeowner to notice if there is a problem with the street trees in front of his/her house. The county doesn't cruise the streets, inspecting all the trees. If you note that your tree(s) are dead or diseased, the county will respond if you notify them of the problem. You can reach Mr. Linkletter at brett.linkletter@montgomerycountymd.gov or by phone at 240-777-6000.

Turnout in our voting precinct in bleak weather

2008-02-14T07:30:00.003-05:00

Hello, friends & neighbors! This is the first post on my new blog, and I hope to write regularly to share my thoughts about North Bethesda, real estate, community concerns & updates, and some politics. Thank you for checking my blog, and I hope you return often and post your comments and wisdom. I can't promise wisdom from my side, but I love to learn from others. Voting went smoothly for our precinct, 4-13, at Farmland Elementary School. The Board of Elections suggested a new circulation pattern and layout, and the school obliged by allowing us to let people enter and leave through the main doors. From the point of view of those of us working at the polls, it was a far superior layout, and no one had to stand in line outside in the rain and sleet. We opened promptly at 7am with all touch-screen machines functioning perfectly and experienced no glitches during the day. Turnout was great for a primary election. Of the 2020 voters registered to vote at Farmland, 1026 were logged as "voted" in the electronic register when we closed the polls at 9:30 pm (that's right- we were held over to extended hours; more on that later). By party, there were 760 Democrats, 234 Republicans, and 32 Un-affiliated voters. Since the Democratic primary has been hotly contested, the turnout for that party was extraordinary. A recent court case resulted in permissible voter registration of 17 year olds who will be 18 before the general election in November. We were delighted to see several enthusiastic voters take advantage of this ruling. We had to give them provisional ballots, so all of them voted on paper. Provisional ballots will be counted at the Board of Elections by next week. In November, when they are 18, they will use the dreaded Diebold touch-screen machines like the rest of us. Many people asked my about the security of the voting machines. As I said, we had no glitches or problems with the operation of any of our 12 voting units, but Maryland does not have a paper trail capability or requirement to be able to audit any of our elections this year. This means that, if a hacker were to change votes in the machines or at the mainframe, no one could ever prove that the system had been hacked or the election tampered with. This happened in 2004 in Ohio in at least one dramatic case, where a precinct, voting on these same machines, delivered over 6-times the number of votes for George W. Bush than there were voters in that precinct. No one could prove tampering (no ability to audit the election), but the mathematics were unmistakable. To our knowledge, this type of thing has not happened in Maryland, since we are not known as a contested state in the general elections. Thankfully, after long court battles since 2002, the last MD general assembly passed a bill to require a paper trail for all elections after 2008. We will use the current Diebold system in the 2008 general election, but will have something new (and auditable!) by 2010. Back to our primary... The weather got worse all day, and we were hearing reports from the "outside world" that traffic was snarled all over and people were skidding on ice outside. We were about to close at 8pm (after being open for voting for 13 hours) when we received the dreaded call from the Board of Elections, instructing us to stay open until 9:30pm. Some judge in Anne Arundel County had decided that people needed more time to get to the polls. Our extended-hours rules require that we close the electronic voting units and use provisional ballots for all voting after 8, so we closed down the machines and re-arranged the room to accommodate additional provisional voting. Seven brave souls came in to vote between 8 and 9:30. Again, the provisional votes will not be tallied until next week. As required by law, the pre-voting and closing paper tapes (which show the tabulation of each race, by candidate, for each machine) were taped to the wall outside of Farmland ES at the main entrance. In the future (this may only apply to the November general election, which could be the last time we use these machines), if you are interested in the election results from our precinct, you can come to Farmland after 8pm and examine the tapes. It can take us up to 1/2 hour or so to close the machines and run the final tallies, printing the tapes out, but they will be there. Although the hours are loooonnnngggg when working at the polls, it is really fun. I encourage anyone who can take the time & has the strength to volunteer to be an election judge. You will learn a lot, and meet wonderful people. We had a fabulous group, and I was proud to serve with them. As an aside, there is a small stipend paid to election judges. Don't spend it all in one place! To sign up, or, if you want to reach the Montgomery County Board of Elections for any reason, the site is http://www.777vote.org/.