The Resurrection Baptist Church is being constructed at the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and Ednor Road.  During the construction process, the vast majority of the trees and shrubs have been removed from the area adjoining New Hampshire Avenue.  This destruction of vegetation along the roadways conflicts with the letter and spirit of the Sandy Spring/Ashton Master Plan.  According to the Master Plan, this intersection is considered a gateway to the village of Ashton and it should have a rural character.

The Sandy Spring/Ashton Master Plan (pages 43 through 45) has very specific language about this intersection to “ensure that the rural character of the New Hampshire Avenue area will be enhanced and maintained” (Page 43).  On Page 45 there are the following bullets:

·       “…Maintain heavily vegetated edges as close to the road pavement as possible.  Preserve woodland and hedgerows…”

·       “…implement the concept for New Hampshire Avenue’s rural character.  This is one of the crossroads [with Ednor Road] that defines the character of the area because it serves as an entry….”

Besides this, the destruction of the trees and shrubs next to New Hampshire Avenue violates the Church’s own Landscape Plan that was reviewed and approved by the Montgomery County Park and Planning Staff (on January 12, 2006), following the Planning Board’s approval of the Preliminary Plan.  Although the approved Landscaping Plan showed an area approximately 900 feet long and up to 200 feet wide protected by a limit of disturbance line and a silt fence, nearly all the trees in this previously heavily wooded area have been removed.

The SSARPC recommends that all construction be halted until a Landscaping Plan that complies with the Master Plan is approved by the Park and Planning Staff and there is a commitment by the church to implement the plan.  Since the trees and other vegetation have been removed, the Landscaping Plan needs to pay particular attention to the size of trees and shrubs (they need to be large).  Only when these conditions have been met should construction be renewed.

To date, the SSARPC Steering Committee has written a letter to the Planning Board, with copies to Ike Leggett (Montgomery County Executive) and the Pastor of the Resurrection Baptist Church (both with cover letters).  We have also sent a copy to Marilyn Praisner (President, Montgomery County Council).  Attachments to the Planning Board letter include pictures depicting the site, copies of the applicable pages from the Master Plan, and a copy of the approved Landscape Plan for the site.

Robert Kronenberg, title??, has received copies of all the letters and has been very helpful in providing information. 

We are aware that there are a number of people who have complained to the Planning Staff and the County Council.  If you know of people who have concerns, please have them contact us so that we can add them to this email announcement list and join them in their concern over this corner.

If you have comments that you want to submit in writing to the Planning Staff, please address them to:

Robert Kronenberg
Attn:  Resurrection Baptist Church
8787 Georgia Avenue

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Email:  robert.kronenberg@mncppc-mc.org

The SSARPC Steering Committee would like to receive copies of letters and any other comments you may have.  Please address them to:

SSARPC

Box 518

Ashton, MD 20861

Email: ssarpc@preserveashton.net

You can also let your views be known to the community by sending a letter to The Gazette.  The letter must be limited to 200 words, and include your name and address.  Letters received by Friday noon will be considered for the following week’s paper.  Letters should be sent to:

The Gazette

Editorial Department

1200 Quince Orchard Road

Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Email: letters@gazette.org or to gmacdonald@gazette.net .