Support the Bethesda Sector Plan Rollbacks

How ironic - anti mans ionization laws took away my right to use my property as I wish yet builders can do whatever they want.

I am a homeowner at 4707 Chestnut Street in Bethesda, MD. I have lived here for over a decade, and I value the mix of residential neighborhoods and commercial/mixed-use buildings in Bethesda. However, there needs to be appropriate consideration of how to manage the transition between commercial or mixed-use properties and adjoining residential neighborhoods. The new proposed sector plan for Bethesda would allow for very tall properties to adjoin residential neighborhoods. The proposed heights would overshadow the nearby single-family homes and would not allow for a reasonable transition to the residential neighborhoods. I support the request to lower the heights of these identified properties, so as to create a buffer zone of intermediate-height buildings to create a transition from the taller commercial/mixed-use properties to single family homes. Please consider following the model set forth in the previous Sector Plan by lowering the approved heights of those buildings that border on residential neighborhoods in Bethesda. Thank you very much for your consideration. Deborah C. Stearns, Ph.D.

I'm the owner of a Maryland IT consulting corporation and I live at 4707 Chestnut Street, just two doors down from the "Northern Gateway" properties at 4715/4719 Chestnut. I've lived in this house for over fifteen years, so I've seen a great deal of change in East Bethesda already. I'm in favor of greater density in urban environments like ours, but there *must* be a buffer zone between large commercial properties and two-story single family homes. That buffer zone should consist of intermediate-height properties that provide a gradual "step up" to the taller properties bordering Wisconsin. I urge you to follow the good guidelines set forth in the previous Sector Plan, and to not exceed its recommended heights for those blocks which border single-family homes in East Bethesda. Thank you, Erik Dorfman President, Zeegee Software Inc.

The *people who actually live here* deserve a say in these proposals.

This heights are not compatible with road and school capacities.

Please limit density and height of development in Bethesda. We do not want or need a concrete canyon.

As a long time resident, I fear that Bethesda is losing it's sense of place as a walkable, livable community focused on meeting the needs of it's residents. Now we may lose that "sense of place" which we highly value. Please take this into consideration when the Planning Board meets.

Do we want Bethesda to become another Tyson's Corners?? I hope not. Also, the traffic on Wisconsin Ave. will become even worse than it is now.

Developer control too strong. Too builder friendly without consideration of quality of life for people who live here. Stronger element of design requested.

I fully support this petition and I ask that Montgomery County Planning Board reconsider the approved increases in building capacity for downtown Bethesda. I am very concerned that this increase will highly impact an already dense and very congested area and affect the quality of my and my neighbors lives. thank you, sati madani, bethesda

Chevy Chase MD

The heights and densities on the east side of Wisconsin Ave bordering the Town of Chevy Chase provisionally recommended by the MC Planning Board are significantly higher than those recommended by their staff based on what the schools, streets and infrastructure can support. They are completely out of scale so close to a residential community of single family homes.

I fully support this petition.

Please try driving through Bethesda during the daytime and see how miserable you've already made our lives. Don't make it any worse!!

Bethesda is over-crowded as it is. Don't make matters worse.

Stop allowing development immediately adjacent to the edge communities, making them far less livable. I am particularly concerned about the 145-foot Jaffe (6801) Tower which is way too tall for the site, is at the southern end of Bethesda far from the Metro, and will negatively affect the immediately adjacent residents of the Town of Chevy Chase. Despite the step-down to 7 stories in the back and the very narrow so-called green buffer, Town residents living along very narrow West Avenue adjacent to the Tower as well as those living along the streets immediately nearby, and eventually all residents of the Town will be seriously negatively affected. Such excess development is hardly worth the cost to any adjacent neighborhood. I am also concerned that the allowed 9-story buildings on Parking Lots 10 and 24 be lowered with a significant amount of buffering green space and some free parking.

there is over building already

Overbuilding is just that! Too much is simply too much. Please go back to sensible, and not unlimited, growth.

Keep the residential protection edges to the commercial area.

Resident of the Arlington Rd North area.