The County Council yesterday voted 9-0 to support a proposed Wheaton Redevelopment Capital Improvements(CIP) budget of 66.1 million, a plan recommended by their Senior Legislative Analyst Jacob Sesker. The county investment in Wheaton, though welcome, was a rejection of a community and WUDAC supported planned Public/Private partnership proposed by County Executive Ike Leggett which would have leveraged a 42 million County investment into a 200 to 300 million private investment by B.F Saul and others. The proposed CIP includes funding for an M-NCPPC(Park and Planning Commission) headquarters on parking lot 13, an area bounded by Grandview and Triangle Lane; parking; a Town Square; a financial feasibility study regarding the Metro busbay site; a parking study; planning for the Metro site, starting in FY 18; and planning studies regarding creating local jobs, job training and small business protection. In May, the County Council will conduct a final vote on all capital budget elements.
Although WUDAC is disappointed that the Council did not share the community's vision for the Wheaton Urban District, we will continue to be actively engaged in the ongoing legislative process and urge the Wheaton Community to do the same!
William Moore
The Wheaton Urban District Advisory Committee (WUDAC) Blog