The Silver Spring Penguin

Local agencies are asking the county council for wiggle room in a proposed freeze on development. Exactly which projects deserve that wiggle room depends on whom you ask.

A spokeswoman for MoCo exec Ike Leggett told the county council Tuesday night that a six-month moratorium is reasonable–as long as exceptions are made for projects that offer the county “special opportunities.” She would not elaborate.

Projects in the enterprise zone straddling Takoma Park and the Long Branch area of Silver Spring are worthy of exemptions, said Suzanne Ludlow, representing the Takoma Park city council. Development in that enterprise zone, she explained, is small scale and in line with population-density recommendations.

Affordable housing projects also deserve a break, said Michael Kator, with the Housing Opportunities Commission. Almost 300 moderately priced units could be affected by a moratorium, according to Royce Hanson, chairman of the county planning board. The number of affected rental units could not be determined.

Hanson threw in a few ideas of his own. Churches should be exempt because they don’t add to weekday traffic, he said. A Gaithersburg facility supporting the Inter-County Connector also deserves a pass, he added.

“The majority of this panel [of speakers] wants to support a moratorium, but you all want exemptions,” councilmember Valerie Ervin (D-Silver Spring) observed.

“If this [moratorium] is such a great idea, why is it necessary to have so many exemptions?” Ervin asked.

Councilmember Marc Elrich (D-At large) defended the proposed freeze, saying it would slow overcrowding in public schools and on roadways.

“I don’t believe this council is going to do anything unreasonable, that is going to shut down the county,” Elrich said.

The focus, Elrich said, should be on “more egregious” projects. However, he said he would allow “less egregious” projects to slide.

Thanks to AlbinoFlea for the photo.