The Silver Spring Penguin

The planning board gave a green light to the Moda Vista, a mixed-use development planned for the corner of Fenton Street and Silver Spring Avenue.

The proposed five-story, mixed-use building met little resistance at its initial review before the board Thursday.

“This project does not maximize the height or the density that’s permitted in this zone,” said Todd Brown, attorney for the developer. “It presents an opportunity for a very high standard for other projects,” he continued.

At its max, the building would be five stories (60 feet) tall along Fenton Street. However, the building shrinks to 3.5 stories as it moves towards the single-family homes along Silver Spring Avenue.

The building’s facade along Silver Spring Avenue also would be set back 25 feet from the curb, for consistency with the houses on that block.

Click here for details on the project.

Karine Zbiegniewicz, who bought the house next door nine years ago, testified that the proposed building would beat the existing underdeveloped lot, which attracts the homeless.

However, she worried that the building’s Silver Spring Avenue driveway — about 45 feet from her front door — would be a source of noise, light and pollution. Why not move the driveway closer to Fenton Street, or use an alley off Fenton for access, she asked.

The alley was a no-go, Todd explained. According to the department of public works, alleys are not to be used as primary access points. Moving the driveway closer to Fenton also wouldn’t fly because it would cut too close to the corner, Todd said.

There was also concern for traffic generated by the building’s new residents. About 100 parking spots would be built for 94 residential units, according to the project’s details.

“The people who live there have cars,” Caleb Kreisberg, a resident of the Silver Spring Towers apartment building and spokesperson for the East Silver Spring Civic Association, told the board.

“However scaled down you make this building, the cars won’t stay in one spot,” Kreisberg said.

A few things are built into the project’s game plan that discourage traffic along side streets, Todd said. Patrons of the 3,500 square-foot retail space would park off site, at a nearby public lot off Fenton Street. This could keep traffic from streaming down Silver Spring Avenue, Todd explained.

Two FlexCars also would be kept on the site to encourage ride sharing and mass transit, Todd added.

Ulyseus Glee, the project’s developer, also announced that he was exploring green-roof technologies for the building. The planning board said it would review any green proposals at the project’s next review.