Lise Howe, Assoc. Broker and Attorney Licensed in DC, MD, VA,Coldwell Banker

The Montgomery County Maryland Planning Board recently established a development moratorium for three school clusters: Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Clarksburg and Seneca Valley. After receiving the results of the annual school test - which compares projected student enrollment against projected classroom capacity - the Planning Board yesterday established the development moratorium.

The 2009 school test results show that number of students expected in 2014 in certain clusters would exceed a 120 percent cap specified in 2007. The moratorium limits residential subdivision approvals in overcrowded clusters in an effort to ensure that students generated by newly approved housing units do not exceed the remaining school capacity for students at any grade level. Starting July 1, the Board will not approve residential subdivisions in those three areas unless they are communities for retirees or subdivisions of three or fewer units.

The school test also forecasts overcrowding in 2014 by more than 105 percent in nine school clusters. For those clusters - Walter Johnson, Northwest, Northwood, Paint Branch, Quince Orchard, Rockville, Wheaton, Whitman and Richard Montgomery - developers wishing to get subdivision approval would be required to pay a school facility fee.

Given that the school test is conducted annually, the moratorium is likely to be in place for the next fiscal year. To move out of moratorium, the cluster would need to show a projected drop in enrollment or a projected increase in capacity. Enrollment figures come from school data and projected birth rates. Capacity can increase through the county's Capital Improvements Program (CIP), which funds public projects like school expansion.

Montgomery County planners approved a 457-unit apartment building in Woodmont Triangle days before a moratorium on residential development takes effect. The 457 unit apartment building is being developed by the Donahue Development Company.

The project, Woodmont Central, was originally scheduled to go before the planning board in July, after the county's moratorium on residential developments started July 1. The residential component of Donohoe's project is actually part of the second and third phases of development, so its construction would likely begin after the ban, if it is lifted next July. The first phase of the development is a 91,612-square-foot, six-story retail and office building.

The 18-story, 462,160-square-foot residential and retail component would follow. Sloan said the residential phase was not likely to deliver for another five to six years.

At the time the moratorium was set, Donohoe President Peter Gartland said his project would likely make it before the board in advance of the moratorium, adding that the county's 2009-2011 growth policy conflicted with the development ban.

"The future of the county is in its walkable, transit-oriented areas," Gartland said, echoing the growth policy's findings that Montgomery County should focus on infill and transit-oriented, mixed-use developments. "We have faith the county will solve this problem because urban areas like Bethesda are where new development should be channeled," he said.

The board approved the project with a 3-2 vote but with several conditions. The project must achieve a Silver LEED rating and the developer must adjust height limitations, building setbacks, public space and retail frontage.

The proposed Purple Line will be a 16 mile light rail line between Bethesda and New Carollton.Maryland. It has already received approval from the Montgomery and Prince Georges County councils and Chief Executives. Now, it has received unanimous approval from the National Capitol Transportation Planning Board. The chief criticism of the Purple Line has come from Bethesda/Chevy Chase residents who worry that the Purple Line, if built, will negatively impact the Crescent Trail, a favorite spot for bikers and walkers of all ages.

Other concerns were that the planned location of the Purple Line's Bethesda depot at Woodmont East (near the Barnes and Noble) is too far away from the Bethesda Metro, the National Institutes of Health and Bethesda Naval Hospital (about to be expanded by the addition of Walter Reed personnel) to have any impact on traffic in the area. Anti-light rail advocates instead argued that the NCTPB should support rapid bus service from Bethesda to Silver Spring as the Purple Line's preferred mode of transport.

With NCTPB approval now in hand, the Purple Line's next stop is with Maryland governor Martin O'Malley, who is expected to endorse the light-rail option and announce a timetable for construction by year's end.

Woodmont East is starting to take shape!
The Montgomery County Planning Board gave preliminary approvals last Thursday to the JBG Companies, which are now actively moving ahead in plans to develop Woodmont East. The last vacant parcel next to Bethesda Row is going to be host to a large-scale, mixed-use project which will include 208,579 square feet of office space in one tower, and 250 residential units and 9000 square feet of retail space in the other tower. Running between the two will be the much loved Capital Crescent Trail, which will remain open for, at the very least, most of the construction period.


"The trail will come right through the two of them," said Matt Blocher of JBG. "As far as what happened at the hearing, [the approval] permits us to close the trail for up to five days at a time if there is significant construction procedures. At this point, we're not sure if we'll need to close it, except for at the end of the job when we have to do the paving."


Although the formal approval process is nearly completed, several key components need to be worked out before construction can proceed. The JBG Companies have not started to design the building beyond the site plan guidelines required by Montgomery County. Design and permitting is anywhere from 12 to 24 months, and then construction is 24 months

Even though it rained cats and dogs on Sunday, I had more than 50 people lined up to visit my listing at 12307 Old Canal Road. At one point I felt like I was in a wedding reception receiving line as I stood at the door greeting people and shaking hands, and ushering in people lined up outside.

I actually ran out of flyers after 2 hours - who would have thought that 40 flyers that said "Just Listed" wouldn't be enough to get through the afternoon!

The good news is that we are working on an offer which would be wonderful for my sellers. The pressure is on me since this is my daughter's hockey coach's house (and the home of a classmate of my daughter!)

Please keep your fingers crossed for me and for all of us that there actually is a spring market and that maybe there is a small rally coming along. I will keep you posted.

Check out the house for yourself!

http://www.realtourinc.com/index.cfm?action=Tour&ido=27052515

For the last 2 weeks I have been showing properties in downtown DC to a couple who want a balcony for morning coffee or a roof terrace for dinner parties. The thing that I have been struck by time and time again as we go around the city is how incredible the views are from so many condos in downtown DC. I step out onto the balcony and turn my head to the right or left - - and there it is - a national landmark. Frequently it is the Washington Monument, peeking over the nearby buildings. Then my thoughts immediately turn to the Fourth of July when I know that the city's night sky will be illuminated with starbursts of color around the Monument.

Sometimes it is the dome of the Capitol (or just the Indian atop the dome) which I can see. Occasionally it is the National Cathedral on Mount St. Albans, gleaming serenely at night, or the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in NE Washington with its distinctive Byzantine dome.

This afternoon I was on a roof terrace in Columbia Heights with an incredible view of the Washington Monument, the Capitol, and St. Matthews Cathedral (where John Kennedy's funeral service was celebrated in DC). In many ways the Washington cityscape is like any other city, but it is blessed with spectacular landmarks that represent the United States around the world. I am having so much fun showing condos right now!

My advice to buyers right now is that there are some wonderful condos out there with incredible views! Call your realtor or better yet, call me and let me show you the best of my hometown. Along with the spectacular views are the incredible prices coupled with the low interest rates, plentiful choices, motivated sellers, and 1st time buyer credit. For the first time in a long long time a buyer can get an incredible deal on a wonderful condo that promises enjoyment for years to come! Don't miss out on it.