At a special meeting on Monday, March 8, 2010, the Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council adopted a resolution strongly requesting that the Montgomery County Council address a number of specific concerns before approving the Gaithersburg West Master Plan.  If the items cannot be resolved, the Mayor and City Council have asked that the Plan be returned to the County Planning Board for further study.

"While we recognize that a vibrant, diverse Life Sciences Center would be an economic advantage for Montgomery County and Gaithersburg, we are extremely concerned by the proposed density and the potential negative impact on the quality of life of the surrounding neighborhoods, including those in Gaithersburg and Rockville," said Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz.  "The City Council and I have outlined twelve issues that are critical to the harmonious success of this development, and we have asked the Montgomery County Council to consider them before moving forward."

Among the issues in the adopted resolution are concerns regarding the overall fiscal impact of the project, formulas used in traffic studies, traffic mitigation strategies, staging requirements, open space requirements, pedestrian amenities, and a concern for the lack of communication between the County and the affected municipalities in developing the master plan.

A complete copy of the resolution can be below:

• Resolution Regarding Gaithersburg West Master Plan (pdf file)

• Letter from Mayor Katz to the President of the Montgomery County Council (pdf file)