The pressure to transform the suburban Westbard area of Bethesda into an urban town center is not coming from residents. According to Montgomery County planner Marc DeOcampos, 85-90% of resident feedback during the week-long Westbard Sector Plan charrette was in favor of low-density development.
With those same residents panning the initial concept plan last week, and no clear incentives or perks to justify the negatives of urbanization on the Westbard area, where will any support for radical change come from in the Westbard Sector Plan process at the Planning Board and County Council levels?
Follow the money.
Developer Equity One, which owns all of the commercial properties along Westbard Avenue and Ridgefield Road, has partnered with local development firm EYA. EYA has donated many thousands of dollars to councilmembers. Here's a chart detailing checks the firm and its leaders have written to those members of the Montgomery County Council:
EYA (corporate)
2010
Nancy Floreen $250
Hans Riemer $500
2013
Hans Riemer $500
2014
Hans Riemer $500
Nancy Floreen $500
Bob Youngentob
George Leventhal $250
Nancy Floreen $1000
Hans Riemer $1100
LeRoy Eakin
Hans Riemer $500
Frank Connors
Hans Riemer $100
Aakash Thakkar
Hans Riemer $743.12
The grand totals are $1750 for Councilmember Nancy Floreen (D-At-Large), $250 for Councilmember George Leventhal (D-At-Large), and a whopping $3,200 for Councilmember Hans Riemer (D-At-Large).
All 9 councilmembers will have the final say on the Westbard Sector Plan. If anyone keeps pushing for higher than 45' buildings in the plan, now that residents have made clear they are opposed, you'll know where it's coming from. Follow the money.
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