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    Naples Commercial LLC: 4912 Del Ray Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20814 (301) 657-9900 Ext.129 FAX (301) 657-8412

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    This letter requests an increase in the maximum floor area ratio (FAR) for a development project from 2.4 to 3.0 to match the FAR recommended for similar properties near the Metro station. The project recently received approval for 183 residential units but residential developers advise larger unit sizes are needed to meet the market, which would result in only 140 units being built and the loss of some affordable housing units. An increased FAR is argued to better support transit-oriented development goals for the area.

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    Naples Commercial LLC: 4912 Del Ray Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20814 (301) 657-9900 Ext.129 FAX (301) 657-8412

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    This letter requests an increase in the maximum floor area ratio (FAR) for a development project from 2.4 to 3.0 to match the FAR recommended for similar properties near the Metro station. The project recently received approval for 183 residential units but residential developers advise larger unit sizes are needed to meet the market, which would result in only 140 units being built and the loss of some affordable housing units. An increased FAR is argued to better support transit-oriented development goals for the area.

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    This letter requests an increase in the maximum floor area ratio (FAR) for a development project from 2.4 to 3.0 to match the FAR recommended for similar properties near the Metro station. The project recently received approval for 183 residential units but residential developers advise larger unit sizes are needed to meet the market, which would result in only 140 units being built and the loss of some affordable housing units. An increased FAR is argued to better support transit-oriented development goals for the area.

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    36 views4 pages

    Naples Commercial LLC: 4912 Del Ray Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20814 (301) 657-9900 Ext.129 FAX (301) 657-8412

    Uploaded by

    Planning Docs
    This letter requests an increase in the maximum floor area ratio (FAR) for a development project from 2.4 to 3.0 to match the FAR recommended for similar properties near the Metro station. The project recently received approval for 183 residential units but residential developers advise larger unit sizes are needed to meet the market, which would result in only 140 units being built and the loss of some affordable housing units. An increased FAR is argued to better support transit-oriented development goals for the area.

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    of 4

    NAPLES COMMERCIAL LLC

    4912 Del Ray Avenue


    Bethesda,Maryland 20814
    (301) 657-9900ext.129
    FAX (301) 657-8412
    kap;@guantumco.net

    February20, 2008
    VIA e-mail [email protected]
    & facsimile (301) 495-1304
    Ms. MargaretK. Rifkin
    The MontgomeryCountyDepartmentof Planning
    The Community-BasedPlanningDivision
    8787 GeorgiaAvenue
    Silver Spring,Maryland 20910

    Re: White Flint View (fonnerNoland Plumbing)


    5511 NicholsonLane,White Flint Industrial Park
    White Flint SectorPlan StatusReportdatedJanuary24,2008

    DearMargaret:

    This confirms our telephoneconversationof today.Referenceis madeto the above-


    captionedstaff StatusReportaswell asto our letter addressedto you datedAugust 10,
    2007. The staff StatusReportappearsto recommendan FAR of 3.0-4.0to the property
    acrossCitadelAvenue from our propertyandan FAR of 2.5 for ourproperty. Both of the
    propertiesare approximatelyequidistantfrom the White Flint Metro Station.This
    inconsistentrecommendationseemsto be especiallyanomaloussincewe dedicatednearly
    30%of our lot to the Countyfor the constructionof NicholsonLane.

    As a matterof principle, it seemsto us that FAR shouldbe awardedto those


    propertiesthat canmakeuseof it. Again, referenceis madeto our August,2007 letterto
    you. Marketcontactshaveadvisedus thatwe needto build largerunits andthus we require
    more FAR to accommodatemarketdemand.The housingwe haveplannedis high end and
    balancesnicely with the varied housingplansof othernearbypropertyowners.Also, our
    retail storefrontsandupscalemerchantswill contributeto a lively streetscape
    along both
    NicholsonLaneand CitadelAvenueand setthe tone for the NicholsonLaneRetail District.

    We are working closely with Perry Bennan and the 12 property owners comprising
    the Nicholson Lane Urban Village al}d the FAR we are seeking is in accord with that
    group's plans. See Mr. Bennan's letter to Dr. Hanson dated January 31, 2008.

    We understandthat staff is undertakinga completereview prior to issuingits plan.


    Kindly assistin the schedulingof a near-termmeetingwith the Chairmanand othersto
    considerour requestfor at leastthe FAR recommendedfor the property directly across
    CitadelAvenuefrom ours on NicholsonLane.I look forward to hearingfrom you.

    Very

    t-apJ
    Kapastin, General Counsel
    cc: John A. Carter, Chief, via facsimile (301) 495-1310
    f
    NAPLES COMMERCIAL LLC
    4912 Del Ray Avenue
    Bethesda,Maryland 20814
    (301) 657-9900ext.129
    FAX (301) 657-8412
    kaoCQ2auantumco.net

    August10, 2007

    VIA FACSIMILE 301 495-1304and Via E-Mail Mar aret.Rifldn


    Ms. MargaretK. Rifkin
    The MontgomeryCounty Departmentof Planning
    The Community-BasedPlanning Division
    8787 GeorgiaAvenue
    Silver Spring,Maryland 20910-3760

    Re: White Flint Sector Plan -White Flint View


    (Noland Plumbing)
    5511 Nicholson Lane, White Flint Industrial Park
    Preliminary Plan #120070380
    DearMargaret:

    This is to bring you up to date on the statusof the White Flint View project as well
    as to makea requestfor considerationof increasingthe FAR of the site aspart of the White
    Flint SectorPlan efforts.

    On July 12, 2007, the Planning Board approved the Preliminary Plan, subject to
    nine (9) conditions, including a condition that the development be limited to a maximum of
    183 multiple-family dwelling units with a minimum 12.5% MPDUs and 29,500 square feet
    of general retail use, including sit-down restaurantuse.

    The developmentis furthersummarizedasfollows:

    1. Grosstract area:81,304squarefeet
    2. Proposed dedications(right of way: 19,644 square feet; prior
    dedication: 10,249squarefeet)
    3. Net lot area:51,411squarefeet
    4. A maximumof 183multi-family dwelling units
    5. Maximum FAR 2.4 (which translatesinto 195,129squarefeet,
    basedupon a grosstract areaof 81,304squarefeet; 194,732square
    feet proposed)
    6. Retail squarefootage:29,500squarefeet (including 10,000square
    feetof restaurant,assuming60% patronarea)
    7. Parking spaces (without reductions for proximity to Metro):
    required:498;provided: 536
    8. Building heightproposed:16 stories;173 feet (180 feet permitted)
    9. MPDUs: l~% of 183 = 28
    Ms. MargaretRifkin
    August 10,2006
    Page2

    On August 3, 2007, Naples Commercial LLC executed and delivered a Deed of


    Dedication, in recordable form, to Montgomery County, dedicating, among other things,
    19,651 of the parcel as a perpetual right of way easement for the Citadel Avenue CIP
    Project. The County just this week issued the Notice to Proceed for the construction of the
    extension of Citadel Avenue to Huff Court at Nicholson lane.

    White Flint View is within walking distanceof the Metro stationand is at the key
    intersectionof NicholsonLane and Huff Court/CitadelAvenueextended,not far from both
    ffiG's recently approved 22 story White Flint Crossing acrossRockville Pike and the
    LCOR development.The current Sector Plan recommendsC-2 zoning for White Flint
    View, yet the Projectis surroundedby recommendedTS-M development.

    On April 18, 2006, the County Council adoptedZoning Text AmendmentNo. 05-
    12 as OrdinanceNo. 15-68,creatinga specialdevelopmentprocedurein the C-2 zone for a
    transit-orientedmixed usedevelopment.This specialdevelopmentprocedurewas intended
    to be an incentive for the roadwayimprovementproject in conjunctionwith redevelopment
    of the C-2 zonedNoland Plumbing(White Flint View) propertyso that residentialandnon-
    residential uses that promote and serve transit ridership in a Metro Station Policy Area
    could be sitedthere. ModeratelyPricedDwelling Units were requiredand a floor arearatio
    of2.4 was establishedtherefor, with a maximumheightof 180feet.

    While we support the staff s current proposed Sector Plan, land use and
    transportation recommendations; and, we believe, too, that the White Flint area should be
    designated as a new downtown, we continue to believe that the White Flint View Project
    with the associated construction of Citadel A venue represents a critical building block in
    the transit-oriented development scheme for the area. In other words, we believe that White
    Flint View deserves similar density considerations to projects already approved and the
    future Sector Plan recommendations for other properties in the surrounding area. Given the
    anticipated household and job growth in North Bethesda, more new apartments and for sale
    units need to be built to accommodate such growth.

    Thus, joining the opinion of Fitzgerald Properties and others, we believe that Metro
    bus -"Block 11", including the White Flint View Project, should be given the same
    redevelopment potential as that recommended for the LCOR block under the 1992 Master
    Plan -FAR 3.0. Both blocks are very close to the Metro station area and can provide an
    excellent integrated form of development. FAR 3.0 will also allow the creation of an
    integrated super block campus that includes the long term joint use of the Washington
    Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's bus facility. A mixed street or pedestrian path can be
    constructed along the middle of this block. New local streets, like Citadel Avenue, can
    connect northward to LCOR's development and southward to the White Flint Mall.
    MargaretRifkin
    August 10,2007
    Page3

    White Flint View provides many opportunitiesto contributeto the urban node in
    North Bethesda. In additionto a housingopportunity,the propertyimprovesthe systemof
    pedestrianand bicycle connectivitythrough Citadel Avenue extendedto the Metro station
    and insureshigh quality design featuresin its development. The retail uses on the street
    levels of our project will enliven the area and also provide a more attractive pedestrian
    experiencefor thosetraveling betweenthe Metro andWhite Flint Mall.

    Seekingto createthe best developmentwe can, we have consultedwith numerous


    residentialdeveloperswith a view toward a joint developmentof the plannedmixed useof
    residentialand retail. Theseresidentialexpertshave advisedus that the unit sizeswe had
    plannedwithin the 2.4 FAR aretoo small for the expectedmarket. Making a changeto the
    size units that potential buyers and rentersdesirewould yield only 140 units, not the 183
    units that are approved.Should only 140units be constructed,six of the 28 MPDUs would
    be lost. Thus, we believe that the anomalyof FAR 2.4 for White Flint View vs. FAR 3.0
    for other similarly situatedpropertiesshouldbe correctedin your recommendations for the
    SectorPlan update. (We recognizethat a conforming modificationto the C-2 Zone Special
    DevelopmentProcedurewould be required for implementation,as we do not wantto affect
    the basic C-2 Zone.)

    Thank you for considering our request. We would like to meet with your team to
    discuss these issues whenever you feel it is appropriate.

    Very truly yours,

    @
    Marc "Kap" Kapastin, General Counsel

    # 4720811_v2

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