Potomac will soon lose one of its last, large parcels of undeveloped land when 34 houses are built on the Thompson property.
The land is currently Hunt View Farm, an equestrian center and sometime pumpkin patch.
Jennifer Schettewi, an adjoining property owner, came to speak out against the proposed houses. Schettewi, who lives on Three Sisters Road, noted that even though the closest new home will be over 800 feet away from hers, distance is relative. “Now we look out onto rolling hills,” Schettewi said.
Park and Planning Commissioners were sympathetic to the relative closeness of new homes, but were not moved to ask the developer to adjust where the homes are to be placed.
The area between the homes is slated for re-forestation, but Schettewi does not think that will work. She notes that five-foot trees are called for in the plan, but does not expect them to survive the deer in the area. “Any five-foot tree will be completely destroyed,” she said.
Park and Planning staff noted that the developer is required to maintain the newly wooded area, “in order to get their bond back,” said Richard Weaver, of the commission staff.
Schettewi points out that the developer is only required to maintain the area for two years and does not think that will be a sufficient amount of time.
The new homes will be inside Potomac Elementary’s boundaries, another frustration shared by residents. Potomac Elementary has more 600 students in a school designed for 488, and the county continues to approve developments with no plan to expand the school soon.
“There seems to be a lack of communication,” said Janis Sartucci, PTSA cluster coordinator of the various branches of county government. “While you sit here in your chairs far away from each other, they are eating lunches elbow to elbow.”
The commission expressed sympathy for the overcrowded situation but seemed to imply that there was little they could do about it.
“We only receive the data once a year,” said Commissioner Meredith Wellington of school enrollment issues. See sidebar.
Several neighbors were upset about what they said was insufficient notice about the property’s development. When Schettewi came back from a vacation, she was surprised to see a notice of a preliminary hearing about the development of the Property. “This just comes out of nowhere,” she said.
Several nearby property owners complained that they had not received notice about the proposed development. Park and Planning policy is to notify adjoining and confronting (across the street) property owners of impending development.
Park and Planning staff said they sent out the notices to everyone on their list and none were returned.
During the multi-year Master Plan process, no one made a different proposal for this property. “There was no comment or opposition of any kind throughout the Master Plan process,” said Harry Lerch, attorney for the developer.
Residents were also concerned with the preservation of Stoney Creek Road, which is designated as a rustic road.
Four of the proposed houses will be visible from the road, but Commissioner Allison Bryant pointed out that some existing houses on the other side of the road are as close as 30 feet. All of the new houses will be more than 100 feet from the road.
The developers will now take the input from the commission and then submit a site plan.