From: Ed Murtagh (February 17, 2011) Subject: Notes from the Feb 16 WRAC meeting Re-Development Report by Rob Klein Some of the key dates for the Wheaton Sector Plan February 24, 2011 ˙Planning Board worksession #6: The Board will review the remaining property-specific issues and urban design guidelines; ˙March 3, Planning Board reviews testimonies; April 15 Planning Board will send Wheaton Sector Plan to County Executive; Spring/Summer Public hearings on Wheaton Sector Plan. ˙ Parking was a reoccurring theme all evening. Parking is very expensive and will have a big impact on any re-development in Wheaton. ˙Rob updated us on the joint MCDOT and M-NCPPC Parking Policy Study to identify best practices and to establish a framework to update zoning codes. The Wheaton/Kensington Chamber of Congress was invited to participate in discussions.˙ Highlights from the Parking Consultant s Report downsizing parking via share parking. The idea being that daytime uses (office workers) should be tied to evening parking (entertainment) .˙ ˙ Hospitality Institute/Night-time Economy Wheaton has been selected as a pilot for a Hospitality Institute.˙ The institute will look at what type of needs will be required for Wheaton s night-time economy i.e. police, mass transit, etc.˙ ˙ ˙ Costco Update The Special Exemption Request for the gas station has been postpone from June to Sept. ˙ Westfield Wheaton Mall 20 year Visioning Update by Jim Agliata (V.P. at Westfield) Westfield Wheaton Mall (Mall) is working to provide a framework for their growth over the next 20 years.˙ With a new Sector Plan and a Wheaton Re-development proceeding, Wheaton may look a lot different 20 years from now. This vision plan studied how the Mall should evolve over the next 20 years along with Wheaton CBD. Mr. Agliata provided an interesting PowerPoint (PPT) presentation that showed some of their concepts they are considering.˙ Mr. Agliata noted that there were no plans to implement anything shown on the Visioning Plan at this time.˙ The PPT focused on how the Mall will connect (creating connectivity including more pedestrian friendly) to a new downtown district along Veirs Mill Road.˙ Westfield Mall has been meeting with B.F. Saul to coordinate the Mall s growth.˙˙ A lot was presented.˙ Key highlights include a proposed new Grand Entrance/Main Gateway at Reedie Dr.˙ This will include a theater complex, enhanced food court, big atrium, etc. (new Entertainment Sector/Nighttime Economic Zone).˙ The second connection is at the North Tower.˙ The upper north zone would include office oriented use with more green space and underground parking.˙ The third connection would be at a proposed residential sector at the south end.˙ The residential sector would be separated from the entertainment sector with green buffer. The PPT discussed the building height distribution (highest at the office sector) to decreasing to the height to the residential sector and the natural grade issues (the upper office sector is 20 feet higher than the lower residential sector).˙ Mr. Agliata talked about opening the center of the mall (much more of the Mall facing out to Viers Mill instead of blank walls) to the outside and softening the site with better landscaping.˙ The PPT included photos of their CA Westfield Mall which is using some of these concepts.˙ There were a lot of questions about the visioning planning.˙ The residential sector is located where the Bally s and commercial/office space is currently located, so these would eventually go. One of the Mall s wish list items is for the County to buy up the commercial properties along Georgia Ave. and University Blvd (paint and mattress stores) and convert the space into a park.˙ The empty Ourisman Chevrolet Dealership and the WMATA Parking Garage which are at the proposed Grand Entrance.˙ The Mall owns the dealership building and needs to be careful on how it will be leased out in the future so not to lock in its use.˙ The Mall would like WMATA to modify the Garage ramp entrance to open the space up.˙ Parking was discussed. The Mall does not anticipate significantly reducing the number of parking spaces on the Mall grounds.˙ Mr. Agliata noted the Planning Board would like to see a lot of the parking reduced, but he noted that there are a number of issues including lease agreements with the Department Stores that specify parking spaces.˙ There would, therefore, only be a very modest reduction in parking spaces. Mr. Agliata showed a map with proposed pedestrian connections to the surrounding communities.˙ ˙Mr. Agliata updated us about what is happening right now.˙ He noted that a Panera Restaurant is being built in a back zone of the Mall.˙ The goal is to transform the blank wall into a restaurant row.˙ The Mall is looking to add up to 3.8 million square feet if all goes well with growth in Wheaton.˙ The Mall has already spent $160 million while little has been spent elsewhere in the Wheaton CBD to date.˙ Mr. Agliata noted that others will have to start investing in Wheaton before the Mall starts implementing their new Vision. ˙ Mr. Wulff followed with updates on the B.F. Saul Re-development effort.˙ Mr. Wulff first focused on Parking Lot #13.˙ This is a simpler site compared with the WMATA bus bay site.˙ B.F. Saul is looking a creating two zones on the parking lot site.˙ The bottom third of the site would be the town square site.˙ The square would be publicly owned, but B.F. Saul would like to retain the Programming Rights. A mixed Retail/Restaurant/ luxury residential would be on the upper 2/3s of the site. Lower levels would be retail/restaurants while the upper 4 floors would be residential.˙ An important piece of this site would be the connection of Price Ave. with Ennalls on the north end of the site.˙ This would be a County Project that will require the removal of some of the existing buildings.˙ This project would provide a northern access to site which would help relieve traffic on Reedie Dr.˙ Mr. Wulff noted that while this would enhance the project, the northern access project is not required to develop the Parking Lot 13 site.˙ The Town Square has not been designed.˙ Mr. Wulff expects that this element will draw the most interest and the most complaints.˙ Everyone will have a vision of a town square, and all will be different.˙ B . F. Saul will form an Ad Hoc Advisory Group (reps from WRAC, Parks, Planning Board, LEDC, Chamber of Commerce and GreenWheaton).˙ The groups will most likely meet twice; once to voice visions and second to comment on concepts plans following the first meeting.˙ The town square concept includes making the Triangle Lane and Grandview more pedestrian friendly. B.F. Saul is considering including a Restaurant Row along Grandview that would face the row of restaurants on the other side of the road.˙ Mr. Wulff noted that parking is an important issue. It is expensive, ugly and it is important for re-development.˙ B.F. Saul is considering putting two levels of parking under the Parking Lot 13 site.˙ B.F. Saul will provide photos of other sites to give citizens a context of what they are considering.˙ The town square portion will expand the current green space up to the Moby Dick restaurant.˙˙ The issue of B.F. Saul Programming Rights was discussed and what that will mean.˙ B.F. Saul believes that the town square must be lively and used a lot for their re-developments plans to successful. B.F. Saul would like to host 200 events per year.˙ If Parks get Programming control, this might not happen (B.F. Saul thinks that they would have big incentive to make this a success and would hire a couple of staff to plan it.)˙ The Silver Spring town square was brought up as a model.˙ Mr. Wulff noted the linkage between the B.F. Saul re-development and the Mall Visioning Plan implementation. Mr. Wulff noted that the WMATA site proposed last month has been radically changed following meetings with their GSA Lease Broker.˙ The site will need Class A office space and a Business Class Hotel to be successful and to see Wheaton change. Major Government tenant must commit first before re-development begins and B.F. Saul still believes that the Government Tenant is the First Mover which will bring other tenants later. The County is talking about moving some offices there too.˙ Mr. Wulff noted that the GSA Commissioner Bob Peck is from Wheaton. GSA has indicated the proposed WMATA site plan had two serious problems. First, the corner office building/tower (at the tip of Georgia Ave and Veirs Mill) was not suitable for efficient space utilization, (spear shape building). ˙Second the office zone was too far from the metro entrance.˙ Following this feedback from GSA, the office zone (two towers) is being moved to what was the proposed residential zone.˙ The residential zone has now been removed from the WMATA site. Mr. Wulff noted that the pedestal over the Bus Bays will need to be built first at a cost of $25 million.˙ Since it will have to be built before a tenant is in place, this is a risk to B.F. Saul.˙ B.F. Saul is working to come up with a concept for the Georgia Ave./Veirs Mill Road tip on their site. This will become the gateway to Wheaton and they want this to look appealing.˙ They are considering a parking garage with a nice interesting cover.˙˙ Mr. Wulff discussed parking at length.˙ B.F. Saul considered underground parking under the WMATA Bus Bays, but that was not feasible. ˙ Next on the Agenda was updates from the County Executive Annual Meeting.˙ Discussed: The budget gap is serious still.˙ ˙˙The County Attorney talked lobbying to legislative branch and Advisory Groups.˙ Need to be cautious about not linking yourself to any Advisory Group when testifying or communicating to Legislative branch. ˙ The Planning and Vision Sub Committee brought up their proposed testimony that was included in the handouts.˙ WRAC members were invited to comment on the proposed testimony which will be given once Public Hearing are set this Spring or Summer.˙ Their next meeting is on March 7.