Proposal to Build a Second Kingdom Hall at
Great Falls and Maryland
The
Rockville Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses submitted plans in January 2011 for an additional place of
worship/meeting for their Chinese congregation at the intersection of Great Falls
Road and Maryland Avenue, across the street from Julius West Middle School. The
site is currently developed with single family homes, 628 and 626 Maryland
Avenue, and adjoins its current facility at 624 Great Falls Road. The house at
628 Maryland Avenue was purchased by the congregation in 2008 and is currently
used as a residence; the house at 626 Maryland Avenue is currently used for
office space. After carefully following
this project the WECA Executive Board has voted to oppose the project. The details of the project and the reasons
for this decision are explained below.
Information on how you can participate is included at the end.
Under the congregation’s current proposal, the house at 626 Great Falls Road would be demolished, and the stucco house at 628 Great Falls would be retained. A 3,700 square foot worship hall addition would be made onto the house at 628 Great Falls Road (1,400 square feet), for a total of 5,100 square feet. The worship hall will have with 130 seats. Development will include a parking lot providing 32 parking spaces, exceeding the 17 currently required by the Zoning Ordinance, and a one-way through driveway from Great Falls (right turn entrance only) to Maryland Avenue (right turn exit only).
A Post- Application Area Meeting took place on November 7th, and the Development Review Committee met on November 15th. A committee of WECA residents, including residents of Rose Hill Falls, Rose Hill, and Prospect Hill Court, has been closely following this application. Following discussion of the project at the November 12th WECA Executive Board, a motion was approved that WECA oppose this project. Some of the continuing concerns include pedestrian and traffic safety issues, inadequate parking that has a significant impact on the character of the neighborhood and pedestrian safety, high use and traffic associated with the adjoining Jehovah properties, the destruction of the site as the current residential Gateway to the historic West End, and lack of information on plans for growth of the congregations.
The
applicant will now submit responses to the Development Review Committee findings
and resubmit plans based on these findings.
In early January, the DRC will again review the project. The City staff will then submit a report to
the Planning Commission. If everything
moves ahead without any major setbacks, the project may go before the Planning
Commission in early February for review and approval. This Level II site plans does not need
approval of the Mayor and Council.
For more information on the project including updates, see http://www.rockvillemd.gov/zoning/development/626-628GreatFallsRoad.html If you have any additional questions/comments or wish to join the committee, contact Noreen Bryan, WECA president, at president@weca.us.
