WECA Neighbors –
There are two important items to share with you below, so please take a few
minutes to read through this. The first pertains to recent, unprovoked harassment
that some of our neighbors have experienced at their home, and how we as
concerned West End residents can help. The second details a school bus lot
being proposed by the Montgomery County government and MCPS for the corner of
Mannakee Street and Route 355, and outlines associated concerns.
As the spring
weather arrives, the days get longer, and more people are out-and-about, please
do keep a watchful eye, help your neighbors where you can, and remember “If you
see something, say something.”
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Disturbing Harassment Incidents within
the West End
The message below from West End residents, Don and Maggie
Hadley, is most disturbing. They have
been subjected to frightening harassment in their home by a group of young
men. Please take care of yourselves and
support the Hadleys by turning on your
front porch lights.
Hi Neighbors,
We wanted to let you know that apparently our house is being
targeted for harassment by a group of young white men (18-20 years old).
We have now had two incidents within 10 days – the first on Saturday, March 19th
at around 8:30 p.m. and the second on Thursday, March 31st at around
10 p.m. They repeatedly ring our doorbell and when we open the door we
are cursed at (severe profanity) and threatened (we are going to blow up your
house). The first time was just the verbal abuse, but most recently they
also detonated fire crackers on our front porch. The first night they ran
off down Upton Street; on the March 31st incident we did not see
which way they went, or whether they are on foot or have a car parked on the
street.
The police have been called both times (Rockville first,
Montgomery County most recently), but by the time they arrive the culprits have
disappeared. Don drove the neighborhood immediately after the first
incident and saw no one.
The only suggestion the police had was that since our
neighborhood is very dark, if the neighbors would leave their outside and/or
porch lights on overnight, it would afford less places for the perpetrators to
hide. So far, we seem to be the only house that has been selected for this
“special treatment”, so we would request that if possible everyone illuminate
the outside of their house at night so perhaps we can deter further visitations
or at least get a good description of the young men in question.
Thanks, and be vigilant.
Maggie & Don Hadley
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Proposed
Bus Depot on Carver Lot
Background: Montgomery County government
and the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) Board are working to relocate
100 school buses to the Carver School lot at the corner of Mannakee Street and
RT 355. The county is moving the buses
because it has sold the land on Crabbs Branch Way where 400 school buses and
their fueling station are parked today.
In selling the land to a developer to build housing the county failed to
make provisions for parking and fueling the buses. In fact, the County’s decision to use the
Carver Lot was made without letting citizens know. No public hearings were held. Reviews of pertinent public documents reveal
that the County did not assess potential adverse impacts of locating a bus
depot next to a residential neighborhood, including traffic, noise, air
pollution, reduced residential values associated with a fenced bus compound
abutting a neighborhood. Currently, the
County is planning to relocate buses to the Carver Lot by December 31,
2016.
Issues:
Through Traffic of School Buses in the West End and Woodley
Gardens Neighborhoods will reduce safety and overburden the streets: These neighborhood roads are narrow,
lined with houses and parked cars, have bike lanes and are not designed to
accommodate a large volume of school buses passing through the neighborhood for
other destinations. Steady streams of
buses will make these streets hazardous for children walking to school and
commuters walking to the metro.
Noise and Air Pollution: The noise
and noxious fumes emitted by buses as they warm-up and sit in lines waiting to
exit the lot will adversely affect the health and quality of life of neighbors. Idling will begin as early as 4:30am and
will exceed County noise ordinances. Further, experience shows that school bus
drivers regularly park their buses along their routes on narrow, residential
roads running their engines while they wait for the next pick up, thus creating
noise and air pollution throughout the day.
Traffic on RT 355: The intersection at Mannakee Street and RT 355 is
considered the second busiest transit chokepoint in Rockville. Traffic to and
from Montgomery College, the heavy volume of Metro buses and commuter traffic
make this a heavily congested area.
Adding the trips of 100 school buses and their drivers arriving in the
morning and departing at the end of the day will make the situation
significantly worse.
What Neighbors Are
Doing to Stop the Bus Depot
Mobilizing neighbors to stand up and
voice their opposition to the bus depot.
Voicing our concerns with County
Councilman Sidney Katz, District 3, Rockville Mayor and Council and Montgomery
County School Board.
Asking the City of Rockville to
formally review and take a position in opposition to the bus depot. While the County Council could overrule this
decision, it would require them to take a public vote in the face of
overwhelming citizen opposition.
The West End Civic Association will
discuss and potentially adopt a resolution at its Board meeting on April 21,
2016.
What You Can Do
If you would like
more information, please contact Theresa Defino, WECA’s Point of Contact as
follows:
