Tag: City Council

Randy Gibson, City Council, Ward 3: Endorsement

Community Vision for Takoma is endorsing Randy Gibson for Ward 3, City Council. The City election will be Tuesday, November 8th.

After considering questionnaire responses, experience, and previous involvement in the life of the City, we believe Randy is the candidate who best aligns with the CVT mission of public land for public good.

Randy is a natural facilitator and mediator, who seeks to dedicate himself full-time to Ward 3 constituents and to the City. He has led a life of service around the country and the world, starting with Peace Corps service in Iran. Randy has a Masters in Political Science, spent a semester in Colombia, and has worked in economic development, and on fair trade issues. In recent years, he has been deeply engaged with environmental issues in the City through Takoma Park Mobilization’s Climate Action Coffee, and the Takoma Stormwater Solutions group.

Randy has the skills to address the issues and opportunities of Ward 3, a ward including hilly terrain and woods, bounded by Takoma Junction and New Hampshire Avenue.

You can learn more about Randy Gibson and how to support his campaign at FriendsOfRandy.org. 

Not sure if you’re in Ward 3? The boundaries have changed! See the new Ward 3 map HERE.

In this election cycle, CVT has only endorsed Jarrett Smith for Mayor, and Randy Gibson for City Council Ward 3, the ward including the public land at Takoma Junction. To research all the City candidates, we encourage you to read the CVT questionnaire responses.

WHO WE ARE: 

CVT is an informal network of neighbors who first came together around the use of public land at Takoma Junction, and continue to work on community issues. We do not have a formal organization. We work by consensus. At our center is a varying group of about 20 residents who meet regularly to discuss what’s happening in Takoma Park and to plan communications and advocacy. Our work includes attending City Council meetings, alerting residents to issues before the City, and encouraging participation in the City’s democratic processes.

CVT does not collect or donate funds to support candidates, and is not a Political Action Committee. 

Council Moves to Reject Junction Plan

Takoma Park City Council moves to reject the NDC plan for a development at Takoma Junction.

UPDATE: September 15 2021 The County’s Planning Board votes to give the developer a 90-day extension (their fifth extension), to try to get approval from the SHA for the layby and the egress.

UPDATE: September 3 2021  The County’s Planning Board has scheduled a vote on the Takoma Junction plan for Wednesday September 15th (tune in online starting at 11:15am). The County staff has posted a report recommending that the Board vote to deny approval for the project.

UPDATE: August 19 2021  SHA “Returns for Revision” the latest NDC proposal. And, apparently, the tentative date for the Planning Board public hearing and vote has been delayed until later in September.

UPDATE: July 14 2021 NDC submits yet another revision of their plan for the loading zone, in response to SHA’s rejections. SHA is due to respond by August 19th.

UPDATE: July 2021 The County’s Planning Board has tentatively scheduled their Public Hearing and vote on the NDC plan for September 9th. This is one day after the City Council returns from their six-week summer break. Ten days prior to the hearing, the Planning Board staff will release their report and recommendation to the Board on the vote. NDC’s fourth extension to get approval from the Planning Board will expire on September 16th.

UPDATE: On June 23 2021 The Takoma Park City Council voted unanimously (7-0) for a resolution to disapprove the proposed Neighborhood Development Company (NDC) plan for a development at Takoma Junction. View NDC’s final statement before the vote at minute 18:00, and the City Council discussion before the vote starting at minute 53:45 HERE. See links to new statements from the City and NDC in our Junction timeline.

At the City Council work session on Wednesday June 16th 2021, the Council agreed unanimously (7-0) to craft a resolution to disapprove the Neighborhood Development Company (NDC) plan for a development at Takoma Junction. The move to reject the plan was based primarily on the fact that no approved loading zone was submitted by NDC.

You can watch the City Council’s decision on the video at time 3:28:30.

The formal vote will follow a week later, on June 23rd. The draft resolution should be posted on the agenda by this Friday, ahead of the vote.

What Changed?

Just minutes before the Council meeting started, the City posted a letter  from the State Highway Administration (SHA) to NDC. In that letter, the SHA rejected the longer layby for a third time, and rejected the shorter layby as even less safe.

(That shorter layby also broke all agreements to accommodate the Co-op, as described in this June 11th letter from the Co-op to the City).

With no approved way to create a loading zone for the development, the City Manager announced in the City Council work session on the Junction resolution that City staff were recommending crafting the resolution for disapproval of the plan. Each Councilmember then agreed to choose the disapproval option for the resolution. All of them cited the fact that there was no approved loading zone. Some also mentioned flaws in the plan related to inadequate public space, and other issues.

Many questions remain about what will happen next. For all the latest news, see our facebook and twitter feed.