Busy Tuesday Night at the MAC

The White Flint Implementation Committee (WFIC) will hold its October monthly meeting at the Montgomery Aquatic Center in Wall Park (Nicholson Lane and Executive Blvd.) at 7:30PM on Tuesday, October 11. (The meeting is on a Tuesday instead of the usual Monday because of the Columbus Day holiday.)

Nkosi Yearwood, chief White Flint planner for the Montgomery Planning Board, advises that the WFIC will discuss the County’s public facilities plan as well as the latest development updates. One can also expect discussion of the County Council’s surprisingly-long discussion of changes to the CR Zone, and perhaps some discussion of the future of citizen participation.

Nkosi Yearwood (c) chairing April 11 WFIC meeting, with (from left) Mike Coveyou of the County Executive's Office, Jacob Sesker of the Planning Department and Dave Freishtat, Co-Chair of WFIC (and FoWF Board Member)

Prior to the meeting, Federal Realty will be presenting some changes in its plans for Mid-Pike Plaza. Not sure what they are, but Evan Goldman suggests that they are “minor.” Federal Realty is seeking community input on the changes before offering them to the Planning Board for review.

Artist's Rendition of planned Mid-Pike Plaza, courtesty Federal Realty

And after the meeting, the Friends of White Flint Board of Directors will hold a brief, informal meeting to discuss a process for considering and evaluating various proposals for the community organization’s interaction with the County government and the Planning Board. Some have suggested that the website whiteflint.org be operated by, or in conjunction with, the County; others have proposed that FoWF itself become closer to one or more County agencies.

Reaction to the proposals has been mixed. County Councilmembers and others who have reacted to these plans have cautioned against losing the organization’s independent voice. So the FoWF Board is trying to determine how to proceed on these suggestions. Tuesday’s meeting will just determine whether a FoWF meeting is warranted and set a schedule.

Barnaby Zall