We are very disappointed in the Takoma Park, MD’s City Council’s June 2 vote to disapprove NDC’s site plan for Takoma Junction. Over the past six years, the NDC team has worked closely with the Council, City staff, and the Community to put forth a plan that aligns with all regulatory requirements as well as meeting all of the requirements detailed in the Development Agreement. As we testified last night, we believe the Site Plan meets all of the requirements of the Development Agreement and we will continue to work with SHA to resolve their remaining outstanding concerns. Unfortunately, it appears that the City Council based its decision in part on additional or vague criteria that were not a part of the Development Agreement, but we will seek further input and clarification from Council members to meet their concerns.
We are looking ahead to the next step in this process, which includes addressing the State Highway Administration’s concerns about the proposed layby lane on Carroll Avenue, vital to meet the vendor delivery needs of the Food Co-op and future Takoma Junction tenants.
NDC is committed to meeting our obligations as outlined in our agreement with the City and we are hopeful the City will do so as well.