Councilman Roger Berliner issued the following statement after the Planning Board meeting on Woodmont East II yesterday:
Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to preserve open space in the heart of Bethesda. After 3 ½ hours of effective testimony from the community and increasingly skeptical questions from the Board, the developers withdrew the application. As Chairman Hanson was reported to have said, this project needs to be totally reoriented – it should first focus on the public space and then build in a manner that enhances that space. It is my hope that the developers will choose to work with the community in a formal, collaborative process to produce a result that we can all be proud of.Publish PostI know that many people appreciate Councilman Berliner's strong leadership on this question in convening public meetings on the project, speaking out before the Planning Board meeting, and developing an alternative vision for this space. Thanks also to Councilman Marc Elrich who joined in these efforts to protect valuable open space.
