Board Meeting Minutes
Minutes of MSCA Board 02-25-2003
The regular board meeting for February, 2003 was held February 25th at Kim Ford's home.
Our treasurer reported that dues collection was running ahead of last year's in
total dollars, but from slightly fewer respondents. A plan to have block captains solicit for dues
from those not yet having paid was agreed upon.
A brief discussion of landscaping and the potential for new entry signs to the
neighborhood was tabled awaiting more information from Allentuck Landscaping.
The bulk of the agenda was a presentation by the developers of the proposed Fortune Park development.
This long-debated project is in the Montgomery County master plan and is progressing steadily through
the steps needed to begin construction. The two major partners in development were represented at the meeting,
Brent Pratt, from Foulger-Pratt Development, Inc., and Bob Youngentaub from Eakin/Youngentaub Associates, Inc.
The owner of the land and a financial partner in the venture has been the Truland family. Both of the major developers have a long history of large and successful projects
in the county. Foulger-Pratt was the general contractor for the Mormon Temple and much of the downtown Silver Spring redevelopment.
Eakins/Youngentaub has developed such properties as Falls Grove (Shady Grove Road and Darnestown Road area.)
The developers presented drawings of the current plans for the development, which call for mixed residential and commercial
use of some 50 acres. A total of 600 residential units is planned -- 450 in multifamily dwellings (a mix of condominiums and apartments) and 150 as upscale townhouses.
As many as seven low-rise (eight or fewer stories) commercial buildings nearest to I-270 may be built, along with some
small service/retail stores to serve the new community along a main street. Foulger-Pratt is the large construction contractor for the
bulk of the development's physical layout and the multifamily apartments, which they will then manage. Eakin/Youngentaub is the townhouse developer.
At this point, the next step is a Preliminary Plan Hearing, for which a detailed traffic study had to be prepared and submitted. The project will be built in pieces,
with a Site Plan design and approval process for each piece. If everything continues
on schedule, the developers could break ground in 12 to 18 months and have the first occupants in early 2006.
The commercial buildings would not be built until there was demand for them, individually.
The Board had many questions about traffic flow, as the project includes new ramps to I-270 as the primary entrance and egress. A new entrance along Seven locks Road
is also planned, which was of more concern. The project is located in the county, outside of the Rockville City borders, but the school district will be that of Ritchie Park Elementary,
Julius West Middle School, and Richard Montgomery High School. There are lots of features to the plan, including a water feature, a transit center to connect with Ride-On, a
set of three community centers and like amenities.
After much discussion, the Board thanked the developers for sharing
this information and the meeting was adjourned.
