Opposition to Proposed Development by Global Mission Church

September 16, 2009

The Honorable Isiah Leggett
Montgomery County Executive
Executive Office Building
101 Monroe Street, 2nd Floor
Rockville, MD 20850

Dear Dr. Leggett:

The Montgomery County Sierra Club is concerned about the proposal of Global Mission Church to build a large facility and several related structures on the northwest side of Old Hundred Road, stradddling both Frederick and Montgomery counties. We feel the proposed project has such serious deleterious environmental impacts that it should not be permitted to proceed.

Instead, we request that your office work with Frederick County towards inclusion of the property in the Greenways Inventory as directed in the Montgomery County Master Plan. Futhermore, we note with dismay the absence of a comprehensive review by Montgomery County of the Global Mission Church's proposal. This is surprising given the fact that the proerty, while in Frederick County, is essentially landlocked with access possible only from Montgomery County through a 100-year flood plain and the headwaters of the high quality Little Bennett watershed.

Specifically, we have the following concerns for any large facility in this location:

• The close proximity to Little Bennett Creek, a high quality watershed.
• The Montgomery County master plan revision proposes that portions of the property located along Little Bennett Creek be included as part of a greenway system that connects Little Bennett Regional Park with Frederick County.
• The absence of public water and sewer that leads to the need for a two-acre sand mount system and well(s) that will draw heavily on the Piedmont sole-source aquifer.
• The lack of any mechanism to enforce the septic discharge limit of 4,999 gallons per day.
• The need to clear-cut several acres of forested land.
• The impact of a large volume of traffic on a ruaral rustic road.
• And lastly, but of great concern to many citizens, the proximity of a very large structure to Sugarloaf Mountain, a treasured landmark and historic site. The proposed structure will be clearly visible from Sugarloaf Mountain.

Neither Frederick, nor Montgomery County ever contemplated or planned for an institutional use of the property on this scale—indeed both counties have made efforts to protect against these intense land uses that are in direct conflict with the functional master plans in both counties.

Sincerely yours,
David Hauck, Chair
Sierra Club, Montgomery County Group

cc: Dr. Royce Hanson, Chain, Montgomery County Planning Board
Mr. Phil Andrews, President, Montgomery County Council

Response on October 14, 2009

All,

After a number of hours of testimony, cross-examination, legal manoeuvering, rancor, humor and bliss, I report that the Frederick County Planning Board has voted 6 to 1 to deny the site plan application of Global Mission Church.

How do we thank the many voices that rang out today in defense of this special, shared place we call home: Montgomery's Ag Reserve, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Frederick Southern Farm Belt? The collaboration, the dogged pursuit of truth and perpetual preservation, the just plain stubbornness of those who came, not just today but on July 15th and not just to the hearing but to the keyboard to bring defense to place and purpose. Remarkable.

The list of names and groups is long and the hour is late today—so I will be brief today and say mega thanks to a phenomenal group of dedicated civic activists, some long in the saddle, some new to its chafe—but all passionate and grounded and righteous!

I will, tomorrow send a full official MCA blast—but for now: Thank you!

Very Best Regards,

Caroline Taylor
Montgomery Countryside Alliance
P.O. Box 120
Boyds, Maryland 20841
http://mocoalliance.org/

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