Monument Realty, the developer of the Gaithersburg, Md., property, held the meeting to give residents the opportunity to express their ideas and concerns about the development. Though the company is currently keeping the 18-hole golf course open at its own expense, it does plan to develop residential units for the 147-acre site.
In a workshop held by developer Monument Realty, Montgomery Village residents had the opportunity to express their ideas and concerns about the development of Montgomery Village Golf Club, the Gaithersburg (Md.) Gazette reported.
About 70 Village residents showed up to the workshop for the Gaithersburg, Md., club. Monument is keeping the 18-hole golf course open at its own expense, but has made it clear that residential units are planned for the 147-acre site, the Gazette reported.
The existing clubhouse will be demolished, said Tom Gallas, chief financial officer of architecture firm Torti Gallas and Partners, Inc., the Gazette reported.
Monument bought the failing golf course for $5 million in March, though the estimated value of the site was about $1.6 million in 2012, according to state records. Former owner Jack Doser, a professional golfer, ran the golf club for 34 years. He declared the multi-million dollar business unprofitable at Montgomery Village Foundation meetings in 2011, the Gazette reported.
The developer will need to build around certain restricted sections of the site, like Pepco’s right-of-ways, floodplains and steep hills, which subtract from the amount of viable space. Monument is considering building duplexes, mid-sized single-family homes and townhomes on the site, the Gazette reported.
The developer suggested adding meadows and edible landscaping—in the form of nut trees, berry bushes or other plants—to spaces where they are unable to build, the Gazette reported.
Russell Hines, president of Monument Realty, said residents began to make suggestions about common areas for the first time during the brainstorming process, the Gazette reported.
“I thought it was very positive,” Hines said.
During the meeting, residents suggested a dog park, cemetery or community gardens, but Montgomery Village Executive Vice President Dave Humpton warned that parking could be an issue, the Gazette reported.
“There’s got to be some shared parking to get people into that park system,” Humpton said.
Several residents of Fairway Islands, a Montgomery Village subdivision surrounded by the golf course, expressed concerns about a new development in their backyards, asking about setbacks and how wide the roads will be, the Gazette reported.
Though the most recent community meeting in May, with more than 100 attendees, ended in frustration and unanswered questions for some residents, Humpton said he was pleased with the discussions at this workshop.
“We still have a long way to go,” Hines said. “We ultimately have to come up with some plans and make compromises.”
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.