Focus Group Meeting Summary
Property Owners Focus Group - October 16, 2002

Shady Grove Sector Plan
Property Owner Focus Group
October 16, 2002

Attendees:
Seyed Reza Raoofi
George Galich
Richard Gartner, Reed Brothers Dodge
Bill Feller, HBW Group
Malek Azarsa, Community Mini-Storage
Soo Lee-Cho. Miller, Miller & Canby
Jody Kline, Miller, Miller & Canby
representing Roberts Oxygen, Sears, King Pontiac
Chris Lessard, representing, Thomas Sommerville
Bob Youngentob, Eakin Youngentob

Karen Kumm Morris, Claudia Kousoulas, Nkosi Yearwood, Community-Based Planning

The meeting began with a staff explanation of the planning process. The group then discussed their own properties and business plans, and asked questions regarding development opportunities. Notes from the discussion follow.

Reed Brothers Dodge (parcel N193)
This dealership has been held in a family trust for three generations and will move to the fourth generation in the future. The business began in the City of Rockville and moved to its current location on MD 355 in 1970. Unless forced from this location, they would like to stay in place. Location consistency is important to their business.

Their building is setback from MD 355 enough to allow road widening, and they have doubled their size since locating here. There is also a freestanding storage facility on the site used for parking. The site has not road access from the rear.

Would support office and commercial uses on Metro land.

HBW Group (parcels N440, N439, N371)
This real estate group of three properties between MD 355 and Somerville Road, along Redland Road is held by a number of owners. It was initially developed in 1971. Its current tenants are commercial and light industrial users with leases that range from five to eight years. They have no problem leasing the buildings, and plan to remain in place at least for the next five years.

They would consider redevelopment into multi-story buildings. They might also consider partial redevelopment, since the site is held by more than one owner, and would consider a mix of retail and residential uses.

Paramount Drive Properties (parcels N421, P446, P419, and P393)
These parcels have no sewer service, though some of the businesses get sewer from Indianola.

The sites are small and would need to combine to create redevelopment opportunities and, business owners want to continue their operations.

Community Mini-Storage (parcel N421)
This business has been on the 2.2-acre site since 1975, and they have no plans to change their business.

Pleasant Street Property
Land behind King Pontiac could be developed as office use under the existing C-3 zoning. Could assemble with surrounding properties. Need to know status of the proposed road through King Farm (north/south, parallel to MD 355). The road extension is needed to relieve congestion at MD 355 and Shady Grove Road.

Roberts Oxygen (parcel N276)
This business has two locations in the planning area, on Redland Road and Oakmont Avenue. On Redland Road, they have office space, a retail operation, and some bottling and warehouse functions. They would be open-minded to the prospect of future redevelopment, depending on land value, but they need a space to relocate. Relocation for their business is difficult, due to the limited I-1 land, and since most I-1 land doesn't offer the retail opportunity of their current site.

On Oakmont Avenue, they run a more modern operation, with the same uses as at Redland Road. This site generates some noise, mostly from pick-ups and deliveries, but future technology changes could mitigate noise from the operation. Hey have no plans to intensify their business here, unless they move more operations from Redland. They have adequate land on Oakmont.

King Pontiac (parcel N979)
This business operates on the west side of MD 355 from two ten-acre parcels, one in the City of Rockville, one in the County. At one point they wanted to be annexed entirely in to the City, but that effort stopped. They are happy in their current location but sometime in the future, probably beyond the life of the current master plan, they would consider redevelopment.

Their property abuts the proposed King Farm Road, but probably would not have access from it, to prevent trailer truck traffic through the residential area.

Conclusions
This Sector Plan offers all the area's property owners the opportunity to consider the future options and potential for their land. This meeting reviewed the process and the potential for growth around the Metro Station, as well as offering an opportunity for owners to share information.

>Contact Shady Grove Planning Team

>Back to: > Our website - home > Community Based Planning- home > Shady Grove - home