Comments on: Battle Continues for Hillock, We like Golob http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2009/1299/ Helping imagine a great college town for a great university Sat, 31 Jul 2010 05:10:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: David Daddio http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2009/1299/comment-page-1/#comment-175623 David Daddio Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:35:57 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/?p=1299#comment-175623 I mourn the loss of these trees as much as the next person. Indeed, since my departure from College Park (where I was one of UMD's harshest critics), I did a long stint with a national land conservation group. I've advocated for dense, smart, transit-friendly development in CP for the better part of three years primarily because the environmental benefits it produces. All this being said, it's totally bizarre to me that this tiny piece of woodland has garnered such great attention from the campus environmental community and now various official governing bodies of the University. This land has basically no ecological value. It is small and isolated, has no significance for water quality and contains no sensitive species. It is simply a piece of woodland. It is far too valueable to be kept as woodland and should be treated as a commodity. UMD did a detailed analysis and for a variety of reasons concluded that it was best to put these maintenance facilities close to the facilities that university staff maintain, but still largely out of sight. I think we can rely on their judgment for once. There is comparable land for education purposes in the immediate area that exhibits the same tornado-disturbance characteristics. Golub is in a transit area. It is extremely close to CP Metro and even closer to a proposed purple line station. Why would we put a low density, car-oriented facility whose occupants will constantly be commuting to campus at such a site? If folks want to talk about the environment, lets talk about how EAST CAMPUS IS PROPOSED TO INCLUDE 5500 PARKING SPACES. Let's talk about how this great dense infill development project is being proposed with suburban-style parking ratios. The environmental community has completely failed to address the fact that the university is endorsing the construction of the equivalent of two Mowatt Lane parking garages at its doorstep, which will forever cement the area as carbon-dependent shopping mall masquerading as a new urbanist mecca. What's more significant.... 9 acres or 5500 spaces? I mourn the loss of these trees as much as the next person. Indeed, since my departure from College Park (where I was one of UMD’s harshest critics), I did a long stint with a national land conservation group. I’ve advocated for dense, smart, transit-friendly development in CP for the better part of three years primarily because the environmental benefits it produces. All this being said, it’s totally bizarre to me that this tiny piece of woodland has garnered such great attention from the campus environmental community and now various official governing bodies of the University.

This land has basically no ecological value. It is small and isolated, has no significance for water quality and contains no sensitive species. It is simply a piece of woodland. It is far too valueable to be kept as woodland and should be treated as a commodity. UMD did a detailed analysis and for a variety of reasons concluded that it was best to put these maintenance facilities close to the facilities that university staff maintain, but still largely out of sight. I think we can rely on their judgment for once. There is comparable land for education purposes in the immediate area that exhibits the same tornado-disturbance characteristics.

Golub is in a transit area. It is extremely close to CP Metro and even closer to a proposed purple line station. Why would we put a low density, car-oriented facility whose occupants will constantly be commuting to campus at such a site?

If folks want to talk about the environment, lets talk about how EAST CAMPUS IS PROPOSED TO INCLUDE 5500 PARKING SPACES. Let’s talk about how this great dense infill development project is being proposed with suburban-style parking ratios. The environmental community has completely failed to address the fact that the university is endorsing the construction of the equivalent of two Mowatt Lane parking garages at its doorstep, which will forever cement the area as carbon-dependent shopping mall masquerading as a new urbanist mecca. What’s more significant…. 9 acres or 5500 spaces?

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]]> By: JohnUP http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2009/1299/comment-page-1/#comment-175614 JohnUP Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:18:40 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/?p=1299#comment-175614 Where does the name "Golob" come from? That's the old ERCO factory - I wouldn't consider it an eyesore. With the impending developement of the 22 acre Cafritz Tract just west of ERCO, it would be nice to tie the two projects together, with a bridge across the railroad tracks... Where does the name “Golob” come from? That’s the old ERCO factory – I wouldn’t consider it an eyesore. With the impending developement of the 22 acre Cafritz Tract just west of ERCO, it would be nice to tie the two projects together, with a bridge across the railroad tracks…

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]]> By: jeuill http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2009/1299/comment-page-1/#comment-175552 jeuill Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:21:15 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/?p=1299#comment-175552 I think the inertia for urban sprawl will soon take over the desire to protect green space. The D.C. area population is going to explode over the next 10 years. There's only so much green space you can save without loosing out to much needed housing, jobs, and retail as well as more facilities for the university. I think the inertia for urban sprawl will soon take over the desire to protect green space. The D.C. area population is going to explode over the next 10 years. There’s only so much green space you can save without loosing out to much needed housing, jobs, and retail as well as more facilities for the university.

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