Potomac

OpinionBe Part of Children’s Almanac 2014Annual editionshowcases youthart and writing.During the last week of each year,the Potomac Almanac devotes itsentire issue to the creativity of localstudents and children. The resultsare always remarkable. It is a keepsakeedition for many families.We publish artwork, poetry, essays, creativewriting, opinion pieces, short stories, photography,photos of sculpture or gardens or othercreative efforts.We ask that all submissions be digital so theycan be sent through email or delivered on CDor flash drive. Writing should be submitted inrich text format (.rtf). Artwork should be photographedor scanned and provided in jpegformat.We welcome student’s original ideas. Hereare some suggestions:❖ Drawings or paintings or photographs ofyour family, friends, pets or some favorite activity.These should be photographed or scannedand submitted in jpeg format. Photosof sculpture or larger art projects arealso welcome.❖ Short answers (50 to 100 words)to some of the following questions: If you couldgive your parents any gift that didn’t costmoney what would that gift be? What are youmost looking forward to in the upcoming year?What is one thing that you would change aboutschool? What do you want to be when yougrow up? What is your favorite animal? Whatis your favorite toy? What makes a good parent?What makes a good friend? What is thebest or worst thing that ever happened to you?What is the best gift you’ve ever given? Everreceived?❖ Your opinion (50 to 100 words) aboutnews, traffic, sports, restaurants, video games,toys, trends, politics, etc.Editorial❖ Poetry or other creative writing.❖ News stories from school newspapers.❖ Photos and text about activities or events.We welcome contributions from public andprivate schools, individuals andhomeschoolers.Identify each piece of writing or art,including the student’s full name, age,grade and town of residence, plus thename of the school, name of teacher and townof school location.Email submissions for the Children’s Almanacto almanac@connectionnewspapers.com.To send CDs or flash drives containing artworkand typed, electronic submissions, mark themclearly by school and hometown and mail toChildren’s Almanac, 1606 King Street, Alexandria,VA 22314.Please send all submissions by Dec. 10. TheChildren’s Almanac will publish the week ofDec. 27, 2014.— Mary Kimm,mkimm@connectionnewspapers.comA Brilliant Success with One ExceptionBy Susanne LeeWMCCA PresidentThe Potomac Subregion Master Plan hasfor the most part been a brilliant successstory. Much of that success is dueto the genius, commitment, and enormoushard work of Callum Murray, our Decemberspeaker who is retiring from his position withMaryland-National Capital Park and PlanningCommission (M-NCPPC) at the end of December.With its primary focus onWMCCApreserving the area’s extensiveenvironmental resources, theMaster Plan is an invaluablelast large farms (including the Clagett andHanson farms) to higher density developmentas contributions to protect the AgriculturalReserve.There is, however, one exception — the GlenHills Sewer Study. Glen Hills is a low density,environmentally sensitive area, partially withinthe Piney Branch Special Protection Area, thatfunctions as a critical recharge area for theWatts Branch. The Master Plan acknowledgesits unique nature and seeks to protect it by limitingsewer extensions and their adverse environmentalimpacts. It calls for a study “of theseptic failures in Glen Hills to develop themeasures necessary to ensure the long termsustainability of septic service for new homeconstruction and existing home renovations,and to address the need for limited sewer extensionsif needed.” The Master Plan requiresthe study to include six basic elements, includingthe “delineation and possible reasons forknown failures.” The study, however, was conductedby the Montgomery County Departmentof Environmental Protection, without regardto the requirements of the Master Plan, andwith what appears to be little or no input fromthe M-NCPPC staff. Instead of identifying actualfailures, studying the causes and proposinglimited extensions to address them, thestudy ignores the plain language of the MasterPlan and proposes sewering the entire areathrough the construction of 13 new, enormouslycostly and environmentally damaging,sewer lines. In the history of its implementation,there has been no other such blatant disregardof the Master Plan requirements.Next WMCCAMeetingThe next meeting of the West MontgomeryCounty Citizens Association will be heldat the Potomac Community Center, Wednesday,Dec. 10, 7:15 p.m.The guest speaker will be Callum Murray,Area 3 Community Planning Leader, MarylandNational Capital Park and PlanningCommission (MNCPPC).For many years now, WMCCA has invitedMurray to come speak at a general meetingonce a year and provide an update on thePotomac Subregion Master Plan implementation.Starting in 2000, Callum was the plannerwho saw Potomac through the revision process.Potomac was one of the last Master Plansto have an Advisory Group appointed byMNCPPC, expected to meet monthly, engagein discussion, and come to a consensus onany number of proposals and policies. Callumfacilitated the diverse Master Plan AdvisoryGroup through three years of meetings. Sincethen his territory has expanded to includethe Agricultural Reserve.Remaining within the confines of a MasterPlan takes vigilance. Citizens need to stayabreast of issues and guard the plan fromprecedent-setting incursions and outrightviolations.With his institutional memory, Murray hasbeen an invaluable resource to citizens aswell as public officials. At the end of December,Callum is retiring and WMCCA has askedhim to speak one last time, offer his musingsand historical perspective while giving thecommunity a chance to show its appreciationfor his years of service.As always, the public is encouraged to attend.If schools are closed because of inclem-POTOMACALMANACwww.PotomacAlmanac.comNewspaper of PotomacA Connection NewspaperAn independent, locally owned weeklynewspaper deliveredto homes and businesses.1606 King StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314Free digital edition delivered toyour email box. Go toconnectionnewspapers.com/subscribePUBLISHERMary Kimmmkimm@connectionnewspapers.com@MaryKimmEDITORIALPHONE: 703-778-9415E-MAIL:almanac@connectionnewspapers.comEDITORSteven Mauren, 703-778-9415smauren@connectionnewspapers.comSPORTS EDITORJon Roetman,703-752-4013jroetman@connectionnewspapers.com@jonroetmanCONTRIBUTING WRITERSSusan Belford, Carole Dell,Cissy Finley Grant, Carole Funger,Colleen Healy, Kenny Lourie,Ken MooreContributingPhotographersHarvey Levine, Deborah StevensArt/Design:Laurence Foong, John HeinlyProduction ManagerGeovani FloresADVERTISINGFor advertising informationsales@connectionnewspapers.com703-778-9431ACCOUNT EXECUTIVESDisplay Advertising:Kenny Lourie 703-778-9425klourie@connectionnewspapers.comdocument and the key to the future of the entirePotomac Subregion and our individualAndrea Smith 703-778-9411Classified Advertisingneighborhoods.asmith@connectionnewspapers.comhttp://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/plan_areas/potomac/master_plans/Debbie FunkNational Sales & real Estatepotomac/potomactoc.shtm703-778-9444Everywhere we look we see the impact of itsdebfunk@connectionnewspapers.comsuccessful implementation: a two, not four,David Griffinlane highway to Potomac; no outer beltwayMarketing Assistant703-778-9431through Block House Point and the C&O Canal;the preservation of stream valley parks anddgriffin@connectionnewspapers.comrustic roads; the establishment of theJerry VernonExecutive Vice PresidentSerpentinite Barrens Conservation andjvernon@connectionnewspapers.comGreenbriar Local Parks; and, protection of thelow density “green wedge” characteristics ofCIRCULATION: 703-778-9426the Subregion.circulation@connectionnewspapers.comThat is not to say that we don’t mourn theacres of woodland lost to new construction orPotomac Almanac is publishedby Local Media Connection LLCregret the McMansionization of established lowdensity communities and the “Castle-lization”Five Time First Placeof others, or long for a more walkable VillageAward-Winnerand more bike paths. There are massive developmentsPublic Serviceat the site of the Stoneyhurst Quarry GLEN HILLS SEWER STUDYMDDC Press Associationsite on River Road and at Forturne Parc onSubmitted by Susanne LeeFour TimeMontrose Road just west of I-270, but the MasterRepresentatives of WMCCA and the GlenNewspaper of the YearPlan provides for such concentrated devel-Hills community will meet with MontgomeryAn Award-winning Newspaperin Writing, Photography, Editing,opment next to major transportation corridors, County Executive Isiah Leggett and CouncilGraphics and Designwhile protecting other portions of the Subregion.Member Roger Berliner on Dec. 3 to voice theirAs a result of the Transferable Develop-ment Rights (TDR) program we sacrificed ourSee WMCCA, Page 7 ent weather, the meeting will be cancelled.6 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ December 3-9, 2014 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com