RM Cluster Overcrowding?

[Anonymous]

I would love to do a poll to see how many people are paying for parking. I live in Rockville and am there often. I think I paid for parking once. Do people not understand how a validation system works? Or it is too much of a hassle to get the ticket validated? Rio on a weekend evening means nervously going up and up in a parking garage hoping there are still spots at the top.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And fine if Rio is not your cup of tea. What about Kentlands? That has been more successful than RTC. What is the difference? Easy, accessible, free parking. And some trees.

Even planting a few more trees and some grass at RTC would help make it less depressing.

Most demographics prefer some geeen space over pure concrete and glass

Remember that glass building at RTC that was blinding people? Obvious poor planning.

There are plenty of places in the county where you can easily drive and park for free. We don't need to have another one right next to a Metro station. That's a waste.

Then accept that RTC will not be successful. That is exactly the issue.

RTC has been re-imagines several times over the past few decades and it has failed before. Building more high density housing is not going to save RTC. That’s unrealistic and will make things worse for Rockville as a whole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to do a poll to see how many people are paying for parking. I live in Rockville and am there often. I think I paid for parking once. Do people not understand how a validation system works? Or it is too much of a hassle to get the ticket validated? Rio on a weekend evening means nervously going up and up in a parking garage hoping there are still spots at the top.

Good idea. Also add in how many people have gotten parking tickets at RTC. I got one there years ago and now avoid RTC as much as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And fine if Rio is not your cup of tea. What about Kentlands? That has been more successful than RTC. What is the difference? Easy, accessible, free parking. And some trees.

Even planting a few more trees and some grass at RTC would help make it less depressing.

Most demographics prefer some geeen space over pure concrete and glass

Remember that glass building at RTC that was blinding people? Obvious poor planning.

The difference is that Rio and Kentlands have places to shop at, including big box stores. Target, Michaels, Dicks, PetSmart etc. Kentlands also has a Whole Foods. RTS has a few small boutiques that I'm amazed stay in business.

[Anonymous]

Just a reminder that this is the MD Public Schools forum and this is a thread about RM Cluster Overcrowding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just a reminder that this is the MD Public Schools forum and this is a thread about RM Cluster Overcrowding.

Thanks for the reminder! Again, putting up more high density housing - hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses - in a misguided attempt to support Rockville Town Center will definitely lead to even worse overcrowding at Richard Montgomery. And Julius West MS for that matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a reminder that this is the MD Public Schools forum and this is a thread about RM Cluster Overcrowding.

Thanks for the reminder! Again, putting up more high density housing - hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses - in a misguided attempt to support Rockville Town Center will definitely lead to even worse overcrowding at Richard Montgomery. And Julius West MS for that matter.

Have you heard of this? Pierzchala is going to put forth an amendment to the APFO that would set the capacity limit to RM to 150%, from current 120%. It's going to impact JW and I'm guessing Rustin ES, maybe Twinbrook and Beall, as well. This is idiotic. He thinks if MCPS sees that Rockville will allow 150% then they'll act faster. This makes no sense to me.

https://mont.thesentinel.com/2018/12/06/pierzchala-advocates-overcrowded-schools-in-rockville/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a reminder that this is the MD Public Schools forum and this is a thread about RM Cluster Overcrowding.

Thanks for the reminder! Again, putting up more high density housing - hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses - in a misguided attempt to support Rockville Town Center will definitely lead to even worse overcrowding at Richard Montgomery. And Julius West MS for that matter.

What's misguided? According to the PPs, Rockville Town Center is a failure because it's too hard to drive there and you have to pay to park. But people who will live in the residential units near Rockville Town Center won't drive there and won't worry about parking. Lots and lots of people who will patronize the stores at Rockville Town Center on foot. Why wouldn't this support Rockville Town Center?

As for the "hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses", we've already established that this will lead to well under 100 more students at RM or JW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And fine if Rio is not your cup of tea. What about Kentlands? That has been more successful than RTC. What is the difference? Easy, accessible, free parking. And some trees.

Even planting a few more trees and some grass at RTC would help make it less depressing.

Most demographics prefer some geeen space over pure concrete and glass

Remember that glass building at RTC that was blinding people? Obvious poor planning.

There are plenty of places in the county where you can easily drive and park for free. We don't need to have another one right next to a Metro station. That's a waste.

Then accept that RTC will not be successful. That is exactly the issue.

RTC has been re-imagines several times over the past few decades and it has failed before. Building more high density housing is not going to save RTC. That’s unrealistic and will make things worse for Rockville as a whole.

I keep hearing that downtown Bethesda is a pain to drive to, and you often have to pay to park, but it seems to be doing quite well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a reminder that this is the MD Public Schools forum and this is a thread about RM Cluster Overcrowding.

Thanks for the reminder! Again, putting up more high density housing - hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses - in a misguided attempt to support Rockville Town Center will definitely lead to even worse overcrowding at Richard Montgomery. And Julius West MS for that matter.

What's misguided? According to the PPs, Rockville Town Center is a failure because it's too hard to drive there and you have to pay to park. But people who will live in the residential units near Rockville Town Center won't drive there and won't worry about parking. Lots and lots of people who will patronize the stores at Rockville Town Center on foot. Why wouldn't this support Rockville Town Center?

As for the "hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses", we've already established that this will lead to well under 100 more students at RM or JW.

RM is already overcrowded. Why do you insist on making it more crowded?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a reminder that this is the MD Public Schools forum and this is a thread about RM Cluster Overcrowding.

Thanks for the reminder! Again, putting up more high density housing - hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses - in a misguided attempt to support Rockville Town Center will definitely lead to even worse overcrowding at Richard Montgomery. And Julius West MS for that matter.

What's misguided? According to the PPs, Rockville Town Center is a failure because it's too hard to drive there and you have to pay to park. But people who will live in the residential units near Rockville Town Center won't drive there and won't worry about parking. Lots and lots of people who will patronize the stores at Rockville Town Center on foot. Why wouldn't this support Rockville Town Center?

As for the "hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses", we've already established that this will lead to well under 100 more students at RM or JW.

RM is already overcrowded. Why do you insist on making it more crowded?

https://apps.montgomerycountymd.gov/BASISCAPITAL/Common/Project.aspx?ID=P651909

[Anonymous]

Richard Montgomery High School
Capital Project: Projections indicate enrollment at Richard
Montgomery High School will exceed capacity by 200 seats or
more by the end of the six-year planning period. An FY 2016
appropriation was approved for facility planning to determine
the feasibility, scope, and cost for a classroom addition. In lieu
of the addition, the approved CIP includes expenditures in
the six-year period to open a new high school on the Crown
Farm site to address overutilization in the mid-county region.
Although an FY 2019 appropriation for planning was recommended
by the Board of Education for this new school, the
County Council delayed the funds by one year to begin in
FY 2020. An FY 2020 appropriation is recommended for planning
to begin the architectural design for the project. Once the
planning is complete, a recommendation will be included in
the next full CIP regarding the phasing and completion date
for the opening of this new high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a reminder that this is the MD Public Schools forum and this is a thread about RM Cluster Overcrowding.

Thanks for the reminder! Again, putting up more high density housing - hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses - in a misguided attempt to support Rockville Town Center will definitely lead to even worse overcrowding at Richard Montgomery. And Julius West MS for that matter.

What's misguided? According to the PPs, Rockville Town Center is a failure because it's too hard to drive there and you have to pay to park. But people who will live in the residential units near Rockville Town Center won't drive there and won't worry about parking. Lots and lots of people who will patronize the stores at Rockville Town Center on foot. Why wouldn't this support Rockville Town Center?

As for the "hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses", we've already established that this will lead to well under 100 more students at RM or JW.

RM is already overcrowded. Why do you insist on making it more crowded?

Lots of people could drive there and park for free now...same as Pike and Rose/Rio. They do not because there are not too many stores that people shop at regularly. Clothing boutiques, jewelry stores, gift shops...sure once in a while but not as much as Dicks, Target, Kohls. They need more anchors. I hope the new Dawsons has a bit broader appeal..they said it was trying. The library is what brings me there the most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a reminder that this is the MD Public Schools forum and this is a thread about RM Cluster Overcrowding.

Thanks for the reminder! Again, putting up more high density housing - hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses - in a misguided attempt to support Rockville Town Center will definitely lead to even worse overcrowding at Richard Montgomery. And Julius West MS for that matter.

What's misguided? According to the PPs, Rockville Town Center is a failure because it's too hard to drive there and you have to pay to park. But people who will live in the residential units near Rockville Town Center won't drive there and won't worry about parking. Lots and lots of people who will patronize the stores at Rockville Town Center on foot. Why wouldn't this support Rockville Town Center?

As for the "hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses", we've already established that this will lead to well under 100 more students at RM or JW.

RM is already overcrowded. Why do you insist on making it more crowded?

Lots of people could drive there and park for free now...same as Pike and Rose/Rio. They do not because there are not too many stores that people shop at regularly. Clothing boutiques, jewelry stores, gift shops...sure once in a while but not as much as Dicks, Target, Kohls. They need more anchors. I hope the new Dawsons has a bit broader appeal..they said it was trying. The library is what brings me there the most.

I don't care about TC all that much even though we do go there, mostly for the library, too. I care more about my kids' schools being overcrowded.

I'm also not happy that Rockville is using taxpayer money to help small businesses. If the business can't succeed on its own, then let it fail. Is the city going to just keep giving them money to keep their business afloat? And this includes Dawson's that did take advantage of this program. I really like living in Rockville, but I really don't like the taxpayer bailout of these businesses. People insist on wanting the TC to be made up of these little individual businesses, but if they can't operate without taxpayer money then they don't belong there.

I agree TC would be better served with stores that have more broader appeal, ie, not these small shops that have ridiculous prices. Who does the city think lives in Rockville? Most of us aren't that rich enough to buy over priced produce from Dawson's market or clothing from these small boutiques.

Green space with a playground near the library would be great. It would attract more families. I like that they have events in the summer; that's also a crowd pleaser. But stop with these small shops that can't be successful on their own.

Maybe Sephora or an Apple store in the space where Mellow Mushroom vacated would be good. It would certainly attract a lot of people.

As for the parking situation, I thought Pike & Rose parking only allowed 2 hours free, too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a reminder that this is the MD Public Schools forum and this is a thread about RM Cluster Overcrowding.

Thanks for the reminder! Again, putting up more high density housing - hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses - in a misguided attempt to support Rockville Town Center will definitely lead to even worse overcrowding at Richard Montgomery. And Julius West MS for that matter.

What's misguided? According to the PPs, Rockville Town Center is a failure because it's too hard to drive there and you have to pay to park. But people who will live in the residential units near Rockville Town Center won't drive there and won't worry about parking. Lots and lots of people who will patronize the stores at Rockville Town Center on foot. Why wouldn't this support Rockville Town Center?

As for the "hundreds of apartments/condos/townhouses", we've already established that this will lead to well under 100 more students at RM or JW.

RM is already overcrowded. Why do you insist on making it more crowded?

Lots of people could drive there and park for free now...same as Pike and Rose/Rio. They do not because there are not too many stores that people shop at regularly. Clothing boutiques, jewelry stores, gift shops...sure once in a while but not as much as Dicks, Target, Kohls. They need more anchors. I hope the new Dawsons has a bit broader appeal..they said it was trying. The library is what brings me there the most.

I don't care about TC all that much even though we do go there, mostly for the library, too. I care more about my kids' schools being overcrowded.

I'm also not happy that Rockville is using taxpayer money to help small businesses. If the business can't succeed on its own, then let it fail. Is the city going to just keep giving them money to keep their business afloat? And this includes Dawson's that did take advantage of this program. I really like living in Rockville, but I really don't like the taxpayer bailout of these businesses. People insist on wanting the TC to be made up of these little individual businesses, but if they can't operate without taxpayer money then they don't belong there.

I agree TC would be better served with stores that have more broader appeal, ie, not these small shops that have ridiculous prices. Who does the city think lives in Rockville? Most of us aren't that rich enough to buy over priced produce from Dawson's market or clothing from these small boutiques.

Green space with a playground near the library would be great. It would attract more families. I like that they have events in the summer; that's also a crowd pleaser. But stop with these small shops that can't be successful on their own.

Maybe Sephora or an Apple store in the space where Mellow Mushroom vacated would be good. It would certainly attract a lot of people.

As for the parking situation, I thought Pike & Rose parking only allowed 2 hours free, too?

I agree with most of this. If the businesses can’t support themselves, then maybe there is a reason. Building more apartments is not suddenly going to result in a huge influx of shoppers for the stores. Green space would be hugely appealing and help make RTC more inviting.