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Concerns over Sligo Creek Golf Course |
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The following letter was written by the Forest Estates Community Association and co-signed by Crossing Georgia to express concerns with the planned expansion of the Sligo Creek Golf Course.
July 27, 2007
Montgomery County Council
100 Maryland Ave.
Rockville, MD 20850
Dear Council Members:
On behalf of the Forest Estates Community Association, we are writing to you to express our concerns about planned changes at the Sligo Creek Golf Course.
On April 15, 2006, the Montgomery County Revenue Authority (MCRA) began operating four golf courses on behalf of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission: Little Bennett, Northwest, Needwood and Sligo Creek. MCRA’s mission is to restore profitability to the courses which, as a group, had been losing money under prior management for some time. On March 1, 2007, MCRA released a Master Plan for accomplishing this purpose.
MCRA’s Master Plan suggests renovations and minor improvements for Little Bennett, Northwest and Needwood but provides for a major overhaul of Sligo Creek. Among the changes at Sligo Creek will be a new, two-level lighted driving range with night play; two miniature golf facilities; and a “complete renovation” of the clubhouse with space for birthday parties, classrooms and a headquarters for First Tee Montgomery.
We understand that MCRA must restore fiscal sustainability to the golf courses, but MCRA’s plan for Sligo Creek will have the following impacts on our community:
1. Increasing traffic at the already dangerous Georgia Avenue – Forest Glen intersection
The golf course has two major access points for most traffic: the Sligo Creek Parkway – Colesville Road intersection, and the Georgia Avenue – Forest Glen intersection. Sligo at Colesville is a problematic intersection at rush hour since it lies along one of the area’s major arteries (U.S. Route 29). Georgia at Forest Glen was ranked as the county’s most-congested intersection in the last Highway Mobility report. Its last traffic count was taken in 2003. Since then, Holy Cross Hospital completed a 365,000 square-foot, $78 million expansion and renovation project. We doubt that the Georgia – Forest Glen intersection can handle additional traffic from an expanded golf course without creating additional serious problems for residents and hospital visitors.
2. Holy Cross parking diversion into our neighborhood
Currently, Holy Cross Hospital leases roughly 40 parking spaces at the golf course. That lease will soon expire and the spaces are planned for customer parking at the expanded course. Unless Holy Cross locates alternate parking, those cars will park in the Forest Estates neighborhood. Many of our houses lack driveways and some of our residents – especially our seniors – will face hardships in parking their cars far from their houses. This may force residents on many of our streets to apply for residential parking permits on a 24-hour basis (since the hospital operates at all hours). This would be a problem for both residents and Holy Cross visitors and employees.
3. Increasing problems for pedestrians
Some patrons may walk to the golf course from the Forest Glen Metro Station, which is roughly a half-mile from the course. Pedestrian problems at the Georgia – Forest Glen intersection are as significant as they are notorious. Furthermore, while the county recently constructed a sidewalk along the south side of Forest Glen between Georgia Avenue and the hospital, it does not extend to the golf course. Pedestrians approaching the course will have to walk under one of two Beltway bridges on a trail or on grass, an unappealing prospect at night.
4. Environmental problems
Sligo Creek Golf Course is directly across the street from Sligo Creek, an environmentally sensitive stream that feeds into the Chesapeake Bay. MCRA’s plan would replace trees and open green space with a driving range and two miniature golf facilities. The net effects of this change would be to increase stormwater runoff into Sligo Creek, brighten one of the few environmentally dark areas in this part of the county and create more pollution into the creek from greater auto emissions. Many of our residents volunteer significant amounts of time with Friends of Sligo Creek to protect the health of the creek and its surrounding park. We do not want to see further environmental challenges for the stream.
The Forest Estates Community Association does not oppose MCRA’s mission to restore profitability to the golf courses. However, we do not believe that MCRA’s Master Plan is the only way to restore profitability. For example, we have no data to suggest that Sligo Creek is a money-losing course. Current financial information only states that the four-course system as a whole was losing money prior to MCRA’s takeover. So why then should the neighbors of Sligo Creek bear the sole burden of restoring profitability to the entire system? And if the vast majority of MCRA’s improvements are concentrated at one course, would residents from around the county really prefer to drive to Sligo Creek or would they prefer to attend significantly improved courses closer to their neighborhoods?
The North Hills of Sligo Creek Civic Association has suggested creating a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, also known as a “green golf course,” at Sligo Creek as an alternative to MCRA's plan. According to the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, green golf courses can save 20-30% in operating costs while simultaneously
acting as nature reserves. A green golf course in combination with real improvements to the other three courses may limit the traffic impact at Georgia and Forest Glen, mitigate the environmental impact on Sligo Creek, prevent excessive noise and night lighting in the North Hills neighborhood and contribute to the entire system’s profitability at the same time. We ask you to consider that proposal and balance the legitimate objectives of MCRA with the equally legitimate concerns of the neighborhoods surrounding Sligo Creek Golf Course.
We look forward to discussing this issue with you in the future.
Yours Sincerely,
Shawn Marie Jarosz
President
Forest Estates Community Association
Adam Pagnucco
Chairman
FECA Crossing Georgia Committee
cc: Montgomery County Executive
Montgomery County Council Members
Mid-County Regional Services Center
Silver Spring Regional Services Center
District 18 Delegation
Montgomery County Revenue Authority
North Hills of Sligo Creek Civic Association
Friends of Sligo Creek
Maryland League of Conservation Voters
Montgomery County Sierra Club
Montgomery County Civic Association |