NIMBYism's Hypocrisy (Fort Washington, Adelphi: house, neighborhoods, construction)

[adelphi_sky]

There is a recent debate and near outcry concerning the announcement of a development in Riverdale that will include a Whole Foods and residences.

Being in the development game for a few years now I've had a chance to see local reactions to new development proposals. What I find odd is that people in this county have been outright dying for quality retail and services to come to the county. In the last four years there has been an explosion of projects proposed and built. Yet, they give developers fits and even kill projects because these new projects will add more people (duh) and vehicle traffic other than their own. Really?

We cry about not having a Whole Foods or a Trader Joes, but when one is proposed, we scream bloody murder and say "this development is being jammed down our throats." Really? Another comment was that they would rather have Trader Joes because Whole Foods doesn't allow union workers. Really? REALLY?

So, we continue to get in our cars and use gas and add to traffic shopping in Montgomery County. Just as long as our OWN back yards have nothing. Just the way we like it. Because we need the roads to be clear so we can drive to every other county to work and shop. Yeah. That's what we want.

[justtitans]

I agree, I personally don't understand that mentality either. Fort Washington has struggled to bring business to this part of county because of residents like this. I do agree that some development needs to be more thought out, especially from a traffic aspect, but if you want to make your hometown an attractive place to live and to build property value, you have to add more things to your community to make people want to move there.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by meatkins

I agree, I personally don't understand that mentality either. Fort Washington has struggled to bring business to this part of county because of residents like this. I do agree that some development needs to be more thought out, especially from a traffic aspect, but if you want to make your hometown an attractive place to live and to build property value, you have to add more things to your community to make people want to move there.

All I ask is just don't complain about traffic and more people. Work with the developer to add ideas on how to mitigate those factors. You have to drive at least two miles to get to a grocery store from Riverdale and now Whole Foods wants to come along with a town center and all of a sudden the sky is falling. Sometimes I wonder if NIMBYs can see the forest for the trees. Virtually all of the projects proposed has smart growth at the forefront. But all they see is more traffic. They want their neighborhoods to be walkable and livable, but only for themselves and no one else. One, that's short-sighted and selfish and two, more attractive services and retail invariably attracts more people anyway. They can't have their cake and eat it to. There has to be sacrifices. Personally, if I only have to drive half a mile to the grocery store or even walk, that's a win win for me.

The traffic comes from residences having to travel to other parts of the region to get the services they want. If everything is within walking distance, that should make people shout for joy.

[pcity]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

We cry about not having a Whole Foods or a Trader Joes, but when one is proposed, we scream bloody murder and say "this development is being jammed down our throats." Really? Another comment was that they would rather have Trader Joes because Whole Foods doesn't allow union workers. Really? REALLY?

Which is made even stupider by the fact that Trader Joes is also non-union!

In fact, I don't think a single upscale grocer is union. It's generally the mid-tier ones that are (Giant and Safeway, for example)

[HurricaneDC]

Because people are idiots. I can understand not wanting a nuclear power plant or methadone clinic near your house, but a ****ing supermarket? And a nice upscale one at that?

And as for the union argument, the people who say that are usually imbeciles as well. I worked at a Whole Foods and we got better pay than Giant employees (although they had Sunday overtime) and much better benefits. Not to mention I felt like management actually cared a bit about us, whereas I didn't get that vibe from Giant or Safeway employees.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by HurricaneDC

Because people are idiots. I can understand not wanting a nuclear power plant or methadone clinic near your house, but a ****ing supermarket? And a nice upscale one at that?

And as for the union argument, the people who say that are usually imbeciles as well. I worked at a Whole Foods and we got better pay than Giant employees (although they had Sunday overtime) and much better benefits. Not to mention I felt like management actually cared a bit about us, whereas I didn't get that vibe from Giant or Safeway employees.

And that is why these developments take ten years to get done, or not at all.

[HurricaneDC]

hell, look at Cleveland Park in DC, the part that includes Wisconsin Avenue. The Giant there has been in need of renovation or even reconstruction for years but these dinosaurs in the Cleveland Park Citizens Association want to deprive their (and several other) neighborhoods of a modern grocery store because they worry it might get a little loud during construction. This is despite Giant actually offering to pay for soundproof windows! And there's some old store that went out of business AGES ago that has not been replaced by anything.

The funniest part is they probably call themselves 'progressives' and voted for 'Change.' Bunch of hypocritical loons.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

There is a recent debate and near outcry concerning the announcement of a development in Riverdale that will include a Whole Foods and residences.

Being in the development game for a few years now I've had a chance to see local reactions to new development proposals. What I find odd is that people in this county have been outright dying for quality retail and services to come to the county. In the last four years there has been an explosion of projects proposed and built. Yet, they give developers fits and even kill projects because these new projects will add more people (duh) and vehicle traffic other than their own. Really?

We cry about not having a Whole Foods or a Trader Joes, but when one is proposed, we scream bloody murder and say "this development is being jammed down our throats." Really? Another comment was that they would rather have Trader Joes because Whole Foods doesn't allow union workers. Really? REALLY?

So, we continue to get in our cars and use gas and add to traffic shopping in Montgomery County. Just as long as our OWN back yards have nothing. Just the way we like it. Because we need the roads to be clear so we can drive to every other county to work and shop. Yeah. That's what we want.

Yup they'll whine about one thing or the other. What are you going to do.

[bowian]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

There is a recent debate and near outcry concerning the announcement of a development in Riverdale that will include a Whole Foods and residences.

Being in the development game for a few years now I've had a chance to see local reactions to new development proposals. What I find odd is that people in this county have been outright dying for quality retail and services to come to the county. In the last four years there has been an explosion of projects proposed and built. Yet, they give developers fits and even kill projects because these new projects will add more people (duh) and vehicle traffic other than their own. Really?

We cry about not having a Whole Foods or a Trader Joes, but when one is proposed, we scream bloody murder and say "this development is being jammed down our throats." Really? Another comment was that they would rather have Trader Joes because Whole Foods doesn't allow union workers. Really? REALLY?

So, we continue to get in our cars and use gas and add to traffic shopping in Montgomery County. Just as long as our OWN back yards have nothing. Just the way we like it. Because we need the roads to be clear so we can drive to every other county to work and shop. Yeah. That's what we want.

ITA. The price of having what other counties have is more people and traffic. I think many PG residents like PG because it's off the beaten path and not as developed and congested. They may want the higher-end stores but not near them. While I can understand that thought, there aren't but so many parcels to develop in PG. And we need more commercial development. To heck with building yet another brickfront house with a palladium window in the foyer on a .25 acre lot. Recent history tells us that that gravy train has come to a stop.

[scrapper105]

Sorry, Adelphi_sky, but I gotta call you out here (although we usually share the love for PG !)

Have you been to any of the presentations on the planned development for the Cafritz property ? The presentation is filled with half-truths that SHOULD make even the biggest development advocate suspicious.

Cafritz held these community meetings a couple years ago and received many suggestions for how the development would be made more palatable to the areas IMMEDIATELY adjacent to the property. Yet, not ONE of those community suggestions has made their way into the "new" proposed plan.

Many of us who are against/cautious about the development would be FOR it, IF the developers/owners would incorporate our suggestions and concerns into the plans.

Also, the Phase II of the project doesn't have anything beyond rudimentary sketches at this point. There's no way that I'm going to be in favor of a plan based on a sketch.