Friday, December 08, 2017

Westbard Self Storage opponents launch petition

Residents who oppose the current plans for a new Westbard Self Storage development behind the McDonald's on River Road have launched an online petition. It criticizes the dimensions and appearance of the building, the stormwater management plan, and the width of the planned public path that will provide access to the future Willett Branch greenway between the self-storage facility and the McDonald's. Representatives for the self-storage project have told Montgomery County planners they believe their plan meets or exceeds all architectural, design and environmental requirements.

The Montgomery County Planning Board will take up the matter next Thursday, December 14, 2017, at the Planning Department headquarters, located at 8787 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Praise Hans...how are you going to pin development on him in today’s comments when we all know he’s a supporter of green space? Robert your envy when it comes to the Councilman (well, you can call him President, I guess...) is not a good look. You’ll warp any news related to Hans to make all of the a$$ whoopings he gave you feel better.

Robert Dyer said...

5:24: A "supporter of green space?" Are you kidding me? There are less square feet of parkland in Bethesda today than there were when Hans Riemer took office in 2010!

Riemer was also an enthusiastic supporter of the Westbard sector plan, which includes virtually NO LEGITIMATE PARK SPACE AT ALL. Just a couple of postage stamp pocket parks, and a "greenway" that is essentially an open sewer winding its way behind tall concrete buildings.

You must have lost your mind to claim Hans is a champion of green space. LOL

Anonymous said...

Funny how you chose to neglect reporting on the new park that’s going to be built in downtown Bethesda. Doesn’t fit your narrative much, does it? Does your mother get annoyed by your incessant whining? I’d ground you if I were her.

Anonymous said...

17 hours, 32 minutes.

Anonymous said...

Let’s stay on track and not make this a referendum who the more timely publication is. We know this. It’s Bethesda Magazine. They not only get scoops but are trusted as opposed to this blog. They don’t have to stoop so low and accuse little Robbie of stealing their stories. Their record and readership stands on its own. Stay on track and let’s try to get through to Robert that Hans owns him and this blog.

Anonymous said...

No report on that nice new aquatic center that's coming to Silver Spring?

Still only one "hyperlocal" story for Silver Spring in the past 7 days.

Robert Dyer said...

5:53: You mean the same Bethesda Magazine that didn't attend the major development meeting Wednesday night? The one that was completely shut out of the inside negotiations on the Marriott deal, while I had the exclusives? The one that slept through the closure of Bruce Variety? That missed the 3 biggest Whitman stories since the 1990s? Etc.,etc.

LOL

They sure are "trusted" by our corrupt elected officials, to not criticize them or expose their wrongdoing or record of utter failure. In fact our elected officials give the magazine attaboys on social media.

My favorite didn't-know-Robert-Dyer-was-standing-there moment for Bethesda Magazine? When a Council staff member approached a councilmember, and told him the thing he wanted Bethesda Magazine to publish about him that day had just been published.

LOL!

Like Dick Nixon controlling Woodward and Bernstein! That doesn't happen on this blog, which is why Bethesda is coming here for the real news, and why you're trolling on here from a Council office right now.

5:44: No, sir, *****. That was their late report of my report on this from last week. You made the same mistake over on East MoCo yesterday, and looked like a *****.

Anonymous said...

Narcissistic rage. Dyer has never been wrong. Not even once.

Robert Dyer said...

5:57: That's old news, kind of like PJ's Coffee, moron. East MoCo is the leading source for news in the East County. That's why one of my recent scoops on the KFC killer was the subject of an hour-long radio program a few weeks ago.

Scoop after scoop from Silver Spring, Wheaton, Aspen Hill, Glenmont, Olney, etc.

Baba Booey!

Robert Dyer said...

6:06: Says the guy too scared to approach me in person at public meetings to say these things. The only number lower than your IQ is your testosterone level.

Anonymous said...

Really, Robert? You’re a scrawny middle-aged, 50-year old. Going back to threatening people, are we? By the looks of your weird food reviews and shakes, you wouldn’t stand more than a minute with most of Bethesda.

Robert Dyer said...

6:20: I'm neither scrawny, nor 50 years old. But you indeed are too scared to approach me in person at these events you claim you're stalking me at. The guy threatening me and my family accusing me of "threatening!" LOL

What's a "weird food review?" Tom Sietsma?

Anonymous said...

"No, sir, *****. That was their late report of my report on this from last week. You made the same mistake over on East MoCo yesterday, and looked like a *****."

These are your articles on your East County blog going back three weeks:

Thu Dec 7 - MoCo Council president Hans Riemer arrested (re-posted from Bethesda blog)
Wed Dec 6 - Riemer seizes Council presidency, declares war on constituents (re-posted from Bethesda blog)
Tue Dec 5 - Despite record tax hikes, bungling Montgomery County Council runs up $120 million shortfall (re-posted from Bethesda blog)
Mon Dec 4- Silver Spring construction update: Silver Strings (Photos)
Fri Dec 1 - Chin & Lee closes in Kemp Mill, being replaced by kosher Chinese restaurant
Thu Nov 30 - Israeli burger chain Burgerim to open at Wheaton Plaza
Wed Nov 29 - Aldi to open Thursday, Nov. 30 in Montgomery Hills area of Silver Spring
Tue Nov 28 - Veirs Mill Corridor master plan meeting December 13, 7:00 PM (re-posted from Rockville blog)
Mon Nov 27 - Lindsay Ford proposes move to Aspen Hill, setting up major redevelopment project in Wheaton
Fri Nov 24 - More lighting added in Wheaton Triangle as excavation continues
Thu Nov 23 - NO ARTICLES
Wed Nov 22 - MS-13 member charged in Wheaton Regional Park homicide; was in MoCo police custody in 2016
Tue Nov 21 - Silver Spring construction update: Bombay Gaylord restaurant (Photos)
Mon Nov 20 - Construction begins at Astro Lab brewery in Silver Spring

NOTHING on the new aquatic center. Not in the past three weeks, not EVER.

Robert Dyer said...

6:31: *****, you moron, look at all those scoops, and you haven't even printed them all. November 23 was a holiday, you dumbass.

The aquatic center was YEARS AGO. Old news, idiot. Stop lying, but keep reading the leading source of news in Silver Spring and the East County: East MoCo.

*****, Look at all those scoops. No wonder I'm the leading source of news in Montgomer yCounty. Thanks for proving my point, moron.

BTW, Silver Spring is in Montgomery County, and is taxed and ruled by Riemer and the Council, dumbass.

Veirs Mill road is in Rockville AND Wheaton, moron, so - duh! - yeah, it was news for both areas, knucklehead. GTFO, hobo.

Robert Dyer said...

6:31: The "late report" they posted was on the Westbard Self Storage, hobo. Crawl back in your dumpster.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for circulating the petition, Mr. Dyer - I hope that Westbard Self-Storage is left with no customers. The Willett Greenway Park is our only chance to have significant green space in Westbard. Maybe the owner of WSS will come to his senses when he realizes that his business will suffer. Why do we need another storage business anyway? I will shun this business if the plans don't improve.

Anonymous said...

Dyer @ 6:39 AM - But you didn't post any article about the self-storage facility on your blog last week, either.

Anonymous said...

So, scoop here's an example of where you were asleep at the wheel and BMag was on the job. This is a subject you so dearly reported (although stilted) in the past. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/you-there-fatboy-on-a-donut-break-taunting-texts-to-an-officer-yield-a-criminal-case/2017/12/07/70612ca2-dad2-11e7-b859-fb0995360725_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_matusevitch-730am%3Ahomepage%2Fst&utm_term=.a6b748392cf6

Robert Dyer said...

7:39: I posted it even earlier than I thought - end of November:

http://robertdyer.blogspot.com/2017/11/little-falls-watershed-advocates-press.html

7:39: You're saying I should be aggregating Washington Post content, instead of my enterprising, original reporting? Doesn't sound very compelling, old sport. Police handed that off to the Post, not a scoop, by the way. There's no press release.

Anonymous said...

"Not ashamed to be white."

Cuz that's all you've got. Can you imagine a black or hispanic man living the same lifestyle as you? They'd be 1) homeless, and 2) arrested for prowling the streets of Bethesda at 3 AM?

Anonymous said...

7:39 AM - Woodmont & Leland! LOL

Anonymous said...

Have read the background on the self-storage project and have concluded that it should be made more compatible with the proposed greenway. Especially:
-Ensure sufficiently broad access pathway for bikers/pedestrians who will use the greenway (24 feet would be appropriate)
-Re-do geotechnical and engineering studies to reflect 40 feet of proposed underground space (instead of the 10 feet originally studied) and, if indicated by the findings, revise design as needed.
-Investigate the use of infiltration techniques to manage stormwater runoff and make commercially appropriate efforts to incorporate. (The proposed green roof is fine, but additional methods are desirable.)
-Soften those portions of building facade facing proposed greenway and access path with plantings and, if commercially reasonable, step-backs.
-A 70 foot wall has been proposed facing the greenway. Can this be reduced in height? At minimum, it should be softened with plantings and designed/built so as to visually complement the greenway.
-Landscape the site with environmentally appropriate plantings that will encourage groundwater retention, which prevents erosion and supports the health of the Willett Branch stream.

Theses actions--pretty easy fixes-- will make the Westbard Self-Storage far more eco-friendly and ensure my patronage. If this is not done, well, there are plenty of other self storage options. C'mon WSS-- be a great neighbor and environmental hero, and use this as an opportunity to positively differentiate yourself in a meaningful way.

Anonymous said...

"It criticizes the dimensions and appearance of the building"

This is probably the best looking self-storage building I have ever seen...at first I thought the rendering was a mistake.

Westbard development opponents have exposed themselves as irrational NIMBYs opposed to any sort of development. The stretch of River Road through Westbard is one of the dingiest, dirtiest, most unattractive stretches of main street west of Rock Creek. Yet the residents couldn't care less.

New townhomes and apartments? NO!
New Giant? NO!
Better quality restaurants than McD's or Ledo's??? HECK NO!!!

They would rather keep the random assortment of:
a 50-year old bowling alley, the most unattractive Whole Foods known to mankind, Soviet bloc high-rises, concrete-box storage facilities, filthy repair shops, gas stations, and liquor stores.

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the development opponents are wealthy Potomac residents who use Westbard as an industrial ghetto where they can store their excess overpriced furniture, fix their $100,000 Audis, and gas up all in the same spot.

And of course Dyer is leading the anti-development march...while gushing about new development and retail in downtown Bethesda. Shocker.

Robert Dyer said...

5:37: There's no ****ing park being built in Bethesda. It's going to be used as a construction staging area

Anonymous said...

Triggered. Every time.

Anonymous said...

It's both. Two, two! two treats in one.

Anonymous said...

7:48 AM

The mighty white!

Tim said...

I prefer Dyer's healthy skepticism of local government and our elected officials. That is the traditional role of the media.

I know Patch awhile back and others ushered in an era of cheerleading everything our local representatives do. I'm sorry, but that's not journalism! If you are a fan of Mr. Reamer and believe him to be infallible, you have a nice choice of other sites that will satisfy your needs to read him praised. (And they give Mr. Reamer a lot of praise that he can re-tweet!)

Problem is we're never going improve things if we never hold anyone accountable or offer other voices.

Skippy said...

Why do folks from other sites seem so defensive and insecure. I'm sure your blogs are fine. Why the need to trash Dyer? Particularly anonymously- you can reach out to him on many different platforms if you want to actually engage in conversation.

Anonymous said...

2:02 PM Journalists need to be skeptical, not cheer-leading whatever the Council's message of the day is. Also, you're not a journalist if you actually write that you got a thrill up your leg when a councilmember mentions you during a meeting.

Anonymous said...

Why must you deride others to pump up Dyer? Better than this media or that person, etc.

When the debate is lost, slander becomes the toll of the loser. - Socrates

Anonymous said...

2:20 PM lol...other folks with their sites are the ones constantly deriding Dyer to pump up theirs sites/blogs. I'm sure they're proud of their magazine, blog or whatever they're peddling. I just don't understand why they feel the need to attack Dyer daily. Do your thing and Dyer will do his.

For example, why is someone debating a Silver Spring "aquatic center" in this article's comments? Has nothing to do with this.

My guess is that they're insecure.

Anonymous said...

Dyer - interesting you don’t simply say “I’m not a racist.” Instead you just say “proud to be white.” Are you or are you not racist? We clearly know you’re proud to be white by your statement and your comments deriding the removal of confederate statues. Many of us think you harbor hatred for minorities - what say you? Set the record straight.

Anonymous said...

Summary and translation of #UnsignedDyer talking points.

Everyone who comments the slightest bit negatively about Robert Dyer...

1) Is "pumping up their own blog."

2) Is "not skeptical".

3) Is "cheerleading" or "giving attaboys to" local elected and appointed officials.

4) "Does not want to hold local elected or appointed officials accountable".

5) Thinks "Hans Riemer [usually misspelled] is infallible."

Let me ask you this - why don't you practice what you preach, in relation to Robert Dyer?

Anonymous said...

6:34 PM I've never read another local news site question, investigate or at least have some skepticism of our local elected officials. That's a travesty. And it's lazy journalism, particularly if you have resources to actually hold our local elected officials accountable.

Folks who don't want to ask the tough questions should pursue their dreams of blogging about sports instead.

Anna said...

Those news sites do not bad mouth, insult, or misrepresent other news sites or individuals who work for other sites. Nor do they personally attacks commenters.

On other news sites, you don't see commenters giving personal attaboys to the authors and completely agreeing including believing speculative conspiracy stories.

Other news sites don't question the businesses income/expenses, employee living locations and hours worked of their competitors.

Anonymous said...

"That 'park' isn't a park; it's going to be a construction site for the Purple Line station leased to MTA. Later, it will be used to extend the Purple Line tracks to Westbard. GTFO, hobo."

"Stupid comment. Crawl back in your dumpster, swine, before the cops throw you in the clink with Helpless Hans Riemer."

"There's no ****ing park being built in Bethesda. It's going to be used as a construction staging area."

"Not ashamed to be white."

"Police handed that off to the Post, not a scoop, by the way. There's no press release."

"The 'late report' they posted was on the Westbard Self Storage, hobo. Crawl back in your dumpster."

"You moron, look at all those scoops, and you haven't even printed them all. November 23 was a holiday, you dumbass...Old news, idiot. Stop lying...Thanks for proving my point, moron. BTW, Silver Spring is in Montgomery County, and is taxed and ruled by Riemer and the Council, dumbass. Veirs Mill road is in Rockville AND Wheaton, moron, so - duh! - yeah, it was news for both areas, knucklehead. GTFO, hobo."

"The only number lower than your IQ is your testosterone level."

Anonymous said...

Tim @ 12:22/2:09 PM: Do you believe that comments such as these, from Robert Dyer, deserve "healthy skepticism"?

"The gaps you show perfectly match blackouts and disabling of crime data by Montgomery County government. The current illegal disabling of the crime datasets...appears to have been implemented as part of a new partnership between the County and Bethesda Magazine. In exchange for occasional exclusive crime details, the small-and-slightly-failing magazine agrees to provide favorable coverage of crime."

"[Steve] Hull cloned my business model, and steals stories from my site, and Riemer takes pictures of me from the dais and emails them to Saqib Ali? LOL Oh, no, they spend no time thinking of Robert Dyer at all."

"The crime data site is wrecked, and police and State's Attorney have passed a few nuggets to Bethesda Magazine they didn't otherwise make public. In return, favorable coverage from the small-and-slightly failing magazine, which anyone can verify in reading their recent crime stories."