Testimony re the 2008 Annual Report of the Montgomery County Revenue Authority to the Montgomery County Planning Board of M-NCPPC, 4 April 2008

Laura Mol for the Board of Directors, Friends of Sligo Creek

I speak on behalf of the Board of Directors of Friends of Sligo Creek, a citizens group active in support of the health and natural beauty of Sligo Creek and its watershed. Friends of Sligo Creek has been intently involved in the proposed master-plan "concept" for the Sligo Golf Course. The Revenue Authority's annual report gives a mild recap of what has been a tumultuous year for Mr Miller, for our neighbors in several civic associations, and for Sligo Creek advocates.

Convinced, as we are, that the Revenue Authority's original "concept" for development at the Sligo Golf Course would be seriously destructive to the already frail ecological health of the Sligo watershed, we were very disappointed in the scope of the preliminary studies. It was obvious that the studies had not been designed to address the substantial ecological and environmental issues engendered by the concept plan, but spoke only superficially to a couple of the regulatory issues. Given the overwhelmingly negative response of the community at the public meeting at which the preliminary studies were reported, it certainly was right for Mr Miller to withdraw the CIP budget request.

Earlier this week, we were contacted by Mr Miller about participation on the advisory group he is constituting, and we will take part in that. And should there be further impact studies undertaken, we would hope to contribute, as well, in the articulation of the real issues that will affect health for humans as well as for parkland ecosystems. The 70 acres of the Sligo Golf Course is a very large patch of green on the map of lower Montgomery County, and its location is environmentally strategic as a buffer between the Beltway and the neighboring parkland and neighborhoods.

During the past two months, Friends of Sligo Creek has been taking part with others in the neighborhoods—together compiling a series of suggestions for improving the profitability, attractiveness, and ecological health of the Sligo Golf Course.

We all share Mr Miller's desire to have "the Sligo Creek project" brought to an amenable—and economically viable-resolution in the year to come, and we are pleased that the Annual Report expresses the Revenue Authority's commitment to make the Sligo Creek [Golf Course] "environmentally...sustainable" (page 8).

The Board of Friends of Sligo Creek thanks the Planning Board for this opportunity to testify and remembers with particular appreciation the role of the Maryland-National Capitol Park and Planning Commission in the acquisition and protection of Montgomery County's treasure of parkland and open space.