Bethesda residents want to turn parking lots into parks
The Coalition of Bethesda Area Residents is circulating a petition to create open space from parking lots, and has already gathered over 600 signatures, an effort that has caught the attention of county officials.
The petition seeks to change four parking lots off Wisconsin Avenue, which Montgomery County owns, into green space.
Roger Berliner, president of the Montgomery County Council, recently indicated to reporters that he supported the proposal, which would be discussed by council members. He acknowledges that the county owned the lots, and he felt they were “prime candidates” to be turned into parks. He added that it is difficult to create parks in Bethesda's downtown.
However, turning the parking lots into green space could lead to difficulties for drivers who need to find parking. Nonetheless, officials say motorists might not lose parking entirely, since there is a possibility underground parking could be created, or the lots could be relocated.
Supporters of the effort point to the fact that Bethesda is growing rapidly, and green space is necessary to maintain a good quality of life in a crowded environment. The alternative would be to have the lots sold to developers, who would increase the density of building in the city.
Efforts like this can benefit if supporters work with a flyer printing company, which can create a handout explaining the benefits of the measure to area residents.
The petition seeks to change four parking lots off Wisconsin Avenue, which Montgomery County owns, into green space.
Roger Berliner, president of the Montgomery County Council, recently indicated to reporters that he supported the proposal, which would be discussed by council members. He acknowledges that the county owned the lots, and he felt they were “prime candidates” to be turned into parks. He added that it is difficult to create parks in Bethesda's downtown.
However, turning the parking lots into green space could lead to difficulties for drivers who need to find parking. Nonetheless, officials say motorists might not lose parking entirely, since there is a possibility underground parking could be created, or the lots could be relocated.
Supporters of the effort point to the fact that Bethesda is growing rapidly, and green space is necessary to maintain a good quality of life in a crowded environment. The alternative would be to have the lots sold to developers, who would increase the density of building in the city.
Efforts like this can benefit if supporters work with a flyer printing company, which can create a handout explaining the benefits of the measure to area residents.