Ten Mile Creek Victory!

We won. 

Here's from Diane Cameron, Audubon Naturalist Society -

I am happy to report that the Montgomery County Council approved today a Limited Master Plan Amendment for Ten Mile Creek / Clarksburg Stage 4.  Thank you to all of the Stormwater Partners who wrote email letters to the Council, and sent alerts to their own lists. Your hard work helped us to win!

As stated by the Planning Board, the purpose of this Master Plan Amendment is threefold:

1) "to determine how comprehensive watershed protection and state-of-the-art Environmental Site Design can be used in the Ten Mile Creek watershed ..."

2) "Involve all stakeholders..."  and

3) "Incorporate current county policy initiatives..."

The Council didn't take a vote, but rather approved the inclusion of this Master Plan Amendment in the Planning Board's work plan by acclamation.

This project is truly on a fast track - with a commitment by the Planning Board to complete this Amendment in 12 months - by October, 2013. 

The Montgomery County Council will then act on the recommended Master Plan amendment by the Spring of 2014.

Now, we will turn our attention to the work of the Planning Board and its review of watershed protection criteria for Ten Mile Creek.

Council President Berliner, Councilmember Elrich, and other councilmembers underlined the importance of basing the protective criteria for Ten Mile

Creek upon objective science.  The 3 essential elements of watershed protection, that science and prior experience have taught us, are:

1) Imperviousness cap based on protecting key sensitive aquatic species;

2) Forest cover minimums for the watershed as a whole, and for the riparian buffers; and

3) Limits on disruption of bedrock, topography and soils by earthmoving equipment and utilities and transportation infrastructure.

- Diane