To: Rockville Mayor and Council, Rockville Planning Commission, Susan Swift, Director of Planning, and Barbara Matthews, Rockville City Manager
Keep Our Neighborhood Safe
I oppose the construction of a 4-level, 800-900-unit self-storage facility in the neighborhood adjacent to Maryvale Elementary School, less than 250 feet from school grounds, and within the legally designated school zone. The City of Rockville Planning Commission, Mayor, Council, and Planning Department must keep the promise of the East Rockville Neighborhood Plan and support our effort to "retain our existing sense of identity as a quiet, secure, residential neighborhood" and "reduce the impacts of industrial properties on the East Rockville community." Please do not approve the EZ Storage Facility.
Why is this important?
Self-storage facilities can increase traffic of individuals carrying large loads they are unaccustomed to transporting and large vehicle traffic, increase illegal and unsafe storage of hazardous chemicals and materials, and invite dangerous individuals and activities into school zones and neighborhoods. Even Self-Storage Association, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, sent an alert to self-storage owners and managers about the potential for illegal use of these units in connection with terrorism. Our elementary school and family neighborhood is not an appropriate site for this large industrial facility.
Furthermore, the East Rockville Neighborhood Plan, and the Rockville Master Plan call for limiting the Industrial Development of the Southlawn/Redgate area to prevent negative impact on the "character and quality" of the surrounding residential areas. The goals and objectives of the already approved Neighborhood Plan include:
-The East Rockville community wishes to retain its existing sense of identity as a quiet, secure, residential neighborhood.
-All other land uses adjacent to East Rockville must enhance the community.
-Ensure that institutional, commercial, and industrial uses within and adjacent to the community do not impact on the residential quality of life in the neighborhood.
This 4-level, 800-900-unit self-storage facility is proposed to be six times the size of the existing structure, negatively impacting the character and quality of our neighborhood, and introduces an ‘unacceptable risk’ to the safety of families and children, and our identity as a safe and secure school zone and neighborhood.