To: Monifa McKnight; MCPS Interim Superintendent; MCPS School Board; Marc Elrich, County Executive & Montgomery County Council

Central MoCo Deserves Better—Now!

Move the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Bus Depot located at 16651 Crabbs Branch Way—including as many buses as possible to MCPS high schools—to allow continuation and completion of the County-approved & long-planned smart growth of the Shady Grove Sector and central Montgomery County.

Why is this important?

The Shady Grove Sector is a fantastic place to live. Great location. Great schools. A wonderful community. But it could be so much more, and it deserves to be—Now! Standing in the way is the MCPS Shady Grove Depot. Until MCPS and all branches of Montgomery County government end their analysis paralysis and decide collaboratively where to relocate the Depot—including as many buses as possible at MCPS high schools—central Montgomery County will never achieve its full potential as the County envisioned in its 2006 approved, adopted, and recently amended Shady Grove Sector plan:

https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=34042&Dept=1

https://montgomeryplanning.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/SMA-Planning-Board-Presentation.pdf

We—the Shady Grove Civic Alliance together with engaged residents of the Shady Grove Sector and other areas of the county—demand that MCPS and all branches of Montgomery County government come to a decision and take immediate action to relocate the MCPS Bus Depot, including as many buses as possible to MCPS high schools. A responsible and responsive solution to this issue is long overdue and long-expected by the Shady Grove Sector community, and continued inaction continues to delay the planned smart growth of the Shady Grove Sector.

Furthermore, the failure of the County to act is:

• adversely affecting the value of homes in Derwood
• discouraging businesses from investing in the Derwood community
• polluting our air with exhaust and excessive noise
• further exacerbating traffic in and around the Shady Grove Metro Station.

The finger pointing among and between all has gone on long enough. The time has come for the applicable parties to come to a decision and act accordingly in the best interests of the Shady Grove Sector community. MCPS and all branches of Montgomery County government must fulfill the promise to relocate the Bus Depot, and complete development of the Shady Grove Sector. For too long, the Shady Grove Sector has been treated inequitably, shouldering the burden of housing too many of the County’s unfavorable, but nonetheless essential operations. Now is the time for the County to act on behalf of central Montgomery County, for the betterment of its voting residents and the County at large.

To MCPS and all branches of Montgomery County government, we say, “Central Montgomery County Deserves Better—Now! Relocate the Bus Depot and continue—and complete—the long-planned and long-expected development of the Shady Grove Sector.”

To our fellow residents here in central Montgomery County, and beyond, sign this petition demanding that MCPS and all branches of Montgomery County government allow the smart growth initiative to continue—and be completed—in our community.

We, the signers of this petition demand action NOW, because Central Montgomery County Deserves Better—Now!