[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6126866,"mediaKeyId","2665584-7e4e99aa9c8dbfe5fa2ac20af5294b12","parentId",2665584,"title","Council, Planning Commission keep record open for proposed Fields Road car wash amid master-plan and traffic debate","audioSeconds",3517,"startMs",1737000,"endMs",5254000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2665584-7e4e99aa9c8dbfe5fa2ac20af5294b12&start=1737&end=5254","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2665584-7e4e99aa9c8dbfe5fa2ac20af5294b12/thumbnail_1737000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6126866/Gaithersburg-City/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Council-Planning-Commission-keep-record-open-for-proposed-Fields-Road-car-wash-amid-master-plan-and-traffic-debate","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6126866-b08f8357dd28926d904ccf9bac690294/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204884&Signature=Jc3IHuw~wyOnb6LFPB9yjQZMLTdJd9HI5LaFpbYd-sifwoGSPYDN9~7xrqV1vIjenG50YdP6cFUZGQHVZp2GmOaFYxHDi3C48CGT2jsTTYV~t-wkWuFieyFxEqBtTql-4EuUibg~vsM3OTGU3viPAwZaqS-Go8pTw3DFz7f-F7rxrHRwJTSexn2aYdseMX5h72ivoM5NufHR7lz2Be3xYueGKE1iUlVQW663nTrs19YHSEmqaU8W1WKENqK0tmOYP3DETN0sT~h6r7l2T5A8yLmjzEC7MrjcRmlXKEymrl6jzJOz8TJotDj6D~3s~iRsIYUkFSek7t0CSLLPR1OTgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Gaithersburg, MD","date","2025-03-18T02:14:38Z","article","A joint public hearing at the March 17 Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council meeting examined schematic development plan STP-9896-2024, which would demolish a vacant restaurant at 10009 Fields Road and build a 5,106-square-foot automatic car wash and relocate an existing car wash from the adjacent parcel at 10003 Fields Road.

The applicant, represented by Pat Harris of Lerch, Early & Brewer for contract ground lessee WLR Automotive Group, said the plan would include a 5,106-square-foot wash building, 22 vacuum stalls, six standard parking spaces and about 42% green area across the site. “Based on our experience at all of those sites the queuing doesn’t exceed the length of the building,” Harris said, describing membership lanes and a fob-entry lane the company uses.

Why it matters: the proposal prompted a technical review of whether the use fits the City’s 1997 master plan (as reaffirmed in the 2009 land-use element) and whether the site’s busy, highway-adjacent setting makes the location appropriate. Planning commissioners and staff also pressed detailed questions about trip generation, queuing, pedestrian access and whether the new facility would change the character of the MXD-zoned site.

Project and developer claims
Pat Harris said the restaurant parcel is about 65,000 square feet and has been vacant since 2020. He told the commissioners and council the proposal would keep the overall mix of uses in the area and said the plan’s setbacks and landscaping exceed code minimums. Harris summarized trip estimates used in the staff presentation as “40 AM, 62 PM, and 97 Saturday peak-hour additional trips” and noted the proposal would not increase the city’s net number of car washes because it relocates an existing facility.

Traffic and queuing analysis
Carl Wilson of The Traffic Group, who prepared the traffic impact study, told commissioners the study used weekday counts collected in May 2023 and Saturday counts from November 2024 and reflected current and near-term lane uses. He said the left-turn movement into the site currently operates at about level-of-service B with roughly 13 seconds of delay and that projected future conditions drop to about 19–20 seconds (level-of-service C). Wilson also described a gap study showing many available gaps for turning vehicles and said on-site stacking capacity and the projected hourly car-wash throughput would not exceed those gaps.

Planning commission concerns
Commissioners raised several points. John Bauer asked for comparative throughput numbers for the existing and proposed facilities and warned the new wash is a different scale and business model than the current in-line operation. Other commissioners questioned whether a large, vehicle‑oriented facility is consistent with MXD objectives to promote pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use development. Several commissioners and council members said the site’s location—bounded by Fields Road, Washington Boulevard and highway ramps—limits walkability and creates safety and access challenges for vehicles and pedestrians alike.

Responses and possible mitigations
Harris and Wilson said the applicant would explore landscaping and frontage improvements with Montgomery County (which owns some adjacent right-of-way) and highlighted proposed sidewalk improvements and increased landscaping on all sides of the property. Councilmembers suggested design alternatives that could reduce conflict points, including changes to curb-cuts and access from adjacent streets; traffic consultants said they had quantified gap and queuing space and would provide further data if requested.

Next steps and official actions
The Planning Commission voted to hold the hearing record open until 5:00 p.m. on April 9, 2025; the planning commission vote passed unanimously. The Mayor and City Council voted to hold the record open for the council’s review until 5:00 p.m. on April 29, 2025, with anticipated policy discussion and potential final action on May 19, 2025.

What remains unresolved
Commissioners repeatedly asked for additional data on hours-of-operation throughput, the comparative scale of the existing versus proposed car wash, and any off-site traffic engineering to reduce conflict points. Staff recommended a detailed discussion of master-plan alignment at the planning commission level before council action.

Provenance
Topic introduction excerpt (patent): “This is a joint public hearing on schematic development plan application STP-9896-2024 ... the applicant is requesting approval to demolish the existing restaurant building at 10009 Fields Road and construct a new 5,106 square foot, automatic car wash facility.” — Samuel Copeland, Planning staff

Topic finish excerpt (record action): “The staff recommends the planning commission make a motion to hold the record open until 5PM on 04/09/2025 ... Move, second. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? That passes unanimously.” — Planning Commission motion recorded; then Mayor and Council motion to hold record open until 04/29/2025 passed 5-0.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","MC031725","oneSentenceSummary","A joint public hearing at the March 17 Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council meeting examined schematic development plan STP-9896-2024, which would demolish a vacant restaurant at 10009 Fields Road and build a 5,106-square-foot automatic car wash and relocate an existing car wash from the adjacent parcel at 10003 Fields Road.","taxTitle","Gaithersburg City, Montgomery County, Maryland","taxId",4997,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6126850,"Votes at a glance: March 17 Gaithersburg Mayor and Council meeting",5162,112000,5274000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2665584-7e4e99aa9c8dbfe5fa2ac20af5294b12&start=112&end=5274","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2665584-7e4e99aa9c8dbfe5fa2ac20af5294b12/thumbnail_112000.jpg","/articles/6126850/Gaithersburg-City/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Votes-at-a-glance-March-17-Gaithersburg-Mayor-and-Council-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6126850-c7a1cefad1b4fe3502843f2392e1eb77/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204884&Signature=jh4ljIUa~swXVEivW99uMg3AyrgNXHnxM0RmabqgO7H9nwmlSCf1IbYfZu8r3n2d3YWvmvd-YGhIzJCDzc5BpYvY~hGdBXyOy3BJldc30D-IGo~tyCxQ1F1QI4wOHHJC3VwubtrNp21Y3bqZUtL-SVboek4CHR2iLqlInOtIWU0xGwgT7-9aThN~YMd2UC-RW9fM-JCxC8fHm26EzbW755EzvT56xCqULxbPMYiKRWATGEym~uqImZkcrOlLLc44oPsjtbANEKrcyFjehA9s1WhTERKo6YOgz31zFjskGDgqzNzlnQNAxROlAVT3Bv0Si-AuwPSJ8eAFUjl2btVYtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","This is a concise list of formal motions, votes and outcomes recorded during the March 17, 2025 meeting of the Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council. Motions are listed in the order they occurred in the official meeting record.

1) Approval of minutes
- Motion: Approve minutes of the regular session held March 3, 2025.
- Outcome: Approved 5–0.

2) Appointments to advisory bodies (multiple appointees)
- Motion: Appoint multiple residents to various city committees (Community Advisory Committee, Gaithersburg Book Festival Committee, Parks, Arts and Recreation Corporation, Senior Advisory Committee, Transportation Committee, etc.). Full list of names announced in meeting record.
- Outcome: Motion carried 4–0 with 1 abstention (council member abstained because a spouse was among the appointees). The clerk noted the motion carries 4–0 with 1 abstention.

3) Historic District Commission reappointments
- Motion: Approve resolution confirming reappointments to the Historic District Commission for three-year terms (Jay Rudolph Morgan and Kathleen Ramirez named).
- Outcome: Approved 5–0.

4) Planning Commission action on STP-9896-2024 (Fields Road car wash)
- Motion: Hold the planning commission record open until 5:00 p.m. on April 9, 2025.
- Outcome: Motion passed unanimously (planning commission recorded “aye” vote).

5) Mayor and Council action on STP-9896-2024
- Motion: Mayor and Council to hold the record open until 5:00 p.m. on April 29, 2025, with anticipated policy discussion and final action on May 19, 2025.
- Outcome: Approved 5–0.

6) Stormwater/erosion control code (Chapter 8) public hearing
- Motion: Hold record open until 5:00 p.m. on March 31, 2025; anticipated policy discussion and final action April 21, 2025.
- Outcome: Approved 5–0.

7) FY 2026 budget ordinance (introduction)
- Motion: Introduce FY 2026 budget ordinance and proceed with advertising and public hearing.
- Outcome: Motion to introduce passed (recorded unanimous consent); public hearing scheduled April 7, 2025.

Notes on voting and procedure
- Where a specific mover or seconder was not identified in the meeting audio/record, the action is reported with the recorded outcome and any abstentions noted based on the official minutes.
- All passed motions listed above were recorded in the meeting transcript and minutes as approved or carried; agenda items where the council asked for further study or held the record open do not represent final policy adoption.

Provenance (selected excerpts)
- Minutes approval excerpt: “Mister mayor, I move approval of the minutes from the regular session of the city council held on 03/03/2025.” — Motion and vote recorded in transcript.
- Appointment excerpt: \"Mister mayor, I move to appoint Catherine Daniels to a 2 year term to community advisory committee...\" — Motion and subsequent vote recorded; one abstention noted.
- Planning Commission / Council record open excerpts: See meeting transcript around the public hearing for STP-9896-2024 (planning commission and council motions).","Summary of formal motions and outcomes recorded at the March 17 meeting including minutes approval, appointments, record openings for two public hearings, and introduction of the FY 2026 budget ordinance.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6126855,"Gaithersburg introduces FY 2026 budget; proposes holding property tax rate steady at 0.262",212,6319000,6531000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2665584-7e4e99aa9c8dbfe5fa2ac20af5294b12&start=6319&end=6531","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2665584-7e4e99aa9c8dbfe5fa2ac20af5294b12/thumbnail_6319000.jpg","/articles/6126855/Gaithersburg-City/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Gaithersburg-introduces-FY-2026-budget-proposes-holding-property-tax-rate-steady-at-0262","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6126855-b9ec380129f18222c6183362451e8650/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204884&Signature=donG1H0i3XaycqrCNUnKHg3PhKGL-DopflqROWm-5kp5S53uWXlSFtiagw8AQMatlafdfpS5p~PPhiQ1q4zOP4AWhQ-fHYJIwy~NR27b3Y2Nxb4mYtq5a2fs8K9RXGn6aeN8MQLPb7BGZgKvN3elOOgLbwpBWYi1dENQPvhGgfdXa3-juOOFDfTP3MgX0Y~Is66wcxjFGBFPrwGh4xN4Shawgz3yht2pJl8oXOPRvq593VoLgkIcGKNx2TxrjuBffcq~BfFHSlJmN~AeJaPm2pgKEAZD6VU17A4OFhYdNSu1FO3sWv5ey6jbOD2ZGmiVE7LMQqsEnJD6~Mba6LBh1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Janice Hartman, director of Finance and Administration, introduced the City of Gaithersburg’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget at the March 17 meeting, and the council moved to introduce the budget ordinance.

Key numbers and schedule
Hartman said the proposed real property tax rate is 0.262, unchanged from the current year. Staff will publish the legal advertisement in the Washington Post on March 20 and post the online FY 2026 budget book on the city website on March 28. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for April 7, 2025; the record for public comment will remain open until 5:00 p.m. on April 23, 2025. The mayor and council plan a budget work session on April 14 (and April 15, if needed) and anticipate consideration of final adoption on May 5, 2025.

Council requests and next steps
Council Member Neil asked that upcoming budget sessions clearly show projected fund balances and the planned transfers to capital improvement funds. Hartman said staff will present a more detailed breakdown during the scheduled work sessions.

Procedural outcome
The council voted to introduce the budget ordinance at the March 17 meeting; staff will proceed with advertising, publishing the online budget book, and preparing materials for the scheduled public hearing and work sessions.

Provenance
Topic introduction excerpt: “Tonight, I'm here for the city budget for the fiscal year 07/01/2025 through 06/30/2026 and levying an ad valorem tax on all assessable property within the city of Gaithersburg, Maryland.” — Janice Hartman

Topic finish excerpt: Motion to introduce the budget ordinance was moved and seconded; vote recorded in the meeting minutes.","Finance staff introduced the proposed FY2026 budget and a proposed real-property tax rate of 0.262, unchanged from the current year. The council set a public hearing for April 7 and left the public record open until April 23; staff will publish the online budget book March 28.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6126860,"Ad hoc committee recommends modest stipend increases, keeps CPI-based annual adjustments for mayor and council",415,1107000,1522000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2665584-7e4e99aa9c8dbfe5fa2ac20af5294b12&start=1107&end=1522","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2665584-7e4e99aa9c8dbfe5fa2ac20af5294b12/thumbnail_1107000.jpg","/articles/6126860/Gaithersburg-City/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Ad-hoc-committee-recommends-modest-stipend-increases-keeps-CPI-based-annual-adjustments-for-mayor-and-council","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6126860-4b33dffdf6035ee71b8985e1b1e82215/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204884&Signature=OUkH6uzzPKknrgcUIoxHPm5QZRplLaFvuN7Ory8B8qD7KB-slhh~PSdJTKTlNEKWbI1jnZQNJjT4Gimto0uq8TFRJydNRAASBDfOPsz9fmTcC5bds7WikEbC0aCdsPFLiroYDgPioxWt0dLoUq-oT-CVvHefg7GBTmoPYmA9WZ~v2EHo9nh8s-cbZv8onze5GWs02JQVthhljKKpfF6PzwLMsuEhydQ3pacdzCrn7RyYy-K03hHOtrPfEo9lf~NnaYr5aVTxr6KgQRSB~SL9upQwu190b1I-LecR-ZKBOFYFFtfvRmg1zHRo9TN7o3qISHiilwJeq6PpnGMoS4PaoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Trevor Rusczyk, chair of the ad hoc mayor and council compensation review committee, presented the panel’s advisory report to the Mayor and City Council on March 17.

What the committee recommended
Rusczyk said the committee recommends keeping the existing annual adjustment formula that prevents salary decreases and applies an increase equal to the year-over-year change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Washington Metropolitan region (the November comparison). For the current cycle the CPI-U year-over-year change used in the committee’s examples was +1%.

Current pay and benefits the committee cited
Rusczyk reviewed current compensation figures as presented to the committee: mayor annual salary $36,993; four council members at $29,595 each; one council member who has opted for $27,714. He said elected officials receive a benefits stipend of $4,851.08 per year that may be used for medical/dental/vision or taken as salary or credited to the elected official’s retirement plan. The next scheduled adjustment under the CPI method would be effective July 1, 2026.

Stipend increases for appointed bodies
The committee proposed increasing longstanding stipends that have not been adjusted for many years. Current stipends cited by the committee are $3,000 for Planning Commission members, $1,500 for Board of Appeals members, and $1,500 for Historic District Commission members. The committee recommended raising those stipends to $4,000 (Planning Commission), $2,000 (Board of Appeals) and $2,000 (Historic District Commission) to better reflect workload and cost-of-living changes.

Other committee recommendations and next steps
The committee recommended no change to benefit flexibility and encouraged the council to consider stipends for other appointed bodies as appropriate; council members noted the Board of Supervisors of Elections and the Charter Commission as possible candidates for future stipend proposals. Rusczyk stressed the committee’s recommendations are advisory and nonbinding; council did not take final action on March 17.

Questions from council
Council members asked clarifying questions about which bodies received stipends, the committee’s comparative jurisdiction analysis and the timing of next adjustments. Council members indicated support for the recommendations in principle and suggested any stipend changes would be processed through the city’s budget schedule.

Provenance
Topic introduction excerpt: \"To begin, I'll cover a little bit of the legal background. So sections 5 and 16 of the city charter establish the salary and benefits of the mayor and members of the city council...\"

Topic finish excerpt: \"And that is our report for the year.\" — Chair Trevor Rusczyk","The ad hoc mayor and council compensation review committee recommended no change to the CPI-based annual adjustment process, left elected officials’ benefit flexibility intact, and proposed increases to stipends for several appointed boards. The committee’s recommendations are advisory; council took no final action March 17.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6126862,"Council considers repeal-and-replace of Chapter 8 (stormwater and erosion control); record left open for further comment",409,3154000,3563000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2665584-7e4e99aa9c8dbfe5fa2ac20af5294b12&start=3154&end=3563","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2665584-7e4e99aa9c8dbfe5fa2ac20af5294b12/thumbnail_3154000.jpg","/articles/6126862/Gaithersburg-City/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Council-considers-repeal-and-replace-of-Chapter-8-stormwater-and-erosion-control-record-left-open-for-further-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6126862-01c5745d7e3a7f292c8bec67bbefa03b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204884&Signature=jCe-SIANjBUAmTuF32gd1KZ8F9k~A9W-ng0o3ECjtIZN1lAPoCk-8xIqed0sHMAZ774g~3Mnohj8ncXBNuf8fsGlXnjUyNpmVAyin8bp4ONyyEGii9BokD4uFj4Bh5MWndSUEU3aQivQoIaXsgLOhCZiuzyZU29RRQ~j5TC91d~4gATDoPe~2Y~eG7sHtl3E1xR00Lu2gdGbi2-nhI7EhYXg7Bss6bAy8gZjqEo2cXW7TEzmCgO4JcfqJopUDQHr2H8Lob0rdeYS27F4wR3P2x8TddDgRMWIZDdRFSXdgHigvjWvT2Hofruq--nK0~Ad7UKc2QhEBNVZ7~i39rm5hA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented a proposed repeal and replacement of Chapter 8 of the Gaithersburg City Code — the city’s erosion, sediment control and stormwater management chapter — during a public hearing March 17.

Nancy (Environmental Services staff) summarized the updates: revised definitions, clearer inspection and permitting language, 3-year validity for approved plans, alignment with Chapter 24 code, the addition of an illicit-discharge detection and elimination manual, and an updated stormwater program manual. “The majority of the changes and updates … align with the updated state and federal regulations,” staff said.

Key changes and clarifications
- Approved plans remain valid for three years from the date of approval.
- If standards conflict, the most stringent requirement governs.
- Stormwater management will be required upon a phase disturbance of 5,000 square feet; some projects under 2,000 square feet may be eligible for waiver under regulatory guidance.
- Inspections must be performed by a city-certified inspector (training is available through the state program).
- The stormwater facility credit program and the Rainscapes rebate program were updated to increase incentives and encourage resident participation.
- The code now references the city’s common-ownership community maintenance transfer program and adds an illicit-discharge manual as Article 6.

State review and procedural details
Staff said the Maryland Department of the Environment reviewed the draft and requested minor clarifications, including the cumulative effects of phased projects and the 5,000-square-foot permitting threshold. Staff recommended the council hold the record open for supplemental comments; the Mayor and Council voted to hold the record open until 5:00 p.m. on March 31, 2025, with anticipated policy discussion and final action on April 21, 2025.

Questions from council
Council members asked about the number of certified city inspectors and outreach to homeowners’ associations that manage stormwater facilities. Staff replied they have certified inspectors in planning and environmental services and had contacted HOAs with on-site stormwater best-management practices and held a public meeting on February 26.

Provenance
Topic introduction excerpt: “We’re here for the public hearing to introduce this repeal and replace of chapter 8 of the city code entitled erosion sediment control and stormwater management.” — City staff presentation

Topic finish excerpt: “recommendation that we hold our record open until 5PM on Monday, March 31, with anticipated policy discussion and final action on Monday, April 21.” — Motion passed","City staff presented a draft repeal-and-replace of Chapter 8 of the City Code to align Gaithersburg rules with updated state and federal stormwater regulations, add inspection and permitting clarifications, and expand incentive programs. The council voted to keep the record open for additional input.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council, Planning Commission keep record open for proposed Fields Road car wash amid master-plan and traffic debate

Votes at a glance: March 17 Gaithersburg Mayor and Council meeting

Gaithersburg introduces FY 2026 budget; proposes holding property tax rate steady at 0.262

Ad hoc committee recommends modest stipend increases, keeps CPI-based annual adjustments for mayor and council

Council considers repeal-and-replace of Chapter 8 (stormwater and erosion control); record left open for further comment