Owners at 7370 MacArthur Blvd seek an 80-foot curb cut and to remove sidewalk; council and neighbors cite safety and runoff concerns

At the Nov. 20 Town of Glen Echo council meeting, the owners of 7370 MacArthur Blvd formally presented a plan to widen the property’s curb cut from the town-standard roughly 22 feet to about 80 feet and to remove the existing sidewalk to create six on-site parking spaces for a proposed hair salon, council members said.

Mayor Dia Costello said the town had previously requested a safety study and asked whether the wider curb cut was needed for current operations or only to accommodate a potential second-floor expansion. The owners and their consulting engineer, Jared Carhart, told the council the additional spaces would be required if the upstairs changed from office to retail use, and that the applicants were prepared to use permeable paving material as a stormwater mitigation option but had not yet submitted specific permeability plans.

The proposed 80-foot opening would exceed the town’s curb-cut standards. Town engineer Lance Ball cited Article 17 of the Streets and Sidewalks ordinance, noting the town’s typical curb allowance (12-foot curb with 5-foot radius totaling about 22 feet at the curbline), and said he had recommended removing the sidewalk as a safer design option during early review of a related tree-permit request.

Council members voiced concerns about pedestrian safety and precedent. Council Member Dan Spealman said the requested curb cut is about four times the usual allowance and raised the risks to children walking to school buses and other pedestrians. Council Member Julia Wilson questioned the community benefits of removing a sidewalk, noting that while some town streets lack sidewalks, others provide them and the change would push additional vehicle maneuvering onto a residential street.

Neighbors directly adjacent to the property, including Matt Guevara and Claudia Rossel, told the council they were not aware the proposal would eliminate the sidewalk and worried about safety for very young children and potential stormwater runoff impacts. Resident Aaron Hirsch asked why six spaces were necessary; the project engineer said the space count is driven by parking requirements associated with a change to retail use under county rules. Hirsch also flagged the potential loss of a canopy Sycamore tree and other plantings.

Council members and staff noted there is currently no building permit for the property. The council scheduled an on-site public visit for Dec. 7 and a public hearing during the Dec. 9 regular council meeting so residents can ask questions and the council can take public comment prior to any decision.

The council did not vote on the permit or any ordinance at the Nov. 20 meeting. The matter will return for public review and potential action after the site visit and hearing.