by JoAnn Grbach
,
Staff Writer
While the Montgomery County Council Tuesday did not accept County Executive Douglas M. Duncan's plan to push ahead 24 soccer fields, it did relax the conditions it had previously placed on plans for a soccer complex at South Germantown Recreational Park.
The council's non-binding 8-0 vote Tuesday still moves forward with plans for the nearly $15 million complex and means it will ultimately allow a three-phase plan for 24 fields to be built, barring any environmental constraints.
Environmental studies are still being performed to determine whether that many fields and other recreation facilities will fit at the 658-acre park, located off Schaeffer Road and Route 118.
However, the council will not make more soccer fields contingent on the development of all other planned recreational uses at the park.
The park is to be constructed in three phases -- with 16 regular soccer fields, a championship field and an indoor arena coming first. The second phases would follow with four fields each after some recreational amenities are added. Those will be determined this fall.
Duncan tried to push the plan for 24 fields ahead last week. He asked the council to take another look at the proposal to allow the soccer fields to go ahead even if money is not available for non-soccer portions of the park.
"The only reason we're talking about any of this is because someone came forward with $10 million," Duncan said last week. "If one park falls through it shouldn't penalize the other park."
The $10 million, including $600,000 for planning, is coming from the Maryland SoccerPlex Foundation, which has proposed a public-private partnership with the county.
Duncan also asked the council to approve about $1.5 million for nature trails, picnic areas and an adventure playground during the first phase of construction. And Duncan asked for a $2 million nature center during phase two.
The council Tuesday rejected Duncan's proposal for the money because it believes his plan decides for the community which recreational uses residents want first.
"I would not support the executive's proposal because I think he's putting the wrong things in [the park] in the beginning," said Nancy Dacek (R-Dist. 2) of Darnestown, who represents the Germantown area on the council. "I think we can come up with a better plan, which will put the community back into this."
Frustrations flared when council members again considered whether to allow the proposal for 24 soccer fields to move forward before other planned recreational uses at the South Germantown park.
"Obviously, there is the appearance in the community that SoccerPlex facilities and non-soccer facilities are in competition, and I think that's unfortunate," said Councilman Derick Berlage (D-Dist. 5) of Silver Spring. "I don't view them as being in competition."
The council tried to achieve a compromise between soccer enthusiasts and Germantown residents nearly two weeks ago when they voted that other recreational uses be built before the last eight fields.
"We wanted to provide support for non-soccer facilities, at least financially," said David Weaver, a spokesman for Duncan, said Tuesday. "But we also wanted to remove the restrictive language."
The council approved $100,000 in planning money for the other recreational facilities that were approved in the park's master plan. It expects the Montgomery County Parks Commission to come back with a description for those uses this fall.
Thirteen fields plus various recreational uses were approved for South Germantown Recreational Park in its master plan. Those amenities include an indoor tennis, soccer and swim center, plus playground, picnic area, miniature golf and bicycle track.
The council will then be able to amend the capital budget for fiscal 1999 to 2004.
"The construction of phase two and phase three cannot occur until and unless the non-soccer portion of the park have been programmed," Berlage said.
While the council has no longer directly linked soccer and non-soccer uses at the South Germantown park, this most recent vote seems to have again achieved compromise between the two sides.
"I was encouraged in the fact that it seems as if the County Council is trying to be fair and equitable," said South Germantown resident Susan Burdette. "Now, I feel more comfortable that because we have been very outspoken, people are starting to listen to us [and] we want to be involved because it's in our front yards."
Soccer proponents say the park is going to appeal to many and ultimately make everybody happy.
"A soccer field is not going to go where a swimming pool was going to go," said Trisha Heffelfinger of the foundation.
From the Gazette Papers