Mosby Woods Elementary School PTA August 25, 2004 Phillip Niedzielski-Eichner Dear Mr. Niedzielski-Eichner: We are writing to voice our concern and enlist your support regarding the pending new Fairlee/Metro West development around the Vienna metro station. At a recent meeting with citizens, Linda Smyth, our Providence Supervisor, mentioned that you were aware of, and concerned about this proposed development. As you know, the discussion and comments process was poorly coordinated and publicized – to our knowledge, no input was solicited from the Mosby Woods school staff, the PTA or any of the neighbors surrounding the school; none of these groups was invited to join the Work Group. As a result, we found out about the hearings and other opportunities for input very late in the process; and we are contacting you shortly before the expected votes on September 9 and September 27, 2004. While we have many concerns regarding this proposed development (traffic, metro capacity and funding, environmental and parks impact, etc.), one of our most serious concerns is with the impact on the schools. Of course our focus is Mosby Woods Elementary School; but we are aware that the other schools in our "pyramid", Luther Jackson Middle School and Oakton High School, would also be affected, although no mention was made of these schools in the Staff Report from the Planning Department. While other issues were dealt with in several paragraphs to a page in the Staff Report, the impact on schools merited only one paragraph and only mentioned the "elementary school". Equally distressing and disappointing is that the information on which the Staff based its position and recommendations (e.g. regarding enrollment, GT center status and size, school capacity, etc.) was out of date at the time the report was written; it is even further from reality now. The Staff Report indicates that, if approved, the residential density on the tract under consideration would increase multifold from its current level (from 1-5 units/acre to 16-20+ units/acre) creating approximately 2,350 new dwelling units. These dwelling units, according to the staff’s calculations would produce only 260 students for Mosby Woods. In addition, if the proposed retail and commercial space is actually built as residential (as has happened in numerous cases around the Vienna station and others), the number of dwelling units could easily double. Because it is outside the scope of the specific project, the Staff Report does not take into account the planned Centex Development on the adjacent land in the L&M subdivision, which would add a minimum of 1,300 additional dwelling units. While the calculation methods are suspect (i.e. using national and county-wide averages/formulas rather than more accurate local figures), even assuming that this estimate is accurate, the proposed "offset" is completely inadequate and unacceptable – "up to 10 modular classroom additions". Such a pathetic "proposal" does not account for core facilities (gymnasium, cafeteria, playground, library, art facilities, music room, etc.), nor the additional required teachers and staff – and space – where would 10 trailers go??? As I stated in my comments before the Planning Commission during the July hearing, the only acceptable solution to offset the impact on the Mosby Woods is a permanent expansion of the school, funded by the developers’ proffers, since the proposed developments would increase enrollment at a much faster pace and in a much more concentrated fashion than what is planned for by the FCPS Facilities Planning Department. As our representative, and in your capacity as Chairman of the School Board’s Strategic Planning & Evaluation Committee we are counting on you to:
In the best school system in the country, our most precious resource – our children – deserve better than inadequate planning and ten trailers.
Sincerely,
Linda Ferri, President, Mosby Woods PTA
Rebecca Wolff, Vice President, Mosby Woods PTA
Rowena Saura, Corresponding Sec., Mosby Woods PTA
Heather Brennan, Recording Sec., Mosby Woods PTA
David Helfgott, Treasurer, Mosby Woods PTA
Jennifer Harding, Member, Mosby Woods PTA
Sue Shepard, Member, Mosby Woods PTA
Dean Shepard, Member, Mosby Woods PTA
Leslie Helfgott, Member, Mosby Woods PTA
Sandy LeBeau, Member, Mosby Woods PTA