"Science City" Draws Montgomery County Opposition

ROCKVILLE, Md. (WUSA) -- Neighbors of a planned 800 acre "Science City" in northern Montgomery County flooded a zoning hearing here Tuesday evening, many of them carrying signs urging legislators to "scale it back."

The multi-decade master plan to attract bio-science companies and research to Montgomery County would increase the current 20-thousand workers to a population of 60-thousand workers at a sprawling complex near the intersection of Route 28 and Muddy Branch Road.

"High-paying paying jobs in life sciences create increased demand for complimentary businesses and support services in all areas," testified Robert Thompson of a citizens advisory board. "That should serve to raise average incomes over the long term, and better assure long-term economic vitality." Nonetheless, he urged careful consideration of mass transit proposals that would ferry workers to the site and said a reduction in scope might be necessary.

"It (the plan) gives Montgomery County the opportunity to emerge as a world-class center of discovery and education to advance the public's health," said John Hopkins University representative Scott Zeger.

Residents worry traffic would become impossible. The plan does call for infrastructure changes that would affect major roads in the area and create new overpasses and interchanges.

"These interchanges could require the taking of both residential and commercial properties," said Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz.

"We moved to our communities for the trees, the green space, and the suburban lifestyle. If we wanted to live in downtown Silver Spring or Tyson's Corner, we would have moved there," said Donna Baron, a local activist who represents plan opponents who want the project scaled down.