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ADA Compliant Sidewalks for Windermere?
A well intentioned, but thoroughly misguided idea
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Could Windermere end up looking like Arlington? If the Montgomery County Government’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sidewalk proposal succeeds in North Bethesda, Windermere would be butchered, and it would take over fifty years for the tree lined streets to recover. What has Montgomery County unilaterally proposed to the residents of Windermere? About 70 fifty year old trees would be chopped down, five foot wide ADA compliant sidewalks on just one side of the street would be installed, and a lopsided street scape would result. Say good bye to the tree canopy, say good bye to the incredible variety of birds that nest in those majestic trees, and say hello to more run off into Old Farm Creek, the Potomac River, and the Chesapeake Bay. That threat to our community and environment has been thrust upon us. A well intentioned, but thoroughly misguided idea has rallied the residents of Windermere to come together to block the county from destroying a wonderful community.
This is the first article in a series on Windermere and community planning in North Bethesda.