With the approach of your annual retreat this week in Cambridge, Maryland, our 41 organizations in Maryland, DC, and Virginia call on you to take urgent action to address the great challenges of our times – climate change, housing, racial and economic inequity, sprawl and unsustainable transportation policies.
Category: Testimony & Letters
COMMENTS: Union Station SDEIS (Support)
Today, the new project vision defined in the FRA’s Supplemental Draft EIS (SDEIS) Preferred Alternative F presents a bold vision for the next century of Union Station’s existence and success, and will gain broad public and political support. The revised SDEIS Preferred Alternative includes major improvements we support the FRA including in the Final EIS:
Testimony: Duke Street Transitway (Support)
We strongly support Concept A for center running dedicated bus lanes and Concept Y for safe, separated bicycle and pedestrian facilities, as well as the vision for full-corridor length center running dedicated bus lanes when redevelopment and funding permit.
CSG Support for U Street Police & Fire Station Upzoning, ZC 23-02
We support the proposed land use designation change for the U Street police and fire station sites as proposed with the adoption of the 2021 Comprehensive Plan amendments.
CSG Comments: TPB June Meeting Comment
Climate change is here. Two weeks ago, we suffered through Code Purple air quality from increasing wildfires. The health of your constituents is at stake.
CSG Letter on Better Bus Visionary Network Redesign
Among the many changes proposed in the draft Visionary Network, CSG would like to highlight and commend the recommendation of higher frequency bus service and increased use of dedicated bus lanes. In addition to higher frequency bus service, the Visionary Network would expand weekend, overnight, and off-peak service.
COMMENTS: Implementing environmental justice goals for frontline communities near transportation sources
Nine major national and regional transportation, environmental, and environmental justice organizations today issued a statement on implementing environmental justice goals for frontline communities near transportation sources, such as major highways, rail yards, and ports. The White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC) will meet later this week to consider this and other comments as they advise federal agencies on new policy and programs.
CSG comments opposing the townhouse moratorium in Prince George’s County
While we oppose CB 52 as not the right approach, we wish to express our support for the concern expressed in the bill in terms of ensuring residential growth is directed to the right locations. We find the singling out of townhouses for blame unjustified when permissive single family zoning across vast acres outside the beltway “established communities” are the underlying problem. Most of the land outside the beltway is zoned for low density housing, causing growth and additional demand on urban infrastructure, and robbing reinvestment resources from existing communities.
Support for Takoma Metro station (amended June 13, 2023)
We are excited to support the transformation of the Takoma Metro station site, proposed in PUD case number 22-36. It’s past time to transform the Takoma Metro station and provide much-needed housing and enhanced public spaces in place of the sterile surface parking lot, passive open space, and large bus loop.
Testimony in Support of Proposed Takoma Metro Station Redevelopment
We are excited to express our strong support for the proposed plan to redevelop the Takoma Metro station by adding hundreds of new homes, improved public spaces and better transportation facilities.