A Message to Residents of the Town of Chevy Chase

May 4, 2011

Statement of Deborah A. Vollmer

Candidate for Town Council, Town of Chevy Chase

             My congratulations to the winners of the Town Council election, Pat Burda and Linna Barnes.

             To those of you who voted for me, I thank you for your votes.

             My primary purpose in running for Town Council this time was to raise certain issues before the community and the Town Council---issues which, to date, have not been taken seriously.  It would have been an honor had I won, of course, but if even some of the issues that I have raised are now taken seriously; I will consider my efforts to have been worthwhile. 

             Of the issues that I raised, I view certain changes to the building code to be essential---if we are to preserve anything at all of the character of our Town:  the older well-built homes, the trees and green space.  During this campaign I have spoken to residents who agree with me with regard to this issue, but just feel so frustrated, because the Council is unwilling to act.  In parts of our Town, our tree canopy is being decimated, and enormous houses are being built next to modest-sized ones, stealing light and air, and making the immediate environment for neighbors to such construction extremely unpleasant.  And there is nothing that the residents living in close proximity to these projects can do, because of the powerful influence that the builder/developers and the real estate agents who represent them have in this Town, and because of a lack of specific remedies that might alleviate this problem, in our building code.

             Another issue that I raised: voting rights for legal resident non-U.S. citizens, is an issue that I hope the Council will address, and that this will not, as before, be referred to a committee, and left to languish, as it has for the last two election cycles, since I raised the issue in the 2009 Town Council election campaign.  If Takoma Park and other communities can make this change, we should be able to as well.  We have long-term residents who own their own homes here who are affected by the decisions of the Town Council.  They should be allowed to vote with respect to choosing those leaders who will be making the decisions that affect their property, and their lives.

             As for the Purple Line, while my position and that of the other candidates in this campaign were pretty much in line, I do detect what appears to me to be a feeling of resignation, rather than a continued commitment to fight this project as proposed.  It is O.K. to look at mitigation, but if we organize as a community to resist the current plans, whether through litigation or other (legal) means, we just might be able to stop this abominable project altogether---or force the powers that be to go back to the drawing board, and put the train underground, which could, if done right, serve both the environment and transportation needs.

Peace,

Deborah A. Vollmer