July 24 Public Hearing on Additional Funding for Bethesda Market Park

On July 24 at 5 p.m. by Zoom, the Town Council will hold a public hearing on a resolution to provide additional funds to the Bethesda Market Park project to maintain the quality and standard for the park that conforms to the initial vision and plans. Having considered residents’ input on this matter, the Town Council voted unanimously last night to introduce this resolution with a series of conditions that must be met before such funding is provided. The Council welcomes comments on the resolution, either by email in advance of our meeting or at the July 24 public hearing. 

As outlined in the resolution, the Council recommends a financing plan that would potentially provide $5 million in additional funding, with contributions from the Town, the State, and other sources, including the Parks Department. If this plan is realized, the Town will provide an additional $3 million in direct funds to the project, which would raise the amount provided directly by the Town to $7.5 million. Visit bit.ly/BMPFunding for a full presentation of the funding plan, including background and factors that the Council has considered.

In addition to providing background on the project, the rationale for the additional appropriation, and assurances that the Town will enforce its traffic and parking regulations, the resolution includes several conditions for funding that are carried forward from the previous resolution authorizing the Town’s initial contribution, while adding some new conditions.  These include the requirement that the Town remain a fully engaged stakeholder in the ongoing process of design and budgeting for the park, including the determination of the amenities in the park, and that the final agreement between the Town and the Parks Department include a mutually agreed budget that will fully fund the entire park across both surface parking lots.  We encourage residents to review these conditions, which constitute the final part of the resolution.

The Council thanks all residents who sent in comments on the proposed financial plan to increase Town-provided funding for the Bethesda Market Park and on the conceptual design presented to the community last month. Overall, there is strong support for the additional funding, although we heard from some residents who opposed the appropriation. Many residents also included comments on specific proposed features and the park layout. Frequently mentioned concerns included the need for more canopy trees, avoiding use of artificial turf, redesigning the shade structure, the importance of proper maintenance, regulation of sound volume whenever the structure might be used for performances, and preventing illegal parking on Town streets. Some of these issues are specifically covered in the resolution; others will be  addressed as we proceed in our collaboration on the park design.