Diamond proposal moves through friction toward fruition
By Gregg MacDonald
The continuing proposal by Diamond Properties to construct a five-story hotel in downtown Herndon recently caused friction between some members of the Town Council and the Planning Commission, but is moving forward all the same.On July 7, the Herndon Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a proposal by Diamond Properties to build a 163-room Element Hotel with accompanying retail space, totaling about 124,000 square feet, in the downtown area.
Nearly 50 people attended the hearing, most of whom testified in support of the proposal.
Before the commission hearing, Director of Community Development Lisa Gilleran noted in a July 3 memo that staff comments on the latest Diamond Properties submittal, dated June 25, "will not be available until after July 17, 2008."
At the commission public hearing on July 7, former Town Councilwoman Ann Null, one of the few dissenting voices, called the proposal "incomplete" and asked the commission to defer its decision until the staff comments were issued. Null cited a Diamond recommendation of "mountable curbs" in the project as an example of incomplete planning.
Two days later, on July 9, Councilman Dennis Husch issued a memorandum to Mayor Steve DeBenedittis and his fellow council members, expressing surprise at the commission's recommendation without referencing the staff comments on the latest submittal. Husch also cited the "mountable curbs" issue in his memo.
"Apparently, the proposal the Planning Commission found acceptable included something called 'mountable curbs' which I take to mean a curb profile that will allow trucks to drive up on the sidewalk when making a turn to get in and out of the site," Husch wrote.
"Surely I thought the Planning Commission would take their planning responsibilities seriously and wait for the completion of the staff's analysis before making a recommendation to the Town Council. ... Have some extraordinary pressures been placed on staff and the Planning Commission to move this application forward in this manner?"
Upset by Husch's comments, Planning Commission Chairman Carl Sivertsen and Vice Chairman Ted Hochstein subsequently met with the mayor to voice their displeasure.
"We discussed some issues with him, let's leave it at that," Sivertsen told The Times.
"They mistook my concern that they were being placed under extraordinary pressure to push the application to the Town Council as questioning their dedication to the their jobs on the Planning Commission,” Husch told The Times. "That was an unfortunate interpretation that I hope I have corrected."
Husch issued another memo July 24, downplaying the tone of the original memo.
This week, the staff comments on Diamond's June 25 submittal were finally released. The issue of the "mountable curbs" is addressed in the report.
"Staff requests that the applicant delete the reference to mountable curb ... although load-bearing bricks will still be needed where the streetscape pavers cross the site entrance on Lynn Street," the report states.
A Town Council public hearing on the Diamond proposal, including the recent staff comments, is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 12.