Neighbors Rally to Save a Historic Wooded Wetland in Lower Rock Creek

October 26, 2019

by Johannnes Staguhn and Sylvia Tognetti

More than 200 citizens in the Capitol View Park area have signed a petition to Montgomery County’s Legacy Open Space program, asking them to protect an undeveloped property in the Capitol View Park Historic District for which a development proposal is pending.

The site is a critical parcel located in a headwater tributary of Lower Rock Creek – more specifically, in the Capitol View Branch of the Forest Glen Creek subwatershed and lies in between existing protected areas. The stream begins at the Capitol View-Homewood Park. Downstream protected areas within this subwatershed are the McKenney Hills Park and the Capitol View Open Space area, which was acquired by Legacy Open Space a decade ago. In addition, extraordinary measures were taken in 2013 to protect the woodlands along this stream at the site that became the Flora Singer Elementary School - by Montgomery County Public Schools in cooperation with local residents and Audubon Naturalist Society. Capitol View Park was also the first Historic District in Montgomery County and is one of the county’s still extant green urban communities. 

On the west side of the property, several of the underground streams flow through a steep hill which consists mostly of bedrock which slopes towards the east - excavation of this bedrock is part of the development plan . These streams are fed by a couple of springs, one of which originates in a historic spring house, located directly on the borderline of an adjacent property. In times past, when neighborhood houses didn’t have their own water pipes, neighbors would come to this very spring house to fetch water for their daily needs. Upon construction of the proposed house, it follows that this precious historical feature would sadly turn into a distant memory. The property is also a habitat for multiple species – neighbors have observed foxes, turtles, owls, turkey vultures, and recently, even a bald eagle. After hurricane Irene, a Blue Heron also found its way into this area. 

This precious piece of nature can best be defined by the following qualities and therefore should qualify under the Legacy Open Space program:

  • The resource has particular significance in terms of its historic and environmental association, 

  • It’s located in the heart of Capitol View Branch subwatershed, where its protection would further protect past investments by MNCPPC and MCPS in conservation and historic preservation.

  • It helps to buffer, and thereby protect significant resources (Rock Creek),

  • It provides a significant opportunity to protect scarce open green space in an urbanized community.

 

We have proposed that the Legacy Open Space program acquire this site and thereby enhance the quality of life for future generations, as well as protect the long-term integrity of this environmentally-sensitive site and the integrity the rest of this small subwatershed.  Protection of this site via acquisition for conservation will contribute to the long-term integrity of the entire subwatershed that includes McKenney Hills and Capitol View-Homewood local parks, the wooded stream buffer owned by MCPS, and the Capitol View Park Open Space earlier acquired by Legacy Open Space. Since many neighbors already pass through and enjoy the natural and lush appearance of the site, the establishment of a natural footpath would be a wonderful way to open the space for the community, while preserving an integral green space which currently contributes significantly to community cohesion and the historic character of Capitol View Park.

 

Map showing location of Capital View Park