Workshop of Great Seneca Master Plan held successfully at CCACC

The Chinese Culture and Community Service Center, in cooperation with the Montgomery Planning Department, successfully held a conference on the general development of the Great Seneca area at the CCACC music room at 2 pm on November 15th. During the workshop, staff from the planning department of Montgomery County explained the future plan of the area, collected opinions from businesses and residents on future community development, and listened to the voices of residents and responded to residents' questions on issues such as current traffic and road planning, housing prices and housing sources, public space planning, urban design, racial equality and social justice.

At the workshop, Ms. Maren Hill, the Great Seneca Plan lead, led five team members to CCACC to have face-to-face talks with community residents. During the meeting, Dr. Fang Guodong, the former director of CCACC, had an enthusiastic discussion with around 50 residents from Montgomery County and came up with valuable suggestions and questions. Suggestions include setting up a wide range of sports and park facilities suitable for all age groups, so that the elderly who can’t drive can have a safe exercising place; building high-quality medical facilities in different areas; providing residents opportunities for healthy exercise and spiritual enrichment; providing support for the elderly and gardeners to remove snow, and increasing service opportunities for young people in the community; planning day trips for community residents; setting standards for drinking water quality for residents and publishing test reports; planning to establish more Pickleball Stadiums (Pickleball) ), and many more.

Residents provided feedback on issues such as traffic safety, convenience, and environmental sanitation in the community; for example, planning a periodic inspection of street trees in the community to reduce the risk of falling trees during storms; cleaning of lakes and lawns; improving traffic lights and neon lights at intersections to reduce confusion; regulating pruning and removing of tree branches in the community; repairing pavements, etc.

Ms. Maren Hill stated that in response to the constructive suggestion, she will bring it back to the planning committee, present an integrated draft plan next spring, and report to the public at the next meeting. She also stated that inquiries concerning enhancing community amenities or quality of life would be transmitted to the relevant Montgomery County departments and units, and would be instructed to answer and explain to everyone through CCACC.

Dr. Yuchi Huang, Board of Director of the CCACC on-site representative, expressed gratitude to Montgomery County for holding this symposium, which provided a unique chance for local Chinese and American residents to make input for the revision of the urban plan. At the same time, it is suggested that the Montgomery County Urban Planning Departments work with the relevant departments of the federal government, the state of Maryland, and various municipal governments to ensure that multiple road public facilities have a consistent plan and are not used by passers-by. Road shoulders, walkways, and bike lanes are long overdue. Is it possible for a government's jurisdiction to expand, contract, or disappear?

CCACC is delighted to co-host this symposium with the Montgomery County Planning Department team, to ensure that Chinese voice can be heard and cherished by the government. When the Montgomery County Planning Department returns next year, it will have a more developed plan that will benefit people and businesses in Great Seneca, making the area more desirable and promoting economic growth.