Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Giant Ball Of Glowing Fire That Moves Aross The Sky

People can have valid specific complaints (whether or not they have implicit or explicit property rights) about new buildings blocking a particular ray of sun coming into a particular window at particular times. And, sure, when I force everybody to live in midtown Manhattan the complaints will be a bit more valid, but generally the ZOMG tall buildings block out the sun!!! complaints are pretty silly.

But plans for a taller, denser Bethesda have touched off alarms in the affluent “edge” neighborhoods just east of Wisconsin, including East Bethesda and Chevy Chase. Residents fear looming high-rises will block the sun, casting shadows over their homes.

A community group, the Coalition of Bethesda Area Residents, has examined the county’s data and concluded that the new density allocated under the plan could sustain 28 new buildings of 20 stories or more. That would place Bethesda’s skyline second only to Baltimore in the Washington region, surpassing Silver Spring, Tysons Corner and Rosslyn.


I'm more sympathetic than some to "neighborhood character" concerns but often they're misplaced or dishonest...