Giammo Drops Silverwood Appeal

Former Rockville Mayor Larry Giammo said Friday that he is dropping his appeal of the city Planning Commission’s approval of the Silverwood project.

Giammo issued the following statement via email:

“I am confident the City government did not properly follow the City’s [Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance] and I would have prevailed. Sadly, given my work, family and other obligations right now, I simply do not have the scores of hours needed to research and thoroughly prepare the necessary filings.

The City government learned nothing from the Beall’s Grant II case. The Maryland Court of Special Appeals excoriated the City government for not following its own law. It took a lot of hours of effort and considerable expense by a group of Rockville citizens fighting the City government to set things right.

The Silverwood case is like déjà vu. Same law, the APFO, not properly followed. And, the City Council voting yet again to spend taxpayer dollars to pay the City Attorney to defend the City government’s error.

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the City’s elected leadership to take the necessary steps to ensure the City’s laws are properly followed. Something needs to change.”

Giammo had filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court for a judicial review of the commission's approval of the project’s site plan.

Silverwood/Shady Grove LLC intends to build a six-story 417-unit apartment building with ground floor retail on the 4.3-acre former Reed Brothers Dodge site at 15955 Frederick Road.

, requesting judicial review of the City Council's decision to annex the property, is still pending. King Farm resident Cathy Scott filed that petition.

On Monday, the .