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Obi-Wan Kenobi, where are you as we fight the evil empire of the Intercounty Connector?

The ICC is completed and built in my neighborhood, but there is more. Now we must endure the building of a commuter parking lot adjoining the backs of our homes and the children's tot lot, when across the street is already a commuter parking lot. How do we stop this? Can someone help us?

My neighbors and I have endured noise at all hours of the day and night, near misses from large trucks going the wrong way on one-way roads, removal of gorgeous trees, and meetings with ICC community liaisons who write down our grievances but have no power to address them.

Help me to understand the necessity of building a long-term commuter parking lot for the ICC in a residential area off Georgia Avenue when across the street is an existing commuter parking lot that has access from Georgia Avenue and Norbeck Road (please notice two directions).

Help me to understand the rationale of putting this parking lot next to a children's tot lot playground, which poses a security issue for our children playing.

Help me to understand the reason the federal, local, and state governments that are financially strapped to pay for this additional parking lot. Are they not as broke as they say? If money is already allocated for this lot, couldn't it be saved? How about using it for schools?

Help me to understand why our government officials are not as outraged as we are about the use of funds in this manner.

Help me to understand why the plans for the parking lot are presented to the community for our information after paving has begun and trees removed, but the cost of the lot cannot be communicated and the type or amount of lighting or noise impact are not available.

When asked who to contact to amend plans for the parking lot, we are told that there are four governmental agencies that are difficult to deal with and we are still waiting to get names for the leaders of these agencies so that we may contact them. The ICC does have a community liaison person who has no power and takes notes, but where are the decision-making bodies? Where are my representatives who are supposed to help us? How can our grievances be known?

How many times must a community endure the rape of the ICC? Help us Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Nancy Mixson, Rockville