County to allow taller buildings in south Silver Spring

Structures with ground-floor retail may be up to 200 feet, council says

The amendment would also allow buildings to be constructed even higher if they are used to ‘‘collect or radiate electromagnetic waves,” a provision that has been connected to a potential move by National Public Radio.

Andi Sporkin, a spokeswoman for NPR, replied by e-mail Monday that the media group should be making a decision on its new consolidated space — about 400,000 square feet for offices and studios — within 180 days. Currently, NPR operates out of two sites in Northwest Washington, D.C., and would like to move in 2011.

NPR has expressed interest in Silver Spring among about 12 other sites throughout the metropolitan area as candidates for its new building, including sites north of Massachusetts Avenue and in Southeast Washington.

Brian Raher, executive director of real estate firm Cushman and Wakefield, the leasing agent for the Washington Gateway project north of Massachusetts Avenue, said while the Gateway site’s neighborhood has been ‘‘short-listed” by NPR, he and ‘‘lots of other people” were still waiting for the nonprofit’s next move.

The county’s proposal was introduced Sept. 25 by Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) of Silver Spring, Nancy M. Floreen (D-At large) of North Bethesda, George L. Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park and Duchy Trachtenberg (D-At large) of North Bethesda. It was approved by the county’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development committee Nov. 5 with a 3-0 vote, without any changes to the text.

Before the vote last week, Ervin said the amendment was ‘‘intended to spur development in downtown Silver Spring” and would not change building heights recommended by the area’s sector plan.

The Ripley District is bounded by Georgia Avenue, Bonifant Street and the CSX railroad tracks. Currently, only projects within 800 feet of the Silver Spring Metro can be built taller than 143 feet.

Silver Spring residents and local officials have been mostly in favor of the amendment, with formal support expressed over the last few weeks by the Montgomery County Planning Board, the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce, the South Silver Spring Neighborhood Association and County Executive Isiah Leggett (D).

‘‘I think that it’s needed to ... place us in a competitive position as we try to provide for some additional opportunities in Silver Spring,” Leggett said Tuesday.

As far as NPR was concerned, Leggett said the amendment was ‘‘larger than that.”

‘‘It certainly doesn’t hurt us, but we have no direct assurances about all of the entities that may come into the area in the future. Overall, it places us in a better position,” he said.

Henry Odeniran, chairman of the South Silver Spring Neighborhood Association’s redevelopment committee, said the amendment was a good first step but he would like to see even more height allowed in the area so that Silver Spring does not lose out on developers who want to build taller.

Philip Olivetti, a member of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board and chairman of the board’s Commercial Economic Development Committee, said the amendment made sense in an area where increasing density for street-level retail was a ‘‘good trade-off.” The board did not take a formal vote on the amendment.

The most vocal concerns against the amendment have been made by historic preservationists who worry about the historic buildings along on Georgia Avenue and the small businesses in the area that may be squeezed out by the increased density, said Marcie Stickle, a member of the Silver Spring Historical Society.

The amendment will go into effect Dec. 10.

Gary Stith, director of the Silver Spring Regional Center, said he did not know of specific development proposals planned after that date that could take advantage of the amendment. Two residential projects that have already been approved by the Planning Board for that area will both be more than 143 feet tall, but do not fall within the boundaries of the amendment because they are within 800 feet of the Metro, he said.