Swatek Questions Inner Arbor Plan after Winning Long Reach Seat

Russell Swatek the newly-elected Columbia Association Board representative from Long Reach said Monday there are significant problems with the Inner Arbor Plan that he hoped to address as a board member.

Swatek beat incumbent Ed Coleman, 270-157, in the election, which concluded Saturday. Swatek previously served on the board from 2009 to 2011.

"I don't want significant size buildings in Symphony Woods," said Swatek, in an interview with Patch. "It would be nice to have a more open Central Park type environment. It makes no sense to put CA headquarters in Symphony Woods."

The Inner Arbor Plan is a concept plan approved by the CA Board to develop Symphony Woods with a tree canopy walkway; an arts village with a theater, restaurants and CA Headquarters; and a wooded amphitheater.

"I'm afraid CA is going to end up picking up far too much of the tab," said Swatek, who believes most of the community is either uninformed about the concept plan or against it.

"I think it needs a lot of review and a lot of revision," said Swatek. He said he has yet to see a study showing how implementing the plan makes economic sense, he wondered who would pay for its cost, and questioned the Inner Arbor Trust, a separate 501(c)3 CA intends to set up to develop and orchestrate the plan.

Swatek said the defeat of incumbent Ed Coleman in Long Reach and challenger Julia McCready in Oakland Mills, both supporters of the Inner Arbor Plan, shows there's concern about the plan.

"I don't think they're listening to residents anymore," said Swatek of the board. "They're sold on the idea that we're supposed to lead rather than listen to the residents."

Tom Coale, the CA board representative for Dorsey's Search, has been one of the leading advocates for the Inner Arbor Plan. He wrote on his blog HoCo Rising on Monday that supporters of the Inner Arbor Plan on the CA Board hold a majority over those who don't.

"I would like to think that the strengthened opposition will make our debates more substantive, while still allowing a final outcome to be achieved," wrote Coale. "So long as the vote of February 14 stands, and there is no reason to believe it is in danger, that final outcome has been determined."

On Feb. 14, CA's board voted to move forward with the Inner Arbor Plan as the concept plan for Symphony Woods.

When asked whether Swatek can make changes as part of the minority, he said, "I think some of the members of the board, who have the potential to care about the residents, might look at these election results and say, oh yeah, maybe we do need to change."

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