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National
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Community Liaison Council Meeting
Minutes Draft
HANDOUTS
Janyce Hedetniemi welcomed the participants and thanked community representatives for their patience in dealing with the heightened security on campus and all other related issues. She said that NIH, the Navy, and Bethesda are attempting to ease congestion on Rockville Pike. Measures to ease traffic congestion, include opening two additional entrances to the parking lots parallel to Cedar Lane and enrolling more employees in the Transhare program. However, a recent Washington Post article incorrectly quoted her as saying two more parking garages would be opened.
Update on Trees Current Security Measures Ms. Hedetniemi said that due to the attacks on September
11, NIH took immediate action to secure the NIH campus, its employees,
and the surrounding community. At present, the following measures • All NIH employees and visitors must wear identification
badges at all times. Ms. Hedetniemi clarified that NIH's security measures are not being
taken because of a dangerous situation on campus, but rather, as a federal
agency, NIH is a symbol of the U.S. government. Its close proximity
to the president's hospital at the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC)
is another reason for precautions. NIH also wants to ensure that its
important biomedical research continues and that its vast stores of
scientific information and research are well protected. Stella Serras-Fiotes discussed the three-fold objectives of the new NIH security procedures: 1. To protect the people on campus; Ms. Serras-Fiotes explained that the campus perimeter is the first line of defense, hence the need for vehicle inspection. The second line of defense is of the facilities. This has called for the initiation of card key access to many areas, the obligatory wearing of NIH photo identification badges, and heightened vigilance in the laboratories. These are the extent of present security measures and are the same measures taken by other federal agencies. The long-term goal is to have security measures in place that can be increased or lessened with the appropriate threat level. NIH wants to be able to plan for the highest level but operate only at the necessary level. Ralph Schofer of the Maplewood Citizens Association asked why mirrors were not used to check under cars. Ms. Serras-Fiotes said this was done on a random basis. Eleanor Rice of the Locust Hill Civic Association asked if a perimeter fence would be erected. Ms. Serras-Fiotes said a fence is under consideration and she assured the group that it is NIH's intent, if one were built, to have it be attractive and blend with the landscape. Mr. Clifford said that NIH did not want to have a fortress mentality, but after September 11, the safety of the physical plant had to be a top priority. Other areas of security have arisen, such as the need to protect the mail, all of which is now being x-rayed. Ms. Hedetniemi said NIH will anticipate and protect all possible areas functioning on campus. Several members commended the courtesy of the police, who are working 12-hour shifts at the security check points. Review of the Preliminary Draft Master Plan Update Ms. Serras-Fiotes said that before the working group reports, she wanted to give the CLC an overall picture of what the planners have done. They have looked at projections for the growth of the campus and its physical development and have considered what parts of the 1995 Master Plan (MP) to maintain and change. She added that the working groups had nearly finished their tasks when the events of September 11 brought about new considerations. Ms. Serras-Fiotes showed a current map of the campus. She reminded the group that NIH is proposing to limit growth on campus to 22,000 people and that NIH is pursuing the possibility of establishing a satellite campus. She then showed a map of the campus, as reflected in the 1995 MP and reviewed the goals and objectives that are to be maintained in the revised MP. She also reviewed the 1995 MP planning premises that are to be continued, including matters of building and land use, architectural principals, open space, transportation/circulation, and infrastructure. In a map of the preliminary proposal for the MP 2001 Update, Ms. Serras Fiotes pointed out all new buildings, expansions, relocations, parking areas, and stormwater management areas that have been reviewed by the CLC. She said most changes to the plan are in the southern portion of the campus, where a service area proposed in the 1995 MP will be replaced by a laboratory space; and parking will be rearranged. Also, new to this Update are additions to the National Library of Medicine and the Children's Inn. NIH is discussing with Montgomery County its request to provide a regional stormwater management pond in the southeast part of the campus. Mr. Schofer of the Maplewood Citizens Association asked if the pond in the southern portion of the campus would be sufficient to make building another pond in the northern area unnecessary. Ms. Serras-Fiotes said this possibility is being considered. Lucy Ozarin of the Whitehall Condominium Association asked if the plan called for a parking garage in the southern area. Ms. Serras-Fiotes replied that a partially underground deck, with one or two decks above ground is planned south of the service building. George Oberlander of the Huntington Parkway Citizens Association asked how much more parking will be added to the south quad and was told it will be roughly the same number of parking spaces that is now available in surface lots. An important consideration, Ms. Serras-Fiotes said, is that security planning since September 11 will have to be incorporated into the MP. While these new measures are being determined, NIH proposes that the MP schedule be put on hold. She also added that NIH is working in a proactive manner to handle the traffic problems brought on by increased security and the restriction of vehicular access to the campus. Harvey Eisen of the Edgewood Glenwood Citizens Association asked how long the MP would be delayed. Ms. Serras-Fiotes replied that they would have a better idea in a month or six weeks.Karl Goller, a member of the Environmental Impacts Working Group, said he was glad to see planning for a satellite facility and hoped NIH would concentrate further growth on such a facility. Ms. Serras-Fiotes said she would be back to the CLC within a few months with an array of options related to this. Ralph Nossal of the Battery Park Association asked about moving labs and offices to the National Navy Medical Center (NNMC). Ms. Serras-Fiotes said that NIH has a cooperative agreement with the NNMC to renovate a few of their unused buildings for both clinical use and offices, but the space was very limited. Ms. Rice asked to circulate a letter from her association suggesting a second campus for NIH. Ms. Hedetniemi asked for the letter and said she would distribute it. Report from the Transportation Working Group Mr. Hayden circulated a draft set of recommendations from the Transportation Working Group including their recommendations for mitigating traffic impacts and maintaining the parking ratio of 0.50 spaces per employee. Ms. Miller thanked Mr. Hayden for preparing the draft report. Mr. Schofer asked if staggering work hours would help lower peak hour traffic and was told this is a consideration. Pat Southerland of the Huntington Parkway Citizens Association asked if heightened security would affect pedestrian and bicycle commuting and was told that this type of commuting could be restricted when security levels were very high. Ms. Hedetniemi asked how close the working group was to finishing. Ms. Miller said they are waiting for one more piece of information before completion. Report from the Environmental Impacts Working Group
(EIWG) by George Williams, DES, ORS, NIH Mr. Williams reviewed construction projects that will be visible within the next few months. • Groundbreaking for the new fire house in the northwest quadrant of campus will begin in November. This two-story structure will cost $4 to 6 million. • Building 50 will be fully occupied in December, freeing space for the renovation of Buildings 7, 9, and 14 as Swing Space for Building 6. Building 6 renovation will start mid summer 2002. • The East Day Care Center is complete, allowing for Building 35 to be vacated and phase one of the Neuroscience Research Center to begin. In phase one of this process, Building 35 will be demolished and a 200,000 square foot structure will be built in its place. To date, there has been some site clearing. Demolition will begin in November using a hydraulic concrete muncher that chews concrete so it can be recycled. All work will take place during normal day light hours, and construction should be completed in 2004. In phase two, Building 36 will be demolished and another large structure built in its place. • Centex is the new general contractor for the Clinical Research Center. • Power plant phase one, the west face, is complete. East expansion will begin soon. • In the northwest corner, the power substation construction has begun. This building will be completed within the year, but it will take until 2003 to install all the electrical equipment. • The Family Lodge, funded through the NIH Foundation, will begin construction when funds are available. • The Building 6 addition will house a zebra fish research facility, the largest of its kind in the country. Construction will begin this year. The gas pipeline Request For Proposal (RFP) will be announced in Commerce Business Daily in the next few days. Evaluations of proposals will be made from December through March. The source selecting committee will make the offer and award the contract in May. Completion is expected in September 2003. Mr. Williams was asked if they expect other bidders besides Washington Gas, and he replied that he hoped so. Since bidding is confidential, it will not be known to any bidder whether there are others competing. Mr. Southerland asked if the RFP changed after the security measures began. Mr. Williams said security will be assessed as they go through the process. Keith Pew of the Greenwich Park Citizens Association asked if once the proposals are evaluated, the CLC will be involved in reviewing them. Ms. Hedetniemi said that the proposals will not be reviewed by the Council but by technical review committees that do include community representatives. Mr. Williams explained that the NEPA process can be applied only when routes are proposed by the offeror. OTHER BUSINESS Ms. Hedetniemi reminded the group that she had been appointed to the Montgomery County Transportation Policy Task Force because of NIH's successful traffic management record and because the group anticipated that decisions would be by consensus. Rules governing federal employees participation on such advisory boards require that decisions made must be by consensus. The task force however could not achieve consensus and decided to vote. Following the advice of NIH legal counsel, Ms. Hedetniemi told the task force that she would have to resign or serve as a non-voting member. They encouraged her to stay as a non-voting member, and she agreed. At the invitation of Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan, Ms. Hedetniemi has agreed to serve on the Montgomery County Economic Impact Panel. A fence to hold the staging materials for construction of the Neuroscience Research Center is under construction at the corner of Old Georgetown Road and Lincoln Avenue. Renovation of the Bloch Building has begun at Ayrlawn Road and Old Georgetown Road. Most of the work will be on the interior and will take place during normal business hours. On October 24, from 8 to 9 p.m., the second test of the second boiler plant silencer system will take place. The first test was Wednesday, September 26. Publication of the OCL Update for October was delayed because of all the changes resulting from the incidents on September 11. The present issue is at the press and will be distributed shortly. Ms. Hedetniemi said that currently many programs of interest to the community and events held after hours or on weekends are not allowed. As such, a number of events scheduled to use the campus were moved, cancelled, or postponed. These include: the Autism Walk (relocated); the Montgomery County Youth Works Scavenger Hunt (cancelled for a number of reasons); and the Share the Health Forum (postponed until Fall 2002). Randy Schools of the NIH Recreation and Welfare Association added that the NIH Farmer's Market had been cancelled and the Salt River Lobster Truck has moved to the parking lot of the community store at the corner of Old Georgetown and Greentree Roads. Ms. Rice asked if Ms. Hedetniemi had any news about the appointment of a new NIH Director. Ms. Hedetniemi said she did not. Ms. Hedetniemi said that Representative Connie Morella has asked all
federal agencies located in Montgomery County to work with the County
schools to recruit volunteers to share their knowledge and time with
students. Ms. Hedetniemi will encourage NIH employee involvement and
will report further to the community about this important effort to
enhance teacher resources in local schools.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, November 15, 2001 at
4 p.m., at the Natcher Conference Center, Room D, on the NIH Campus.
Attendees: Guests:
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