Maryland Light Rail Moved to Avoid Golf Course and Residents Cry Foul

In exchange for a promise from a country club not to oppose the planned Purple Line, the Maryland Transit Administration has agreed to move tracks, build sound walls, and attend regular meetings. Residents aren't happy about the special treatment.

1 minute read

September 27, 2013, 12:00 PM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


"Maryland officials have signed a legal agreement with the Columbia Country Club promising to shift the Purple Line’s proposed course to better protect the club’s Chevy Chase golf course — one of several concessions setting the country club apart from hundreds of other property owners along the route," reports Katherine Shaver. 

"Community concerns have prompted other changes to the Purple Line’s design, state officials have said, including a smaller train storage yard farther from homes in the Lyttonsville community of Silver Spring and improved pedestrian and bicycle access," she notes. "But other private property owners do not have legally binding agreements or guarantees of regular meetings with state transit officials, like those granted to the country club."

“I think it’s great the country club can secure these concessions and promises, but what about the rest of us without the same clout or resources?” said Phil MacWilliams, president of the Coquelin Run Citizens Association.


Wednesday, September 25, 2013 in The Washington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

July 2 - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

July 2 - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

July 2 - CNU Public Square