The measure, which covers building permits issued after Oct. 11, changes the way height is measured and eliminates a loophole that has allowed some builders to construct homes exceeding the current limit of 35 feet, as measured from the middle of the street.
The only dissenting vote was from council member Steven A. Silverman (D-At Large), who chairs a council committee that spent two years considering the bill before approving a version last week.
Silverman has enjoyed heavy support from developers and builders and has amassed a substantial campaign treasury for his expected run for next year’s Democratic nomination for county executive. The bill’s sponsor, council member Howard A. Denis (R-Potomac-Bethesda) also has received a substantial chunk of his campaign funds from development interests.
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Yesterday, Wilma strengthened from from a tropical storm to a category one hurricane. This morning it is a category five with 175 mile an hour winds and an air pressure in the eye of 884 MB, the lowest ever recorded in an Atlantic hurricane. Plus Wilma is still over some very warm Caribbean water. Perhaps they’ll have to make a category six for this one.
This season has tied the record for most named storms; after Wilma they’re out of names and will begin to use greek letters to designate the storms. The hurricane season officially lasts until the end of November–another six weeks. But it is worth remembering that last year was the first hurricane season on record that witnessed a hurricane in December.
Something strange is going on.
It is probably not a coincidence that last month was the warmest Setpember on record, 1.13 degrees Fahrenheit (0.63 degrees C) above the 1880-2004 long-term mean. So far 2005 is looking like it will be one of the top three warmest years on record.
Denying the existence of global warming is not only becoming increasingly difficult, it is becoming increasingly dangerous.
It is very timely that December 3rd is the International Day of Action to Stop Global Warming. In December the first major climate change conference since ratification of the Kyoto Protocolto will be held in Montral. In the USA 44 organizations are preparing events to press the importance of the issue. Tens of thousands of Americans have signed the Peoples ratification of the Kyoto Protocol petition, which will be taken to Montreal and delivered there to the U.S. delegation by a group of prominent personalities.
This issue is worth the effort.