USPS Woodmoor Branch Post Office Inquiry

12.05.17

Inquiry:
An information request has been received regarding record plat information related to access for the
USPS Woodmoor Branch Post Office.

Background:
This issue was raised to the Montgomery County Department of Transportation by Senator Chris Van
Hollen’s office in April 2017 based on a constituent inquiry. The Montgomery County Department of
Transportation staff responded to the constituent request regarding concerns about traffic uses on Rogart
Road enroute to the US Post Office located 110 University Boulevard. In the email, the concerned
constituent mentioned that there is a 30-year-old “permit of exemption” that was issued to the Post Office
that permits commercial traffic.

Montgomery Planning Department’s information based on research of our records:

• There is nothing on the record plat (that was first recorded in 1940) that denies the property
owner/user access to the adjoining public streets.

• There is a microfiche file for Preliminary Plan 1-61007, that is the Post Office site. However, the
file is sparse (including only Plan referral/recommendation sheet and a Plan/Plat and no reference
to any agreement or permit of exemption).

• Around the same time of the Preliminary Plan noted above, there was a Special Exception Case
(BA-843) submitted to the Board of Appeals to request approval for off street motor vehicle
parking in a residential zone, associated with a commercial use. This case dealt with the area,
zoned R-60, where USPS is accessing Rogart Road. Staff’s reading of the case indicates that
access to Rogart was of no consideration, simply the legality of locating the parked vehicles for
the USPS in the residentially zoned area. The Board of Appeals dismissed the case, with the
majority opinion being that they had no jurisdiction to act (therefore the Special Exception was
not required).

• Planning staff is not aware of any County document called a “permit of exemption”. Staff
believes that the constituent could be referring to a Special Exception, but based on the case
reviewed (BA-843), no Special Exception was technically granted as the Board of Appeals
dismissed the case.

• Montgomery Planning is the owner of record plat information in the County, but MCDOT
maintains and issues right-of-way permits for public roads.

Record plat information:

• Plat 6200, approved in 1940 shows the establishment of Rogart Road as public street but does not
show the road up against the property of interest.

• Plat 1193, approved in 1961 is for the property of interest and shows that it has access to 3 public
streets. There is no note on the plat that would deny access to any of the public roads.

• Plat 12848, approved in 1979 is for the adjoining Safeway property. That plat also does not
indicate that access is denied to Rogart Road.