Brunch links: Foolishness in Maryland

News flash: cheap parking encourages driving: Montgomery County’s Office of Legislative Oversight issued a report saying what we knew: the county’s practice of building lots of cheap or free parking undermines their attempts to encourage non-auto commuting. Councilmember Nancy Floreen wants to hear your thoughts.

77 spaces for 48 condos in Bethesda? Apparently not taking the OLO report to heart, the Planning Board approved the Holladay at Edgemoor project, just three blocks from the Bethesda Metro, with 1.6 parking spaces for each unit. Apartment-dwellers right in downtown Bethesda really need more than one car per household? The Planning Board must not have been paying attention during their recent sustainability workshops.

Is it still the ‘60s in Baltimore? The Baltimore Sun reports on opposition to the Lexington Square development, nicknamed “superblock”. The name is apt, since the project would close a block of Marion Street to create a 28 stories of apartments and hotel rooms over retail and 1,000 underground parking spaces. Of course, this not actually being the ‘60s, the developers also plan street-facing retail with smaller stores on the street and larger stores above. But closing a street? DC is restoring the street grid in large projects like the old convention center site or (possibly) Hine Junior High. Via Planetizen.

Drink, speed, and kill someone, just get a ticket: Prince George’s County prosecutors have decided they can’t go after the county police officer who struck and killed a UMD student in his cruiser after drinking. County officials want to change the law to add a lower and easier-to-prove offense below vehicular manslaughter.

And: Connetiquette Ave discovers that Metro is renaming some southbound weekday rush hour 42 buses as a new route, the 43, but has decided not to tell anyone yet what they’re actually planning; homebuyers want walkable locations more than exurban sprawl, reports the AIA (tip: Louise).

Go round twice if you’re happy: A few new signs recently popped up around Dubai. Via How We Drive.