The Smart Growth Initiative

Solutions: Finmarc

Additional site map showing DLC warehouse and additional green buffer.

Background information

• Privately-owned site adjacent to the GE Tech Park
• Contains over 200,000 square feet of warehouse building.
• The size of the existing warehouse (almost 4.5 acres under roof) is a perfect match for the requirements of the Liquor Warehouse.
• To be used for the Department of Liquor Control (DLC)
• Current information about the DLC:
• Between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. 30-35 Liquor Control trucks exit the property.
• Between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. the trucks return.
• Between 4:30 p.m. and 2 a.m. the trucks are loaded (Usually Sunday-Thursday).
• Monday through Friday- approximately 30 tractor trailer trucks deliver merchandise.
• Between 12 and 18 tractor trailer trucks unload deliveries per day between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• Monday through Friday- approximately 110-120 employees park in the lot.
• Monday through Friday- approximately 10-20 customers arrive daily for licensing and other information.
• 20-25 customers arrive daily for pick-up of merchandise.

Commonly Asked Questions

• Will you consolidate all of the DLC functions on the property? Yes
• How many robberies have taken place at DLC? We don’t know of any, but we will get that information and share it will the community.
• Is it true that the County has no plans to place the PSTA, the MCPS foods warehouse, and the firing range on the GE/ Finmarc properties? Yes, the GE building will be used for administrative purposes and the PeaPod warehouse will be used for the Department of Liquor Control.
• How many trips are currently occurring at the site and how many trips will occur with the County’s use of the warehouse for the Department of Liquor Control? Currently 1365 trips per day are generated at the warehouse. Of these trips, 248 of them are trucks and occur during the hours of 4 a.m. and 12 a.m. DLC’s use of the warehouse will result in 744 trips per day. Of these trips, 122 of them are trucks occurring only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Where is the county at this time in the process? Negotiating a contract with property owners, at the earliest it will be completed by September of 2009 because PeaPod still needs to find a new location.
• Does the County have any plans to build any additional warehouses? No, we have no plans to build additional warehouses.
• What were the City of Gaithersburg’s reaction to the proposal to relocate the Liquor Warehouse to the Finmarc site? The City of Gaithersburg has not opposed our proposed uses. Some officials voiced support, other cautious support and others were non-committal.
• The relocation of the Liquor Warehouse to the Finmarc property appears to be very advantageous. Can this part of the proposal move on a separate track? Does the Executive recommend acquiring the Finmarc property if for some reason the County is not able to acquire the GE Tech Park? The acquisition on the Finmarc parcel can proceed on a separate track. The consolidation of the DLC’s functions is so advantageous that the Executive would recommend proceeding with this part of the deal regardless of the other elements.