Clarion. Upcoming Events Calendar. President s Message. January. February. March 10 Daylight Savings Time begins

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1 Clarion January 2013 Circulation 3500 Greater Colesville Citizens Association, PO Box 4087, Colesville, MD President s Message I am sitting down to write this between Christmas and New Years. I want to wish everyone a happy holiday session and new year. One of the areas I have been unhappy about is the length of time it has taken to get a Clarion to you after the articles have been written. We have looked into the process we had been using, and made a number of changes so that the length of time will now take slightly over two weeks, which is much faster than the previous 5-6 weeks. This means we have much more that we can write about before the event is over before you get the newsletter. We have also changed the schedule of the newsletter to more closely match recurring county and state events. We will now distribute the Clarion in Sept/Oct, January, March and May. Important government actions we follow are the 90 day State Legislative session that occurs Jan-April, and the county capital and operating budgets that occur Jan-May. This year, the White Oak Gateway Master Plan and Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan will both be introduced before the Planning Board starting in January. After introduction, there will be hearings before the Planning Board. They will hold worksessions and then they will submit the proposed master plans to the Council for their hearings, worksessions and action. This entire process will go on into the fall. Elsewhere in the newsletter, you will have articles about the General Assembly legislative session, and a number of items related to transportation. The state legislation and transportation are two areas where I am personally very involved. I am one of GCCA s representatives to the Montgomery County Civic Federation (MCCF) which is a group of about 60 civic groups from throughout Montgomery County. At MCCF, I am Legislative Committee Chair and Transportation Committee Chair. As Legislative Chair I represent them on the Committee for Montgomery (CfM) of which I am chair this year. CfM is composed of 40 groups including labor, business, education, civic, and non-profits. CfM advocates before the state for items that would benefit Montgomery County. Our voice carries much more weight when many groups come together to support legislation of common interest. The GCCA Executive Board meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 PM at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration. These meetings are open to everyone and I encourage you to attend. There is a time early in the agenda where members of the community can address the Board with issues. Dan Wilhelm President, Greater Colesville Citizens Association GCCA Officers and Chairs: President Dan Wilhelm, Vice President Fred Pulliam, Treasurer Ed Wetzlar, Recording Secretary David Michaels, Communications Secretary Mary Rigney, Clarion Editor Nancy Laich Upcoming Events Calendar January 20 Presidential Inauguration Day 20 Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute and Musical Celebration, Music Center at Strathmore, free tickets at Strathmore.org, 3-5 pm 21 Martin Luther King, Jr s Birthday, No school, Montgomery County. schools February 12 GCCA Board Mtg., 7:30 pm (see directions below) 18 President s Day, No school, Montgomery County. schools March 10 Daylight Savings Time begins 11 Mont.Co. Schools Community Day, (see article on page 5 for details) 12 GCCA Board Mtg,. 7:30 pm (see directions below) 19 Live Discussion with Ike Legget. 1-2 pm, on line at montgomerycountymd.gov Upcoming GCCA Board meetings will be held at 7:30 pm at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, New Hampshire Ave. Meetings are in the room under the sanctuary and are open to the public. For information contact GCCA President Dan Wilhelm or address djwilhelm@verizon.net 1

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3 2013 State Legislation Session Begins January 9 by Dan Wilhelm The General Assembly convenes on January 9 for the start of the ninety day 2013 legislative session. The Montgomery County Delegation, consisting of 8 senators and 24 delegates, has already started considering local and Montgomery/Prince George s bicounty bills. The bi-county bills affect WSSC and M-NCPPC. They held a priorities hearing in November and two public hearings the first week of December. The major points many speakers made at the November priorities hearing was the need for capital funding for education and transportation. The MCPS is requesting $147.7M for new buildings, and to renovate existing ones. Based upon history, they will get somewhere around $30M to $40M. Montgomery College is requesting $13.3M for the final phase of the math and science complex at the Rockville Campus, and Universities at Shady Grove is requesting $5M for planning of the biomedical sciences and engineering facility. On the transportation front, there has been an off-and-on effort for the last 20 years to increase the gasoline tax, or find some other funding source. The gasoline tax effort has failed during this period but there have been some other small increases. The state is currently at a critical point for additional funds, not only to maintain the existing roads, but also for top priority projects such as the Purple Line and Corridor Cities Transitway. The state needs to be able to demonstrate to the federal government it can pay its share of these projects if it hopes to obtain federal funds. The big unknown that will affect the upcoming session concerns what happens at the federal level. Decisions made by the President and Congress will directly affect not only our taxes but also how much money is available to be given to Maryland. The state has assumed some reduction in tax receipts but has not factored in any reduction in grants and other funds coming from the federal government. By the time you read this, maybe more will be known. The local and bi-county bills can be found at montgomerycountydelegation.com. One local bill that 3 starts to address an issue many of us in Colesville are concerned about is reducing the size of deer population. MC 2-13 would reduce the distance for archery hunting safety zone from 150 yards to 50 yards from any place occupied by people. Many of us think controlled hunting is better for the deer in that it would be more humane than starvation or being killed or injured in collisions with vehicles. It will also increase our safety by reducing the number of collisions with vehicles and reduce the amount of property damage caused by deer. Information on this bill can be found at I urge you to support this bill by contacting your delegates and senators. Their contact information can be found on this web site. GCCA is split between District 20 (roughly south of Randolph) and District 14 (roughly north of Randolph). Once the session starts, information about bills can be found at The local and bi-county bills that are accepted by the Montgomery County delegation will be formally introduced in the General Assembly and posted on the state web site. This will probably occur toward the end of January. Burtonsville Development Plan On December 4, 2012, the County Council, acting as District Council, voted unanimously to approve both the Burtonsville Crossroads Neighborhood Plan, and ZTA Rural Cluster (RC) Zone - Impervious Surface Limits. Over the next month, the Sectional Map Amendment (SMA) will be completed. The SMA is a comprehensive rezoning, initiated by the Planning Board, covering a section of the County and usually including several tracts of land. It normally takes place following adoption of a master plan. During the same timeframe, the Burtonsville Design Guidelines will be finalized. The Guidelines assist in implementing the recommendations in the Approved and Adopted Burtonsville Crossroads Neighborhood Plan. They provide information on how plan recommendations and zoning code requirements can be met, the context for individual sites, and ideas about how best practices in building and site design can be met.

4 Rapid Transit System Update by Dan Wilhelm In the September Clarion, I reported on the work the Transit Task Force (TTF) had been doing, and its report to the County Executive. In summary, the TTF had recommended a three-phase,160 mile transit system in Montgomery County. The TTF recommended a number of studies and engineering actions be undertaken so the first phase could be operational in 5 years, with the full system being operational in 10 years. The systemwould function similar to Metrorail, but the vehicles have rubber tires and run mostly on existing six-lane and some four-lane roads in the county. There have been a number of developments since August including the following: 2012 County Capital Improvement Program (CIP) amendment The County Executive has submitted a CIP amendment to the Council with a hearing scheduled for Jan 15. The CIP amendment requests $1M to undertake a number of needed studies which were identified by the TTF. Many speakers at the public hearing held by the County Executive in September indicated they wanted answers to a number of questions, some of which the studies would provide. The original CIP package from the County Executive was not entirely clear, but has since been clarified. The Executive is focusing on the Transit Task Force (TTF) phase 1 network which covers MD 355, US29, Randolph Road, ICC, Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT), Viers Mill Rd and Georgia Ave between Glenmont and Olney. The ICC is already built so there is no additional study of that corridor needed. Studies are already underway by the state for the CCT, Viers Mill Rd, and Georgia Ave. The Transit Corridors Function Master Plan will be looking at a number of corridors including MD355, US29, and Randolph Road. Also, recall that the Governor selected the use of dedicated bus lanes over light rail. The CCT project has been submitted to the Federal Department of Transportation for possible funding. The CIP amendment will cover work other than the design of the corridors, including: - Service planning and integration of Ride On and Metrobus with the new rapid transit routes - Pedestrian and bicycle access to the stations - Parking requirements - Signal prioritization - Changes to organization structure to efficiently and effectively design, build, operate and maintain the RTS and ensure sustainability and integration with Ride On and Metrobus services - Development of the framework and polices associated with future rights-of-way and operational agreements with the state (most corridors use existing state road rights-of-way) County Capital Improvement Program The biannual CIP will be submitted to the Council in the middle of January. We understand that part of it will include more CIP projects. At this time, we don t know what they will cover. The Council will hold hearings on the entire set of CIP projects, and make a decision in May about which ones to fund and by how much. Rapid Transit System (RTS) Steering Committee The County has formed a RTS Steering Committee to support and provide advice to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and County Executive. The focus is on the implementation of a Rapid Transit System in the County, within the framework of adopted and soon to be adopted Master Plans, and within the fiscal constraints and overall policy direction of the County Executive. The Committee has 16 voting members, including three members of the TTF, two public members who are transit experts, a number of county department heads, Planning Board and department, WMATA representatives and MD DOT representation. I am one of the three TTF members on this committee. In early December we had a kick-off meeting. Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan This effort is focusing on the corridors recommended by the TTF. The planning staff held public forums November At the forums they presented information concerning the part of the TTF network they are evaluating. They talked about the possibility of repurposing one lane of six-lane roads in some areas, and also where more lanes could be added. The focus of all the studies is to stay within the existing right-of-way to (continued on page 5) 4

5 Rapid Transit System (continued) the maximum extent possible. Even by taking a lane for RTS vehicles (RTV), the road will be able to transport many more people once enough people start using it. It requires a RTV vehicle every five minutes at 60% full to provide the same capacity as three lanes used by cars in one direction today without the RTV. As ridership increases and RTVs run each minute, the capacity becomes the equivalent to 8 lanes in one direction. The date for the staff draft has been delayed from the end of December to March, when it will be posted on the Planning Board web site. The extra time is needed by staff to undertake additional studies. The public hearings are targeted for early May. More information about their work can be found at College Scholarship for Springbrook HS Students A $500 college scholarship will be awarded to a qualified Springbrook High School student for the first time in The Anne Swaminathan Scholarship has been established by her family and friends in memory of her passion and goal to support deserving students whose financial difficulties limit their access to education. Anne Swaminathan, a Colesville resident, was an active volunteer in the community. She enjoyed participating in PTA and family events at Westover Elementary School, White Oak Middle School, and Springbrook High School. To be eligible to receive the Anne Swaminathan Scholarship, a Springbrook HS 2013 graduate, who will be attending a two-year or four-year college or university in Fall 2013 must: Demonstrate financial need Have a grade point average of at least 3.0 Have earned a grade of B or above in academically challenging courses The $500 cash scholarship can be used towards tuition, books, and other fees. Applications must be received by March 1, Family and friends of Anne encourage the community to encourage eligible students to apply for this assistance. More information about Anne and how to apply for this scholarship is available at: GCCA Opposes Special Exception for Child Care Center Expansion Layhill Learning Center, Inc has filed a special exception to increase the number of children, all age 5 or younger, allowed in their facility from 30 to 62. The property is located at 170 Randolph Road. GCCA opposes this special exception (case no S-2857), primarily because there would be too many children in the small house. Under the zoning ordinance, uses designated as special exceptions are allowed when certain conditions can be satisfied. For GCCA to keep the use from being approved, we must show that the conditions are not being satisfied when the applicant is contending they are satisfied. The major standards are: adequate parking (a parking waiver was requested, which we oppose); amount of space per child in the building meets state standards (we contend it doesn t); 500 square feet of lot for each child or it predominantly serve children who will require limited outdoor activity space (we want to exclude unusable land, such as steep banks and parking) and will not result in a nuisance to the surrounding uses because of traffic, parking, noise or type of physical activity. The hearing is scheduled for February. 1. Montgomery Co. Schools Community Days Montgomery County School Superintendent, Dr. Starr will hold six Community Days, visiting each one of the district s community school clusters. The Community Days are an opportunity for Dr. Starr to spend a day meeting with staff, visiting schools, and hearing from parents. Each Community Day ends in a Town Hall event at 7:30 p.m. with the public asking questions and sharing thoughts and ideas. Free childcare and interpretation services are available at the Town Hall meetings. Monday, Mar. 11, 2013 Northeast Consortium (Blake, Paint Branch and Springbrook clusters) and Sherwood cluster Town Hall at James Hubert Blake HS 5

6 Montgomery County Urban Canopy Legislation Two Tree Bills and a Resolution in Support by Ginny Barnes, Environmental Chair, Mont. County Civic Federation (Re-printed from January, 2013 Newsletter) It has been a long time coming but more than two years after DEP offered to draft tree legislation, the County Executive has finally sent an urban tree bill - Bill 35-12, the Montgomery County Urban Canopy Bill - to the Council. The purpose of this bill is to discourage the common practice of clearing trees from small lots during redevelopment. Unlike the County Forest Conservation Law, in effect since 1992 which addresses protection of forest stands on large lots, this bill focuses on the continued canopy depletion in urban areas and close-in suburbs where the loss of individual and small stands of trees has been both significant and cumulative. It requires that fees be collected whenever tree canopy is disturbed on any lot where a sediment control permit is required. Disturbance of 5,000 square feet or more triggers a sediment control permit. The fees collected will be paid directly into a mitigation fund and used to plant native trees in the same sub-watershed where canopy is lost. While Montgomery County has an overall canopy cover of roughly 50%, some of the most urban parts of the County are down to as low as 8% and continuing to decline. The 50% overall canopy is a testament to the success of our Forest Conservation Law and the ability to find mitigation sites, particularly in the Agricultural Reserve. But canopy cover has suffered in older downcounty communities where redevelopment and stormwater management requirements have taken out large specimen trees without providing mitigation or replacement species. A second piece of legislation, Council Bill 41-12, the Montgomery County Streets and Roadside Tree Protection Bill, introduced by Councilmembers Berliner and Elrich will require a county permit for any work in the County Right-of-Way (this is usually the strip of land between the street and any private property line) that will damage trees. The Department of Permitting Services (DPS) would work with the Chief of Tree Maintenance in the County Department of Transportation (DOT) to determine if a tree can be saved and if not, the applicant would contribute to a tree fund to insure replacement. A Public Hearing before the County Council on both bills is scheduled for January 17th. I urge all community leaders to call and sign up to testify in support of both bills. Resolution on Forest and Tree Protection to be voted on at the January 14 meeting Whereas, Montgomery makes a significant contribution to the health of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers and the Chesapeake Bay, and Whereas, forest and tree cover has long been recognized as invaluable ecological and public health assets; cleaning our atmosphere by intercepting airborne particles, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases, attenuating stormwater runoff, filtering groundwater and contributing to a clean public water supply, cooling and reducing energy consumption and mitigating climate change, and Whereas, despite the existence of the County Forest Conservation Law, overall tree canopy is declining on an average of 2% a year nationwide and in Montgomery County, urban areas are especially depleted, and Whereas, in the interest of both ecological and public health the County needs to increase tree and forest canopy cover whenever and wherever possible, Therefore, be it resolved that the Montgomery County Civic Federation urges County and State governments to facilitate and expand efforts to protect and increase tree canopy on both public and private lands. 6

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11 1 Fred Pulliam (2) 144 Bonifant Rd Nancy Laich (5) Stilton Cir GCCA Area Representatives (3 representatives per area) 18 Ray Rye Baker Dr Janet MacNab Meadowood Dr Marguerite Raaen Sandy Ridge Rd Henry Morrow Mills Avenue Connie Morrow Mills Avenue Adrienne Lees Overton Lane Rosina Mason 306 Colesville Manor Bill Backof Shannon Drive Cindy Lapinski 216 Colesville Manor Open 8 Open 9 Jasline Jesson Sherwood Forest Open 11 David Michaels (4) 508 Hawkesbury Lane Open 13 Open 14 Robert Bartol 224 Springloch Road Open 16 Sharon Brown 215 Shaw Ave Open 19 Mark Burg 1100 Orchard Way Open 21 Open 22 Martha Harris Kara La Dan Wilhelm (1) 904 Cannon Rd Beverly Paylor Burkhart St Ed Weiler 1008 Mondrian Terr Beverly Roof Allerton Lane Lenora Queen Broadmore Rd Mary E. Rigney Allerton Lane Open 28 Otto E. Lewis Billington Rd Edward Wetzlar (3) 316 Greenhill Way ******************************************* (1) President, (2) VP, (3) Treasurer, (4) Recording Secretary, (5) Clarion Editor GCCA DUES PAYMENT TIME - MEMBERSHIP IS IMPORTANT PLEASE JOiN GCCA: The annual dues are $10.00 per member (June 2012 through May 2013). Contributions are vital to GCCA s mission of improving our Colesville community. Make checks payable to GCCA and mail to P.O. Box 4087, Colesville, MD NAME(S): ADDrESS: PHONE Dues GCCA Donation total Area # (if known) 11

12 Greater Colesville Citizens Association PO Box 4087 Colesville, MD PRST STD U.S. Postage PAID Suburban, MD Permit No