Dear Neighbors:
The City Council has a light agenda this week, but we’ll have a busy schedule over the next few months, with a number of important items on the agenda, as outlined below. Last week’s meeting was cancelled due to the snowstorm. There hadn’t been a public meeting scheduled for this week, and the only matter before us on Wednesday is a discussion “regarding pending or potential litigation related to the relocation of Washington Adventist Hospital.” That discussion will take place in a closed session. You can find information on questions that have arisen relating to the hospital’s departure from Takoma Park at the following two links, the first a January press release, and the second a Q and A document prepared earlier this month.
https://takomaparkmd.gov/news/hospital-considers-leaving-fewer-health-facilities-in-takoma-park/
Upcoming Agenda Items. You can see a tentative list of issues that will be considered by the Council in the coming months in the following rolling agenda: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/rolling-agenda-2018-03-21.pdf. Key agenda items for Council meetings in the near future include the site plan for the Takoma Junction development; the City Budget and property tax rate for Fiscal Year 2019 (which starts on July 1); the Housing and Economic Development Strategic Plan; and possible changes to the Inventory Tax paid by businesses operating in the City.
The April 4 Council meeting will include both the City Manager’s presentation of the proposed budget and a presentation by Junction developer NDC on their proposed site plan. There will be multiple Council meetings addressing both the budget and Takoma Junction, with extensive opportunities for the public to ask questions and offer their comments. This includes separate Open Houses on the budget and Takoma Junction on Saturday, April 7 from 2:00 – 5:00 PM in the Community Center. Child care will be available.
Takoma Junction. The site plan presentation at the April 4 Council meeting will kick off an intensive phase of community engagement on the development. Residents with questions about the process may wish to read the recent blog on this topic by Mayor Stewart: https://takomaparkmd.gov/city-council-and-mayor-blog/takoma-junction-update/. Details about the tentative dates and deadlines for the project can be found here: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/initiatives/project-directory/Takoma-Junction/Takoma-Junction_Main_Task_%20Listing_20180323.pdf.
Silver Spring Intermediate Park. I also wanted to let residents know that Montgomery County is considering improvements to Silver Spring Intermediate Park, which is located between Philadelphia and Boston Avenues near our border with Silver Spring. There’s background on the project here: https://www.montgomeryparks.org/projects/directory/silver-spring-intermediate-neighborhood-park-improvement-plan/, and details about a public meeting on Wednesday, April 18 here: https://www.montgomeryparks.org/uploads/2018/03/SSI-NP_Postcard.pdf. We have a City Council meeting that night, so I won’t be able to attend the park meeting, but I encourage residents who have ideas, concerns or questions about the future of the park to participate.
It will be important for me to hear from as many residents as possible on all of these issues, so please feel free to be in touch with questions and comments, or if you would like to meet with me to talk about any of the points covered in this message.
Peter Kovar, Takoma Park City Council, Ward One
240-319-6281; www.councilmemberkovar.com