Dear Neighbors:
Here’s a link to the agenda for the February 26 City Council meeting: https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-meeting-agenda-wednesday-february-26-2020/. There will be no votes. The work session includes a presentation and update from the architect about the Library renovation plans, and discussion of a request to close a portion of Anne Street on May 2. We’ll also have an update from the Youth Council.
Prior to the meeting, starting at 6:00 PM in the Community Center, there will be a special event featuring five new Little Free Library boxes painted by local artists Samantha Contrino and Katie Macyshyn. The boxes will feature portraits and inspiring quotes from a diverse group of women who played important roles in literature and promoting women’s rights.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
State Highway Administration Takoma Junction Vision Workshop -- February 25. Members of the SHA Takoma Junction Stakeholder Advisory Group will participate in a workshop -- open to the public -- on the agency’s Junction recommendations. The workshop will be at the Takoma Park Middle School Cafeteria from 6:30 - 8:30 PM.
Peter’s Office Hours: Wednesday, February 26, 9:00 - 11:00 AM, Takoma Bevco. Stop by to discuss local issues with me. No appointments required. If that time is inconvenient, let me know and we can schedule a separate meeting.
Montgomery County Climate Action Plan and Town Hall -- February 27. This event will run from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at United Therapeutics, 1110 Spring Street in Silver Spring. The County’s five community-based climate planning workgroups will present their recommendations for the County to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build resilience to climate impacts, and support more equitable communities now and in the future. Space is limited, and the registration limit has been reached. However, you can watch live on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/montgomerycountyinfo/. You can also submit online comments at the County’s climate planning website.
2020 Census Jobs. It’s crucial for Takoma Park to have a full count of all our residents so our population is accurately recorded for Congressional representation; in order to receive appropriate levels of funding for which we’re eligible; and to ensure we have a full picture of our community. The Census can be a great opportunity for residents seeking short-term employment opportunities. A Census job recruiter will be in the Computer Center rotunda in the Community Center on Wednesdays in February from 5:00 - 7:00 PM and Saturdays from 1:00 - 4:00 PM.
Dangling Utility/Telecom Wires. The Mayor has asked Comcast to remove their wires hanging from utility poles around the city. If you notice a utility pole with hanging wires, please take a photo of the pole number or make a note of it, and email the information to the Mayor (kates@takomaparkmd.gov) or Donna Wright with the City staff (donnaw@takomaparkmd.gov). Staff will work with Comcast or other relevant companies to remove the wires.
UPDATE FROM LAST WEEK’S COUNCIL MEETING
Stormwater Fee Structure Revision. https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2020/council-20200219-1.pdf. We discussed this topic at considerable length. To summarize, the new stormwater data enables the City for the first time to measure the impervious area in each single family property. That in turn allows for a more fine grained calculation of the extent to which each property contributes to our stormwater flow (we’re required by the State to move toward treating the flow from at least 20 percent of the impervious area City-wide). Based on this new data, City staff proposes a tiered approach in which homeowners with greater amounts of impervious areas would pay correspondingly higher stormwater fees. You can see how your property would be affected via the map accessible through the link above.
I agree that a tiered approach is more fair, but if we go in that direction we need to ensure first that there’s a good system for residents who wish to challenge their fees because for example their driveway is composed of porous material or their stormwater is being treated in some other way not captured through the Lidar and GIS data collection process. In addition, I think there should be some type of phase-in for the larger fee increases. And finally, I’d like to explore whether we can develop some change in the way at least a portion of our stormwater funds are used so that those who pay substantially higher fees receive some benefit from that.
Climate Resolution. The Council reviewed the revised resolution, which you can see here: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2020/Meeting-Documents/Revised-Climate-Resolution-20200214.pdf. As noted in last week’s blog, while the new version retains the idea of seeking a net 100 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, it clarifies that the City would be adopting via the resolution a framework for further discussion and cost analysis over a period of years rather than approving now a series of mandates or requirements. I think that represents a positive restructuring of the resolution, and I’m pleased that we’re continuing to look at further changes to it based on feedback from residents, Council discussion, staff input, etc.
I was glad that over 40 residents attended the Ward One community meeting Mayor Stewart and I hosted last night at the Community Center. Attendees at the meeting made quite a few good suggestions for further amendments to the resolution, and I intend to suggest a number of additional changes to my colleagues, based on those ideas, for inclusion in the resolution. I urge residents who may have further thoughts about language to be added to the resolution to pass them along to me. I’m hopeful that we’ll get the resolution finalized in the near future so that -- in collaboration with Montgomery County and other levels of government -- we can move forward on a set of climate change initiatives that are affordable, that are appropriate for a community of our size, and that can help us achieve our 2035 goal.
WORK SESSION
Library Renovation:
https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2020/council-20200226-1.pdf
https://takomaparkmd.gov/initiatives/project-directory/library-renovation/
This will be a continuation of the discussions with, and presentations from, Greg Lukmire, the chief architect for the Library project. Previously, movement on the project was slowed because initial floodplain study information required the design of the project to be revised in order to properly safeguard the new building from flooding. As part of that redesign, rather than simply expanding the size of the Library, Mr. Lukmire proposed tearing down the existing structure, raising its floor, and adding the expansion to that higher-floored building.
This week’s presentation was envisioned as a check-in roughly halfway through the current design contract with Mr. Lukmire’s firm. The Council would receive an update on the floodplain findings along with detailed cost information in order to help us determine whether there’s sufficient funding set aside for the project or whether we may need to consider some design changes to make the project less costly.
The agenda material indicates that the latest floodplain findings don’t necessitate substantial design changes. I look forward to hearing more about that point. Also, as noted above, I’ve been anticipating that the Council would receive specific cost details for the project. However, those details haven’t been made available yet for this week’s meeting. While I’m a strong supporter of the Library project, I think it’s important for us to have a detailed cost breakdown before we undertake another major phase in the design process, and I’ll be making that point at the meeting.
May 2 Anne Street Closure: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2020/council-20200226-2.pdf. The Takoma/Langley Crossroads Development Authority would like to hold its annual SpringFest on Saturday, May 2, from Noon - 5:00 PM, and has requested the closure of a one-block section of Anne Street for that purpose.
As always, please be in touch with comments or questions about any of these issues.
Peter Kovar, Takoma Park City Council, Ward One
240-319-6281; www.councilmemberkovar.com
(He, Him, His)
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