Dear Neighbors:
Here’s a link to the agenda for the February 5 City Council meeting: https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-meeting-agenda-wednesday-february-5-2020/. The key agenda item is a public hearing on, and continued Council discussion of, the proposed climate change resolution. We’ll also be discussing proposed changes to the fee structure of the City’s stormwater program, and a request by the Old Takoma Business Association to closure Laurel Avenue for events on two specific dates later this year. There will also be a single vote on two City vehicle purchases, and we may briefly discuss possible appointments to resident committees.
Climate Change Public Hearing: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2020/council-20200205-1-4.pdf. The climate change plan is something with the potential to have significant impacts on anyone who lives in the City, so I urge residents to review it and provide feedback. In addition to this week’s public hearing, residents can offer public comments at upcoming Council meetings, and also communicate directly with me electronically or in person (send me an email if you’d like to arrange a meeting).
Following this week’s public hearing and Council discussion, the updated schedule for consideration of the climate resolution is as follows: further Council discussion on February 19, and a potential vote on February 27 or March 4. This is later than the originally scheduled voting date of February 12. As noted previously, I think we need additional time to consider the impact of the proposal, including obtaining more data on its potential financial impact, getting answers to some of the outstanding technical questions, thinking about possible amendments, and enabling further community input, so I think this delay is helpful. My blog from last week explains in more detail the kinds of questions and concerns on which I’d like to see more clarity before we’d be ready to vote: http://www.councilmemberkovar.com/blog/2020/1/27/january-29-2020-city-council-agenda. I’ll be focusing on those points as we work on the proposal in the coming weeks.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let’s Play America’s 10th Annual Winter Play Day -- Sunday February 9, 1:00 - 4:00 PM, Takoma Park Community Center. http://www.letsplayamerica.org/upcoming-events
Takoma Foundation 2020 Azalea Awards -- February 20 Deadline. You can find the ballot here: https://www.takomafoundation.org/events/azalea-awards-ballot.
State Highway Administration Vision Study Update on Takoma Junction -- February 25. The SHA team will present a summary of the Vision Study recommendations, after which meeting participants will workshop the recommendations. This will be from 6:30 - 8:30 PM at the Takoma Park Middle School Cafeteria.
Presentation and Discussion on Takoma Park Library Renovation -- February 26. This is an early notice of an important Council discussion that will be taking place during the February 26 Council meeting. With the proposed Library renovation design work having been slowed down in order to consider floodplain requirements, we’ll be receiving an update on the project, including potential cost implications of any needed floodplain work. That in turn will help determine whether significant changes to the renovation design may be necessary.
Montgomery County Climate Action Plan Town Hall & Open House -- 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. Advance registration through the following link is required: https://mocofoodcouncil.org/february-27th-climate-town-hall-and-open-house/.
CONSENT AGENDA (a single vote on two vehicle-related items)
I intend to vote yes, though I have requested additional information on the crash that led to the need to replace one of the two Police Department vehicles.
Neighborhood Services Electric Vehicles Lease: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2020/council-20200205-2a.pdf
Police Replacement Vehicles: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2020/council-20200205-2b.pdf
WORK SESSION
Laurel Avenue Closure for Two Events: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2020/council-20200205-3.pdf. The Old Takoma Business Association has requested the closure of Laurel Avenue on April 25 for Art Hop and June 12 for an LGBTQ Pride Celebration. The Council has previously discussed the idea of converting Laurel Avenue (or possibly one side of it) into a pedestrian area, and we’ve also approved occasional single-day closures along the lines of what’s being requested now by OTBA. Testing this idea out periodically will provide useful guidance should we decide at some point in the future to consider longer term closures.
Art Hop has of course for many years been an important local tradition, while the Pride event would be a great addition to our local calendar, and I’m supportive of both. I do have some questions about the traffic and parking impact, accessibility to the Post Office, and the impact of doing this two weekends in a row (there’s a separate event, not sponsored by OTBA, that involves the closure of Laurel Avenue on May 2). I look forward to exploring those points during our discussion.
Council Climate Resolution Discussion (see above for details).
Stormwater Fee and Code Changes: https://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2020/council-20200205-5.pdf. In January of last year an outside contractor presented the findings of the Impervious Area Study, which measured impervious areas on privately owned property throughout the City. Impervious areas currently form the basis for the stormwater fee calculation, though single family homes are charged the same amount regardless of the impervious area size on each property. For apartment buildings, commercial structures, etc. the fee is calculated based on the actual impervious area on site. The Council discussed at that January meeting and again last fall the idea of revising the fees to more accurately reflect the impervious areas on properties with single family homes.
Any change of that type would lead to some homeowners paying more than they currently do and others paying less. The City staff has developed a tiered fee plan, based on the recommendations of the outside consultant, that’s tied to a more accurate measure of properties’ impervious areas. According to the background material for this agenda item, a substantial majority of single family homes would experience a fee increase under the tiered proposal. That’s something we need to think through carefully, including the impacts on various income ranges. A map showing the geographical impact within the City was not yet available at press time, but will be ready prior to the Council meeting. It’s not clear to me what the best approach is on this set of issues, including whether -- if we do change the fee structure -- we may want to phase it in over a period of several years.
Possible Resident Committee Appointments. There was no information available on appointments at the time this message was prepared.
As always, please feel free to be in touch with me about any of the issues covered in this blog.
Peter Kovar, Takoma Park City Council, Ward One
240-319-6281; www.councilmemberkovar.com
(He, Him, His)
Important Privacy Notice: All correspondence, including emails, to or from City of Takoma Park agencies, officials, and employees is subject to the Maryland Public Information Act and may be disclosed to the public.