Media Center

PRESS STATEMENT: Department of Parks Director on Ayrlawn Park Accident

SILVER SPRING, MD—Sunday afternoon a large tree limb fell on the playground at Ayrlawn Local Park, injuring a small child and adult woman. The fallen limb split a picnic table in two and crushed the merry-go-round on which the child was playing.

A statement by Montgomery County Department of Parks Director Mary Bradford follows:

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the two injured park patrons. We are deeply saddened by this accident and are praying for a complete and successful recovery for them both.

“Our tree crews routinely inspect and maintain the trees in our parks. The crews look for evidence of disease in trees and remove diseased trees immediately. This tree showed no evidence of hazard, no evidence of compromised structural integrity, nor any indication of decline.

“Our tree crews are removing the remainder of the tree from the park today, saving the branches which fell from the tree for additional inspection. In order to complete this important work, Ayrlawn Local Park will remain closed for at least the next three days.”

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Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Capital Crescent Trail Coalition Recognized for New Research Findings on County's Most Popular Trail

SILVER SPRING, MD—The Montgomery County Planning Board awarded certificates of appreciation to 92 Capital Crescent Trail Coalition (CCTC) volunteers for collecting user data on the county’s popular Capital Crescent Trail. CCTC Chair Peter Gray and volunteers Wayne Phyillaier and Christopher Marston were present at last Thursday’s Planning Board meeting to accept the award on the group’s behalf.

“I want to thank the Capital Crescent Trail Coalition for their efforts,” said Montgomery County Department of Parks Director Mary Bradford during last Thursday’s Planning Board meeting, “and pledge our department’s continued commitment to working with the coalition to improve management, safety and future development of the trail.”

The 92 CCTC volunteers gathered data from thousands of Capital Crescent Trail users during the fall of 2006 to produce the May 2007 Capital Crescent Trail/Georgetown Branch Trail Survey Report for the Department of Parks. The Department of Parks will use these survey findings on the amount and type of use on the trail to make future management decisions about park trail planning and proposed development projects near the trail.

“The coalition’s survey analysis is a tremendously valuable resource for us,” said Department of Parks Park Planning Supervisor Tanya Schmieler. “This is the largest, single, park and trail planning volunteer effort to date and we are extremely appreciative of the coalition.” 

The 140-hour CCTC volunteer project detailed user counts at 4 locations along the Capital Crescent Trail: Grubb Road, Elm Street Park, the Bethesda Trailhead and Brookeway Drive.  The group first conduced a survey of trail users in 1996 and again in 2000.  Survey findings from 2006 reveal that Capital Crescent Trail use is up significantly—over 50 percent—from 160 average users per hour in 1996 to over 240 hourly users in 2006. The group’s findings also substantiate the popularity of hard surface trails in the county, with more than 500 hourly users on the Capital Crescent Trail during peak periods. In addition, survey results document trends in the variety of trail use, finding bicyclists were the heaviest users at all survey sites except Bethesda Avenue where walkers predominated, and people using roller blades on the trail have consistently declined—from over 10 percent in 1996, down to only 1-2 percent in 2006.

During last Thursday’s meeting, CCTC Chair Peter Gray told the Planning Board that one of the most pressing issues along the trail was the safety of all of the trail users and avoiding conflicts and accidents among and between users, especially pedestrians and bikers.

The Department of Parks met with representatives from the CCTC earlier this month to discuss trail safety. During the meeting the group discussed current safety measures being employed along the Capital Crescent Trail, such as rule enforcement by Park Police, Park Rangers and Park Police volunteers and public education about sharing the trails; and identified possible safety improvements, such as progressive physical trail improvements and the redevelopment of the trail if required. 

The Capital Crescent Trail is an 11 mile paved trail, which follows an abandoned railroad right of way which extends from Georgetown in the District of Columbia to Silver Spring in Montgomery County. It is the most popular trail in the county’s parks system, which includes nearly 200 miles of paved and natural surface trail.

For more on trails in the county’s parks system, visit www.MontgomeryTrails.org.

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INTERESTED MEDIA: Photo of certificate presentation available upon request.

Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Capital Crescent Trail Coalition Recognized for New Research Findings on County’s Most Popular Trail

SILVER SPRING, MD—The Montgomery County Planning Board awarded certificates of appreciation to 92 Capital Crescent Trail Coalition (CCTC) volunteers for collecting user data on the county’s popular Capital Crescent Trail. CCTC Chair Peter Gray and volunteers Wayne Phyillaier and Christopher Marston were present at last Thursday’s Planning Board meeting to accept the award on the group’s behalf.

“I want to thank the Capital Crescent Trail Coalition for their efforts,” said Montgomery County Department of Parks Director Mary Bradford during last Thursday’s Planning Board meeting, “and pledge our department’s continued commitment to working with the coalition to improve management, safety and future development of the trail.”

The 92 CCTC volunteers gathered data from thousands of Capital Crescent Trail users during the fall of 2006 to produce the May 2007 Capital Crescent Trail/Georgetown Branch Trail Survey Report for the Department of Parks. The Department of Parks will use these survey findings on the amount and type of use on the trail to make future management decisions about park trail planning and proposed development projects near the trail.

“The coalition’s survey analysis is a tremendously valuable resource for us,” said Department of Parks Park Planning Supervisor Tanya Schmieler. “This is the largest, single, park and trail planning volunteer effort to date and we are extremely appreciative of the coalition.” 

The 140-hour CCTC volunteer project detailed user counts at 4 locations along the Capital Crescent Trail: Grubb Road, Elm Street Park, the Bethesda Trailhead and Brookeway Drive.  The group first conduced a survey of trail users in 1996 and again in 2000.  Survey findings from 2006 reveal that Capital Crescent Trail use is up significantly—over 50 percent—from 160 average users per hour in 1996 to over 240 hourly users in 2006. The group’s findings also substantiate the popularity of hard surface trails in the county, with more than 500 hourly users on the Capital Crescent Trail during peak periods. In addition, survey results document trends in the variety of trail use, finding bicyclists were the heaviest users at all survey sites except Bethesda Avenue where walkers predominated, and people using roller blades on the trail have consistently declined—from over 10 percent in 1996, down to only 1-2 percent in 2006.

During last Thursday’s meeting, CCTC Chair Peter Gray told the Planning Board that one of the most pressing issues along the trail was the safety of all of the trail users and avoiding conflicts and accidents among and between users, especially pedestrians and bikers.

The Department of Parks met with representatives from the CCTC earlier this month to discuss trail safety. During the meeting the group discussed current safety measures being employed along the Capital Crescent Trail, such as rule enforcement by Park Police, Park Rangers and Park Police volunteers and public education about sharing the trails; and identified possible safety improvements, such as progressive physical trail improvements and the redevelopment of the trail if required. 

The Capital Crescent Trail is an 11 mile paved trail, which follows an abandoned railroad right of way which extends from Georgetown in the District of Columbia to Silver Spring in Montgomery County. It is the most popular trail in the county’s parks system, which includes nearly 200 miles of paved and natural surface trail.

For more on trails in the county’s parks system, visit www.MontgomeryTrails.org.

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Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Deer-Vehicle Collisions Continue Slow Decline for 4th Year in a Row, Interagency Work Group Releases Latest Report

SILVER SPRING, MD—For the fourth year in a row Montgomery County has seen a measurable decline in the number of deer-vehicle collisions on county roads, according to a new report released today by the Montgomery County Deer Management Work Group.

“All things considered, deer-vehicle collisions are arguably far below where they would have been without the county’s management efforts,” said Montgomery County Department of Parks Natural Resources Manager and Chair of the Montgomery County Deer Management Work Group Rob Gibbs.

According to Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) data, included in this latest report, there was 2,127 deer-vehicle collisions in the county in 2002—in 2003, MCPD reports 2,047; in 2004, 1,997; and in 2005, 1,969.  The latest police department data indicates deer-vehicle collisions in the county were slightly lower in 2006, down to 1,951. MCPD keeps the most comprehensive and systematically collected data set on the number of deer-vehicle collisions in the county.

MCPD reports indicate that around parks, where deer population management strategies are employed, accidents with deer and vehicles have declined.  Other police department data shows that in other areas, more urban and suburban for instance, there has been an increase in recent years.

The county established a deer management program in 1995, which included the formation of an interagency Deer Management Work Group. The program’s goal is to reduce deer-human conflicts in the county by: reducing the number of deer-vehicle collisions; reducing damage by deer to agricultural crops and home landscapes; reducing damage by deer on natural communities to preserve native plant and animal diversity; and providing county residents with information. The county’s Deer Management Work Group includes representatives from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Montgomery County Department of Parks, Montgomery County Cooperative Extension, Montgomery County Police Department, US Geological Survey (USGS), National Park Service and Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.

Annually, this work group produces a report on the status of the county’s deer management program, in which it includes recommendations for managing deer in the upcoming year. The group’s latest report, released today, includes both non-lethal and lethal strategies for controlling deer populations on the county’s public lands for fiscal year 2008—July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008. 

“In the county parks system, we have active deer population management operations at 18 parks, which includes managed deer hunting and police-based sharpshooting,” added Gibbs. “This year, we are recommending one new additional operation at Rock Creek Stream Valley Unit #7, in Rockville between Route 28 and Viers Mill Road.”

As outlined in the new report, other recommendations for fiscal year 2008 include: continued public outreach and education; improved road fencing, signage and design to reduce deer-vehicle collisions; continued monitoring of the use of contraception to regulate deer populations; and encouraging effective deer population management on private properties.

For a copy of this year’s Montgomery County Deer Management Work Group’s annual report and additional information, see www.mc-mncppc.org/environment/deer, email MCP-deermanagement@mncppc-mc.org or call (301) 949-2909. 

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Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
(301) 650-2866

MEDIA ADVISORY: DC Mayor Fenty to Visit Cabin John Regional Park’s Povich Field

ROCKVILLE, MD—Washington DC Mayor Adrian Fenty will visit Montgomery County’s Cabin John Regional Park to tour the park’s renowned Shirley Povich Field.

Povich Field, one of the Department of Parks’ premiere athletic fields, is home of the Bethesda Big Train summer baseball team, which is made up of outstanding young college athletes playing in the Cal Ripkin Sr. Baseball League. The public/private partnership success of Povich Field is a model for other county parks and recreation departments.

WHO:    
Washington DC Mayor Adrian M. Fenty
Parks Director Mary Bradford, Montgomery County Department of Parks
Southern Area Operations Manager Gary Harman, Montgomery County Department of Parks
Cabin John Regional Park Manager Ginny Moxley, Montgomery County Department of Parks
General Manager David Ireland, Bethesda Big Train
Bruce Adams, Bethesda Big Train

WHAT:   
Mayor Fenty Visits Shirley Povich Field

WHEN:
Monday, July 23, 2007 at 2:30 pm

WHERE:
Cabin John Regional Park
7400 Tuckerman Lane
Rockville, MD

For more on Montgomery County’s parks, see www.MontgomeryParks.org.

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Contact:   
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Survey of Faith-Based Institutions Details Services, Experience with Development Process in Montgomery County

Silver Spring, MD - On Thursday, July 19, the Montgomery County Planning Board will discuss the results of a recent survey of the county’s faith-based organizations, including who they are, the services they provide, and their experience with the planning and development process.

Planning staff conducted the survey at the request of the Montgomery County Council, which last year asked for a snapshot of the county’s faith-based organizations as well as their needs in a growing and urbanizing county.

The report found:

* The number of faith-based organizations in Montgomery County grew 37 percent. In 1997, when the last survey was conducted, the county contained about 500 faith-based organizations. A decade later, it contains nearly 700 – most of them in communities along the I-270 corridor and near the Beltway. 

* Only about 5 percent of faith-based institutions are located in the Agricultural Reserve.

* The greatest increase has been in small, relatively new faith-based organizations. Survey responses indicated that these are most likely to have plans to expand in the near future.

* The county’s faith-based organizations provide a variety of social services to congregants and county residents, from worship to counseling to day care. Demand for these services is likely to increase given expected population growth.

* Faith-based institutions would benefit from more clarity in land use processes and regulations among county agencies.

The survey comes as Montgomery County looks to accommodate a growing population of increasing ethnic diversity that will include larger concentrations of both elderly residents and children.

According to the report, faith-based organizations are “once-in-a-lifetime developers” who face unique challenges when they seek to build or expand. The Planning Board and its staff might help faith-based and other nonprofit organizations if they:

* Encourage greater representation by faith-based organizations in long-range planning efforts, such as creating master plans
* Improve coordination and communication among county agencies involved in planning and permitting to better clarify land use process and regulatory interpretation
* Create user-friendly flow charts and timelines to illustrate the steps and timeframes in the planning and development process
* Provide the “Directory of Faith-Based Organizations” to other county agencies and social service providers to better coordinate services
* Use new mapping technology to identify and reach out to faith-based organizations in the county during land use decision-making
* Create staff, either in the Planning Department or within a nonprofit organization, to support the County Executive’s new ombudsman in helping faith-based and nonprofit representatives better navigate the planning and development review process
* Use upcoming zoning revisions to evaluate requirements for faith-based organizations given land constraints, population growth, and their increasing social service activities

Following their discussion Thursday, the Planning Board will transmit the findings in the report to the County Council.

WHO:
Montgomery County Planning Board

WHAT:
Discussion of “Updated Survey of Faith-Based Organizations in Montgomery County”

WHEN:
Thursday, July 19, 2007 – approximately 9 a.m.

WHERE:
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD

For more information, contact Valerie Berton, (301) 495-4602.

 

 

Black Hill Regional Park to Host this Year's Display of Maryland Jr. Duck Stamp Contest Winners

BOYDS, MD—Black Hill Regional Park Visitor’s Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive in Boyds, will host the exhibit of this year’s winning entries to the Maryland Junior Duck Stamp contest from Monday, July 23 – Monday, August 6, 2007.

“We are pleased to be selected as one of the host site locations for this year’s display,” said Montgomery County Department of Parks Black Hill Regional Park Manager Jim McMahon.

The display of contest winners rotates throughout the state, from May through April. Organizers estimate that nearly 40,000 people will view the winning entries over the course of the tour. Black Hill Regional Park joins a list of host locations, which include museums, wildlife refuges and outdoor festivals throughout the state of Maryland.

The Junior Duck Stamp Program is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and teaches children about the importance of wetlands and waterfowl conservation. This year’s “Best of Show” winner in the Maryland competition is 15-year-old Richard Zhao, student of Mr. Rulei Bu at AA Studio, Inc. in Boyds. Zhao’s oil painting of a Canada goose, entitled “Peaceful Goose on a Lake,” was selected from more than 680 entries statewide. His entry will go on to compete with other state winners in the national competition, which will determine the print for the official collectible Federal Junior Duck Stamp.

“As folks head out to check out the display, we invite them to stick around the park,” added McMahon, “to see in nature what these very talented young people’s illustrations are helping to protect.”

Black Hill Regional Park boasts the 505-acre Little Seneca Lake where rowboats, canoes and kayaks are available for rent at hourly or daily rates and fishing is also available. The park also features the Black Hill Visitor’s Center, which offers park naturalist-led programs, interpretive wildlife exhibits and special events. There is a half acre enclosed dog park, picnic shelters and tables, playgrounds and nearly 15 miles of paved and natural surface trails for exploration at Black Hill.

For more on Black Hill Regional Park and other parks in Montgomery County, see www.MontgomeryParks.org and for more about the Maryland Junior Duck Stamp Program, visit www.fws.gov/duckstamps/junior/JDprogram/Maryland.htm. 

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Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Commissioner John Robinson Selected as Montgomery County Planning Board Vice Chairman

SILVER SPRING, MD - At its July 12 meeting, members of the Montgomery County Planning Board elected John M. Robinson to be vice chairman, effective immediately. The vice chair presides over board meetings in the chairman’s absence.

Appointed to the Commission in September 2001 and reappointed in June 2005, Robinson is an attorney who has worked in a number of roles, serving as staff attorney for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C., and - when in the private sector – specializing in real estate, finance and employment issues. His first federal career involved the restructuring of the Northeastern railroad system and the reform of federal rail regulatory structure.

A citizen activist for many years, Robinson has served as president of organizations as varied as the Rock Creek Hills Citizens Association, the Noyes Children’s Library Foundation and the Kensington Historical Society.

The vice chair's seat had been held by former Planning Board commissioner Wendy Perdue, whose maximum two terms on the board expired in June.

Montgomery Planning Board Reaches Park Agreement, Silver Spring Transit Center to Move Forward

Silver Spring, MD - Resolving an important issue about a parkland easement on the site of the Silver Spring Transit Center – a proposed hub for Metro trains, buses, taxis and bicycles in the community’s downtown – the Montgomery County Planning Board today worked out an agreement with two public works agencies that allows the project to proceed.

The Board, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, owns an easement on a public plaza that they needed to abandon to allow construction of the transit center, slated for Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue at the site of the existing Silver Spring Metro station. Yesterday, the Board agreed to let the county Department of Public Works and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority replace that plaza in exchange for two new parks.

The agreement, encapsulated in a Memorandum of Understanding, was several weeks in coming. The Board agreed to exchange its 35,000-square-foot Metro Urban Park for an 11,633-square-foot park at the transit plaza entrance and an 11,590-square-foot park just off site. Board members indicated they were willing to accept less parkland in exchange for higher-quality design and materials in the parks as well as to advance the project and its expected benefits for Silver Spring-area residents and commuters.

In the agreement, the Board made it clear that it expects the county and WMATA to build all of what it deems “essential elements” for the transit center, such as glass canopies over the escalators and pedestrian areas, large shade trees, and attractive sidewalk pavers and light fixtures that are consistent with the surrounding downtown. If budget shortfalls preclude the public works agencies from building those elements, commissioners indicated they wanted the Board and the agencies to work together to secure additional funding from the federal or state governments and/or the Montgomery County Council. 

“I’m very hopeful that County Executive Leggett will make it clear that these are important items that deserve funding and that the project proceeds as it has been presented to the public,” said Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson. “We’re trying to get what it seems everyone wants.”

The Board considered the transit center in early June in a second mandatory referral hearing. The mandatory referral process requires the Planning Board and its professional planning staff to review and make recommendations about such issues as safety, design and architectural treatments for public projects.

Today’s agreement allows the project to move forward. County officials will seek construction bids for the transit center later this summer.

For more information, contact Valerie Berton, (301) 495-4602.

NOTE NEW TIME: Planning Board to Consider Silver Spring Transit Center Agreement Thursday

NOTE NEW TIME!
Silver Spring, MD - At approximately 3 p.m. Thursday, July 12, the Montgomery County Planning Board will re-consider the Silver Spring Transit Center, a proposed hub for Metro trains, buses, taxis and bicycles in the community’s downtown.

The Board first considered the transit center, slated for Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue at the site of the existing Silver Spring Metro station, in early June in a mandatory referral hearing. The mandatory referral process requires the Planning Board and its professional planning staff to review and make recommendations about such issues as safety, design and architectural treatments for public works projects.

A second part of the review by the Board, which is part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, involves parkland owned by the agency on the transit center site. To that end, the Board asked its parks and planning department staff to work with the county Department of Public Works and Transportation and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to develop an agreement to exchange an existing hard-surface open space called Metro Urban Park for two new parks – one at the transit entrance, the other across Wayne Avenue from the center. On Thursday, the Board will consider that agreement.

WHO:

Montgomery County Planning Board

WHAT:

Consideration of Silver Spring Transit Center

WHEN:  

Thursday, July 12, 2007 – approximately 3 p.m.

WHERE:

Park and Planning Headquarters

8787 Georgia Avenue

Silver Spring, MD

Montgomery County Planning Board to Consider Silver Spring Transit Center Agreement Thursday

Silver Spring, MD - At approximately 5 p.m. Thursday, July 12, the Montgomery County Planning Board will re-consider the Silver Spring Transit Center, a proposed hub for Metro trains, buses, taxis and bicycles in the community’s downtown.

The Board first considered the transit center, slated for Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue at the site of the existing Silver Spring Metro station, in early June in a mandatory referral hearing. The mandatory referral process requires the Planning Board and its professional planning staff to review and make recommendations about such issues as safety, design and architectural treatments for public works projects.

A second part of the review by the Board, which is part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, involves parkland owned by the agency on the transit center site. To that end, the Board asked its parks and planning department staff to work with the county Department of Public Works and Transportation and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to develop an agreement to exchange an existing hard-surface open space called Metro Urban Park for two new parks – one at the transit entrance, the other across Wayne Avenue from the center. On Thursday, the Board will consider that agreement.

WHO: Montgomery County Planning Board

WHAT: Consideration of Silver Spring Transit Center

WHEN: Thursday, July 12, 2007 - approximately 5 p.m.

WHERE: Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20910

For more information, contact Valerie Berton, (301) 495-4602.

Traffic Woes? Urban Planning Expert to Present Vancouver's Experience in Growing, Yet Lessening Congestion

Silver Spring, MD - At a 7 p.m. Thursday, July 12 presentation to the Montgomery County Planning Board, an international planning expert will detail how Vancouver, British Columbia, reduced vehicle use even while building a denser and more vibrant city.

The presentation by Gordon Price, director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, the latest expert in the Board’s Growth Management Speaker Series, will help inform the Planning Board as it grapples with how to shape the future of Montgomery County. Vancouver’s success in reducing vehicle use is particularly relevant as the Board looks for ways to alleviate road congestion and plan for more mass transit use by its current and future residents.

Gordon Price, adjunct professor in the School of Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia and recent winner of a provincial smart growth “Smarty” award, will describe how Vancouver accommodated more residences – increasing development in its urban core more than any other North American city – but at the same time, experienced a drop in vehicle use.

Price’s presentation, “The Vancouver Recipe: How To Increase Density and Reduce Fat,” will illustrate Vancouver’s process and lessons learned and pose ideas for urban and suburban settings.

WHO:
Gordon Price, director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, B.C.

WHAT:
Presentation on Growth Management Strategies – The Vancouver Recipe: How To Increase Density and Reduce Fat

WHEN:  
Thursday, July 12, 2007 – 7 p.m.

WHERE:
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD

Planning Board Schedules Public Information Meeting on New Headquarters Project

Silver Spring, MD -- As Montgomery County planners continue to work on an agreement between the agency and the development team selected to build SilverPlace – a proposed mixed-use development project that includes a new headquarters for Park and Planning – staff will hold an informational community meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 10.

The mixed-use development is proposed to include affordable housing units, retail space and the headquarters, which would replace the agency’s current old, cramped quarters at the corner of Spring Street and Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring.

So far, the Planning Board has selected a development team to design and construct the project. No decisions have been made about the design, specific location or height of the project.

Tuesday's meeting is to keep the public and surrounding neighbors informed of the Project's progress and future timeline. To learn more, go to http://www.mcparkandplanning.org/planning/silverplace/index.shtm.

WHO: Park and Planning staff and SilverPlace, LLC

WHAT: Community meeting about SilverPlace

WHEN: Tuesday, July 10 -- 7 p.m.

WHERE: Park and Planning Headquarters, 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring

Montgomery County Planning Board Agenda Highlights

THURSDAY JULY 5

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY – 9 a.m.

Newly appointed commissioners Jean Cryor (R-Potomac) and Gene Lynch (D-Silver Spring) will be sworn in at 9 a.m. at Park and Planning Headquarters located at 8787 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring.

SilverPlace MOU – approximately 1:15 p.m.
The Board will consider an agreement on SilverPlace, its planned new headquarters proposed on the site of its current planning offices near downtown Silver Spring. The agreement would outline the expectations and plan for the board’s agency, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, to work with development team SilverPlace, LLC to plan to develop the headquarters as well as other compatible uses. The item is approximately scheduled for 1:15 p.m.

Recommendations to Strengthen Forest Conservation Law – approximately 3:30 p.m.

The Board is scheduled to have a work session on making recommendations to strengthen the county’s current Forest Conservation Law, at approximately 3:30 p.m.

Silver Spring Transit Center -- POSTPONED

The Board will postpone discussion on the Silver Spring Transit Center until further notice.

SPECIAL SESSION – MONDAY, JULY 9 – 7 p.m.

 

Budget Overview for New Board Members – 7 p.m.

To orient its new members, the Board has scheduled a special session about the Planning Department staff’s upcoming work program for the 2008 fiscal year. The session begins at 7 p.m.

 

Briefing – Route 355/I-270 Corridor Study – approximately 7:45 p.m.

The Board will hear a briefing from its planning staff and invited area economic experts on its comprehensive, ongoing study of the I-270/MD 355 Corridor at approximately 8 p.m.

Montgomery Planners Invite Public to Preview, Provide Input on Twinbrook Sector Plan

Residents, property owners and business owners in the Twinbrook area can learn about the planning department’s recommendations for the future of the community at a meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 9 at the Twinbrook Recreation Center.

The Twinbrook sector plan looks ahead 20 years in a comprehensive guide to the area’s land use, zoning and environmental features, such as stormwater management and green space. It also examines transportation issues such as roads, mass transit, bicycle trails and pedestrian mobility.

The staff’s draft will be considered by the Montgomery County Planning Board in work sessions later in July. In the fall, the public is invited to provide input to the Board at a public hearing. The Board will hold more fall work sessions before finalizing its version of the plan and sending it to the County Council for review and eventual approval.

Located in the county’s technology corridor, Twinbrook, planners say, is ideally suited for a mix of residential, light industrial and commercial uses. As a result of earlier meetings with the community, planners are working to incorporate better pedestrian access to the Twinbrook Metro Station, create more open space and integrate mixed uses, such as residences.

Residents, property owners and business owners in the Twinbrook area can learn about the planning department’s recommendations for the future of the community at a meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 9 at the Twinbrook Recreation Center.

The Twinbrook sector plan looks ahead 20 years in a comprehensive guide to the area’s land use, zoning and environmental features, such as stormwater management and green space. It also examines transportation issues such as roads, mass transit, bicycle trails and pedestrian mobility.

The staff’s draft will be considered by the Montgomery County Planning Board in work sessions later in July. In the fall, the public is invited to provide input to the Board at a public hearing. The Board will hold more fall work sessions before finalizing its version of the plan and sending it to the County Council for review and eventual approval.

Located in the county’s technology corridor, Twinbrook, planners say, is ideally suited for a mix of residential, light industrial and commercial uses. As a result of earlier meetings with the community, planners are working to incorporate better pedestrian access to the Twinbrook Metro Station, create more open space and integrate mixed uses, such as residences.

Every area of the county has a master or sector plan. Each plan is intended to look ahead 15 to 20 years. Master and sector plans establish zoning and are used as guides for funding public improvements and for when planners are reviewing applications for development.

WHO: Montgomery County Planning Department staff
WHAT: Community meeting on the Twinbrook Sector Plan
WHEN: Monday, July 9 - 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Twinbrook Recreation Center, 12920 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD

See copies of the plan at www.mcparkandplanning.org/twinbrook.  Or contact Claudia Kousoulas at (301) 495-4600.

  

Department of Parks Releases Top 10 Ways to Celebrate National Recreation and Parks Month this July

SILVER SPRING, MD—Today, the Montgomery County Department of Parks releases its top 10 ways to celebrate Recreation and Parks Month designated as the month of July by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

“Montgomery County parks offer exceptional recreational opportunities for residents of all ages this July and throughout the year,” said Montgomery County Department of Parks Director Mary Bradford. “We have added special programs this month and some spectacular volunteer opportunities—whatever you’re looking for, it’s all right here!”

The department’s top 10 list of ways to celebrate Recreation and Parks Month this July include:

1. Miniature Golf & Splash-a-Thon, South Germantown Recreational Park, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm, Wednesday, July 4. Play two rounds of miniature golf and enjoy unlimited splashing at the Splash Playground for only $5 per person. Germantown Glory July 4th Celebration at the park the same day, fireworks to begin around 9:15 pm. See www.sgermantownsplashandgolf.com for more.

2. A Bird Walk for Families, Black Hill Visitor’s Center, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, Sunday, July 8. Join Beth and Keith Hamilton—birders, educators and owners of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Germantown—for a FREE and fun afternoon of birdwatching at Black Hill Regional Park. Bring binoculars or borrow ours. Registration required, see www.ParkPASS.org (course #35048) and www.blackhillnature.org for more.

3. Volunteer Trail Ranger Training, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Saturday, July 14. New volunteer trail rangers are being trained to inspect park trails and perform light trail maintenance on designated sections. Space is limited for this training. See www.ParksVolunteers.org for more.

4. Old Fashioned Family Sing-Along, Oakley Cabin, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Saturday, July 14. Come belt out songs commonly heard before World War I with accordion player Dick Dangel, such as "Oh Susanna" and "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain" and many others in the shaded yard at the historic Oakley Cabin. FREE. Call 301-258-4044 for more.

5. Help Save the Forest, Little Bennett Regional Park, 8:00 am – 10:30 am, Sunday, July 15. Learn about invasive plants and take action to remove these alien invaders, which are drastically impacting our natural lands. See www.MontgomeryParks.org for more.

6. Splish Splash Stream Study, Meadowside Nature Center, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm, Tuesday, July 17. Join a park naturalist in a splash around Rock Creek to search for local aquatic life, such as crayfish, fish and aquatic bugs and to learn about watersheds and water quality. FREE. Reservations required. See www.meadowsidenature.org for more.

7. Brookside Nature Center's Red Wagon Program, Wheaton Regional Park playground, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, Tuesday, July 24. Talk to a park naturalist while seeing and touching a wagon-full of natural objects, ask questions about plants and animals in the park and learn cool nature facts. The July 24 program theme is trees. Rain cancels the program. See www.brooksidenature.org for more.

8. Friday Night Bats, Locust Grove Nature Center, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Friday, July 27.  It's bat season—learn about these nocturnal neighbors, eavesdrop on their ultrasonic calls and marvel at their aerial maneuvers. Cost is $2. Registration required, see www.ParkPASS.org (course #35175) and www.locustgrovenature.org for more.

9. Underground Railroad Experience Trail and Conductor Hikes, Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon, Saturday, July 28. Trained Underground Railroad conductors lead these FREE Underground Railroad hikes on the Rural Legacy Trail Saturdays through November. The 2-mile trail is natural surface and includes interpretive sign markers and stops at Woodlawn Manor and Barn and the Sandy Spring. See www.MontgomeryTrails.org for more.

10. Ice Skating in Summer?, The Parks Show on Montgomery County Cable Channel 6, daily, now through July 31. Watch this month’s episode of The Parks Show as we feature the department’s two ice rinks—Cabin John Ice Rink and Wheaton Ice Arena—and talk with Olympic Gold Medallist Speed Skater and new coach of the Wheaton Speed Skating Club Dong-Sung Kim and Competitive Figure Skater Kristine Musademba, who trains at the Cabin John Ice Rink. View show online also from www.MontgomeryParks.org.

“The fun doesn’t stop with these ideas, there’s plenty more to do this summer in Montgomery parks,” added Bradford.

The Department of Parks also has nearly 200 miles of paved and natural surface trails in the county’s parks system for hiking, biking or equestrian riding, including two with national distinction as National Recreation Trails—Sligo Creek Trail and Rock Creek Trail. Also, boat rentals are available Wednesday through Sunday until Labor Day, September 3 at the department’s Lake Needwood at Rock Creek Regional Park in Rockville and Little Seneca Lake at Black Hill Regional Park in Boyds.

For more ideas for Recreation and Parks Month, visit www.MontgomeryParks.org.

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Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Department of Parks Seeks Public Comments on Ideas for the Future of 31 of its Recreation Buildings

SILVER SPRING, MD—After briefing the Montgomery County Planning Board last Thursday, on its draft proposal for managing 31 small and medium-sized park recreation buildings within the county’s parks system, the Department of Parks is preparing to go out to the community to solicit additional input.

“With the Board briefed, we are now looking forward to taking this show on the road and finding out what the community thinks about our proposals,” said Department of Parks Senior Park Planner Mark Wallis.

The 31 recreation buildings were reviewed for current condition, level of use and maintenance requirements. These aging structures are often used for birthday parties, community events and small classes, but many are underutilized and will require major repairs. The assessment was conducted by parks department staff in conjunction with a study by Facility Engineering Associates (FEA), a consultant to the Department of Parks.

As a result of the review, the buildings were sorted into four preliminary categories: continue and improve; evaluate and market; transfer or demolish; and assess historical priority. The “Continue and Improve” category includes 7 recreation buildings for which the department recommends continued funding for routine and recurring maintenance. The “Evaluate and Market” category includes 18 buildings which would also be maintained and would be the focus of a special 3-year marketing campaign, then reevaluated at the end of the marketing campaign period. Under the “Transfer or Demolish” category, 5 buildings would be affected under the proposal—removing damaged structures at Hillandale and Randolph Hills and transferring buildings at Garrett Park Estates, Clarksburg and Camp Seneca. One building falls under the “Assess Historical Priority” category, the Bureau of Animal Industry Building at Norwood Local Park.

The full listing of the 31 recreation buildings can be found in the June 28, 2007, Planning Board briefing memo (Item 12, B) at http://mcparkandplanning.org/board/agenda/2007/agenda20070628e.html.

The department’s community outreach plans include using the internet to exchange information; setting up an email address to receive and respond to community questions; sponsoring a public meeting in September; making a presentation to the Countywide Recreation Advisory Board in the fall; and making community group presentations upon request. To request an information meeting or to share your views on the status of these structures, please email Mark.Wallis@mncppc.org or call 301-650-4389.  For information and updates, see www.parkplanningandstewardship.org.

After gathering public feedback on this draft proposal, the Department of Parks anticipates taking a final recommendation, with public input incorporated, back to the Montgomery County Planning Board in early November. 

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Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866