WEEKLY TOWN UPDATES
April 14, 2023
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Upcoming Special Events
Coffee & Playdate at the Park, April 16
RainScapes Gardening, April 19Trash & Treasures, April 22 & 23Recycling & Repurposing, April 22Town Coffee, April 26Spring Festival, April 30
Garden Tour, May 7Town Book Club, May 8Dennison Garden Celebration, May 13The Great Zucchini, May 21
Jump to special events
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April 19 Town Council Meeting
The next meeting of the Town Council will be held on Wednesday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall and by Zoom video conference. View the agenda here.
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Welcome Lily Murray to the Town Staff!
Please help us welcome Lily Murray to the Town staff as our new Constituent Services Aide. Lily's first day was April 10, and her responsibilities include responding to residents' questions and requests and providing administrative support to the Town office, Town Council, and Town committees. Lily graduated from American University in May 2022, and her interests include photography as well as diversity and inclusion advocacy. Please feel free to stop by the Town office and welcome Lily to the Town!
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Residents Encouraged to Complete Bethesda Market Park Community Surveys
In mid-March, the County Parks Department hosted community meetings to review and discuss ideas for features and amenities in the new park to be created adjacent to the Farm Women's Market. One part of the park will occupy most of the parking lot behind the market; the other part will be built on the parking lot between Leland and Walsh streets. The Parks Department has published the presentation from the community meetings. The presentation contains three images that we think would be of particular interest to residents. These images present the concepts for how the space would be used and propose certain key features.
The Parks Department is now conducting an online survey, open through April 30 (this date was extended), for Bethesda and Chevy Chase residents to share their ideas and feedback. We encourage residents to participate in this survey, including younger residents and residents who were not able to attend the community meetings. The presentation and the particular images highlighted above provide sufficient background to respond to the survey. The Town also would welcome hearing from residents of all ages about what amenities you would like to see in this park. We are asking residents to complete the Town survey since the comments collected in the Parks Department survey will not indicate whether a respondent is a Town resident, and the Town Council would like to know the views of our residents specifically. More information on the Bethesda Market Park project is available here.
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Safe Streets Community Project“Slow Down and Stop”
The Public Services Committee, with approval of the Town Council, is launching a “Slow Down and Stop” Campaign. The campaign envisions a small-town ambience where all residents can safely enjoy walking, biking, chatting with neighbors, and benefitting from our beautiful tree-canopied neighborhood.
This campaign is intended to remind drivers to observe the Town's speed limit and come to a full stop at stop signs. We see the campaign as a supplement to the Town's existing tools to enforce traffic regulations. We want your input! Please visit bit.ly/TOCCSafeStreets to: - Share your ideas about how to encourage people, residents and nonresidents alike, to drive safely in the Town, especially around the public amenities -- Chevy Chase Elementary School, the Lawton Community Center, Wonders Early Learning, and Oneness School.
- Give feedback to the Committee about the campaign initiative.
- Report observed incidents of unsafe driving. Please include date, approximate time, location and description of the vehicle. Include the direction of travel and what was unsafe about the incident (speeding, near miss, failure to stop, etc.).
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2023 Council Election & Annual Meeting
The Town’s Election and Annual Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. In this year’s election, Town residents will select two candidates, each to serve for a two-year term. There are two candidates on the ballot: Stephanie Martz and Joy White.
Balloting will be undertaken by mail and drop box only. Balloting materials and information on the nominated candidates will be mailed to all residents approximately 2 weeks before the election. In order for a resident’s vote to be counted, ballot return envelopes must either be mailed by May 2 and received by May 9 or placed in the drop box outside the Town Hall by 5 p.m. on May 2. More information on the election is available here. The Annual Meeting will be held on May 2 at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall and via Zoom and will include a public hearing on the proposed FY24 budget (see below).
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FY24 Proposed Budget & Public Hearing
On April 4, the Town Council introduced an ordinance to approve the Town's budget and tax rates for the next fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2023. The Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget at the Annual Meeting on May 2.
The proposed budget and accompanying narrative are available here, and a budget summary will be included in the election edition of the Forecast newsletter.
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Micropiles to Begin on the Future Capital Crescent Trail Elm Street Park Connection
On or about April 17, 2023, crews will begin installing micropiles for the future Capital Crescent Trail bridge that crosses the Purple Line and connects to Elm Street Park. Work may occur 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekdays and weekends, as needed.
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Meet old & new neighbors (with or without kids) for coffee & snacks while the kids burn off energy at the Lawton Center playground (4301 Willow Lane) on Sunday, April 16 from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
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RainScapes Gardening, April 19
Celebrate Earth Week with a presentation on RainScapes Gardening on Wednesday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Chevy Chase Village Hall (5906 Connecticut Avenue). Ann English, RainScapes Program Manager for the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, will present “How to design a beautiful space that captures stormwater and creates a haven for nature year-round.” Light refreshments will be provided.
Click here to learn more about the RainScapes program.
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Trash & Treasures, April 22 & 23
The Town’s spring Trash and Treasures is scheduled for the weekend of April 22 & 23. The Town offers this curbside bulk trash collection so that residents can dispose of items that are no longer usable. Please remember to bag, box, or contain all of your discards, and do not put items at the curb before noon on Friday, April 21 or after 7 a.m. on Monday, April 24.
The following items will not be collected as bulk trash: construction debris; vehicle parts; loose glass; firewood or fencing; paint cans; flammable or hazardous materials; recyclable items; and yard waste. If you have items that can be recycled or repurposed, we encourage you to come to the Lawton Center on Saturday, April 22 for our Recycling & Repurposing event (see below).
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Recycling & Repurposing Event, April 22
The following services will be provided on Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Lawton Center Parking Lot.
Shred Your Documents: Shred Ace will shred documents. Staples and paper clips are okay. No batteries, binders, or books. Recycle Clothing and Home Goods: The Interfaith Works Clothing Center will collect clothing and home goods to donate to low-income County residents. Please put items in secured plastic bags. Donate Furniture & Household Items: A Wider Circle will collect gently used furniture and household items to donate to families in need. For large items, please email furnish@awidercircle.org or call 301-608-3504 to schedule a pick-up. Recycle Electronic Equipment: SAMR will collect electronic equipment -- anything with a plug or a battery -- for recycling. Donate Sports Equipment: Leveling the Playing Field (LPF) will collect used and excess sporting equipment to donate to programs and schools serving low-income communities. Donate Books: The Town will collect books for Friends of the Library, Montgomery County (FOLMC). Please bring clean, gently used books in a box or bag. No magazines or encyclopedias. Note: The County’s light bulb exchange service will not be available at this event. Click here to find out how to exchange inefficient light bulbs for energy efficient ones.
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Town Coffee, April 26
A Town coffee will be held on Wednesday, April 26, from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Town Hall. Please join neighbors -- newcomers, longtime residents, and everyone in between -- for conversation and refreshments. Please RSVP here if possible, but not required.
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Spring Festival, April 30
The Town of Chevy Chase is partnering with the Jane E. Lawton Center to host the 2023 Spring Festival. The event will take place on Sunday, April 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Lawton Center parking lot. Join us for live music, food, games, and art & crafts. All ages are welcome!
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Garden Club of Chevy Chase Garden Tour, May 7
Peek behind the lovely facades and fences of some of Chevy Chase Village’s most exquisitely landscaped gardens at the Garden Club of Chevy Chase Garden Tour. The tour will be held on Sunday, May 7, from 12 to 4 p.m., rain or shine. This year’s tour will highlight seven distinctive Chevy Chase Village gardens, including expansive, lush gardens with grand ornamentation and also small intimate gardens that will inspire you. In addition, visitors will be able to tour the newly renovated Chevy Chase Circle, which will be celebrating its reopening all weekend. Tickets are available on the Garden Club of Chevy Chase website (www.gardenclubofchevychase.org).
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TOCC Book Club, May 8
Our Town of Chevy Chase Book Club will meet Monday, May 8 at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall to discuss Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. A contemporary David Copperfield in Appalachia, surviving the perils of modern child poverty and addiction. Sponsored by the Community Relations committee; all are welcome.
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Lee Wick Dennison Sustainable Garden Celebration, May 13
Celebrate the Lee Wick Dennison Sustainable Garden, located at the corner of Lynn Drive and Maple Avenue in Zimmerman Park, on Saturday, May 13 from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
- Paint and Plant a Pot of Pollinators!
- Tour the Sustainable Garden!
- Consult a Garden Expert About Your Garden Concerns!
- Nosh on Delicious Food!
- Fun & Learning for All Ages!
Please RSVP here by May 5. More information about this event, Lee Dennison, the sustainable garden, and sustainable gardening practices is available here.
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The Great Zucchini, May 21
Join us on Sunday, May 21 at 10:30 a.m. in the Lawton Center Social Hall for The Great Zucchini, Washington’s funniest and most magical preschool and kindergarten entertainer. The Great Zucchini will perform a colorful magic show where every child is a star and guaranteed to laugh! Please RSVP here.
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Free COVID Test Kits & Masks
The Town has COVID test kits and N95 masks available for pick up at the Town office on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The kits and masks are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.
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Town Office Hours
The Town office is staffed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On other days, most employees telework. There may be someone to assist on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but please contact the office in advance.
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