Town Office Schedule and Updates Related to COVID-19
Town staff is currently on a telework schedule. Residents who need to drop off materials to the Town office may use the mailbox located outside the front door to the Town Hall. We will try to process all permits and other applications in a timely manner. Phone calls and email will be monitored and answered as usual. In addition, the Jane Lawton Recreation Center remains closed until further notice. For current Montgomery County closures, please check here [https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/] .
Residents are encouraged to connect with the Town through the Town Crier email alert system [https://www.townofchevychase.org/list.aspx] and with fellow residents through the private Town Neighbors listserv. For information on how to join the Town Neighbors listserv, please email townneighbors+owner@groups.io. Both resources offer an important way to stay informed and in touch. The Town website [https://www.townofchevychase.org/] also provides links to official resources for more information on coronavirus preparedness and response.
Montgomery County in Phase 2 of Reopening
Montgomery County officially entered Phase 2 of reopening [https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS/RightNav/reopening/index.html] on Friday, June 19. The County plans to continue with an incremental reopening based on public health data.
Independence Day Holiday-- Town Office Closed
The Town office will be closed on Friday, July 3 for the Independence Day holiday. Household trash collection will be collected as scheduled.
Independence Day Celebration
July 4, 2020
12 to 2 p.m.: Ice Cream
Come to the Lawton Center where Ben & Jerry’s will be serving 5 flavors of its namesake pre-packed ice cream. Servings will be placed on two tables for easy, non-contact retrieval.
12 to 2 p.m.: Scavenger Hunt
The Town’s Scavenger Hunt for home holiday decorations will be focused on the area of Town within a 2-3 block radius of the Lawton Center, although all are welcome to decorate their homes. The Scavenger Hunt list is available here [https://www.townofchevychase.org/DocumentCenter/View/3101/Scavenger-Hunt-list] . There are beads, flags and other patriotic items for the children, and decorations for homeowners. The final pick up for supplies will be on Friday, July 3 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Lawton Center. Please note that the July Forecast indicates this event will start at 12:30 p.m. However, the revised start time is 12 p.m.
12:30 & 1:30 p.m.: Rockville Concert Band Ensemble
An ensemble of the Rockville Concert Band will play celebratory music from 12:30 to 1 p.m. in Zimmerman Park and from 1:30 to 2 p.m. at the Lawton Center. Please use appropriate social distancing, wear masks, and stay in your family “pods.” The County now allows outdoor gatherings of no more than 50, so no more than 40 people should be gathered near the 10 band members.
Commemorate the Day: Take Photos!
Please take photographs of you and your families, decorated homes, and the band while you are out enjoying the day, then upload them here [http://www.dropbox.com/request/foeXDRcOLRmcw8uHaKiR] . A photo essay will be created and distributed afterwards on various social media.
Declaration of Independence Video: Finally, we will be able to hear it clearly!
Scout Troop 255 has created a video of the recordings done by Town residents, aged 7-91, reading the Declaration of Independence. The video will be presented to the Town on July 4 via social media, including the Town website and Town Neighbors. Many thanks to the hard work done by the Scouts.
The rain date for these events is Sunday, July 5 from 12 pm. to 2 p.m.
July Public Hearing and Special Public Comment Period
on Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
Public Hearing on Phased-In Restrictions of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
At its July 8 meeting, the Town Council will hold a public hearing on an ordinance to implement phased-in restrictions on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in Town.
In May, the Town’s Climate and Environment Committee (CEC) presented a report to the Town Council requesting action to address noise, harmful pollutants, and other impacts from gas-powered leaf blowers on landscape workers and residents. In response to the Committee’s specific request for a phased-in ban, the Council asked the Town attorney to draft an ordinance to prohibit the use of gas-powered leaf blowers on Sundays, effective September 1, 2020, and to prohibit the use of gas-powered leaf blowers on weekends and federal holidays, effective January 1, 2021. The Council amended and introduced the ordinance at its June 10 Council meeting. The amendment stipulates that no fines will be imposed by the Town for violations of the new regulations prior to January 1, 2022.
A complete copy of the ordinance [https://www.townofchevychase.org/DocumentCenter/View/3090/No-20-06-leaf-blowers-final] and the CEC’s report to the Town Council [https://www.townofchevychase.org/DocumentCenter/View/3096/GPLB-Ban-for-TOCC-42120] are available for review on the Town website. If you would like to participate in the July 8 meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., you may join online at https://zoom.us/j/3016547144 [https://zoom.us/j/3016547144] or by phone at 301-715-8592. The Town’s meeting identification number is 301 654 7144. If you are unable to participate in the July Council meeting, you may submit comments to townoffice@townofchevychase.org [mailto:townoffice@townofchevychase.org] .
Special Public Comment Period on Total Ban of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
At its July 8 meeting, the Town Council will hold a special public comment period to solicit community feedback on the Climate and Environment Committee’s proposal to implement a total ban of a gas-powered leaf blowers effective January 1, 2022. The Council will consider all public comments before deciding whether and how to proceed with a proposed ordinance, which would be subject to a future public hearing. If you are unable to participate in the July Council meeting, you may submit comments to townoffice@townofchevychase.org [mailto:townoffice@townofchevychase.org] .
Volunteer for Town Committees & Boards for 2020-2021
Each year in June, the Town Council begins the process of seeking volunteers for the Town’s committees and filling vacancies on the Town’s boards and commission. We encourage you to consider volunteering for one of these bodies so we can involve as many residents as possible in Town affairs.
This summer, Mayor Cecily Baskir will appoint, with the advice of the Town Council, residents to serve on each of the Town’s five standing committees for a period of one year beginning in September. Following is a list of the committees, including a short description of each:
Climate and Environment: Inspires and facilitates energy conservation and environmental stewardship by the Town and its residents.
Community Relations: Encourages a strong sense of neighborliness through community activities and communications.
Land Use: Guides building and redevelopment within the Town using available planning tools.
Long-Range Planning: Identifies emerging issues that require longer-term planning and analysis and monitors activities in county and state government likely to impact our Town.
Public Services: Advocates for high-quality Town services for our residents.
Mayor Baskir also will appoint one resident to serve on the Town's Elections Board, one resident to serve on the Town's Ethics Commission, and one resident to serve on the Town's Water Board. Following are brief descriptions of these bodies:
Elections Board: Oversees all Town elections, including making appropriate provisions for nominations, printing ballots, appointing tellers and/or judges and supervising the polls.
Ethics Commission: Receives, verifies, and maintains all financial disclosure forms required by the State of Maryland.
Water board: Hears requests by property owners who have had a water drainage plan denied by the Town.
If you are interested in volunteering to serve on any of the Town’s committees, boards or commission, please submit a brief note to the Town Office by July 31, 2020. Your correspondence may be submitted by e-mail to townoffice@townofchevychase.org [mailto:townoffice@townofchevychase.org] and should include your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and a few sentences about why you would like to serve on that particular body.
Town Seeks Volunteers to Serve on Subcommittee to
Address Regional Growth and Development
The Town seeks volunteers to serve on a new special subcommittee of the Long-Range Planning Committee, formed by the Town Council at its June 8, 2020 work session to address important issues about land use, development, and public infrastructure that will affect our community far into the future.
The County is currently working on updates to both its General Plan (now called Thrive Montgomery 2050), and its Subdivision Staging Policy (now called County Growth Policy 2020-2024). Thrive Montgomery 2050 is the long-range policy framework for guiding future land use and growth for the next 30 years, while the County Growth Policy is the tool the County uses to ensure that schools and transportation systems keep pace with development. The County Planning Board is considering drafts of both policies right now. After it approves them, the Planning Board’s recommendations will go to the County Council for consideration and action. The County Council is expected to approve the County Growth Policy by November 2020 and Thrive Montgomery 2050 by March 2021.
The special subcommittee of the Long-Range Planning Committee was formed to help the Town Council develop a coordinated approach to Thrive Montgomery 2050 and the County Growth Policy 2020-2024, working with members of the Land Use Committee and with our neighboring communities. The two council members working with this special subcommittee will be Ellen Cornelius Ericson, Council Liaison to the Long-Range Planning Committee, and Irene Lane, Council Liaison to the Land Use Committee.
Members of the subcommittee will research and monitor the issues raised in the County Growth Policy and Thrive Montgomery 2050 and will advise the Council on recommended positions and actions. The Council will continue to represent the Town at outside public forums, with elected officials, or members of the press. It is anticipated that the subcommittee will meet as and when necessary – and this could be more frequently than once per month for certain periods of time. The subcommittee’s work is expected to continue until spring 2021.
If you are interested in volunteering to serve on this special subcommittee, please submit a brief note to townoffice@townofchevychase.org [mailto:townoffice@townofchevychase.org] . Your correspondence should include your name, address, and telephone number.
Join the Special Committee on Racial and Social Justice --
First Meeting on Tuesday, July 7, 7 p.m.
The current national debate over racial and social justice is long overdue, as is the opportunity to improve conversations about race, racism, and social justice in this country. To meet the moment, the Town Council decided at the June 10 Council meeting to create a Special Committee on Racial & Social Justice. We are seeking volunteers and strongly encourage Town teens to join.
The goal of the Special Committee is to create programs and initiatives that help Town residents to (1) understand this moment, (2) explore the Town’s history on racial and social justice issues, and (3) guide the Town’s future role in addressing these issues.
As residents, we have both an opportunity and a responsibility to lead with the shared values of justice, opportunity, community, and equity. Sharing our views helps to ensure that this moment serves as an inflection point towards a better future for our community and for all of our neighbors. We are asking for volunteers to join this Special Committee, which will be co-chaired by Councilmember Irene Lane and Vice Mayor Joel Rubin. Its first meeting will be on Tuesday, July 7 at 7 p.m.
To join, please submit a brief note to the Town Office at townoffice@townofchevychase.org [mailto:townoffice@townofchevychase.org] . Your correspondence should include your name, address, telephone number, and the reason you would like to volunteer.
Town Teens List
The Town maintains a list of Town Teens, who are available for a variety of jobs, including baby-sitting, pet-sitting, and yard work. The list is made available to Town residents only. The Town does not screen to determine the experience and maturity of the teens on the Town Teens list. Please do the screening you believe necessary to determine if the teen can fill your needs responsibly.
If you would like to access the list, it is available on the Town website [https://www.townofchevychase.org/384/Town-Teens] .
Visit the Lee Dennison Garden
The new Lee Dennison Garden is a welcome park amenity that has been warmly received by Town residents. Whether catching up with friends (in a socially distanced manner), finding some peace, or discovering some of the 70 species of plantings, the Lee Dennison Garden is a place where you can learn about sustainable landscaping design and maintenance methods.
This week, signage for the garden was installed. While all information about the garden is accessible through QR codes printed on the signage (just point the camera on the QR code to bring up the associated web page), it may be helpful for residents to know that within www.DennisonGarden.org [https://www.townofchevychase.org/admin/www.DennisonGarden.org] there are additional details about:
The Story of Benefactor Lee Dennison [https://www.dennisongarden.org/]
Native Plant Blooming Schedule [https://www.dennisongarden.org/native-plants-bloom-schedule]
Plant Lists for Each Area of the Garden [https://www.dennisongarden.org/plant-list]
Invasive Plants [https://www.dennisongarden.org/additional-resources]
and more!
As Montgomery County restrictions are lifted, we will plan speaker and demonstration sessions, and family activities. In the meantime, please maintain social distancing and please do not let dogs run free in the garden.
Please Prune Overgrown Vegetation
As a reminder, residents are asked to keep all streets and sidewalks clear of overgrown vegetation. Please prune vegetation to ensure unobstructed sight lines for pedestrians and motorists. The Town's vegetation maintenance standards are available for review here [https://www.townofchevychase.org/DocumentCenter/View/1090/Overgrown-Vegetation-Management-SOPs?bidId=] . Thank you for your cooperation in helping to keep Town streets and sidewalks safe.
Resurfacing of Southbound I-270 Between Rockville and Bethesda
The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) will resurface 4.6 miles of southbound I-270 (Eisenhower Highway) between MD 189 (Falls Road) in Rockville and Democracy Boulevard in Bethesda. The project will lead to significant overnight lane closures and should continue into late summer. Drivers are advised to plan ahead and expect extra commute time.
Crews will mill, pave and restripe the roadway. During this phase of resurfacing, crews are permitted to close up to four of six southbound lanes on I-270 between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays. Two southbound travel lanes will remain open at all times. Additional work times are possible to expedite all phases of the project and keep it on schedule.
Purple Line Construction Updates
Please click here [https://www.purplelinemd.com/construction/construction-updates] to find the most recent Purple Line construction updates. Make sure to select "Bethesda/Chevy Chase" to find updates pertaining to our area.
Important Phone Numbers
Click here [https://www.townofchevychase.org/432/Important-Phone-Numbers] for a list of phone numbers that may be helpful while the Town Office is closed. In case of emergencies, always call 911.
Upcoming Meetings & Events
Click here to view the Town calendar [https://www.townofchevychase.org/calendar.aspx?CID=14] .