MAYOR AND COUNCIL
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND

Meeting No. 07-08
March 13, 2008

The Mayor and Council of Rockville met at 7:00 p.m. at a Town Hall Meeting hosted by the West End Citizens Association (WECA), on Thursday, March 13, 2008, in the Murdock Room of Christ Episcopal Church, 109 South Washington Street, Rockville, Maryland.  Patricia Woodward, President of WECA, opened the meeting and welcomed the Mayor and Council on behalf of the group.

In attendance: City Manager Scott Ullery, Chief of Police Terry Treschuk, Director of Recreation and Parks Burt Hall, Director of Public Works Craig Simoneau, Acting Director of Community Planning and Development Services Ed Duffy, Chief of Planning Jim Wasilak, Civil Engineer Susan Straus, Chief of Transportation Emad Elshafei, and Assistant to the City Manager Jennifer Kimball.

Re: Reports from City Departments and members of WECA

At the request of the Association, representatives from several departments of the City government and members of WECA were asked to give the group updates on certain issues of interest.  The Mayor and Council were also invited to respond to issues and questions raised by those present.

Police Department

Items of interest raised included:

• Vacant structures at the Burbanks site, 21 Wood Lane, and 100 South Adams Street
• Locations for photo radar on West Montgomery Avenue and an invitation for the WECA Transportation Committee to come see the cameras at work
• More enforcement of turn restrictions at Argyle Street
• Possible parking restrictions at the corner of Beall Avenue and Owens Street
• Problems with visibility corner of North Van Buren due to a new fence
• Possibility of a speed camera at the intersection of Maryland Avenue and Courthouse Walk

District Court

Frank Anastasi, a member of WECA, gave a status report on the community’s involvement in opposing the proposed District Courthouse.

Recreation and Parks

Items of interest included:

• The acquisition of the old Post Office, associated uses, costs, and parking for the building  
• Summer events, such as the Fourth of July Celebration, which will be held again at Montgomery College
• The new meeting and fitness room at the Swim Center
• Karn Park 
• Status of RedGate Golf Course
• Date for opening of the Skate Park

Sound Wall along I-270 

A citizen asked if there was support from the Mayor and Council for the sound wall proposed along parts of I-270.  Mayor Hoffmann asked for information about the state’s plans to fund the wall and how the payments from the levels of government were decided.  She said she expected to support it, as did Councilmembers Britton, Gajewski, Marcuccio, and Robbins.

Public Works

Items of interest included:

• Reuse of old trash cans after the City distributes the new refuse carts
• Why commingled recycling is not available City wide at this time
• Possibilities for incentives for residents providing stormwater management (SWM) on their property to be built into the new SWM utility ordinance  
• Conflict between the City’s rules against gravel driveways and decision to charge residents for runoff from impervious pavements
• Handling of recycle bins by refuse staff
• Reasons for taking recycling to Elkridge
• Status of Verizon coming to Rockville and status of FIOS

Community Planning and Development Services

Issues of interest included:

• The possibility of a church proposed for the corner of Monument Street and Great Falls Road in terms of whether or not it is a permitted use and the process for community input
• Delay of the grocery store coming to Town Square
• The current occupancy rate for Town Square of approximately 50% in both the condominiums and the rental units
• Home-based businesses as described in the draft of the new zoning ordinance
• Notification of individual neighborhoods as to specific properties that may have a change in zoning or other significant changes to the neighborhood before the zoning ordinance is finished
• Draft language in the new zoning ordinance about transitional zones, e.g., edges of Town Center
• Projected timeline for approval of the zoning ordinance and the possibility of the extension of the moratorium 
• Any changes in zoning regarding the size of residential lots proposed in the new zoning ordinance
• The City’s involvement in the location of the proposed District Courthouse and the City’s role in failing to review the state’s plans