MAYOR AND COUNCIL
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND

Meeting No. 16-08
May 14, 2008

The Mayor and Council conducted a Town Hall meeting with residents of Burgundy Estates on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 7: p.m. in the Glenview Mansion in Rockville Civic Center Park.

In attendance: City Manager Scott Ullery. 

Re: Opening Remarks

City Manager Scott Ullery opened the meeting by welcoming residents and recognizing the members of the Mayor and Council.  Mr. Ullery noted that staff from the Police Department, the Department of Public Works, Community Planning and Development Services, and the Department of Recreation and Parks were in attendance to present information and answer questions.

In response, Mayor Hoffman thanked everyone for coming this evening, saying how important it is for the Mayor and Council to have such an opportunity to interact with residents.  Mayor Hoffmann then handed the presentation back to Mr. Ullery so that staff could share information about the specific topics about which the Burgundy Estates residents had asked for information.

Re: Updates from City Departments

Chief of Police Terry Treschuk shared data on calls for service in the area of Burgundy Estates as well as data about vacant properties.  He assured residents that Code Enforcement staff track rental and vacant properties to make sure they are maintained appropriately.

Chief of Engineering Susan Straus noted that she was present for Craig Simoneau, the Director of Public Works, who could not be at the meeting.  Ms. Straus shared information about the new refuse and recycling program.  She also invited Nazar Saleh from the Traffic Division to give an overview of the Baltimore Road Improvement CIP project.  Chief of Traffic and Transportation Emad Elshafei summarized the status of the SHA’s improvements to the intersection at First Street and Viers Mill Road, citing the level of the City’s involvement.  A member of the Environment Commission, Tolulope Odunlami, who was present, invited the neighborhood to get involved in stream clean ups. 

Director of Recreation and Parks Burt Hall presented information about the improvements planned for the Civic Center Park and the events planned at the park this summer.  He also invited residents go to Hometown Holidays. 

Planner Ann Wallas from Community Planning and Development Services described the status of the Twinbrook Neighborhood Plan and answered questions about the Plan, including the potential impact on the Burgundy Estates Shopping Center, especially the amount of traffic that could be generated from redevelopment of the center.  Ms. Wallas also invited residents to get involved in the Rockville Pike Corridor Plan, including the upcoming community charrette about the Plan in June.

There was some discussion about the status of the Burgundy Estates Civic Association (BECA) relative to its inclusion as part of the Twinbrook Citizens Association (TCA), proposed by Lora Meisner, the former President of BECA, when she moved out of Rockville.  One of the residents of Burgundy Estates, Peter Mork, said he was interested in reviving the association as a separate entity, rather than having the area included in TCA, given the interest neighbors had expressed in this.  There was agreement that TCA and Mr. Mork would work together to more formally assess neighborhood interest in reviving BECA.  If there seemed to be sufficient interest in Burgundy Estates staying a separate entity, Mr. Mork offered to facilitate the process leading to a formal election of officers so the association can begin operations.  Three additional Burgundy Estates residents offered to assist Mr. Mork.

Re: Adjournment

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m.