Getting a Jump on Spring Cleaning? Rockville Can Help

Rockville provides six special collections per household each calendar year. Special collections are for large items that do not fit into carts, such as couches or desks.

Special collections are also for large metal items such as refrigerators or grills that can be recycled. Call 240-314-8568 weekdays, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., to schedule an appointment. Place items at the curb by 6 a.m., in an unobstructed area on the scheduled date. Special collections should be less than 500 pounds.

Large bulk refuse items should be cut into sections no longer than eight feet. Examples of bulk refuse items the City will collect include:

• Fencing and landscape ties
• Furniture and toys (non-plastic)
• Pianos
• Rugs and carpets

Examples of large metal items the City will collect include:

• Air conditioners, water heaters
• Lawnmowers
• Propane tanks
• Outdoor furniture and grills
• Sheds
• Swing sets
  

The City cannot pick up items such as cinder blocks, oil or mulch. For a more comprehensive list of what the City will collect and what items are not accepted, go to www.rockvillemd.gov/recycling-refuse.

For questions or comments about issues associated with Recycling and Refuse Collection, call 240-314-8568. 

Know Your Rights and Responsibilities Before Beginning Yard Work
Front Yard Paving Guidelines and Right-of-Way Regulations Affect Homeowners

Residents considering expanding a driveway, planting landscaping along the curb, or otherwise making
changes to a front yard or property within the right-of-way should check City guidelines and regulations before beginning a project.

Front Yard
A permit is not generally required for driveway or walkway expansions, but the City has regulations governing the amount of front yard area that can be covered by “impervious surface” material. Impervious surface is any material that prevents, or severely restricts, water from absorbing into the soil. Impervious surfaces include driveways, sidewalks, open porches and compacted gravel areas.

The allowed amount of impervious surface area is expressed as a percentage of the total front yard area. The percentages allowed are based on the zoning district of the property and range from 10 to 45 percent. Corner lots are restricted to five to 22 percent.

It is recommended that you check with the City prior to starting any work to ensure that what you are doing is consistent with regulations.

For more information visit www.rockvillemd.gov/government/cpds and click on Front Yard Work FAQ. The public information counters at City Hall, 111 Maryland Avenue, are open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Inspection Services and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Planning and Zoning. The department may also be contacted at 240-314-8200 or cpds@rockvillemd.gov.

Right-of-Way
As specified in the City Code, a permit is generally required for paving, planting or landscaping, construction,
excavation or other work within the City-owned right-of-way.

The City requires permits in order to coordinate the installation and maintenance of utilities in the right-of-way such as Pepco, Washington Gas, and Verizon, and to maintain roads, sidewalks, sewer and water mains, and other infrastructure.

Residents interested in adding landscaping in the right-of-way are especially cautioned to check with the City before beginning, as plants can create problems over time.

For more information visit www.rockvillemd.gov/permits or contact at 240-314-8500 or permits@rockvillemd.gov.
 
 

Upper Watts Branch Watershed Restoration Project Continues
A project to restore the stream channel in Upper Watts Branch Park Forest Preserve is moving forward.
The design process will start, and staff and residents will participate in a field walk to observe erosion.

The field walk, which will take place Feb. 4, is an opportunity for neighbors and the Upper Watts Branch Task Force to observe various elements in the park, including the trees, stream and any erosion associated with it, and other environmental elements. City staff will point out the issues that are of concern. Following the walk, a meeting, Environmental Restoration 101, will be held in March to discuss how to fix the erosion and any impacts on the park.

The purpose of the Upper Watts Branch Park Forest Preserve Environment Restoration Project is to enhance the Watts Branch Watershed – a 22-square-mile tributary to the Potomac River – through stream restoration, stormwater management, wetland enhancement, reforestation and protection of adjacent utilities.

Watts Branch, of which approximately 6.5 miles is located within the City of Rockville, is experiencing increased erosion, which is degrading the water quality of the stream and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. This erosion undermines trees along stream banks and causes them to fall. Stream erosion is a main contributor
to poor water quality because excessive sediment and nutrients enter the water.

This project will slow the stream erosion and improve the health of Watts Branch.

The project will take place within the Upper Watts Branch Forest Preserve Park and on City-owned parcels bounded between Gude Drive, Aster Boulevard, Nelson Street and Princeton Place. This park is one of many forest preserves throughout the city.

The goals of the stream restoration project are to:

• Minimize/control channel erosion (i.e., channel enlargement and down cutting)
• Reduce pollutants from the eroding stream banks
• Enhance stream and forest habitats
• Protect existing utilities in and near streams from erosion damage
• Protect existing forest areas
• Protect and enhance existing wetlands
• Protect and maintain existing trail systems
• Control invasive vegetation and establish native plants
• Reforestation to meet forestry requirements and establish additional buffer