Holiday Office Closure and Refuse/Recycling Schedule

Refuse & Recycling Schedule for  December 23-27, 2019

Special Pick-ups scheduled for Wednesday, December 25 and Wednesday, January 1 will slide one day and be collected on the Thursday immediately following the holiday.

Village Board Adopts Ordinance to Ban Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Effective January 1, 2022

Residents Encouraged to Work with Landscapers to Reduce Impacts of Blowers

 
At its meeting on December 9, the Village’s Board of Managers held a Public Hearing to consider comments regarding Resolution No. 12-01-19, an ordinance to ban the use of gas-powered leaf blowers effective January 1, 2022. Following the hearing and Board discussion, the Board voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance as drafted.  The ban would go into effect at the same time as a ban adopted by the District of Columbia.  The Village’s Ordinance may be viewed online by clicking here.
 
The Board approved the ban citing the adverse environmental, human health (principally for the equipment operator) and quality of life impacts resulting from  the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. These impacts were highlighted in a report from the Village Environment & Energy Committee, dated August 15, 2019, which can be viewed by clicking here:  https://www.chevychasevillagemd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3173/Revised-Noise-Reduction-Proposal-for-CC-Village-8-15-19-
 
With this ordinance now approved, the Village will begin putting materials together to communicate the effective date of this ban to yard maintenance contractors who work in the Village. If you would like your landscaper/yard maintenance contractor to be included in the distribution of these materials, please email your contractor’s information to ccv@montgomerycountymd.gov.
 
Residents and landscapers are reminded that blowers remain subject to Montgomery County’s Noise Ordinance, which applies within the Village.  The county’s Noise Ordinance states that “a person must not sell, buy, offer for sale, or use a leaf blower at any time that has an average sound level exceeding 70 dBA at a distance of 50 feet.” Additionally, the simultaneous use of multiple leaf blowers that are compliant with the 70 bDA limit can create noise of a sufficient level to qualify as a violation and/or noise disturbance.
 
If a blower seems loud, it may be in violation. Contact the Village Communications Center to have a Village officer respond to confirm the unit(s) product information and to measure the decibel level using the Village’s calibrated meter.  First time violators will receive a warning.  Residents are encouraged to discuss this restriction with your yard maintenance crews.
 
To view the Montgomery County Noise Ordinance and the provisions pertaining to leaf blowers (Section 31B-9), visit:
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dep/resources/files/downloads/compliance/noise-control-ordinance.pdf

Montgomery County Public Schools Release Timely Reminders for Pedestrian, Bicyclist and Driver Safety

Montgomery County Public Schools released the below timely reminders for pedestrian, bicyclist and driver safety.  These are timely reminders given the recent pedestrian crashes, several of which have involved children.  Please take time to review and share these reminders with your loved ones:

 
Shorter daylight hours in fall and winter typically lead to a spike in crashes involving pedestrians, and safety officials are asking commuters to exercise caution, watch out for each other, and obey traffic laws. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in 2015, 74 percent of pedestrian fatalities nationwide occurred during the dark, dusk-til-dawn hours, with one in four occurring between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
 
Montgomery County Public Schools joins safety and transportation officials throughout the region to encourage everyone to exercise caution as they go to and from schools and everywhere else you walk, especially during the darker hours early in the morning and early evening. The purpose of this communication is to share the resources provided by the BeStreetSmart.net campaign and our Safe Routes to Schools.

Giant Food located in The Collection at Chevy Chase

to Close

New Full Service Grocery Store to Open in the Space Late 2020

 
Chevy Chase Land Company (the Land Company) officials have informed the Village that Giant Food, located in The Collection at Chevy Chase, has requested to be let out of their lease due to significantly low sales. The Land Company has agreed and has secured a replacement full-service grocer to occupy the space.
 
Land Company officials, confirm that Giant Food will officially close during the first week of January 2020.  Employees at the store were informed this week.
 
Covenants on the property require the Land Company to maintain a full-service grocery store within the development, therefore, the Land Company was required to secure a replacement lease prior to allowing Giant to close. After the closure, the new grocer will take occupancy of the space and intends to perform façade improvements and layout modifications.  The new store will open at the end of 2020.
 
Land Company leadership advised that the lease agreement contains a non-disclosure provision that does not allow them to disclose the name of the new grocer until the new grocer directs; however, the Land Company has assured us that the new company is a well-known name in the retail market that residents will recognize.
 
The positive news is that the retailer has agreed to include the retail space located at the corner of Western Avenue and Wisconsin Circle (currently the Sweet Teensy bakery; which will close by the end of December). The new grocer will internally connect the two spaces so that customers (principally those getting off the Metro) will be able to access the grocery store without having to walk around to the main entrance as they do today (a consistently expressed complaint by Village residents since the renovation in the mid-2000s). The current grocery store’s retail floor actually occupies the space on the level above the bakery.  Customers would enter from the Wisconsin Circle entrance and go up a level to access the grocery store. 
 
Some unknowns at this time are whether the new store will include a pharmacy (Village officials have requested that the Land Company inquire with the new grocer), and whether an additional main entrance can be created on the Western Avenue side of the space (the sidewalk along Western Avenue is a full story below the main entrance located inside the property). Land Company officials have agreed to take that feedback to the new leaseholder.
 
Village officials remain in contact with Land Company officials and we will update the community on any developments as we learn of them.

Food Drive Continues through December

For the seventh year in a row, Chevy Chase Village is partnering with the Manna Food Center, the largest food bank in Montgomery County. Now through the end of December residents are asked to bring a non-perishable item to donate. Accepted donations include: peanut butter, tuna fish, beans, oatmeal, mac and cheese, pasta, baby food, and shelf-stable milk. Please ensure your donated food has not expired.

A Wider Circle Donation Drive

Brought to you by the Community Relations Committee

December is the final month of our collection benefiting A Wider Circle, an organization which works to address poverty and homelessness in Montgomery County. Residents are encouraged to bring personal care items such as those listed below to the Village Hall during these final weeks of the year to help those in need right here in our county:

There are so many other ways to support A Wider Circle. 
For more information visit:  http://awidercircle.org/

Montgomery County
Department of Environmental Protection
Launches Annual ‘Gift Outside the Box’ Campaign

Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is partnering with County agencies and organizations for the third consecutive year to provide residents with ways to green their holiday giving with “Gift Outside the Box.”
Gift Outside the Box focuses on five areas where residents can learn ways to gift in a more environmentally responsible way.

• Buy local: Support County businesses and purchase locally made products. Look for the “MoCo Made” label.
• Gift experiences: No need for a box when the gift features event tickets, Montgomery Recreation classes, music lessons and time in nature and parks.
• Gift greener: New items still are the choice of many gift givers, but they are encouraged to think green, with gifts such as reusable water bottles or smart thermostats.
• Give back: Among the most appreciated gifts are donations to a local charity or setting aside time to spend with friends and family by volunteering together.
• Reduce, reuse and recycle: Reduce waste by buying gifts made from recycled or reused materials. For all gifts, minimize wrapping.

During the campaign, County staff will provide residents with free reusable bags at select events and shops.

More information about the most sustainable ways to give for the holidays is available at the Gift Outside the Box website at MontgomeryCountyMD.gov/GiftGreener.

District 18 Delegates Town Hall Meeting

Garrett Park Town Hall
January 6, 2020 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
10814 Kenilworth Ave.
Garrett Park, Maryland 20896

Join your state elected legislators for a Town Hall about the issues that are important to you.This event is free and open to the public.

Glass Recycling Drop-Off at the Village Hall

In response to our contractor's announcement that they are no longer accepting glass in the recycling collection, the Village is providing a glass drop-off at the Village Hall.  Collected glass is taken by our Public Works personnel to the Montgomery County Transfer Station. The county is able to accept glass because it maintains a relationship with purchasers who use the glass in the production of roadway paving. 

Residents can drop off intact or broken glass in the bins(s), marked “Glass Bottles and Jars Only” located just off of the main driveway at the Village Hall off of Laurel Parkway. Only clean glass bottles and jars may be deposited at the drop-off.  This includes all food and beverage bottles and jars made of clear, blue, brown and green glass. The following items are not acceptable: jar lids, sheet glass, glass windows, mirrors, Pyrex, light bulbs, crystal, glass dishes, and ceramics.

EXAMPLES OF ACCEPTED MATERIALS

 
Thank you to the many residents who have begun taking advantage of this opportunity to recycle glass. Residents are reminded to continue using your green recycling cart to dispose of all other accepted recyclable materials except glass.

Leaf Collection Reminders

Residents urged to provide reminders to landscape and yard maintenance contractors

The Public Works Department’s yearly leaf collection effort has begun and will continue as often as needed through December.
 
Each week, the leaf truck on the west side of the Village will begin on West Melrose Street and work south ending on Western Avenue; and the leaf truck on the east side will begin on East Irving Street working north and ending on Quincy Street.  Leaves on each block in the Village should be collected once per week, weather permitting.

• Residents on Bradley Lane are required to bag their leaves before placing them at the roadside. Bradley Lane leaf bags will be collected throughout the week, as part of your normal yard waste collections. Bagged leaves must be placed in paper bags. Public Works will not pick up leaves that have been bagged in plastic.
• Sticks and other sharp tree and garden debris should be left loose and placed in separate piles from leaves. Sharp debris can tear the leaf collection hoses or dull the blades, resulting in downtime for the machine to address repairs to the vacuum machinery that can cause delays in the schedule.  Please avoid boxing in piles of leaves between cars both for easier accessibility for the collection crews and safety for your vehicles.

Placing leaf piles in the street can cause many problems such as:

• Disrupting traffic - many of our streets are narrow streets with on-street parking. Large piles of leaves extending out into the roadway limits parking and the ability of vehicles, especially school buses, to safely negotiate the streets.
• Pedestrian safety - on streets without sidewalks, pedestrians and traffic are forced to share the same narrow strip of pavement. This is especially dangerous this time of year as sunlight diminishes before many return home from their commutes.
• Disrupting surface drainage - rainstorms can cause leaves and debris to clog storm drains and ditches. This leads to localized flooding.
• Hampering snow removal operations - snow covered leaf piles can become frozen to the roadway surface and can also become extremely heavy, taxing the abilities of our snow plows to move them and slowing down snow clearing operations. Snow plow drivers may also mistake snow-covered leaf pile for snow, spreading the leaves all over the street. Residents then have a difficult time raking these scattered leaves back up.
• Posing a fire hazard to vehicles parked over them - there have been many examples of car fires that were caused by the extremely hot catalytic converters of the cars' exhaust system igniting the dry leaves.
• Becoming very slippery in wet weather - causing hazards to vehicles attempting to stop, start or change direction.

 
Keeping leaf piles out of the streets prevents these problems. Rest assured that our crews can get to your leaves that are placed on the grass. Any discoloration of the grass is temporary as it is dormant at this time of year.

New Session of Chevy Chase@Home
Tai Chi Classes

   Yarn Group at The Village Hall

Do you like to knit or crochet? A group, created by residents Elisabeth Boas and Elizabeth Gussie Lewis, meets at the Village Hall on Monday afternoons from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. The group is open to Village residents and began this past June.

Please drop in at the Village Hall with your current project to enjoy two free hours of knitting or crochet on Monday afternoons. Questions? Please feel free to contact Ms. Gussie Lewis (6 Oxford Street). 

Are You Prepared?

As we have experienced during various seasonal events, it is important to be prepared for local weather emergencies. In order the assist residents in their preparedness, the Village in partnership with the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS) offer a number of helpful tools, plans and free alerts to assist and keep you informed.

Village Website and Blast Email System – Have you signed up for the Village’s blast email system? This is the Village's primary method of communication with residents. The Village has 2 email lists you can sign-up for:

Urgent News Alert – include messages such as criminal activity, neighborhood disruptions such as water main breaks, power outages and road closures and major weather events.

General News Alerts – include messages about Board and committee meetings, community events, changes in public services such as refuse/recycling collection schedules and upcoming road closures.

To sign-up for the blast email system visit the Village website at www.chevychasevillagemd.gov and click on the tablet icon at the top of the Village’s homepage.
 

Alert Montgomery – Alert Montgomery is the official emergency communications service for Montgomery County, MD. During major crisis, emergency or severe weather events, Montgomery County will send event updates, warnings and instructions directly to you on any of your devices. To sign-up for Alert Montgomery please visit the OEMHS website www.montgomerycountymd.gov/oemhs and click on the “Alert Montgomery” link at the top of the page.

Family and Community Preparedness Information – Emergencies can take many forms and occur with or without warning. By taking a few simple steps now, you can ensure that you, your family and your community are better prepared to handle emergencies. To assist in your family planning, please visit the Village’s emergency preparedness page, www.chevychasevillagemd.gov/emergencyprep for helpful tools and links. Another important tool the Village has created to assist you in your preparedness efforts is our House Check Program. Always request a House Check when you are leaving town and ensure that your emergency contacts are up to date with the Village office.

For additional information please visit the Village’s website at www.chevychasevillagemd.gov and click on the “Are you prepared? – Emergency Preparedness Tips” link listed in the Quick Links on the homepage.

Emergency Contact Sheet

EMERGENCY - 911
 
Chevy Chase Village Police 
Non Emergency/24hrs - 301-654-7300

Montgomery County Police 
Non Emergency/24hrs - 301-279-8000

Bethesda - Chevy Chase Rescue Squad - 301-652-0077

Chevy Chase Fire Dept
(Opposite Columbia Country Club) - 240-773-4707

Bethesda Fire Dept
(Wisconsin Ave and Bradley Blvd) - 240-773-4706

National Capital Poison Center
(George Washington University Hospital) - 800-222-1222

Utilities
 

Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO)

Emergency-Live wires down, power failure - 877-737-2662

Customer Service - 202-833-7500

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission

Emergency - 301-206-4002

Complaints, Leaks, Information - 301-206-4001

Washington Gas

Emergency - 703-750-1400

Information & Customer Service - 703-750-1000

Comcast - 800-934-6489

Verizon - 800-837-4966

**A cut out sheet is also located on page two of the January 2019 Crier.

You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to receive general news updates from Chevy Chase Village. Did you know the Village sends out urgent news updates as well, click here to sign-up.