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May 2023 Issue of the Crier
The May 2023 issue of the Crier is now available online.
Please click the link below to view it:
May 2023 Crier |
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Clarification Regarding Montgomery County’s
Announcement of a New Requirement to
Maintain the County Income Offset Tax Credit
This week, Montgomery County issued a news release announcing that Montgomery County property owners would lose the $692 “county income offset tax credit” if they did not follow the new requirement to first apply for the Maryland Homestead Credit by May 1. This news release caused confusion regarding the Homestead Tax Credit application. PLEASE NOTE: Homeowners need only apply ONCE for the Homestead Tax Credit. If you have already received the credit, there is nothing more you need to do at this time.
Homeowners can verify whether they have already received the Homestead Tax Credit by searching their property on the SDAT’s real property data search webpage and scrolling down to “Homestead Application Information”. Step by step instructions are available by clicking here. The State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT) has reported an influx of phone inquiries resulting from the county news release. These calls are preventing the SDAT tax credit team from issuing the necessary Access Code for property owners who must have this code in order to file their initial Homestead Tax Credit application by the May 1, 2023 deadline. SDAT is allocating additional resources to its tax credit department to ensure that every homeowner who needs an Access Code is in receipt of one by the May 1, 2023 deadline. |
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ONE WEEK to go:
Stormwater Committee Community Survey
Responses Due May 5
Hello Neighbors! Please take a moment to fill out the Chevy Chase Village Stormwater Survey, available at bit.ly/3lJHP5w. The committee welcomes survey responses from all households in the Village through Friday, May 5, 2023 (one response per household). While residents are urged to complete the survey online, a printed version of the survey was also mailed to all Village households. Regardless of whether your home is directly affected by stormwater runoff, we would like to hear your opinions and experience.
Your participation is critical as we (the Village Stormwater Committee) identify stormwater problems and collect potential solutions to manage runoff in Chevy Chase Village. We hope you will invest a few minutes to complete this survey! Thank you!
-Chevy Chase Village Stormwater Committee
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Be a Part of History!
Friday May 5 at the Circle
After COVID shutdowns and a year of construction, the Chevy Chase Circle fountain is finally back and now running better than ever. Thanks to the National Park Service, the fountain has a new basin, a new pump and a state-of-the-art water processing system that makes sure the water stays clear and chlorinated at all times. Plus, for the first time in its almost 100 year history, the fountain will have lights not only around the exterior of its base but within its basin, illuminating the fountain’s water plume and splash. It promises to be magical! The lights were an add-on to the construction project and they were paid for in full by community donations and the hard work of the Friends of Chevy Chase Circle.
Come help celebrate the “new” fountain with the kick-off event in Friday, May 5th. Witness firsthand the inaugural lighting. Our VIP'S will have a bullhorn to lead the community countdown to the lighting and when the lights come on, be sure to have in hand your noise-makers and be there to listen to the toe-tapping, up-beat sounds of DC’s own Crush Funk Brass Band. Free ice cream and popcorn for all. The three day event is called "Chevy Chase Spring Fling: Two Communities, One Circle”. It is important to note that for this event, no one will be allowed on the circle itself. To see the lights, the best viewing is around the circle, either on the sidewalks or the lawn of the Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church where the band will be positioned. Music will start up about 8:15pm and the lights will go on at 8:30pm sharp. For more information about this event and the other events of the weekend, go to: www.FriendsofChevyChaseCircle.org
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Montgomery County Council Enacts Legislation to Create a New Friendship Heights Urban District
On April 11, the County Council voted unanimously to enact Expedited Bill 13-23, Montgomery County Urban Districts – Friendship Heights Urban District, which will create an urban district located in the Friendship Heights area. The legislation was spearheaded by Council Vice President Andrew Friedson, who is the Council’s Planning, Housing and Parks Committee chair and the district Councilmember for the area.
The legislation establishes the urban district that will provide funding for, and support the work of, The Friendship Heights Alliance. This nonprofit organization works on behalf of businesses and residents in Friendship Heights to further economic vitality and strengthen community in the area. This legislation dovetails with legislation proposed by Washington, D.C. Ward 3 Councilmember Matthew Frumin to develop a Business Improvement District on the D.C. side of Friendship Heights. The legislation also establishes a five-member Friendship Heights Urban District Advisory Committee, expands the purposes of urban districts in the County, creates a commercial district charge as an additional mechanism to fund an urban district, and generally amends the law concerning urban districts. The Friendship Heights Urban Advisory Committee members must be appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the Council. The proposed five-member committee will include two commercial property owners nominated by the Friendship Heights Alliance, one residential renter in the district, one residential property owner and one business owner nominated by the Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce. Montgomery County’s other urban districts serve Wheaton, Bethesda and Silver Spring. The urban district boundaries and more information on the proposed legislation can be found in the Council’s staff report. |
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Montgomery County’s
Department of Permitting Services (DPS) Offers
Free Deck Safety Inspections in May
As part of its annual Building Safety Month campaign, DPS will offer residential deck maintenance safety inspections during the month of May. This free service is limited to the first 300 appointments.
Make sure to have your deck checked before the summer season. Beginning May 1, contact MC 311 (240-777-0311) to schedule your deck inspection. For more information, see the news release .
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Spotted Lanternfly- What to Look For and
How to Report Sightings
Last spring, the Village alerted residents to the state quarantine for the Spotted Lanternfly, an invasive species slowly spreading through the mid-Atlantic region. This is the time of year to be on the lookout for last year’s egg masses and this year’s nymphs.
If you happen to come across Spotted Lanternfly in any stage of its development, please take a photo and visit the Maryland.gov website to report it using this link: https://mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/pages/spotted-lantern-fly.aspx . Destroy any lanternfly and egg mass you discover, whether you report them or not. Please be aware that there are no pesticides that are specific to lanternfly, and broad-spectrum products may harm beneficial insects. Click on the linked image above to visit the Maryland.gov website for more information or visit the Village’s Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine page on our website. |
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Montgomery County Executive Elrich to Hold
‘Community Conversations’ to Talk About
Long-term Priorities and FY 2025 CIP Budget
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich will hold six “community conversations” at sites around the County in April and May to talk about long-term priorities and how he will address the Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget.
A capital budget plan that states how much money is needed for major construction projects and for purchase and maintenance of the assets. It also determines the amount of time that will be used for the planning and design of the project. The CIP refers to items such as land, buildings, equipment and other investments in the County. The capital budget addresses planning for long-term major projects. It differs from the County operating budget, which funds spending needs for a one-year period. The community conversation events will address how the County Government will make decisions on major projects such as the construction of public schools, building swimming pools, transportation improvements, improvements to sidewalks, improvements to local parks, building parking garages and establishing childcare centers. See the full news release for information regarding the other scheduled ‘Community Conversations’.
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Montgomery County’s Department of Transportation
to Sponsor Seven Pit Stops During
Washington Region’s Annual
‘Bike to Work Day’ Event on Friday, May 19
Bike to Work Day is held annually across the nation on the third Friday of May to celebrate bicycling as a fun, healthy and climate-friendly way to get to work.
MCDOT will sponsor seven pit stops with refreshments, music and local vendor displays throughout the morning of Friday, May 19. There will be free raffle prizes and a grand prize raffle of a new bike at each MCDOT-sponsored pit stop. Residents biking to work, as well as leisure riders, are encouraged to participate. For a full list of regional pitstops and to register, visit biketoworkmetrodc.org. All riders are encouraged to wear a helmet. |
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Montgomery County's Durable Medical Goods Drop Off Now Open
The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting durable medical equipment (DME) at the Shady Grove Transfer Station and Recycling Center at 16101 Frederick Road in Derwood. The County is participating in the statewide Department of Aging’s Maryland Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Re-Use program that promotes the refurbishing and reuse of wheelchairs, canes, shower chairs, and other gently used medical equipment.
The average wheelchair or walker has a usable life span of more than five years. However, this type of equipment is often only used for a few months before being discarded, taking up valuable landfill space while leaving many without resources to obtain the medical equipment they desperately need. To find out more about Maryland DME Re-Use, including collection site locations, acceptable donations or how to apply to receive durable medical equipment, go to dme.maryland.gov, call 240-230-8000 or email dme.mdoa@maryland.gov.
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Medication Drop Box
Available at the Village Hall
The Village Police Department has a grant-funded steel drop box for the safe disposal of prescription and over-the counter (OTC) medication. The white mailbox-style receptacle is located on the Village Hall’s porch and it is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Residents are welcome to drop off bagged prescription and OTC pills (if in their containers, obliterate names on the labels). No liquids, needles, or empty pill bottles please!
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Dry Wells and Their Maintenance
If you have dry wells (underground receptacles for stormwater runoff) on your property as part of a stormwater management system, it’s important to know that these underground retention pits require ongoing maintenance—“out of sight” should not be “out of mind”! Debris from gutters (leaf litter and such) can cause clogging of the gravel retention area, and even above ground, it is important not to block the overflow cap or to build on top of the dry well.
If you notice that the area around your dry well is soggy, or worse, if the overflow cap seems to activate at the least amount of rain, then it probably means your system is due for a cleaning. Generally, every three to five years the gravel containment area needs to be flushed out, to eliminate sediment and debris that can hamper performance. This process is often referred to as “refreshing” the dry well. If this maintenance is neglected, the well will not function and you will experience adverse impacts to your yard and possibly to your basement.
Check with the company that installed the system, or if it was in place when you purchased your home, many landscape companies can perform this service. Keeping your dry wells in good condition will go a long way to improving the stormwater management conditions in your yard. Here is a link to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s website [a] with information on dry wells and their maintenance, as well as link to the Montgomery County website [b] with information on dry wells in general, their sizing and location.
Note that installation of a dry well on your property does require a Chevy Chase Village Building Permit. Permitting & Code Enforcement Coordinator Aurelio Baca-Asher can assist you with the permitting process.
[a] https://www.cbf.org/document-library/presentation-webinar-materials/CBF_Dry_Well_011614.pdf
[b] https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DEP/Resources/Files/PostersPamphlets/dry-wells.pdf
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Impacts of the May 11, 2023 End to the National COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration
On January 30, 2023, the Biden Administration announced it will end the COVID-19 public health emergency (and national emergency) declarations on May 11, 2023.
The US Department of Health & Human Services has issued a Fact Sheet outlining the effects of this announcement. CLICK HERE to view the guidance.
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Access to COVID-19 Test Kits and N-95 Masks;
Vaccine Access & Information
In partnership with Montgomery County, the Village continues to provide COVID-19 rapid (antigen) test kits and N-95 masks at no charge. Test kits are available at the Village Hall with a limit of two (2) boxes per person, per visit while supplies last.
Residents can also obtain free rapid test kits at county libraries during regular operating hours. The nearest is the Chevy Chase Library, located at 8005 Connecticut Avenue, or go online to view the complete list of county library locations. For those who may prefer to receive them by mail, test kits are available to be delivered to your home by USPS through the federal distribution program by visiting https://www.covid.gov/tests or calling 1-800-232-0233 (limit one shipment per household). The CDC recommends everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and bivalent boosters for their age group: - Children and teens aged 6 months–17 years
- Adults aged 18 years and older
- People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have different recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines.
To find COVID-19 vaccine locations, visit health.maryland.gov/covid, or call 1-855-MDGOVAX (1-855-634-6829). To view available testing sites in the county (government operated and private), visit: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/testing.html. |
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Help Village Staff Keep the Community Safe & BeautifulReport Areas for Repair and Maintenance
Village staff prides itself on being responsive and working hard to ensure that the Village remains a safe, beautiful and welcoming community—but we cannot do it alone. While we are constantly on the lookout for areas that need to be addressed, we need the support of residents serving as our eyes and ears throughout the community:
Sidewalk Repairs
The Village maintains brick paver sidewalks throughout the community. The brick pavers are not mortared and are set on a bluestone base to allow the sidewalks to gradually move as adjacent tree roots grow. Compared to the former concrete sidewalks, the dry-laid brick pavers are much easier for Public Works staff to repair by removing and resetting sections that have shifted. This is ongoing maintenance that our crews perform throughout the year as trip hazards are identified by staff or are brought to our attention by residents.
Tree Maintenance
There are well over 2,500 “public” trees located within Village parks, greenspaces and public right-of-way. The Village’s consulting Arborist and our Director of Public Works perform routine assessments for tree maintenance needs including areas for pruning, removals or treatments to improve a tree’s health. These assessments supplement our ongoing response to observations made by staff and residents.
How to Report an Issue or Concern
Residents can use the Village’s online form system to report any number of issues or concerns, by visiting: https://www.chevychasevillagemd.gov/RequestTracker.aspx. From this page, residents can report sidewalk trip hazards and streetlight outages, and request public tree maintenance and recycling toters.
As always, residents may also call the Village’s 24-hour Communications Center or email uests/concerns to the Village’s main email address at ccv@montgomerycountymd.gov (emails are then routed to the appropriate department).
Thank you for helping us to continue addressing the needs of the community!
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Join The Compost Crew Today!
The food-waste collection program in Chevy Chase Village continues to grow as the community looks for more ways to be conscientious consumers. Currently, over 100 Village households are recycling their food-waste with Compost Crew.
To sign up for collection services, or if you have any questions about the program, please feel free to contact info@compostcrew.com or visit the Compost Crew website.
NOTE: Those who participate are reminded that compost (as well as trash and recycling) bins are prohibited from being placed at the curbside for collection per the Village Code. Pursuant to Section 10-6 of the Chevy Chase Village Code, all receptacles for the disposal of household garbage, trash and recyclable materials must be left for collection at the rear of the dwelling unit (no curbside collection). Thank you for your cooperation.
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Chevy Chase At HomeAn Aging-in-Place Village
Do you know that there’s an organization in your neighborhood that helps seniors remain in their own homes safely when they need help doing so? Chevy Chase At Home is a group of neighbors helping neighbors. Volunteers bring needed support to members with a smile.
CC@H offers a rich program of affinity groups, continuing education, socialization, and exercise – many via Zoom, which actually makes it easier for many to participate.
Please consider whether you, a family member, a friend or neighbor might benefit from the help and sense of community that Chevy Chase At Home can provide. We welcome members and volunteers. Visit https://www.chevychaseathome.org/ for more information and applications.
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Friendship Heights
Farmers Market Open Year-Round;
Within Walking Distance to the Village
Twin Springs Fruit Farm holds a fruit market in Friendship Heights year-round on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 4433 South Park Avenue (adjacent to the Friendship Heights Village Center). The market offers a variety of fruits, berries, and vegetables based on their seasonal peak availability.
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Local Goods Donation OrganizationsLooking to donate used items for general reuse or for use by those in need?
Looking to safely discard old papers?
Click to access a list of organizations accepting used items along with an organization that provides free paper shredding, year-round.
Please refer to the listed organizations’ websites for changes in collection days/times and operations.
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Join the Village Listserv on Groups.io
CCVillage (CCVillage@Groups.io), is the neighborhood mailing list (listserv) for residents of Chevy Chase Village. CCVillage is a resource to allow neighbors to stay connected with one another other. Click for more information and to join the listserv.
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Are You Emergency Prepared?
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. Click to view emergency preparedness information.
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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. |
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