• Grocery Store:
  • The Land Company has withdrawn its request for removal of the site condition requiring a grocery store with a minimum square footage of 30,000 be maintained on the property.
  • An opening is proposed in the median along the driveway as you enter the property from Western Avenue to allow drivers to directly access the Kiss & Ride/Giant parking lot located to the east of the Giant.
• Wisconsin Circle:
  • The Land Company has presented an option to cut into the section of sidewalk on Wisconsin Circle located between Western Avenue and the entrance to the underground parking garage to provide four public parking spaces. The sidewalk’s width in this section would be reduced by approximately twelve feet. The remaining sidewalk would be eight feet in width, which complies with Americans with Disabilities standards.
  • The earlier proposal to extend the curb for the proposed pedestrian crossing (immediately west of the entrance to the underground parking garage) has been eliminated at the request of fire-rescue officials, which require a minimum roadway width of twenty feet for emergency vehicle access.
  • The existing three taxi cab parking spaces will be maintained in (approximately) their current location along the westbound curb, immediately west of the proposed pedestrian crossing. No additional taxi stand will be designated along the eastbound side of the circle (on the bus terminal side).
  • Two public parking spaces are shown to the west of the taxi cab spaces. These spaces do not extend beyond the break in the center median (approximately 98 feet from the travel lane along Wisconsin Avenue). Parking in these spaces would only be permitted during off-peak (non-rush hours).

• Internal to the Property:
  • At the Village’s request, the Land Company has agreed to install speed humps internal to the property to reduce vehicle speeds and enhance pedestrian safety. Originally, the Land Company proposed two new raised crosswalks to serve as speed humps along the interior street that is closest to the Buffer. The Village insisted that an additional speed hump, located closer to the crosswalk, was needed as you approach Montgomery Street. The Land Company agreed and revised the plans to include the third requested speed hump. The location of the third speed hump will be shifted approximately fifty feet south of this crosswalk, which the Land Company has agreed to.
  • A new ramp along the east side of the proposed plaza area to allow easy access for strollers and wheelchairs from the upper surface parking deck to the lower interior street has been proposed.
  • Passenger drop-off area in front of Clyde’s restaurant (approximately two car lengths).
  • Removal of the parking gates at the entry/exit off of Western Avenue.

• Montgomery Street:
  • The sidewalk surrounding the proposed roundabout will be raised, effectively serving as an additional speed hump as you enter and exit the property (as well as the Saks parking lot). This will force drivers to slow down and by raising the sidewalk’s level, pedestrians will be easier for drivers to see.
  • The proposed roundabout would bring the sidewalk that encircles the roundabout deeper into the property (i.e., farther south) by approximately thirty-five feet. This will improve pedestrian access to and from the Buffer and reduce the risk of vehicular and pedestrian accidents as this heavily-used pedestrian access point between the Village and the shopping center.

The Planning Board hearing to consider and take action on the proposed plans has been scheduled for Thursday, September 8. Ahead of the hearing, Planning Board staff will issue its report containing its recommendations, which is scheduled to be released on Monday, August 29. The Planning Board staff begin drafting their report toward the end of July. The Village Board intends to submit a statement to the Planning Staff before Monday, August 15 so the Village’s statement can be included in the Planning Staff’s report to the Planning Board.

Residents may submit their written comments to the lead Planning Board staffer, Ms. Stephanie Dickel at Stephanie.dickel@montgomeryplanning.org, or to Planning Board Chair Mr. Casey Anderson at MCP-Chair@mncppc-mc.org. Residents are encouraged to submit their comments by Friday, July 29. These comments will help to inform the Planning Board Staff’s report. Written comments will continue to be accepted through the hearing date on September 8. The hearing will be held in the afternoon.

Residents are also encouraged to provide their comments, questions and concerns to the Village Manager, Ms. Shana Davis-Cook, at shana.davis-cook@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Daytime Theft Trend Identified

Residents are asked to be vigilant and call police right away

• Friday, July 15 10:30am-10:45am: A construction worker’s wallet was stolen from his unlocked truck parked on Hesketh Street between Kirkside and Wisconsin.  No suspect was seen.
  
  
• Tuesday, July 19:  At about 11:30 a.m., a resident called Village police and reported that, one hour before he called, he saw a young man walking west in the 4000 block of Oliver Street.  The resident reported that the young man that he had seen one hour prior was the same young man that the resident had seen on Friday, July 15 at about noon opening car doors on Park Street near Oliver Street.  Unfortunately, the resident had not called the police on Friday, July 15.  The suspicious young man was already gone when police were called on July 19.  The resident described the suspicious person and a young black male, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.  He was wearing headphones and carrying a cell phone in his hand. 
  
  
• Tuesday, July 19 at 12:05 p.m:. A construction worker in the unit block of Hesketh Street reported that a battery for a power tool was stolen from his truck between noon and 12:05 p.m.; he had stepped away from his truck for only 5 minutes.  No suspect was seen.
  
  
• Tuesday, July 26 at 12:25 p.m.:  A construction worker at a job site in the 4000 block of Oliver Street discovered his wallet stolen from his truck.  The theft occurred between noon and 12:25 p.m.  No suspect was seen.
  
  
• Thursday, July 28 at 12:20 p.m.: ,Sgt. Tiedemann of the Village Police Department spotted a young man sitting on the front steps of a home in the 3900 block of Oliver Street.  The young man was black, slender, about 20 years old and was wearing a purple shirt and plaid shorts, and he had ‘corn rows’ (rows of tight twists) in his hair.  The man had a bright red motor scooter parked adjacent to the front steps, and there were 6 recently-delivered packages on the porch within reach of the young man.  The sergeant made a U-turn to speak to the young man, but he quickly jumped onto his motor scooter and rode quickly across Western Avenue into DC.  Three doors away, Sergeant Tiedemann discovered an empty Amazon delivery box addressed to a resident from Grove Street.  He also discovered two discarded Amazon boxes addressed to Bethesda residents.  The Grove Street and the Bethesda addressees confirmed that the packages had been stolen.  Interestingly, all 3 recovered stolen packages had been delivered to the homes between 11:00 a.m. and 11:20 a.m. that same day.
  
  
• Friday, July 29 at 10:20 a.m.:  A landscaper stepped away from his truck for 10 minutes and discovered that an iPhone and an iPad had been stolen from his truck.  Using location software, the victim could see that his devices were near the intersection of River Road and Western Avenue.  A County police officer responded to the area of River and Western and spotted a slender black male on a grey scooter carrying Amazon and UPS packages.  The officer attempted to stop the young man on the scooter, but he fled from the officer and was last seen crossing into DC near Western Avenue and 41^st Street.

1. Be vigilant.  Call the police immediately if you see a person matching the descriptions given above, or if you see anyone or anything that strikes you as unusual or suspicious.
   
   
2. It takes very little time for someone to open an unlocked car door and take small items.  Please help us prevent these crimes of opportunity by simply locking your car every time you park your car. 

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Notice of Special Board Meeting - Proposed Site Amendments at The Collection Chevy Chase

The Week Ahead: July 31- August 6

• Monday, August 1 @ 7:30 p.m. - The Board will convene a Special Meeting to consider the Village’s final position statement to be submitted to the Montgomery County Planning Board regarding the revised redevelopment plans for The Collection Chevy Chase (formerly the Chevy Chase Center).
  
  
• Tuesday, August 2 - National Night Out from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Newlands Park.

2016 Resident Directories Now Available

The new 2016 Resident Directories are available for pick-up at the Village office; limit one per household, please.

Residents can now view directory listings on the Village's website. by clicking here.