Holiday Office Closure and Refuse/Recycling Schedule

The Village Administrative Office and Public Works Department will be closed on Monday, January 2, 2017 in observance of the New Year's Holiday. As a reminder, the Communications Center and Police Department are open 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.

The trash and recycling pick up schedule will not be affected during the New Year's holiday.

January 2017 Crier Now Available On-line

The January 2017 edition of the Crier is now available on-line. Please click here to access the full edition of the January 2017 Crier.

2017 Winter Class Schedule Available On-line

The 2017 Winter Classes begin the week of January 9, 2017. A new adult class has been added to the schedule. Click here to view the schedule and registration form.

2017 Trash and Recycling - Holiday Schedule

Attend the Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure Meeting for the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan on January 11

County Councilmember Hans Riemer and Planning Department staff invite the public to learn more about making the Bethesda business district more accessible for walking and cycling

SILVER SPRING, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, will hold a public meeting to review pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure recommendations in the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Room D of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center (4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, MD). RSVP’s are encouraged but not required.

RSVP for the Council member Riemer and Planning Department Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure Meeting on January 11.

This community forum, Walking, Biking and the New Bethesda Sector Plan, is intended for those county residents interested in the Planning Board recommendations for making Downtown Bethesda more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists. The discussion will focus on how these proposals for Bethesda are different from what is there today and what it will take to make the changes recommended in the new plan.

The event is co-sponsored by Councilmember Hans Riemer (At-Large) and the Planning Department. It is timed to take place prior to County Council deliberations about the Planning Board-approved draft of the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan that will begin in mid-January.

Background on the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan
Launched in 2014, the new Plan builds on the success of Downtown Bethesda by offering ways to strengthen its centers of activity – Bethesda Row, Wisconsin Avenue corridor, Woodmont Triangle and other established and emerging districts – over the next 20 years. One of its recommendations is a high-performance area that will incentivize more energy-efficient buildings, new parks, tree-lined streets and innovative storm water management. Making Bethesda into a truly sustainable downtown – economically, socially and environmentally – is the plan’s top priority.

Other goals of the plan focus on:

-A mix of housing options, including preservation of market-rate affordable apartments and new moderately priced dwelling units in exchange for development incentives.

-New and/or expanded civic greens at Veteran’s Park, Bethesda Farm Women’s Cooperative Market and Capital Crescent Trail.

-Economic competitiveness within the region based on new development, public amenities and proximity to transit, including Metrorail and the proposed Purple Line light rail.

The Plan serves as an amendment to the approved and adopted 1994 Bethesda Central Business District Sector Plan and the 2006 Woodmont Triangle Amendment to that Sector Plan.

View the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan Planning Board Draft.

For questions or comments about the Bethesda plan, please email: bethesdadowntownplan@montgomeryplanning.org

About Councilmember Hans Riemer (At-Large)
Hans Riemer, elected to the County Council in 2010, represents one million Montgomery County residents as an At-Large Member. Hans serves as the Council’s Lead for Digital Government, where he is working to make county government smarter and services more efficient, and he serves on the Planning, Housing, and Economic Development Committee as well as the Government Operations & Fiscal Policy Committee.

About The Montgomery County Planning Department

The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, aims to improve quality of life by conserving and enhancing the natural and built environment for current and future generations. The Planning Department creates great communities by developing master plans, reviewing applications for development and analyzing various types of information to help public officials plan for Montgomery County’s future. The Department comprises 147 staff members and provides recommendations, information, analysis and services to the Montgomery County Planning Board, the County Council, the County Executive, other government agencies and the general public. Visit www.montgomeryplanning.org.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service - January 16, 2017

On January 16, in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, Montgomery County will host Day of Service activities at several sites throughout the County. This annual event, organized by the Montgomery County Volunteer Center and partner agencies, will feature a wide variety of coordinated family friendly service projects at locations across the County, providing residents of all ages with simple ways to help our community.

Some of the projects available include packaging food for the hungry; making dog toys for the animal shelter; creating blankets for hospices; and crafting appreciation cards for military troops. Locations, times and registration information can be found at montgomeryserves.org.

"In November, one thousand County residents braved cold weather at a rally in Silver Spring to Stand Up for the Montgomery Way and reaffirm the values of diversity, inclusion, and respect for all that have made Montgomery County special," said County Executive Ike Leggett. "It is not enough to vote. It is not enough to attend a rally. The best way to stand up for the Montgomery way is to roll up our sleeves and help our neighbors in need. Service is the way we can move closer to Dr. King's ideal of the Beloved Community."

Ways to get active -

Come to the Volunteer Fair & Service Projects planned at the Bethesda North Marriott Conference Center on MLK Day or one of the other sites. See details and sign up at montgomeryserves.org.
Individuals and groups can get together and plan a collection drive. (Visit montgomeryserves.org and use the keyword "collection" in the search box and see options to plan a drive for winter clothing, sports equipment, food and more.)
School and neighborhood groups can organize a park cleanup. Montgomery Parks will have projects planned for MLK Day and many other dates, parksvolunteers.org
Businesses looking for ways to make a difference in the community can join the Corporate Volunteer Council of Montgomery County, cvc-mc.org.
Faith congregations could plan a community gathering with an interfaith dialog and sign up to receive the enews from the Faith Community Advisory Council.

To further the aim of creating Dr. King's ideal of the Beloved Community by encouraging others to get involved, the Volunteer Center urges you to share details about your MLK Day events and your pledges to serve. Use #MLKMontCo on social media and online postings to keep the community up to date about the many local activities and volunteer opportunities focused on service and inspiring us in the spirit of inclusiveness.

Leaf Collection Continues Throughout the Village

For the week of January 1, the Public Works Crews will be collecting leaves throughout the Village each day, due to the slowing volume of leaves there is no set schedule. Please note that the collection is subject to change due to adverse weather conditions and equipment malfunctions.

Residents are asked to rake their leaves as close to the curb as possible without putting them in the roadway gutter. Should it rain, leaves piled in the gutter will dam the water causing it to pond. Residents are also encouraged not to box in piles of leaves with cars both for easier accessibility for the leaf crews and additional safety for your vehicles.

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. If you are planning to bag your leaves, they 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 collection.

Traffic Pattern Change - Capital Crescent Trail and Little Falls Parkway

Montgomery Park Staff will implement a new traffic pattern to improve safety at the intersection of Little Falls Parkway and the Capital Crescent Trail. In the vicinity of this intersection, vehicular traffic on Little Falls Parkway will merge from two lanes to one, in each direction. The speed limit will reduce from 35 mph to 25 mph, and additional signs alerting motorists of pedestrians and bicyclists will be installed.

Park staff will conduct additional studies in the vicinity of this intersection to identify a safe long-term solution to accommodate both vehicles and trail users. The long-term solution may involve additional traffic pattern changes and trail connectors. Trail users and motorists should always use caution when entering the intersection, adhere to the new traffic patterns, and obey state laws at all times.

For further information, please visit MontgomeryParks.org.

Proposed 2017 Spring Public Right-of-Way and Park Tree Planting

DEAR VILLAGE RESIDENT: In keeping with the Village’s adopted policy, the Village anticipates planting 45 trees this coming spring. Please review the proposed list of sites under consideration for planting in Village rights-of-way by clicking on the image of the tree to the right. The list has been prepared by the Tree Committee in consultation with the Village Arborist.

Should you have request for a different species, or if you have questions or concerns or would like to propose an additional site, please submit them in writing to the Village office, c/o Tree Committee at ccv@montgomerycountymd.gov by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 including your name, address and telephone number. A member of the Tree Committee will contact you to discuss the matter.

In selecting tree species, an effort has been made to emphasize native species and, where there are power lines, to plant trees that will not exceed 35’ when mature. Preferred species may in some cases prove not to be available and all listed sites are unlikely to be planted this spring. In these cases, the Tree Committee will contact the owner of the adjacent property to review alternatives.

Are You Prepared?

As we saw last season during the record Blizzard of 2016 and as gear up for the upcoming winter season, the Village reminds residents that it is important to be prepared. 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 primary electronic method of communication with you. 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 office emergency communications service for Montgomery County, MD. During major crisis, emergency or severe weather events, Montgomery County officials 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 form 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 to assist you in your preparedness efforts is to always request a House Check when you are out 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.

Residents Reminded to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle During the Holidays and Everyday Throughout the Year

Every day, Montgomery County residents can help protect the environment by reducing waste, reusing items, and recycling everything that can be recycled. This is especially true during the upcoming holiday season which traditionally generates additional amounts of waste. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) provides the following tips this holiday season. By doing so, everyone helps to ensure cleaner land, air and water.

Unwanted Mail:

In the weeks leading up to the holidays, most households receive larger quantities of advertisements, sale flyers and catalogs. Before placing unwanted mail into the mixed paper recycling bin or cart, residents should take a moment to remove their names from any mailing lists of companies they no longer wish to receive information from. Often, all that is needed is a call to a toll-free number provided in the mailing.
Another way to help reduce the amount of unwanted mail received at any time of the year is to register on a “Do Not Mail” list with any of a number of organizations offering this type of service. One service, Catalog Choice, can be accessed at https://www.catalogchoice.org. The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is another organization which provides a similar service. To register with DMA, visit www.DMAchoice.org. Or, download the form from that site, complete and mail it to: DMA Choice, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512.

Shopping:

Plan your shopping to accomplish as many purchases as you need while limiting the number of trips you make. Shop with a friend and carpool, or take public transportation.
Take along reusable bags when shopping. This eliminates the need to pay for and use either paper or plastic shopping bags.
Buy and give reusable bags as useful gifts; there are many unique types, sizes, materials and designs of reusable bags available. Recipients can use them throughout the year.
When buying gifts that will be mailed, select items that are easy to ship and don’t require much packaging.
Shop for gifts at vintage shops, antique stores or estate sales – one person’s unwanted item is another person’s treasure.
Look for gifts that are environmentally friendly and support our local economy, including items made with recycled content materials, or locally produced items.
If you have either paper bags or plastic bags that can no longer be used, recycle them. Recycle paper bags and place them into your recycling toter. Take plastic bags back to local grocery or other retail stores on a return trip, and place them into the store’s plastic bag recycling bins.

Wrapping:

Consider giving gifts that require minimal or no wrapping: tickets to shows, concerts, and/or sporting events, gift certificates or gift cards.
For oversized or bulky gift items such as bicycles, sports equipment, or artwork, simply tie a reusable ribbon or bow around them.
Make the gift wrap a part of the gift, for example, put a plant in a wicker basket, cookies on a ceramic plate, gardening tools in a planter, or jewelry in decorative case.
Wrap gifts in useful and durable wrapping, such as fabrics, scarves, or towels.
Many gift boxes are attractive and don’t need wrapping. Add a reusable ribbon or bow.
Gift bags are a great idea. They save time and effort when wrapping gifts, and can also be used again and again.
Wrap only the top of boxes, rather than the entire box.
Sunday comics, magazines, older maps or brown paper decorated with stencils, glitter, and twine can be unique gift wraps.
If you must purchase wrapping paper, look for ones made from recycled paper.
Reuse wrapping paper – have scissors or letter openers handy when opening gifts so paper doesn’t get damaged when removing tape.
Items that must be shipped or mailed can be wrapped in reused brown or decorative paper bags.
Reuse packing cartons, cardboard boxes, and shipping materials such as plastic air pillows, shredded paper or newspaper and bubble wrap. Donate excess packaging materials to local mailing centers.
If you have wrapping paper or cardboard boxes that can no longer be used, recycle them. Be sure to put them in your recycling toter.

Entertaining:

Send electronic event invitations, rather than paper ones.
Make creative centerpieces and decorations out of natural items from your yard, such as flowers, sprigs, pinecones, leaves, branches, etc.
Use durable, reusable dishes, glassware, flatware, table cloths and cloth napkins rather than disposable items. Consider renting these items if needed.
Avoid buying individually packaged beverages, and purchase food items in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging.
Don’t throw out leftovers. Put them in reusable containers for guests to take home with them to enjoy later.
Holiday cooking can generate many types of items such as bottles, jars, cans and containers that can be recycled in the Village’s recycling program. Before recycling them, consider whether any of them can be reused for storing leftovers. Be sure to recycle all the rest in your recycling toter.

Christmas Tree Recycling:

When the holidays are over, recycle cut Christmas trees and wreaths. Christmas trees are given another use if they are composted or chipped for mulch.
Remove the stand and all decorations – including lights, ornaments, and tinsel, and leave no metal attached to the tree.
Village residents can recycle Christmas trees and wreaths at the curb and they will be collected as part of your normal brush collection.
Live Christmas tree branches and pine needles can also be recycled at home by placing them under trees and shrubs or adding them to a compost bin.

Holiday Light Recycling:

Holiday string lights are being replaced by more energy efficient and longer-lasting LED lights. If you are replacing older holiday lights with newer LED lights this holiday season, consider recycling the old lights.
Do not place holiday lights into your blue recycling bin. These lights are not recyclable.
Instead, there are several retail locations and mail-in options available for residents to send their old or unwanted holiday lights for recycling.
Recycle old or unwanted holiday lights by taking them to all Home Depot store locations in the County or Lowe’s in Gaithersburg.
Visit our Visit our website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/recycling for a list of mail-in opportunities that accept holiday lights for recycling.

Christmas Tree Disposal

As part of the regular yard debris pick-up Public Works staff will collect trees, natural wreath and garlands left at the curbside. Please remove all ornaments and lighting. The trees are recycled into mulch and any wires left on the trees will damage the chipping equipment. Wire-framed wreaths and wire-strung garland should be disposed of in the regular trash.

Did You Know?

The Communications Center maintains a photo album of Village resident's pets as part of our Pet ID Program. The purpose of this program is to return lost and found household pets to their rightful owners as soon as possible. Contact the Village Communications Center to register your pet.
Residents may leave a spare house or vehicle key in the "Resident Key File" at the Communications Center in case of an emergency. If a resident, or someone authorized by the resident, is locked out of their home and/or vehicle, they can retrieve the spare key from the Village Communications Center any time, day or night.

Food Drive: Now - December in the Village Hall

For the fourth year in a row, Chevy Chase Village will partner with the Manna Food Center, the largest food bank in Montgomery County. Over the past 33 years, Manna has distributed 47.3 million pounds of food to more than 2.7 million individuals in need of food assistance. Manna serves approximately 3,700 individuals monthly totaling 11,000 un-duplicated households each year. The services of Manna ensure that 21,000 adults and 15,000 children who are experiencing poverty, hunger, and food insecurity will receive essential food supports to help them break the cycle of hunger and food insecurity.

What can you do? We will have a food drop-off at the Village Hall beginning in October through December. When attending Village events (classes, Board Meetings, Halloween Party, Holiday Party…), residents are asked to bring an item to add to the box. Here are some ideas: peanut butter, tuna fish, beans, oatmeal, mac and cheese, pasta, baby food, and shelf-stable milk. Please do not donate expired food.

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 2017 Crier.

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