POSTPONED: Western Grove Urban Park Grand Opening

Due to the severe weather forecast for this coming Sunday, October 29,  the Western Grove Park Grand Opening has been postponed until the following Sunday, November 5, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Please try to join us next week for the official ceremony- we look forward to better weather and to seeing everyone!

Village and County Police Conduct
Crosswalk Enforcement Effort

Numerous drivers ticketed for failing to obey crosswalk law

 
On Wednesday, October 27, 2017, in response to several complaints from citizens about drivers ignoring pedestrians in the crosswalk at Connecticut Avenue and Lenox Street, Village and Montgomery County police officers joined forces to conduct a third coordinated enforcement effort there.  Three Village officers and four County officers comprised the stop team, and Chief Fitzgerald served as the ‘bait’ pedestrian.
 
Lt. Dasilva video recorded Chief Fitzgerald as Fitzgerald repeatedly activated the flashing beacons and attempted to use the crosswalk.  Fitzgerald wore his ‘crosswalk uniform,’ a bright yellow polo shirt and khaki pants, as he attempted to cross Connecticut Avenue.  When vehicles ignored the rules* and drove through the crosswalk while he was within it, Fitzgerald radioed the description of the violating cars, and the stop team flagged the cars onto a side street to issue citations. 
 
In about an hour, officers issued 16 citations (including one for a suspended license), 2 warnings and 1 equipment repair order.   The Village Police Department appreciates the help from the County Police Department; they are a great partner. 
 
Please follow—and share with the drivers in your home—the below crosswalk rules.
 

*What are the rules, you ask?  There are 2 primary ones.  They are:

 
1. Vehicles (cars, trucks, buses, bicycles, motorcycles) must stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, and must remain stopped until the pedestrian makes it all the way to:

 
2. A vehicle is prohibited from passing any other vehicle that has stopped for a pedestrian at a crosswalk.
 

VETERANS TOWN HALL

November 10, 2:00 PM – Town of Chevy Chase Town Hall
4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

 
The Community Relations Committee of the Town of Chevy Chase is hosting a Veterans Town Hall on November 10, 2017, at 2:00 PM in the Town Hall of the Town of Chevy Chase (address above). The Committee has extended an invitation to veterans who live in the greater Maryland Chevy Chase area – including villages, townships, and sections – in addition to inviting any local Veterans of Foreign Wars and any Wounded Warriors who would like to participate.
 
Veterans Town Hall events have been occurring around our nation for the last few years. The event was conceived by author and war reporter Sebastian Junger and continues to be advocated by Representative Seth Moulton (D-Mass), who served as a Marine lieutenant in Iraq.  
 
Here is an excerpt from the Veterans Town Hall website (http://www.sebastianjunger.com/vets-town-hall/):
 
"The idea behind a Veterans Town Hall is to give vets of all wars a chance to address their community directly and without intermediaries. As a veteran speaking at a town hall event, you will be addressing a crowd that includes everything from close friends and family to complete strangers. But these are the people you risked your life for; these are the people you went to war for. This is simply a chance for veterans to tell the community what it felt like to go to war.
 
A community ceremony like this will return the experience of war to our entire nation rather than just leaving it to the people who fought. The bland phrase, I support the troops, will this year mean showing up at the Town Hall.” 
  
If you are a veteran and would like to participate, please call 301-654-7144 or send an email to townoffice@townofchevychase.org.  Please RSVP even if you have expressed interest previously. The Committee must have the list of participants by November 6. 
 
If you are not a vet, but would like to attend the Veterans Town Hall you are most welcome. Please use the same contact information to RSVP.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

Final Hearing on Proposed Improvements to the Brookville Road Park

 
The Chevy Chase Village Board of Managers will convene a final Public Hearing during its regular meeting on Monday, November 13, 2017 regarding proposed improvement plans for the Brookville Road Park.  The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
 
The Village’s landscape architect Ms. Lila Fendrick and Village staff originally presented draft plans for Brookville Road Park to the Village Board last winter.  The now revised plan provides both an open space for the general public’s use as well as a fully-enclosed fenced area for unleashed dogs.  The plan along with proposed rules and regulations for the proposed dog exercise area, are available on the Village website under the Brookville Road Park page (see the link under Quick Links on the homepage). 
 
Residents who are unable to attend the Public Hearing on November 13 may submit written testimony for the record either by e-mail to ccv@montgomerycountymd.gov or directly to the Village office at 5906 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815.

Village Board Submits Comments Regarding Reclassification of Local Roadways

For several weeks, the Village has been reporting on the Planning Department’s efforts to comprehensively rewrite the County’s Master Plan of Highways and Transitways.  This effort included the Planning Staff’s original proposal to reclassify roadways within and abutting the Village, namely, Brookville Road, Grafton Street and Western Avenue.
 
The Village submitted a letter (link below) in mid-October to the Planning Board objecting to the proposed reclassifications of Brookville Road and Grafton Street.  Prior to doing so, Village staff along with residents from the Village and neighboring municipalities along Brookville Road communicated concerns and objections regarding the proposed reclassifications.  The Planning Staff has confirmed that the originally proposed reclassifications of Brookville Road and Grafton Street have been removed from the staff’s list of recommendations.  This means that Brookville Road would remain in the MPOHT as a “primary residential” roadway and Grafton Street will not be referenced within the plan at all. 
 
Nonetheless, it is still important for Village residents to submit comments regarding the original list of recommendations/reclassifications.  Although the Planning Staff will present their amended list of reclassifications, the Planning Board will have access to the original recommendations and they can opt to add these changes back in if members determine that there are compelling reasons to do so. 
 
Public comments on the staff’s original recommendations are being accepted through October 27, 2017.  Residents can submit comments directly through the interactive map on the Montgomery Planning website at: http://www.mcatlas.org/mpohtcomments/ or by mail to:
 

Montgomery County Planning Board
c/o Mr. Casey Anderson, Board Chair
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910
 

The Planning Staff will present its recommendations to the Planning Board during a work session (public comment will not be permitted at this meeting) on December 7 (a second work session has been tentatively scheduled for December 21, if needed).  The staff’s final report will be posted to the Planning Department’s website one week prior to the work session.  Once an initial slate of proposed changes is approved by the Planning Board, a 30-day comment period will be advertised with a Public Hearing scheduled for February 2018 (specific date TBD).
 

LINK TO VILLAGE BOARD LETTER

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.

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.

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.