PLANNING BOARD BUDGET FORUM - October 1

Passing this on to Mount Rainer folks...

PLANNING BOARD BUDGET FORUM

The Prince George’s County Planning Board of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) has scheduled two public forums this fall to solicit comments on the Commission’s budget for planning, parks, and recreation in Prince George’s County for the next fiscal year which begins July 1, 2019.

Monday, October 1, 7pm-9pm. Department of Parks and Recreation Administration Building – Auditorium 6600 Kenilworth Avenue, Riverdale. Tuesday, October 2, 7pm-9pm. Harmony Hall Regional Center – John Addison Concert Hall. 10701 Livingston Road, Fort Washington.

Individuals and representatives of community organizations who wish to speak at the public forum may register in advance online at www.pgplanningboard.org or by calling 301-952-4584, TTY 301-952-4366. Written comments will also be accepted until the close of business on Tuesday, October 16. Comments may be addressed to: Elizabeht M. Hewlett, Chairman, Prince George’s County Planning Board, 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772. Comments may also be faxed to Chairman Hewlett at 301-952-5074 or via email to Public Affairs@ppd.mncppc.org

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission encourages the participation of persons with disabilities in all its programs and services. For special assistance (ie: large print materials, assistive listening devices, sign language interpretation, etc) call the Public Affairs Office at 301-952-4584

PGC Zoning Ordinance Rewrite

Just a reminder that Prince George's County is rewriting the Zoning Ordinance for the first time in 50 years. This is a good thing! The new plan will make it a lot easier to get the kind of redevelopment we want and need in older communities like Mount Rainier.

The County Council reconvenes on Tuesday, September 4, 2018 and will begin considering the bills that together make-up the legislation needed to enact the zoning rewrite. The Council must wrap up its business 30 days from the November 6, 2018 election, leaving only about five weeks to get the Zoning Ordinance amended and passed. Resident voices will be needed to get the rewrite over the finish line, so I encourage you to tune in!

Keep up with the progress of the new plan at the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Portal.

PGC Strategic Trails Plan

The Parks Department has released a draft Strategic Trails Plan, with a public comment period running through September 7, 2018. There's a lot to like in the Strategic Trails Plan Part 1 - Plan Summary, Priorities, and Recommendations (PDF) including recommendations for improving the trail network by filling in gaps, and recommendations to increase the utility of certain trails for transportation. If you care about off road trails for walking and cycling, please send comments to Robert.Patten@pgparks.com. Subject Line: Strategic Trails Plan.

There are two major trail improvements expected to come online in 2019, bith in the Anacostia River Tributary Trails Network:

• The Little Paint Branch Extension Project that will connect, via Cherry Hill Road, the existing Paint Branch Trail through College Park to the existing Little Paint Branch Trail in Beltsville.
• The College Park Woods Connector Trail that will link the existing Paint Branch Trail in College Park to the College Park Woods neighborhood to the West.

Map of College Park Woods Connector Trail

MDOT Workshop on Beltway Sprawl Plan - July 24

As you may be aware, Governor Hogan has proposed adding toll lanes to I-270 and I-495 to "reduce congestion." Aside from the fact that widening roads doesn't decrease traffic, this multi-billion dollar outlay would be better directed to improving service in existing high capacity networks such as MARC train, Metro rail and bus, and regional bus. Let's make existing things better and more useful before building new things (especially new things that don't work, like new lanes on highways).

MDOT is hosting a series of workshops that is one of the first opportunities for the public to weigh in. From https://495-270-p3.com/your-participation/upcoming-events/ -

MDOT SHA is hosting a series of public workshops in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties to present:

• Study status and schedule;
• Purpose and Need summary;
• Preliminary Range of Alternatives developed from the scoping process; and
• Screening Criteria to evaluate the alternatives

The meeting formats will include static board displays, scheduled general presentations, and small working group tables. The general presentations will occur at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and last approximately 30 minutes. The boards and small working group tables will be available throughout the meeting with technical staff available for discussion of comments and questions. Alternative descriptions and simple graphics featuring typical details of the potential improvements will be presented. Environmental and property information will not be available at this stage of the study.  A virtual workshop will also be available on the program website 495-270-p3.com starting July 17, 2018.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Central High School
200 Cabin Branch Road
Capitol Heights, MD 20743

Citizen Organized Town Hall Meeting July 21, 2018

This has been circulating within Mount Rainier, passing it on without comment:

 Join your neighbors. Plan to attend the Mount Rainier Citizens Town Hall Meeting. Saturday, July 21, 2018 at the Nature Center, from 11-1. This meeting is sponsored by Concerned Citizens of Mount Rainier and will be moderated by the League of Woman Voters. Our City Manager, all City Councilmembers, and officials are invited to join. Please bring your questions, concerns, recommendations and solutions. If you are a community activist/representative please support this initiative. We have a awesome opportunity to grow together! Thanks in advance.

MOUNT RAINIER COMMUNITY

TOWN HALL MEETING

                           

Please Join Your Neighbors

When:                  Saturday, July 21, 2018

Time:                    11 am to 1 pm

Location:             Nature Center

         4701 31st Place       
Mount Rainier, MD 20712     

Our Community is rapidly evolving. Do you feel that your voice is heard by our elected officials? Is there accountability and are your taxes being spent with your input? Should Mount Rainier have a system in which major issues are put on a ballot for citizens to consider? Do you have experience as a community advocate/representative?

Please bring your concerns, recommendations and solutions.

Your Voice is Needed & Your Actions Matter

Sponsored by Concerned Citizens of Mount Rainier

Moderated by the League of Woman Voters

TONIGHT Tues July 10, 7pm @ City Hall - Community Coversation

Come Join Us For A Community Conversation Featuring The Police Department And Finance Department.

The Acting Police Chief and Officers Will Provide A Report To The Community And Engage In An Interactive Activity About Community Policing.

The Finance Director Will Report On “The State Of The City’s Finances” And A Presentation On Available City Tax Credits.

The City’s Social Service Coordinator Will Offer A Presentation On Available Resources For Seniors, Youth and Residents In Need.

We Invite You To Join Us For An Informative Evening At City Hall.

-Light Refreshments Will Be Served-

Revised Trash and Recycling Rules for Vote Tuesday March 20

Tuesday, March 20, 2018, at 7pm at City Hall, your mayor and council will have a final vote on the proposed trash and recycling rules. After receiving a great deal of feedback from residents, the council has revised the proposed trash and recycling rules for the city.

Click here to see a Google Docs version

The conversation dates back to fall 2017, when the council considered the following proposal (shared from Councilman Luke Chesek's email on the topic):

1. Purchasing both 45 gallon trash carts with wheels and attached lids, and 65 gallon recycling carts with wheels and attached lids for each single family home - with an opt-out process for each home. The implementation would include a process for the City to both pick up each home's current trash and recycling bins (if residents choose to get rid of their current receptacles) and, subsequently, drop off the new carts free of charge.
2. Outfitting our Public Works garbage trucks with mechanical lifts that would lift the new trash and recycling carts, relieving the physical strain currently required of our Public Works staff. The resulting improvements would save approximately one hour off each trash and recycling run, where Public Works staff could be reassigned to other needed tasks.
3. A robust public outreach and communication effort that would notify residents when and how this change would take effect, including information on how to opt-out.

The City has conservatively estimated that these investments would cost $114,000 after requesting and receiving offers from vendors. It is proposed that the City would pay for this through current unused funds from fiscal year 2018 by way of a budget amendment. These investments would not require the raising of any taxes. 

Also included in the budget amendment to fund this proposal is a $34,000 down payment for a third garbage truck with a mechanical lift. This was approved of in fiscal year 2017 due to the need to replace the City's third garbage truck. However, since the purchase did not occur in fiscal year 2017, the City must include the price of the down payment in the current budget amendment. As a result, the proposed budget amendment equals $148,000 - the $114,000 cited above and the $34,000 down payment for a new truck. The City would use the unused fiscal year 2017 funds for the down payment.

City Manager Budget Discussion Hours

From City Manager Miranda Braatz:

The City of Mount Rainier’s Fiscal Year 2019 (July 1, 2018 – June 31, 2019) proposed budget will be available on March 20^th, with copies made available to the public.

Residents of Mount Rainier who may have questions about the proposed budget, budget line items, specific initiatives, or departments are invited to attend the City Manager Budget Discussion Hours and talk one on one with the City Manager and Director of Finance. 

Budget Discussion Hours Schedule:

March 31^st – 10am to 2pm at the Mount Rainier Nature Center during the City Egg Hunt.  Bi-lingual Spanish / English available

April 3^rd – Following the City Council Legislative Meeting at City Hall 8pm to 9:30pm

April 20^th – City Hall 2pm – 5pm. Bi-lingual Spanish / English available

May 19^th – Mount Rainier Day City Table 12noon to 5pm. Bi-lingual Spanish / English available

Regional Transit Survey

I recently completed the Regional Travel Survey, an important tool from The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board. TPB has conducted this type of household travel survey once every decade since 1968. Keep your eyes on your snail mail in case you are selected and sent a packet.

If you are selected to participate, please do! The information collected is absolutely critical to regional planning decisions around transit and transportation. As a Greater Greater Washington contributor I am obviously a transportation policy enthusiast, but I promise the survey is worth your time too.

The survey begins with a brief online form to get baseline info about the travel patterns of you and your household, and then you are assigned a future day on which you are asked to track all of your trips. I ended up being assigned a day that was very different than my regular commute, but I walked, drove, rode MARC to Baltimore, and took buses while in Baltimore City. That is a lot of transit modes in one day, which should be interesting info for transportation planners.

PGCPS Teacher of the Year nominations

Do you have a child in Prince George's County Public Schools? Do you know an excellent teacher? If so, considering nominating them for PGCPS Teacher of the Year.

More info and nomination form here. Nominations due by March 13.