Subscribe to our email list
KHCA is a non-partisan neighborhood organization dedicated to representing the interests of all homeowners and residents of the Kensington Heights neighborhood in maintaining and enhancing the quality of life in our community.

In this issue......
April 2017 Newsletter
Facebook    ListServ    Twitter @khc_association

KHCA NEWS BULLETINS 
>>April 19: KHCA Executive Committee Meeting -- All Are Welcome!
The monthly KHCA Executive Committee meeting will be held Wednesday, April 19 at 7:30 pm at the home of Ann and Alberto Arevalo, 10801 Torrance Drive. Please join us.
    >>April 30: Second Annual KHCA-Westfield Mall Forest Buffer Cleanup Day  
       TIME:   9:30am-12:00pm
       MEET:  Kenmont Swim & Tennis Club, 2900 Faulkner
    It’s springtime and the weather’s getting warm again – and that means we’re outside seeing the trash that has piled up over the winter in the forest buffer that surrounds the Mall. This buffer is the green entryway to our community so it’s time again for a thorough Spring Cleaning. We will be partnering with Westfield to get the trash out so we can concentrate on watching Nature bloom. 
    We’ll meet at Kenmont, starting at 9:30 am (or as soon as you can make it there to join in). Westfield will supply trash pick-up bags, gloves, some coffee, drinks, and snacks to start us off and some bodies to help. We’ll supply the rest of the manpower for this project. You can pick your favorite piece of green space and start filling up bags. Westfield staff will arrange to pick up bags from the edge of the Ring Road. Also, we expect to be able to provide SSL credit for students, so make sure to bring the forms with you if you need the hours.  
    At noon, we’ll wrap up and feast on pizza and other food from tenants at the Mall. We’ll have a short update on what’s happening in KHCA, but mostly it will just be a chance to socialize with each other and take pride in a job well done. Hope to see everyone there.    
    >>Upcoming KHCA Elections:  Nominating and Voting 
    It's hard to believe but the time is already rapidly approaching when we’ll be holding elections this fall for KHCA officer. That means we'll need a Nominating Committee as well as voters.
    • To be a voter:  You'll need to be an “Active Member” of KHCA, and, under the Bylaws, that means you need to sign up every two years. So, even if you have been an Active Member in the past, you should fill out the short form again. The Active Membership form can be access at the KHCA website. Please fill it out and get it back to us as soon as you can, so we can check you off. While we're getting those renewals completed, we also plan to use the informaiton to help us update the directory of KHCA residents. We’d also like to reinvigorate our block captain system to assist us in getting the KHCA Directory up to date and to keep it current as new people arrive on the block. If you’d be interested (we promise it won’t be an overwhelming job!), please check the box on the Active Member form and we’ll be in contact. We also hope to tie our membership activities to possible activation of the Neighborhood Watch program in some or all of KHCA – see the KHCA Public Safety Committee report below.
    • 3 volunteers for Nominating Committee: These people will help put together the slate of officers for the upcoming election. (If you’re on the Committee, the good thing is you can make sure nobody tries to nominate you for office!)  Seriously, this is not a huge job, but it’s an important one to make sure we keep strong leadership in place for KHCA. If you would be willing to help, let KHCA President Karen Cordry know and she can fill you in on the job. 
    >>Possible Expansion of KHCA Boundaries
    Just a heads up:  We have had several requests that KHCA expand to take in the area east of Torrance Drive to and including Douglas Avenue and running along both sides of McComas, then also extending south to Plyers Mill. This would essentially round off our border just before Georgia Avenue on the east and would cover the area between the Mall and Plyers Mill over to Saint Paul. It would bring KCHA to about 1,000 homes and make us an even stronger voice in the community.
    Over the next few weeks we will be carrying out leaflet distribution in these areas along with some door-knocking to let people know about the proposal and to gather support. If you’re interested in helping, please let  Karen Cordry know. 
    KHCA UPDATES 
    >>Update: Public Safety Committee  
    The Public Safety Committee met on March 30 and discussed initiating a Neighborhood Watch program in Kensington Heights. Participating in the Neighborhood Watch program is not a major commitment - all just need to be observant and attend (infrequent) meetings.  There are no plans for organized patrols. 
    The main initial effort for a Neighborhood Watch program will be recruiting block captains to help us organize the effort and maintain contact information for your neighbors on your block.  We hope to have no more than 10-20 houses per block captain as we get geared up. Be on the lookout for more information if you are interested in participating or contact Chris Peoples to let him know you are willing to be a block captain or if you have questions.
    We are also tentatively planning to hold a general meeting at the end of May with a program that will concentrate on introducing the Neighborhood Watch program and on presenting practical measures for improving home and neighborhood safety.  We hope to invite Officer Hidayet, who is the police Community Liaison Officer for this area, as well one or more people to talk about some high and low tech measures that you can install at your home.  If you're interested and have ideas you'd like to present, or questions you'd like to have answered, contact  Chris and let him know. 
    There are no major crimes in the area to report at this time.   
    [Submitted by Chris Peoples, Chair, Public Safety Committee]
    >>Update:  Communications Committee
    A new KHCA logo!!  There's a different look at the top of our newsletter. KHCA has a new logo courtesy of our newest Communications Committee volunteer, Ricardo Gonzalez of Bobblehead Design Works (bobbleheaddw.com). Ricardo has generously offered to help with redesigning our website and related communications activities.  We’re still gearing up to take on his ideas but he has already done great work and with no notice at all was able to pull together a mini-banner for us to display at a membership sign-up table at Kenmont last weekend during their community yard sale. You’ll be seeing more of his ideas in the coming months.  Thank you Ricardo for all the help!
    As always, if you have interest in social media and communications and would like to help us to get content posted and disseminated, please contact KHCA President Karen Cordry and we’ll add you to the Committee
    >>Update: Traffic Committee
    The Traffic Committee continues to work with Montgomery County staff to study traffic calming measures throughout our neighborhood.  The County has gathered data and conducted field investigations.  Based on that information, they have developed a traffic calming plan for the intersection of McComas Avenue and Drumm Avenue -- basically, the addition of a median island and some crosswalks. The narrowness of McComas and Drumm and the levels of recorded speeds revealed in a study done last year did not allow for more extensive measures. In addition, the County has recently conducted a speed study along McComas Ave near Stephen Knolls. All documents (including a drawing of the proposed improvements at Drumm and McComas) can be reviewed on the Traffic Committee page of our website. We urge you to review it -- the County has asked for feedback from the neighborhood, especially those nearby who might be most affected. If you have questions or comments for KHCA, please contact Andy Fraser, Traffic Safety Committee Chair.

    The County has also requested volume data at two locations along McComas Avenue. The first location is near St Paul Street at Farragut Avenue and the second one is near Brunswick. The County will be using the Farragut Avenue data to determine the number of people using Farragut as a bypass to get around the one way limitation on St. Paul during the morning rush hour.  If the number is high enough (and if most people are from outside the neighborhood), then the County can consider doing access restrictions to protect Farragut. We'll keep you posted.
    [submitted by Andy Fraser, Chair, Traffic Committee]

    COMMUNITY NEWS & CALENDAR
    >>April 17:  General Meeting of Montgomery County Civic Federation
         Time:  7:45pm     
         Location:  Auditorium, Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville
    This month’s MCCF program will focus on the County’s proposed operating and capital budget for Fiscal Year 2018. MCCF will also honor this month’s Communities Heroes.  For info and other MCCF news, click here.
    >> April 23:  12th Annual Kensington Day-of-the-Book Festival 
    Held 11:00am to 4:00pm (rain or shine) in downtown Kensington, this is a great event for book lovers, kids and families.  All sorts of authors – historical, fiction, cooking, gardening, children’s books.  And lots of music – the Nighthawks!  Craft fair!  Food court!  For schedule and specifics, click here
    >>Hardware City to Close at end of May  
    After decades in downtown Kensington, Hardware City will be closing. Many have found the store convenient and helpful, and it will be missed. The store's closing has been noted by Bethesda Magazine and is the subject of a petition to Strosniders requesting the company open a store in the Kensington area.
    >> Wheaton Town Center Project Has a New Start Date 
    Despite many delays, the Wheaton Town Center Project -- which will replace Lot 13 and the Mid-County Services Building -- may finally be back on track.
    The recent delays were caused by some of the landowners of surrounding businesses who refused to agree to allow the County to use a construction method for stabilizing the walls of the excavation that would intrude into the ground under their buildings. Although the County has stated that such methods are both completely safe and very commonly used, some of those affected had been very resistant to granting permission. The County, however, has recently obtained several of the approvals and believes it is very close on the remaining few to be resolved. The County has announced a groundbreaking ceremony to take place on June 4 (during the Taste of Wheaton) with full-scale demolition and construction to begin the next day. The official who reported on the progress reoported that the County is 85-90% certain they will be able to proceed on schedule.
    There are still major concerns with the traffic changes that will need to be made during and after the Center's construction. In addition, the residential part of this project is still stalled, due to the developer’s inability to obtain financing. But, at least there does seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel with regard to the main segment that will house Park and Planning and several other government offices. Keep your fingers crossed and hope for nice weather on the 4th!
    >>Villages of Kensington at Day-of-the-Book Festival to Answer Questions 
    Villages of Kensington (VoK) will sponsor a booth at Kensington’s Day-of-the-Book celebration, Sunday, April 23 from 11 am to 4 pm. VoK volunteers will be available to answer questions and provide in-depth information about the VoK services. This is a great opportunity to explore whether this type of support would be useful for you, a family member, or a neighbor, or whether you’d like to volunteer to help. VoK is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization of neighbors helping neighbors to support intergenerational quality-of-life including assisting seniors who want to “age in place.” For more info, visit the VoK website or contact VoK at villagesofkensington@gmail.com or call 301-509-0191.

    KHCA CONTACTS
    President:                            Karen Cordry (Torrance Drive) karenc425@aol.com
    Vice President:                     Mark Meszaros (Peregoy Drive) markm@digitalindustry.com
    Secretary:                            Wendy Core (Torrance Court) wendyj3@hotmail.com
    Treasurer:                             Erl Houston (St. Paul Street) erlhouston@verizon.net
     
    Immediate Past President:     Danila Sheveiko (Melvin Grove Court) dsheveiko@hotmail.com
    Communications Chair:          Shruti Bhatnagar (McComas Avenue) shruti_bhatnagar@yahoo.com
    Education Chair:                    Shruti Bhatnagar (McComas Avenue) shruti_bhatnagar@yahoo.com
    History Chair:                        vacant
    Land Use Chair                      Donna Savage (McComas Court) donnarsavage@gmail.com
    Safety Chair:                         Chris Peoples (Jennings  Road) cpeeps@yahoo.com
    Traffic Chair:                          Andrew Fraser (McComas Avenue) afraser@sandglass.com
    Newsletter:                            Christine Taylor (Torrance Drive) ctaylor3450@gmail.com

    Thank you to our Newsletter Sponsors


    Greetings Neighbors .... from Jim Ryan, Realtor

    For those of you that I have yet to meet, I’m sure that day will come.  I moved my family to Kensington from Alexandria  27 years ago. There is no other place that I would rather live than this community!  I have a real estate license with Long and Foster Downtown Silver Spring.  If you have friends interested in moving to this area, I am glad to help. 
    Responsive Website Design and Managed Hosting in Drupal
    Kensington Heights Civic Association
    powered by emma