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

KHCA NEWS BULLETINS 

The monthly KHCA Executive Committee meeting will be held Tuesday June 20 at 7:30 pm at the home of Ann and Alberto Arevalo, 10801 Torrance Drive. If you’ve had any interest in getting more involved with KHCA, this is the place to come. We’re small, we’re welcoming and we’d love to get others working with us to make this a better place for all KHCA residents. Meetings only last about an hour, so it’s a quick way to see what’s going on. Please join us! 

Hah, fooled you. Still no news from the Court of Special Appeals (the mid-level appellate court in Maryland). Although we were told, at one point, that it was common for a decision to issue within 30 to 60 days after the hearing was held -- January 9, 2017 in our case -- we have since been told that 3 to 6 months is the more normal time period. We are still within that 6 month period, so we’re just trying to be patient. But, if anyone says, “Oh isn’t that over and you won?,” tell them, no, it’s not a done deal yet. But we’re keeping our fingers crossed and hoping!  

We need you to renew your active voting membership in KHCA every two years under the Bylaws, even if you have been a member in the past. Just take a few seconds to go to the KHCA website "About" section and find the membership forms (on-line and paper) at the bottom. Please sign up soon -- we value your input. And, while you’re there, how about clicking on the “Donate” button at the top right to help support KHCA. The requested donation is only $10 per person or $20 for a household.

KHCA UPDATES 

Representatives from KHCA (Karen Cordry, President & Chris Peoples, Public Safety Chair) attended the second meeting of the Wheaton Safety Task Force on May 22.  Items discussed by the group included safety issues in the Wheaton Metro parking garage, crime at the Wheaton Metro station, installation of new CCTV equipment at Westfield Wheaton, the Citizen Police Academy, as well as general crime information from the Montgomery County Police Department. 

Wheaton Metro Station and Parking Garage. Good news! Over the past year only 143 criminal offenses were recorded at the station (out of ~1.2 million riders at the stop), most of which were fare evasions. After receiving a complaint at the previous Wheaton Safety Task Force meeting, Metro's infrastructure manager surveyed the Wheaton parking garage for safety issues, where it was discovered that a significant number of lights were not working. Based on these findings, Metro will install new working lights in the facility, if they haven't already.

The Citizen Police Academy. This is a free program offered by the Montgomery County Police Department to increase resident awareness of the function of the police department. The program is available to all Montgomery County residents over the age of 18. Click here for more info. 

Prevalence of Crime. According to Lieutenant Nicholas Augustine of the MCPD, major crime is down in the Wheaton area this year. Robberies and assaults are down 58%and 25%, respectively. However, auto thefts and thefts from vehicles are on the rise. Police advise always locking your car doors, and never leaving valuables or car keys in the vehicle. For more information on how to protect your vehicle from would be criminals, click here.  

Bike Thefts. Bike thefts are also one area where there has been reported violations. Two things that can be done are to (a) always lock your bike and (b) register it with the police. Click here for registration info. You'll be issued a decal that will help to identify the bike as yours if it is stolen. WMATA is also concerned about such incidents and has an outreach program that provides bike locks at registration events. We asked at the Public Safety Meeting if WMATA could do such an event at the Taste of Wheaton and the answer was yes!The good news is that we got such a quick and favorable response; the only bad news is that the demand was apparently much greater than anticipated and the bike locks went very quickly. We’ll see if the event can be repeated, but don’t hold off protecting your bike in the meantime. Bikes that are protected with serious locks, we were told, are almost never stolen. 

Panhandlers. Career panhandlers are out in force in the Wheaton area - beware their scams! If you see repeat panhandlers on private property, the best course of action is to ignore them and alert the property/business owner and/or Westfield security with a description.  If you believe a panhandler is causing a safety issue or committing a crime, notify the police by calling 9-1-1 (emergency) or 301-279-8000 (non-emergency).

Neighborhood Crime Updates

5/22       McComas Ave    Recovered stolen property (this is great!)

5/28       Brunswick Ave   Auto theft - Passenger vehicle

6/5         McComas Ave   Larceny over $200

 

Special Thank You to Highway Department -- Getting Help on the Beltway 

This note is a thank you for a fine service from our government, and a message to others to let you know the service exists. If, hypothetically speaking, someone (name withheld to protect the guilty) was to run out of gas on the Beltway at 5:30 on a weekday evening when the temperature was around 95 degrees, it’s really wonderful to know that the Maryland State Highway Department runs an emergency patrol service. 

The service operates 24 hours a day on many major roads -- including the entire Maryland Beltway, I-95 and I-295 to Baltimore and much of I-270 -- and until 9 pm on many other roads. If the Department driver sees that hypothetical someone in trouble on the shoulder, he hops out (less than 15 minutes after the hypothetical car sputtered to a stop), puts a gallon or two of gas in the tank, tips his hat and say, “Shucks, it was nothing” and drives off into the sunset. No charge and no tips are accepted by the driver – but he does accept heartfelt thanks. If you want to be sure they find you even more quickly, you can either dial #77 or 911. So, even if you have AAA or other roadside service, you should keep this service in mind as well.     

[Submitted by Chris Peoples, Chair, Public Safety Committee and Karen Cordry, President] 

The Traffic Committee continues to work with Montgomery County staff to study traffic calming measures. The County has asked for feedback on the traffic calming plan emailed and posted on Facebook recently.  The plan is for the intersection of McComas Avenue and Drumm Avenue. It includes the addition of a median island and some crosswalks. Click here to view sketch. We urge you to review it the sketch. The County has asked for feedback from the neighborhood, especially those who live near the intersection. The plan does not take away any parking in front of houses on McComas or Drumm Avenue. If you have questions or comments, please contact Andy Fraser, andrewsandglass@gmail.com Traffic Safety Committee Chair.

Note: For those who live near the intersection of McComas Ave and Drumm Ave we would especially like your feedback on the proposed traffic calming measure. Please click here for the feedback form. Thank you.

The County has finished collecting data to 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. The numbers do not meet the minimum state requirement to either a stop sign or bypass. I know this is disappointing for many of you, but the county has agreed to come out and view the location during the morning rush hour to see if there are other possible solutions.The study can be reviewed by clicking here.

[Submitted by Andy Fraser, Chair, Traffic Committee] 

Summer Read and Learn Program Starts June 10.  Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) invites all students to participate in this year’s Summer Reading Program, which will run June 10 to September 10. This year’s theme is “Build a Better World.” Participants can sign up for the program and keep track of the books they read or have read to them. Registration will be available online and at any MCPL branch library.

Summer Adventures in Learning.  Keep your child engaged and learning over the summer break! Students in kindergarten through second grade in 22 selected Title I schools can attend this free, five-week long Summer Adventures in Learning Program from July 10 to August 11, 2017.The program features a four-hour instructional day of reading, language arts and mathematics. Bus transportation and free breakfast and lunch will be provided. Register for the program at your child’s school.

A similar program for middle school students also will be offered in July. Interested parents should contact the Middle School Extended Year Coordinator at their local school for more information.

Summer is a Great Time for Student Service Learning.  Summer is a great time for students to get involved in a service-learning project and earn Student Service Learning (SSL) hours. The state of Maryland requires students to earn 75 SSL hours in order to graduate. Students can begin collecting those hours the summer before 6th grade. For a complete list of approved activities, visit the SSL website. For general questions about the MCPS SSL program call 301-279-3454 or email: SSL@mcpsmd.org.

Support the 2017 Give BACKpacks Campaign.  MCPS needs your help to raise funds to purchase backpacks filled with school supplies for students in need. For as little as $10, you can provide a student with a backpack filled with school supplies in three ways: online credit card, mail a check, or text message. Contributions are tax deductible and GIVE BACKpacks accepts donations in any amount. Info. To sponsor a specific school or cluster levels in your community, or at the new District level, please call MCPS Partnerships at 301-217-5370.

                           KHCA wishes all students and their families a fun and relaxing summer.                                                                      Remember to Save Your Skin this summer!

Learn how to protect yourself and your family from damaging ultraviolet rays to lower the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers. In lieu of a full seminar/webinar schedule this month, WELL AWARE invites you to view the recorded Save Your Skin webinar, click here and learn more!

[Submitted by Shruti Bhattnagar, Chair, Education Committee] 

COMMUNITY NEWS & CALENDAR

As always, the Taste of Wheaton drew a large and happy crowd on June 4 on the grounds of the parking area known as Lot 13. The highlight was the groundbreaking for the new Wheaton Town Center that will be erected on Lot 13.

The groundbreaking has been a long time coming and sometimes it seems like it might never happen, but it’s finally underway. It will feature a new office building for the Park and Planning agency and a number of other county agencies such as the Department of Permitting Services as well as the Recreation Department, which will make for incredible convenience for residents of this area who need to interact with those county agencies. The current timetable is for the project to take about 3 years and be complete in April 2020. Keep your fingers crossed and we hope they can hold to that schedule. For more info, click here.   

The stores on Triangle Lane and Grandview Ave. will remain open through construction, although Triangle Lane will be narrowed somewhat during this period. Please don’t forget the businesses there and keep supporting them during this period. There will be a lot of upheaval for all during this process, but they will take the brunt of it so your support will be crucial (along with some financial back-up from the County if they have demonstrated losses). There will still be some parking available on the north end of Lot 13 during construction and there are a number of other short and long-term lots in the area. Click here for info on parking alternatives.

Beginning in the middle of June, Montgomery County Department of Transportation will be installing approximately 400 meters that expand payment options for parking customers. Payment can be made by using coins, credit cards and pay-by-cell. These "smart meters" are currently operational in Bethesda and Silver Spring. For info and a video demonstration, click here. 

When: Saturday June 17 / Arrive 9:45am, Depart 10:00am / Return 11:15am

Where: Meet at Capital Bikeshare station on west side of Georgia Avenue, between Reedie Drive and Viers Mill Road

Join local residents Peter Gray and Paul Daisey on a bike ride to highlight bicycling conditions in the Wheaton area.The ride will be at a comfortable pace with several stops along the way. Info.

A discussion about the Bicycle Master Plan will follow the ride. The discussion will take place 11:30-12:30pm at the Limerick Pub (11301 Elkin Street).

The Department of Transportation has revealed plans for a project to extend Summit Avenue in Kensington from Plyers Mill Road to Farragut Road, and to improve Farragut Road and reconfiguration of the intersection of Connecticut Ave (MD 185)/University Blvd (MD 193)/Farragut Road. 

It would appear that the project involves the expansion of the railroad overpass bridge and the removal of a number of brick office buildings, turning Summit Avenue/Cedar Lane into a commuter vehicle by-pass for downtown Kensington.  A June 13 meeting was held at the Kensington Town Hall to obtain community feedback. Phase I began in February 2016 and will conclude in Oct 2017 -- part of a three part planning process for the roadway extension and the bridge widening at Summit Avenue. This development was included in the Kensington Sector Plan. Stay tuned as KHCA learns more and reports back. 

The County held a meeting on June 14 to provide an update on proposed zoning legislation relating to the placement of "small cell towers" in new locations, including residential areas. As wireless use continues to grow, additional cell tower capacity is needed. This will become even more relevant as the industry rolls out "5G spectrum," which uses an area of the spectrum that does not have extend as far as the earlier 3G and 4G capacity, so more towers are needed. Technology improvements have allowed the towers to be smaller and less intrusive than previous designs so many antennas could just be added to existing utility poles or put on new poles that would only be from 5 to 10 feet taller.  

While the new facilities might not be too problematic standing alone, there are many concerns, ranging from possible effects on property values to potential health effects for those living near these new emission sources. The County fully recognizes those concerns, but federal laws and rulings by the Federal Communications Commission impose severe limitations on the controls that a local government can exert over whether and where cell towers can be built or the ability to which the County can rely on health concerns. The County has already unsuccessfully sued the FCC three times with regards to these preemptive actions. It also recently met with the FCC (with our Congressman Jamie Raskin) to urge that the FCC not implement new regulations or further limit local controls until it completes an ongoing review of the health issues relating to exposure to the emissions from the towers particularly in light of the proposals to move towers closer to residential locations and to use a different part of the electronic spectrum that has not been as well studied.  

The meeting was well-attended and very informative. It discussed the FCC controls, the current process used by the County, and proposed new regulations by the FCC that would give the County even less time and discretion to consider applications for these new antennas.  The County is working to revise its current zoning rules to allow it to process the applications quickly while still maintaining the maximum control over the process to the extent the FCC rules allow.  The proposed language is still under development; the language plus the presentation given on June 14 (including pictures of how the new antennas might look) is available here. We will pay close attention to this development over the next few months as it continues to develop

The recent newsletter features:

• Discussion about the installation of small cell towers in our area.  
• A summary of transportation issues around the County. 

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

Beautification Chair                Jon Foreman (University Blvd) jonforeman@gmail.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

Website:                                incoming Ricardo Gonzalez