| 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
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>> Stay Safe -- Stay A Little More Closely Connected -- And Stay Civil
KHCA "Stay Connected" Signs
We have ten signs that are part of an overall effort by a group of local civic associations to get out the message -- STAY SAFE STAY CONNECTED! We'd love to have these signs posted along the main roads in KHCA (McComas, Jennings, Drumm, and wherever else until they are gone!). If you'd like to have one of these signs (already nicely attached to a wire frame and ready to go in the ground) in your yard, please let KHCA President Karen Cordry know and she'll drop one off for you. Thanks for helping get the message out!
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BIG PROJECTS START WITH BIG MESSES!
In our August newsletter, we let you know about the repair work that was going to be done on the south side of McComas to deal with a perennial problem with slimy water constantly running over the sidewalk. The County did agree to come out and fix by installing a french drain to convey the water to the main draninage system. But, when they started digging, they found a bigger problem than they expected. There had been a drain there (that wasn't on any of the maps) but it was metal, it had rusted away in many spots, and what hadn't rusted had collapsed. So, the water couldn't get in and just ended up pooling and backing up -- and running down the sidewalk. So, they had to dig up a bigger area to remove that structure, but they have been busy this week getting the new, indestructible plastic piping installed, packed in gravel and dirt, and eventually back under a bright, clean, and dry new concrete sidewalk. They expect to be done by Tuesday the 8th, but give them a little slack if it takes anymore time to get it perfect. In the meantime, drive slow through there, give them a smile, and get read to say thank you at the end when it's done!
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WHAT’S GOING ON IN KHCA
· Summer Picnic – September 19, Noon, St. Paul Park
As announced in August, we plan to still have our summer picnic this year, of course, with a few changes to meet current limitations. There is ample room in the park at McComas and St. Paul for people to set up their lawn chairs or blankets at a proper distance and to wear their masks while they talk to each other. We invite everyone to join us on that basis and we look forward to catching up.
We'll have one person cook (with mask and gloves) and we ask everyone to bring the rest their picnic meal so we eat apart but still together. We will be setting up at noon on September 19 (rain date, September 20) at the park at McComas and St. Paul.
We have a generous offer from KHCA’s own favorite band, the Nighthawks to play an acoustic concert for us at the picnic. The Nighthawks will be planning to serenade us stating at about 1:00 pm. So, let’s make this an opportunity to catch up with each other and to hear a great concert.
Please let Karen Cordry know if you'll be coming (number of adults and kids) so we'll know how many burgers and hot dogs to make! Please email Karen here by Wednesday, Sept. 16.
· KHCA Signs Need Help
As you may have noticed, we have several substantial, wooden KHCA signs at the entrances to our community. At least one of these is in need of some significant carpentry repairs. As to the rest, we’d like to have one or more nearby neighbors agree to “adopt a sign” to keep an eye on them and to help maintain (or create) the landscaping around them on an ongoing basis. If you have any woodworking skills or a green thumb, please let Karen Cordry know, and we'll be happy to work with you.
· Kensington Heights History
In clearing up while spending time at home, I came across a file with a lot of great information about KH history, largely compiled by Allan Savage, husband of long-time former KHCA President, Donna Savage. There’s lots of information there you probably never knew. For instance, you all may know there is a Red Orchid Way off of Drumm Ave, south of Plyers Mill, with a collection of townhouses. But, did you know, the name came from the fact that Kensington Orchids, a huge and fabulous orchid greenhouse, operated at that location for many years? Here’s a link to an article about Merritt Huntington who came to work at the greenhouse in 1963 and eventually owned it for many years until it closed in 2001. But, even if you knew THAT, did you know that the head of counterintelligence of the CIA, Jim Angleton, used to bring visitors to the greenhouse, as part of his covert activities?. See http://marylandorchids.org/Merritt.html. That's one that I'll bet you didn't know -- I sure didn't.
So, are you interested in your community? Like history? Want to learn more about where you live? We’d love to get a KHCA History Committee started. If you are interested, let Karen Cordry know.
COMPOSTING PROJECT
We have been approached by a group that works with community associations to do home composting of food waste. Although the County has an extensive recycling program for paper and plastics, it doesn't cover the organic waste we generate as we cook. Such waste is a great renewable use that reduces our landfill needs and creates a great gardening resource that comes back to you free. (Participating homes get a free 1.5 cubic foot compost bag twice a year.) The group, the Compost Crew, has a Website, that talks about their program. In a nutshell, most households will probably want a small 1-1.5 gallon container inside, and move the collected waste to a 5 gallon container picked up weekly. (You may want to share that container with a neighbor, which would also allow you to split the cost of the recycling.) The cost of the pickup varies by the number of persons participating, so we are asking people to indicate their interest in the service by completing a survey HERE. If we have 75 or more pickups being made, the cost is $16 per month, which could be reduced even more if 2 or more households split a single pickup. We think this is a great idea and a great way for you to contribute to KHCA's effort to be a greener community!
LET’S ALL STAY IN TOUCH!
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AND ANOTHER BIG PROJECT FINISHES UP!
After several years of watching the old buildings come down and the new building go up on Reedie Drive, the MoCo Park and Planning Building is done! It had its ribbon-cutting ceremony last week and it's now ready to for all of the employees .... to stay home and telework still for a while! But, sooner or later, everyone will be back in and this will be a great space for the workers and a big boost for the Wheaton economy. And, for all of us, if we ever want to participate in a hearing, no more trekking down to Silver Spring, we can just walk across the street and there we are! It looks like the new Town Center social space directly across Reedie Drive and adjacent to the Metro Station is pretty well finished and ready to go too. So, again, once we start socially gathering again in close proximity, this should be a great addition as well.
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COMMUNITY NEWS & CALENDAR
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| >> Other Montgomery County News
>> Montgomery County Civic Federation Meeting
Monday, September 14, 2020 – via Zoom 7:30-9:00 PM
The meeting will describe proposed changes to the Subdivision Staging Policy (SSP), which used to be referred to as the Growth Management Policy for the County. This is a complex but very important policy that helps determine whether infrastructure will keep pace with new development and how that supporting infrastructure will be paid for.
Access to the current newsletter and information about logging in to the Zoom meeting available here.
Prepare to vote November 3!
See what the actual ballot will look like here.
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History Chair: open
Safety Chair: open
**Elections were held in November 2019.
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