November

SECTION 5 OF THE VILLAGE OF CHEVY CHASE

COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

Date: November 14, 2017

Place: Village Hall, 5906 Connecticut Avenue

Time: 7:30 PM

Present: Scott Livingston, Greg Chernack, Nancy Pines, Ashley Kavanaugh, Joseph Toomey, two Section residents, Robert Diss, and Christina Bartkow, with Lindsay and Associates.

Vice-Chair Scott Livingston called the meeting to order and welcomed those in attendance.

Vice-Chair Livingston moved that the minutes from the October meeting be approved; there was a second, and the motion passed.

There were no resident comments.

Vice-Chair Livingston explained that an ordinance for proposal to amend building regulations had been introduced and approved by the Council at the October meeting. He further noted that the proposed changes had been circulated via postal mail to all residents in advance of the October meeting, and that at tonight’s meeting the Council would proceed with a formal vote on the ordinance for proposal. Before the final vote, the Council asked for any additional comments or questions. Following a brief discussion, Vice-Chair Livingston moved that Ordinance No. 10-17-1 be adopted in full; there was a second, and the motion passed. The Town Manager will provide copies of the new ordinance to all residents. The ordinance will go into effect December 4, 2017.

Robert Diss was introduced. Mr. Diss is with the accounting firm, Lindsey and Associates. The Section contracts with Lindsey and Associates to conduct its annual audit. Mr. Diss presented an overview of the Section’s Fiscal Year 2017 audit, and entertained questions from the Council and residents. The audit will be available to residents for review on the Section website.

For the month of October three tree removal permits were issued by the Section.

There were no building permits issued by the Section in October.

The Town Manager provided a brief update on the potential classification of Brookville Road reporting the meeting with the full Planning Board has been set for December 21. The Town Manager will attend the meeting and give notice to all residents. The planning staff again indicated that when they present their working draft recommendations to the full Planning Board, they will not support their original recommendation to reclassify the road.

The Section’s fall Free Tree Program was very successful. Seven new town trees and 27 new private trees will be planted. Plantings will start Thursday, November 16.

The Town Manager noted that there continues to be interest in starting a listserv for the Section. In conversations with the other Chevy Chase municipalities, all indicate their listservs were started privately by residents and have no official affiliation with their municipality, except that they are exclusive to their community. The Town Manager is in favor of a private listserv being started noting there are many resident requests to circulate information, but that in most cases it is not official Section business so an email alert from the Section is not the correct forum. The Town Manager proposed asking for a volunteer to create and moderate a private listserv for Section residents. Councilmember Chernack advised he may know of a possible volunteer. He will check and report back to the Town Manager.

The Washington Gas project has been delayed by permitting issues with SHA that are required to cross Connecticut Avenue. Because of this, work is now not expected to start in the Section until December. The Town Manager, and Joe Toomey, are scheduled to meet with Washington Gas representatives on Wednesday, November 15 and will provide further updates as they are available.

A new “no truck” sign has been installed at the entrance of Connecticut Avenue and Williams Lane. Signs were already posted at Williams Lane and Brookville Road. The Section hopes this will alleviate some of the cut-through traffic on this street.

The Town Manager also continues to work with SHA to fix the street sign and have the brush cut back at the east side of Williams Lane and Brookville Road. A large convex mirror will be installed at the intersection per a resident’s request.

Separately, the Town Manager has also asked SHA to examine the crosswalk on Connecticut Avenue between Williams Lane and Woodbine Street. There have been reports of the crosswalk signal being difficult to read in bright sunlight, and also that the timing of the signal should be adjusted. SHA informed the Section they will evaluate the signal within 90 days. The Section asked that the timeline be accelerated as a priority given the possible safety implications.

Vice-Chair Livingston adjourned the meeting. The next meeting will be held December 12, 2017, at 7:30 PM at the Village Hall, 5906 Connecticut Avenue. The Village Hall has handicapped access. Everyone is welcome.