Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Personal tools

You are here: Home / Governance / Minutes / 2012 / January

January

Date: January 10, 2012

Time: 7:30 PM

Place: 5906 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase Village Hall

Present: Peter Gray; Tim Hanlon; Frances L. Higgins; Nancy Pines; Greg White; 1 Section 5 resident

  1. Agenda Item: Minutes

    Greg moved that the December 13, 2011, minutes be approved as presented; there was a second and the motion passed unanimously.

  2. Citizen Concerns and Suggestions

    A resident asked the Council to install a rod with a small flag at the top on each of Section 5's fire hydrants as a means of identification. When it snows, the person who shovels Section 5's sidewalks will use the flags as a means of locating the hydrants and shovel out the hydrant so that in case of a fire the firemen will be able to connect to the hydrant without taking time to shovel the snow. The Council asked the manager to get a price for these flags and report back to the Council.

  3. Agenda Item: Discussion of Proposed Driveway Amendment - Bill Bissell, a civil engineer

    Bill described the process which a resident will use to install a driveway which is pervious. The materials he described are listed in the revised portion of the proposed building ordinance. He said that the proposed ordinance will require residents to present a plan for the installation of a driveway or a patio to the manager. This will provide residents some latitude in devising an installation plan for a driveway or patio. There was some discussion.

    Action:
    Nancy moved that the Council enact the proposed changes to Section 5 ordinances which were sent to the residents prior to the January 10, 2012, meeting. Tim seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The manager will ask the web master to incorporate these additions into the body of the ordinances that are listed on the web site. The following is a copy of the changes to the ordinances:

    Chapter 4. Conflict of Interest (Ethics)
    Amend Sec. 4-101(a) by deleting "Article 40A of the Annotated Code of Maryland" and substituting "Md. Code Ann., State Gov't. Section 15-803 of the Public Ethics Law,"

    Chapter 7. Trees
    Amend Sec. 7-200 Trees Included by deleting "Section 7" and substituting "Section 7-800", and by deleting "Section 3(b)" and substituting "Section 7-300(b)".
    Amend Sec. 7-300(a) by adding the following phrase at the end of the paragraph: ", or in an emergency."
    Amend Sec. 7-400(a) by deleting "Sec. 3(a) and substituting "Section 7-300(a)."
    Amend Sec. 7-400(a)(8) by deleting "Sec. 7(g)" and substituting "Section 7-700(g)."

    Chapter 8. Streets, Sidewalks, Traffic and Vehicles
    Amend Sec. 8-100 Restricted Parking During Snowstorms by substituting "village" for "town".

    Chapter 9. Building Regulations
    Sec. 9-200(b) The applicant shall also provide notice of the application for a building permit to abutting property owners by delivery of a copy of the application to them.
    (d) The building permit application for any proposed construction or renovation of any driveway or patio shall provide that the project be constructed with permeable materials specifically designed to allow for the infiltration of storm water, shall provide for adequate means of retaining water on site, and shall demonstrate that drainage will not adversely affect any adjacent property, public sidewalk, or street. Permeable surfaces include gravel, permeable pavers, permeable asphalt, and porous concrete. The applicant for the permit must prove a minimum on-site infiltration rate of 0.5 inches/hour to insure that native soils can accept storm water infiltration. Approval of the chosen permeable surface and the specific construction methods must be obtained from the Village Manager, as part of the permitting process. Storm water retention by means of open bodies of water, such as temporary ponds, is not permitted.

  4. Agenda Item: Treasurer's Report

    Tim provided copies of a financial report which includes the revenues and expenditures for the three most recent years, FY 2008-09, FY2009-10, FY2010-11, and the figures to date for FY 2011-12. There was some discussion of these figures. Tim will present these same figures at the February Council meeting with proposed figures for FY2012-13 budget. At the February Council meeting the Council will prepare a proposed budget for FY 2012-13.

  5. Agenda Item: Building Inspector's Report

    There were no building permits granted in December 2011.

  6. Agenda Item: Manager's Report

    Greg White, a Council member has agreed to serve on the County School Board Site Selection Committee in its efforts to locate a site for the new County middle school serving the Chevy Chase area. He will report to the Council the findings of the Committee.

    The manger has received the County material from FEMA concerning the County's effort to advise County residents in case of a disaster to shelter in place rather than try to evacuate. She will send this material to residents with the next agenda notice.

    The manager said that the retaining wall at 3600 Underwood St. was damaged by an automobile in early January. Approximately forty years ago the property owner of 3600 Underwood St. agreed to allow Section 5 to take a portion of his land to construct a public sidewalk along the east side of his property abutting Brookville Rd. In return for the giving of this land the Section 5 Council sitting at that time installed the sidewalk and constructed a wooden wall to retain the property owner's soil. That Section 5 Council also agreed to maintain this wall in perpetuity.

    The insurance company for the motorist, who struck the wall, has agreed to replace the damaged portion of this wooden wall; however, the entire length of this wooden wall is in serious disrepair and needs to be replaced. The resident owner of the wall, Chuck Larson, has suggested to Section 5's Council that it replace the entire wooden wall with a stone wall rather than repair it. The Council could then use the insurance money to help defray the cost. He has made this suggestion because pressure treated wood, the material in the present wall, is no longer available and using untreated wood for repairs would be a waste of money. The insurance company has received a bid of $14,000 to replace the fence and replace the wooden wall with a stone wall from Long Fence.

    Action:
    The Council asked the manager to secure at least two additional bids to construct a stone retaining wall at 3600 Underwood St. and report to the Council by email.
    The total cost to install the speed hump on Leland St. was $2,900, $1,200 for the signs and striping and $1,700 to install the hump.
    Pepco has removed the seven public and six private trees which presented a threat to the electric wires.
    The manager has asked the County police to provide a report stating the location assignments of the extra police patrols.