We look forward to welcoming back all Takoma Park residents into our City facilities on Monday, August 23rd!  All City facilities will be open to the general public.  The Recreation Center and Community Center will return to normal building hours and allow limited room rentals once again. The Library, Computer Center and Passport Services will have extended hours.

To keep everyone in our community healthy, please follow our COVID-19 protocols when entering City facilities:

• All staff and visitors must wear a mask covering nose and mouth inside City facilities at all times. Outdoors on City property, masks are optional.
• We have placed hand sanitizer dispensers at all entrances to City facilities, for your convenience.

Reopening Hours

Community Center (7500 Maple Ave)

• Monday-Friday, 8:30 am – 9:30 pm
• Saturday, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
• Sunday, 12:00 – 5:00 pm

Library

• Monday-Thursday, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
• Friday-Sunday, 12:00 – 6:00 pm

Computer Center

• Monday-Thursday, 12:00 – 8:00 pm
• Friday-Sunday, 12:00 – 6:00 pm

Public Works Department

• Monday-Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
  See the full Public Works staff directory.

Recreation Center (7315 New Hampshire Ave)

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday 2:30 – 9:00 pm
• Tuesday and Thursday, 12:00 – 9:00 pm
  Note: Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:00-2:00pm are reserved for senior use only.
• Saturday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Sunday, Closed

Updates You Need to Know

Permits and Licenses
Most City permits and licenses are available online, with online payment, and do not require a visit to City facilities.  For a full list of permits and licenses, and to inquire with the issuing department about online availability, visit this link.

Notary and Passport
Both Notary and Passport services will continue by appointment only at the Community Center.

• To make a passport appointment, please call 301-891-7100.  Passport hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
• To make a notary public appointment, please call 301-891-7214.

Recreation Department

• Indoor, outdoor and virtual classes will resume in September. Registration for City residents opens Tuesday, August 24th. Review program offerings here.
• Interested in renting a room in a City facility or a park shelter? Residents can reserve a shelter here. Limited room reservations available, please call 301-891-7290 for more information.
• The Community Center Game Room will be open for drop-ins from 7:00 – 9:00 pm on weekdays but with COVID-19 capacity limits.

COVID Prevention Reminders

• Masks are required indoors for both staff and visitors to City buildings.
• Masks are optional for City staff and visitors outdoors.
• COVID testing sites are available within 5 miles of Takoma Park.
• Get the Vaccine! Help keep your loved ones, neighbors and co-workers safe. Click here for a list of vaccine locations within 5 miles of Takoma Park.

COVID-19 safety protocols for City facilities are subject to change at any time by City Manager determination should there be updates to State or County health guidance.

For more information on reopening, including up-to-date information on department hours and any schedule changes, as well as COVID-related resources, we encourage you to check our COVID-19 Resource Page regularly.

At their meeting on July 7th, City Council approved a resolution in support of the draft proposal for a Minor Master Plan Amendment.

A Minor Master Plan Amendment (MMA) is a tool used by Montgomery County to update the long-term plans for a specific geographic area when there is an unexpected change in the economic or land use circumstance. If those changes are unaccounted for in the City’s Master Plan (last updated in 2000 in Takoma Park), then an MMA allows the County to reimagine the way the area is used. This can involve updates to zoning and allow the City and County to set new goals for housing, economic development, open space, and transportation.

The departure of the Washington Adventist Hospital, formerly the largest employer in Takoma Park, prompted the City to partner with the County on an MMA that would include an area covering the full Washington Adventist Hospital and University Campus, as well as the civic buildings, retail, and multi-family housing located along Maple Avenue, from Philadelphia Avenue to Sligo Creek Parkway.

The City Council’s action on Wednesday offers an endorsement of the County staff’s proposed plan; however, the final project boundary and scope of work will not be finalized until the County Planning Commission votes to approve the boundary and scope of work in early September.

In the meantime, Montgomery County Planning will begin some initial community engagement with large stakeholders, including Washington Adventist University. Once the scope of work is finalized, a full-scale engagement process will begin for both residents within the MMA boundary and residents who live outside the boundary that would be impacted by any changes that the MMA could yield.

Visit the  Minor Master Plan project for more information.

Visit the City’s project page for a complete listing of projects.

The City of Takoma Park can begin reopening our facilities to the public!

Here are the highlights:

• On July 6 the Takoma Park Maryland Library will reopen for in-person services
• On August 23 all City facilities will fully reopen to the general public

Passports and Notary Services will require an appointment.

Passport Service:

• Monday – Thursday
  9:00 am – 11:00 am only
• Appointments are required and can be scheduled by emailing sofiav@takomaparkmd.gov.
• For more information, visit Passport Services

Notary Service:

Notary Service will resume on Tuesday, July 6th by appointment only.

• Please make an appointment by email or call:
  IrmaN@takomaparkmd.gov
  301-891-7214
• The service is free for Takoma Park residents
• $4 per notary signature for non-residents.
• For more information, visit Notary Services

Mask requirements:

• In City facilities, masks will be required for visitors and staff in lobby areas and in areas with children’s programs or services
• Masks are optional for City staff outdoors and in non-public areas of City facilities
• City staff will be prepared to wear masks when entering homes and other constrained private spaces on City business and when requested to do so by a person with whom they are interacting

Mask requirements will continue through August 22, 2021.

See our COVID-19 page for more detailed information, which will be refined over the coming weeks. Any of these plans may change based on revised guidance from the CDC, State of Maryland or Montgomery County, and we will let you know if they do.

Thank you to so many Takoma Park residents for taking safety precautions over many months and then getting vaccinated when you were able to do so – your actions have made a real difference in our community!

On Wednesday, June 23, 2021, the Takoma Park City Council passed Resolution 2021-19, recommending that the Montgomery County Planning Board disapprove the site plan Neighborhood Development Company (NDC) submitted in January 2021 to develop Takoma Junction.

The site plan reviewed by the City Council lacks the necessary agency approvals for NDC’s proposed layby – the only proposed means for deliveries in the plan – and additional concerns remain about the available public space, parking, stormwater management, and the rear façade.

The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) still has not approved the layby (or an optional shorter layby) proposed by NDC and has raised serious concerns regarding a number of safety-related issues in numerous communications.  In the absence of an approved layby, there is nothing in the current plan presented to the City Council to accommodate deliveries and trash removal.  Despite the City’s recommendation that NDC waits until work with SHA had resulted in an SHA-approved design, NDC insisted on presenting the plan to the Council. The Council’s June 23 resolution permits NDC to return to the City for review if changes to the proposed site plan address the absence of an approved layby and/or other issues raised.

Significant questions remain as to whether the current site plan could remain in its present form, or anything close to it if changes are needed to create a different layby or other delivery mechanism for the project.  Having no layby or a very different kind of layby for deliveries would likely affect the amount and configuration of public space, and could affect parking, stormwater, and other aspects of the site plan. The City Council would want to review the revised site plan if these changes were made.

The resolution continues to cite the City’s goals for the project at Takoma Junction to “act as a stimulus to the commercial district and locally-owned, independent businesses; improve the aesthetic appeal of the district, and be contextually sensitive and environmentally sustainable.” For the history of the project see here. For information about the development review process see here.

The City’s resolution was transmitted to the Planning Board on Thursday, June 24th.  Presently, NDC is tentatively scheduled to appear before the Planning Board in July.

The City Council has sent a letter to the Montgomery County Council opposing the passage of Zoning Text Amendment 19-07 (Telecommunications Towers – Limited Use) as currently drafted.

“The City of Takoma Park wants every resident of Montgomery County to have equitable access to affordable broadband internet. However, everyone should have a voice in the planning process. This ZTA, as currently drafted, would cut municipalities and residents out of the planning and siting process for many new “small” cell towers and strip us of our voices.”

Read the complete letter

Free COVID-19 Vaccinations Available
in Takoma Park

FEMA’s mobile vaccination trailer will be parked in the Washington Adventist University lot at the intersection of Carroll and Flower Avenues.

• Free MODERNA and Johnson & Johnson vaccines 
• Safe for ages 18 and older
• Plan to wait for 15-30 minutes after you receive your vaccine.
• Return to the same location for the second dose on July 13 to July 18
• Walk-ups accepted
•  Return to the same location for the second dose on July 13 to July 18

First Dose:

June 15 – 20, 2021

• Tuesday to  Friday: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
• Saturday and  Sunday: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Second Dose:

July 13  – 18, 2021

• Tuesday to  Friday: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
• Saturday and  Sunday: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

On Wednesday, June 10, 2021, City Council passed a resolution to express appreciation for the Senior Leadership Team.

WHEREAS, the past fifteen months have been extremely challenging ones for the City’s Senior Leadership Team, which consists of department and key division heads; and WHEREAS, this time period included the COVID-19 pandemic and all of the work related to the shutdown of City facilities, continuity of City services, care of employees, and provision of assistance to residents and businesses; the death of George Floyd and its impacts; national and local elections; the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol; the second impeachment of President Trump; and preparations for the transition to a new City Manager;

Read the entire Resolution here.