All posts by Ryan Kelly

News

This Just In: David Eubanks is appointed Acting City Manager by City Council Wednesday, July 27, 2023

 

The Takoma Park City Council is happy to announce that it has appointed David Eubanks as Acting City Manager, effective Wednesday, July 23, 2023. City Staff congratulates Mr. Eubanks on his appointment of the Acting City Manager

David Eubanks

Mr. Eubanks joined the City of Takoma Park in 2021 as the Deputy Director of Public Works and is currently the Director of Housing and Community Development (HCD). As HCD Director, Mr. Eubanks has been instrumental in advancing key City initiatives such as the library construction project. Prior to joining the City, Mr. Eubanks had over a decade of experience in housing and community development. The Council looks forward to working with Mr. Eubanks in this new role.

Email: David Eubanks
Phone:  301-891-7202

Resolution: Confirming Acting City Manager David Eubanks

News, News Alert

How Does the Minor Master Plan Address Public-School Capacity?

 

Source: Montgomery County Planning

Planning for adequate public school facilities is a joint effort between Montgomery Planning and the Division of Capital Planning and Real Estate at Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). MCPS planners project student enrollment for the near future at the countywide and individual school levels and develop strategies and long-range facility plans to meet capacity needs appropriately. They also coordinate relevant county and state budgets for the six-year Capital Improvements Program (CIP) and publish the Educational Facilities Master Plan annually. 

Montgomery Planning administers the Annual School Test based on MCPS’ projections and scheduled CIP projects and conducts a School Adequacy Analysis for development applications accordingly. Planning staff also produce student generation rates and relevant housing data, which is shared with MCPS to inform their forecasting and facility planning efforts as well. When a master plan is underway, Montgomery Planning collaborates with MCPS regarding the plan’s potential impact on public school enrollment. To estimate the potential impact, a maximum build-out scenario is hypothesized in which the residential capacity of each parcel is built out to the full extent allowed, and the number of students that can be generated from that scenario is calculated.

Based on this Plan’s max build-out scenario, the enrollment impact can be estimated between:

  • 120 to 350 elementary students
  • 50 to 180 middle school students
  • 50 to 150 high school students

The lower range of the estimates assumes that new residential development will be multi-family buildings that generate the lowest number of students. The higher range of the estimates assumes that new residential development will be multi-family buildings that generate a higher number of students. For additional information, please see the 2020 Growth and Infrastructure Policy. 

In reality, it is difficult to gauge the number and type of residential units that will be built and the pace and context of development. Furthermore, master plans generally envision a 20–30-year timeline, whereas MCPS uses six-year projections to determine its capital budget and CIP. Therefore, a plan’s estimated enrollment impact alone will not warrant immediate action by MCPS to request capital investment in schools serving the area. Instead, MCPS will continue to monitor actual enrollment trends as residential development appears and reflect the change in its projections annually. In the meantime, Montgomery Planning will continue to evaluate the projected utilization levels of schools through the Annual Schools Test and impose Utilization Premium Payments appropriately on residential units proposed in school service areas projected to be overutilized. 

For more information on growth and infrastructure planning for schools, visit the Montgomery County Planning Website.

For information specific to the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment, see the Plan Appendix.

News, Public Notices

What is the Minor Master Plan and Why are We Doing It?

 

Source: Montgomery County Planning

Each community within Montgomery County has a master plan that creates a comprehensive view of land use trends and future development, like the 2000 Takoma Park Master Plan. These plans make recommendations related to land uses, zoning, transportation, schools, parks, and community and public facilities, and they address housing, historic preservation, pedestrian and trail systems, and environmental issues. Planners create new master plans every 15 or 20 years.

A Minor Master Plan amendment, like the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment (TPMMA), revisits a specific portion of the approved and adopted master plan and reexamines certain elements, often to address a change that was not anticipated at the time the adopted master plan was approved. A minor master plan amendment may offer new recommendations, or it may reconfirm the existing plan recommendations. In this instance, the TPMMA addresses the need for improved infrastructure, varied housing types, and additional public amenities such as parks and open space. The plan encourages reinvestment and reimagining of underutilized parcels and properties along Maple and Lee avenues, the Erie Center and the Washington  Adventist Hospital and University campuses, as well as surrounding areas.

The key recommendations in the plan are:
  • Envisioning a vibrant, mixed-income community where the housing stock, open spaces, and mix of uses meet the needs of an economically, socially, and racially diverse population.
  • Promoting safe, healthy, and convenient connectivity within and between the plan’s districts, and to high-capacity transit beyond the plan area, the existing trail network, and nearby activity centers.
  • Embracing climate-forward planning and design to address the impact of climate change.
  • Implementing a green promenade to provide a green, efficient, and attractive pedestrian connection through the plan area.
  • Protecting historic resources and providing for the interpretation of community history to promote a unique sense of place.

Learn more on the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Page.

News, Public Notices

Notice of Proposed Code Amendments Regarding Tenant Displacement and Relocation Expenses

 

Notice of Proposed Code Amendments regarding Tenant Displacement and Relocation Expenses, which modifies Takoma Park Code, Chapters 6.16 Landlord-Tenant Relations) and 6.36 (Unsafe Buildings-Public Nuisance Abatement) – To clarify the requirements of landlords in the event of a rental unit condemnation.

An ordinance updating the Takoma Park Code is being proposed to clarify the requirements of landlords in the event of a rental unit condemnation. The proposed amendments lay out the timeline, payment requirements, and rights of tenants in the event of a rental unit condemnation.

 

To obtain further information about the proposed regulation, contact:

Devin McNally, Housing Manager
Housing and Community Development Dept.
301-891-7222
devinm@takomaparkmd.gov.

Written comments on the proposed regulation should be submitted to:

City Clerk
Email: clerk@takomaparkmd.gov.

 

 

Public Notices

A Message from Code Enforcement: Birds and Pesticides: Don’t Mix!

 

Here’s one more good reason why we should avoid the use of pesticides: pesticides kill birds.

According to the American Bird Conservancy, from hummingbirds to warblers to owls and eagles and hawks, all birds are threatened by pesticides. A recent study by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology found that over the last 50 years, the United States and Canada have lost more than 3 billion of their birds. That’s a decline of 30 percent, meaning almost one in three birds have vanished since the 1970s. Pesticides are a major reason for this problem.

 

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s question is one that we all have to ask ourselves: “Should we heed the warning signs provided by birds or continue to pay the high environmental and social costs of rampant pesticide use?” Future children and grandchildren should be able to watch cardinals and orioles fly, and eagles soar. Start with small steps. Before calling a company to have pesticides applied to the lawn, check to find more environmentally friendly ways to prevent and fight mosquitoes. Talk to city representatives to make sure that no pesticides will ever be sprayed in this town.

 

And always remember to prevent mosquito breeding sites, further preventing the use of pesticides. Keep checking for sources of standing water and remove them wherever possible.

News, Takoma Park Newsletter

How Do City Council Priorities Affect You?

Takoma Park City Council Priorities are considered a tool to guide policy and budget decision making and outline strategies to work toward desired outcomes for a wide range of major projects, initiatives, and ongoing activities. Policies established by the City Council affects many aspects of civic life in Takoma Park, so developing and sharing priorities inform residents, businesses, and regional stakeholders on what the council considers important.

The priorities are not policy, but they serve as the framework to shape future policy. All are encouraged to engage with the City Council to help shape how the priorities are implemented. You can engage in the process by attending a City Council meeting; by contacting your City Council member; or by joining a board, commission or committee.

On April 12 2023, the council updated its priorities through 2024. Below, you can read the main priorities, but more information can be found on the city website (search for Council Priorities).

Takoma Park City Council Priorities

1. Advancing a Community of Belonging.

  • Build on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic to increase residents’ and small businesses’ resilience to the impact of emergency situations, so that they can recover and thrive in the future.
  •  Further the City’s racial equity work.
  • Identify and prioritize programming needs in the community and develop approaches to meet those needs, emphasizing youth, families, seniors, and residents who tend to face barriers to opportunities such as Black, Indigenous, and people of color, immigrants, those with unsustainable lower-paying jobs or incomes, and people with developmental or physical disabilities.
  • Defend our status as a Sanctuary City and maintain our commitment to being a welcoming and inclusive community where all residents experience a sense of belonging.

 

2. Establish the City’s long-term fiscal sustainability strategy.

  • Explore expanding City revenue options to identify long-term solutions necessary to diversify the City’s revenue streams.
  • Explore ways to provide a more equitable property tax assessment system including providing property tax adjustments to residents in need.
  • Continue to build on improvements in the budget process, presentation of budget information, and communication to residents.

 

3. Environmentally Sustainable Community.

  • Climate Change Mitigation: Work towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal by 2035.
  • Climate Change Resilience: Improve our ability to adapt and be resilient to local impacts of climate change.
  • Manage our Community’s Natural Resources Sustainably: Protect, maintain, and improve the health of our urban forest, natural resources, and water quality, with an emphasis on equity.

 

4. Engaged, Responsive, Service-oriented Government

  • Hire and onboard a new City Manager.
  • Advance City communications with residents and adopt innovative, culturally appropriate initiatives to improve public engagement and collaboration with residents, particularly with residents who may face barriers to participating in municipal government activities and community affairs.
  • Improve policies and processes to enhance resident interaction with the City government and the Council, including requests for government services, complaint systems, and code enforcement.
  • Review and reform the City’s approach to public safety to ensure racial justice and work toward a safer, more livable community for all residents.
  • Improve service delivery and reduce administrative burden by updating internal policies, IT infrastructure and software to support staff in doing their jobs

 

5. Community Development for an Improved and Equitable Quality of Life

  • Ensure that a range of safe, high quality, affordable, green and energy efficient housing options are equitably available in neighborhoods throughout the community.
  • Improve transportation planning, design, and implementation to create a safer, more environmentally sustainable and more racially and economically equitable community for all residents, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicle occupants.
  • Plan and prepare for development in the City and region while maintaining the special character and economic and racial diversity of Takoma Park
News, News Alert, Public Notices

Project Update! DDOT’s Plans for the Fort Totten-Takoma Leg of Metropolitan Branch Trail Construction: Starts Summer 2023

 

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) invites you to a virtual project meeting on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at 6:00 PM to discuss the status of the Metropolitan Branch Train Project (MBT). DDOT will present an overview of the project and discuss project features and milestones. This segment of the trail will connect with Takoma Park’s half-mile of the MBT, currently undergoing a redesign process of its own. (More information on the Takoma Park section is available on the city’s project page.)

District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Meeting

DATE: Tuesday, July 18, 2023
TIME: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM


VIRTUAL MEETING: WebEx
Click here to view the virtual meeting and presentation:
tinyurl.com/MBTFortTottenToTakomaProject

Event Number: 2308 603 0092
Event Password: Join250! (56462500 from phones and video systems)

Dial-in option (audio only): 1-202-860-2110
Access code: 230 860 30092

  • The WebEx system will prompt you for a Numeric Webinar Password: 82659282. Press the # key to join the meeting.

 

For more information, please contact:
Kelsey Bridges, DDOT Transportation Planner
202-438-8972
near.northwestiii@dc.gov.

 

Public Notices, Takoma Park Newsletter

Notice Rent Stabilization Allowance: Annual Rent Increase Set at 3.7%

Effective: July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024

The City of Takoma Park law (City Code Chapter 6.20 Rent Stabilization) maintains the affordability of rental units by limiting the number and amount of rent increases charged for a specific rental unit. Generally, the rent may be increased only once in any given 12-month period.

Beginning July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024, the Rent Stabilization Allowance is 3.7%. Landlords are required to comply with Takoma Park’s Rent Stabilization law and cannot increase the rent on occupied units any higher than this allowance.

Multi-family rental units and rental condominium units are subject to Rent Stabilization. Rent increases are limited to the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index published by the Department of Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period of March 2022 through March 2023.

Pursuant to the City Code, a two-month written notice must be provided to the tenant(s) before a landlord can legally increase the rent. (City Code Chapter 6.20.050(C) Notice of Annual Rent Increases).

Please note that the following units may be exempt from Rent Stabilization upon application to the City. The exemption is not automatic and must be approved by the City.

• Rental units leased to tenants under the Housing Choice Voucher Program;

• Any rental facility where the rents are regulated under contract by a governmental agency that controls the rent levels of not less than one-half of the rental units in the rental facility and restricts the occupancy of those rental units to low- and- moderate income tenants; and

• Newly constructed rental units for a period of five years after construction.

If you have any questions regarding your rent or need more information about the requirements of the City’s Rent Stabilization law, please contact Jean Kerr, Housing Specialist at 301-891-7216 or 240-672-1023 or email jeank@takomaparkmd.gov.

News Alert, Public Notices

The City of Takoma Park Safe Grow Program helps to protect our environment and Pollinators Play a Huge Role!

 

Tips for Making a Pollinator-Friendly Garden

Thinking about changing up your garden? You can design a garden that is not only beautiful for you but also provides a helpful habitat for pollinators! Here are our tips for making a pollinator-friendly garden.

Plant Native

Not just any plant will make a pollinator-friendly garden. You need plenty of native plants to supply pollen and nectar for our little native friends. Ideally, you’ll have a mix of plants that will bloom from spring through summer and as late into the fall as possible to provide a continual resource for pollinators. For us in Maryland, see the recommended list of native plants. These will help attract bees, butterflies, and birds to your garden and help them on their pollinating journey!

Planting in groups allows the pollinators to work thoroughly and efficiently!

Plant in Groups

Instead of spacing out your pollinator-friendly plants, plant them in groups. Plant at least three to five types of pollinator plants together and layer them throughout your garden. Not only will you get beautiful drifts of color, but you’ll be helping bees and other pollinating insects out. When you space out plants, you make pollinating insects have to move around a great deal, and that can tire them out and slow them down. Groupings allow the pollinators to work these areas thoroughly and efficiently!

Go Natural

To combat pests, go natural instead of using synthetic chemicals. Many pesticides are toxic to bees and other beneficial organisms, so use sticky traps and pheromone traps instead. You can also work with nature to control pests and diseases by using organic fertilizer and quality compost and removing weeds and infected plants.

Add Water

Adding water spots is a must for a pollinator-friendly garden. Providing water sources will attract more pollinators and help them stay hydrated in warm weather. Any water source, natural or man-made, will do. Adding a birdbath is a great way to add a water source as well as decoration to your garden. A hanging dripping bottle also works. Even a simple puddle will provide much-needed water to pollinators.

Provide Resting Spots

Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators need shelter to rest, protect themselves from the elements, hide from predators, and rear their young. If you can, allow part of your garden to grow a little wild. This will provide protection for pollinators as well as allow you to sit back, relax, and let nature do the work for you! You can also provide a pile of grass cutting or a decomposing log in a sunny place on the ground. Even keeping a dead tree standing creates necessary nooks for butterflies and bees.

Mayor Searcy and City Council proclaim Pollinator’s Week

Public Notices

Tree Takoma Program – City partners with Casey Trees to replenish the Tree Canopy – Free Consultation

 

Takoma Park has seen its tree canopy cover drop by 5.6% since 2009. Tree canopy cover is important to a number of environmental services, including shading and cooling the city, reducing energy bills, intercepting stormwater, and providing a robust ecological habitat. A large portion of the space suitable for tree planting in Takoma Park is located on private property. Properties that choose to plant canopy trees do the City a great service in restoring our urban tree canopy.

 

The City of Takoma Park has partnered with Casey Trees to provide native canopy trees to properties throughout Takoma Park for free through the Tree Takoma program. Along with the free trees, participants also receive a free consultation with an urban forester to determine the best locations and species for the property. The trees available each season are selected from the Medium and Large categories on the Takoma Park Approved Species List.

 

It’s all free, so what are you waiting for?

Learn more: Takoma Tree Program.

 

All private properties are eligible for Tree Takoma. Commercial, institutional, and rental properties are especially encouraged to participate. Applications are accepted, and consultations are conducted on a rolling basis. Trees are planted from Fall through Spring.