The City of Takoma Park is aware of the communications between the Neighborhood Development Company and the Takoma Park Silver Spring Co-op regarding the Takoma Junction Redevelopment Project. The City staff and City Attorney are working together to formulate options regarding a path forward. Council will address the matter as appropriate. Staff notes that the FAQ page that the communications referred to had been removed from the City’s website for review over a week ago, but the link remains in a cached mode at this time.
Category Archives: Public Notices
Public Notices are primarily generated by the City Clerk and are mostly compromised of messages notifying residents and other stakeholders of public hearings.
Takoma Junction Project Review Is On Hold
A review of the City’s Takoma Junction Redevelopment Project is on hold pending consideration of information in a letter provided today by the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA). The letter, first dated April 6 and then changed to April 13, raises a number of concerns with the design of a layby on Carroll Avenue, proposed to allow for deliveries for area businesses.
MDOT SHA was to have submitted its comments for the Montgomery County Development Review process by June 2019. Without an indication of MDOT SHA’s position on the layby, City and County officials had proceeded with the review of the project plans, including holding a special City Council meeting yesterday, April 12.
Due to the need to review the comments received today, Takoma Park City Council’s review of the site plan will not go forward on the dates that had been announced to the public: April 14, April 28, and May 5.
Information about the proposed project is on the City’s website. The letter from MDOT SHA has been posted at that link.
April is Designated “National Distracted Driver Awareness” Month
April is designated ‘National Distracted Driver Awareness Month,’ and Takoma Park Police officers will be participating and focusing their efforts on distracted driving using traffic enforcement initiatives. Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving; this includes using:
- Hand-held cell phone
- Texting
- Wireless devices
All distractions endanger drivers, passengers, and bystanders. Takoma Park Police officers observing the above violations, as well as any other distracted driving activity, will issue citations to the driver of the vehicle as well as educate drivers about the dangers of distracted driving.
This effort is part of a high-visibility enforcement initiative that combines intense enforcement with further educating the public of the dangers of distracted driving. The ultimate goal is to save lives by convincing motorists to obey the law.
Drivers are reminded to remove all distractions while driving including any wireless devices. A wireless device is described as a hand-held or hands-free device used to access a wireless telephone service or to send or receive electronic messages.
- The penalty for this violation is a fine not more than $83.00 for the first offense, not more than $140.00 for a second or subsequent offense or not more than $160.00 for a third or subsequent offense.
- Three points may be assessed by the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) if the violation contributes to a motor vehicle crash.
- Texting while driving carries a fine of $70 and one point, however, if the texting and driving contributes to a motor vehicle crash, the fine is $110 and three points are assessed by the MVA.
- If distracted driving causes an accident and results in the death or serious bodily injury of another person(s), there could be 12 points assessed by MVA and there is a mandatory court appearance.
Takoma Park Police will continue their efforts beyond April to focus on drivers who are distracted using hand-held cell phones, or engaging in other distracting activities while driving. Please be safe and keep your eyes on the road for your safety and the safety of others!
COVID-19 Vaccination Updates from Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
As vaccine information is rapidly changing we encourage all residents to visit the Montgomery County Vaccine Website as well as Maryland State Vaccine Website for updated information. We also encourage all residents to text “MDReady” to 898-211 to get alerts from the State, including notices of when there are available appointments at the mass vaccination sites.
*Update* Starting April 6: based on the state’s accelerating vaccination rate and an anticipated increase in supply from the federal government, all Marylanders 16 and older are eligible for vaccination at Maryland’s mass vaccination sites.
Preregister for Maryland mass vaccination sites
To get Vaccinated at a Clinic Operated by Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services:
- Everyone must preregister.
- Preregistration expanded to all Marylanders 16 and older
- We are currently preregistering all groups in Phase 2C and Phase 3 in Montgomery County. Check the County vaccine webpage for preregistration information.
- Maryland state is currently in Phase 3
Preregistration information:
- Preregistration is NOT a vaccination appointment—it places you in the queue by priority group. When vaccine doses arrive, we contact residents from the preregistration list and invite them to make an appointment.
- When invited to make an appointment, preregistered individuals will receive an invitation to make an appointment by phone call or email directly from the County’s Department of Health and Human Services.
- Email invitations will come from c19vaccination@montgomerycountymd.gov
Other Vaccination Locations:
Preregistering on the County’s vaccine page does not mean you are registered with other venues.
In addition to the clinics operated by Montgomery County DHHS, hospitals and several community partners have COVID-19 vaccines available to the public. These clinics follow the State guidelines, and not the rules issued by the County. Vaccine supply continues to be limited at all venues in Montgomery County.
Please visit the Maryland State Website to view a list of vaccination clinics near you.
Hospitals include:
- Adventist HealthCare
- Holy Cross Hospital
- Kaiser Permanente
- MedStar Health
- Suburban Hospital, a subsidiary of Johns Hopkins (Suburban Hospital is prioritizing existing patients in the Hopkins system).
Retail partners include:
Statewide Mass Vaccination Sites:
- Statewide Mass Vaccination Sites require Pre-Registration: Click here
- The pre-registration list will allow the state to contact you when you are eligible to schedule an appointment to receive the vaccine at one of our Mass Vaccination Site locations: Six Flags America Theme Park, Regency Furniture Stadium (Blue Crabs Stadium), Wicomico Civic Center, Hagerstown Premium Outlets, M&T Bank Stadium, Montgomery College, Greenbelt Metro Station
Assistance for Spanish Speaking Communities: 
- Information provided on behalf of Por Nuestra Salud y Bienestar (PNSYB)
- Montgomery County community members who speak Spanish that need help in filling out the Montgomery County vaccine pre-registration form can call the PNSYB Helpline at 301-270-8432.
- Para ayuda llenando el pre registro para la vacuna de COVID-19 y para más información, comuníquese a la Línea de Ayuda al 301 270-8432, de lunes a viernes de 9:00 AM a 7:00 PM.
Telephone Assistance for Preregistering in both Spanish and English:
Residents are encouraged to assist their neighbors, family members, and friends to preregister if they need help.
- Montgomery County: Those without internet access can call the Preregistration Helpline for assistance at 240-777-2982 seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bilingual staff (English/Spanish) are available and call takers can also access a translation line to help callers with many other languages.
- Maryland Statewide: You can also schedule by calling 855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829). Representatives are available 7 days a week from 7 am to 10 pm. You will answer the same questions to determine eligibility by phone, as you would by going through the online process.
This line is for preregistration only.
- General questions about vaccinations and COVID-19 can be answered by calling 240-777-1755 seven days a week from
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Until the vaccine supply increases, we urge you to continue practicing social distancing, limiting your exposure to individuals outside your household, wearing masks and washing hands.
A Message From Mayor Stewart on the Recent Shooting and Arrest in our Community
On Wednesday, our City witnessed the violent taking of life. Dominique Williams and James Lionel Johnson were shot and killed at the hands of an off-duty Pentagon police officer. We are horrified by these events, and acknowledge this is all the more painful for those who have and continue to experience profiling based upon their appearance and brutality at the hands of those sworn to protect us.
There has been too much pain, trauma, and loss of life. It needs to end. From my perspective, there is no justification for what this person did. We do not and cannot tolerate violence. Our City is committed to ensuring justice is served. And it will be.
In Takoma Park, we must continue our work towards creating a just community. We are committed to reimagining public safety and ending this cycle of violence and trauma.
I want to thank our Police Chief and the detectives who swiftly investigated this case to get the shooter charged. I know many of us have had questions and have been anxious for a result as they conducted a full investigation of this heinous crime.
I also want to thank the many residents who reached out to us over the last couple of days. Your voices and commitment to justice in our community will serve to ensure continued dedication to protecting people’s lives and dignity in our City.
I want to extend my sympathies to the families of Mr. Williams and Mr. Johnson and to Mr. Thomas. To the residents who live in the Takoma Overlook and Hampshire Towers neighborhood where this violence occurred, we are here for you. Our community is here for you.
Input Needed: Take The Takoma Park Recreation Center Community Survey!
The Takoma Park Recreation Center on New Hampshire Avenue will be redeveloped into a new, state-of-the-art, community resource, and we need your input! The City of Takoma Park is conducting a community survey to understand the needs and priorities. Participants will have a chance to win one of several gift cards from local, Takoma Park businesses!
Click here to fill out the survey online! Now available 4 languages:
- English
- Español
- Francais
- አማርኛ Amharic
Paper copies are also available on-site the drop off locations. Drop them off at the locations below.
Drop-off Locations:
- Takoma Park Police Department – 7500 Maple Ave
- Hampshire Tower Apartments – 7401 New Hampshire Ave
- Takoma Overlook -7333 New Hampshire Ave
The deadline to complete the survey is March 31, 2021.
For more information contact housing@takomaparkmd.gov or 240-414-8177.
Join Us on our journey in Search of a New City Manager: Start with our Survey!
The Takoma Park City Council is interested in getting feedback from you, our residents, on our next City Manager’s search. It’s an opportunity to have a community discussion on what’s important and your opinion matters.
City Manager Search Survey
The City Manager is retiring, and the Takoma Park City Council is looking for resident input in the recruiting and hiring of a new City Manager.
We want to hear your opinion regarding the attributes you would like to see in the next City Manager and the most important issues facing the community today. The survey should take no more than ten minutes to complete.
Surveys
The survey results will be used to inform and will be incorporated into the City Manager recruitment and selection process. The survey results will be shared with the City Council, consultant, and applicants. Your individual responses will be anonymous and results of the survey will be shared with others in the aggregate when feasible.
Thank you for your interest and participation in the process.
Public Hearings on Traffic Calming and Proposed Residential Stormwater Management Fee System
Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 7:30 p.m.
The City Council will hold public hearings on the following matters on Wednesday, February 24, beginning at 7:30 p.m. All interested persons are encouraged to sign up to speak at the public hearings. Link to sign up to comment live on Zoom.*
1. Traffic Calming on the 8000 Block of Wildwood Drive
Residents have petitioned for traffic calming to be installed on the 8000 block of Wildwood Drive.
2. Traffic Calming on Darwin Avenue
Residents have petitioned for traffic calming to be installed on Darwin Avenue
3. Stormwater Management Fee System
The City Council is considering adopting a new stormwater management fee system for residential properties.
- Background Information from the February 10, 2021 City Council meeting.
- Interactive Map showing proposed stormwater fees for residential properties.
*Comments are limited to three minutes each. For additional information, contact Jessie Carpenter, City Clerk, at clerk@takomaparkmd.gov. Written comments may also be sent to this address.
Sleet and ice! The City Manager’s message is to stay home if you can
Dear Residents,
Once again we have strange winter weather. I really wanted a good snowfall and then we could start thinking of spring and flowers, but instead we have accumulating sleet, freezing rain and ice.
Because the temperatures will stay cold, ice will be a problem for several days. Some warmth on Friday afternoon will help, but then there will be a refreeze. Expect dangerous walkways and roads. If you can stay home, please do so.
Our regular Public Works staff are the employees who also treat and plow the streets and clear sidewalks along City facilities when there is a storm. When we have round-the-clock road treatment work, we often need to make adjustments to the trash, recycling and food waste collection schedule. For this storm, there will be NO collections of trash, recycling and food waste today (Thursday). The normal Thursday collection will take place on Saturday. Friday’s collections are expected to take place on Friday, but may be a bit delayed.
Another change is that the Library’s Books-To-Go and Books-To-You delivery program is canceled for today. We hope to be able to provide the services on Friday, but please check before you go.
Please help make the sidewalks safe in front of your homes. Use ice melt or sand – not rock salt! – for areas that are slippery. Please also help your neighbors if you can. The Difference Makers’ Snow Angels program will not be able to help the residents on their service list for this winter event. Their program focuses on the removal of snow, not ice, and the students and coordinator are not available. So, we all need to make a special effort to ensure the safety of our seniors and other community members who may need to go outside for work, doctor’s appointments or food.
As always, please call 301-270-1100 to report slippery conditions so our Public Works crews can be dispatched to address them. Call 9-1-1 if there is an emergency.
And, join with me in thanking our crews! Take a photo of our crews at work and post it on social media or send it to me in an email (SuzanneL@takomaparkmd.gov). Also, let me know what we can do better. We want Takoma Park to continue to be the place that handles storms right.
Finally, consider contributing to a legitimate charity to help folks in Texas who are having a simply horrible experience with winter weather, and lack of heat, water and food. I’m not happy with today’s weather here in Takoma Park, but this is nothing in comparison.
Stay safe!
Suzanne
Creating Affordable Home Ownership Opportunities
Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland, in partnership with the City of Takoma Park, plans to convert a multi-family rental property located on Garland Avenue into two affordable homeownership opportunities.
The project began when the City of Takoma Park assigned its Right to Purchase to Habitat to buy the Garland property in November of 2020. The City also provided $200,000 from the Housing Reserve Fund to invest in the development of affordable homeownership opportunities.
Habitat will divide the existing structure, which now includes three rental units, into a duplex, creating two separate and distinct homeownership properties.
This project is a demonstration of how Missing Middle Housing typologies can be incorporated into established single-family neighborhoods. Splitting the property into two units helps to drive down the development cost per unit and ultimately the sales prices for each home. The property is also within one mile of a future Purple Line stop further emboldening the need to create, restore and preserve affordable housing opportunities, ensuring that all residents can access our public infrastructure investments.
Habitat will completely gut the home and rebuild it like new. The rehab will include a focus on sustainability starting with participation in the City of Takoma Park’s initiative to forego the use of fossil fuel in homes by abandoning the existing gas service to the home. This will be the first example of gas abandonment in the City in residential development. HFHMM will also incorporate an energy efficiency standard in its building practices, including continuous spray foam insulation for the entire envelope of the structure drastically reducing air leakage. Habitat will also install water sense fixtures, LED lighting, smart thermostats, and Energy Star mechanical equipment and appliances.
Once the project is complete, Habitat will sell the completed units to individuals living and working in our community but unable to afford a home through the traditional market. Habitat provides an affordable mortgage, ensuring that borrowers are not cost burdened. Providing access to affordable homeownership is critical for our communities so that families can build generational wealth. By providing homeownership opportunities for families at more income levels we can work to break down the racial wealth and ownership gaps and build more equitable communities.
