Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board
Annual Report
2005

Remarks from Alan M. Freeman, Chair

This was an active year for the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board - one in which our collective efforts fostered a heightened sense of community, comfort and safety for the residents of Bethesda, Cabin John, Chevy Chase, Friendship Heights, Garrett Park, Glen Echo, North Bethesda and Potomac.

The Board reinvigorated its committee structure in 2005 and thereby was able to accomplish a great deal. Generally speaking, our work was characterized by education and advocacy. The Board sought to educate itself and members of the community by hosting public roundtables on human services, land use and the capital improvements planning process, and by holding several meetings in 'town hall' fashion in Glen Echo, Potomac and Garrett Park. The Board and its various committees also met, both separately and together, with representatives of key Executive Branch departments and public safety organizations to better understand the services they provide, the challenges they face and the ways in which we, the residents, can assist them to accomplish their missions. Finally, the Advisory Board served an important role as community advocate in 2005, conveying to the County Executive and County Council specific recommendations on the Capital Improvements Program, novice driver legislation, and land use and development.

Like any organization, the Advisory Board is the sum of its parts. Our outstanding committee chairs, members and professional staff devoted great effort to their tasks, setting the stage for continued service to our community. It has been a pleasure to serve as Chair of the Board during 2005.

Background

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Citizens Advisory Board was established in April 1980. In 1997, the area of coverage was expanded to include Potomac and North Bethesda, and the name was changed to the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board.

The Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board comprises 15 representatives from both the residential and business communities in Bethesda, Cabin John, Chevy Chase, Friendship Heights, Garrett Park, Glen Echo, North Bethesda, and Potomac. Board members are appointed by the Montgomery County Executive and confirmed by the Montgomery County Council.

The Board advises the County Executive and the County Council on issues facing the regional area, and serves as an advocate for the priorities of residents and business people in the area. The Board receives presentations on matters of public interest, many of which relate to budget, transportation, and land use issues. The Board's monthly agenda includes a time for expression of community residents' concerns and dialogue with the Board about those concerns. Discussions during meetings of the Board provide a balanced assessment of problems facing residents and business in the Western Montgomery County area, and help to identify potential solutions.

Board Members Serving in 2005

Residential Representatives Geographic Area
Stephen Baldwin Bethesda
Jeffrey Balkind* Chevy Chase
Richard Blumstein Potomac
Geoffrey C. Cook Bethesda
Ginger Huang Dietrich Chevy Chase
Sandra-Lee El-Haj Garrett Park
Melanie Folstad Chevy Chase
Alan M. Freeman (Chair) Potomac
Peter Gubser Chevy Chase
Renee Kotz* Cabin John
Julian Mansfield* Bethesda
Seth Maiman Bethesda
Thomas Murphy* North Bethesda
Elizabeth A. Sandall Bethesda
Paul Tiao* Chevy Chase

Business Representatives Geographic Area
Jack Alexander Bethesda
Tony Barclay* Bethesda
Larry Gordon North Bethesda
Sue F. Knapp (Vice Chair) Bethesda
Jennifer Parker Porter, M.D. Chevy Chase
David M. Smith Chevy Chase

*Term ended April 2005

Monthly Board Meetings

The Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board usually meets on the third Monday of every month at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center.

All Board meetings are open to the public. The Board's agenda includes time for community comments. During 2004, the majority of the comments expressed by residents were related to concerns about pedestrian safety and traffic congestion.

During 2004, the Board received presentations from County government officials on
"How residents can effectively work with the Department of Public Works and Transportation" and "Montgomery County Budget 101." Thomas D. Pogue, Community Outreach Manager, Director's Office, Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation explained how to access and use the information on the DPWT website, how residents can get involved before decisions are made and how to contact staff for updates on projects. Joseph F. Beach, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, discussed the highlights of the County Executive's FY06 Operating Budget and specific charts showing the budgets, expenditures and sources of revenue. Montgomery County Police Captain Darryl McSwain, Commander - 1st District - Rockville and Montgomery County Police Captain Wayne Jerman, Commander - 2nd District - Bethesda shared their vision and discussed specific issues and concerns faced by their districts.

The Board hosted a "Capital Budget Forum." Every two years, the County prepares the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget. Capital projects include public facilities such as sidewalks, bikeways, libraries, schools, community centers, parks and ball fields that serve the community. Storm water management projects that address drainage and flooding problems also are part of the CIP. This community meeting was designed to obtain citizen input on all facets of the CIP, including recommendations for new "community scale projects" and comments on those projects already programmed in the capital budget. Representatives from County agencies provided an overview of current capital projects and answered questions. The Board used the input from this community meeting to prepare a list of recommendations to the County Executive.

The Board hosted two roundtables during the year:

• The Human Services Providers Roundtable included panelists representing Bethesda Cares, Community Ministry of Montgomery County, Mobile Medical Care and Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. Panelists discussed their organization's mission, the services they provide, the people they serve, and the challenges they encounter.
• The Land Use Process Roundtable included panelists representing the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission; Montgomery County Council; Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings; Board of Appeals; Office of the People's Counsel; Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services; and the Office of the County Executive, Planning Implementation. Panelists discussed their agency's role and responsibilities in the land use process.

Finally, in an effort to be more accessible to all residents, the Board held three meetings this year in other locations and participated in community events. The Board met in April at the Glen Echo Town Hall, in May at the Garrett Park Town Hall, and in November at the Potomac Community Library. Leaders of homeowners' associations and civic groups discussed the issues and concerns that are important to the residents in their communities. At the Taste of Bethesda and Potomac Days, Board members distributed information and encouraged residents to attend Board meetings.

Board Committees

The Board has six committees that were established to discuss and research issues prior to consideration by the full Board. The following paragraphs summarize each committee's activities during 2005.

The Budget Committee co-hosted the CIP Forum in June 2005. During the summer, the Committee with the full Board developed CIP Budget recommendations which were adopted by the Board and sent by the Board Chair to the County Executive and County Council. In late 2005, the Committee held a meeting to consider recommendations with respect to the Montgomery County operating budget and other budgetary matters.

The Education Committee's main function, thus far, has been to monitor the significant educational developments in Montgomery County and report to the full Board on those developments. The Committee's principal accomplishment this year was to contribute to a section of the Board's bi-annual CIP letter. That letter focused on the needs of the public schools in Western Montgomery County and urged the County Executive to support Superintendent Weast's continuing efforts to upgrade and modernize the area schools, and in particular, to construct more facilities in order to reduce reliance upon "portable" classrooms. The Committee is very supportive of the Superintendent's October 28, 2005 proposals to address many of the educational needs identified in the CIP's letter. The Committee will hold a meeting in January 2006 to discuss having an "Issues in Education Roundtable" later in the spring.

The Land Use Committee held two meetings with the various constituencies to discuss the Woodmont Triangle Sector Plan Amendment. The Board voted to send a letter in favor of the proposed amendment. The amendment is in the process of being ratified by the County Council. The Committee held a meeting to discuss the Building Heights issue with both builder representatives and civic representatives. Councilman Denis' bill was adopted establishing a lower height level and clearer measurement standards. The following projects were also brought before the Committee: Lot 31 redevelopment, the 4 Points Sheraton redevelopment, and the Montgomery Mall expansion.

The Outreach and Quality of Life Committee has concentrated its efforts on ways to increase citizen participation in its monthly meetings. Several methods have been developed. The meetings have taken place in different localities to address the concerns of the residents. Meetings have been held in Garrett Park, Glen Echo and Potomac. Additionally, the Committee has used the citizen sign-up sheet to remind attendees of up-coming meetings. This year, the Committee decided to present Certificates of Recognition to several groups for their contribution to their communities. The recipients were: Bethesda-Chevy Chase Volunteer Rescue Squad; Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rotary Club; Friends of Norwood Park and the Regency Estates Citizens' Association.

The Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee focused its efforts this year on several issues. During the first part of the year, the Committee investigated various proposals to modify novice driving restrictions in order to increase public safety on the roads. The Committee met with political leaders, the Montgomery County Police Department and representatives of the driver's education industry to learn the facts regarding novice drivers and to better understand the various initiatives under consideration by State and County leaders. More recently, the Committee has met with County Fire Chief Tom Carr to gain a better understanding of the County's strengths and weaknesses, to share specific concerns regarding our service area, and to discuss ways in which the Board can assist Chief Carr in his efforts. Finally, the Committee and the Board met with the new Montgomery County Police District Commanders for this service area and are forging a closer working relationship with them.

The Transportation Committee arranged for a Board presentation from Thomas Pogue of DPWT on how to stay informed about current and up-coming street construction projects in the area. The Committee sponsored a presentation by the State Highway Administration on the possibility of Express Toll Lanes along the Beltway. The Committee received and forwarded to DPWT a citizens' petition requesting improvements to the access road into the 5200 River Road development. Finally, Committee members followed and participated in the public involvement process for planning efforts on (1) the Maryland Transit Administration's Bi-County Transitway, (2) the Washington Aqueduct/US Army Corps of Engineers' plan for trucking water treatment residuals from its Dalecarlia facility through the service area, (3) the proposal to construct pedestrian improvements along Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda, and (4) transportation issues related to the Twinbrook Sector Plan.

Board Actions

The primary purpose of the Board is to advise the County Executive and County Council on matters that affect the residential and business communities in Bethesda, Cabin John, Chevy Chase, Friendship Heights, Garrett Park, Glen Echo, North Bethesda, and Potomac. During 2005, the Board sent the following letters expressing the Board's position on specific issues.

• Letter to County Executive Douglas M. Duncan and Council President Thomas E. Perez expressing the Board's thoughts regarding vehicle accidents involving teenage drivers and urging the County Executive and Council members to lobby for State legislation and take local actions to mitigate the risks posed by immature and inexperienced drivers
• A letter to the County Council President Thomas E. Perez supporting the recommendations contained in the Planning Board Draft for the Woodmont Triangle Amendment to the Bethesda CBD Sector Plan
• A letter to County Executive Douglas M. Duncan providing the Board's recommendations for the FY07-12 Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
• A letter to Arthur Holmes, Jr., Director, Department of Public Works and Transportation forwarding a petition from residents to pave the 0.3 mile access road that connects River Road to the businesses in buildings in the 5200 River Road development. This letter also expressed the Board's support for a countywide "Dedicated but Unmaintained Road Study" which would allow the County to gain perspective on the issue in the context of its broader transportation policy goals

Also, as required by County law, the Board is charged with nominating residents for certain positions on the Board of Directors, Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. and residents for certain positions on the Bethesda Transportation Management District (Bethesda Transportation Solutions) Advisory Committee.

• During 2005, the Board interviewed applicants and recommended residents for positions on both the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. and the Bethesda Transportation Management District (Bethesda Transportation Solutions) Advisory Committee.