Council minutes, May 2008

SECTION 5 OF THE VILLAGE OF CHEVY CHASE

MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING

Date: May 13, 2008

Time: 7:30 PM

Place: 5906 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase Village Hall

Present: Margy Abbott; Peter Gray; Frances L. Higgins; Chris Richardson; Andrew Smith; 14 Section 5 residents

Andrew moved that the April 1, 2008, Annual Meeting minutes be approved as revised. Margy seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Chris Richardson took the oath of office.

Andrew said that the Council should decide whether it will employ a town planning firm to assist in writing zoning ordinances or pattern its zoning ordinances after the Town of Chevy Chase’s zoning ordinances. Andrew said that Kevin Bromberg and Emily Eig have written some suggestions for Section 5 to use in writing its ordinances. Peter said that the Town of Chevy Chase had an economic analysis done concerning the effect of zoning ordinances on property values. Andrew said that the Council could spend additional time creating zoning ordinances but he thinks that the Council should decide just what it would like for town planning firms to do regarding zoning for Section 5 and put this work out for bids. The Council could then consider the bids at the September Council meeting. Andrew then asked the Council to look at Emily’ s document concerning zoning proposals. Kevin Bromberg agreed that his committee will meet with a Town of Chevy Chase committee concerning the reasons for their zoning ordinances and report to Section 5’s Council meeting in June.

Chief Gordon, Village of Chevy Chase Police Chief, said that he has been Village Police Chief for 13 years. He said that the most effective deterrent to crime in Chevy Chase is residents looking out for each other. Residents should report suspicious people and suspicious activities in the neighborhood. He said that at the present time more cars are being broken into in driveways rather than on the street; therefore, residents should lock their cars even when parked in a driveway. A resident asked which towns have extra police patrols. The Chief said that Martin’s Additions has 85 hours, Section 3 20 hours, and Chevy Chase View 40 hours of extra police patrols per month. He said that Martin’s Additions used most of the extra police hours for traffic control parking violations at the Brookville Road strip mall.

A resident asked the Chief if there is a certain type person who commits crimes in Chevy Chase. The Chief said that there is no certain type person who commits crimes in Chevy Chase. In some situations the persons are teenagers from the area or outlying areas and some times the persons are older. He said that the crimes are crimes of opportunity. A person sees something in a car that is valuable and decides to steal it. A resident asked the Chief is police presence is a deterrent. The Chief said that certainly a police presence is a deterrent; however, he could not say how much of a deterrent.

Bruce Segal asked if he could present crime statistics. The manager questioned these numbers because she has not heard from Denise Gill, the Montgomery County Community Police Liaison Officer. Officer Gill contacts Section 5 when crimes are committed in the town. The manager will contact Officer Gill for a clarification of the crime stats for Section 5.

Andrew said the Save the Trail Committee has an event planned for May 31 to make people aware of the plan to use the Capital Crescent Trail for a trolley line. He said that the trail is an asset for Section 5 and he would like the Council to contribute $500 to this committee to help with the expenses of this event. There was some discussion. A resident said that he did not think the Council should contribute tax money to such an effort. Andrew moved that Section 5 contribute $500 to the Save the Trail Committee to help defray the expenses of the May 31st event; Margy seconded the motion. There was further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.

Margy said the revenues for this year to date is about $12,000 less than last year’s. She expects that the town will receive two additional checks before the end of this fiscal year. She will look at the revenues and expenditures and have a recommendation for the tax rebate for residents by the June meeting.

The following permits were issued:

• 3817 Leland St. – replace side fence
• 3708 Williams Lane – replace back fence
• 3817 Woodbine – install fence side and back yard
• 3805 Williams Lane – install back yard fence

Section 5 received a request from the B-CC Rescue Squad for a donation. There was some discussion. Margy moved that Section 5 donate $5,000 to the B-CC Rescue Squad; Peter seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Peter asked if anyone would attend the County Council meeting on Thursday, May 15 concerning the County budget. The manager agreed to attend. She will write a letter addressed to the County Council stating that Section 5’s Council opposes the real estate tax increase which the County Council has proposed and email it to Section 5’s Council for approval. She will then take copies of this letter to the County Council members on Thursday, May 15, 2008.

LGIT, the town’s insurance company, has reported no losses for Section 5 for the last year.

Andrew moved that the meeting adjourn; there was a second and the motion passed unanimously. The next meeting will be Tuesday, June 10, 2008, at 7:30 PM, at the Village Hall, 5906 Connecticut Avenue.