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Council Minutes, Jan. 2010

Minutes of the Council Meeting held Jan. 12, 2010

Date: January 12, 2010

Time: 7:30 PM

Place: 5906 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase Village Hall

Present: Alec French; Peter Gray; Frances L. Higgins, Chris Richardson; Andrew Smith; 6 Section 5 residents

  1. Agenda Item: Minutes

    Andrew moved that the December 8, 2009, Council minutes be approved as revised; Peter seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

    Old Business
  2. Agenda Item: Traffic Calming Devices

    There are two traffic control companies who have expressed an interest in presenting recommendations for increasing the effectiveness of traffic control measures employed by Section 5; however, they have not as yet provided proposals.

    There was some discussion concerning the criteria which will be used to determine which traffic company that Section 5 will employ to propose methods to control traffic volume and excessive speed. It was suggested that the Council wait to decide on the criteria until it has received the proposals.

    Decision: Alec suggested that the manager contact those two companies who have expressed an interest. She should also contact the company which responded to the Town of Chevy Chase's traffic calming RFP in 2001. In addition she should contact the company which conducted Section 5's last two traffic studies.

  3. Agenda Item: Zoning Recommendations

    Peter presented three recommendations concerning the data generated from the resident zoning survey. He presented a proposed amendment to the Building Ordinance which would limit the percent of a resident's front yard which may be non-vegetative. Alec said that some Section 5 lots may already have more than 30% of the front yard covered with a driveway. It was suggested that an exception could be made for those lots.

    Decision: Peter moved that the Section 5 Council table enactment of zoning ordinances or regulations which are more restrictive than the County's, with the possible exception of an ordinance pertaining to non-vegetative surface areas. Andrew seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

    New Business
  4. Agenda Item: Discussion of an Ordinance Preventing Temporary Storage Units Being Placed on Public Streets and Length of Time These Units May Remain on Private Property

    The manager explained that sometimes temporary storage containers have been placed on Section 5's streets and they have prevented the free flow of traffic. She has always been able to have them removed in a timely manner; however, an ordinance would make it easier to have them removed. She presented the Council a model ordinance which addresses this issue and suggested that the proposed ordinance should contain a limit on the length of time that the container could remain on private property. There was some discussion of a time limit.

    Decision: The Council will continue the discussion concerning the proposed temporary storage ordinance at the February meeting.

  5. Discussion of reducing the Speed Limit on Section 5's Streets

    The manager reported that the Village of Chevy Chase has a 25 mph speed limit on its interior streets, Martin's Additions a 20 mph speed limit and the Town of Chevy Chase a 25 mph speed limit. The Town enacted a 15 mph speed limit in its school zone in 2008. Section 5 does not have an ordinance which specifies a speed limit on its interior streets. Because Section 5 does not have a specific ordinance stating the speed limits for its streets, it defaults to the County's speed limit for residential streets.

    Decision: The Council asked the manager to write a proposed ordinance specifying a 20 mph speed limit for its interior streets and email it to the Council members for their comments.

  6. Agenda Item: Building Inspector's Report

    There were no permits issued.

  7. Manager's Report
    1. A Section 5 Fire Board member has asked the manager to petition the Council for a $1,000 donation. The manager will provide this Fire Board member with the information concerning the donation policy process.
    2. The manger asked the Council to reduce the number of signatures required on the building permit form. Presently, the manager, the building inspector and Alan Beal must sign the building permit form. It was stated that this requirement does not slow down the building permit process considerably and the Council denied the request.
    3. The manager has submitted the January snow storm removal expenses to Montgomery County; the County will in turn submit these expenses to the State government and then the federal government. Maryland's governor has declared the State a disaster area.
    4. LGIT, Section 5's insurance company, notified the town that it has experienced no losses this last quarter.
    5. The manager reported that a resident has had an inoperable car parked on the street for the last number of years. A nearby neighbor has complained to the town. The manager will contact the owner of this vehicle and ask him to move the car from the public street to his driveway.
    6. The resident at 6 Leland Ct. has petitioned the Council about widening his driveway. The Council granted that petition at the December meeting contingent upon his submission of a picture that shows the area which will be added to his driveway. The resident has emailed the Council a copy of a photograph which includes the area to be added to his driveway apron. The resident plans to complete the work in the spring when the temperatures are warmer.

    Decision: The Council approved his plan to widen his driveway a few feet in the public strip in order to facilitate entrance and exit from the resident's driveway.

  8. Agenda Item: Adjournment Andrew moved that the meeting adjourn; it was seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

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