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September

Date: September 12, 2012

Time: 7:30 PM

Place: 5906 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase Village Hall

Present: Peter Gray; Frances L. Higgins; Nancy Pines; Chris Richardson; Greg White; 8 Section 5 residents

  1. Agenda Item: Minutes

    Peter moved that the June 13, 2012, Council meeting minutes be approved as revised; there was a second and the motion passed unanimously.

  2. Agenda Item: Citizens Concerns

    A resident told the Council that some of the liriope plants which the Councilhad planted some time ago in the public strip in front of her house have died. She said that some of these plants have died because of the severe winter weather. She said that the Council had agreed at an earlier Council meeting to assume the cost of replenishing these dead plants. A resident complained about the plants that are intruding on the public sidewalk at the southeast corner of Williams Lane and Connecticut Avenue and obstructing pedestrians trying to navigate the sidewalk.

    Action:
    The Council agreed to replenish the dead liriope plants in front of the resident’s house.
    The manager will contact the resident at the southeast corner of Williams Lane and Connecticut Avenue and ask her to trim the hedges in her front yard.

  3. Agenda Item: McCrone Proposal Concerning Section 5’s Storm Drains

    Bill Warnock, an engineer with McCrone, Inc., said that his company is able to subcontract with another company like TVR which can video tape the interior of Section 5’s storm drain system pipes. This video tape would allow the Council to view the interior of all the storm drain pipes and determine their condition. Someone asked about the life expectancy of precast concrete storm drains; Section 5 has precast concrete pipes. Bill said that there is very little data concerning the life expectancy of precast concrete storm drain pipes.

    Someone asked about the cost of video taping Section 5’s entire storm drain system. Bill said that the cost would be approximately $19,000.00. Someone asked if the proposal could include only the pipes that are at greatest risk. Bill said that the proposal could include those portions of the system that are most at risk and thus the cost would be less.

    Action:
    The manager will determine the age of Section 5’s precast concrete storm drain pipes and report back to the Council.

  4. Agenda Item: Residents’ Responses to the Survey on Chevy Chase Circle Signalization Proposal

    Peter said that Section 5 received survey forms from 52% of the residents and that 52% of those responding were for the signalization of the Circle and 44% were opposed. He said that many of the responders included comments.

    Action:
    The manager will write a letter stating the reason for the survey and include a copy of the survey results. She will send a copy of this letter and a copy of the survey results to the District Department of Transportation and the Board of Governors in the Village.

  5. Agenda Item: Discussion of Competing Charitable Solicitations by the CC Fire Department and The B-CC Rescue Squad

    Craig Pernick, a Williams Lane resident, is a volunteer with the B-CC Rescue Squad. He said that there has been some concern about the members of the Chevy Chase Fire Board sending a letter to Chevy Chase residents asking for solicitations to help with the cost of items that the County does not supply the Chevy Chase Fire Department. John Fisher, a Section 5 member of the Chevy Chase Fire Board, wrote a letter and sent a copy to Section 5’s Council stating that he is opposed to such solicitations. He said that there is always a need for extra money to help pay for new equipment and training classes.

    Craig said that the B-CC Rescue Squad does not receive any money from the County and thus receives its money from contributions only. Someone asked what Section 5’s Council’s position is concerning these solicitations. There was some discussion.

    Action:
    The manager will contact Section 5’s two other Fire Board members and ask them about their views on this solicitation and report back to the Council.

  6. Treasurer's Report

    The manager said that the expenditure items in FY 2012 – 13 budget are all within the budget limits.

  7. Building Inspector's Report

    Permits granted:
    7203 Brookville Rd. - demolition of existing house
    7205 Brookville Rd. - construct house, pool house, pool
    3507 Thornapple St. – construct 2 story addition in rear

  8. Manager's Report

    The manager told the Council that some Section 5 residents are installing generators that are permanently installed and need a County permit. Section 5 does not have an ordinance that pertains to permanently installed generators thus residents will follow the County’s ordinances pertaining to such generators.

    The manager will write a letter to the owner of the property at 3600 Thornapple St. advising him that he needs to remove the large stump from his front yard.

    The manager said that the County is in the process of revising the ordinances pertaining to accessory apartments. There was some discussion about Section 5 Council’s position on this revision. Chris asked the manager to obtain information about the County’s present ordinances concerning accessory apartments and the revisions.

    Peter asked the Council members if they would agree to change the October Council meeting date from October 9th to October 10th.

    Chris thanked the manager for the good block party.

    The manager said that she has had some concern about 2 large public trees which were damaged by the summer storms thus she has had the arborist inspect them. He gave them a clean bill of health.

    LGIT, Section 5’s insurance company, notified Section 5 that it passed the Hazard Evaluation Survey. The cost of insurance for Section 5 for the year 2012-13 was only $47.53 because Section 5 has never had a claim which was paid by the insurance company. Someone from Alan Beal’s office will inspect the construction at 7205 Brookville Rd. to be certain that the building activity is being done according to the County’s ordinances.

    The Council has designated the manager as the resident agent so that if Section 5 is served a legal document, the manager is authorized to accept this document.

    The manager suggested that residents of Section 5 be invited to display their wares, art, crafts, etc. at the Annual Meeting. There was some concern about residents offering their wares for sale. Greg suggested that a resident could conduct any sale of his/her wares outside the meeting.

    Action:
    The manager will obtain information concerning the County’s present accessory apartment ordinances and the proposed changes.
    The members agreed to the change and the manager will email Council members with the date change.
    Peter asked the manager to change the printer’s address list of residents to which it sends notices and include on the envelope the name of the specific resident rather than a generic title of “Resident.” Peter said that this may cause residents to treat the mail from Section 5 as personal rather than junk mail.
    The manager will email a copy of the investment policy to the Council and include a copy with the October agenda mailing.

    The next Council meeting will be held October 10, 2012, at the Village Hall, 5906 Connecticut Avenue, at 7:30 PM. Everyone is welcome. The Village Hall is handicapped accessible.