Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Personal tools

You are here: Home / Governance / Minutes / 2013 / November

November

Date: November 12, 2013

Place: Village Hall, 5906 Connecticut Ave.

Time: 7:30 PM

Present: Peter Gray, Tim Hanlon, Frances L. Higgins, Nancy Pines, Greg White, Bob MacWilliams, surveyor, one Section 5 resident

  1. Agenda Item: Minutes

    Peter moved that the minutes of the October 8, 2013, Council meeting be approved as amended by both Peter and Greg. Greg seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

  2. Agenda Item: Citizen Concerns

    Peter presented a list of situations in which a Section 5 resident would need to apply for a permit:

    1. Removing, destroying, or impairing a tree on private property with a trunk at least 24 inches in diameter at 4.5 feet above ground level. (A permit is not required for normal, reasonable trimming or tree care, or in an emergency when the tree constitutes an imminent hazard to persons or property.)
    2. Erecting or demolishing any structure, or making material structural alterations or additions to a building.
    3. Constructing, rebuilding, or re-constructing any off-street parking area.
    4. Constructing or replacing (but not re-surfacing or repairing) more than 50% of an existing driveway, driveway apron, or curb cut.
    5. Excavating, grading yards, installing a sump pump, or a new sump pump discharge.
    6. Blocking or closing a street or sidewalk in connection with construction activities.
    7. Constructing, altering, replacing, or enlarging a fence or wall.
    8. Installing an electronic dog fence.

    Failure to comply with these permit requirements may result in a fine, suspension or revocation of a permit, or other administrative sanctions.

    Action:
    The Council asked the manager to post this list on our web site and send it to the blind email resident list. Also, she will include this list with each Council meeting agenda flyer.

  3. Agenda Item: Presentation of a Survey Plan of Section 5's Boundaries

    Bob MacWilliams, a land surveyor with McCrone, Inc., presented three options for the Council to consider regarding a land survey of Section 5 boundaries.

    Option 1 would establish a grid control which would cover Section 5's land area. This option would establish four major corner points around the outside boundaries of Section 5. These points would be determined by using land records and other physical markers that exist in Section 5.

    Option 2 would be an integral part of option 1 but establish additional physical markers. Mr. MacWilliams would also use additional land records and markers. He would use the Global Information System to produce this report for this option. He said that the boundary lines which are drawn for each private lot in Section 5 are generally labeled as locational drawings. These documents often contain approximate boundary lines. He said that a more accurate document is called a boundary survey; however, this document is more expensive than a locational drawing.

    Option 3 would involve a survey of the entire town showing all the improvements such as streets, sidewalks, trees and fences in some cases. This option would include 30 controlled points around the outside boundaries of Section 5.

    Action:
    The manager will construct a chart which will include the material contained in each of the proposals from the surveyors, Barry Gleisner, Dan Schriver and Bob MacWilliams and the cost of each plan. She will also provide a copy of the boundary descriptions from Sprockett Survey Co. to each Council member.

  4. Agenda Item: Discussion of Ordinance to Restrict Through Truck Traffic on Williams Lane

    Peter revised the ordinance to restrict through truck traffic on Williams Lane and presented a copy to the Council. The following is a copy of this revision:

    “Sec. 8-800 Restricted Through Truck Traffic on Williams Lane

    Whereas it is necessary for the safety, health, life, and general welfare of the inhabitants of Section 5 that through trucks over one ton in weight not be allowed to enter Williams Lane from Connecticut Avenue, nor from Brookville Road, it is enacted:

    1. Through trucks over one ton in weight, except for emergency vehicles, are prohibited to traverse Williams Lane between Connecticut Avenue and Brookville Road.
    2. Williams Lane shall be posted to inform the public, and truck drivers, of this prohibition.
    3. The Police Department of Montgomery County shall be advised of this ordinance, and be requested to enforce it in the same manner, and with the same penalty as Montgomery

    County traffic restrictions on residential streets.

    A through truck is defined as a vehicle which traverses Williams Lane without stopping to provide products or services to residents of Williams Lane.

    John said that the Council should have some evidence that there are many delivery trucks which use Williams Ln. as a cut through street but are not making a delivery to a Williams Lane resident. There was some discussion.

    Action:
    The manager will contact a traffic survey company and determine the cost of conducting a survey of the traffic using Williams Ln.. This survey will determine the number of vehicles and their speed. She will also ask about the cost of employing someone to stand on Williams Ln. and count the number of delivery trucks which use Williams Ln. as a means of cutting through Section 5 but are not making a delivery to a Section 5 resident on Williams Lane.

  5. Agenda Item: Treasurer's Report

    Tim provided a financial report of Section 5's revenues and expenditures for the fiscal year to date. There are no items which have exceeded the budget. Section 5 will receive the first large State income tax check November 30, 2013.

  6. Agenda Item: Building Inspector's Report

    3704 Underwood St. ‒ new driveway constructed with pavers

  7. Agenda Item: Manager's Report

    The manager completed the SHA road report; it is this report which the State uses to compute the amount of money which Section 5 receives annually from the State to repair its roads.

    She sent a copy of the Charter changes to be printed in the Saturday Gazette. She used the Sat. Gazette because the State requires that Charter changes be posted in a newspaper which has a subscription charge. She paid the latest bill from the County police; the police budget item is still under budget.

    Lindsey & Associates provided Section 5 with a courtesy discount of $1,102.50 for its 2012-13 annual audit because we have employed them for the last four years.

    Thomas Schild Law Group, Inc., sent Section 5 a bill for preparing a resolution for Section 5 to adopt the County's Hazard Mitigation Plan. John wrote the resolution using the County material. This bill also included an item for preparing a letter to meet the Open Meetings compliance board requirement. The manager took the Open Meetings course on line and passed the test and received a certificate for completion of the course.

    The manager signed the permit application from WSSC to install a natural gas line at 3600 Thornapple St. and faxed it to WSSC. The construction company owner called the manager to thank her for such prompt service.

    A resident contacted the manager and said that Pepco has left a pole in front of her house that no longer carries electric wires. The resident asked the manager if there are other such poles in Section 5. The manager surveyed the entire town and discovered three additional poles and sent the resident a copy of the addresses where these poles are located. The resident said that she will contact Pepco and have these poles removed.

    The owners of 7111 Brookville Rd. are continuing in their efforts to obtain permission to divide this lot into two building lots.

  8. Agenda Item: Adjournment

    Peter adjourned the meeting. The next meeting will be Tuesday, December 10, 2013, at 7:30 PM at the Village Hall, 5906 Connecticut Ave. The Village Hall has handicapped access. Everyone is welcome.