Private Schools' Summer Camps OK
Summer camp and other programs can continue to be held at private schools around the County under a zoning amendment approved unanimously by the County Council on Tuesday, April 2.
Such programs include tutoring and college preparatory courses, art education, artistic performances, indoor and outdoor recreation programs and summer day camps.
Council president Steve Silverman (D-At large) and councilmember Howard Denis (R-1) co-sponsored the legislation.
Silverman and Denis say the legislation opens community facilities to all children in the community while safeguarding neighborhoods by ensuring that the facilities won't cause too much traffic, noise or lighting problems around the neighborhood.
The bill will allow current programs to continue until April 22, 2004 after which time the institution may have to obtain a special exception.
The Council also authorized the Board of Appeals in the special exception process to take into consideration the total number of car trips generated by a school's regular program and after school or summer programs in evaluating traffic impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.
The Council's legislation will allow the Board of Appeals to establish a limit on the number of program participants and frequency of large events, while allowing existing programs to add new programs by modification to their original special exception.
<lst>County Council seeks applicants to succeed Arthur Holmes Jr. as chairman of the Montgomery County Planning Board. Holmes' term expires on June 14, 2002.
The Planning Board serves as the Council's principal adviser on land-use planning and community planning. Planning Board members also serve as commissioners of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
The chairman performs a leadership role with respect to the Montgomery County portion of the Commission as well as to chair the meetings of the Planning Board; to assist in developing overall vision and direction for the Commission; to oversee the functioning of the Montgomery County Planning Board staff; to provide guidance on preparation of budgets by Park and Planning staff for presentation to the Board; to represent the Planning Board at official meetings; to present the Planning Board's position, especially before the Montgomery County Council; and to serve as chairman or vice chairman for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
The salary will be between $120,000 and $150,000.
Send letters of interest and include a resume to Council president Steve Silverman at County Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD by noon on Friday, May 31. Interviews by the Council will be held in June or July.
Call 240-777-7938.
According to county executive Doug Duncan, the development impact tax he signed into law on March 21, 2002, will provide an estimated $6 to $8 million a year for transportation projects. With the new funding, Duncan urged the Montgomery County Council to approve construction of the Montrose Parkway to relieve traffic congestion along the Rockville Pike corridor.
In his FY 03-08 Capital Improvements Budget, Duncan recommended fully funding the land acquisition and construction of the $57.6 million Montrose Parkway, located between I-270 and Route 355. As proposed, the Montrose Parkway will provide a continuous link with the Maryland State Highway Administration's planned improvements along Montrose and Randolph roads between Old Georgetown Road and Parklawn Drive.
The development impact tax bill expands the current law by imposing a new tax on those parts of the county not included in the existing impact tax districts while exempting affordable housing and biotechnology development. In addition to the Montrose Parkway, funds from the new countywide development tax will be used to widen or build new roads, make intersection improvements that increase road capacity; expand or build new park-and-ride lots or transit centers; or purchase new buses for the county's Ride On fleet.
The county is seeking applicants to fill one partial-term vacancy on Montgomery County's Housing Opportunities Commission. The term expires in August 2003. The seven-member commission is responsible for building, managing and financing housing for low- and moderate-income people. Members serve five-year terms without compensation and must file confidential financial statements yearly. Meetings are held the first and third Wednesday evening of the month in Kensington. Additional meetings are held as needed. Apply by April 12 to County Executive Douglas M. Duncan, Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe St., Rockville, Md. 20850. Include a brief résumé.
Montgomery County is seeking applicants to fill five vacancies on the Energy and Air Quality Advisory Committee. The 15-member committee advises the county on the development, promotion and implementation of programs to heighten energy awareness, increase energy efficiency and improve indoor and outdoor air quality. Members serve three-year terms without compensation. Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month in Rockville. Apply by April 30 to County Executive Douglas M. Duncan, Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe St., Rockville, Md. 20850.
Fifteen acres adjacent to the Grosvenor Metrorail station, a parcel known as Grosvenor North, will be developed by Potomac Investment Properties Inc. (PIP), in agreement with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Signing a 99-year lease, PIP proposes to develop approximately 375 market-rate apartments and at least 47 moderately priced units with the possibility of some retail space. PIP would be required to rezone the property, which is bounded by the Grosvenor station to the west and Tuckerman Lane to the east and north. Grosvenor Village is to the south, which PIP is already developing into a new residential community.
The land is currently occupied by Metro facilities. Construction is expected to begin this summer.