MCA Executive Committee Meeting Minutes 2/21/07

Carol L March 13th, 2007

The following officers of the Maplewood Citizens Association attended the Executive Committee Meeting, held December 13, 2006 at the home of Allen Myers:

Allen Myers, President Seth Maiman, Vice President

Bill Davis, Treasurer Ralph Schofer - NIH Liaison Committee

Carol Linden, Secretary

Dan Molloy, Mapleleaf Editor, was absent.

1. The minutes of the December 13, 2006 meeting were accepted.

2. Bill Davis gave the Treasurer’s report, noting that not much has changed since the last report. We’re not spending much but we’re not receiving much. There is a positive balance of $1260.80, with a total balance of $6612. Membership is the lowest in January that it has been for the past 4 years.

3. Liaison reports were presented.

a. Ralph provided an update on NIH: They are putting up a new building behind an existing building on Old Georgetown Rd. There was nothing to report on the traffic issue at Wilson Lane. On the playing field at south end there is an issue with the county to keep county water run off out of there. A new contractor is going to redesign the water run off. This doesn’t affect the MCA. NIH plans on landscaping the commercial vehicle inspection station. The EIS on NNMC/WRAMC will discuss an underpass at Cedar Lane and Wisconsin. We don’t need to work through NIH to express views of MCA.

b. Seth Maiman reported on BCDS. The study of efficiency of use of the traffic circle and parking lot (where folks are parking) had a positive outcome. A consultant made recommendations; BCDS will change some things. However, this doesn’t solve all the problems on Beech Ave or all the pedestrian problems.  The Nnext meeting of the BCDS is in April.

c. Allen reported on the French School. The MCA should see the traffic management plan before it goes forward to the Board of Appeals.

d. Allen reported that there were no updates from FASEB.  Jeff Yoakum has left and taken a job with Johns Hopkins. He is willing to help out if anything comes up. Allen is trying to schedule a meeting with the new person. He sent them a copy of the letter approving their extension of their special exception.

5. Seth reported on the Citizens Advisory Board. The transportation committee has written a letter to the county executive asking to be liaison for the community on NNMC BRAC issues. Five to six openings are coming up on the CAB. Two incumbents are not going to serve again. The annual report has been produced. The next meeting is in March in Glen Echo.

6. Allen reported a positive development with Heart House. They want to give a presentation at our general membership meeting in March on the 29th, a Thursday, because they’re out of town on the 21st. Cathy has also agreed to meet with us March 8th – at Allen’s or at Heart House – to talk about the plan they are proposing – prior to developer actually putting forward their own plan. This meeting would be open to the MCA executive committee. This “pre-meeting” is tentatively scheduled for 7:30 pm March 8th at Allen’s house. Ralph and Seth will try to attend.

Old Business:

a. Beech Ave traffic study: still waiting for report. BCDS – school is at capacity.

They want the traffic study done. Allen speculated that if they solve traffic problems then maybe they would propose expansion.

b. The Maplewood/Alta Vista recreation center has been reserved for the Spring Social on Saturday, April 21.

c. NNMC EIS scoping: East Bethesda put together a committee to work on EIS commentary. We share traffic issues with them. Maybe we should work together or put together a group of our own. There is perhaps an agenda to obtain federal funding for the road improvements. If they could put a beltway interchange in there, we would support that vs alterations to Cedar Lane. Allen will propose that a committee be formed at the next General Membership meeting.

d. Publication of the Mapleleaf: Dan proposed that we send postcards directing people to website for Mapleleaf. This was deemed to be impractical. He should do front page work. Janet will get the newsletter from Dan, get it to printer, and get it bulk mailed. We have to take the Mapleleaf to Gaithersburg for bulk mailing. All our mail carriers come out of Westlake. East Bethesda can go to downtown Bethesda because they have ability to presort their newsletter by delivery route. We don’t have this capability. Gaithersburg post office has a timeliness problem which they acknowledge. They suggested a company that does bulk mailing (two companies referred). One is inexpensive – software – $50 – sorts by Zip+4 The other is $250, and also does zip+4. We need to do a flyer mailing for April social event. The goal is to have the next newsletter to the bulk distribution center no later than March 21st. If we could use software to get Westlake to accept bulk mail from us, Allen will explore if Westlake would accept our presorted bulk. The idea of sending a postcard idea for announcing meetings is not bad. However, the MCA charter says that meetings are announced in newsletters. Hopefully Janet’s involvement will solve short term problem with newsletter timeliness.

New Business:

a. Montgomery Mall covenants date from 1958. The then-President Fred Ordway still lives in the neighborhood. We (MCA) are signatories on covenants having to do with conversion of the land to commercial zoning. The Mall is proposing to expand. Westfield is 3rd owner of Mall, and was unaware of the covenants. Eric Eisen, attorney, lives near the Mall. For the most recent expansion, he wasn’t on committee. When the new proposal was brought forward, he and others asked about the covenants. The title search company didn’t cover covenants. Westfield didn’t know about covenants. People near mall aren’t concerned about development itself. The concern is about garage – that it would not comply with covenants, which address the management of traffic flow. Westfield proposes to put in a big parking garage, which would put circulation on the city street. Westlake Blvd is about a mile long and accounts for 4% of fatalities county wide. Eric recommends getting the Mall to make circulation for the parking facility internal. It was proposed that Eric come to May General Membership meeting. Parks and Planning has been slow to address this issue because they didn’t know about covenants either.

b. Goodwill Property Hearing: MCA will put what was agreed to by the developer in newsletter, There is a hearing March 1st at 1:00 pm on the revised site plan, which is based on the conformance plan. Allen discussed the hearing that was held in November 2005 to determine if there were violations by developer. If it was determined that there were, then they needed to develop a plan of compliance. The developer’s plan of compliance is dated July 2005, which predates the hearing! In that same time frame, neighbors got letters talking about “corrections”. Allen wants to determine the sequence of events and timing.

c. General Membership Agenda: Heart House; BRAC/NNMC; spring social – set budget; Jim Winkler to talk about Bethesda Fire Board;

d. Items for Mapleleaf: Allen’s column; article on Heart House; Goodwill hearing; BCDS traffic study (Seth); Spring social event – solicit participation; nomination committee – Sarah will chair.

e. We haven’t audited accounts and should do so this year, after May. Fred Rabel would be willing to do audit.

f. Next general membership meeting: March 29. We should invite Spruce Tree Village, which is also affected by future Heart House plans. Allen says they’re planning 18 single family homes. There may be forrestation issues.

g. The next Executive Committee meeting is April 18.

Carol D. Linden

Secretary, Maplewood Citizens Association

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