Town of Cheverly
Meeting Minutes
July 11, 2013
Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 8:00 pm in the Cheverly Community Center.
In attendance: CMs, Riazi, Coolen, Eldridge, Thorpe, Cook.
Pledge of Allegiance
Agenda/Approval/Changes
Recognition Winners of Town Awards
Mayor recognized Steve Brennan with the Mayor’s Award for his contribution to the community. Recognized Progressive Cheverly with the Jack Wheat award for service to the Town. Mr. Paul Thompson who is the vice-chair accepting on behalf of the organization.
Minutes – Town Meeting 6/13/13
Approved.
Minutes – Worksession 6/20/13
Change excusing CM Coolen’s absence from the Worksession.
Recognition of Eagle Scouts
Mayor recognized Nicholas Lal for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. Read a Mayor’s proclamation and noted the project by Scout Lal for his efforts to collect non-perishables for a local food bank. Also, recognized Kevin Broadway and noted his Eagle Scout project was putting benches along the Magruder Spring walkway.
Town Administrator’s Report
Mr. Warrington had no report.
Chief’s Report
Chief Robshaw would like to give out some awards as well. We have a number of citizens that have joined in our police and citizen partnership. These five citizens have gone above and beyond and are graduates of either session 31 or 32 of the citizen’s police academy, which is put on by the Prince George’s County police department. This was a long term commitment over 3 months and training was in various areas of the County. These residents make our partnership with our citizens special. Crime is down this month. We have 80 participants in our radio watch program. Next month we will have more radios available and anyone interested, please feel free to call the office. Theft from autos is still the number one crime and we need your help in dealing with
that.
CM Thorpe can you clarify how calls are handled on the weekend?
Chief Robshaw we have expanded our ability during the week to relay some calls. One the weekends have only the County dispatch and they have a new policy of not holding a call for a Cheverly Officer. The County will now dispatch a County Officer if a Cheverly Officer is tied-up on another call. We do not have staff here to answer phones during non-business hours.
Committee Reports
Recreation Council Report
No report.
Green Infrastructure Committee
Ms. Shiela Salo announced a workshop for nest boxes for kids 10 and older will see how to build these boxes. Sign up this Saturday at the community market and the fee is $15.
Cheverly Day Report
CM Thorpe no report.
Planning Board Report
CM Eldridge there was a brief discussion of a request for parking modifications at the GNS nursing home changes, but no real concern.
Citizen Input
Ms. Coleen Mann 6503 Oak Forest Court I am interested in meaningful activities for our youth with the Recreation Council.
Mayor I will set-up a meeting with you and the Recreation Council. We would be very excited of you moving forward with that.
Mayor and Council Announcements
CM Riazi If you have enjoyed a Cheverly Young Actors Guild production then we are asking you to come on July 30th or August 11th to commit to this organization. We need your help. Feel free to contact me.
CM Thorpe noted that Peace Camp is coming and will be held at the American Legion and you can contact Joyce Lange for more information. Town residents are invited to visit and the closing performance will be August 2nd. The Womens Club will have a pot-luck on Sunday July 28th at the Lange residence. Residence are welcome to learn more about the Womens Club, it will be from 2-5pm.
CM Coolen I want to remind everybody that there will be a Community Market this Saturday from 8am to Noon. August 10th is the Market pot luck at Fannon Hall and you can buy tickets at this Saturday’s Market. There will be a culinary judging contest.
CM Eldridge please be a decent neighbor. Our discussions on dog waste have raised a lot of discussion and please pick-up after your dog. Lawn mowers can not be started until 8:30, so please be courteous to your neighbors.
CM Cook Councilwoman Andrea Harrison will be hosting her annual fish fry on July 17th at 6:30.
Mayor Worksession agenda is going to be: a proposal to discuss a parking departure for doctor’s offices at the GNS nursing home facility, a variance request for 5607 Lockwood Road, Proposal for Green Street concept, Yard Waste Cost Reduction Proposal, Notice Letter Regarding Pet Waste, Discussion Pointe @ Cheverly, Interview with Ward 5 Candidate. Thanked residents who came to the meeting regarding the Pointe @ Cheverly.
CM Coolen would like to discuss advertising in the Newsletter. Mayor we can do that in September.
CM Eldridge would like to keep on the radar the issue of handguns and have we invited MNCPPC to a meeting regarding their playgrounds.
Town Administrator at the last Worksession we directed Mr. Torres to do an analysis of the playground equipment before we invited MNCPPC and you should have that shortly. At the last Worksession we also directed the Town Attorney to find a place to fit legislation to ban firearms in Town buildings since we already ban them in our parks and he is doing so, which will probably fit in 20-4 that we are eliminating in current legislation.
Public Hearing – Town Park Master Plan Amendment
Ms. Salo the residents of the Town seem overwhelmingly positive. If there were negative feelings then these seats would be filled. The Neighborhood Design Center’s concept to reduce erosion, control storm run off have been agreed upon by people. We have had five Market sessions on the plan. We want to reduce soil compaction and add pathways to provide foot traffic and focus on the reduction of stormwater. We have added recreational activities. This is a design concept plan and must be confirmed by civil engineers. You can view this at www.greencheverly.org.
Second Reading O-6-13 – Amending Section 20-4 Dangerous Weapons
Mr. Warrington this will remove Section 20-4 of our Code to bring us into compliance with the State Law. The Town Attorney, after our Worksession, has been asked to draft an Ordinance to put allow us to ban firearms in Town buildings as we already ban them in Town parks unless you are a law enforcement officer. The legislation may come back with something for this very section that we are striking.
Mayor our Code outside this ordinance that prohibits firearms in our parks and we will be looking at prohibiting firearms in our buildings.
Adoption – O-3-13 Amending Section 4-7 Regarding Beekeeping
Mr. Warrington this legislation is being proposed as a direct result of a request by the Community Garden. The Town Code had banned beehives and this legislation will allow beehives at Community Gardens, which is at Boyd Park.
- CM Riazi to adopt Ordinance O-3-13 Amending Section 4-7 regarding Beekeeping. CM Coolen seconded. Approved 5-0.
Adoption– O-4-13 Amending Section 27-5 Regarding Zone Parking
Mr. Warrington this legislation is an actual reduction in our Zone Parking areas by removing some of the less used and perhaps unnecessary zone parking blocks. It is a little antiquated for the Hospital. We have sent out notification to anyone in the zones of our intent to remove the zone parking restrictions and have not had a negative reaction. This is up for adoption.
- CM Thorpe to adopt Ordinance O-4-13 Amending Section 27-5 regarding Zone Parking. CM Cook seconded. Approved 5-0.
Approval of a Letter to the County Regarding Streetlights on Columbia Park Road
Mr. Warrington the Mayor and Town Council discussed this at the last Worksession and the Mayor and Council wanted a letter to have the wattage or foot candles to be banged-up to provide additional lighting.
- CM Thorpe to approval of a letter to the County regarding boosting the wattage for the Metro area streetlights. CM Cook seconded. Approved 5-0.
Mayor we are adjourned.
Town of Cheverly
Summary of Action
July 11, 2013
- CM Riazi to adopt Ordinance O-3-13 Amending Section 4-7 regarding Beekeeping. CM Coolen seconded. Approved 5-0.
- CM Thorpe to adopt Ordinance O-4-13 Amending Section 27-5 regarding Zone Parking. CM Cook seconded. Approved 5-0.
- CM Thorpe to approval of a letter to the County regarding boosting the wattage for the Metro area streetlights. CM Cook seconded. Approved 5-0.
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