Bethesda Parking; Pepco Rate Increase; Theft from Auto; Rockville Out to Lunch

[Howard Hartman]

Neighborhood News  Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Friendship Heights, Garrett Park, Glen Echo, North Bethesda, Potomac, Rockville and White Flint   June 13, 2012  In this issue Options for getting around Bethesda Rockville's "Out to Lunch" Wednesdays Public hearing on Pepco's rate increase request Preventing thefts from autos Ken Hartman is working on: White Flint maintenance June Woodmont Triangle Action Group meeting Bikeshare Closure of Bethesda Metro bus bay and kiss & ride. June Citizens Advisory Board meetings BRAC committee     __________________  Quick links  Archived newsletters Organizations   Citizens Advisory Board    Bethesda Urban Partnership   Bethesda Green   Glen Echo Park  Live and Learn Bethesda   Greater B-CC Chamber of Commerce   Potomac Chamber of Commerce   Rockville Chamber of Commerce   Services    Crime reports   Meeting room rentals   Volunteer opportunities   Call 311, get it done   The Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board meets next on June 18, 7 pm, at the B-CC Regional Services Center, 4805 Edgemoor Lane in Bethesda.   On the agenda is a report from Councilmember Hans Riemer; a presentation and discussion on proposed accessory apartments legislation; and a discussion of utilities vegetation management legislation. Advisory board meetings are open to the public. Guests are welcome to participate in discussions.  Options for parking, getting around Bethesda during Lot 31 construction project   Parking at nearby facilities   While lot 31 is under construction, there are several options for parking and getting where you need to go in downtown Bethesda. If you are heading to Bethesda Avenue, try county garage 11, at the corner of Woodmont Avenue and Old Georgetown Road. Garage 11 offers Pay on Foot, which uses centralized pay stations. Another option is garage 49, located under the B-CC Regional Services Center on Woodmont Avenue, just south of Old Georgetown Road. Garage 49 has more than 900 parking spaces. Finally, parking lot 24, behind Farm Women's Market, has 217 metered spaces.    There are also several private garages along Bethesda Avenue and Elm Street that offer public parking for a fee.    A word of caution.  Patrons of downtown Bethesda are strongly urged to avoid parking in private surface parking lots for stores or shopping centers and then leaving the property to shop or dine elsewhere, due to towing.   Valet parking       As a convenience to shoppers and diners, the county and Federal Reality have collaborated on a new valet drop-off area at the corner of Woodmont Avenue and Bethesda Avenue. Rates are $5 for one hour, $10 for two to four hours, and $20 for more than four hours. The valet service is open to all.   Bethesda Circulator     Finally, the free Bethesda Circulator is still the best way to get around. It connects shops and dining to nearly all of the parking areas in Bethesda. During the construction of lot 31, the Circulator is providing additional bus service. An additional Circulator bus is now running during rush hour (7-10 am, 4-7 pm), and running later hours -- until midnight Monday through Thursday, until 2 am on Friday and Saturday. The buses runs approximately every 10 minutes.   Here's a link to a map of the Circulator's route.         Rockville's "Out to Lunch" Wednesdays   Beginning June 6, Rockville's popular lunchtime street festival and farmers market returned to East Montgomery Drive. Enjoy outdoor lunch from local restaurants and pick up fresh produce, flowers and more while listening to local bands. The weekly event runs through October 31.       Public hearing on Pepco's rate increase request    The Maryland Public Service Commission will hold a public hearing on Monday, June 25, 7 pm, on Pepco's request for a $68 million increase in base rate revenue. The public is invited to attend and participate.  The hearing will be in the Executive Office Building cafeteria, 101 Monroe Street, Rockvile, MD 20850.   Written comments also are welcome. They must be filed by Wednesday, June 20. Send comments to David J. Collins, Executive Secretary, Maryland Public Service Commision, William Donald Schaefer Tower, 16th floor, Paul 6 Street, Baltimore, MD 21202.  Comments should refer to case 9286.   Preventing thefts from autos    From Captain David Falcinelli, Commander, Montgomery County Police, 2nd District   Over the last several months, crime has remained well below trend lines in most categories. However, the 2nd police district (Bethesda-Chevy Chase, North Bethesda, Kensington) has begun to see a rise in thefts from autos.  Many thefts are preventable; approximately 80% of cars where property was stolen were unlocked.  A home security camera in the 4th district caught a thief in the act of attempted theft from auto. Take a look at the video below.  Attempted theft from auto It shows a typical scenario: The thief looks inside a car to see if there is anything of value, tries the door and moves on if it is locked.    These criminals do talk and they tell their friends where the easy neighborhoods are located. Crime begins to multiply. You and your neighbors can help prevent this by practicing good crime prevention. Lock your car doors, remove valuables, leave nothing inside that looks inviting and report any suspicious activity to the police immediately.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center | 4805 Edgemoor Lane | Bethesda | MD | 20814