InfoShare Newsletter - June 12, 2009

[Howard Hartman]

THE MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION InfoShare Montgomery County  June 12, 2009          PLANNING BOARD / DEPARTMENT OF PARKS / PLANNING DEPARTMENT
In This Issue Free Activities at Wheaton Regional Park Parks, Recreation Host Discussion of Activities Look for Us at These Events 2009 Speaker Series Events at Oakley Cabin Plant a Tree This Spring A New View of Proposed Development New Cable Show Encapsulates Monthly Planning Board Activities Spring Fun in Parks Help Brookside Gardenswhile you shop at "Nest" New Park Permits Online A Gift of Green... Public/Private Partnerships in Parks Check out "Building Better Communities" Video Quick Links    Planning Board homepage Planning Department homepage Department of Parks homepage Park Police homepage   Planning - Career Opportunities Parks - Career Opportunities   Watch us on County Cable Montgomery Channel 6 Parks Show Montgomery Plans Growing Right   Find archives of Info-Share and more at Connected Communities		Greetings! Below is a listing of upcoming events, programs and meetings as well as important announcements from The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in Montgomery County. Please pass the information along to others who may be interested.   Marcia Goldberg  Community Outreach and Media Relations Planning Board Meetings Agendas will be posted on our website for:   Monday, June 15, 7 p.m. Park and Planning Headquarters 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD  20910    Thursday, June 18, 9 a.m. Park and Planning Headquarters 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD  20910   Growth Policy Public Hearing Monday, June 22, 7:30 p.m.  "Decisions we make now about how and where to grow are critical," says Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson, who invites you to a hearing on the 2009-2011 Growth Policy.   Please note:  Everyone who officially speaks at a Planning Board meeting must register with the board assistant unless he or she has already signed up in advance, which can occur after the agenda is posted online.  Register at the meeting by submitting a yellow form available in the auditorium or a business card.   We now stream the Planning Board meetings online. Watch live on our website or view later from our archives. Was InfoShare Sent to You by a Friend?  Anyone with an email address can sign up to receive our weekly newsletter by visiting Infoshare.
Free Activity at Wheaton Regional Park Saturday, June 13, 8 a.m. to noon Flea Market in the Park Wheaton Outdoor Rink 11751 Orebaugh Avenue   Need stuff?  Need less stuff?  Check out the Flea Market in the Park. For more information visit the Parks events or www.WheatonIceArena.com. Parks, Recreation to Host Community Meetings to Discuss Activities Wednesday, June 17, 7 p.m. The Lodge at Little Seneca Creek 14500-A Clopper Road, Boyds   Wednesday, June 24, 7 p.m. Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Center 2450 Lyttonsville Road, Silver Spring For more information, call 240-777-6800.   The Department of Parks and Montgomery County's Department of Recreation will co-host two community meetings to gather input from the public regarding the delivery of recreational services and programs being offered by both agencies. In April 2009, the County Council's Planning, Housing, and Economic Development (PHED) Committee requested that the two departments issue a report by October 1 with recommendations for improving the delivery of recreational programming to county residents.             Representatives of both departments will be on hand to review the Council's directive, present a proposed schedule and workplan that meets the Council's October 1 deadline and solicit feedback on the proposed approach. Participants will have an opportunity to voice their opinions and ask questions. Look for Us at These Events Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 7:30 p.m. Larry Cole, Transportation Planner BRAC Implementation Committee Meeting Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center 4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda The tentative June 16 agenda includes an update from WMATA on its evaluation of the proposed east entrance/pedestrian access project at the Medical Center Metro station and an update from the State Highway Administration on the intersections improvement project. Learn more about this, future meetings, and summaries of previous meetings.   Tuesday, June 16, 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.   Callum Murray, Team Leader for the Potomac and Rural Area Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting Up County Regional Services Center 12900 Middlebrook Road,  Germantown The agenda is to be determined. The meeting is open to the public.   Wednesday, June 17, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fred Boyd, Community Planner for Kensington Kensington Town Hall Building 3710 Mitchell Street in Kensington Mr. Boyd will be available to discuss planning issues related to the Kensington area. Transportation Expert to Join Planning Board Speaker Series  Growing Smarter Speaker Series Park and Planning Headquarters auditorium 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring   The Montgomery County Planning Board is inviting experts in the planning field to share thoughts, visions and personal experience to help inform and guide them as they deliberate on the 2009 Growth Policy and a host of other issues. The 2009 speaker series will provide board members -- and anyone interested in the topic -- an opportunity to hear free, thought-provoking presentations.   June 18, 2009, 7:30 p.m. Ronald Kirby, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Analyzing Alternative Transportation, Land Use and Greenhouse Gas Scenarios for Greater Washington   Director of transportation planning for the National Capital RegionTransportation Planning Board at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), Kirby will discuss ways to reduce transportation greenhouse gases through planning and zoning for more sustainable communities; efficient use of transportation resources; and tools to reduce dependence on single-occupancy vehicles. 2009 Special Programs at Oakley Cabin Oakley Cabin 3610 Brookeville Road, Olney General Information: 301-650-4373 Events Information:  301-258-4044 Beginning Saturday, June 13, Oakley Cabin will be open every second and fourth Saturday of the month, with FREE guided tours and special programs beginning with Archeology Day on June 13.  Plant a Tree this Spring with a Little Help From Us To achieve a number of environmental goals in its ongoing efforts to "green" Montgomery County, the Planning Department has launched a tree planting program to encourage residents to plant trees in their yards. Leaves for Neighborhoods features a coupon valid at participating county nurseries. The $25 discount off trees worth $75 or more is intended to increase the county's tree canopy on residential property, which will bring a host of environmental benefits.The coupon is available online and at selected area nurseries, Park and Planning headquarters and county park sites.  Web Site Features Realistic Views of Proposed Development By providing a portal to views of pending projects, including information about building heights, square footage and the mix of uses, DesignMontgomery will engage Montgomery County residents and others in a discussion about good design. The site shows current or recently approved projects, public buildings and spaces, and other design issues.   The site features four projects - three privately developed and one public project - with three-dimensional and/or animated views. The innovative angles allow web visitors to envision how a building will fit on a site. Planners will update pages with new projects in the coming months. Monthly Cable Shows Feature Planning Board Activities  Now you can learn more about Planning Board activities each month on our new cable program, Growing Right. In partnership with County Cable Montgomery, we launched Growing Right in October to highlight the Planning Board's main actions in a news show format. Learn more about development applications, parks initiatives and county-wide planning studies. The lively show includes interviews with board members and planners as well as onsite location shots. Other CCM-produced educational programs about parks and plannning include The Parks Show and Montgomery Plans. Trains, Splash Playground and Mini-Golf, Boats All Open This May The Wheaton Miniature Train and Carousel located at 2002 Shorefield Road, Wheaton is open daily through August 31. The Cabin John Miniature Train, 7400 Tuckerman Lane in Rockville, is open daily starting June 1. For more on the trains visit www.WheatonTrainandCarousel.com and www.CabinJohnTrain.com.    South Germantown Splash Playground facilities will open daily beginning June 15. South Germantown Splash Playground and Mini Golf is located at 18056 Central Park Circle in Boyds  For more on the South Germantown Mini Golf and Splash Playground see www.SplashandGolf.com.   Both Black Hill Boats, 20920 Lake Ridge Drive in Boyds, and Lake Needwood Boats, 15700 Needwood Lake Circle in Rockville, are open Wednesdays - Sundays beginning May 27. Black Hill Boats offers rowboats, canoes and kayaks for rent.  Lake Needwood Boats rents rowboats, canoes, kayaks and pedal boats. Both boat facilities also have pontoon boat tours of the lakes.  For more on boating in Montgomery Parks, see www.BlackHillBoats.com andwww.LakeNeedwoodBoats.com Happenings at  Brookside Gardens Mark Your Calendar!   Brookside Gardens Turns 40 And You Are Invited To The Celebration! Sunday, July 19 Day-long celebration Brookside Gardens 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton For more information, call 301-962-1400 or visit us online at www.brooksidegardens.org.   Everyone is invited to Brookside Gardens' 40th Birthday Party for birthday cake and punch along with family-friendly activities, games, and a moon-bounce for dessert.   Wings of Fancy 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 2 through September 20 $6 adults; $4 ages 3-12 1500 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902 Groups of 15 or more by appointment only, call 301-962-1467 for reservations.   Why did the caterpillar cross the road? To get to its host plant! This year, the focus of Wings of Fancy is on butterflies in your back yard and the host plants local caterpillars need to survive and thrive. Learn about the life cycle of these amazing creatures as you are surrounded by hundreds of North American, Costa Rican and Asian butterflies flying freely inside our conservatory.   Help feather Brookside Gardens' nest while you shop at Nest through June On Sunday, June 14, 2009, Nest Earth-Friendly Clothing & Gifts in Clarksville will donate 10% of its day's sales to Brookside Gardens as their way of showing appreciation for the environmental work done at the Gardens. On any other day in June, shoppers will receive a 10% discount at Nest when they mention Brookside Gardens. Nest is located on Route 108, just east of Route 32 in the Clarksville Square Shopping Center at 5809 Clarksville Square Drive. Learn more about Nest. Learn more about activities at Brookside Gardens. Park Permits Website Upgraded - Now Faster and Easier! www.ParkPermits.org has a new look with new features. Now park users can find, check the availability of, reserve and pay to permit popular park facilities such as picnic shelters, campsites, park activity buildings and others with ease. The recently upgraded Park Permits website offers park users 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week access. A Gift of Green: Trees, Benches and Other Amenities Friends and family members can be honored by having a tree planted or a bench or picnic area installed in a Montgomery County Park. This gift keeps on giving! For more information and suggestions, visit GreenGifts.  For information on planning your gift, contact Tin-Mala in the Grants and Donations Program at 301-650-5650. Join the Public/Private Partnership of the Department of Parks The Department of Parks partners with non-profit groups and individuals in creating new and expanded recreation in Montgomery County Parks.  The Public/Private Partnership Committee meets monthly to review proposals and ideas offered to the team. For more information visit  Public/Private Partnerships. Increasing Understanding of Montgomery County Park and Planning To better inform Montgomery County residents and others interested in parks and development issues in Maryland's largest jurisdiction, we produced a 14-minute video explaining the agency's role in the community. The video, "Building Great Communities: Montgomery County, Maryland," sheds light on how the agency works to maintain the area's high quality of life. View the video online as part of our "Montgomery Plans" cable TV series or visit your local public library and ask for "Building Communities" on DVD.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission | 8787 Georgia Ave | Silver Spring | MD | 20910