Greater Shady Grove Civic Alliance

www.GSGCA.ORG

 

May 2008 Newsletter

 

 

Next Meeting: Wednesday, May 14th 8:00 p.m.
Mill Creek Towne Elementary School
17700 Park Mill Drive in Derwood

 

Officers:
Pat Labuda, President (Parkside)
Ken Weiss, 1st Vice President (Park Overlook)
Joe Parello, 2nd Vice President (Old Derwood)
Treasurer
--vacant
Secretary--vacant

 

Topic:  ICC Noise Walls
                                               
 Speakers:
Odessa Phillip – Community Outreach Liaison
Michael Kelly – Noises Analyst for the ICC
Carla Julian – Outreach specialist for the ICC contractor
 
At the May meeting of the Alliance there will be a presentation by the State contractor who will be designing and building noise walls along the ICC.  The State will present its plans for noise mitigation.  In addition to impacting houses adjacent to the ICC, noise from the ICC will extend into the community.  The meeting will provide an opportunity to encourage the State to make sure the noise caused by the ICC is properly dealt with.
 
Letter from State Delegate Roger Manno
 
Following is a letter received by the Alliance from State Delegate Roger Manno.
 
Greater Shady Grove Civic Alliance:

Thank you for the honor that you have given me to serve our community as your State Delegate in the General Assembly.

I am writing today to discuss grave concerns about the ongoing construction of the Intercounty Connector (ICC). Having recently been elected to public office in 2006, I was not a State Delegate when any of the votes or planning for the ICC occurred. However, since being elected I have been working tirelessly with civic, homeowner and environmental groups in an attempt to mitigate, to the extent possible, the effects of the road.

Over the last year, I have raised our concerns with State Highway Administration (SHA) on dozens of occasions, through mail correspondence, private meetings, and countless community forums.  For example, on numerous occasions I have urged that SHA tunnel under effected communities, such as Winters Run; to eliminate the ill-conceived Layhill Interchange; to preserve the 140-year old Wilson Farm; and to f orego the early opening of the Georgia Interchange until the road is complete.  While I remain hopeful that our community can secure some concessions in this process, thus far few, if any, of our concerns or requests have been addressed.

I would like the opportunity to discuss the road with you and your membership as we move forward, and I am available to meet with you and your membership at your request. In addition, in the months and years ahead, I hope you utilize my office as a central point for information and assistance on this and any other issues.  If there is anything that I or my staff can do to assist you in your efforts, please do not hesitate to contact us.
 
Very respectfully,

Roger Manno
Maryland State Delegate
19th Legislative District
 

ANIMAL SHELTER

Below is information sent to the
Alliance from Mill Creek resident Pat Mooney on the animal shelter planned for Derwood.  If you would like to work to oppose the relocation of the animal shelter to the Muncaster Mill location please contact Pat at pmooney33@comcast.net.
 
The section in Ike Leggett's 2009 Operating Budget regarding an animal shelter at intersection of Muncaster Mill Road and Air Park Road is in
 
Y09-14 CIP.   Design an d construct a new Animal Shelter near the corner of Muncaster Mill Road and Airpark Road.
 
This will be right across the street from Mill Creeke Towne!!!  It’s time to axe this thing! It is time to quit dumping all the "garbage projects-- ICC, Mid County Highway, Metro Growth, etc --- into Derwood.  We have done our penance for the county.  This will certainly continue the reduction of our quality of life that has been going on for the last 10 years.  This will be right across the street from Mill Creeke Towne if it is approved by the county council  They will be reviewing the budget in May for final passage in June. Tell the council members "it is time to quit dumping all the garbage projects into Derwood."  

Write to your councilmember now. The budget will be voted on by the council in late May or early June.  Send your email to   countycouncil@montgomerycountymd.gov
Also, make separate contacts with our Councilman Phil Andrews and the 4 At- Large Delegates
Phil Andrews   councilmember.andrews@montgomerycountymd.gov            
George Leventhal,  councilmember.leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov      
Duchy Trachtenberg,  councilmember.trachtenberg@montgomerycountymd.gov   
Marc Elrich  councilmember.elrich@montgomerycountymd.gov                       
Nancy Floreen.  councilmember.floreen @montgomerycountymd.gov   
 

Following is a letter written by the
Alliance to the County Council regarding the location of the animal shelter:
 
Dear County Council members,
The Greater Shady Grove Civic Alliance requests that you remove funding from the budget for the relocation of the animal shelter proposed at Laytonia Park, at the intersection of Airpark and Muncaster Mill Road in Derwood. 
 Several years ago the Derwood community was presented with a plan for Laytonia Park, which included a library.  It was later decided to locate the library closer to the area around the Shady Grove Metro. This would be acceptable to the community as long as other recreational uses were substituted such as additional ball fields, picnic areas, wooded areas or other uses compatible with the surrounding residential area.
Using this property as an animal shelter is doubly insulting to the neighboring community.  First, they lost their promised library and second, the county decided to locate an additional undesirable use in an area that is already overburdened with the County Dump, the ICC, noisy truck traffic from Shady Grove Road, the Metro Maintenance Facility, dense Metro housing, the ICC Maintenance Facilities, the airplane noise from the County Airpark, etc. etc.  Please do not add barking dogs to our already excessive noise levels and additional traffic to increase the noise and air pollution that already exist in Derwood from all of the truck traffic.  An additional 6,000 housing units are planned to be built in the Derwood area.  A dog shelter does not serve these future or current residents.   
We request that you remove funding for the shelter until you have the time to consider a more appropriate location.  Please do not add to the burden of the already overburdened community of Derwood.  
Sincerely,
Pat Labuda, President, Greater Shady Grove Civic Alliance


Landscaping Company
The landscape company that had requested a Special Exemption in order to operate a landscaping business in a residential community along Needwood Road has withdrawn their request.  The Needwood Road community did an excellent job of gathering together and taking action to oppose this industrial use in our community.

 
Elections
The election of officers for the Alliance will take place at the end of the May Meeting.  
The following individuals have indicated their availability for election to continue in their present capacities:
 
  • President:  Pat LaBuda
  • 1st VP:        Ken Weiss
  • 2nd VP:       Joe Parello
 
There are not yet any candidates for the offices of Secretary and Treasurer.
 
Persons who wish to serve in any of the above capacities, please get in touch with Joan Carpenter (301-527-9230) or Serve Triau (301-840-1128), of the Nominating Committee.
 
MEMBERSHIP
Please send in your membership for the upcoming 2008 – 2009 year.  We rely on membership fees to defray the cost of renting the school for our meetings.  Only paid members are allowed to vote in accordance with our by laws. The Alliance exists to represent the interests of the community.  Your membership and vote are important for us to accurately fulfill that role.  Please fill out the the form attached to this email (or the section below) and bring it with you to the November meeting or mail it to the address below.


 
GET INVOLVED - FILL OUT AND MAIL THIS FORM TODAY!

Membership is open to individuals, civic organizations and homeowners’ associations.
Please select from the following:
___ I am enclosing $10 cash (  ) check (  ) for my annual household membership
___ I am enclosing $15 cash (  ) check (  ) for the following organization membership ____________
 (Please make check payable to: “Greater Shady Grove Civic Alliance”)
Mail to:
Pat Labuda,
GSGCA,
16929 Briardale Road
Derwood, MD 20855
 
Name:       ____________
Address:    _______________________________________________________
Phone:       ____________  E-Mail:  ___________________________
Local Issues of Concern to You:  ______________________________________________________