The Montgomery County Planning Board announced the appointment of Casey Anderson by the Montgomery County Council to the position of Planning Board Chair. In this role, Mr. Anderson will lead the five-member Montgomery County Planning Board which oversees the Montgomery County Planning Department and the Montgomery Department of Parks. The Planning Board advises the Council on land use planning and community planning in Montgomery County. Read press release.

Testing has shown there are elevated levels of microcystin, a toxic substance produced by some species of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), in Lake Needwood that may be harmful to pets swimming in or drinking from the lake. Please take note of the following precautions.

Come out this Saturday, July 26 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. to Wheaton Regional Park to learn more about Montgomery Parks' programs through a new Multilingual Information Exchange Program.

Wheaton Regional Park 

2000 Shorefield Drive

Wheaton, MD 20902

This month's episode of Parks, Rec 'N Roll focuses on art in parks, including a look inside Brookside Gardens' School of Botanical Art and Illustration and the public art trust which supports the creation of and placement of art in our parks. Don't miss this episode available online here.

Join Park Police at a series of National Night Out events on August 5 to connect with the members of your community, and work to prevent crime in your neighborhood. Park Police will be at 9 sites this year including: Rosemary Hills Local Park, Indian Spring Terrace, South Four Corners, North Four Corners, Tanglewood, Mid-County, Olney Fair Hill Shopping, General Getty and Daly Elementary School. A special free Punt Pass Kick competition will be held at General Getty Neighborhood Park from 6 - 8 p.m. Visit www.nflppk.com to register.

Improvements to the asphalt trail and areas adjacent to the trail  inside Aberdeen Local Park will begin within the next week and last about two or three weeks. During this time there may be intermittent or complete closures of the trail during periods of active construction. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Early morning meetings intended to engage business community on the sector plan

The Montgomery County Planning Department will be hosting two meetings as part of their "Sunrise Series" for business owners in the Greater Lyttonsville Sector Plan area on Thursday, July 31 and Thursday, August 7 from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. to provide an opportunity for the business community to ask questions and give feedback on the sector planning process. The early morning meetings will offer free breakfast, an opportunity to meet with planners and provide a questionnaire to attendees to gather more information about business owners as it relates to the Greater Lyttonsville Sector Plan. Learn more. 

It's Parks & Recreation month and to celebrate we are hosting a photo contest. It's easy to enter and we have some fun prizes. More info.

The U.S. Census Bureau is researching modern and new methods for the population to exercise its civic obligation to be counted in the next census. Whether through the Internet, telephone or traditional paper questionnaires, the Census Bureau is committed to making the once-a-decade headcount quick, easy and safe for all to participate. Through the smart use of technology and existing government data sources, the 2020 Census hopes to provide substantial taxpayer savings while maintaining the highest quality and accuracy standards mandated by the U.S. Constitution. The 2014 Census Test will allow the Census Bureau, on a small scale, to test a variety of new methods and advance technologies that are under consideration for the 2020 Census. The 2014 Test will take place from June 23 through September 25, with Census Day on July 1, 2014.

In addition to conducting the test, the Census Bureau is still hiring temporary office and field staff from Montgomery County and DC to work in the Silver Spring office, located at 8401 Colesville Road (seventh floor). At least 1,000 people in Montgomery County and DC are needed for temporary positions to get this important job done. Pay ranges from $14 to $21.50 an hour. Learn more.

Planners presented recommendations for the future of Sandy Spring to the Montgomery County Planning Board on Thursday, July 17. The recommendations are the result of the work of the Montgomery County Planning Department based on extensive engagement and feedback from the community. View the Staff Draft for the Sandy Spring Rural Village Plan. Learn more about the Sandy Spring Rural Village Plan. 

• NNI Removal Events, Various locations and dates, help us rid the park trees of vines and other Non-Native Invasives that are taking over!
• Tree Stewards, Various parks - commit to at least one year of quarterly park visits.  Help us keep an eye on our most valuable resource in parks, our trees!
• Hot Opportunities - these are the opportunities that we really need volunteers to fill soon! Check them out!