Attend or watch the Montgomery County Planning Board Thursday, March 3. View the full agenda for that meeting here.
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Planning Department Announces Calendar of March 2016 Events
The Montgomery County Planning Department is pleased to announce its March 2016 calendar of community meetings, work session and public events. These events offer opportunities for the Planning Board and Planning Department staff to discuss policies and engage with the public. Review the full list of events below and go online to www.montgomeryplanning.org for more details on projects and plans. View the full list here.
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Interactive Map of County-Designated African American Historic Sites and Districts Launched to Honor Black History
In honor of African American heritage in Montgomery County, the Montgomery County Planning Department, in coordination with Montgomery Parks have launched a map of historically African American places included in the County's formal register of architecturally or culturally significant buildings and places. This project was initiated at the request of Montgomery County Councilmember George Leventhal to mark the 2016 celebration of Black History Month.
"The goal of this online resource is to raise awareness about the rich and storied past of the County's historic African American communities and buildings," says Councilmember Leventhal. "It is my hope that this tool will encourage our community to learn more about the County's African American history in an accessible, easy and interesting way. Thanks to former Councilmember Cherri Branson, who now serves as the director of the County's Office of Procurement, for proposing to create this resource and the Planning Board and Parks and Planning Departments staff for working with us to make this map a reality for our residents." Learn more here.
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Meadowside Nature Center Exhibit to be Renovated
The Legacy of the Land Exhibit at Meadowside Nature Center will be temporarily closed as we begin renovations to improve your future experiences. Nature Center will still be open and staff will be onsite coordinating scheduled programming. For additional information, please visit us here.
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Registration for Montgomery Parks' spring programs is now open! Visit our Community Corner to sign up for nature and garden programs, ice skating, tennis and more!
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Celebrating Black History Month at Josiah Henson Park February 27-28
Please join us at Josiah Henson Park February 27 & 28 to Celebrate Black History Month. The park is located in North Bethesda, MD on the historic Isaac Riley Farm where the Reverend Josiah Henson lived and worked as a slave from 1795 to 1830. Click here for more information.
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Bicycle Master Plan Update: Best Practices for Suburban Bicycling Planning Presented at Planning Department's Winter Speakers Series
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Planning Board Resolution Will Honor White Flint Plan Advocate
The Montgomery County Planning Board will pass a resolution at its meeting on Thursday, March 3, 2016 to express the Commission's admiration and appreciation of Barnaby Zall for his vision, hard work and years of service to the community in advocating for the 2010 White Flint Sector Plan.
Zall, an attorney and a lobbyist who has lived in Montgomery County since 1977, served as a member of the White Flint Advisory Committee and White Flint Steering Committee for the Sector Plan. In addition, he launched the Friends of White Flint, a non-profit, citizen-led organization that backed and influenced the plan. Zall is now retiring and moving to Washington state. Learn more here.
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Online Feedback Map Launched for MARC Rail Communities Plan
The Montgomery County Planning Department has recently launched an online map that allows participants to convey their ideas about the future of areas around the MARC stations in Boyds and Germantown. The MARC Rail Communities Feedback Map is part of the planning work for the MARC Rail Communities Master Plan.
View the feedback map to record your online comments about the future of MARC stations in Boyds and Germantown. Learn more here.
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Educators' Open House-March 3rd, 5:30p-7:30p (FREE)
Discover exciting, innovative field trips, outreach programs and classroom resources to help your students meet Environmental Literacy standards. Montgomery Parks and over 40 regional environmental education providers will be on hand to discuss the latest in science and environmental programming. For more information Click here.
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Montgomery Parks is pleased to invite all 3rd-5th grade students to participate in a poster contest for a chance to host an Arbor Day Celebration at their school in April! The theme for this year's contest is "The Benefits of Trees in Montgomery County". See official rules and submission guidelines.
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Parks Opens Four New Athletic Fields
The athletic fields at Northwest Branch Recreational Park will be open this spring and available to permit. There are four fields which must be permitted for use: three full size rectangles and one adult size baseball, as well as one smaller practice rectangle. For more information on permitting these fields please click here or call 240-777-2716.
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New: Public Hearing: Countywide Trails Plan Amendment: March 3, 2016
The public is invited to testify at a March 3 public hearing on the Public Hearing Draft of the Countywide Park Trails Plan Amendment. Comments may also be submitted online and by email. More information is available at www.ParkPlanning.org.
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Green Matters Symposium: A Garden Gateway at Brookside Gardens
Interested in environmentally friendly landscapes? Want an up-close look at what it takes to plan, design and build landscapes that are both beautiful and benefit the environment? Join us on Friday, April 8th from 8:30AM - 4:00 PM at Brookside Gardens for the 13th Annual Green Matters Symposium. We are bringing together some of the top landscape and public garden professionals to share ideas about how to create attainable, sustainable landscapes. Early bird registration is $85 before March 1; registration increases to $99 per person after that date. To register, enter Course #14881 here. To learn more about the conference, click here.
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 Emerald Ash Borer in Montgomery Parks
A non-native invasive beetle in Montgomery County is wreaking havoc on ash trees, many which are located in stream valleys on parkland. Learn more on the department's plan to address the issue here.
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Evans Parkway and Germantown Town Center Win Awards
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Did you know Montgomery Parks maintains close to 300 fields for public games, practices and walk-on play? Click here to find out more about our park athletic fields.
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Community Meeting on Long Branch-Wayne Local Park Renovations: RESCHEDULED MARCH 8, 2016
Park staff has rescheduled the Long Branch-Wayne Local Community Meeting to March 8, 2016 at Oak View Elementary School. The public is encouraged to attend and provide input to improve the park. More details are available here.
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Accessibility Improvements Continue
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Spring Festivals & Events in Montgomery Parks
Enjoy spring festivals and events in Montgomery Parks! Come enjoy open houses at our many facilities, special skates at our ice rinks, Earth Day events and volunteer opportunities around our parks, and events and festivals at our four nature centers and Brookside Gardens. Visit www.MontgomeryParks.org/festivals for upcoming events and information.
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Public Input Needed on Wheaton Regional Park Master Plan Update
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Park Projects:
- Quince Orchard Valley Neighborhood Park: WSSC work is scheduled to begin this January as part of the WSSC Sewer Repair, Replacement and Rehabilitation Program. Work will also include the removal of the tennis court and hard surface path and allow reforestation to the area. Please use caution around work areas.
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Falls Road Local Park: The parking lot entrance at Falls Road Local Park will be intermittently closed through need date as scheduled construction continues to improve traffic patterns and ADA access. Alternate parking will be limited to Falls Chapel Way during closure. Click here for more information on the park project.
- Olney Family Neighborhood Park: Work is underway to improve access to hard surface trails from Treadway Road. The project is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2016.
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Kemp Mill Urban Park: The park is closed for renovations to improve overall access, update the pond and expand the playground. Renovations are expected to be completed by spring 2017. Click here for more information..
- Sligo Creek Parkway: The parking lot on Sligo Creek Parkway south of Wayne Avenue is closed through the spring of 2016 for WSSC work. For more info on WSSC projects in the park, please click here.
- Ellsworth Urban Park: Park improvements are underway to construct a new dog park in Silver Spring. Parts of the park will be inaccessible to the public as work includes improved storm water management and better access to park. Click here for more info.
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- Plumgar Local Park: Playground is closed as part of the Playground Renovation Program. Work is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2016.
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 Trail Work in Parks
Bikers and Runners should use caution as improvements are taking place on several trails in Montgomery Parks:
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NOTICE: Parklawn Local Park - Trail improvements to the Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail are scheduled to begin this winter at Veirs Mill Road connector onto trail.
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NEW: Wheaton Regional Park - Pine Lake trail work will start this winter season to improve access and storm water management. Watch for detours posted around designated work areas.
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Work is scheduled over the next few weeks along the Capital Crescent Trail at the DC Line. Trail users should use caution around work zones. - Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail work is underway to coordinate the removal of high risk trees and limbs including Emerald Ash Borer infested trees along the Rock Creek Hiker- Biker Trails on Beach Drive. For more information on tree inspection and maintenance, click here.
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- The pedestrian bridge at the Ten Mile Creek tributary to Little Seneca Lake in Black Hill Regional Park will be closed until spring 2016.
- Work continues on the Rock Creek trail in Rock Creek Regional Park around Baltimore Road and Norbeck Road. Trails will be partially closed for bridge work, stream work and the repaving of the trail leading to bridge. A detour will be posted when trail repaving begins.
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Rock Creek Trail Signs are being installed to improve wayfinding on the trail and adjacent neighborhood trail connectors leading to main trail of the 14 mile Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail.
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 View Montgomery Parks Program GUIDES Online
Click here to see all the various programs, classes and events Montgomery Parks has to offer you and your family. Browse the eGuide from your computer or cell via at Montgomery Parks eGuides.
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 Watch: 2016 Winter Speakers Series Session 2: Recent Approaches to Suburban Bicycle Planning
Toole Design Group President Jennifer Toole stopped by the Planning Department headquarters to give a presentation on recent approaches to suburban bicycle planning. Watch the video here.
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