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Celebrate Main Street + Key Updates

Montgomery County Maryland sent this bulletin at 07/24/2024 11:13 AM EDT

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Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Legislative Update: Camping in the Ag Reserve

Alongside Councilmembers Katz, Balcombe, and Fani-González, I introduced a measure to expand opportunities for camping in our County.

This week, the Council's Planning, Housing, and Parks Committee recommended approval of the measure with amendments. This legislation will balance the ability for visitors to enjoy our Agricultural Reserve with the need to protect farmable land for farming and to avoid negative environmental and community impacts.

This effort is thanks to dozens of community stakeholders and Agricultural Reserve leaders who worked with us to ensure the zoning text amendment carefully considers how to safeguard our rural areas.

Learn more in the Council staff report from this week's Committee session.

Damascus Placemaking Festival Dates Set

Mark your calendars! The Damascus Placemaking Festival will take place October 19 and 20 on Main Street. I participated in the kickoff meeting a few months back and saw the enthusiasm from community members who voiced their ideas on how to transform this area of Damascus to make it more inviting and to strengthen ties to local businesses.

The free, two-day festival will bring together many of those businesses with residents, visitors, and civic groups and offer local food, music, arts, and activities.

Keep up-to-date with the project via its website and sign up for the e-newsletter to receive updates.

Councilmember Luedtke at the Damascus Placemaking Festival kick-off meeting in June.

Pedestrian Safety In Action

Pedestrian-activated crosswalk beacons were recently installed along Crabbs Branch Way in Derwood.

In January 2023, a driver hit a student in one of the crosswalks on Crabbs Branch Way. The community sprang into action to pursue needed safety improvements along this busy corridor. My office advocated with the community for the Department of Transportation and Police to make improvements.

A speed camera was promptly installed in this area and earlier this summer, MCDOT installed two hybrid pedestrian beacons at key crosswalks along Crabbs Branch Way. These signals tell drivers that a pedestrian is getting ready to cross and that they must yield. Thank you MCDOT for your collaboration in addressing this issue.

It's important to recognize these pedestrian safety improvements when they happen and build on this momentum as part of our County's commitment to eliminating severe and serious crashes.

If you need my office’s assistance with a pedestrian, bicyclist, or vehicle safety issue, please contact us at councilmember.luedtke@montgomerycountymd.gov or 240-777-7860.

Councilmember Luedtke presents a proclamation for Mattie Stepanek Peace Day.

I was honored to present a proclamation for Mattie Stepanek Peace Day alongside my colleagues Councilmembers Katz and Albornoz. We presented the proclamation to Jeni Stepanek to honor the life and legacy of her son Mattie, on the anniversary of his birthday, July 17. Mattie was a seven-time New York Times best-selling author, lyricist, and poet. Before his death at the age 13, he became known as a peace advocate and motivational speaker. In commemoration of his impactful work and message, a 26-acre namesake park and playground, with a statue and peace garden, was created in 2008 in his King Farm neighborhood in Montgomery County.

In The Community

Make Your Voice Heard

The Jeremiah Park concept design community survey is live now until August 18. The project team is seeking feedback from the community on refinements to the concept options presented at the June workshop. This is the project at the MCPS school bus depot on Crabbs Branch Way that the County is seeking to transform into a walkable, mixed-use community with park space and community-serving retail.

Take the Survey

Free Anti-Theft Software for Hyundai Drivers

Police and Hyundai are hosting an event at Paint Branch High School to provide owners of Hyundai vehicles with free anti-theft software. This is FREE and no appointment or ID is required. This event will run on August 2, 3, and 4.

National Night Out

Montgomery County’s largest National Night Out (NNO) event will take place in Olney on August 6. Other local NNO events include Flower Hill and Cider Mill. This free, family-friendly event is intended to make our neighborhoods safer and more caring places to live by promoting a sense of community and building partnership with our law enforcement and first responders. Olney’s NNO will feature more than 50 local businesses, County agencies, and nonprofits. There will be demonstrations, exhibits, performances, and a plethora of information and resources. Learn more.

Ag Fair

The 75th Annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair will take place throughout the month of August. The Fair has fun for the whole family with free entertainment; rides, attractions, and contests; over 5,000 animals; exhibitions and demonstrations, and food vendors. Learn more.

Maryland Cider Festival

The Maryland Cider Festival showcases hard cider producers from across the state. Featuring many different styles of cider - from dry to sweet, still to sparkling, modern to heritage - the festival includes food, music, and craft vendors. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 7, come out to District 7’s Two Story Chimney Ciderworks, situated in the Agricultural Reserve, to enjoy the festival!

Commission on Public Health Listening Session

The Maryland Commission on Public Health is coming to Montgomery County for a public listening session July 30 from 6:30-8 p.m. on the 7th floor of the County Council Office Building (100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville). If you are unable to attend, you can submit your feedback and ideas here.

Early Care and Education Excellence Award Nominations Due

The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services is seeking nominees for the second annual Montgomery County Early Care and Education Excellence Awards. Nominations are due by August 21.

Free Vaccinations for Students

Maryland law requires students to be vaccinated against a variety of illnesses including tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), meningitis, chickenpox, and more. Visit the Maryland Department of Health's website to learn more about the 2024-25 school year vaccination requirements. The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services is offering free “back-to-school” vaccinations for K-12 students at locations throughout the County until the end of September. Learn more.

Community Advocacy Institute

Are you interested in learning how to advocate for your community? Apply to the Community Advocacy Institute! This free advocacy training program is provided in English and Spanish by the Community Action Board. To be eligible for the program, you must live in Montgomery County and have a combined household income of $67,000 or less. To graduate from the program, participants must attend all sessions and complete an advocacy project. Applications are due by August 9.

Office of Councilmember Dawn Luedtke
100 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
Email: Councilmember.Luedtke@montgomerycountymd.gov
Phone: 240-777-7860
Website: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Luedtke/

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