 We approved the Chevy Chase Lake Sector Plan with amendments addressing specific aspects of the plan after several months of work by the Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee and the full Council.
The plan covers the small community located along Connecticut Avenue near the Beltway interchange. The Purple Line is planned to go near Chevy Chase Lake, and the plan includes certain staging of the redevelopment to be coordinated with the progress in building the future east-west transportation line that will connect the Bethesda and New Carrollton Metro stations.
Collaboration was an important part of this process, and the plan benefitted tremendously from the valuable input from the community. Issues included how quickly development would be allowed to proceed, the height of buildings, increasing the amount of new housing to be allowed and the future of the current Chevy Chase Lake shopping centers on the east and west sides of Connecticut Avenue. Get the details.
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 I am pleased to welcome Stephen Brimer to my team as a Legislative Senior Aide. Stephen is a graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park and will be handling scheduling issues, providing constituent services and answering the phones. Stephen previously worked for a legislative monitoring firm in Virginia and on several political campaigns in various capacities. A self-described "political junkie" originally from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Stephen also enjoys reading history and playing soccer. Stephen is currently training to run his first marathon in Rhode Island later this year. Say hello the next time you call or come by the office.
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Looking for fun and educational activities the whole family will enjoy this Labor Day weekend? Try these free and low-cost events offered by Montgomery Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission:
Friday, August 30
Campfire and Nature Walk at Locust Grove Nature Center, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Bring your own hot dogs and buns for a picnic by the fire, and parks staff will provide fixings for s’mores afterwards. Then take a nature walk under the stars. Registration is $6 (Course #237855).
Saturday, August 31
Underground Railroad Free Guided Hike at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park, 9 -11 a.m. Join talented volunteer conductors on a simulated Underground Railroad Experience hike along a two mile trail. You’ll learn about various techniques freedom seekers used to elude trackers, find food and navigate their way north to freedom.
The annual Monarch Fiesta Day at Black Hill Regional Park,10 a.m.-3 p.m. A free celebration of the Monarch butterfly and its amazing annual migration to Mexico, featuring Monarch tagging and release, tours of the Monarch Waystation, an insect hunt, Monarch movies and more.
Sunday, September 1
Can You Canoe at Black Hill Regional Park at 9 a.m. Spend two hours with an expert instructor learning various ways to use a canoe. Canoes, paddles and vests are all provided with registration fee of $16. Register for Course #245960.
Kingsley Schoolhouse Free Guided Tour at Little Bennett Regional Park, 1-4 p.m. Take a free tour of this one-room 1893 schoolhouse and learn from trained docents what it was like to attend school in the 1920s. Visit History in the Parks for more information.
Mark your calendar for the second annual Silver Spring GreenFest on Saturday, October 5, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Veteran's Plaza and the Civic Building in downtown Silver Spring. GreenFest is a fun-filled day for the whole family, featuring environmentally themed vendors, non-profits, speakers, activities, games and educational opportunities.
Building on last year’s success, this year’s festival will feature a full day of educational lectures and panel discussions by national and local environmental leaders. It will also include a showcase of green businesses, solutions to environmental challenges, and games for all ages.
Come shop, play and learn about local green issues and actions you can take to make Montgomery County a national sustainability leader.
An investigational malaria vaccine has been found to be safe, to generate an immune system response, and to offer protection against malaria infection in healthy adults, according to the results of an early stage clinical trial. Learn more about this very exciting work going on right here in Montgomery County and being reported on by CNN.
Check out these new farmers getting started in Montgomery County with a little help from their friends. With 100,000 acres of farmland in the county, we can really benefit from this new farmer pilot program that provides land matching and mentoring to those who want to get growing.
Is your community organization hosting a public meeting? Please let me know how I can help. I am happy to assist residents in understanding pending bills or in finding ways to get involved in the political process. Even more important, I want to hear about what matters to you. Send your meeting notices to councilmember.floreen@montgomerycountymd.gov or call 240-777-7959 if you would like me to address a particular topic with your group.
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