Takoma Junction report, zombie committees at the February 13 council meeting

There are two items of note at this this evening’s (Monday, February 13) city-council meeting.

1) The Takoma Junction Task Force will present its report, slated for 8 pm.

Takoma Junction is the area stretching from the fire station to the TPSS Co-op and down Carroll Avenue to Lee Avenue. The report covers businesses, traffic flow, pedestrian safety, use or development of the city parking lot, historic-district & environmental concerns, and more, including what the task force heard in numerous community outreach meetings. The report is online at http://takomaparkmd.gov/clerk/agenda/items/2012/TJTF_Report_FINAL.pdf.

I plan to push city implementation of task-force recommendations and need your feedback. Please do attend the council meeting or view it online or on the city cable TV channel, or review the report and let me know your thoughts.

2) The council is scheduled to discussion what I’ll call “zombie” committee: Safe Roadways, Environment, Free Burma. These committees have existed only on paper for several years.

I still see a need for a Safe Roadways Committee, for study of safety issues, recommendations, and coordinated city advocacy. There are open safety issues — speeding, pedestrian-signal timing, crosswalks & intersections, and so on — in a number of parts of Takoma Park including several in/bordering Ward 1. I’ve found past SRC material to be useful, for instance the committee’s 2005 report.

I still see a need for an Environment Committee, again for study of environmental and energy issues, recommendations, and coordinated city advocacy. Environmentalism remains a leading city concern, regarding both city-government operations and for residents and business.

The time for a Free Burma Committee has passed, in my opinion.

I’d welcome hearing residents’ opinions regarding the committees. Should the council eliminate them or seek to revive them? If you have thoughts to share, please let me know.

Thanks,

Seth