February 3 at the city council: Zoning rewrite presentation, grants & state legislation

The Takoma Park City Council meets Monday evening, Feburary 3, with one hot item on the agenda:

An update on Montgomery County zoning code revisions, to be presented by Rose Krasnow, Deputy Director of the Montgomery County Planning Department, and Pamela Dunn, project manager. Their presentation slides are online.

The most controverial item, for Takoma Park residents, has been proposed changes to Commercial/Residential (C/R) zoning, which some fear would mean increased and unacceptable pressure from commercial development, on adjacent purely residential neighborhoods. In Takoma Park, the area of greatest concern is the New Hampshire Avenue corridor.

The presentation is scheduled for 8 pm. Our visitors will take council questions.

Also on Monday evening’s agenda: A continuation of last week’s council discussion of revision and formalization of the city’s grants policy and an update and as-needed discussion of items of interest in the unfolding 2014 Maryland legislative session.

The types of grants and proposed FY15 funding levels total $172,000:

– Mini Grants $ 10,000
– Arts and Cultural Events $ 70,000
– Program and Operational Support $ 50,000
– Capital Projects $ 42,000

Proposed funding levels do not include the City’s FY15 CDBG allocation. Community Development Block Grants are federal funding, routed through Montgomery County and targeting economically disadvantaged areas. Proposed city grants do not include anticipated contracts for services with local business associations such as the Old Takoma Business Association, or funding for the Independence Day Committee.

The Council budgeted $172,115, approximately the same amount, for community grants and community festivals in FY14.

As always, please let me know by e-mail (sethg@takomaparkmd.gov) or phone (301-873-8225) if you have city-related concerns you wish to discuss, or come by my twice-monthly councilmember drop-in office time, the second Tuesday of each month (February 11), 5-6 pm, and the fourth Wednesday (February 26), 8-9 am, at 7006 Carroll Avenue #202, entry between Mark’s Kitchen and the Middle Eastern Cuisine.

Seth

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