Winter has officially begun. It is the end of 2009, and also the end of the first decade in the 2000's. Wow, that went quickly. I remember watching President Clinton launch the 2000 fireworks. Our family has been in the neighborhood for about 7 years. It has been and continues to be a really nice place. We like walking down the green spaces to Lake Needwood and around the neighborhood itself. Over the years the trees along Indianola Drive have gone past maturity and are being replaced. Some of the sidewalks and road surfaces have been replaced. The families originally buying here, have grown up and some have moved on. This HOA development has transitioned into an established neighborhood, and the common areas are largely in maintenance mode.

Early last year the Gude Landfill Concerned Citizens group (GLCC) put pressure on the County, and that along with the economy stopped the redevelopment of the Gude Landfill into a bus parking lot. The County, under direction of the state is evaluating the containment buried trash and waste in the landfill. A study is being done to measure the distribution of trash and to monitor water samples around the dump. Any post-study remediation would take place over many years, and any end-use of the retired landfill would happen after that remediation.

The community around DSS is growing. Montgomery County has announced a long term development proposal for Route 355. This would put exclusive bus lanes on the road and create several expanded retail centers distributed between the beltway and Shady Grove Road. The design discussion continues for some sort of rapid transit from Shady Grove Station, west and north through proposed biological industry center near Shady Grove Hospital, and on to Gaithersburg and Germantown. The development of concentrated housing along Crabb's Branch near Shady Grove Station is moving ahead slowly. And, finally, the ICC highway is being developed, with realignment of on and off ramps around Shady Grove Road, and construction of various bridges and road realignments.


HOA Activities:

In the new year I hope you join me at the adults-only wine and cheese night, Saturday January 30th. We'll have an ice cream social in the early summer, and a picnic in the fall. There may be other social events depending on interest and opportunity.

Is there interest in a spring combined yard sale day? Let me know.

There will be elections for the board in June. It is generally a couple of hour’s commitment, once a month for meetings, with other support activities as we get involved in them. Terms last for two years.

Wishing you the best for the new year.

 

 

 

 

 

Your Community Bulletin Board – Would you like to tell neighbors about a service you provide? Do you want to know about service providers that neighbors have used? Go to Hollybrooke.wordpress.com to post comments on issues, post recommendations on service providers or services, post lost and found notices, post items for sale or donations.

 

 

 

Update on the Gude Landfill

Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection Continues Its Nature and Extent Studies at the Gude Landfill 

The County has started an engineering analysis of the Gude Landfill.  Two steps in the process have been concluded. The County has prepared a 3 dimensional map of the landfill so that the settling of the landfill can be tracked, and planned activities can be precisely located.  And second, the County has created a map of the exact boundaries of the waste – by drilling holes around the perimeter of the landfill to delineate the extent of the trash and determine whether trash has migrated off site. The next step is for the County to dig wells around the landfill to sample the ground water.  The ground water exists in moving layers of water called aquifers, and these aquifers can carry the contamination from the landfill site, sometimes a considerable distance. The wells will be 2-4” pipes that will go to various depths and some wells are likely to be located within the neighborhood.  Water samples from these wells will be analyzed for contamination concentrations and other information. 

Who is Responsible for the Landfill Studies and Remediation - Where Can I Get More Information? 

The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection is responsible for the conduct of the nature and extent study and the eventual remediation of the landfill.  Their work is under the direct supervision of the Maryland Department of Environment.  Peter Karasik, Section Chief of the DEP is the county manager overseeing the environmental issues at the landfill.  

 

Department of Environmental Protection 
101 Monroe Street, 6th Floor · Rockville, Maryland 20850

 240-777-6410   

County Website: 

The Montgomery County DEP has established a web site with key information about the landfill.  The website is found at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/swstmpl.asp?url=/content/dep/solidwaste/facilities/gude/index.asp (shorter http://tinyurl.com/nnzkqh )The site provides contact information to reach officials from the County’s Department of Environmental Protection and Division of Solid Waste Services and has an email “question and comment” facility.  

What is the Gude Landfill Concerned Citizens Group? 

GLCC is a volunteer group of community members from all three HOAs, who have joined together in response to concerns raised about the current and future state of the Gude Landfill.  The group seeks to raise community concerns about the landfill, its environmental impact on the community and possible health and safety concerns, and provide a means of communication between the community and County and State officials.  
 
 Monthly Meetings with the County DEP Continue – Open to the Community 

The County Department of Environmental Protection and its engineering firm conduct monthly meetings to review these activities.  These meetings will provide the foundation for the preparation of a remediation plan. These meetings are open to the public, and are held the second Thursday of each month, 7:30 P.M. at:

 

Waste Transfer Station Administration Building

16101 Frederick Road 
Derwood MD 20855  

If you need information on attending these meetings, please feel free to contact the Gude Landfill Concerned Citizens group via email at GLCC@Hollybrooke.org. 

History: Community Meeting Held September 24, 2009 

On September 24, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. at Candlewood Elementary School the GLCC held a community meeting which included briefings from County officials and their environmental engineering consultants.  Up to date facts about the landfill, the nature and extent study, and possible remediation and reuse alternatives were presented.   

What Happens Next? 

 

As of this writing, the County continues to refine its plans for drilling test wells.  The community should expect that during the first half of 2010 numerous wells will be drilled around the landfill on County property, and that a few wells will be situated within the neighborhood.  Groundwater from these wells will be tested and analyzed.  We anticipate receiving results from the wells in the second half of 2010.  After all the facts about the landfill have been gathered, the County will inform the community and begin to develop a remediation plan. The objective of remediation would be to minimize any health dangers or environmental impacts by preventing contaminants from migrating away from the landfill, and to allow for future beneficial uses of the landfill.

Tri-HOA Committee

 

The Gude Landfill Concerned Citizens (GLCC) is a small group of neighbors who successfully opposed the County’s 2008 plan to relocate the County’s school bus depot to the Gude Landfill. They raised concerns that contamination may have migrated from the landfill and that any construction on the landfill would be a hazard to the adjacent Derwood neighborhood. The GLCC objective was an engineering analysis and remediation for any contamination that had migrated off the landfill site.

 

As a result of the GLCC efforts, the County in 2009 backed away from their school bus depot plan and initiated an engineering study that will determine the nature and extent of contamination that has migrated off the landfill site. The County is doing this at the direction of the State of Maryland, and the study’s results and any corrective actions will be approved by the State of Maryland.

 

During 2010 the GLCC anticipates its activities will be primarily liaison and communications. Any decisions will be directed to the Board of Directors of the 3 neighborhood HOAs – Derwood Station 1, Derwood Station 2 and Derwood Station South.  To reflect this new approach, a change in status is proposed.

 

The GLCC proposes that they become a tri-HOA committee, reporting to all 3 Boards.  They propose that their function be liaison between the HOAs and the County, and that their responsibility be to keep the Derwood HOA Boards informed about what is going on, what is planned, and what solutions are possible. The GLCC feels that this role change is necessary to ensure that neighbors are represented by residents appointed by their elected HOA leaders as the engineering studies are carried out. The following summarizes the proposal.

 

Proposed:

• .That the GLCC become a tri-HOA committee whose sole responsibility is liaison and communication with the County; 

• .That the GLCC focus will be the impact of the Gude Landfill on the Derwood neighborhoods;  

• .That the GLCC will report to the Boards of Directors of all 3 Derwood HOAs; 

• .That the GLCC will be composed of volunteers who are members of the Derwood HOAs and are appointed by their Boards; 

• .That the GLCC will keep the HOA Boards continually informed about County activities at the Gude Landfill that could affect the Derwood neighborhoods; 

• .That any neighborhood decision/position with respect to the Gude Landfill be made by the respective HOA Boards of Directors. 

 

The Board passes these proposals and appoints Bob Day, Keith Ligon, Nick Radonic and Julia Tillery as DSS representatives to the Tri-HOA Committee.

 

 

Lighting to Improve Safety in Derwood Station

 

One of the real advantages of Derwood Station are the streetlights that were installed when the community was developed and which are maintained by the county.  They help to light the way not only for the vehicles on our streets but for walkers within our community both at night and early in the morning.  They are augmented by neighbors in our community who leave their outside lights on during the night to help light their way and to deter unwanted and uninvited “guests” to their homes.  Per police reports, exterior lighting of all kinds helps deter burglaries and make an area a safer place for all.

 

As an early morning walker for the past several years I have noticed streetlights that have been out or that blink on and off and have called the county to have them replaced or repaired.  Even with the streetlights there are many dark areas of our neighborhood where use of homeowners’ lights would help to light the way and deter burglaries.  I would encourage all homeowners to turn on your lights to help make our neighborhood brighter and safer for all.  The cost of electricity to do this is minimal and a small price to pay for increased safety in the neighborhood.  Remember the risk you assume as the only unlit house on a block.

 

If you should notice that a streetlight is not functioning; is blinking; or, as occasionally happens, is knocked over, please determine the pole number and contact the county to report it.  This can be done in several ways.  

 

• .The county web site for street lights is: http://gis.montgomerycountymd.gov/ims/lights/viewer.htm.  This web site will help you to identify the numbers of the poles within our neighborhood once you enter the streets at the closest intersection to the pole that is out.   

• .You can complete and electronically submit the following form to identify the outage - Streetlight Outage Form. 

• .Or you can contact the Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation, Division of Operations, Traffic Engineering and Operations Section.  Mr. Kutty Menon is the contact person and he can be reached at 240-777-2164.  When you call him be sure to know the name of the street, the pole number, and identify the issue with that pole.  He has been vigilant in getting our lights fixed for us over the past two years and is eager to help us keep our neighborhood lighted and safe.  But, he can only help us if we call him. 

 

Thanks to everyone for your help in keeping Derwood Station a safe community in which to live.

 

 

 

M. Jane Markley