Government & Public Utilities Committee Report: February 21, 2018

Paul Arneson resigned from the committee on January 15, 2017 (for personal reasons).

Derelict Property at 13210 L’Enfant Drive

On January 19, 2018, a letter from FWECA, signed by Carolyn Stevens and Joe Federline, was sent to the Director, Department of Permitting, Inspections & Enforcement (DPIE), and the Associate County Attorney. The letter expressed FWECA’s urgent concern about the unsafe and derelict property in our neighborhood at 13210 L’Enfant Drive. This property has been an eyesore for many years and negatively affects the value of all the homes in our community, particularly those closest to it.

The letter from FWECA requested that the County enforce the Consent Order agreed to by the property owner in May 2017. According to the Consent Order, the property owner agreed to complete the improvement project by December 22, 2017. The owner has violated the provisions of the Consent Order. The FWECA letter (as well as a letter sent by Jay Kruger to the same parties) requested that actions against the property owner, as outlined in the Consent Order, be undertaken. These actions include to: (1) impose fines for not completing the work (2) abate any unsafe conditions up to, and including, demolition of the subject property (including the house) and fill in the excavated area; (3) require the owner to pay for the demolition and associated work; (4) if not paid, place a tax lien on the property, and (5) if the tax is not paid, sell the property at auction.

DPIE has placed a “Stop Work” order on the property. DPIE and the Associate County Attorney are currently deciding on the next course of action.

Status of WSSC Queens Water Main Replacement Project

Mel Kruer, of this committee, contacted the WSSC Project Manager for the status of the project before the FWECA General Meeting. The Project Manager said that the contract has not yet been awarded, but as soon as the contract is awarded, she will send FWECA a schedule. Additionally, once the contract has been awarded and the work is scheduled to begin, affected property owners in Captain’s Cove will be notified by WSSC. It will take approximately 2 years to complete construction of the Queens Water Main project.

Plans to improve safety on Indian Head Highway (Route 210)

The January 22nd meeting of the Route 210 Safety Committee included discussion and information about local and state safety actions such as increased police monitoring and enforcement efforts, possible mobile roving speed cameras, more state highway administration involvement and increased traffic violation fines. Joe discussed this meeting and provided a handout from the meeting at the FWECA General Meeting. The proposal by Delegate Valderrama, known as PG 302-18, to authorize speed cameras (outside of construction zones and school zones) on Route 210 was strongly endorsed by the County Council. The bill was also supported by the County Executive, and the County Police and Fire Departments. The bill has been presented to the State Legislature as HB 175. The Chief of Staff for Delegate Jay Walker reported that if the bill is passed and funded by the State legislature, this should occur no later than October 1, 2018.

Abandoned and Unlicensed Vehicles

Eric Linderman, of this committee, did not report any abandoned and unlicensed vehicles in our neighborhood to the county during this period. Eric is new to our neighborhood and Joe plans to drive him around Captain’s Cove (when the weather is better) to show Eric the “boundaries” of our community.

Two Alternatives to Comprehensive Community Cleanup

Joe Federline discussed the following 2 alternative programs to the Comprehensive Community Cleanup Program at the FWECA General Meeting. The Comprehensive Community Cleanup Program, which is conducted every 4 years, would not be conducted again in Fort Washington Estates until the spring of 2021.

1. In the Clean Up–Green Up Program, the county gives the community cleanup supplies and trees to plant over a weekend. Volunteers would be needed to would plant trees and spread mulch in the Community Park, with plant materials and mulch provided by the County. This program takes place in the spring and the fall. FWECA must apply for the program at: https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/2590/Clean-Up-Green-Up Alfred Titus-Glover, the Manager of the Prince George's County Comprehensive Community Cleanup Program said that the contact for Clean Up- Green Up Program is Michael Brown in Public Works and Transportation. His phone number is 301-499-8535. Carolyn Stevens indicated at the General Meeting that she would ask Sandra Stephon, Chair of the Beautification Committee, to explore and coordinate this project for Fort Washington Estates, if feasible.

2. Mr. Alfred Titus-Glover said that our community could arrange for a dumpster to be placed in our neighborhood for a few days as a central repository for items (such as bulk trash items that could be taken to this dumpster) that people want to get rid of. The county will pick up the dumpster after the event. The County contact is Darlene Wollen in The Waste Management Division. Her phone number: 301-780-6311. Joe will follow-up on this as there was interest in this at the General Meeting. (Please note that placement of the dumpster in our community for a few days does not preclude residents from contacting the county for their bulk-trash pickup needs.)

Status of Seeking a Permit for Placing a Little Free Library in Captain’s Cove Park

Joe Federline sent a rough draft of a letter to M-NCPPC, requesting permission to place a Little Free Library in Captain's Cove Park, to Carolyn Stevens and Michele Livingood. The letter was based on prior e-mail messages and a conversation that Joe had with Ann Marie Teske of the M-NCPPC Park Permit Office. Michele Livingood said that she finalized the letter and she sent the letter to M-NCPPC on January 31, 2018.

Hazardous Waste Disposal

At the General Meeting, Mary Davis asked whether hazardous waste, such as paint cans, could be placed in the neighborhood dumpster, as part of the neighborhood clean-up. Hazardous waste such as car batteries, oil-based paints, solvents, varnishes and stains, must be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Acceptance Site, located at the Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill, which is open and free of charge to County citizens and residents who need to dispose of harmful household waste. The site is designed to be a drive-through location. An additional means by which to dispose of hazardous waste is available to senior citizens and the disabled. To qualify, no one living in the home can be under 65 years of age or be physically able to transport the material to the county’s facility. Residents who qualify for this service should call 311 to schedule an appointment for the at-home collection of household hazardous waste. Joe has shared information about how to dispose of hazardous waste with Mary Davis.

Commercial Vehicles Parked in Driveways of Captain’s Cove Residents

The issue of commercial vehicles being parked in driveways at which the owner or employee of said commercial enterprise lives was raised at the General Meeting. According to Department of Permitting, Inspection and Enforcement (DPIE) documents, commercial vehicles are not supposed to be parked overnight in county neighborhoods. The persons who discussed this issue at the General Meeting seemed to understand the reality of work situations in which a Captain’s Cove resident drives a commercial vehicle for work purposes on a regular basis and parks this vehicle on a regular basis in their driveway. This issue seemed to be raised for hypothetical discussion and no one requested that county action by DPIE be taken.