WEEKLY BULLETIN | December 16, 2022

Deck the City Contest

December 1 - 19



It’s that time of year again- get into the festive spirit with twinkling lights, inflatable characters, and tons of garland! The City’s annual Deck the City Holiday Decorating Contest is back! 

Nominate your own home, your neighbor's home, or all the awesomely decorated homes you see in College Park here! All entries must be submitted by 11:59 pm on Monday, December 19.

Online voting will occur on the City’s Facebook page on December 20th through December 22nd and winners will be announced online on December 23rd. See 2022 contest rules here.

We are hosting a safe contest again this year. To ensure safe physical distancing, all entries must have photos of the decorations in order to be entered. Nominated homes will be posted on the City's Facebook page. The photo with the most likes will be the online digital winner! We will be awarding 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in Online Voting, as well as for the Mayor's Choice award.

Holiday Closings

All City facilities will be closed on Monday, December 26 in observance of the Christmas holiday and Monday, January 2, 2023 in observance of the New Year holiday.

There will be no collections on those dates; all collection days slide forward one day (Monday collections will occur on Tuesday and so forth), and Friday is the only Special/Bulk collection day for those weeks.

Community Survey 2022

The City is partnering with the ETC Institute to conduct a comprehensive community survey. This upcoming City of College Park Community Survey will measure residents’ attitudes and opinions on City services like refuse and recycling collection, City facilities and parks, City events, and economic development. This will be the third scientifically representative survey conducted in the City of College Park.

A randomly selected sample of College Park residents will receive a mailing from the City and ETC Institute notifying them of their selection in the survey process. Be sure to check your mailbox for more information about the survey. Responses are anonymous. The mailed paper survey will be in English, but a Spanish version of the survey will be available.

If you have received your paper survey in the mail, please complete and submit that form. If you did not receive a paper survey, we still want to hear from you! Please complete the survey online.

Participation in the survey is very important. The results will help City officials better serve the College Park community, so please complete the survey if your household is selected. Help us shape the future of College Park! For any questions about the 2022 City of College Park Community Survey, please call 240-487-3501 or email [email protected].

Stay tuned to the City’s website, facebook and twitter pages for up-to-date news and information.

Curbside Food Scrap Collection

College Park's average weekly food scrap tonnage has increased from 0.5 ton to 1.25 tons since starting curbside collections!

This new voluntary program will divert organic materials, that are not waste, out of our landfill and will reduce harmful greenhouse gases emitted from organic decomposition in landfills, which contributes to climate change. 

Residents can sign up on a rolling basis – join and purchase containers at www.collegeparkmd.gov/curbsidecollectionapp. Once you pick up your containers, your collection will start the following week.

Tips for a successful collection:

•  A contractor is providing the collection service, so it’s best to place your container out before 6:00 a.m. or the night before your scheduled pick-up to avoid a missed collection.
• Your container should be directly in front of your house, and if possible, at the end of your driveway so that it is clearly visible from the street (no alley collections)
• Keep your container away from trash and recycling carts, or other obstacles.
• If you run out of compostable bags, you can use a paper bag, or put food scraps loosely in the container.
• Our contractor, Compost Crew, will send a reminder email the day before your collection. They will also send a notice if your container is not found.
• If you will be away and want to skip a week, please email [email protected] and let us know the week(s) you would like your service suspended.

Check out the video below for an introduction to the program and other how to videos.

Election Survey

The City of College Park is conducting a short survey about voter engagement in City elections. Whether you vote in every City election, and especially if you have never voted in a City election, your opinion is important to us. 

Complete the survey here before January 3, 2023. 

The next City election is in November 2023. For more information, call the City Clerk at 240-487-3501. 

ARPA Mental Health Assistance



The City has established programs to assist businesses, nonprofits, and residents address the negative financial impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Rescue Program Act (ARPA) has provided funds that the City is using for these and many other projects.

College Park residents of all ages may be reimbursed for up to $5,000 per household for mental health services received OR invoices may be paid directly to service providers.

Learn more here.

Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 2023

The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is a time set aside each year, where we as a country, work together, serving others, to make our communities more equitable. We annually observe this day each year on the third Monday in January. As the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service, MLK Day encourages all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.

The theme for the City of College Park’s 2023 Tribute to Dr. King is the Urgency of Now: One Community, One Love.



The City of College Park is providing multiple ways our residents can honor Dr. King's legacy on January 16th and throughout the entire month, including The Art, Visual Art, and Essay Competition. This contest is open to students in grades kindergarten through 12th who live in the City of College Park. Students must submit their entry by Friday, December 30, 2022. Winners will receive a monetary award and be recognized in the 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.

For more information about activities celebrating Dr. King, visit our website.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Virtual Panel

January 16, 2023 | 7:00 PM | Virtual

Join the City and our panelists on January 16th, 2023 from 7:00-8:00pm for a thought-provoking discussion on Dr. King's teachings and legacy. Registration is free.

For more information about activities celebrating Dr. King, visit our website.

Please note that by participating in City events, you acknowledge and assume all risks and liabilities including possible exposure to illnesses, including but not limited to COVID-19. Masks and social distancing are strongly encouraged.

DEPARTMENT UPDATES

Department of Public Works Gift Certificates

Please contact the Department for further information.

SmartLeaf Compost and Wood Mulch

Compost is $28.00 per cubic yard, and wood mulch is $12.00 per cubic yard. Material may be picked up Mon.-Fri. between 8:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Deliveries are finished for the season, but material is available year-round (while supplies last) at the Department of Public Works, 9217 51st Avenue, College Park, MD 20740.

For more information on compost click here, or wood mulch click here. For further questions, please call 240-487-3593.

For more information about purchasing Compost or Wood Mulch please visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/gardens.

City Tree Programs

Trees provide many benefits such as reduction of cooling and heating costs, interception of rainwater, increasing property values and improving air quality. The City offers a few ways to help. More information is available at www.collegeparkmd.gov/trees. Fall street tree planning is happening now, send in your requests! 

REQUESTS FOR STREET TREES: The City has a program that pays for and provides street tree planting in the right-of-way area, which includes the grass strip between the curb and sidewalk. College Park residents interested in requesting a tree can contact Brenda Alexander at 240-487-3590 or [email protected]. The location will be inspected to determine if it is suitable.

TREE CANOPY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (TCEP): City of College Park property owners can apply for reimbursement of up to $150.00 annually, for approved tree(s) planted on their residential lot. The completed application should be sent to [email protected] for review and approval. Click here for a link to the guidelines and application.

TREE MAINTENANCE The City is responsible for tree maintenance in the rights-of-way, City maintained buildings and parks, and on public property. Trees on private property are the responsibility of the property owner.

Urban Tree Protection: Ordinance 21-O-09

This Ordinance requires an application to be submitted for approval to obtain a permit to remove or prune a tree on residential land.

Beginning July 1, 2022, trees on residential property within the City of College Park, greater than 36 inches in circumference measured at 4.5 feet above ground level, on which the property owner wants to remove or prune live branches or wood more than 20% will need to submit an application to the Department of Public Works for a tree removal/pruning permit and receive approval prior to beginning planned tree work. A requirement of the tree removal/pruning permit is that urban tree(s) approved for removal are replaced.

You can find the permit application at www.collegeparkmd.gov/TreeRemovalApp

For more information, click here.

Curbside Leaf Collection

During Curbside Leaf Collection, signs are posted in your neighborhood in advance of the scheduled collection dates. The collection calendar will be updated as the schedule changes. Look for signs posted in your neighborhood. Click here for the City’s leaf plan and calendar.

DPW is ahead of schedule leaf vacuuming. You may see the trucks in your area before they are scheduled, but they will also be back on the scheduled day.

Click here for the December calendar.

TIPS – THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF LEAF COLLECTION!

• Please do not put sticks, branches, or brush in your leaf piles.
• Bagging is not necessary during leaf collection with vacuums. Grass can be included in your leaf piles, but no sticks, branches, vines, or woody materials (as these items require a special collection).
• Rake leaves to the curb but do not put them in the street. Pile leaves away from cars and storm drains as the leaf vacuum cannot reach around cars.
• Remove tree limbs, rocks, trash, and other debris from leaves to be collected. These items damage the equipment and cause delays.
• Noise and dust may be noticeable as dry conditions generate more dust. We apologize for any inconvenience.
• When signs are posted, rake leaves to the curb. To ensure collection, put leaves out by the first day listed. Calendar may show two days in an area, but we only collect once per street per collection cycle.

Winter Weather Alerts

Be prepared for winter. Visit our website for more information on the steps the City takes when there is a wintery mix in the forecast.

Department of Public Works crews are staffed around the clock during snow emergencies to clear the 51 road miles of City streets. Updates will be posted on the City’s website, all City social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

Water Main Breaks

As it gets cooler, the risk of water main breaks increases. The first step to repairing a water main is YOU! Report it to WSSC Water 301-206-4002; please have the physical address of the water main break available when you call.

Holiday Light Recycling

Holiday string lights, working or non-working, are accepted for recycling at MOM’s Organic Market, 9801 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park. The string lights are collected for recycling beginning in December and continuing through early January.



Please remove lights from bags/packaging and place in designated holiday lights recycling bin located in the lobby when you enter MOM’s Organic Market.

Department of Public Services

Weekly Highlights of Contract Police Activity

December 2 - December 8

12/3 Contract officer conducted a traffic stop for loud music at Baltimore Avenue and Campus Drive. The driver was issued 8 citations.

12/3 Contract officer conducted a traffic stop on Old Calvert Road at Kenilworth Avenue for a vehicle (Car Club Type) with flames coming from the exhaust. The driver was issued 13 citations and placed under arrest for an outstanding warrant for DTA DWI.

12/5 Contract officer conducted a traffic stop for loud exhaust at University Blvd. at Rhode Island Avenue. The driver was issued 4 citations and 3 warnings. 

12/8 Contract officer conducted a traffic assignment (Stop Sign Enforcement) at Berwyn Road at 49^th Avenue. 2 warning citations were issued.

Dec 5 to Dec 11, 2022

There was one municipal infraction issued for the Noise Ordinance, and none for Article I, 141-1 Danger to Public Safety/Health or Article II, 141-13 Unruly Social Gatherings

Statistical Data and issued

(916-9/22):

MD State Citations: 86

Warnings: 157

Equipment Repair Orders: 19

Distracted Driving Citations: 0

Parking Citations: 0

Field Observation Report: 0

Youth Field Observation Report: 0

Citations in Lieu of Arrest: 0

Civil Citation: 0

Criminal Arrests: 0

DWS Arrest: 0

DWI Arrest: 0

Warrant Arrest: 1

Premise Checks: 8

Referral Student Code of Conduct: 0

Zone 1/Downtown Area Pedestrian Warnings: 4

Zone 1/Downtown Area Pedestrian Citations: 0

Zone 2/Berwyn-Lakeland Pedestrian Warnings: 0

Zone 2/ Berwyn-Lakeland Pedestrian Citations: 0

Zone 3/North College Park Pedestrian Warnings: 0

Zone 3/North College Park Pedestrian Citations: 0

Loud Exhaust Enforcement Stats:

Citations: 4

Warnings: 3

SERO's: 0

Year to date Statistics (starting 4/19/21):

Citations: 602

Warnings: 156

SERO's: 146

Monthly Public Safety Maps



For monthly Prince George's County Police public safety maps and statistical data for the City of College Park, visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/publicsafety.

Community Meetings

Note: These are not City meetings but have City staff or Contract Police as a host.