WEEKLY BULLETIN | May 15, 2020

View as Webpage

June Public Focus Groups for the City of College Park FY21 – 25 Strategic Plan

The City of College Park is working on our next 5-year Strategic Plan for the City and we want your help! Our goal is to capture our residents’ feedback to ensure we understand where you see College Park in the future. We are holding six virtual public focus groups to hear your thoughts and perspective. Each focus group will have eight participants; to participate, you must register for a spot. Below are the available dates and times:

After registering, click here to complete a demographic survey. Survey completion is required for registration, as the data collected will be used to compare participants demographic information to the entire College Park population. For more information, visit our website at www.collegeparkmd.gov/156/City-Managers-Office#strategicplan.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

All City Offices Closed for Memorial Day

All City offices will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2020 in observance of Memorial Day. Refuse and recycling will occur one day later than normal during this holiday week.

City Updates During COVID-19

www.collegeparkmd.gov/covid19

Please visit the City's dedicated COVID-19 website for all the latest information about the City's response and local resources during the pandemic.

The website is updated frequently, so please check often.

Count Me in College Park!

Your response to the 2020 census at  https://my2020census.gov/ informs local business decisions. When planning a new business or deciding whether to hire more staff, entrepreneurs and big chains alike must answer key questions such as: Who are my potential customers? How many live in the area? How many similar businesses are already operating nearby? How much are those competitors paying their employees? That’s why it’s important to respond to the 2020 Census. Responses could lead to more jobs and new businesses in a community. Businesses use population statistics to help decide where to add jobs or open new stores, offices or other businesses in communities across the country.

 

The City of College Park urges all households to fill out the form online, over the phone, or by mail. For more information, visit  https://www.collegeparkmd.gov/census2020  or contact the Planning Department at 240-487-3541. 

Upper Midtown Land Use Study Input Requested

The City of College Park received a Council of Governments/Transportation Planning Board grant to review constraints and opportunities for possible redevelopment of the study area along Baltimore Avenue (US 1) (Route 1) between University Boulevard (MD 193) and Cherokee Street. The effort is part of a larger goal to promote Route 1 as more livable and safer for all travelers, especially pedestrians.

This project is not a development proposal and the project team is not working with any developers to redevelop the study area. This is a planning study to explore development alternatives and identify multi-modal transportation improvements to enhance the access and connectivity of the study area.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the state-wide stay-at-home order, the project team was unable to host an in-person public meeting to share and discuss possible futures of the area. The project team created the on-line presentation and survey to share information and gather feedback in place of an in-person public meeting.

Please visit https://bit.ly/uppermidtown to learn more and provide your input. The website and survey will remain open until May 31 ^st, 2020. Please use the browsers Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox. Microsoft Internet Explorer is not supported.

Limited Community Garden Plots Available

 

Calling all gardeners! A few plots are available at the Hollywood Garden. Please email Katie at [email protected] for availability and an application form. Garden plots are $15 and are on a first-come first-serve basis. Social distancing guidelines must be followed including no more than ten people allowed in the garden at a time, stay six feet away from others, and avoid the garden if you are exhibiting symptoms of any illness. Wearing a mask is also recommended.

City of College Park Proclamations

At the Mayor & Council Meeting on May 12, 2020, the following proclamations were introduced:

Volunteers Wanted

Are you interested in serving on a City advisory board?

Serve your community, lend your talents, and meet your neighbors. The following advisory boards have vacancies:

Interested in volunteering? Please complete and submit an application  to [email protected] or to your to your City Council representative by May 18th. For detailed information on City advisory boards, please visit our website by clicking here .

For additional information regarding vacancies, please contact the  City Clerk’s office, your City Council representative or visit our website at www.collegeparkmd.gov/ 186/Boards-Commissions.

Resource Directory of Essential Businesses Open

To see which College Park businesses are open, please visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/covid19#openbusinesses . The list is continually updated.

If you are a business that needs to update their information, please email [email protected] .

University of Maryland Child Development Center

The University of Maryland’s Child Development Center, operated by Bright Horizons, is scheduled to open September 1.

The Center is located on the City’s property at 4601 Calvert Road. In return for leasing the property at no cost to the University, City residents not affiliated with the University have priority for 14 slots at the Center. City residents who are affiliated with the University are also given a priority.

For more information, visit www.brighthorizons.com/umd.

TERPX

Moving can be stressful, expensive and time consuming! TERPX can give you peace of mind when it comes to buying, selling or exchanging furniture, household goods, school materials, electronics and more. Looking to sublet your room? This platform will enable you to connect with other University of Maryland students looking for housing. Whether it is furniture or your room, this is where you “exchange” things.

Benefits of Terp Exchange :

For more information, visit www.terpx.us .

TERPX is sponsored by the Prince George's Property Owners Association (PGPOA)

Maryland Department of Transportation / Maryland Transit Administration Purple Line Construction Project

Buses will be temporarily relocated due to Maryland Department of Transportation / Maryland Transit Administration Purple Line construction on Campus Drive effective Monday, April 20, 2020. This will effect buses on River Road and on the Westside of the College Park-U of MD station. Click the image for details.

A WEEK IN REVIEW

Notice of Adoption of Ordinance 20-O-01

In January 2020, the Mayor and Council adopted Ordinance 20-O-01 which made changes to the collection of Special Trash. It prohibits placement of materials at properties that did not generate the materials; sets fees for collection and fees for Refuse, Recycling and Yard Waste receptacles; and sets penalties for violations.

Effective May 1, 2020, the following bulk trash collection changes will take effect:

1.    No Contractor-generated construction materials will be collected; however, small home-improvement material that is generated by the resident and properly set out will be collected.

2.    Soft and Woody Yard Waste that is properly set out will be collected; however, Soft and Woody Yard Waste that is oversized and requires the use of a crane will be charged at a cost of $100 per collection, per hour

3.    Certain materials set out for collection will require a fee. These include:

4.    Mattresses must be wrapped in plastic, or placed in a plastic mattress bag, in order to be collected.

5.    Oversized, overweight, improperly sorted material, or collections requiring use of a crane, will be assessed a fee of $100 per collection, per hour. 

6.    Refuse Carts: The City will provide up to two refuse carts free of charge per household. There will be an annual cost of $50 for a third refuse cart. A maximum of three refuse carts are allowed per household.  

Mosquito Control

The City of College Park cooperates with the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to identify and control mosquito populations. Larviciding treatments are made by MDA personnel to known areas of standing water to control mosquito larva by preventing development into adult mosquitos. Spraying to control adult mosquitoes begins in June and will run through September. Wednesday is the designated night when spraying for adult mosquitoes may occur in College Park. MDA does not spray individual properties; they treat neighborhoods that meet established thresholds.

Request for Exemption from Adult Mosquito Control Services: any resident who wishes to have the frontage of their property excluded from adult mosquito control pesticide applications, by truck-mounted ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayers must fill out this form annually. Click here for the application.

Weekly Highlights of Contract Police Activity

May 1 - May 7, 2020

Monthly Public Safety Maps

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

CITY EVENTS AND RECREATION

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Office of the City Manager | 240.487.3501 | [email protected] | collegeparkmd.gov