Committee for a Better Environment

Committee for a Better Environment Via Teleconferencing through Zoom September 27, 2021 7:00 PM Members Term Expires Present Absent Alexa Bely (d 8:50pm) 6/30/2022 X Dylan Burns (d 8:35pm) 6/30/2024 X Pablo deOliveria 6/30/2024 X Matt Dernoga 6/30/2022 X Alan Hew (a 7:07pm) 6/30/2023 X Todd Larsen 6/30/2023 X Alec Lynde 6/30/2024 X Nikki Pancho 6/30/2022 X Donnie Scally 6/30/2023 X Don Schmadel (a 7:11pm) 6/30/2022 X Emily Shohfi 6/30/2022 X Holly Simmons 6/30/2023 X Stacy Teng 6/30/2022 X Cameron Thurston 6/30/2024 X Daniel Walfield 6/30/2023 X Caroline Wick 6/30/2023 X Mitchell Wyllins 6/30/2024 X Also Present: Janet McCaslin, City Liaison; Sheryl DeWalt, Contract Secretary The meeting began at 7:03pm by Todd Larsen, chair. 1. The agenda was reviewed and additions were made. Ms. Bely motioned to accept. Ms. Wick seconded. Motion carries 9-0-0. 2. The August 23, 2021, minutes were reviewed. Mr. Lynde motioned to accept the minutes. Mr. Walfield seconded. Motion carries 10-0-0. 3. City activities: a. The budget for FY2022 is $3,000.00. b. The tree signs for the Trolley Trail have arrived. Ms. McCaslin is in the process of unwrapping them. c. City Hall is almost completed. They are anticipating moving into offices in early November. d. There will be an additional Food Scrap drop off program at the old College Park Woods pool. e. October 2 is the first clean up Saturday. Shredding will also be done this day and light bulbs and batteries will also be accepted. Other clean up days are October 16 and October 23 – clean up only.  f. A new City Manager, IT Manager, and Economic Development Manager have been hired for College Park. 4. Brenda Alexander, Todd Reitzel, Ms. Bely and Mr. Larsen went through the trolley trail, north and south sides, and identified the trees where signs would be placed. DPW will install the signs as time permits. The storyboard will need to be created and uploaded to the website and translated into several languages. GIS will help identifying the trees on a map and uploading to the website. Ms. Bely requested additional monies (~$750) for 10 more signs. A suggestion was made to change the name to Green Trail or include Green Trail in the name. Mr. Lynde has a copy of the Trolley Trail map and will reach out to Hyattsville Community Development Corporation to inquire about the procedures for a name change. 5. Stormwater Drains. Ms. Wick and Ms. McCaslin have been working with College Park Arts Exchange on the storm drain mural project. Copies of the sketches were shared with the committee. CPAE has indicated they will cover the artist cost per hour. Paint would cost between $30-$40 per gallon along with other supplies, e.g., paint brushes, sealer, primer, etc. Ms. Wick is suggesting $750 for supplies. The locations considered are on Rhode Island Avenue just north of the intersection of Calvert Road, right off the bike trail and one in Berwyn Heights. Mr. Larsen made a motion for CBE to cover the cost of paint and supplies up to $750. Ms. Bely seconded the motion. Motion carries 11-0-0. 6. Project Open Space. The space discussed at the August meeting on Greenbelt Road is no longer available; it is under contract for purchase. After reviewing PG Atlas, other areas which had been reviewed at the August meeting are owned and the owners are not willing to sell the land. Several committee members made suggestions of other open space areas; Mr. Lynde agreed to draft a letter for CBE to review about the properties for consideration by Mayor and City Council. 7. Bee City activities: a. Mr. Hew stated that the resolution for Mayor and City Council to consider for No Mow Month and Signage Contest on November 2. Several members of the Bee City committee will be present. Mr. Hew will send a copy of the information to Ms. McCaslin. b. If the resolution is approved by Mayor and City Council, Mr. Hew requested $400 for the signage contest. Mr. Larsen made a motion to approve $400 for the signage contest, if approved by Mayor and City Council. Mr. Scally seconded. Motion carries 11-0-0. 8. Mr. Hew and Mr. Larsen discussed the respective Route 1 Corridor webinars on pollinators and flood mitigation. Copies of the presentations were emailed to the CBE members. 9. The webinar on the Sustainable Survey results will be held on October 9. Ms. Bely, Ms. Teng and Mr. Larsen will be preparing a PowerPoint presentation. 10. Reviewed fall and spring events that were discussed at the August meeting. The committee settled on an INaturalist session on November 6. Mr. Lynde and Ms. Bely will reach out to someone at the UMD Extension to host the session. 11. Good Neighbor Day is scheduled for November 13. Any projects will be needed by October 16. Mr. Hew announced that the Permaculture Garden and the Pollinator area on Cherokee Street will be part of Good Neighbor Day. 12. Municipal Scene article for November – Leaf disposal and drains – Ms. Wick. 13. TLB meeting: A representative from the MNCPPC made a presentation of the different ordinances that are in place within Prince Georges County, the Woodland Conservation Act, the Tree Canopy ordinance, and the Landscape Manual. The Landscape Manual is a subcategory under the zoning ordinance and the Tree Canopy ordinance is intended to encourage re-planting in areas that are already developed. Ms. Finch also provided a presentation on the overview of the Woodland Conservation Act. The presentation included the following details:  The definition of a woodland  Includes larger size parcels over 40,000 sq. ft., with a certain number of trees on site.  Explained the difference between tree canopy and woodlands  The Act applies to all non-federal public and private development, including state projects.  Site exemptions included, being less than 40,000 sq. ft. in size and if the site was part of the Chesapeake Bay critical area.  Numbered exemptions, which are tracked and mapped  Tree Conservation Plan types  Tree replacement requirements 14. Reviewed draft letter to Mayor and City Council on using planes landing at the College Park Airport using leaded fuel. Ms. Bely made a motion to send the letter to Mayor and City Council. Ms. Shohfi seconded. Motion carries 10-0-0. 15. Reviewed draft letter to Mayor and City Council regarding the Gilbane Development/Guilford Woods. A few suggestions were made to amend the letter which  Ms. Bely and Mr. Larsen will handle. Ms. Shohfi made a motion to send the letter to Mayor and City Council with the changes. Ms. Wick seconded. Motion carries 10-0-0. 16. Mr. Hew mentioned that the UMD Golf Course wants to make changes that may affect the environment. He will forward a copy of the letter to the CBE. 17. The next CBE meeting will be on October 25, 2021, at 7:00pm. Instructions will be sent out via email prior to the meeting date. The November and December meetings will be combined and held on December 6, 2021, at 7:00pm. Mr. Walfield motioned to adjourn. Ms. Shohfi seconded. Motion carries 9-0-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:00pm. Respectfully submitted by Sheryl DeWalt, contract secretary.