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Planner: City Meetings This Week (5/18/09)

May 18, 2009 7:00 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

>

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks. All meetings below are at at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available, the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:

Next Week:

We are trying to add to this service so it is not just City-sponsored meetings but also other important civic meetings throughout Rockville. Please send us a note to let us know about your civic meeting. We will post them on the calendar available here. For clubs and events, use the Rockville Living add event form. We can’t publish everything, but we we will do our best to be inclusive.

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Planner: City Meetings This Week (5/11/09)

May 11, 2009 15:57 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

>

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks. All meetings below are at at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available, the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:

Next Week:

We are trying to add to this service so it is not just City-sponsored meetings but also other important civic meetings throughout Rockville. Please send us a note to let us know about your civic meeting. We will post them on the calendar available here. For clubs and events, use the Rockville Living add event form. We can’t publish everything, but we we will do our best to be inclusive.

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Planner: City Meetings This Week (5/4/09)

May 4, 2009 8:39 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks.>

All meetings below are at at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available, the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:

Next Week:

We are trying to add to this service so it is not just City-sponsored meetings but also other important civic meetings throughout Rockville. Please send us a note to let us know about your civic meeting. We will post them on the calendar available here. For clubs and events, use the add event form. We can’t publish everything, but we we will do our best to be inclusive.

Post to Twitter

Planner: City Meetings This Week (4/27/09)

Apr 27, 2009 14:48 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks.>

We are trying to add to this service so it is not just City-sponsored meetings but also other important civic meetings throughout Rockville. Please send us a note to let us know about your civic meeting. We will post them on the calendar available here. For clubs and events, use the add event form. We can’t publish everything, but we we will do our best to be inclusive.

All meetings below are at at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available, the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:

Next Week:

Yes, I know next week looks sparse, but that’s all I have. If you know of civic meetings next week, let us know!

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Town Center Summit Recap

Apr 22, 2009 8:00 -
Posted by: Cindy Cotte Griffiths
Department: Business
Tags: , , ,

The Town Center Summit, hosted by the >Town Center Action Team, attracted a large crowd to VisArts last night, Tuesday, April 21, 2009. As promised, the discussion centered on how to how to facilitate and encourage improvements in the short and long term.

The first part of the summit was on the just completed Town Square including how to make the best of the current economic environment. Here’s a quick rundown on some of the points presented.

City long-range planner David Levy thinks that the Rockville Town Center Master Plan’s goal of creating daytime, evening and weekend activity area has been met with Phase I, regardless of whether there are condos or apartments.

Parks and Recreation director Burt Hall explained that the Mayor and Council have postponed a change in the hours for paid parking in Town Center until October so evenings and weekends will remain free through the summer. The monthly parking rate will be lowered from $75 to $65. All City residents will get 12 free parking days starting on June 1, 2009. Coupons will be distributed at City Hall.

Michael Schwartzman from Ross Development gave the real estate developers perspective on Town Square and he said “It has been fantastic … I can tell you that with all sincerity.” Ross is still the 50% holder of the Palladium condos. Town Center has won 10 awards.

Matt Wexler of CIM Group which he described as an “urban investing leader”, reported that his company owns 492 rentals in Town Center and that they are about 85% leased. The projections of renting about 20 units per month have been met. The renewal rate is also on target. Someday they hope the units will be introduced as condos when the market improves. Although later during questions, a couple of people expressed disbelief that 85% were actually rented, Mr. Wexler reiterated that about 85% were in fact rented whether people had their lights on at night or not.

Neil Berkoff (sp?) of Federal Realty said that we cannot ignore that we have had some store closures. They are working to put stores in that people want. Natural attrition occurs in new developments. Some merchants are challenged but for those who are committed, they are working with them. The new furniture store has 12 other successful locations and thinks this store will be successful.

The big news is that the Super Fresh Grocery assured him that it will open this year. Vice President Robin McBride said that as she was walking out the door to attend the Summit, she confirmed the grocery was opening and that their inability to get an exception from the State of Maryland to sell alcohol in the store was not a deterent.

Debra Moser, the executive director of VisArts, talked about how VisArts is gaining recognition throughout the country. The Torpedo Factory in Alexandria (which I always refer to when explaining about the artist studios) came up to see the building because they are thinking of renovating. 57 juried artists will participate in the Fine Arts Craft Festival during Hometown Holidays and a sculpture will be built in the portfolio gallery. Each Wednesday throughout the summer, artists will be in the Square.

Debra Simon, owner of the Waygoose, said that, as a retailer, “It’s been hard.” When the shop re-opened in Town Square after being on North Washington Street before the redevelopment, the recession started almost immediately. She said it’s difficult to make people realize there is something special behind the large garage walls on Rt. 355. Regional media coverage has been difficult to obtain in order to attract people from outlying areas. Although the Square has been getting national attention, it does not have the attention of people living within 10 miles.

She asked everyone to “Invite all your friends that live more than a mile away.”

Sally Sternbach of REDI provided a financial assessment of what should be built in Town Center because this is what she is “paid to wake up and think about.” She advocates for more commercial office space, not government buildings. Commercial offices place a lower demand on public services and provide more tax revenue. She also said that commercial tenants rent more hotel rooms, eat out more in restaurants, and choose more expensive meals than government tenants.

Robin McBride, Vice President of Federal Realty, explained that they have subsidized $1 million dollars for marketing in addition to the fees charged to merchants. Two market studies have shown that shoppers “will not travel north” from DC or Bethesda, but people will travel south from Clarksburg, Olney, and Gaithersburg.

Federal Realty holds events throughout the country at their properties. It’s different at Town Center, she says, because for some reason the large crowds at events do not result in sales generation.

This was all during just the first part of the meeting. The second part looked at Town Center north of Beall Avenue (across the street from Town Square).

David Levy explained that Maryland Avenue will be extended like a curved spine through this section and Dawson Avenue will connect North Washington Street with Rt. 355. The new Rockville zoning confirmed by-right heights for buildings and also set a maximum (with no minimum) for required parking. This north section is not a public-private undertaking like the Town Square and it will be privately developed.

As Mary van Balgooy of Peerless Rockville started to explain about the possibilities for the Pink Bank, which I’ve previously detailed, I had to leave for my kickboxing training. JBG had decided not to speak because the plan was too immature to comment on at this point. I believe that KSI was going to present about their approved development along Beall Avenue which includes the Pink Bank building. Please let us know what we missed in comments!

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Attend Tomorrow's Town Center Summit!

Apr 20, 2009 15:42 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: Events In Rockville
Tags: ,

As many >Rockville Central readers know, the Town Center Action Team is planning a major event tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm — the Town Center Summit!

This Summit will talk not only about Town Square, but also the broader area around it (essentially from the MD-28/Rockville Pike/Veirs Mill intersection up to the Washington/Rockville Pike intersection).

Here’s how the Town Centr Action Team puts it:

The Town Center Action Team is planning a very special event on April 21; a Town Center Summit, from 7 to 9 PM in the VisArts second floor exhibit hall.

Join us for a discussion of the successes, challenges, and prospects of Rockville Town Square and nearby Town Center development, and how we can facilitate and encourage improvements in the short and long term. The meeting will include representatives from all of the interests that will influence the future of our Town Center – residents, merchants, property owners, and managers who live and work in Town Square, and also interested Rockville citizens. Presenters include City Staff, Federal Realty Investment Trust, Ross Danac, CIM Group, JBG, VisArts, Rockville Economic Development Incorporated, Peerless Rockville, and others.

The first part of the summit will be on the just completed Town Square including how to make the best of the current economic environment. The second part of the meeting will look forward to Town Center north of Beall Avenue (across the street from Town Square), to understand what it would take to develop it and how it can best complement and enhance Town Square.

The Town Center Action Team hopes to see you there!

What’s the Town Center Action Team? It grew out of 1995′s Imagine Rockville, a visioning process conducted by the City. The group is made up of citizens and business owners, and focuses on creating a Town Center that reflects the diversity of our city.

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Planner: City Meetings This Week (4/20/09)

Apr 20, 2009 8:50 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks.>

We are trying to add to this service so it is not just City-sponsored meetings but also other important civic meetings throughout Rockville. Please send us a note to let us know about your civic meeting. We will post them on the calendar available here. For clubs and events, use the add event form. We can’t publish everything, but we we will do our best to be inclusive.

All meetings below are at at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available, the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:

Next Week:

.

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Planner: City Meetings This Week (4/13/09) [UPDATED]

Apr 13, 2009 10:15 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks.>

We are trying to add to this service so it is not just City-sponsored meetings but also other important civic meetings throughout Rockville. Please send us a note to let us know about your meeting. We can’t publish everything, but we we will do our best to be inclusive.

(We are trying to create a listing of community meetings so please do let us know about your meeting! We will post them on the calendar available here.)

All meetings below are at at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available, the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:

Next Week:

Post to Twitter

Planner: City Meetings This Week (4/6/09)

Apr 6, 2009 6:50 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks.>

We are trying to add to this service so it is not just City-sponsored meetings but also other important civic meetings throughout Rockville. Please send us a note to let us know about your meeting. We can’t publish everything, but we we will do our best to be inclusive.

(We are trying to create a listing of community meetings so please do let us know about your meeting! We will post them on the calendar available here.)

All meetings below are at at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available, the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:

Next Week:

Save The Date:

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Planner: City Meetings This Week (3/30/09)

Mar 30, 2009 8:22 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks.>

We are trying to add to this service so it is not just City-sponsored meetings but also other important civic meetings throughout Rockville. Please send us a note to let us know about your meeting. We can’t publish everything, but we we will do our best to be inclusive.

(We are trying to create a listing of community meetings so please do let us know about your meeting! We will post them on the calendar available here.)

All meetings below are at at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available, the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:

Next Week:

Post to Twitter

Planner: City Meetings This Week (3/23/09)

Mar 23, 2009 8:22 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

>

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks.

We are trying to add to this service so it is not just City-sponsored meetings but also other important civic meetings throughout Rockville. Please send us a note to let us know about your meeting. We can’t publish everything, but we we will do our best to be inclusive.

(We are trying to create a listing of community meetings so please do let us know about your meeting! We will post them on the calendar available here.)

All meetings below are at at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available, the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:

Next Week:

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Get Ready For A New Budget!

Mar 11, 2009 12:47 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

Arguably the most important task that the Mayor and Council perform is nigh upon us — and that is developing, guiding, and approving the annual budget for Our Fair City.>

The process will be kicked off later this month, with an introduction at the March 23 meeting of the Mayor and Council.

Following that, there will be a number of public hearings as well as worksessions, culminating in a hoped-for budget adoption on May 18. That’s a compressed timeline and the choices to be made in this faltering economy will likely be tough ones.

So it’s important for people to pay attention. At Rockville Central, we will try to do our part and make sure readers have access to information they need to understand the process. We are also calling on any and all readers to send us information and opinions on how the budget process is going, thoughts for improvements, and other ideas. Let’s work to make this as collaborative as possible!

Here’s the timeline for the budget process as it now stands:
  • March 23: Budget introduced
  • March 30: Constant Yield Tax Rate and General Budget Public Hearing
  • April 13: Outside and Caregiver Agencies Public Hearing
  • April 20: Mayor and Council Worksession (operating)
  • April 27: Mayor and Council Woksession (capital improvements and other)
  • May 4: General Budget Public Hearing
  • May 18: Budget adopted

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Planner: City Meetings This Week (3/9/2009)

Mar 9, 2009 6:23 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

>

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks.

We are trying to add to this service so it is not just City-sponsored meetings but also other important civic meetings throughout Rockville. Please send us a note to let us know about your meeting. We can’t publish everything, but we we will do our best to be inclusive.

(We are trying to create a listing of community meetings so please do let us know about youtr meeting! We will post them on the calendar available here.)

All meetings below are at at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available, the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:

Next Week:

Post to Twitter

Planner: City Meetings This Week (3/2/2009) [UPDATED]

Mar 2, 2009 8:00 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

>

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks.

All meetings at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available (usually this week only), the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:

Next Week:

Post to Twitter

Planner: City Meetings This Week (2/23/2009)

Feb 23, 2009 7:00 -
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: News
Tags: ,

>

Here are the City meetings we know about for the next two weeks.

All meetings at City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise. Where there is an agenda available (usually this week only), the link goes to that, otherwise it goes to the main page for that group.

This Week:


Next Week:


Post to Twitter

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