Each year, the Montgomery Village Foundation runs a photo contest for our annual calendar, asking residents to highlight their favorite things about living in the Village. These photos usually showcase wildlife, recent events, parks, flower displays and snow scenes.
For the 2016 calendar, and in celebration of Montgomery Village’s 50th Anniversary, we are looking to showcase some of the Village’s unique history through submissions of vintage and historical photographs.
Residents are asked to submit photographs that may recall historical events or programs, early development of the Village, original Village landmarks or any other nostalgic and “uniquely Montgomery Village” scenes. With resident help, the final calendar will showcase the best of the Village over the last 50 years!
The annual calendar contest requires photos that are at least 10”(w) x 8”(h) at 300 dpi (high resolution suitable for commercial printing) in JPG format. Photos must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2. Two photos will be chosen to represent each month, one large and one small; each entrant can submit up to five photos for the contest.
Photos can be e-mailed to
CALENDAR CONTEST RULES
• Photos must be received by MVF by close of business on Friday, Oct. 2, 2015.
• 35mm photographs must be in color and no smaller than 3” x 5” in size.
• Digital photographs must be 300 dpi in JPG format.
• Digital photographs must be at least 8” x 10” in size.
• Digital photographs will not be accepted in print.
• Original photographs will be returned to contributors after they are scanned; CDs, disks and other materials received will not be returned to contributors.
• Entrants may submit up to five photographs.
• Photographs must be of Montgomery Village scenes, seasons or events from the last 50 years.
• All photographs are subject to the policies and by-laws set forth by the Montgomery Village Foundation, Inc., Board of Directors.
The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is pleased to announce that the Public Hearing Draft of the Montgomery Village Master Plan is now available online at www.montgomeryplanning.org/mvp. The online document allows Montgomery Village residents and business owners to review the latest draft of the Montgomery Village Master Plan before the public hearing for the plan. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday,
Sept. 10 in the 3rd Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville.
Limited printed copies of the plan are available at the Department's Information Counter, 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring. Residents may also view the publication at the Gaithersburg Library, during regular business hours.
The public is invited to testify at the Public Hearing on September 10, and is encouraged to sign up prior to the hearing; call 301-495-4605 or visit www.montgomeryapps.org/planning_board/testify.asp. Written comments are also welcome. The public may submit comments via e-mail to
At the conclusion of the work sessions, the plan will be revised per the planning board's direction, and transmitted to the county council and county executive. The county council will then hold a public hearing on the Planning Board Draft of the Montgomery Village Master Plan, possibly in January 2016.
Montgomery Village Master Plan
The new Montgomery Village Master Plan builds on the assets of Montgomery Village through four major recommendations:
- Preserve the Village's character: Built in the 1960s by Kettler Brothers, Montgomery Village was purposefully planned with a vast range of housing types. From the apartment communities clustered in the lower Village to the grand colonials of Whetstone, the homes appeal to different lifestyles with a wide selection of designs and prices for residents. The master plan recommends preserving this variety and expanding housing choices in the future.
- Maintain the public recreation and open spaces: The Village's sylvan environment is one of its greatest assets. The master plan strongly recommends that its recreation and open spaces be maintained and preserved. When new development or redevelopment occurs, developers should emulate the Kettlers' town planning principles to provide ample green spaces, vistas and recreational opportunities. Additional trail connections, with natural or hard surfaces, should be provided to enhance community connectivity.
- Encourage reinvestment: Small town autonomy includes conveniently located retail centers throughout the community. The Village's six centers serve the everyday retail needs of residents; however, over several decades, as retail competition has grown in the mid-county area, consumer preferences have shifted, as has the tenant mix in the Village's centers. Limited redevelopment opportunities exist in the Village, and the master plan strongly recommends a sustainable and competitive Village Center. Short blocks with identifiable edges to reinforce the mixed uses and the introduction of new housing units can potentially transform the suburban blocks into walkable, connected and inviting areas, reinvigorating a sense of community and creating attractive centers for community life.
- Enhance connectivity: The master plan encourages increased options for mobility and connectivity by all modes—transit, walking, biking and private motor vehicles. The Village's private street network, coupled with many trails and pedestrian connections, offers unique opportunities to enhance multimodal links. Montgomery Village can improve connectivity for pedestrians and bicyclists by providing missing links to open spaces, parks, the Village Center and other destinations around the community and beyond.
In order to help achieve these goals, the master plan recommends an overlay zone as an implementation measure, since the Town Sector Zone will not be used going forward, which means all the properties in the Village must be rezoned. A large-scale rezoning of this kind is rare, and concerns have been raised about its implementation and potential consequences. The Montgomery Village Overlay Zone is intended to preserve the unique Village character; protect existing open space and conservation areas; and ensure a compatible relationship between new and existing development.
The Montgomery Village Foundation Summer Youth Corps program began June 23 and ended August 8, with the crew working five days per week, Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Their mission was to assist with park maintenance, beautify Montgomery Village parks where practical and to learn life lessons by completing tasks as a team.
Each year a group of five Village teens are selected to be part of the Youth Corps to perform parks maintenance and environmental projects throughout MVF park properties. Those chosen spend time outdoors, learn about the environment and gain new job skills, as well as gaining a better understanding of Montgomery Village and having some fun.
The Youth Corps completed park and community center maintenance along with many environmental improvement projects throughout Montgomery Village. Some of the main projects completed included: lake/pond restoration; park inspections to identify potential maintenance issues and removing low level tree growth near paths; safety assessments of all playgrounds; and storm water drainage improvements. They also assisted in the management of the rides and games at our Fourth of July Celebration.
With Youth Corps being many of these Villagers’ first job, having them learn what characteristics are essential to succeed at a position in the future was crucial. The crew gained valuable lessons in punctuality; flexibility with new concepts; demonstrating good judgment; teamwork; and responsibility for decision making.
With all Youth Corps staff living in Montgomery Village, another program element that was essential was community education. Every morning before beginning their day, the staff would be asked questions regarding Montgomery Village to educate them on their community and how Montgomery Village became what it is today. Throughout the summer, Youth Corps received many compliments from residents for being very hardworking and providing excellent customer service. It is safe to say Youth Corps had an extremely successful summer.
by Mike Conroy
After CFO Greg Snellings presented the proposed 2016 MVF Budget during a joint meeting with the Audit Committee, the Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) Board of Directors met to discuss regular monthly business.
The Board approved Executive Vice President (EVP) Dave Humpton to negotiate and execute a 5-year contract with US Security Services for private security of MVF property. A staff committee reviewed proposals and interviewed four companies for continued security service. US Security Services was chosen as the preferred bidder based on their work with similar communities in Montgomery Village, use of technology, transition plan and overall cost. The contract amount of $117,661 is approximately $8,000 less than services budgeted for in 2015. Once a contract is agreed upon and services begin, residents will see security officers in marked vehicles around the Village.
Other Agenda Items
After recommendation from the Architectural Review Board and input and review by the South Village Board of Directors, the Board approved new fence criteria for Walker’s Choice. The decision resulted from a security concern and changing landscape since the developer initially wrote the criteria.
The Board also approved sending a letter to the Montgomery County Planning Board noting overall support of the Draft Montgomery Village Master Plan. The letter details specific comments and suggested amendments to some portions, including the new zoning proposal; MVF-owned properties and the MVF office; community development/reinvestment; the former golf course property and proposed development; transportation, including Wightman and Stewartown roads; and community facilities.
A letter reiterating MVF’s continued opposition to M-83, suggested by the Transportation, Development and Public Facilities (TD&PF) Committee, was discussed. At the time of the TD&PF motion to request a letter be sent to the county, an upcoming study of Bus Rapid Transit had not been announced by the county. The Board decided to see the results of the study, expected in spring 2016, before making further comment on the future of transportation alternatives.
Finally, the Board approved the Draft 2016 MVF Budget for publication. See pages 1 and 29 to 36 for budget information, or visit www.montgomeryvillage.com for the full draft budget.
President’s Remarks
MVF Board President John Driscoll presented long-time resident and recording secretary Karolyn Silliman, with a certificate of appreciate for her many years of service to the Board. Silliman has been a recording secretary for many MVF committees, homes corporations and the MVF Board for almost 30 years. Her service was acknowledged with a standing ovation and many thanks from the Board and staff. Silliman noted that it has been an interesting experience, often requiring understanding many intricate details of the committees and associations; however, she has learned a lot about Montgomery Village over the years.
Driscoll also noted that he spent a day earlier in the week at the county planning offices relaying the MVF Board’s support of Monument Realty’s Development Plan Amendment for Area 4 of the former golf course property. He said he was awaiting the county’s decision on the plan.
EVP Report
EVP Humpton noted that the South Valley Park Restroom and Concession Stand project should be underway in the next few weeks. Currently, the contractor was waiting for the transfer of a permit from the county and would begin site work soon. Humpton was hopeful the project would be completed by winter.
He also said he was informed that next year’s legislative session would be particularly interesting; it was expected that several pieces of legislation regarding homeowner and condominium associations would be introduced or reintroduced with changes. Humpton and General Counsel Christopher Hitchens will be keeping abreast of the legislation and reporting back to the Board.
Treasurer’s Report
MVF Treasurer Beth-Ellen Berry gave the financial report for both the month of July and the year-to-date (YTD). Revenue July was favorable to the budget by $9,423 but unfavorable YTD by $30,655. Disclosure fees, pool memberships and the Capital Contribution Fee (CCF) are tracking greater than the budget, while assessment fees, advertising revenue and camps and classes are trailing.
Personnel expenses were favorable to the budget by $21,101 and $138,626 for both July and YTD, respectively. Additionally, Operating Expenses were also favorable for both July ($34,593) and YTD ($170784); all cost centers are performing better than the budget, except utilities.
Contributions to Reserves (CTR) were made in accordance with the budget; $82,254 was transferred in July, with a YTD total of $575,779. The Capital Contribution Fee saw another $16,891 in July and totals $83,308 YTD. Year-to-date, $683,600 has been spent on reserve-related assets.
Berry reported a Net Loss of $246,179 for the month, though the loss was budgeted for, as July is traditionally an expensive month. However, the loss was favorable to the budget by about $20,000. Net Income YTD is $619,155, which is favorable to the budget by approximately $227,000.
The Balance Sheet continues to reflect MVF’s solid financial position, showing over $8 million in cash and investments. MVF has approximately $1.7 million in Undesignated Reserves which is slated for capital projects and minimizing assessment increases. The $6 million balance remains in Designated Reserves.
Finally, Berry noted that the revised Collection Policy is working as intended to keep a stable rate of assessment payments coming in. It was reported that staff sent the lowest number of late assessment notices since 2008.
Next Meeting
The next MVF Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24 in the North Creek Board Room, 20125 Arrowhead Road. The meeting is open to the public and residents are encouraged to attend. The meeting begins promptly at 7:30 p.m. with Residents Time.