The Town of GLEN ECHO Chartered 1904 tovnhallaslemechoorg Town Hall e 6106 Harvard Avenue e Glen Echo e Maryland 20812 e (301) 320-4041 Town Council Work Session Minutes September 25, 2019 CALLTO ORDER: MAYOR WILLEM POLAK. 7:00 PM Present: Mayor: Willem Polak. Councilmembers: (CM) Dia Costello, Dan Spealman, Matt Stiglitz, and Julia Wilson. Town Clerk: (TC) Beth Boa. Town Attorney: Ron Bolt BUILDING PERMIT FEES The Council reviewed the costs to the Town for the Town Attorney as well as contractors monitoring the Vassar Circle project and the 6006 Cornell house building project. Vassar Circle costs are approximately $20,000 (this will be updated as more: invoices come in from Blue Crab Contracting for. July and August 2019). Costs for Cornell are approximately $900. The permit fee for the first house on Vassar Circle was $2,500. The Council discussed whether new home construction permit fees should be changed. This will be considered at the October 14, 2019 Council Meeting. TC: Boa will request new home construction permit fee rates from other local municipalities. TC: Boa will ask Blue Crab Contracting (Wayne CI Fowler, Code Enforcement) and Joe Toomey (Town Engineer) toj provide estimates oft their costs for the rest oft the Vassar Circle project. This will include the four houses and the right of way work. ORDINANCE NO. 1-SDUMPSTERS. PODS.AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT) Attorney Bolt discussed a draft ordinance that would require aj permit and bond for dumpsters, portable storage units, and heavy equipment, and will prepare a draft resolution for permit fees ifthis ordinance is adopted. This ordinance will be considered by the Council at the October Council Meeting, for possible introduction. ORDINANCE NO. 19-06 (ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (ADUS)) Background: The County Council recently approved Zoning Text Amendment 19-01 (Accessory Dwelling Units) which amends the zoning laws that control the R-60 zones (as well as other residential zones) that include the Town of Glen Echo. These changes will allow residents to build a second house on their lot or add an apartment within their home without special approval of the County's Planning Board. These changes were offered as a part ofa program goal to increase affordable housing in the county and move toward eliminating single family zoning. Attorney Bolt provided details to the Town Council on1 the changes that were approved by Montgomery County Concerns about increased density, parking problems, infrastructure limitations and the like have encouraged several municipalities in Montgomery County to consider revising their building code, within their limits of municipal authority, ini response to these changes in County zoning law. Like other municipalities, TOGE can regulate setbacks, lot coverage, on-site parking requirements and other building code regulations in order to increase the amount of control that the Town could assert over this additional development authority. Attorney Bolt provided a draft ordinance for the Council to consider as requested by the Council at the September Council Meeting. The Council will consider ifthe' Town wants to regulate ADUS at the October Council. Changes will go into effect on December 31,2019. Council Meeting. CLOSED SESSION At7 pm, the Town Council met in open session for the purpose of entertaining ai motion to enter closed session pursuant to the Open Meetings Act, Maryland Code, General Provisions Article, Section 3-305(b)(7) to consult Motion to close meeting: CM Stiglitz. 2nd. CM Wilson. All in favor; none opposed. Present: Mayor: Willem with counsel to obtain legal advice regarding the Wild Bird Center, 7370 MacArthur Blvd. Polak. Councilmembers: (CM) Dia Costello, Dan Spealman, Matt Stiglitz, and. Julia Wilson. Town Clerk: (TC) Beth Boa. Town Attorney: Ron Bolt The Council received legal advice related to the Wild Bird Center parking lot. The Council agreed by consensus toi instruct Attorney Bolt to request execution ofa Town property use agreement. Motion to move out of closed session: CM Spealman. 2nd. CM Stiglitz. All in favor; none opposed. RETURN' TO OPEN SESSION PARKING LOTS The Town owns and rents out aj parking lot to the Irish Inn (Tulane Lot) and has a lot at Oberlin. The Town "Land Use Advisory Final Report" was prepared by The Advisory Committee (November 10, 2017). Mayor Polak summarized the findings ofthe Report (p. 33): the land is appraised at approximately $1 million for both lots; Ifit is rezoned commercial it could be sold for $1.2 million; ifiti is sold zoned residential $800,000; ifitis sold to a developer it could be sold for $1 million. The land could be: rezoned to commercial for $200,000. The Town has approximately $668,000 ini reserves. CM Spealman expressed reservations that selling the land may Mayor Polak will speak with Cris White (member oft the Advisory Committee) to get hard numbers and advice on whether and how to sell these lots. (Cris White has professional experience in commercial real estate in the The Council discussed how to: monetize parking on Oberlin and Tulane Avenues. Many park employees and visitors park on these streets daily. There could be permit parking, parking meters, or "pay and display." The result in a' Town Council spending the money rather than saving it as a rainy day fund. Washington, DC Metro Area). Council tabled this discussion. ADOURNMENT: Motion to adjourn: CM Spealman, 2nd Stiglitz. All in favor. Meeting Adjourned 8:30 pm Minutes Prepared by: Beth Boa, Town Clerk-Treasurer Wce2lL Mayor, Willem Polak Approved by: Date: Aw.(,207