2/5/24 Meeting Agenda

6:30 pm Zoom

Updates (6:30 - 7:15 pm):

  • Howard EcoWorks Trees (Dave)

    • Meeting with Andres Ovalle to determine tree planting locations

  • Maryland Invasive Species Act (Jimmy)

    • 2024 Biodiversity and Agriculture Protection Act seeks to ban the sale of invasive species in MD

  • Upcoming litter clean-ups (Holly)

    • City-sponsored events in April; L4P-sponsored event in May

  • Sweitzer Park Garden Volunteer Event (Jimmy)

    • Weeding, cut-back and planting

    • March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day); time? afterparty?

  • City Sustainability Planning Program Updates

    • Any L4P members who have attended focus meetings can share info

  • Community town hall and listening session with Mayor (Mike)

    • Summary of citizen concerns

    • Mayor and council’s next steps

  • Laurel’s proposed email notification system on meetings and issues

  • Environmental Film on Patuxent River at Brookside Gardens (Pauline)

    • Troubled Tributary: Maryland's Patuxent River Screening and Panel Discussion

    • Thursday April 4, 7:00-8:45; Registration required

  • Other happenings of interest

Discussion (7:15 - 7:30 pm):

  • Next Steps - Opposition to proposed Corridor Center Development in Ward II

    • Laurel Independent article (Jimmy)

    • Yard sign campaign; design, print, distribute (Mike)

    • Which L4P members will monitor City’s website and communicate with the group about planning commission and other relevant meetings? (Mike)

2/5/24 Meeting Minutes

Maryland Invasive Species Act

·       Maryland Native Plant Coalition

·       Ban the Sale of Invasive Plants in Maryland | Facebook

·       Bill introduced in front of committees for a floor vote.  Take all plants on Tier 2 list and move to a prohibited list.

·       Speed up the rate assessment the process for biologist and gets approved by State Department of Agriculture, which prevents invasive plants from going through state or even sold.

·       More information on Facebook and writing a letter to your representative on the importance of the bill.

·       Invasive Plants that cause the damage to ecosystems and animals to people and economies.

·       Cannot access Facebook, but there will information from Laurel for Patuxent

o   There will be a post in the future.

o   Email will be another communication avenue with bill number and co-sponsors

·       When will bill take in effect is pending the legislation

·       nativegardenguy@gmail.com email with any follow-up questions

·       More information on bill

o   Invasive Plants Legislation Fact Sheet Dec 30 2023.pdf - Google Drive

o   FAQs Dec 21 2023.pdf - Google Drive

 

Howard EcoWorks Trees

·       60 trees that were planted and only 2 trees died

·       Trees are doing well

·       Water trees at Alice B. McCullough Field and need more frequent watering

·       Andres Ovalle is planning to plant approximately 30 trees in the future

·       Joe DiGiovanni is on the Laurel Tree Board and participated in meeting with Andres Ovalle

Litter Clean UP

·       Scheduled already

o   4/6/2024 at River

o   4/26/2024 at Laurel Lakes

·       A lot of trash in the neighborhoods

o   Additional clean up

o   Give maps in neighborhood and highlight areas that need to be cleaned up

o   Possible date 5/18/2024

·       Bill for bottle redemption program

o   Getting a lot of support

o   If buy beverage, with a $0.10 cost with a refund

o   Successful for states and European countries

Sweitzer Park Garden Volunteer Event

·       3/17/2024 date with maintaining Sweitzer park

·       Pollinator garden coming to its 3rd year

·       Ensure grass is not impeding into garden

·       Pull out any weeds in early spring

·       Social event possible at Olive at Main

City Sustainability Planning Program Update

·       A lot of good ideas were shared within group

·       Not sure where it will go with all that is discussed

·       Discussed safe bicycle lanes and pedestrian access

·       Discussed Bear Branch and putting a path and end up like the River Front path

·       People did not hear about rain check rebate, county program and helps people get the good eco practices.  Laurel for Patuxent can be an amplifier for eco practices.

·       Idea on having hiking paths and having more green space

Laurel’s Proposed Email Notification System on Meetings and Issues

·       Tool off the City of Laurel website - Notify Me • Laurel, MD • CivicEngage (cityoflaurel.org)

·       Add yourself to various listserv

·       Publications/Zoning listserv that you can subscribe to with getting notifications for the Corridor Project

Community Town Hall and Listening Session with Mayor

·       Most issues are centered traffic and noise

·       Need for a grant writer to have a city cover

·       Brought up solar to lead by example

·       Solar areas and can be a conflict with residents with mature tree

o   Tax incentives

·       City to put the information on the residents.

o   Look into Community Solar

·       Topic for the future business item

·       Alternative is changing your energy source

·       Re solar next time: almost all apartments could have solar panels on their roofs, unblocked by trees.  But there's a $ problem: the benefit would be to the renters, not to the apartment owner, so there would need to be some way to work around that.  (City buys panels???)

Environmental Film on Patuxent River at Brookside Gardens

·       Maryland’s Patuxent River Screening and Panel Discussion - https://montgomeryparks.org/event/dc-environmental-film-festival-screening-panel-discussion/

·       4/4/2024 7:00 pm to 8:45 pm – registration required

·       Pauline is checking with Brookside to find out the panelist but has yet to hear

·       Registration is not open until the 14th for non-Montgomery County residents

 

Maryland 5th Graders – Arbor Day Posters

·       Maryland Department of Natural Resources with 5th Graders to submit posters for Arbor Day

·       Submissions due before 3/1/2024

·       Maryland Fifth Graders Invited to Submit Arbor Day Posters for 2024

Next Steps – Opposition to Proposed Corridor Center Development in Ward II

·       Laurel Independent Article

o   Talked to Joe Mercuson

o   Has Laurel 4 Patuxent position on Corridor Center

o   Not super enthused given there was vote on this

o   See what the article will look like

o   It will present the facts

·       Information on the Corridor Center - Corridor Center — Laurel for the Patuxent

·       Leo Gumapas can provide updates on if major construction is occurring to inform Laurel for Patuxent since his house borders the property

·       List of Committees in Laurel - List of Committees | Laurel, MD (cityoflaurel.org)

·       Court three votes to override mayor position

·       County provisions to what is maintained regarding the green space within a development

·       Bring up issues regarding affordability

o   Inadequate public transportation

·       Bring up the issue during 2/27/2024 Planning Committee and not fight issues that have already been decided.

o   Need a Laurel 4 Patuxent representative on the Planning Committee.