Rollingwood Citizens Association

Chevy Chase Art Walk

On Sunday, May 5th from 12:00-5:00pm, Rollingwood neighbors are invited to visit 20 contemporary and traditional artists in 10 locations in Chevy Chase, D.C. & MD, to view paintings, pottery, photos, jewelry, prints, sculpture, and fiber arts. For more information please visit https://www.chevychaseart.org/all-exhibitions/first-annual-art-walk

Annual Meeting and Board Elections

Our Annual Meeting will be held on May 14th at 6:30 pm at Lycee Rochambeau located at 3200 Woodbine Street in Chevy Chase, MD. All neighbors are welcome! Below you will find the Annual Meeting Agenda:
RCA ANNUAL MEETING AGENDA:

• 6:30 Refreshments & Mingling with your neighbors
• 7:00 State of RCA (Jenny Dowling & Molly Mullally)
• 7:15 Financial Update (Mike Hottel)
• 7:25 Elections (Sue Ducat)
• 7:30 Discussion of Proposed Legislation ZTA 19-01 regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (Ken Silverman, Chief of Staff for Councilmember Hans Riemer)
• 8:00 Q&A

All neighbors who have paid their dues are eligible to vote in the election of the board members. Paid members are also eligible to run for a position on the board. If you are interested in running for a board position, please submit a brief bio here. All bios submitted will be posted to our website for review and consideration. Up for reelection this year are Phil Sturm, Lydia Logan and David Putnam, please click here to see their bios.

Also running for a board seat this year is Glenn Milano. Glenn has lived in Rollingwood since 2015 with his wife, Leslie, and two children, Vivienne and George. He is a Sr. Public Health Advisor for the US Agency for International Development and has worked in global health for the last 15 years. An entrepreneur at heart, Glenn owns two side businesses, data analytics for small businesses and a house number business, which draw on his MBA and BA in Fine Arts. He was first drawn to the beauty of Rollingwood while living in Capitol Hill and cycling in Montgomery County, having spent his youth as a  member of the US Cycling Team. Glenn volunteers with his son’s little league baseball team and enjoys speaking with neighbors while gardening year round. Glenn has a keen interest in maintaining and improving the beauty and comfort of the Rollingwood neighborhood for all residents.  

If you have not yet paid your dues for 2019, you may submit payment here.
We look forward to seeing you!

Upcoming Events

Please Join Us!

• Back by popular demand, our third annual Rollingwood Happy Hour will be held on Sunday, April 7th from 5-8 at Le Bar at La Ferme restaurant!  All are invited. Meet new neighbors and catch up with old friends.  Appetizers provided. Cash bar.  Kindly RSVP to Molly Mullally at jmandmolly@gmail.com No children please.  
• Please join us for the 11th Annual Rock Creek Conservancy Extreme Cleanup on April 13th from 9:00am-12:00pm. Get to know your neighbors as we help clean up the park so near and dear to us. We will meet at the Meadowbrook Maintenance Facility at 9:00am. Waterproof boots and garden gloves are recommended. We will provide trash bags. Please sign-up here to volunteer: https://publicevents.secure.force.com/Public_Event_Signup_Page?cid=7010g000001QHlFAAW

Proposed Legislation for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

County Legislation will Expand Rental Apartments and Co-Located Houses in Suburban Communities

The Montgomery County Council is considering legislation that would significantly relax existing standards governing “accessory dwelling units” (ADU) – apartments inside single family homes and separate houses built on lots with existing homes. This legislation could have significant impacts on Rollingwood and similar suburban neighborhoods. The County Council is currently soliciting feedback on this bill. The RCA board is also interested in your thoughts to help inform any action the association may take on this legislation.

Current standards address ADU size, the relative proximity of ADUs, and parking availability. They are intended to permit ADUs while balancing neighborhood impacts.

Councilmember Hans Riemer introduced the new legislation, expressing concern that “the County’s rules treat this housing type as a nuisance to be avoided rather than a resource to be welcomed.” As an example, Councilmember Riemer points to a requirement that a second house may only be built on one-acre lots or bigger. He believes standards should be relaxed in order to provide more affordable housing, rental income for people who would not otherwise be able to afford buying a home, and housing options for family members. Councilmember Riemer also states that his bill includes community protections such as requirements that a combined structure cannot be larger than what is already allowed for a single family house. It cannot be used for short-term rentals (ie, Airbnb). And the property must be owner occupied. 

County Executive Marc Elrich recently expressed opposition to the legislation. Noting that the existing rules just became effective at the end of October 2018, Mr. Elrich stated that the legislation “. . . does more than tweak the standards. It would eliminate the parking and distance separation standards, increase the allowable size of the units, and allow detached ADUs in the county’s smallest lot zones . . .” Mr. Elrich notes that, “. . . the current standards were adopted because many single-family neighborhoods have narrow streets, shared driveways, congested on-street parking conditions, and overcrowded schools.” Expressing concern for unintended consequences, Mr. Elrich notes “. . . additional density in our suburban areas will lead to more car-dependent housing – more traffic on already overcrowded roads.”

While RCA has not taken a position on the legislation, it is important for residents to understand this proposal. The County Council held a public hearing on the legislation on February 26^th. The legislation is still being considered in committee, which may be followed by a vote of the full County Council. More comprehensive details of the proposed legislation can be found at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/Resources/Files/agenda/col/2019/20190115/20190115_4A.pdf. If you wish to express your thoughts on this matter, email sent to this address is distributed to each member of the council: county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov. The RCA board would also be interested in hearing your views to help inform any action the association may take on this legislation. Your reply to this message will be shared with the board.

Chevy Chase Historical Society Invites Rollingwood!

This Sunday, March 10th, at 4:00 pm, the Chevy Chase Historical Society (CCHS) will host an illustrated talk by Kim Prothro Williams on “The Lost Farms and Estates of Washington”. The lecture is free and open to all. Rollingwood residents are especially invited to attend and learn more about CCHS and their programs.

CCHS was organized in 1981, and since then has collected, recorded and shared materials relating to the history of Chevy Chase. The nonprofit volunteer organization provides resources for historical research and offers lectures, programs and newsletters to foster knowledge and appreciation of the community’s history.

For the first time, CCHS is reaching out to Rollingwood residents seeking donations of any historical documents, photos or memorabilia relating to Chevy Chase. These donations would be added to the CCHS’s Archive and Research Center, a resource for scholars, students and residents located at 8401 Connecticut Avenue. This rich collection includes: photographs; maps; architectural drawings; documents, including diaries, letters and postcards; oral history interviews; house histories and resources to help citizens conduct their own house histories; books; DVDs and exhibits. To offer donations, search collections, or become a member, please visit http://chevychasehistory.org.

Halloween Party October 27th, 3-5pm