Montgomery News

Town of Chevy Chase Committee on Purple Line Mitigation met March 24.

Here is the minutes provided by the Committee:

The meeting was called to order at approximately 7:00 by Barney Rush, committee co-chair.

Members Present: Barney Rush (co-chair), Jeff Marqusee (co-chair), Joel Rubin (Council liaison), Christine Real de Azua, Don MacGlashan, John Fitzgerald, Rich Brancato, Richard English, Stuart Sessions, Deborah Vollmer,

Members Absent: Cynthia Lao, Holly Kammerer, John Beale

Also in Attendance: A Parent and Boy Scout working on a public service merit badge.

Agenda: http://www.townofchevychase.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04242018-614

Public comments: There were no public comments. The chair welcomed two residents who attended as part of a boy scout activity.

Approval of minutes of prior meetings: March 26 meeting minutes were approved.

Old Business: Co-Chair Rush reported that the Town Council had approved of retaining outside expert to support the Town in mitigation efforts. Todd has begun identifying potential contractors regarding noise mitigation. Mr. Rush also reported that approval was given by Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to the Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP) to provide all homes in the Town which abut the PL with a pre-construction survey and a “white paper” (information about each home in relation to the PL design).

East West Highway safety: Co-Chair Rush gave an update on the Town’s request to the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to improve the safety along East West Highway because of Purple Line construction and operation. The MDOT declined the Town’s request to install plastic pilasters to improve pedestrian safety and is still considering longer term safety measures along the Town’s border with East West Highway. The Town will continue to pursue additional safety measures.

Storm Water Management: Stuart Sessions gave an update on storm water management (SWM) issues. The Committee had several questions and issues for further study, following TetraTech’s general conclusion that the SWM design appeared to cause no significant negative impact to the town residents along the Purple Line right-of-way, and that there would be no additional impact to Coquelin Run. Several issues were provided to the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), and we are awaiting a reply from MTA. Also, Tetra Tech is still analyzing the SWM plans and designs to address the Committee’s questions regarding the SWM impact on the Town, with a special emphasis directed towards POI 4 (point of interest 4), a major junction for storm water from north of the PL and water coming from the Purple Line right-of- way by the Town.

Walls and fences: As a result of the Committees continuing concerns about noise, privacy and the aesthetics of the PL along the Town’s borders a meeting was held with the MTA and Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP) to review the foundation/noise walls and the fencing designs. While the surfaces of noise wall appears attractive from an aesthetic view, concerns about the noise wall’s ability to provide noise relief and privacy were discussed. The MTA agreed to ask PLTP to provide a cost estimate for raising the noise wall another two feet, reiterating that the additional cost would be borne by the Town if the Town were to decide to ask the MTA to provide the additional height. The Town also requested the report from the PLTP on the noise calculations done for the current design. The Committee discussed the advisability of learning costs and benefits of alternative or additional materials that could be added to the two-foot extensions or the walls, such as Acoustiblok all-weather sound panels.

PL Permits and Plan Documents: The Committee decided to ask the Town manager to obtain the details that may affect the Town of the recently approved Corps of Engineers Clean Water Act Section 404 permit and related materials including its underlying "Decision Document. Richard English presented a short summary of the MTA's Transportation Management Plan and the Concessionaire Safety and Health Plan

Summary of Action Items:

Continue to press MTA for response to SWM issues, noise report and cost estimate for additional two feet of noise wall.

Regarding stormwater plans, the Committee agreed that the Mayor or Town Manager should discuss with the County the scope, process, and timetable for the waiver and variance that the County must approve for these plans; and confer further with TetraTech if necessary regarding the accuracy of the modeling used by PLTP regarding short and particularly intense storms.

Continue dialogue with MDOT on East West Highway safety.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 pm.

https://www.townofchevychase.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_04242018-614