Draft                                                                      Rock Creek Hills Citizen’s Association                                                                       Draft

Minutes of May 11, 2005

Joe Rosenberg, President, called the meeting to order

Old Business:

1. Minutes of the February 5, 2005 meeting.

Motion:                       To approve the minutes of the February 5, 2005 meeting.

Vote:                           Approved

2. Bob MacDowall presented the Treasurer’s Report

Discussion:                 What is the purpose of the “reserve”?  The reserve is to be used for unexpected expenses (for example, legal fees).

Motion:                       To approve the Treasurer’s Report, as published in the winter newsletter.

Vote:                           Approved

Speaker:   John Mitchell from Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission

Shannon Hamm introduced John Mitchell from WSSC.  Mr. Mitchell provided information about the Bi-County Water Supply Main.  Some highlights as of the RCHCA May meeting:

• Construction is expected to start in 2007.
• WSSC is looking closely at the Beach Drive alignment.  There were originally nine proposed alignments.
• Tunneling for the pipeline is viewed as the most acceptable alternative.  The cost difference between tunneling and open-cut construction methods have been dropping as tunneling technology evolves.
• Tunneling for the new pipeline will result in disturbance of 9 surface acres.  Open-cut construction would result in 66 surface acres being disturbed.
• Most of the work will take place at the “retrieval shafts”, which may be located at both ends of the construction.
• The pipeline will not use any Federal funds, so there will not be a Federal environmental impact statement.  The pipeline will follow the State of Maryland’s environmental guidelines.
• Pipeline construction will be funded by the system development surcharge.

For up to date information, please see the WSSC web site at: http://www.wssc.dst.md.us/projects/BiCountyWater/index.html

Old Business Continued:

3. Traffic Study – RCHCA requested that the County perform a traffic study of the Rock Creek Hills area.  We have not heard back from the County yet.

4. Train Noise Update – The County is doing a study regarding the impact of a quiet zone, and the associated costs.  We expect that the study will be done in the next couple of months.

Please contact Joe Rosenberg if you have any questions.

5. Community Improvement Committee – It has been a year since the motion for RCHCA to fund improvements of the triangle at Littledale and Havershill (“RCHCA shall fund the cost of hardscaping, landscaping, and maintenance of the triangle at Littledale and Havershill up to $1,500.”).  It is proposed that a time limit be placed upon the approval of these funds so that RCHCA does not have outstanding commitment of funds.

Several topics were raised during the discussion of this item.

· Some members of the Community Improvement Committee did not receive emailed messages regarding the triangle improvements.

· There is continued interest in improving the traffic triangle at Littledale and Havershill.

· It is late in the season for spring plants, and the fall is the best time to plant some of the plants proposed for the triangle.

Motion:                       The Community Improvement Committee shall proceed with the hardscaping of the triangle at Littledale and Havershill, as soon as possible, certainly by December 2005.  RCHCA funding for the triangle is not to exceed $1,500.  Detailed plans are to be reviewed and approved by the Board, within a month.  If the plans are not approved within this timeframe, RCHCA is no longer obligated to fund this project.

Vote:                           Approved

New Business:

1. Covenants Update – There was a general discussion regarding the state of the covenants, and acknowledgement that Rock Creek Hills Covenants, Inc.  can enforce the  covenants, but cannot police the covenants.

Shannon suggested the idea of placing a small sign (no larger than a permit sign – 8½” X 11”) in the yard of residences with projects approved by RCHC, Inc.  This will be put forward at the October meeting of RCHCA and an image will be presented in the next newsletter.  (Note: After this discussion, there was a motion to go ahead with the signs.  Please see the motion below.)

There was a lengthy discussion of the RCHC, Inc. covenants.

• Residents are making changes without covenants approval.
• There are three basic types of covenants, not one covenant for Rock Creek Hills.  In general, the residents east of Stoneybrook Drive do not have covenants, which are enforced by RCHC, Inc.  (Residents of Campbell’s have covenants that are enforced via another organization.)
• Covenants are not always provided to new residents.
• RCHC, Inc. has never shut down a project pending approval.

Motion:                       Approval of a project by RCHC, Inc. would result in a letter and a sign.  The sign will be no larger than 8½” X 11” and is to be placed in the front yard for the duration of the project.

Vote:                           Approved

Motion:                       Develop a plan, to be presented at the October meeting, to disseminate copies of the covenants to all residents.

Vote:                           Approved

2. What are RCHCA’s next steps regarding the WSSC pipeline, and how do we provide our input to WSSC? 

· WSSC is having a meeting in June

· The use of RCHCAnet to discuss and formulate a consensus on the pipeline was proposed.  The consensus opinion would be forwarded to WSSC on RCHCA letterhead.

· The WSSC decision will be posted on the RCHCA website (www.RCHCA.org).

· Anyone interested in investigating further should contact Joe Rosenberg or Shannon Hamm.