Landover Hills Chronicle
Landover Hills Newsletter	January 2001

Now that the holidays are behind us, I hope that everyone had an enjoyable holiday season, as we commence our journey through the new Millennium year of 2001.
 

One of the last days of the year 2000, ended on a very happy note, in that I had the opportunity of participating in the celebration of one of our outstanding residents's birthday celebration on Thursday, December 28, 2000, at the Landover Hills Fire Department. Mrs. Walker and I had a very enjoyable time as we joined with family members and friends in celebrating the birthday of Mrs. Aileen O'Reilly, who turned 100 years of age on December 26, 2000.
 

Mrs. O' Reilly was presented with a proclamation from the Town of Landover Hills proclaiming December 28, 2000 as Mrs. Aileen O'Reilly Day in the Town of Landover Hills.
 

For more than three years the Mayor has expressed the need for a community center for residents in the Landover Hills vicinity. This matter was again discussed at a recent meeting of the Mayor and Council. Efforts are again being made to foster the great need for a community center in the Landover Hills vicinity for all residents, particularly our youth.
 

A; residents are urged to use great care when crossing Annapolis Road (Route 450) at 72^nd Avenue. A mother and her three children were recently struck by an automobile while crossing Annapolis Road. The Mayor and Council had requested a traffic light and/or brighter lighting at the intersection of Annapolis Road and 72^nd Avenue several years ago. Requests are again being made to improve conditions at this intersection.
 

Traffic cameras have been installed at Annapolis Road and 71^st Avenue, eastbound, and Annapolis Road and Ardwick Ardmore Road, eastbound, in an effort to help make this portion of Annapolis Road safer for pedestrians and law abiding motorists.
 

The Mayor has joined the Mayoral Millennium Challenge sponsored by the Citizens for a Cleaner County, whose primary mission is to promote litter reduction and recycling. Everyone is asked to do their part in this effort by helping to keep the Town of Landover Hills clean and free of litter and regularly participating in the recycling program.
 

Remember the upcoming Town Meeting on Tuesday, January 16, 2001.
 

A special guest from the Prince George's County Sheriff's Department, Lt. Colonel John W. Thompson, will be a speaker at the Tuesday, January 16^th Town Council meeting. Lt. Colonel Thompson will be speaking about the services provided by the Sheriff's Department.
 

Second Reading of Ordinance O-01-01- an Ordinance requiring a permit prior to commencement of an alteration to a public street as well as for existing uses that encroach on the public rights-of way; providing standards for issuance of permits; setting forth the authority of the Town of Landover Hills; and providing penalties for violations of its provisions.
 

Second Reading of Ordinance O-02-01 an Ordinance amending Chapter 2- Administration of the Code of the Town of Landover Hills defining the duties of the Town Manager and providing the Town Manager the authority to amend the personnel regulations of the Town, and further formally ratifying the Police Department and defining the duties of the Chief of Police.
 

Resolution R- 01-01; a Resolution adopting Personnel Rules for the Town of Landover Hills, Maryland.

Budget Handout- Town Manager, Kathy Tavel, handed out a print out of the year to date expenditures and revenues for the Town. The Mayor and Council reviewed it.
 

Personnel Rules- One last and final change was made to the Personnel Rules. The entire document will be presented for adoption by the Mayor and Council at the January 16, 2001 Council Meeting.
 

Vehicles- The Mayor and Council were briefed on the condition of the Public Works Departments snow removal equipment. At the present time everything is working. But because of the age and condition of the small truck with a plow, it was suggested by the Town Manager that a new or newer truck should be considered to replace the 1984 , to minimize the threat of mechanical failure. Because the current year's budget will not support the cost of a replacement truck, Ms. Tavel asked the Mayor and Council if one of the Police Department's vehicles( the 1994 burgundy Crown Victoria) could be used as a trade in. The Mayor and Council agreed. Ms. Tavel and the Public Works Department are currently looking for a suitable vehicle for snow removal.

Town Hall will be closed on Monday, January 15th in observance of the Martin Luther King Birthday Holiday. There will be no yard waste pick-up that day.
 

Our deepest sympathies are extended to the family of Abe Pitsenbarger, of 71^st Avenue, who passed away on January 2, 2001. He leaves behind his wife, Helon, daughters, Linda, Mary Helen and Joyce, 6 grandchildren, 4 great- grandchildren and a host of other family and friends. Mr. Pitsenbarger was buried at Sugar Grove Cemetery in West Virginia on January 6, 2001.
 

Happy Birthday wishes to Willie-Lee Morris who will celebrate her 82^nd birthday on January 20th!

This year the Holiday House Decorating Contest was judged by members of the BYO Track and Basketball Club. The winners are:
 

The next Town election will be held on Tuesday May 8, 2001. One Council seat from each Ward will be up for election. Councilmembers elected in 2001, shall serve a four year term which will end in 2005.
 

Anyone who is currently registered with the Board of Elections Supervisors of Prince George'sCounty and whose registration displays a Landover Hills address shall be eligible to vote in the Town election. Mail-in voter registration forms may be obtained at the Landover Hills Town Hall. Absentee ballots may be requested in writing. Absentee ballots must be received at the Landover Hills Town Hall; 6904 Taylor Street, Landover Hills, MD 20784, no later than Monday , May 7, 2001 at 4 p.m..
 

Qualifications

Any candidate wishing to run for the office of Council member must have resided in their Ward for at least one (1) year immediately preceding their election and shall be qualified voters of the Town. They must maintain residence in the Ward they represent during their entire term of office.
 

Nomination Petitions

Any person wishing to run for Council must submit to the Town Manager by March 23, 2001, a petition in support of his/her candidacy signed by at least ten (10) registered voters in their Ward.

2001 Election Calendar

February 7, 2001- the first day nomination petitions may be submitted to the Town Manager

March 23, 2001- the last day nomination petitions may be submitted to the Town Manager

April 9, 2001- last day to register to vote in the May 8th election

May 7, 2001-  last day absentee ballots will be accepted

May 8, 2001- ELECTION DAY 2001

On December 18, 2000, the Mayor and Council passed an Emergency Ordinance concerning street parking during snow storms. Below is the entire text of that Ordinance.
 

An Ordinance regulating temporary parking after a snowfall so that vehicles must be parked on one side of the street or as directed by Town personnel and further providing the authority to close streets temporarily for emergencies or construction.
 

WHEREAS, Article V, S502(45) of the Charter of the Town of Landover Hills grants to the Mayor and Council the power to remove all nuisances and obstructions from streets, lanes and alleys of the Town; and

WHEREAS, Article V, S502(61) of the Charter of the Town of Landover Hills grants to the Mayor and Council the power to regulate vehicles and;

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council are cognizant that during emergencies or after a snowfall, it is important that the Town Manager and Chief of Police have the authority to close portions of streets or to regulate the parking so that plowing can be done easily and efficiently for the safety of the Town,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Landover Hills, in regular session assembled, that the Code of the Town of Landover Hills is hereby amended by adding Subsections (C) and (D) to Section 9802 as follows:
 

Section 9802- Street Parking Regulations
 

(C) EMERGENCIES
 

WHENEVER IN THE DISCRETION OF THE TOWN MANAGER OR THE CHIEF OF POLICE AN EMERGENCY SHALL EXIST, OR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR WORK SHALL REQUIRE, OR OTHER CONDITIONS AFFECTING TRAFFIC SHALL NECESSITATE, THE TOWN MANAGER OR THE CHIEF OF POLICE IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND EMPOWERED TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE ANY STREET OR ANY PART THEREOF WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE TOWN AND TO TEMPORARILY FORBID OR REGULATE PARKING IN THE AFFECTED AREA.
 

(D)- SNOW
 

WHENEVER SNOW HAS ACCUMULATED IN THE STREETS OF THE TOWN TO A DEPTH OF ONE (1) INCH OR MORE, THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES APPLY TO ALL VEHICLES PARKED OR LEFT TO STAND ON THE STREETS OF THE TOWN:
 

1. ON ONE-WAY STREETS OR ON STREETS WITH A MEDIAN SEPARATING THE TRAVEL LANES, VEHICLES MUST BE A THE RIGHT CURB FACING IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL IN THAT LANE.
 

2. ON ALL STREETS OTHER THAN THOSE LISTED IN SUB-SECTION ONE (1), VEHICLES MUST BE PARKED ON THE ODD-NUMBERED SIDE OF THE STREET.
 

3. VEHICLES SHALL OTHERWISE BE PARKED OR LEFT AS DIRECTED BY THE POLICE OR PUBLIC WORKS PERSONNEL.
 

4. TRAILERS, INCLUDING BOAT-AND-TRAILER AND TRAVEL TRAILERS MUST NOT BE ON ANY STREET UNLESS THE OWNER/LESSOR OF THE TRAILER IS A RESIDENT OF THE TOWN AND CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT THE OWNER/LESSOR HAS NO OFF-STREET PARKING ON THE PROPERTY IN WHICH THE OWNER/LESSEE RESIDES.
 

5. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBSECTION 9802 (D) SHALL BE EFFECTIVE WITHOUT NOTIFICATION AND SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL THE STREET IS PLOWED; PROVIDED HOWEVER THAT WHEN SNOW SHALL ACCUMULATE TO A DEPTH OF ONE (1) INCH OR MORE AFTER 11 P.M. THE PROVISIONS OF THE SUB-TITLE 9802 (D) SHALL NOT BE EFFECTIVE UNTIL 7:00 A.M. ON THE DAY FOLLOWING AND SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL THE STREET IS PLOWED.
 

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that this Ordinance is an Emergency Ordinance and shall take effect immediately upon the date of passage.
 

INTRODUCED by the Council of the Town of Landover Hills, Maryland at a regular meeting on December 18, 2000.
 

ADOPTED BY THE Council of the Town of Landover Hills, Maryland at a regular meeting on December 18, 2000.

I hope that you and your family had a good new year. As we enter this new year, I would like to make you aware of three areas of concern.
 

The first is the installation of two red light cameras. We have been experiencing numerous motorists running red lights, which endangers the pedestrians on Annapolis Road and motorists who are obeying the traffic devices entering the intersections on a green light. We are hoping that the installation of the cameras will not only cut down on the motorists who are running the red lights but will reduce the number of motorists who use excessive speed on Annapolis Road. The red light cameras are located at the intersection of Annapolis Road at 71st Avenue and the intersection of Annapolis Road at Ardwick-Ardmore Road. Both of the cameras are on the east bound side of Annapolis Road. The cameras will be operational very soon. If you are caught by one of the cameras, a citation which carries a fine of $75.00 will be sent to the registered owner of the vehicle by mail.
 

The second is about pedestrian traffic on Annapolis Road. There was another pedestrian accident on Annapolis Road recently. This accident involved one adult and three small children at the intersection of Annapolis Road and 72nd Avenue. PEDESTRIANS, please be aware of where you are crossing the street. Make sure you only cross at an intersection, in the crosswalk. Wear light colored clothing or reflective strips on your clothing. This will make you more visible to motorists.
 

The Landover Hills Police Department will be actively enforcing pedestrian traffic regulations. If pedestrians are found crossing in the middle of the street or against traffic signals, they will receive a citation.
 

Motorists, please be aware that Annapolis Road carries a high volume of pedestrian traffic. Keep an extra eye out for pedestrians, especially children.
 

And third, during the months of November and December 2000, the Landover Hills Police Department has been conducting observations of residents in Town who have out of state tags on their vehicles and vehicles that do not have tags. The police department is working with the Motor Vehicle Administration and the Maryland State Police to encourage residents who have not yet registered their vehicle(s) in Maryland to do so.
 

Our officers will be issuing warnings throughout the Town of Landover Hills to residents who have out of state tags or no tags. Along with this warning you will receive a pamphlet that explains registration in Maryland and Maryland Special Parking Permits.
 

After you have received a warning, you will have thirty days to register your vehicle in Maryland or obtain your parking permit from MVA. After thirty days, if you have not obtained Maryland tags or a parking permit, you will receive a citation.
 

Remember, if you will be leaving your home for a few days, please call us to schedule a residential security check on your home while you are away.