New report underscores conditions that made Prince George’s vulnerable to covid-19

(Tents set up to accommodate an overflow of coronavirus patients in April at Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

From Rachel Chason's report in The Washington Post:

"Long before Prince George’s County reported the highest number of coronavirus cases in Maryland, the conditions that would make the majority-Black suburb vulnerable to the virus were present, according to a report released Tuesday.
Overcrowded housing, high rates of uninsurance and preexisting health conditions are all more prevalent in the county than in the state and are concentrated in communities that have been hit particularly hard by covid-19, the report by the Rand Corp. said.
The nonprofit think tank — hired by the Prince George’s County Council two years ago to assess the health of county residents and make recommendations about how to improve it — also found that the county historically has invested less than neighboring jurisdictions in health and human services, and it recommended that the government study how it allocates such funding."

The Rand Corp. brief to the County Council Sitting as the Board of Health is here.

A video of the briefing is here.

The Rand report, "Assessing Health and Health Care in Prince George's County" is here.

Donald White LeCrone, December 19, 1936 - September 25, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

We are sad to report the passing of Don LeCrone, who lived on Surrey Circle Dr. Please keep Don and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

On Friday, September 25, 2020, Don LeCrone passed away at age 83.  Don and his wife Carolyn joined the Country Club in 1967 and Don, 83, was a long time member of the Senior Men's Golf Association ("Seniors").  For many years, Don and Carolyn organized and hosted the Club’s monthly couples golf events.  Don and Carolyn were also long time members of the Swingers group which played monthly. 

Service details are at https://www.kalasfuneralhomes.com/memorials/donald-lecrone/4343240/obituary.php

Voting News

Maryland’s Web-delivered ballots — more than 110,000 have been requested — must be hand-copied by poll workers to be counted (The Washington Post)

• The rush to vote from home this year left Maryland election judges with a burden that plagues no other state in the country: Ballots delivered online cannot be read by the state’s scanning machines.

Is mail theft surging in the U.S.? Postal Service inspectors don't know (NBC News)

• Anecdotal accounts suggest mail theft is on the rise in parts of the country. Postal inspectors don’t have a reliable internal system to track the crime.

Voter Lookup

• Review your voter registration record.
• Request a duplicate voter registration card.
• Find out where to vote.
• Find out your voting districts.
• Find out your local board of elections.
• See the status of your mail-in or provisional ballot.
• View your sample ballot.

Important! If you receive a ballot in the mail - mail it back in the envelope provided and you must sign the Oath on the envelope. See INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOTING BY MAIL

District 8 Charrette Meeting - September 24, 2020

(Click on the image for the video)

 Councilwoman Monique Anderson-Walker was joined by M-NCPPC team, Public Engagement Associates, HR&A Advisors and KCI Technologies Inc. and District 8 constituents. The meeting was very interactive and all your comments and questions were appreciated.

The meeting provided:

• The Focus of the Study (starts at 0:03:17)
• Community Survey Results (starts at 0:16:51)
• Initial Findings from Economic and Market Analysis (starts at 0:34:53)
• The Environmental Study - Stormwater and Floodplain Challenges (starts at 1:12:36)
• Next Steps (starts at 1:58:27)

Next Steps are:

• Draft Economic and Market Analysis Report
• Alternative Development Scenarios
• Draft Environmental Assessment and Recommendations
• We addressed many of the questions during the Charrette. District 8 office will be sharing the questions and answers as soon as possible.

Community Partners' Presentation - September 24, 2020

(Click on the image for the presentations)

A guide to what the county allows and disallows and what issues are handled by which agency.

For example, the second slide on "Who Handles That?" indicates that DPIE, DPW&T, and DoE as well as the homeowner are responsible for different categories of flooding & drainage issues.

Everyone should read this presentation! There's great deal of useful information.

Reopening of Animal Services Facility and Adoption Center (ASFAC)

(Click in the image for Reopening Frequently Asked Questions)

Your Department of the Environment is happy to announce the reopening of the Animal Services Facility and Adoption Center (ASFAC) for pet adoptions on Monday, September 28th. Adopters must call 301-780-7201 to schedule a 30-minute appointment (first come, first served basis).

For more information on pet adoption or animal services, visit www.princegeorgespets4us.com.  

Flooding

 From Council Member Monique Anderson Walker:

Prince George’ County residents are experiencing unprecedented barriers in their daily lives. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the consistent flooding issues seen across the county and in District 8 are nothing short of a matter of contention. District 8 constituents are feeling the negative effects of rapid real estate development in flood hazard areas. While growth is encouraged and welcomed, especially in District 8, the rampant surge of urban sprawl hurts us in the long run if these developments do not adhere to flood hazard protocols. I have been on site visits with my District 8 Team members and witnessed the devastation firsthand. I invite you to attend our September 23rd Transforming Communities "Community Planning Meeting". There will be presentations from engineers, for the Henson Valley Area Study, sharing their conclusions that upstream development can cause the brunt of groundwater and flooding. If you have not registered for the September 23rd meeting, there is a link below for you to register for this interactive meeting to discuss responsible development ideas and storm water management in District 8 to alleviate flooding.

More importantly, the unbridled dependence on this growth almost instantly hurts District 8 residents. This comes in the form of residents suffering damages and loss of value on their homes, due to the impact of the floods. In order to consider Prince George’s County acknowledging the negative impacts of rapid urban sprawl along floodplains, I am proposing two pieces of legislation this session to combat these issues at the root. These pieces of legislation will not stop investment into Prince George’s County or District 8, but would ensure a commitment to smart growth.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA), is the agency within the United States Department of Homeland Security responsible for the categorization of flood hazard areas of land as “floodplains,” otherwise known as  FEMA floodplains.

A FEMA Floodplain is considered an area that is prone to high flooding or experiencing a flood event that has a 1 in 100 chance (1% probability) of being exceeded in any given year also referred to as a 100-year flood. FEMA’s primary focus is to respond and mitigate environmental disasters. With the categorization of floodplains and proper disaster mitigating protocols, FEMA aims to reduce the casualties of unnecessary flooding.

CB-49-2020

When real estate developments in floodplains do not adhere to flood hazard protocols, families and homes are jeopardized. Council Bill CB-49-2020 will establish, by law, all dwellings located in a FEMA categorized floodplain must have a floodplain study done prior to any new development in the 100-year floodplain. This bill will ensure that proper research is completed so that development will not cause any harm to the existing floodplain, which assures no additional risk or potential flood hazards for residents of Prince George’s County.

CR-56-2020

The second piece of legislation is a Council Resolution, CB-56-2020 ,which calls upon the United States Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate land and topography assuring proper stormwater management practices. Like FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers skillset best suits them to provide insight to the proper reduction of flood related catastrophes plaguing Prince George’s County residents.

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT RETROFIT PROGRAM & RAIN CHECK REBATE PROGRAM

Prince George’s County introduced a bill (CB-062-2020) on September 15, 2020, that issues nearly $500,000,000 in bonds in order to generate the appropriate funding for stormwater management projects. These funds will go to financing county, schools, community college, libraries, stormwater management capital projects listed in the fiscal year 2021 Capital Budget. These funds will be used for the Stormwater Management District Fund that disburses funds to the Stormwater Management Retrofit Program.  CLICK HERE FOR THE BILL

Prince George’s County appropriates $3 million to the Stormwater Management Retrofit Program every year since the program’s establishment in 2014. The Chesapeake Bay Trust graciously partnered with Prince George’s County to invest and build a program that aids neighborhoods, while treating and controlling stormwater. Those eligible for the grant program are non-profit organizations, municipalities, watershed organizations, education institutions, community associations, faith-based organizations, and civic groups. Within the Retrofit Program, there is a Rain Check Rebate Program that funds several stormwater managements practices. The rebate program funds seven stormwater management practices such as: rain barrels, cisterns, rain gardens, urban tree canopy, pavement removal, permeable pavement and green roofs. While the rebate program has a lifetime limit per property, eligible individuals are allotted up to $4,000 per property. Non-profits are eligible up to $4,000 per property if the organization is willing to provide upfront cost of construction for eligible individuals otherwise unable to participate in the Rain Check Rebate Program. Commercial Properties are eligible up to $20,000 per property. In short, individuals may apply for the rebate program in order to offset the cost of any stormwater management practice done on their property, so long as they are eligible and are granted the approval. Applicants must submit applications in the Chesapeake Bay Trust Online System by 4:00 PM EST on November 19, 2020.

The Rain Rebate Program received 291 applications during the 2019 fiscal year. Department of the Environment approved 91 applications, denied 81 applications and currently have 269 applications in process. The amount rewarded for the Rain Rebate Program for applicants totaled $79,035 for the 2019 fiscal year. Unfortunately, District 8 comprised of 11 of the 291 applications with zero (0) approved applications and five (5) denied applications.

While the Stormwater Management Retrofit Program attempts to provide a solution to issues post flooding disasters, the proposed legislation hopes to provide a solution at the root of the problem. The legislation may not solve every flooding catastrophe that is currently plaguing our county, we must not make the perfect the enemy of the good.

PRINCE GEORGES'S COUNTY DAMAGE REPORT & STEPS TO FOLLOW

If you were affected by the flooding, please submit a damage report on the new OEM Assessment Tool.This is critical. Click OEM Assessment Tool 

1. Have you reported this to 311?  If you have not reported this to 311, please do so immediately, so that your issues are documented. Get and Keep the Service Request Number that 311 will give you.
2. Do you have any pictures? If so, please email your pictures before the incident and pictures after the incident and your Service Request Number to our District 8 Constituent Services Director, Carla Cash at cycash@co.pg.md.us Carla Cash will do her best to assist you with your issue.
3. In addition to reporting your incident to 311, complete the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Assessment Tool report above. OEM Assessment Tool 
4. Staff from OEM and the Department of Permitting Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE) are visiting impacted residents to make damage assessments. Based on the assessments, eligibility for assistance will be determined through FEMA and the Small Business Association (SBA). Many assistance programs require a minimum threshold of damage to be met, so it is imperative that everyone who suffered damage or losses fill out the OEM Assessment Tool. Please share the link with your neighbors.

REGISTER TO ATTEND the COMMUNITY PLANNING MEETING MEETING - WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2020 - 6:30 PM

Register to attend our virtual Transforming Communities Meeting "Community Planning Meeting", a Charrette's Meeting on Wednesday, September 23 - 6:30 - 8:30 pm. This meeting will be interactive and the "Survey" results will be shared, along with presentations. This is a meeting about development in District 8 and your input continues to be welcomed in this process.  Click on this link to register for the meeting:

https://mypgc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_n-yo7wVsQMqwoPtOSgztGw

Looking forward to you joining us!

Tantallon Area Flood Map

(Click on the image for the original file)

From Note to Users: This map is for use in administering the National Flood Insurance Program. It does not necessarily identify all areas subject to flooding, particularly from local drainage sources of small size. 

Prince George's County Damage Report

(Click on the image to make a report)

If you were affected by flooding, please submit a damage report on the new OEM Assessment Tool: bit.ly/PGCFloodDamage.

Maryland Homeowners Concerned About Shifting Retaining Wall

(Click on the image for Tracee Wilkins' News4 report)

Homes and yards in Fort Washington, Maryland, are sinking and shifting due to a failed retaining wall, residents say.
The retaining wall built to shore up the homes on a hill on Hallwood Place is rapidly shifting and the rainy summer made it worse.
“It's really happening right in front of our eyes that the wall is moving,” homeowner Sandra McClelland said.

Tracee provided the County's statement on this situation:

“While the County is not liable in this matter regarding the failing retaining wall and the affected homes, we learned a year ago that there were issues with the integrity of that retaining wall. As a result, we have worked for the last year to require the responsible parties to stabilize the wall, including issuing building violation notices in December 2019 and January 2020, to require corrective action.  The District Court scheduled a hearing on the violations to take place next Wednesday. The County will be asking the court to issue an order to require the responsible parties to take immediate corrective action to stabilize the retaining wall.

“This matter has become more urgent due to the historic rainfall we have received in recent weeks and the significant shift in the wall. As we await the hearing date, we will use all emergency authority at the County’s disposal to protect the life and safety of our residents. We have been closely monitoring the retaining wall daily and look forward to an immediate resolution to ensure the stability of this retaining wall. Over the coming days and weeks, the County will consider a number of necessary actions, to include creation of an access road and other preliminary work.”

Guide to Residential Drainage Problems and Solutions

(Click on the image for the Department of the Environment guide)

The guide includes sections on:

• Basement Flooding Problems
• Basement Waterproofing & Drainage Systems
• Sump Pumps
• Wet Yards
• Grading Around the House
• Erosion Problems

Note, improper discharging of water within the County rights-of-way is considered illegal. The homeowner can construct an underdrain system to be connected to the nearest storm drain inlet structure or to an existing road underdrain pipe system by special drain permit only. Special drain permits are obtained from the Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T).

Do you Have a Flooding or Drainage Problem?

(Click in the image for Susan's Hogan's News4 report)

Tantallon blog posts on flooding:

• Flooding Issues in South Prince George's County
• Are You Insured for the Next Flood? Probably Not.
• Basement Sewer Backups from WSSC's Point of View
• Maryland Homeowners Surprised by $40,000 Flood Cleanup Bill

Washington Consumers’ Checkbook articles on basement flooding:

• Basement Waterproofers
• How Water Gets Into Your Basement
• How to Solve Basement Moisture Problems
• Who to Hire for Wet Basement Help

Flooding Issues in South Prince George's County

(Click on the image for the Nov 22, 2019 briefing)

(Click on the image for the Nov 22, 2019 briefing)

Country Drainage Retrofit Has Silenced Sump Pumps in Horizon Estates

• Residents wish adequate drainage was installed before their homes were built.
• Homes were built over underground streams and surface water from higher ground added to the flooding.
• For "New Homes", see HB 219 (2019) - Prince George’s County – New Homes – Drainage Defects and its Fiscal and Policy Note. This bill, signed into law by Gov. Hogan, takes effect October 1, 2020.
• A meeting with Councilman Sydney Sydney Harrison, DPIE, DoE and DPW&T is scheduled for Friday, November 22, 2019, 7pm at the District VIi Police Station, to discuss drainage issues in Southern Prince George's County.
• The communities that initiated this event are compiling a list of drainage issues to be provided in advance to county government reps. The list has columns for address, name/email/phone, problem, and current status (what's been done so far. I would include 311 service request number). Given in advance, this information will help get you a response at the meeting. If you want your problem addressed at the meeting, you can send this information to me at weissster@gmai.com. Ron
• The following post has a link to a sound clip by Angela Alsobrooks on Healthy Communities that speaks to flooding issues in south county. You should hear what she says.

County Agencies and Representatives Who Attended the Nov 22 Meeting:

Prince George’s County Department of the Environment (DoE)

1801 McCormick Drive, Suite 500, Largo, Maryland 20774

Moses Fadiran, Section Head of Sustainable Initiatives Division (301) 833-5768 mfadiran@co.pg.md.us

Mr. Alfred Dasi is the DOE point of contact on County drainage, and flooding issues. His phone number is 301-883-3312 and his email is atdasi@co.pg.md.us

Dawn Hawkins dhnixon@co.pg.md.us                   

Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE)

9400 Peppercorn Court, Largo, Maryland 20774

Rey de Guzman rsdeguzman@co.pg.md.us

Denny Brittingham  dtbrittingham@co.pg.md.us 240-508-9619  

Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T)

8400 D’Arcy Road, Forestville, Maryland 20747 

Gwendolyn Clerkly, Deputy Director,  gtclerkley@co.pg.md.us

Vernon L. Stinnett, Jr., Associate Director, Office of Highway Maintenance vlstinnett@co.pg.md.us Office (301) 499-8523, Cell (301) 602-1292, Fax (301) 499-8525

Michael Snyder, Chief, Storm Drain Maintenance Division masnyder@co.pg.md.us 301-499-8556