The Clarksburg/Quince Orchard varsity football game has been moved to this evening.

A letter was sent out to the Quince Orchard communities alerting them of the change. It can be seen below.

“Attention QO Community!

Due to the significant rain forecasted for Friday and
into Saturday, the varsity football game vs
Clarksburg will be moved to Thursday, October 28 at
6:30 p.m.

This change has been approved by the
coaches, athletics specialists, and administrations at
both schools and allows the natural grass field at
Quince Orchard High School to host multiple playoff
events on Saturday (2 home soccer playoff games)
and Monday (home field hockey playoff game).

We appreciate the flexibility of both school communities to allow for the games for all sports to be played on the highest quality playing field possible.

Go Cougars!”

Press Release From William Robert’s for County Council:

CLARKSBURG, MD — William Roberts today announced his candidacy for the Montgomery County Council to represent the Upcounty. Roberts, a Clarksburg resident, is a civil rights attorney, activist, and community leader with a strong track record of service and commitment to his community. He is running in the June 2022 Democratic primary to succeed term-limited District 2 Councilmember Craig Rice.

“My experience and training gives me a strong grasp of the opportunities and challenges ahead and the leadership our county needs to meet this moment,” said Roberts. “As we begin to recover from the pandemic and chart our course forward, Upcounty residents deserve a trusted and tested problem solver who can bring a new vision and experienced perspective to the Council to serve us. With my experience leading on priorities such as housing, transportation, and economic development, I know I can deliver for the Upcounty and for all county residents. I love our community; my wife Michelle and I are raising our daughter Mackenzie here, and I am more passionate than ever to be a leader for the future we want to build.”

About William Roberts

In a video message released today, Roberts pledged to address his growing and diverse community’s urgent priorities. He continued, “I have the experience to address our needs and I’ll be ready on day one to listen, lead, and move us forward.”

William Roberts is a trusted and experienced leader who has spent his career fighting for working families and serving the public interest. He served as Congressman Jamie Raskin’s first Legislative Director and Chief Counsel and is currently a Managing Director at the Center for American Progress. Roberts began his legal career representing tenants in fair housing cases and served on the county’s Landlord and Tenant Commission. Roberts has held numerous roles

in the county Democratic party. He served as president of the Montgomery County Young Democrats and currently serves as the president of the Association of Black Democrats of Montgomery County. Roberts has also served in numerous community and nonprofit roles including Chair of the Upcounty Citizens Advisory Board, Member of the Manna Food Center Advocacy Task Force, and Chair of the Montgomery County Renters Alliance Board of Directors. He was appointed by the County Executive to the Community Recovery Advisory Group, selected to serve on the Upcounty COVID Committeeand the BlackRock Center for the Arts Board of Trustees. Roberts earned his Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, and his Juris Doctor at Howard University. Roberts is running a community powered campaign using the Montgomery County Public Election Fund. He will not be accepting contributions from special interest groups, corporations, or PACs.
Roberts will host an official campaign launch in November. For more information on the campaign, visit williamjroberts.org or contact [email protected].

Update: Zaona Walker-Latney has been located safe and unharmed.

Per MCPD:

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Gaithersburg, MD – Detectives from the Montgomery County Police – 5^th District Investigative Section are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 28-year-old female from Clarksburg.

Zaona Walker-Latney was last seen leaving her residence this morning at approximately 8 a.m., in the 12000 block of Ethel Rose Way. Walker-Latney is 5-feet-1-inch tall and weighs approximately 125 pounds. Walker-Latney may be wearing an orange shirt, orange scarf, blue pants and carrying a backpack.

Police and family are concerned for her physical and emotional welfare.

Anyone who has information regarding the whereabouts of Zaona Walker-Latney is asked to call the Montgomery County Police 5^thDistrict Investigative Section at 240-773-6237or the police non-emergency number at 301-279-8000 (24 hrs).

 

Almost four years after 18-year-old brought a homemade or “ghost” gun with him to class at Clarksburg High School, his conviction has been cleared.

In April 2018, Alwin Chen pleaded guilty to carrying a gun on his person, however he was recently granted “probation before judgment”.

This was first reported by the Washington Post‘s Dan Morse, who described the change as being “in many ways…a continuation of Chen’s sentencing from three years ago.”

Court records show that Chen has stayed out of trouble and performed several hundred hours of community service since the 2018 incident.

Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge John Maloney, a former prosecutor, reportedly told Chen, “If you stay out of trouble, the world is your oyster…Good luck to you.”

 

Arrest Made in Clarksburg Arson Investigation

Cheif Spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Pete Piringer reports that an arrest has  been made in connection with the fire that occurred at the 22900 blk of Spicebush Dr in Clarksburg back on Saturday, August 14.

Mark Tracy of Aston has been charged with two counts 1st degree arson, two counts reckless endangerment, one count failure to comply with a peace order, and one count tampering with equipment.

No injuries were reported and one person was displaced after the August 14 incident.

 

Accelerated deterioration of a culvert has forced the closure of Clarksburg Road between Bethesda Church Road and Prices Distillery Road.

While plans were already in place to replace this culvert in October, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation accelerated the project schedule after recent rainfall further damaged the culvert, which carries a branch of Bennett Creek underneath Clarksburg Road.

Local access to all residences and properties will be maintained during the closure, which will remain through December, according to the Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s Division of Transportation Engineering.

Featured Photo Courtesy of MCDOT

#ClarksburgRdCulvert Due to the recent storm events, severe damage has occurred to the culvert and roadway. Clarksburg Rd s now closed between Prices Distillery and Bethesda Church Rd. Closure will be thru December 2021 to replace the culvert. @MoCo_DTE

— MCDOT Division of Transportation Engineering (@MoCo_DTE) September 24, 2021

Police Investigating Physical Altercation That Led to Two Men Falling From Balcony in Clarksburg

The individuals involved in yesterday’s incident in Clarksburg that resulted in two people falling off the balcony of a home on Cypress Spring Road have been identified as a 38-year-old-man and 42-year-old man, according to FOX45 Baltimore.

The men fell after the railing of the balcony gave way while the two were fighting. One was taken by ambulance to the hospital and the other was taken by helicopter to Shock Trauma.

Neighbors told ABC7 New’s Kevin Lewis that the property is a group home for people with mental illness.

Two Adults Being Treated With Life Threatening Injuries After Fall From Balcony in Clarksburg

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief is reporting that MCFRS are treating two adults with life threatening injuries after falling from a balcony in Clarksburg earlier this morning.

One was taken by ambulance to the hospital and the other was taken by helicopter to Shock Trauma.

 

Update – Cypress Spring Rd, Clarksburg, Medevac helicopter (Trp3) landed near Skylark Rd & Sycamore Farm Dr, @mcfrs PE735, PE734, PE729, A735, EMS703, A734, BC705, @MDSP HTtp3 on scene, 2 adult patients injured in fall from balcony , 1 Pri1 trauma w/ LT injuries & 1 Pri2 trauma https://t.co/w2HKjXSWdD

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) September 20, 2021

The Board discussed plans for Clarksburg Cluster Elementary School #9 at the September 9th Board of Education meeting and voted to continue with the project as designed, on schedule.

Below you’ll see the memorandum from Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight to the Montgomery County Board of Education:

The Clarksburg Master Plan allowed for the development of up to 15,000 residential units. The plan included five future elementary school sites, four of which already have been utilized for elementary schools to address enrollment growth—Little Bennett, William B. Gibbs, Snowden Farm, and Wilson Wims elementary schools—opened between 2006 and 2019.

With continued elementary school enrollment growth, a fifth new elementary school was approved and is scheduled to open September 2023. The Board of Education’s Requested Fiscal Year 2019 Capital Budget and Fiscal Year 2019–2024 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) included funds for the opening of the next elementary school with a requested completion date of September 2021. However, due to fiscal constraints, the Montgomery County Council ultimately delayed this project two years—a one-year delay in the adopted Fiscal Year (FY) 2019–2024 CIP and a second one-year delay in the adopted FY 2021–2026 CIP.

The site selection approval by the Board of Education occurred on March 22, 2018, (Resolution No. 153-18) and identified the Cabin Branch Community site for the new Clarksburg Cluster Elementary School #9.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) staff moved forward with the appropriate planning and design with the architectural firm to maintain the project schedule. Each of the five schools were designed following prototype school building plans to allow for efficiency in developer coordination, cost effectiveness, and predictable permitting processes, and timelines. Site plans moved ahead with the placement of the school in accordance with the Cabin Branch Winchester I development plan, which was approved on June 19, 2008. The Cabin Branch Winchester I development plan included both a rough site grading plan as well as a site plan with the proposed school sited on the plat.

MCPS staff worked with the developer to prepare the site in accordance with the approved site plan, which included the preparation of the school building pad. To maintain project completion, the initial design process began in the fall of 2019, and consisted of community conversations as well as cross-agency collaboration. The preliminary plans for the project were presented to the Board on May 28, 2020. Following the approval by the Board (Resolution No. 247-20), a series of meetings were conducted with the Montgomery County Planning Board (Planning Board) staff.

During the timeframe of this particular design, the Planning Board developed a recommendation that strongly encouraged MCPS to submit a Concept Plan prior to filing a Mandatory Referral application, to allow for an early opportunity to address master plan, design, transportation, and other site development concerns. Consistent with the established Planning Concept Plan review process, MCPS submitted a Concept Plan, which was reviewed by the Development Review Committee on May 19, 2020. Following this meeting, multiple items were addressed and the Mandatory Referral was submitted and received by the Planning Board on September 17, 2020.

During the 60-day review period allotted by the Mandatory Referral process, an extension was requested by Planning Board staff to allow for additional comments and studies to occur. MCPS granted this additional time. In November 2020, MCPS staff met with Planning Board staff to review additional comments at which time Planning Board staff requested that the proposed school orientation be revised. In addition, Planning Board staff provided additional comments related to the site, vehicle, and pedestrian circulation for MCPS staff review and consideration. MCPS staff continued to meet with Planning Board staff to incorporate, to the maximum extent feasible, and within reasonable compliance of the educational specifications, the comments presented by Planning Board staff. However, MCPS staff fundamentally does not agree with the relocation of the school footprint as recommended by the Planning Board staff, as this change negatively would impact school operations, project costs, and project schedules.

MCPS staff requested to continue with the Mandatory Referral process, despite not making the changes recommended by Planning Board staff. The Mandatory Referral hearing took place on June 17, 2021. During this review, and as outlined by Planning Board procedures, it is expected that the Planning Board consider all relevant land use and planning aspects of the proposal, including:

• Consistency with the County’s General Plan, functional master plans, approved and adopted area master plans or sector plans, and other public programs for the area;

• Consistency with the intent and requirements of the zone;

• Adequacy, safety, and efficiency of the location of buildings, structures, open spaces,
landscaping, recreation facilities, and pedestrian and vehicular circulation systems;

• Approved Natural Resources Inventory/Forest Stand Delineation and preliminary stormwater management concept plan and whether it meets the requirements of the Forest Conservation Law. The Forest Conservation Plan must be approved by the Planning Board and is binding on all county projects;

• Preliminary or Final Water Quality Plan review by the Planning Board if the project is located in a Special Protection Area; and

• Whether the site is needed for park use if the proposal is the disposal of a surplus property and whether alternatives have been considered for the project if the proposal is not consistent with the General Plan or other plans and policies for the area or has negative effects on the surrounding properties or neighborhood, the transportation network, and the environment or other resources.
During this hearing, the Planning Board staff raised several concerns and continued to encourage MCPS staff to create a strong public presence along Clarksburg Road (MD 121) and revise the school entrance to face Byrne Park Drive. In addition, it was requested that MCPS staff relocate vehicle loops and parking to the side and rear of the proposed school site through a variety of design modifications. Because the proposed plan did not accommodate the Planning Board staff recommendations, the Planning Board ultimately denied the plan for Clarksburg Cluster Elementary School #9. During the hearing, and included in the Planning Board staff report recommendations, MCPS was encouraged to revise the submitted plan in accordance with the Cabin Branch Community Guidelines and comments as outlined in the Mandatory Referral document dated June 17, 2021; highlighted comments below:

• As a primary civic building within the greater Cabin Branch Neighborhood, this building should be iconic and oriented towards Clarksburg Road, and should be fronted by a very open and civic plaza facing onto a street connecting to the primary entry of the school.

• Parking should be out of the way and to the side or rear of the building. A primary driveway to the parking and services along the edge of the park would create a “public” edge to the park that could feature a well-designed, tree-lined pathway along its outer edge.

• In order to achieve a better design relationship between the proposed Clarksburg Cluster Elementary School #9 site and the surrounding community, the new school should be sited near the intersection of Clarksburg Road and Byrne Park Drive to engage the public realm and create a civic presence and gateway into the community. The main entrance to the school should be on Byrne Park Drive.

While these comments are consistent with longer-term county master plan visions and intent, the scope of this review is based on the 1994 Clarksburg Area Master Plan, the 2018 Bicycle Master Plan, and the 2018 Master Plan of Highways and Transitways. MCPS strongly supports the implementation of all approved Master Plans; however, it must be reiterated that the comments provided relate to the operations of a school building, as well a student’s experience upon arrival at their school. The Planning Board staff comments will have a negative impact on the operational requirements of a public school in the current environment of the project, as well as to the fiscal constraints of public funding.

MCPS staff have restated that as a public agency serving both school and neighborhood communities, we are committed to providing facilities and associated community amenities that meet the needs of today and tomorrow. The Planning Board indicated that they would like to see this plan again and strongly encouraged MCPS to bring the plan back for another hearing. MCPS staff noted that next steps would be community engagement, discussions with the Board of Education, and the Montgomery County Council regarding cost and design implications.

Following the Planning Board hearing date of June 17, 2021, MCPS has scheduled a community outreach for feedback from the Clarksburg Elementary School community with a heavy focus on current residents in the Cabin Branch Community. The initial meeting to receive additional feedback will be held September 15, 2021.

It is our intent, through the project design process, to balance and integrate all aspects of school site operations to ensure maximum safety of all, including pedestrians, bicyclists, bus passengers, visitors, and persons utilizing the drop-off and pick-up areas. The project plans have been developed in consultation with third-party pedestrian safety and traffic engineers, parent/guardian and community representatives, MCPS Department of Transportation, Montgomery County Department of Permitting, and Montgomery County Department of Transportation. Furthermore, consideration of the physiological experience of students and staff entering the school building must be considered in planning an elementary school. The experience of the arrival to a school for students and staff transcends the larger “iconic” presence of the building and the location of the parking on a school site.

I recommend that the Board continue the Clarksburg Cluster Elementary School #9 project as designed and approved by the Board at this time.

WHEREAS, The Montgomery County Planning Board reviewed the Mandatory Referral submission for the Clarksburg Cluster Elementary School #9 project on June 17, 2021; and

WHEREAS, The Montgomery County Planning Board denied the project, citing concerns related to the Montgomery County Public Schools site design, and recommended further revisions; and

WHEREAS, The Montgomery County Planning Board has provided two illustrative concepts (Figure 4: Staff Illustrative Concept 1 and Figure 5: Staff Illustrative Concept 2) that were developed by the Montgomery County Planning Board staff for consideration (Attachment A); and Members of the Board of Education 5 September 9, 2021

WHEREAS, The architect for the proposed new Clarksburg Cluster Elementary School #9 project, Grimm + Parker Architecture, Inc., located in Calverton, Maryland, has prepared the recommended site design (Concept 3) in accordance with the educational specifications (Attachment B); and

WHEREAS, The Board of Education has reviewed and assessed the recommendations and comments of the Montgomery County Planning Board; now therefore be it Resolved, That the Board of Education approve the continuance of plans as designed to assure the Clarksburg Cluster Elementary School #9 project maintains all safety, operational, and programmatic goals, standards, and requirements; and be it further Resolved, That the Board of Education approve the continuance of plans as designed to ensure the critical completion date of August 2023, be maintained; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Montgomery County Planning Board.

Montgomery County Police Investigate Armed Robbery in Clarksburg

The original press release from the Montgomery County Police Department listed Damascus as the location of the robbery. Below is the updated release listing Clarksburg as the location.

Per MCPD:

Montgomery County Police Investigate Armed Robbery in Clarksburg

 

# # #

Earlier today we spoke with a representative from the Disney Store located at the Clarksburg Outlets and were told that the store would be closing permanently on or before September 15th (depending on when the store runs out of inventory).

Everything in-store is 40% off and a $10 coupon has been provided to customers who walk in, but a representative told us that the store can’t guarantee the coupon will be available.

The nearby Tyson’s Corner location started its closing sale yesterday and will also be closing on or before September 15th.