Association News

published: January 29th, 2021 by bruff in E-Mail Blast

Friday, January 29, 2021

Food Truck Friday Night

It’s Food Truck Friday night, so head to the Saddle Ridge Community Center at 300 Saddle Ridge Circle from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Catalyst Hot Dogs food truck is back bringing their famous Jersey-style hot dogs. The truck will be parked around the Circle ready to sell and serve to you. See the list below for the upcoming schedule of when your favorite food trucks will be rolling into King Farm next month!

Food Truck Friday Schedule:

Friday, February 5 – Corned Beef King
Friday, February 12 – Giacomos Brick Oven Pizza
Friday, February 19 – Fat Pete’s BBQ
Friday, February 26 – Catalyst Hot Dogs

We ask all attendees to wear masks and socially distance while standing in line.

Snow Removal Reminder

It looks like there may be some accumulating snowfall coming Sunday and Monday. Please remember, all King Farm homeowners are responsible for removing snow and ice from their driveway aprons, lead walks, and all sidewalks adjacent to their property within 24 hours after a snowfall of 3″ or less and within 48 hours after a snowfall of 3″ or more. Violators can be fined, so make sure you clear your sidewalks!

*Condominium owners and residents should contact their respective condominium association management companies.

*Apartment residents should contact the appropriate building management for questions or concerns about snow clearing and treatments.

The Assembly clears snow and/or treats all private streets (white signs/blue letters), alleys, and common area sidewalks (like the sidewalks at the Community Center, Pleasant Circle, Route 355, and the bike path on Gaither Road).

The City clears snow and/or treats all City streets and City sidewalks, and bike/trail paths located in King Farm. The City clears snow from 160 lane miles of roadways, 30 miles of publicly owned sidewalks, walkways, pathways, and 18 City-owned facilities and parks with parking lots. The City crews treat and plow roads in the following priority order:

Primary roads consist of major arterial roads, emergency routes, central business districts, and primary residential roads near schools. Secondary roads that consist of the remainder of neighborhood streets, alleyways, and cul-de-sacs.
There are Primary and Secondary streets located in King Farm. Often residents residing on City streets in King Farm are concerned when they see other streets have been cleared and theirs have not. For more information, call the Public Works Department at 240-314-8500.
It is encouraged for residents to park their vehicles inside their garage and/or driveway to provide better access for crews to treat and clear snow.

Remember that the City has a policy regarding parking on public streets designated “snow emergency streets” during snow emergencies; the Assembly has a similar policy for parking on private streets. Although not every public street in King Farm is a snow emergency street, it’s still a good idea to follow this rule whenever possible. The City policy is that cars must be parked on the even-numbered side of the street whenever a snowstorm of 3” or more occurs, and then once the odd-numbered side of the street gets cleared, move your car to the cleared side so that plows can remove snow from the even-numbered side. The City can tow vehicles that are parked in violation of their snow emergency policy. If parked on the street, King Farm residents should follow this procedure on all King Farm streets whenever possible; this makes it easier for the City and our contractors to clear your streets as quickly as possible, thereby making it easier for you to find a clear spot in which to park.

Don’t have ice melt?

You can use sand and/or kitty litter to provide additional traction on icy sidewalks. You can also use this homemade solution as an alternative to help melt the ice. In a bucket, combine the following ingredients. Once you pour the homemade ice melt mixture onto your sidewalk or driveway, the snow and ice will begin to bubble up and melt. Just keep a shovel handy to scrape away any leftover pieces of ice.

– 1/2 gallon of hot water
– 6 drops of dish soap
– ¼ cup rubbing alcohol

Uncleared Sidewalks/Surfaces:

If you require assistance to remove snow or ice, and you do not have the financial means to hire someone to do this for you, contact Senior Social Services at 240-314-8810. SSS is also looking for volunteers and contractors for snow removal.

If you need to report a sidewalk that has not been properly cleared, please click here and fill out the online form OR call 240-314-8330, and someone from the City of Rockville Code Enforcement Division will inspect the property. *Please keep in mind City employees are working remotely, but they are checking voicemails, emails and returning calls.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at 301-987-0122 or via e-mail at management@kingfarm.org. Snow information can also be found on the King Farm website: https://kingfarm.org/snow-removal/

We appreciate everyone helping out and we hope everyone stays safe and warm!

Pepco Winter Preparedness Tips

Pepco has taken essential steps to ready the local energy grid to provide customers with safe and reliable energy service this winter. Just as Pepco prepares, customers should also prepare.

Assemble an emergency storm kit. Include battery-powered radio or TV, flashlight, a first-aid kit, battery-powered or windup clock, extra batteries, special needs items, medications, multi-purpose tool, cell phones with chargers, and list of important and emergency phone numbers.
Apply insulation, caulking, and weather stripping around your home to keep out the cold.
Have a supply of bottled water and easy-to-prepare, non-perishable foods available.
Keep a flashlight with fresh batteries on each floor of your home.
Identify an alternate location for you and/or your family in case of an extended outage.
Review the manufacturer’s instructions for safe operations of your generator. Do not connect a generator directly to your home’s wiring. Never use a generator indoors or any enclosed area.

Download Pepco’s app at pepco.com/mobileapp to keep informed during a storm.

Being prepared is a responsibility everyone should take seriously. If a severe storm hits, monitor local weather reports regularly and follow the advice of local emergency management officials. Immediately report a downed wire or service issue by calling 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662), visiting pepco.com, or through the company’s mobile app.

More tips, resources and safety information are available at pepco.com/storm.

To learn more about Pepco, visit The Source, Pepco’s online newsroom. Find additional information by visiting pepco.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/pepcoconnect and on Twitter at twitter.com/pepcoconnect. Pepco’s mobile app is available at pepco.com/mobileapp.

Amendment to Administrative Resolution #3

Administrative Resolution #3 (Vehicle Policies and Towing Procedures):

The Board is considering amending AR #3 regarding towing enforcements. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to send those to Management via email management@kingfarm.org or call (301) 987-0122. Proposed amendments to AR #3 will be discussed and voted on during the March 17th, 2021 BOT meeting.

You can view a copy of the proposed amendments under review on the King Farm website (https://kingfarm.org/draft-resolutions/) or download the file from the Internal Documents in the FrontSteps resident portal under the folder(s) 2. Governing Documents / 1 – Draft Resolutions.

*If you do not have access to the resident portal, please contact Management for assistance or to obtain copies of these documents.

The 2021 Annual Meeting and Election Coming Soon!

The 2021 King Farm Annual Meeting & Election will take place at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 via Zoom meeting. Residents will receive a mailing in the coming week with more information.

Candidate Information:

There are three (3) open seats for the Board of Trustees (BOT). For those interested in running in the 2021 Election, please visit the King Farm website https://kingfarm.org/2021-annual-election/ for requirements and refer to the Candidate Considerations document.
Complete your candidacy “Statement of Purpose” using no more than one (1) page. The Statement of Purpose must be typed using a font 12-point or higher and double spaced.
Complete the “Petition For Candidacy Form”, including necessary signatures.
The completed documents with the necessary signatures must be received by the Management Office electronically, hand-delivered, or via USPS mail no later than 3:00 pm Wednesday, February 24, 2021.
Lack of the necessary number of valid signatures will result in an invalid candidacy petition (signatures are invalid if the King Farm citizen is delinquent).

*If you would like to drop off the documents, you can put the completed documents in the drop-box to the right of the front door of the Management Office OR call (301) 987-0122 or email management@kingfarm.org to schedule an appointment.

Registering to Vote:

As a reminder, all King Farm Titleholders and Citizens who are 18 years or older, have no financial delinquencies over 30 days, and are registered with the Assembly are qualified voters and may vote.
All titleholders of single-family homes, townhomes, and condominium units, as shown on the Assembly’s records, are automatically registered to vote.
Non-titleholders must register ANNUALLY!
All other persons who wish to vote, including tenants and other occupants of a King Farm residence who are not the record owners of the residence, are required to complete a **Citizen Registration Form in order to register as Citizens with the Assembly and to vote in elections (registration forms can be found on the website).
Citizen Registration Forms must be submitted by 12:00 pm, Friday, April 2, 2021. You can submit your form to the Management Office via email at management@kingfarm.org or by placing it in the drop box to the right of the front office door (300 Saddle Ridge Circle). All forms will be verified (signed lease, state issued driver’s license, and/or owner verification).

Please note: If you are NOT a Titleholder and have not registered by the deadline you are not permitted to vote in the election.

Voting Information:

Electronic Voting:

Electronic voting in the KFCA Election is recommended and preferred.
Electronic voting opens at 9:00 PM on Wednesday, April 7th and closes at 11:59 PM on Tuesday, April 27th.
Assistance to cast votes electronically will be available. For more information, contact management@kingfarm.org.

Paper Ballots:

Due to COVID-19 and USPS mail delays, paper ballots will available upon request only.
If requested, paper ballots can be picked up from the Management Office or hand-delivered (when possible).
Paper ballots must be received by mail or hand-delivered to the Assembly office no later than 5:00 PM on Tuesday, April 27th.

Please note: The Assembly is utilizing electronic voting through a 3rd party vendor: VoteHOANow. Titleholders with their names listed in the Assembly records will automatically receive a unique registration code via email and/or on a postcard via USPS mail to vote electronically. Registration codes will be generated for Citizens who register by Friday, April 2, 2021. VoteHOANow recommends that you add the domain votehoanow.com as an approved domain so emails are not sent to the spam folder. It will be up to the Titleholders and the registered Citizens to ensure that the Assembly has your correct email address.

City of Rockville Planning Commission to Hold Public Hearing on Annexation

Dear Rockville Community,

I hope you are doing well. I would like to invite you to a very important meeting. Rockville’s Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a virtual public hearing, Wednesday, Feb. 10, on a proposal to annex almost 10.3 acres of land at 16200 Frederick Road. The Mayor and Council initiated annexation proceedings at their meeting in November. The annexation was initiated through a petition to the city by Victor, Inc., the property’s owner, with a request to zone the area as mixed-use corridor district.

Annexation is the formal process of incorporating an area outside of the city’s jurisdiction into its municipal boundaries. To be eligible, the property must be within the city’s maximum expansion limits, as identified in the adopted Municipal Growth Element of the Comprehensive Plan, and adjacent to city limits. The proposal must go through several steps before approval.

The public hearing will begin at 7 pm. The Mayor and Council will hold a public hearing before making a final decision. View the Preliminary Annexation Plan here. To testify at the public hearing, which will be held virtually, email jwasilak@rockvillemd.gov before 4 pm. on the day to be placed on the speakers list. Spoken testimony is limited to three minutes for individuals, or five minutes if representing a group.

Submitted written testimony to the Planning Commission via planning.commission@rockvillemd.gov, or by mail, c/o Manisha Tewari, 111 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850. Contact Manisha Tewari at mtewari@rockvillemd.gov or 240-314-8213 for more information.

King Farm Management Office – Closed For Walk-Ins

To protect the health and safety of the office staff and residents, The Management Office (Saddle Ridge Community Center) remains closed for walk-ins and unscheduled visits. For in person meetings, residents are seen by appointment only. Please call or email to schedule an appointment and wear a mask upon arrival to your appointment.
Contact Info: 301-987-0122 or management@kingfarm.org

Appointment Hours: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (Monday – Thursday)

OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm (Monday – Thursday) & 8:30 am to 2:00 pm (Friday)

The pool is closed for the season, but residents can still obtain a King Farm Key Fob. Please contact management to schedule an appointment to obtain key fob(s). For more information on key fob(s), please click here.

King Farm Neighbors Village News

The King Farm Neighbors Village (KFNV) had a busy January with four events and is looking forward to a busy February. Specifically, the KFNV will be virtually hosting over Zoom the following events:

The second meeting of the KFNV Movie Club on February 4th at 2 pm where the movie under discussion will be Molly’s Game, directed by Aaron Sorkin;

The monthly KFNV Book Club on February 11th at 12:30 pm with a discussion of the novel, American Dirt, by Jeanine Cummins; and

Coffee and Conversation on February 17th at 10:00 am.

King Farm Neighbors Village Board of Director News

The KFNV is now soliciting individuals to serve as members of the Board of Directors. The Board is a volunteer managing entity for the KFNV and works to develop, implement, and sustain activities that support the KFNV mission to help King Farm residents who would like to remain in their homes throughout their lives and age in place. The KFNV coordinates services such as friendly visits, check-in phone calls, social events, health and safety events, and transportation. Board members must be residents of King Farm and members of the KFNV. We are seeking individuals who are interested in the KFNV and its mission, who have experience germane to serving on the KFNV Board, and who are willing to commit a level of effort necessary to complete the duties of a KFNV Board member. Term of service for Board members is two years, beginning at the Annual Meeting held in April of each year.

If you are interested in joining the KFNV Board, please send a statement of interest and a brief bio to kfnvinfo@gmail.com; and if you would like information about the KFNV, please view the KFNV website at www.kfnv.org.

KFNV COVID-19 Information

In its effort to inform its members, supporters, and volunteers about the Covid-19 pandemic, the KFNV is directing its community to the following website that provides up-to-date information on the roll-out of the Coronavirus vaccinations in Montgomery County: https://montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/. Through this website, you can sign up via text or email for up-to-date vaccination information.

Game Give Away

KFNV has the non-competitive board game “Making Memories Together” for free distribution. This game was designed for the purpose of honoring and communicating with an older family member, and it includes the exercise of surveying favorite family photos. It is especially appropriate for those encountering the challenges of cognitive changes, and the game has earned first place in a competition focused on the use of art in health care.

Community Resource Guide

The KFNV has hard copies of the resource guide: It Takes a Community to Age Safely created by Elder Safe Center, a program of the Charles E. Smith Life Communities. Please contact the KFNV if you would like a copy.

How to Contact KFNV

For most of our monthly events, membership is required, but membership is free and as easy as filling out an on-line or mail-in form. We do, however, accept and welcome donations; for these donations help defray the cost of KFNV services and events. For information on how to register for any of the above events, to become a KFNV member, to inquire about becoming a Board member, to make a donation, or to request a “Making Memories Together” board game or an Elder Safe Community Resource Guide, please contact the Member Coordinators at kfnvinfo@gmail.com, leave a voicemail at (301) 799-8104, or view the KFNV website at www.kfnv.org.

Website: https://www.kfnv.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kingfarmneighborsvillage

Email: kfnvinfo@gmail.com

Voicemail: (301) 799-8104