July 9, 2015

Mount Rainier Residents, Businesses, and Well Wishers:

Some very exciting and stimulating redevelopment is about to occur in our community.  Although this may be your first time receiving an official notice of these new developments, rest assured you, your safety, and the ongoing effort to make our City a better place to live, work and do business has always been in the forefront of the Mayor and Council and our decision-making.

Here is what is happening.

1)   The County has approached the City and notified us that there is some much-needed work on our levee system.  The work is necessary to bring our levee into compliance with Army Corp of Engineers and the new standards for levees since Katrina.

2)  Rainier Manor owners have also decided to expand Rainier Manor from its current capacity of 100 units to 157 units.  This work is expected to begin mid-August.

3)  After years of seeking funding to end the flooding on Buchanan Street, the City has obtained grant amounting to more than$400,000 to create a bio-retention cell.

These are all excellent and needed projects, but they are going to impact our lives over the next few years.

To help us understand the effects of these projects on our way of life (transportation, students’ safety, our tree canopy, etc.), Mayor and Council are sponsoring a community forum on Saturday, July 18, 2015, at the Mount Rainier Nature Center.  It is important that you come out and hear the presentation, but also to ask your questions about these projects.

 The developers have all been invited to prepare maps, flow charts, timetables and other information to explain what they will be doing, and share with you what is anticipated as the outcome.  It is a lot of information to absorb.  So, the Mayor and Council will be working together to come up with ways to keep you informed as the work progresses. 

Please share this information with your neighbors, email list, blogs and other media outlets.  If you are a business, please post the enclosed flyer in a prominent place in your business for your clientele.    If you are an apartment owner or residential manager, please provide this information to your tenants.

Working together, we will make this as painless as possible, and we will all benefit from the results.

Should you have questions or wish to speak with someone, please call your Ward Representatives, the Interim City Manager or the Mayor.  Thank you in advance, and we look forward to seeing you on Saturday, July 18, 2015, at 9:30 am at the Mount Rainier Nature Recreation Center, 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier, MD 20712.  The number to City Hall is 301-985-6585.