Town of Washington Grove | A Town within a Forest

Notices from the Mayor

Christmas Tree Disposal
Beginning in late December, Christmas trees will be picked up roadside. When you place your tree out for collection, please remove all tinsel, ornaments, the stand and any other metal.

Deer Fences Down
Residents are reminded that deer fencing should have been taken down by November 30th per Town Ordinance 3.328(g). Thanks!

Upcoming Events

List of dates for committee meetings and other events in December | View the calendar

Sunday, December 10, 7:00 pm: Join fellow movie-lovers in McCathran Hall for the delightful comedy Moonstruck. Spend a moonlit night in Brooklyn humming Italian opera! Cher and Olympia Dukakis won acting Oscars and are joined by Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, and Danny Aiello. Moonstruck‘s classic lines are too many to count! If you’re purchasing tickets at the door, single tickets cost $7; a set of five costs $25.

Thursday, December 14, 7 – 9 pm: Community Stories: Year End/Beginning Traditions. Join your neighbors in an evening of online storytelling. What do you do to mark the end or the beginning of the year? Do you have a holiday, celebration, or ritual that is an important part of this transition? Come share your story with us! We are excited to learn from you! Register here to indicate whether you’d like to be a storyteller or just listen, and to get the link; you will receive the link shortly before the event starts.

Thursday, December 28: Recyclable Yard Waste Collection ends. This service will resume in early March.

Friday, January 5: Leaf Collection by Green Earth ends. There will be a final collection in the Spring.

Weekly Events at McCathran Hall:
- Sundays, 5 – 6:30 pm: New! Chess-Nuts Chess Club. Come join other chess nerds for 30-45 minutes of lessons, followed by 45 – 60 minutes of games. Learn more here.
- Tuesdays, 6 – 7 pm: An all-levels slow-flow yoga class with Ingeborg McCright. RSVP to Eva Patrone and bring a waiver form (PDF) to your first class. Classes are free to Grove residents, with a suggested donation of $5-$10, and are $10 for non-residents. Ingeborg accepts cash or check. Learn more here.
- Wednesdays, 11 am – 12:15 pm: Tai chi with Claire Rosser. Sessions are free to all. Learn more here.

Restrictive Deed Covenants in Washington Grove

More than 100 properties in Washington Grove have been identified as burdened by a restrictive deed covenant imposed by the Town between 1929 and until 1953. These covenants barred sale to “anyone of a race whose death rate is of a higher percentage than that of the white or Caucasian race.”

In 1948, the Supreme Court declared that racially restrictive covenants were unenforceable by States;
In 1968, the Fair Housing Act made it illegal to add these deed covenants; and
In 2021, the Town Council amended the Washington Grove Zoning Ordinance to declare these restrictive covenants as terminated.

However, despite being declared unenforceable, illegal, and terminated, such deed covenants show up when searching County Land Records.

During the past year, 16 Grove property owners, through the help of RASEC and Charlie Challstrom, have filed Restrictive Covenant Modifications in the County Land Records to explicitly strike out this language. But more than 100 remain. Town residents who want to know whether their property is one of these or who want assistance with the process of modification in County Land Records should contact Charlie via email.

News You Can Use

Finding Home Health Care Services Can Be Difficult

View this New York Times guide to finding an aide to help an older person stay safely at home.

Sections of Metro Red Line Down for the Holidays

Metro’s Red Line will not be operating between the Dupont Circle and Gallery Place stations between Dec. 18 and Dec. 30, and between Dec. 22 and Christmas Eve, there will be no Red Line service between Dupont Circle and Union Station. View more info from WaPo.

Need a notary?

Contact Mary Challstrom or Amanda Roberts.

Going to Europe soon? You may have to pay a new entry fee.

Starting in mid-2025, an $8 European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) application will be required for U.S. travelers to enter E.U. countries. Most applications should be processed within minutes of applying, but prospective travelers should expect to receive an application decision within four days. Learn more from the E.U. website and from the Washington Post (note that the July 2023 Post article is now outdated in that it states that the program starts in 2024; the program will now start in 2025).

>> Older News You Can Use articles that have been removed from the home page are available on the News You Can Use Archive page.

Terri Johnson and Marida Hines are collecting new, unwrapped toys and books for children (toddlers to age 14) for Toys for Tots. This highly respected annual holiday campaign is sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. You can leave toys in the box in their carport (see the directory for their address). Email Terri with any questions. The donation deadline is Monday, December 11. We know that shopping for pre-teens can be challenging! Toys for Tots suggests the following for this age group: sporting equipment/bags/balls; books, backpacks, cosmetics, purses, watch/wallet gift sets; bath gift sets, board games; radio control cars/trucks; hand-held electronics; skateboards/helmets.

Latest Documents

Town Bulletins

Older Town Bulletins:

Bulletins dated March 2022 or older are available here or here
Bulletins dated April 2022 or later are available here.

Town Council Meeting Agendas and Minutes

Should you wish to review draft minutes, please contact the town clerk or the mayor.

December 11, 2023 Meeting
- Minutes – not yet available
- Agenda (PDF)

November 13, 2023 Meeting
- Minutes – not yet available
- Agenda (PDF)

October 9, 2023 Meeting
- Minutes (PDF)
- Agenda (PDF)

Older agendas and minutes can be found on the Agendas and Minutes of the Town Council and Commissions page.

Historic Preservation Commission

November 2023 Meeting
- Minutes – not yet available
- Agenda (PDF)

October 2023 Meeting
- Minutes – not yet available
- Agenda (PDF)

September 2023 Meeting
- Minutes (PDF)
- Agenda (PDF)

Older agendas and minutes can be found on the Agendas and Minutes of the Town Council and Commissions page.

Planning Commission

December 6, 2023 Meeting
- Minutes – not yet available
- Agenda (PDF)

November 1, 2023 Meeting
- Minutes (PDF)
- Agenda (PDF)

October 4, 2023 Meeting
- Minutes (PDF)
- Agenda (PDF)

Older agendas and minutes can be found on the Agendas and Minutes of the Town Council and Commissions page.

Contact Information

Mayor and Town Councilors and their Areas of Responsibility

Mayor
John Compton
240-432-5700
[email protected]
The Mayor is responsible for all intergovernmental relationships and activities.

For Councilors with no contact information listed below, please refer to the phone numbers and email addresses shown in the Town Directory. If you do not have a Directory, please call the Town Office at 301-926-2256, or email the Town Office at [email protected]. Want to write the mayor and all councilors? Please write to [email protected].

Contracts
Rob Gilmore

Dog Park
Mary Warfield
[email protected]

Emergency Preparedness and Safety
Eva Patrone
[email protected]

Forestry and Beautification (includes memorials)
Barbara Raimondo
[email protected]

Gateway
Peter Nagrod
[email protected]

Historic Preservation Commission
Robert Gilmore

Lake
Mary Warfield
[email protected]

Lighting
Barbara Raimondo
[email protected]

Maintenance
Peter Nagrod
[email protected]

Maryland Municipal League
John Compton

McCathran Hall
Barbara Raimondo
[email protected]

Planning Commission
Peter Nagrod
[email protected]

Racial Equity
Barbara Raimondo
[email protected]

Recreational Events/Recreation Committee
Eva Patrone
[email protected]

Recreational Facilities (Woodward Park, Playground and Tennis Courts)
Eva Patrone
[email protected]

Roads and Walkways
Rob Gilmore

Shady Grove Crossing
Christine Dibble
[email protected]

Sustainability
Mary Warfield
[email protected]

Washington Grove Conservation Park
Christine Dibble
[email protected]

Website and Communications
Christine Dibble
[email protected]

Woods
Christine Dibble
[email protected]

Town Office Contact Info

McCathran Hall
300 Grove Avenue
PO Box 216
Washington Grove, Maryland
20880-0216

Phone: 301-926-2256
Email: [email protected]
Rental Information

Town Office
Located in the lower wing of McCathran Hall, the office is usually open 9:30am – 12:30pm; and 1:00pm – 5:00pm. Town Clerk Kathy Lehman is available to answer your questions. Please drop by, call the office at 301-926-2256 or send an email to [email protected].