WEEKLY BULLETIN | December 30, 2022

Holiday Closings

All City facilities will be closed on Monday, January 2, 2023 in observance of the New Year holiday.

There will be no collections on Monday; all trash and recycling days slide forward one day (Monday collections will occur on Tuesday and so forth), and Friday is the only Special/Bulk collection day.

Community Survey 2022

The City is partnering with the ETC Institute to conduct a comprehensive community survey. This upcoming City of College Park Community Survey will measure residents’ attitudes and opinions on City services like refuse and recycling collection, City facilities and parks, City events, and economic development. This will be the third scientifically representative survey conducted in the City of College Park.

A randomly selected sample of College Park residents will receive a mailing from the City and ETC Institute notifying them of their selection in the survey process. Be sure to check your mailbox for more information about the survey. Responses are anonymous. The mailed paper survey will be in English, but a Spanish version of the survey will be available.

If you have received your paper survey in the mail, please complete and submit that form. If you did not receive a paper survey, we still want to hear from you! Please complete the survey online.

Participation in the survey is very important. The results will help City officials better serve the College Park community, so please complete the survey if your household is selected. Help us shape the future of College Park! For any questions about the 2022 City of College Park Community Survey, please call 240-487-3501 or email cpcommunications@collegeparkmd.gov.

Stay tuned to the City’s website, facebook and twitter pages for up-to-date news and information.

Curbside Food Scrap Collection

College Park's average weekly food scrap tonnage has increased from 0.5 ton to 1.25 tons since starting curbside collections!

This new voluntary program will divert organic materials, that are not waste, out of our landfill and will reduce harmful greenhouse gases emitted from organic decomposition in landfills, which contributes to climate change. 

Residents can sign up on a rolling basis – join and purchase containers at www.collegeparkmd.gov/curbsidecollectionapp. Once you pick up your containers, your collection will start the following week.

Tips for a successful collection:

•  A contractor is providing the collection service, so it’s best to place your container out before 6:00 a.m. or the night before your scheduled pick-up to avoid a missed collection.
• Your container should be directly in front of your house, and if possible, at the end of your driveway so that it is clearly visible from the street (no alley collections)
• Keep your container away from trash and recycling carts, or other obstacles.
• If you run out of compostable bags, you can use a paper bag, or put food scraps loosely in the container.
• Our contractor, Compost Crew, will send a reminder email the day before your collection. They will also send a notice if your container is not found.
• If you will be away and want to skip a week, please email publicworks@collegeparkmd.gov and let us know the week(s) you would like your service suspended.

Check out the video below for an introduction to the program and other how to videos.

Election Survey

The City of College Park is conducting a short survey about voter engagement in City elections. Whether you vote in every City election, and especially if you have never voted in a City election, your opinion is important to us. 

Complete the survey here before January 3, 2023. 

The next City election is in November 2023. For more information, call the City Clerk at 240-487-3501. 

ARPA Mental Health Assistance



The City has established programs to assist businesses, nonprofits, and residents address the negative financial impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Rescue Program Act (ARPA) has provided funds that the City is using for these and many other projects.

College Park residents of all ages may be reimbursed for up to $5,000 per household for mental health services received OR invoices may be paid directly to service providers.

Learn more here.

Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 2023

The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is a time set aside each year, where we as a country, work together, serving others, to make our communities more equitable. We annually observe this day each year on the third Monday in January. As the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service, MLK Day encourages all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.

The theme for the City of College Park’s 2023 Tribute to Dr. King is the Urgency of Now: One Community, One Love.



The City of College Park is providing multiple ways our residents can honor Dr. King's legacy on January 16th and throughout the entire month, including The Art, Visual Art, and Essay Competition. This contest is open to students in grades kindergarten through 12th who live in the City of College Park. Students must submit their entry by Monday, January 30, 2023. Winners will receive a monetary award and be recognized in the 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.

For more information about activities celebrating Dr. King, visit our website.

Winter Weather Preparation

Did you know that wearing several warm, loose-fitting layers of clothing is better for retaining warmth than one heavy layer? Learn more about how to keep warm, stay safe during a winter storm, and what to do if you suspect frostbite and hypothermia at https://mdem.maryland.gov/Pages/Winter-Storms.aspx

With Winter officially here, here are some tips from WSSC on how to prepare your home's pipes for cold winter weather: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E2NJ-LdqDI

Purple Line Construction Update

Long-Term Road Closure of Rossborough Lane 

Update: On December 27, 2022, Crews implemented a long-term road closure of Rossborough Lane between Diamondback Drive and the Rhode Island Avenue as crews complete draining and roadwork including installation of tracks and completion of the new connection to Campus Drive. Local access will be maintained, and vehicular and pedestrian detours are in place.



Please follow posted signage. Work may occur 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

weekdays and weekends, as needed. 

For information on purple line construction activities, schedules and other updates, please visit www.purplelinemd.com. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Virtual Panel

January 16, 2023 | 7:00 PM | Virtual

Join the City and our panelists on January 16th, 2023 from 7:00-8:00pm for a thought-provoking discussion on Dr. King's teachings and legacy. Registration is free.

For more information about activities celebrating Dr. King, visit our website.

Please note that by participating in City events, you acknowledge and assume all risks and liabilities including possible exposure to illnesses, including but not limited to COVID-19. Masks and social distancing are strongly encouraged.

DEPARTMENT UPDATES

Winter Weather Alerts

Be prepared for winter. Visit our website for more information on the steps the City takes when there is a wintery mix in the forecast.

The Department of Public Works plows and treats City maintained streets and City parking lots to clear snow and ice during winter storms. Public Works crews are staffed around the clock during snow emergencies to clear the 51 road miles of City streets. For questions, or to report a City road that hasn't been plowed, please contact the Department at 240-487-3590. 

Updates will be posted on the City’s website, all City social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and emailed (sign up here).  

Water Main Breaks

As it gets cooler, the risk of water main breaks increases. The first step to repairing a water main is YOU! Report it to WSSC Water 301-206-4002; please have the physical address of the water main break available when you call.

Holiday Light Recycling

Holiday string lights, working or non-working, are accepted for recycling at MOM’s Organic Market, 9801 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park. The string lights are collected for recycling beginning in December and continuing through early January.



Please remove lights from bags/packaging and place in designated holiday lights recycling bin located in the lobby when you enter MOM’s Organic Market.

Battery Recycling

During the holidays many batteries are replaced. Please be sure to recycle them properly.

All batteries can and should be recycled. If batteries, especially lithium-based, are thrown into the trash, they can cause a spark that could endanger individuals and surrounding property. Certain types of batteries, such as Nickel Cadmium rechargeable, can contaminate the environment if not properly disposed of. Batteries contain valuable elements and recycling them can reduce the need to mine for virgin materials. Reclaimed materials from recycled batteries can be reused in other products. Consumer awareness is key to changing behavior and ensuring more batteries are recycled the right way and don’t end up in landfills.

MOMs Organic Market and IKEA accept single-use batteries. Home Depot and Lowes accept rechargeable batteries. 

Styrofoam Recycling

A drop-off container is at the entrance to Public Works for block Styrofoam recycling. Only block Styrofoam is accepted in the white cart. No peanuts, cups, plates, or egg cartons are allowed. 

City Tree Programs

Trees provide many benefits such as reduction of cooling and heating costs, interception of rainwater, increasing property values and improving air quality. The City offers a few ways to help. More information is available at www.collegeparkmd.gov/trees. 

REQUESTS FOR STREET TREES: The City has a program that pays for and provides street tree planting in the right-of-way area, which includes the grass strip between the curb and sidewalk. College Park residents interested in requesting a tree can contact Brenda Alexander at 240-487-3590 or horticulturist@collegeparkmd.gov. The location will be inspected to determine if it is suitable.

TREE CANOPY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (TCEP): City of College Park property owners can apply for reimbursement of up to $150.00 annually, for approved tree(s) planted on their residential lot. The completed application should be sent to horticulturist@collegeparkmd.gov for review and approval. Click here for a link to the guidelines and application.

TREE MAINTENANCE The City is responsible for tree maintenance in the rights-of-way, City maintained buildings and parks, and on public property. Trees on private property are the responsibility of the property owner.

Urban Tree Protection: Ordinance 21-O-09

This Ordinance requires an application to be submitted for approval to obtain a permit to remove or prune a tree on residential land.

Beginning July 1, 2022, trees on residential property within the City of College Park, greater than 36 inches in circumference measured at 4.5 feet above ground level, on which the property owner wants to remove or prune live branches or wood more than 20% will need to submit an application to the Department of Public Works for a tree removal/pruning permit and receive approval prior to beginning planned tree work. A requirement of the tree removal/pruning permit is that urban tree(s) approved for removal are replaced.

You can find the permit application at www.collegeparkmd.gov/TreeRemovalApp

For more information, click here.

Curbside Leaf Collection

Curbside leaf vacuuming is heading into the final weeks. Look for “last leaf collection” posted signs in your neighborhood to know when your final curbside leaf collection will occur. Collection schedules are tentative as they depend on weather conditions. Refer to the city website for the most up-to-date collection schedule. Click here for the City’s leaf plan and calendar.

Click here for the January calendar.

TIPS – THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF LEAF COLLECTION!

• Please do not put sticks, branches, or brush in your leaf piles.
• Bagging is not necessary during leaf collection with vacuums. Grass can be included in your leaf piles, but no sticks, branches, vines, or woody materials (as these items require a special collection).
• Rake leaves to the curb but do not put them in the street. Pile leaves away from cars and storm drains as the leaf vacuum cannot reach around cars.
• Remove tree limbs, rocks, trash, and other debris from leaves to be collected. These items damage the equipment and cause delays.
• Noise and dust may be noticeable as dry conditions generate more dust. We apologize for any inconvenience.
• When signs are posted, rake leaves to the curb. To ensure collection, put leaves out by the first day listed. Calendar may show two days in an area, but we only collect once per street per collection cycle.

SmartLeaf Compost and Wood Mulch

Compost is $28.00 per cubic yard, and wood mulch is $12.00 per cubic yard. Material may be picked up Mon.-Fri. between 8:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Deliveries are finished for the season, but material is available year-round (while supplies last) at the Department of Public Works, 9217 51st Avenue, College Park, MD 20740.

For more information on compost click here, or wood mulch click here. For further questions, please call 240-487-3593.

For more information about purchasing Compost or Wood Mulch please visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/gardens.

Department of Public Services

Weekly Highlights of Contract Police Activity

Police activity will be released next week.

Monthly Public Safety Maps



For monthly Prince George's County Police public safety maps and statistical data for the City of College Park, visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/publicsafety.

Community Meetings

Note: These are not City meetings but have City staff or Contract Police as a host.