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Sustainable Maryland Community Certification Report

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This is the Sustainable Maryland Certification Report of Cottage City, a Sustainable Maryland bronze certified applicant.

Cottage City was certified on October 08, 2021 with 200 points. Listed below is information regarding Cottage City’s Sustainable Maryland efforts and materials associated with the applicant’s certified actions.

Contact Information

The designated Sustainable Maryland contact for Cottage City is:

Name:Consuella Barbour
Title/Position:Town Manager / Admin
Phone:3017792161

Actions Implemented

Each approved action and supporting documentation for which Cottage City was approved for in 2021 appears below. Note: Standards for the actions below may have changed and the documentation listed may no longer satisfy requirements for that action.

  • Community Action

    Innovative Demonstration Projects - Community Action

    10 Points

    Program Summary: In addition to the work at the garden, the town has installed two gazebos at the town hall. These will provide a much needed gathering spot, for families and individuals that want to get to know their neighbors. It can also serve at a public meeting spot to connect with one another. The town completely funded the cost through its regular budget cycle. They were installed in June 2021 by the town staff and Commissioner Demetrius Givens. They cost approximately $3500. The Town also enriched the community throughout the pandemic and two prior years by giving away backpacks filled with school supplies and even computer tablets to assist with in home learning. This became especially important as children were forced to learn from home and many of our families are low income and couldn't afford computers or tablets. This gave them the much needed IT assistance they needed so they didn't have to use parent's phones to connect to class. The backpacks were funded through donations and funds from the town. They were distributed during COVID by a drive through giveaway. There were approximately 200 backpacks given away.

    Participate in SM Green Team Training

    5 Points

    Program Summary: Mike Hunninghake last came to Cottage City to provide Green Team Training on Feb. 13, 2018. On March 1, 2021, Mike Hunninghake of Sustainable Maryland provided a Sustainable Maryland Certification Green Team Training. The Cottage City Green Team of Wanda Wheatley, and Consuella Barbour went through the actions. They noted that Cottage City had done a variety of programs and projects within the last two years that would meet the criteria of the SMC Certification. The team also participated virtually in the Route One Corridor Green Team Summit on May 25, 2021 at 6:30pm (via Zoom). Note that in addition to the flash updates from towns, we'll be discussing some technical assistance that SM can provide to the Corridor in the coming year.

    Green Team Action Plan

    10 Points

    Program Summary: The Cottage City Green Team worked together to create a comprehensive Green Team Action Plans for the next three fiscal years (FY22 FY23, FY24). These actions reflect the continuing desire of the Cottage City residents to maintain, protect and improve the environment of Cottage City, the Anacostia River, and the Chesapeake Bay. The town solicited resident feedback through posts on Facebook, the town's newsletter and the commission meetings (which are televised throughout the community). The residents were asked to provide input on what they felt should be the environmental priorities of the town and the Green Team. Green Team members also solicited input from residents at the Cottage City Community Garden meetings as an informal focus group. The actions reflect current practices that the Cottage City residents wish to continue as well as new actions that the residents would like to implement within the community.

    Create Sustainability Resource Center

    5 Points

    Program Summary: The Cottage City Town Hall is located in the heart of the community and visitors come to this welcoming venue. On a table next to the Town Clerk's office, fliers and brochures about the environment and environmental issues, such as "Scoop the Poop," Prince George's County Rain Check Rebate brochures and upcoming presentations are displayed for the visitors to read and take with them. This is Cottage City's Sustainable Maryland' Resource Center and Cottage City's town staff and elected officials have found that it is very popular with the town hall's visitors. The Sustainable Maryland Resource Center is updated every month by Cottage City's town clerk. Each month, the clerk replenishes the brochures as she sets out the town's monthly newsletter in a rack next to the SMC Resource Center. The Town's Green Team has also created a resource for residents to use. It created a website with help from a student at the University of Maryland that encompasses all the activities of the Green Team as well as resources for sustainable actions like building a rain garden, Baywise Certifications and annual creek cleanups. The site can be found at: https://townhall9.wixsite.com/greenteam.

    Green Team

    10 Points

    Program Summary: The Town of Cottage City created its Green Team during its first meeting on January 23,2019. At the meeting, they identified the actions that Cottage City had already done in the first two years that would qualify as actions for the Sustainable Maryland Certification. Members also spoke to several others who had participated in the certification for Colmar Manor, Bladensburg, and Edmonston. The Green Team meets each month on the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the Cottage City Town Hall, 3820 40th Avenue, Cottage City. The Town Green Team has continued to meet regularly even through the 2020 pandemic. They also meet jointly with Colmar Manor's team once a year.

  • Community Based Food System

    Local Food Cooking & Preservation Classes

    10 Points

    Program Summary: In 2019 the Cottage City Garden did a garden tour and paella tasting with Prince George’s County Food Equity Council. The Tour visited other community gardens showing how to use community gardening as a way to organize your local community. This garden tour served to inspire sustainable food lovers and agriculture enthusiasts from all backgrounds with a tour, a facilitated dialogue, and a delicious traditional paella sampling by Chef Mark Haskell. A salsa in the garden event is planned for August 14, 2021. It will focus on making salsa from fresh ingredients in the garden. On Aug. 14, 2021 the garden held a salsa class. 57 people attended and learned how to make 7 different types of salsa. They learned how to dance "Latina" style and learned about Latina heritage. It was advertised in our community newsletter and online.

    Community Gardens

    15 Points

    Program Summary: Since it opened in 2010, the Cottage City Community Garden has been an important gathering point for the community. Located on land purchased and donated by a former town commissioner, the garden is located at 4222 Cottage Terrace and operates from April to October each year. The Cottage City community garden has 18 members who take care of 24 beds, four fruit trees and a grape arbor. Cottage City budgets $1,000 for the community garden for the gardeners to use for mulch, water bill and food for the students during the two days that the students volunteer at the garden. The town also provides use of the land (the garden is located on city-owned property), fills up the garden's water tank on request, maintains the fence around the garden, and trims or takes down the trees that are shading the garden. The gardeners meet every second Saturday from April to October in the garden to help on community projects (such as weeding community plots, caring for the community plots, caring for the garden's grape arbor and/or fruit trees, or harvesting the luffas) or listen to a presentation ranging from creating a herb garden to learning about composting. The Cottage City Community garden also works with the Port Towns Youth Council who brings 30-40 high school students to help the gardeners with weeding, cleanup, and other large-scale projects. The other partners include Community Forklift, Anacostia Watershed Society, and Port Towns Community Health Partnership. Each gardener is required to provide a $10 mandatory, non-refundable annual fee. A minimum of four hours of communal labor and attendance in at least two general membership meetings. Cottage City's garden has its own website at cottagecitygarden.com and it is actively promoted in the Cottage City Town newsletter. With a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, Cottage City Community Garden undertook an ambitious project to install: 1.Hoop Housing (green house) – to increase the amount of time gardeners can garden throughout the year and to educate on fall and early spring gardening. 2.Pergola/ pavilion (community social area) – to create an area where gardeners and community members can sit and socialize, bringing the community together. Also, to provide an area for garden education. 3.Small drip irrigation system - that will allow for consistency in watering of plants; particularly, for pollinator plants for bees. The hoop house will ensure safe opportunities for growing food year-round. This project will enhance the community space by providing a shaded area for community gardeners and visitors to take in the outdoors, socialize, and learn about healthy food. The drip irrigation systems will be smaller systems connected to rain barrels (3- 55 gallon rain barrels). The purpose of this system is to use run-off rainwater to more consistently water necessary plants that help the garden thrive. The CCCG allows residents to engage youth by providing opportunities for constructive activities, contributions to the community, relationship and interpersonal skill development, exploring cognitive and behavioral competence, and improved nutrition. Additionally, CCCG engages older adults through monthly gatherings and workshops. Studies have shown these types of activities leads to enhanced self-esteem, productive endeavors, social engagement, and exercise; which can prevent osteoporosis, reduce the risk of some cancers, Type 2 diabetes, depression and heart disease. Also, CCCG, as well as, community gardens in general, have proven that community gardens provide mental and physical benefits which include living longer lives, lower levels of depression, exposure to vitamin D, and reduces stress. During 2020, the garden hosted a number of activities to get the community involved beyond the gardeners. They held a fundraising T-shirt contest that involved the public designing a t-shirt that would then be sold to raise founds for the garden. They also have started a composting pile. They installed new beds that are raised so that those with mobility challenges can still garden and they added a bee hive to the garden. Finally, the garden host "Wine down Wednesdays" to promote neighbors meeting neighbors, conversations in the community and a general sense of well being.

  • Energy

    Innovative Demonstration Projects - Energy

    30 Points

    Program Summary: LEAF Electric Vehicle Project -- The Town of Cottage City decreased its reliance on fossil fuels in 2020 by purchasing its first fully full-size passenger electric vehicle. Through a grant with the Maryland Smart Energy Communities Grant program the town won a grant for $10,000 towards the purchase of a Nissan LEAF electric vehicle. The vehicle replaced an old Ford Crown Victoria. The car is used by the Code Compliance officer. The new vehicle will help reduce petroleum use by 90% for that purpose and reduce carbon emissions. Costs of electricity is estimated at $250 a year and costs for gas was over $1000 per year. The expected life is 8 to 10 years based on regular battery use. The Town also installed two EV Chargers at the Town Hall with a grant from the Electric Vehicle Institute(EVI). The charges are available to town residents or anyone for that matter free of charge. The chargers were free of charge from the EVI, but the town paid about $4000 for the electrical installation by a contractor. The town along with several other Port Towns communities applied for a grant to install solar panels on the town halls of each jurisdiction. The town commission was informed that the financial benefits of such a solar system are two-fold. When energy is needed by the Town Hall, that energy is most often provided by the Town’s solar panels. This saves in energy costs throughout the calendar year. The electrical utility supplements energy needs in the winter months when the sun is not sufficiently available to meet Town Hall needs. In the sunny months, excess energy is produced, and that energy is sold to the electrical utility resulting in a solar credits being sold and a check returned to the town about four times a year. The installation included the panels, an inverter that interfaces the panels to the electrical grid, and installation charges. Panels are guaranteed for at least twenty-five years. With the prospect of continually rising energy prices, the Town of Cottage City decided to proceed with the installation. The panels are metered and the Town receives SREC Credits and is paid for the extra credits sold. The Town also purchased two GEMs -- electric vehicles that it uses during most of the year instead of using gas burning vehicles. The GEMs are used specifically on interior streets, since they are small and open. They are used during special events, to haul trash inside the town and for small jobs by public works. The GEMs are manufactured by Polaris (Model GEM eL XD) and cost approximately $37,000. The funds were through a MEA MSEC grant

  • Health & Wellness

    Innovative Demonstration Projects - Health & Wellness

    10 Points

    Program Summary: (1) Cottage City partnered with The Five Diaper Pens to giveaway diapers during the pandemic. This a partnership with Cottage City, Mount Rainier, North Brentwood, Colmar Manor, and Brentwood. The five Diaper Pens consisted of 5 municipalities in Prince George’s County coming together to form a Diaper Hub in the area. The municipalities that participated were Cottage City, Mt. Rainier, Brentwood, North Brentwood, and Colmar Manor. The concept for the partnership grew out of a need for diapers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The need came from the residents of the five municipalities. When the residents started asking for diapers during the COVID-19 health crisis a group of dedicated elected women from the five municipalities decided that we needed to bring diapers to our area! By partnering with the Greater DC Diaper Bank (GDCDB) the residents of these five municipalities will now have access to a month supply of free diapers and will have one less expense to worry about during this health crisis. The police department helped to schedule pick ups by the residents. No funds were provided by the town for this endeavor. The Greater DC Diaper Bank donated all the diapers each month. The diapers were all free to the municipalities. Commissioner Wanda Wheatley was the leader for the Cottage City Pen. She brought the idea to the town. The police department staff assisted with distribution on Saturdays. The admin department assisted with sending out advertisement of the diaper distribution through the town newsletter and Constant Contact. (2)Walk & Bike with the Chief and Commissioners" -- In spring of 2021 with the COVID-19 restrictions still in place, Cottage City's police department decided a "novel" way to undertake community policing was to start bike rides with the Chief and walks with the Sergeant. Each Tuesday during the day and evening the police department takes part in a 7 mile bike or 4 mile walk with citizens and youth utilizing the Anacostia Trail that traverses the Port Towns of Cottage City, Edmonston, and Colmar Manor and even into Washington, DC. The events were publicized through social media and have become very popular. In fact, they were so popular the Commissioners have gotten involved with a walk with the Commissioner on Thursday evening.

  • Local Economies

    Innovative Demonstration Projects - Local Economies

    10 Points

    Program Summary: In July 2016, Cottage City worked with the town of Bladensburg to get two Big Belly solar recycling receptacles. Cottage City created the pads to put the Big Belly solar recycling receptacles and then placed one in front of the town hall at 3820 40th Avenue and the other Big Belly at a bus stop at 41st Avenue and U.S. Alternative Route 1. In 2019 the town workded with the Port Towns of Bladensburg, Colmar Manor and Edmonston to get a grant to install two more Big Belly trashcans at 38th and Parkwood Street as well as at 43rd Avenue and U.S. Alternative Route 1. The residents love the Big Belly solar recycling receptacles and Cottage City has seen a great reduction in the trash that has collected around these areas. Cottage City is part of the Municipal Collaborative. As the grant writer for the Municipal Collative, Bladensburg wrote a Community Legacy Grant in 2016 (SRP-CL-2016) for $100,000 to install 11 Big Belly Solar trash receptacles in Bladensburg, Cottage City, Brentwood and Edmonston. The Big Belly Trash Compactors were chosen by the Municipal Collaborative because they provided a positive message to reduce litter (and send text messages to the director of Cottage City's public works when the receptacles need to be emptied.) These large public trash compactors are intended to reduce litter at the two locations in Cottage City while providing a positive message through public art. The total cost for each Big Belly is $8,862 which includes the cost of the compactor, the software, two message panels, and liner bags. During the warm months when more people eat food and beverages while waiting for the bus and children are home from school, the Big Belly Receptacles fill up most quickly. With the installation of the Big Belly Trash Receptacles, the town's DPW staff has noticed a reduction of trash around the town hall and the bus stop. When they used to have to clean these spots on a weekly basis, the cleanups have to occur on a monthly basis. Cleaning these two spots is a monthly task assigned to Cottage City's DPW staff (which is a total of two people). But if the trash receptacles fills up prior to that (and during the summer, it happened on occasion), Big Belly uses a software system to send a text message to a designated person (in Cottage City, it is to the Director of Public Works, Gregg Pickney) when the trash cans are full. When the DPW staff receives the message, they empty out the trash cans. To further enhance recycling the Town sponsored a Recycling Workshop in 2019 with its trash provider Bates. This was free of cost to the town and its residents. It was organized by Commission Chair, Wanda Wheatley. A representative from the company came to the town hall and told residents about what products could be recycled and how best to utilize their recycling bins to ensure optimal pickups.

    Purchase Environmentally Preferable Products

    10 Points

    Program Summary: The town is committed to using recyclable and environmentally preferable products. After creating and adopting a green purchasing policy, the town had LED lights installed in its town hall. We continue the commitment to the environment by using low- VOC paints in our buildings, eco-friendly weed killers along our sidewalks, and donated office furniture from an episcopal church instead of new furniture. All toilet tissue, hand towels are from recycled products. Since the pandemic in 2020-green products have been difficult to find and overall product availability has been limited. Receipts are attached.

    Green Purchasing Policy

    15 Points

    Program Summary: On June 5, 2018 the Cottage City Town Commission passed a resolution adopting the Green Purchasing Policy. Cottage City is dedicated to helping and protecting the environment through its purchases as long as the purchases are within the town's budget. A copy of the adopted policy is available to the town's employees in the administration office and a new memo from the town manager (see attachment) was recently sent reminding employees to buy green whenever practicable. The policy was also posted on the town's website at https://www.cottagecitymd.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif5541/f/uploads/sustainable_procurement.pdf

    Establish Local Business Directory

    10 Points

    Program Summary: In an effort to learn about the businesses in the town, a committee of Cottage City's Police Chief William Lowry and Cottage City resident/then Port Towns Community Development Corporation member, Denise Hamler decided to work together on a business directory. Denise visited each business to get the contact information for each business (point of contact, phone number and address). There were several businesses, such as wholesale operations, who didn't want to be listed in the directory. Together, Police Chief Lowry and Denise Hamler put the list together. Cottage City's Town Manager Dylan Galloway then posted the list of businesses on the website. The town's business directory is listed:http://www.cottagecitymd.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif5541/f/uploads/cottage_city_business_directory.pdf The directory has been helpful in creating a closer bond between Cottage City and its businesses. Thanks to the directory, Cottage City's commissioners were able to get donations for the 2019 Cottage City Day on August 17 from Noon to 4 p.m. at the Cottage City Park at 43rd Avenue and Bunker Hill.

  • Natural Resources

    Innovative Demonstration Projects - Natural Resources

    5 Points

    Program Summary: The town will continue with its Dumpster Day twice a year which encourages residents to get rid of trash, yard materials and other debris to create a better environment. The event helps those in the town clean out basements, backyards, and homes. Dumpsters are located at the town hall parking lots and over a weekend, people are allowed to bring trash, household goods, bulk items, tires but no paint or oil to be deposed of free of charge. This was particularly important during 2020 since bulk trash was suspended during the pandemic. Over 75 households participated in the event. Approximately 10 tons of waste were diverted, and the reception by the public was overwhelmingly positive.

    Adopt a Pet Waste Ordinance

    5 Points

    Program Summary: The town of Cottage City is an active participant in Prince George's County's "Scoop the Poop" Pet Waste Management Program. Cottage City was one of the initial communities that join SMC and Prince George's County in this worthy effort. Cottage City Pet Waste ordinance is available at https://ecode360.com/34050811.

    Develop a Pet Waste Program

    5 Points

    Program Summary: The town of Cottage City became a participating community in Prince George's County Pet Waste Management program in 2017. Cottage City's staff participated in Prince George's Pet Waste Summit on April 6, 2017. The training was facilitated by Sustainable Maryland Certified program's staff through a grant by the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Seven pet waste stations were installed in October 2017 in Cottage City and Cottage City's Public Works staff has been keeping the stations stocked with bags. The town passed an ordinance in 2017 to forbid pet waste to be left on yards, sidewalks, streets and playgrounds. https://ecode360.com/34050811 Every week, the Cottage City Department of Public Works empties the pet waste at each of the seven pet waste stations and when needed, puts a new roll of trash bags into the dispenser. In 2020 the pet waste stations were anchored in the ground with concrete pads instead of dirt. The stations were getting so much usage that they were starting to lean and fall down so the public works department set them all in concrete. Between Oct. 20, 2017 to June 22, 2018, Cottage City's DPW staff have found that the stations with the heaviest amount of use was: 3726 40th Avenue (one block from town hall) with 1,125 bags used during the time period; 4002 Bunker Hill (located in Cottage City Park and used heavily by those who are walking the Anacostia Trail) with 1,025 bags; 4120 Cottage Terrace (located next to State Highway 208 which allows dog walkers to walk to Mt. Rainer and to U.S. Highway 1) with 900 bags; 3716 38th Avenue (the pet station closest to Bladensburg Road) with 700 bags; 3801 Cottage Terrace (residential area near the CSX tracks) with 625 bags; 3717 37th Place with 600 bags, and 3701 Cottage Terrace (the station closest to the community garden) with 475 bags. The months of the heaviest use of the pet stations were in April, May and June. When the months were coldest (January and February), the number of bags used was done for every pet station except for 3726 40th Avenue (the station closest to the Town Hall). There was a noticeable increase of usage beginning in the spring months for the stations nearest trails, such as the pet stations at 4120 Cottage Terrace and 3716 38th Avenue. Residents are very pleased with pet stations and have noticed a noticeable decrease in the amount of dog waste on streets, sidewalks and yards. Parents have also noted a decrease in the amount of dog waste near the town's two playground structures.

    Implement a Pet Waste Education Program

    5 Points

    Program Summary: Cottage City was one of the initial communities that joined Prince George's County and SMC's efforts to "Scoop the Poop" on April 6, 2017, at the first Pet Waste Summit. Since then, Cottage City has been promoting "Scoop the Poop" through its newsletter and a magnet that is attached to the town's hybrid car. The town's public works staff also continuously restocks the town's ten pet waste stations. The town has put the message of "Scoop the Poop" on their Facebook page and their town's newsletters. Updates about the installation of the pet waste station was also given during several of the town's commission meetings which is transmitted to all of the homes by the town's cable television station in Cottage City. The past and current town manager has also made sure that copies of the pet waste flier was a part of the SMC Resource Area at Cottage City and also used the attached social media facts about "Scoop the Poop" with social media posts in order to get the attention of the residents. The town will also be promoting "Scoop the Waste" at Cottage City Day in September 2018. The town has not conducted a survey. But the town's DPW staff has noted that the pet waste station next to the Hamlet Townhomes uses more pet waste baggies than any other station. The pet waste station near the Cottage City park (which is located next to the Anacostia Trail) is also popular and usually requires DPW to refill that station's baggies.

  • Planning & Land Use

    Participation in DHCD Sustainable Communities

    20 Points

    Program Summary: Cottage City is a member of the Port Towns Community Development Corporation. In 2014, the Port Towns (Cottage City, Colmar Manor, Bladensburg, and Edmonston) were certified as a Sustainable Community for a five year period. The Cottage City commissioners and its project manager at the time, Reggie Bagley were essential in helping the Port Towns CDC get the certification for the Port Towns to be certified as a Sustainable Community. Reggie helped John Moss, town manager of Bladensburg, to gather the required information on four cities as well as create and revise the required narratives for the certification. The Port Towns is currently re-designated as a Sustainable Community through 2024. (Please see documentation) Through DHCD's Sustainable Communities' Community Legacy Funding and Maryland Energy Administration grants, Cottage City has participated in the Municipal Collaborative for the last three years to get weatherization grants for its residents. The town has promoted to residents the opportunity to get grants to weatherize their homes from the Municipal Collaborative. Even though three to four low income families in Cottage City applied for the grants each year, only two families have been accepted by Bladensburg to receive the weatherization by their contractor in the last two years. Cottage City has been actively talking with Bladensburg and the rest of the Port Towns to recreate the Municipal Collaborative, so the efforts are concentrated on the residents of the four Port Towns. Cottage City has promoted the weatherization grants to its residents through its towns newsletter and its website http://cottagecitymd.civiccms.acsitefactory.com/community/pages/weatherization-grant-program

  • Transportation

    Innovative Demonstration Projects - Transportation

    10 Points

    Program Summary: In early 2020, the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, began to spread across the US, and one of the results was an economic recession that ended years of declining rates of food insecurity and the lack of access to sufficient food. The number of community members Cottage City struggling to access nutritious food jumped in March as the measures put in place to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic hit them economically. At the start of the pandemic the Town of Cottage City, undertook a project to feed those in need. The town partnered with the Capital Area Food Bank, the Port Towns of Bladensburg, Colmar Manor and Edmonston, to create a food giveaway. The food giveaways happened every week throughout the pandemic and served over 200 people each week in Cottage City alone. The food consisted of perishable and non-perishable foods, milk, and meat. The Police Department was very instrumental in getting the word out through social media and even delivering food to elderly, sick and shut ins. Since food insecurity and poor nutrition are associated with several chronic illnesses that put people at higher risk for the more severe complications of COVID-19, the food access crisis threatens to exacerbate the already glaring disparities in health outcomes for vulnerable people, including low-income people, children, older adults, and immigrants living in the United States illegally. The Town has continued the food giveaways through partnerships with local churches, non-profits and restaurants. Using CARES Act funding and donations from local elected officials, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners were purchased and delivered to families and individuals in need. Compare Foods grocery store also provided some gift certificates to purchase food and the town used $600 budgeted dollars to purchase food for distribution. The Cottage City garden has expanded and now has a hive of honeybees. The bees were purchased from Hope Honey Farm in Hyattsville, MD and installed on May 2, 2020. The Garden made a decision last year to purchase bees because they are natural pollinators and will help the garden grow. Additionally, there is a decline in the honeybee population in general, likely due to pesticides, with concerns we don’t have enough to pollinators to support A HEALTHY PRODUCTION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES that we eat every day. By adding a hive, the Garden is doing its part to help increase the honeybee population. Honeybees bring a ton of benefits to the Garden and society. The hives are maintained by gardener Natashia Davis.