Manager highlights cooling grove, alley improvements and net‑zero housing progress in Fairmount Heights

Town Manager Rumi briefed the council on multiple projects on July 17, saying a WUSA Channel 9 crew visited to film the town's 'cooling grove' — a set of stormwater retrofits, rain gardens, 117 new trees and a walkable trail designed to reduce local heat and manage runoff.

Rumi said the town secured $10,000 from Pepco for alley enhancements on K Street Market and that the Fairmount Heights CDC funded solar lights; the project includes two concrete planters and photo plaques to mark the town's historic trail. He also updated the council that Warren Builders has built six of the planned net‑zero houses, that utility and site work is under way and that an early possible completion date is September 2024. Residents interested in buying a home were advised to contact the Housing Initiative Partnership for application information.

Rumi also noted an available county planning board grant (up to $50,000) for historic property acquisition or restoration with an August 30 deadline and urged council members to consider properties adjacent to town hall as acquisition candidates.

Why it matters: green infrastructure and net‑zero housing projects aim to reduce the town's environmental footprint and can provide local housing opportunities, grant funding and positive media exposure. Manager Rumi suggested outreach and workshops for residents on grant opportunities and housing applications.

Next steps: Rumi said staff would schedule a grants‑writing workshop with a city of Bowie staffer who led a session at the municipal league conference, coordinate press follow‑ups with WUSA and set a date for resident outreach on the housing program.