Beautification Commission

Meetings

• 9:00 AM
• 4th Monday of every month
• Town Hall Conference Room

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes

Members

• Councilman Ward II Matt Trollinger (ex officio)
• Jessica McConnell
• Shannon Wang
• Lynne Wheeler
• (Vacant)

Staff

• Kelly Phipps, Director of Legislative Services

Overview

Our Mission

It is the mission of the Beautification Commission to strive to keep the Town of La Plata clean, safe, and green for all those who live, work and visit. This mission will be achieved by identifying beautification and cleanup projects, through collaborative partnerships with the citizens and businesses of La Plata, state, regional, county or other local programs.

Our Purpose

The Beautification Commission is created for the purpose of promoting the beautification of the Town of La Plata. The powers and duties of the Beautification Commission shall be as follows:

• To survey the public and private properties within the Town of La Plata to ascertain whether they are being kept free from trash and refuse.
• To provide active leadership for cleanup drives in the Town of La Plata and, in such efforts, to cooperate with town officials, county officials, state officials, private organizations and private persons.
• To recommend beautification programs to the Town Council by the planting of trees and shrubs or by other appropriate methods and to utilize the services of the State Highway Administration, the State Department of Forests and Parks, the State Department of Game and Inland Fish, other state agencies, the Charles County Beautification Committee, other county agencies, town agencies, private agencies and private persons. The Town Council is authorized to expend funds to implement this subsection, but the Beautification Commission shall incur no expenses without the specific approval of the Town Council.
• To preserve the historical heritage of the Town of La Plata, with proper allowance for necessary change or progress, to cooperate with historical societies in these efforts and to accept, with the approval of the Town Council, gifts to promote these objectives.
• To receive gifts, real or personal, from private persons or governmental agencies to promote the purposes of the Beautification Commission and to buy and/or sell assets in its hands, provided that the Town Council shall approve both the acquisition of assets and disposition thereof.
• To cooperate with the Keep Maryland Beautiful program of the State of Maryland, to cooperate with any other national, state, regional, county or local beautification program and to utilize the advice and services of the garden clubs of Charles County and of the Town of La Plata for the promotion of the objectives of this chapter.
• To submit reports to the La Plata Planning Commission in those instances in which the Beautification Commission's observations relate to the functions of planning and zoning.

If you are interested in serving on a board, committee, or commission, please apply online and contact the Mayor or any member of the Council.

Beautification Grants

The Beautification Commission implemented the Beautification Commission Public Space Improvement Grant Program to encourage residents, Homeowners' Associations (HOAs), school projects, scout groups, civic organizations, businesses and other community members to help beautify our town. If you have a project idea that will improve a public space's appearance or cleanliness or reduce current maintenance needs please submit the Public Space Improvement Grant Application (PDF) via email to Legislative Services or by mail or in person to 305 Queen Anne Street. Please call 301-934-8421 if you have any questions.

Maryland People Loving And Nurturing Trees (PLANT) Community

The PLANT Award is recognition for communities who care for their trees. Communities of all types can receive the award- schools, HOAs, parks, local governments, government facilities, scout troops and churches, just to name a few. Your Community is probably already at one of the four levels of the PLANT Award program. Choose the level you feel best fits your community's activities in the last year. Over time your community can see your program grow, as your award level increases. The reviewing committee will look at your submitted documentation and then award the best fitting level! The Maryland Urban and Community Forestry Committee of the Maryland Forestry Boards in partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources sponsor this program and review the applications.