94 apartments proposed on Ridge Road

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94 Apartments Proposed on Ridge Road

A plan for an apartment building at 26134 Ridge Road has been scaled back from 107 to 94 units and moved to the county’s faster review track for mixed-income housing, which requires a share of the apartments to be set aside for lower-income households. An earlier version of the project, reported in 2025, called for 123 units, all of them affordable. The developer is holding a community meeting on the redesign Thursday, Oct. 29, 6 to 7pm, in Room 120 at Damascus High School.

A neighbor group, Damascus Residents for Responsible Development, is following the case. It says it isn’t opposed to development, but it argues the project is denser than Damascus’s master plan allows. If you can’t make the meeting, you can send comments to county planner Phillip Estes at [email protected] or 301-495-2176.

Early Voting Starts Thursday at the Damascus Rec Center

Early voting for the November 3 general election runs Thursday, October 22, through Thursday, October 29, from 7am to 8pm every day, including the weekend. The Damascus Community Recreation Center, 25520 Oak Drive, is one of the county’s early voting centers. If you vote early, you can’t also vote on Election Day or by mail (state early voting list).

Clearspring Elementary Parents: The County Wants Your Input on Walking Routes

Clearspring Elementary is one of 15 schools where the county’s transportation department will study walking routes this school year through its Safe Routes to School program. For elementary schools, the study looks at walking conditions within a mile of the school, including crosswalks, traffic speeds and accessible sidewalks. If your kids walk, bike, roll or scooter to Clearspring, you can share where you see problems in the county’s short survey.

Update: MCPS School Closure Meetings Start Monday

Following up on the countywide review of possible school closures we covered October 4: in-person feedback sessions begin this week, 6:30 to 8:30pm. None are in Damascus; the closest are Gaithersburg Middle (Mon., Oct. 19), Kingsview Middle in Germantown (Tue., Oct. 20) and Rosa Parks Middle in Olney (Wed., Oct. 21). Virtual sessions run at noon on October 19, 23 and 30 and November 2. No decisions have been made, and any changes wouldn’t take effect until 2029-30. Details here.

🏆 HORNETS SPORTS

Hornets Football Shut Out Einstein 56-0

A week after a 21-14 loss at Westminster, Damascus bounced back Friday night with a 56-0 home win over Einstein to move to 5-2. Next up, the Hornets travel to Sherwood on Friday, Oct. 23, at 6:30pm, then close out the regular season at home against Magruder on Oct. 30.

Girls Flag Football Cracks the Maryland Top 10

The girls flag football team is No. 6 in USA Today’s Maryland Super 10 at 7-2, after beating Clarksburg, which had been undefeated and ranked No. 1. Olivia Keys is also up for Sports Illustrated’s Maryland Girls Flag Football Player of the Week for the week of October 5 to 10, after 22 catches, 312 all-purpose yards, four touchdowns and an interception over two games. Voting is open through tonight.

📆 UPCOMING EVENTS

Toys"R"Us Is Now Open at Clarksburg Premium Outlets

Toys"R"Us is now open on the upper level of Clarksburg Premium Outlets, between UGG and Armani Exchange.

Leech Woods Haunted Trail, Now Through Nov. 1

Leech Woods, at 11201 Bethesda Church Road here in Damascus, is open on select nights through November 1: October 18, 22 through 25, and 29 through 31, plus November 1, with arrival times starting at 7pm. General admission includes the haunted trail, the Horror Hayride and Clown Carnage. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Tickets here.

Damascus Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, Oct. 24

Saturday, October 24, 7 to 11am, at Damascus United Methodist Church. All you can eat: pancakes, eggs, Wagner’s sausage, home fries, applesauce and biscuits. $18 for adults, $7 for kids 4 to 10, and free under 4. Details here.

Pop-Up Kids Yoga at Stone Silo, Oct. 24

Saturday, October 24, 12 to 12:45pm, on the lawn at Stone Silo Brewery, 28800 Kemptown Road. Forty-five minutes of yoga and games for ages 5 to 9 while parents enjoy a drink nearby, and costumes are encouraged. $12 per child and $8 per sibling at the door, or $10 and $5 if you register ahead. Spots are limited; email [email protected] to register. Details here.

Jimmie Cone Closes for the Season Oct. 25

Jimmie Cone’s last day of the season is Sunday, October 25, and they’ve started running out of some items, so have a backup order ready. Fast Food Club just put Jimmie Cone first on its list of Maryland soft-serve stands to hit before they close for the winter.

Damascus High School Design Meeting, Oct. 28

The second community meeting on the new Damascus High School is Wednesday, October 28, at 6pm in the DHS cafeteria, where the architects will share early design options. Details here.

❤️ SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Bridal Glow

Bridal Glow, a wedding hair and makeup business, has a new home at 9882 Main Street, right next to Style Me Sue Consignments. Neighbors who spotted the new sign were asking about it in Damascus, MD Neighbors and Friends this week, and owner Victoria O’Neill answered in the comments. She said they do hair and makeup for over 200 weddings a year and have for more than 14 years, and they also offer hair and makeup for special events, spray tans, waxing, lash lifts and tints, and brow tints. Several commenters said they followed the shop from its previous spot on Mount Airy’s Main Street. Services are by appointment only. To get in touch, call 301-525-7887 or fill out the contact form on their website. They’re currently booking 2026 and 2027 weddings.