MoCo Office Handles Complaints, Starting with Leaf Blowers
Montgomery County has announced the opening of a dedicated office to manage resident complaints regarding newly prohibited gas-powered leaf blower equipment.
The Montgomery County Office of Knowledgeable Assistance for Resident Encounters & Nuisances (MC-KAREN) opens Monday in Germantown Commons. MC-KAREN will ease the backlog at MC-311 by offering residents a guided pathway through the often-intricate submission process for illegal lawn care equipment reports and other grievances.
COMPLAINT CATEGORIES AT MC-KAREN
Combustion Leaf Blower Complaints: Enforcement of the new regulation requires comprehensive documentation. Residents must provide photographic evidence depicting the gas-powered leaf blower in active use, along with clear visuals of the associated company vehicle—including its name, license plate, and the specific type of equipment being operated (e.g., backpack, handheld).
Person Not from This Neighborhood Complaints: Submissions must include a 14-minute video of the unknown person(s) being confronted by an HOA officer on a hiking trail and refusing to show identification or say where they live. The video must include evidence that the unknown person was warned they didn't have a right to film the HOA representative at least ten times, with no less than two attempts to smack the phone out of the unknown person's hand.
School Traffic Blocking My Driveway Complaints: Homeowners residing within 1,000 feet of a school who experience intermittent driveway obstruction during peak drop-off and pickup times may file an affidavit asserting that their Realtor® intentionally omitted the potential inconvenience by scheduling property viewings exclusively on Sundays.
Nuisance Alligator Complaints: Alligators occupying residents' swimming pools or threatening pets may be reported for TNR intervention after first scanning the animal for a microchip and submitting photos to Montgomery County Lost Pets.
MC-KAREN's 11,800 square-foot suite on the 3rd floor of the Germantown Commons Professional Building was selected to optimize the complaint submission process and is located between the offices of the Montgomery County HOA Volunteer Alliance (MCHOAVA) and the Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (MCCPTA).
