MEMORANDUM

TO: City Council

FROM: David Deutsch, City Manager

SUBJECT: Temple of Praise International Church - Preliminary Plan #4-08029

DATE: September 11, 2008

I. General Information/Proposal

The applicant, Motir Services, Inc., representing the Temple of Praise International Church, is proposing to conjoin two (2) existing lots into one (1) developable lot that would permit a 650 seat, 34,000 square foot, two-story church with 380 parking spaces (see Attachment #1). The property is located on the east side of North Crain Highway (U.S. 301), approximately 1,400 feet north of its intersection with Queen Anne’s Bridge Road (see Attachment #1). The site is zoned R-A (Residential-Agricultural) and is comprised of 22.60 acres within the Rural Tier. The 2006 Bowie and Vicinity Master Plan and Sectional Map Amendment retained the property in the R-A zone in the Rural Tier, which is described as having low-density residential land use consisting of two- to five-acre home sites, farms, some existing businesses and public open spaces.

The site is wooded with wetlands, 100-year floodplains and severe slopes and currently bounded by the Mill Branch on its west and north sides. All of the surrounding property is zoned R-A. Private rural, residences are located to the east and south of the site; to the north is the Patuxent Nursery; and to the west are two (2) vacant, wooded lots. All of the Regulated areas of the County Green Infrastructure Network has been included in the proposed tree conservation lot area.

The only access to the site is from the east side of U.S. 301 (northbound lane). The existing access road cuts between two (2) properties abutting U.S. 301 and extends to the middle of the two existing lots that the church owns distantly located from U.S. 301. The proposal is to improve the existing private access road to the property as well as the existing road crossing over the wetlands/Mill Branch streambed. The site is located outside the City limits.

The City’s Stakeholders Meeting was advertised by two (2) signs: one posted on the corner of Queen Anne Bridge Road and Hideout Lane and one on the east side of northbound U.S. 301 at the entrance to the site. Notices were mailed to 30 stakeholders in the area.

II. Stakeholders Meeting

A Stakeholders Meeting was held on Thursday, August 28, 2008, to review the Preliminary Plan proposal. Four (4) stakeholders attended the meeting, in addition to one (1) representative of the Temple of Praise project and a City staff member. Participants discussed the project and concluded that there were no major traffic impacts since the church will operate Wednesday and Friday nights during the week and on the weekends during the day. Owners of the property flanking the applicant’s access road to the site asked if they would be permitted access to their property from the private access road once it was improved. This would eliminate the need for other entries directly from U.S. 301. The applicant agreed to work on preparing a formal access agreement between the property owners and the church. The applicant noted that the church will utilize private wells and septic fields. It is slated to have a geothermal cooling and heating system and to utilize ‘green’ technology. The $5 million dollar project may begin in early 2009 depending on when the project receives final approval. The County public hearing for this project is scheduled for November 6, 2008.

City staff has reviewed the plans and believes there are no irresolvable problems and expects M-NCPPC staff to approve them with minor revisions.

III. Analysis

The proposed Preliminary Plan will be reviewed by the County Planning Board for compliance with Subtitle 24 of the County Code (the County Subdivision regulations). A Preliminary Plan of subdivision may be approved if the County Planning Board finds, among other requirements, that: adequate public facilities including water, sewer and roads exist or are programmed for the area where the subdivision is located; a stormwater management concept plan has been approved by the County; and the site has been designed in accordance with requirements for woodland conservation and tree preservation. City staff has reviewed the plans and believes there are no irresolvable problems or major issues, particularly regarding the stream crossing since the road already exists and traffic since the facility will operate during off-peak hours. Therefore, staff expects M-NCPPC staff to recommend approval of the project with minor revisions.

IV. Recommendation

Since the project is outside of the City limits and there has been no opposition to the project, staff recommends that the City Council send a letter to the County Planning Board in SUPPORT of Preliminary Plan #4-08029.

Attachments

September 15, 2008

The Honorable Samuel J. Parker, Jr., Chairman
Prince George's County Planning Board
14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive
County Administration Building
Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772

RE: Preliminary Plan of Subdivision #4-08029
Temple of Praise International Church

Dear Chairman Parker:
On September 15, 2008, the Bowie City Council placed the above referenced matter on their consent agenda. The applicant in this case, Motir Services, Inc., is proposing to conjoin two (2) lots into one (1) developable lot with a 650 seat, 34,000 square foot, two-story church having 380 parking spaces. The site is located on the east side of North Crain Highway (U.S. 301), approximately 1,400 feet north of its intersection with Queen Anne’s Bridge Road. The subject property is comprised of 22.60 acres, is zoned R-A (Residential-Agricultural) and is located in the Rural Tier.

The City Council voted unanimously to support the proposal (Preliminary Plan #4-08029). Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this application.

Sincerely,

Bowie City Council
G. Frederick Robinson
Mayor

cc: The Honorable Ingrid M. Turner, Prince George’s County District 4
Mr. Alan Hirsch, Subdivision Section, M-NCPPC
Mr. John Ferrante, Subdivision Review Section, MNCPPC
Mr. Ken Burruss, Motir Services, Inc