TO: City Council
FROM: David J. Deutsch, City Manager
SUBJECT: Status Report/Council Poll
DATE: September 14, 2006
Status Report
1. The Shoppes at Highbridge SDP #9002/04
On Thursday, September 7th, the County Planning Board reviewed a site plan
revision for the 58,708 square foot previously approved commercial component
of the Highbridge Park development. The revision included the proposed
children’s daycare center in the main retail building and the Texas
Roadhouse Restaurant on the previously approved 8,665 square foot building
pad site. The site is zoned
L-A-C (Local Activity Center) and is located on 11.78 acres in the northeast
quadrant of High Bridge Road and Annapolis Road (MD Route 450).
The County Planning Board unanimously approved the daycare center and restaurant with conditions. All of the conditions recommended by the City Council were incorporated into the Planning Board's approval.
As a result of a letter from a City resident, Mr. Richard Bleach, regarding possible adverse reflective light from the Chevy Chase Bank metal roof, the County Planning Board discussed whether any other roofs in the shopping center could have a negative effect on nearby residences. It was determined that the Texas Roadhouse Restaurant’s pitched roof was too far from the lot line to have any adverse effects on residences and that all of the other roofs in the center were flat and would have no effect.
2. County Public Safety Communication Tower
On Monday, September 18th, Prince George's County will be conducting a balloon
test (weather permitting) in the lower storage yard at Public Works. The
test will last for eight hours and is scheduled to begin around 8:00 a.m.
The County is proposing to build a 330' high three-legged steel public
safety communication tower placed upon a 100' square footprint on this
site. The purpose of the balloon is to give nearby residents a sense for
the visual height of the tower from their homes. Also, on Thursday, September
21st at 7:00 p.m. a stakeholders meeting will be held at City Hall for
residents living in proximity to this site. Letters (a
copy is enclosed in your package) have been sent to those residents in
the Idlewild, Yorktown and Overbrook sections living within 500 feet of
the Public Works site informing them of this meeting and balloon test.
If no significant issues arise at the meeting on the 21st, the approval
of the MOU between Prince George's County and the City will be placed on
your consent agenda for October 3rd. Two cellular carriers, Nextel and
T-Mobile, have expressed interest in co-locating on this tower. The City
will negotiate separate lease agreements with both carriers concerning
co-locating on this tower that will come back to City Council for separate
approval at a later date. This matter has been previously brought to City
Council attention and Council has approved of this matter conceptually
subject to a balloon test and stakeholders meeting.
3. Economic Development Committee
The Bowie EDC held their regular meeting Wednesday and selected Mr. Ray Skinner
as the next Chairman, subject to Council approval. They also selected
Mr. Alan Coppola as Vice Chairman. Additionally they received an update briefing
on the Melford/MSTC development plans from the City's Planning Director.
After several questions, the EDC stated a draft concept for their future
discussions on the matter.
This draft standard is:
" The matter of considering residential development at Melford/MSTC should
be evaluated by determining if and how such development would enhance the
creation of professional, scientific, and technical jobs at Melford/MSTC
and such development should not reduce the total job creation or revenue
generation from commercial development previously expected."
The EDC expects further discussion and refinement of their thoughts during
the next few months. The EDC will hold their next regular meeting on Wednesday,
October 11, 2006 starting at 7:30 a.m.
4. Maryland Route 197 Project Planning Study
This week, staff attended a meeting of the State Highway Administration (SHA)
project team working on the Maryland Route 197 study. The purpose of the
study
currently underway is to examine possible alternates for upgrading the road
between Kenhill Drive and Relocated Maryland Route 450. As Council will recall,
a project newsletter and survey were distributed to over 10,000 people this
summer. A total of 991 surveys (approximately 10%) were completed and returned.
A summary of the survey results is attached for your information. As you
can see from the response to Question #3, there was overwhelming support
for upgrading MD 197 to a multi-lane roadway. SHA is now preparing the Purpose
and Need statement and related data for the planned December 2006 Alternates
Public Workshop. A City Council briefing is scheduled for November 13, 2006.
5. "The Bowie Marriott Hotels at Melford" Stakeholders
Meeting
The attached memorandum summarizes the Stakeholders Meeting held with Sherwood
Manor residents on September 7th.
6. Hall Road L-A-C Revised Condition #5
In April of this year, the developer of the Hall Road Activity Center (Cenhall,
LLC) requested an amendment to Condition #5 of the District Council's approval
of Zoning Map Amendment #A-9838-C. The recently issued decision
of the Zoning Hearing Examiner (ZHE) is attached for your review. Parties of record
have until next Friday to file any appeals. The purpose of the revision
is to allow flexibility for the developer to proceed with the construction
without constructing the minimum 25,000 square foot library concurrently,
as per the original wording of Condition #5. The developer is concerned
that the County Executive might become an obstacle to the development's
progress, if a County library is not funded in such a way that it can be
simultaneously constructed with the rest of the project. Revised Condition
#5 will avoid a situation "whereby the County Executive would stymie
a zoning application that had been previously approved by the District
Council." In addition to rewording the condition, the ZHE decision
amplifies the original decision in several other ways. Non-retail uses
including professional offices may be included within the maximum 30,000
square foot commercial use floor area, the dwelling unit range has been
specified as a maximum of 10-15 dwelling units per gross acre and six (6)
design considerations have been added in the ZHE's recommendation. As the
final decision in this matter rests with the District Council, which favors
the project, staff sees no merit to an appeal of the ZHE decision.
Attachments