MEMORANDUM

TO: City Council

FROM: David J. Deutsch, City Manager

SUBJECT: Status Report/Council Poll

DATE: March 1, 2007

Status Report

1. Canter Property Stakeholders Meeting

On Thursday, February 22nd, a Stakeholders Meeting was held on the Canter Property Sketch Plan. This is a proposal to subdivide 112 acres into 22 single-family lots and one conservation lot. The site is zoned O-S (Open Space) and is located in the Rural Tier in the northeastern quadrant of Mill Branch Place and Mill Branch Road east side of its intersection with Crain Highway (US Route 301). Conservation subdivision design is required in the Rural Tier.

Eight (8) residents, two (2) representatives of the applicant, and both applicants attended the meeting. The applicant’s attorney, Mr. Mike Nagy, gave some background on conservation subdivisions in the Rural Tier and described the project. He noted that 60% of the site was to be conserved as a conservation lot, as required by the conservation subdivision regulations. The homeowners association would own the conservation lot when the project was completed. Mr. Nagy noted that the lots ranged in size from 1.25 acres to 2.25 acres (40,000 square feet is the minimum allowed). A new 60-foot right-of-way, open section road that would connect to Mill Branch Road approximately 150 feet south of Mill Branch Place would serve the development.

Mr. Nagy explained that 90% of the trees on the site would be preserved and that the homes would be primarily located in the existing open fields. Resident William Snyder expressed a desire to see more woodland developed around the homes so that they were comfortably nestled into the site. It was noted that the homes would start selling for approximately $600,000 and would be large, high-end homes -- 3,500 sq. ft. to 6,000 sq. ft. Some of the residents asked if Mill Branch Road would be improved beyond the frontage of the development. Mr. Nagy said that usually improvements were limited to the frontage, but that this would be determined at the time of subdivision review when adequate roads were discussed.

There are no City or County public hearings scheduled for this item at this time.

2. Delegate Holmes' Transit Initiative

Delegate Holmes has been conducting some research into the feasibility of establishing some type of transit service between the cities of Bowie and Laurel. At the Delegate's request (see attached letters), a meeting with the Mayor was convened at City Hall on Friday, February 16th to discuss the subject. Attendees of the meeting included Delegate Holmes, Laurel Mayor Craig Moe, Mayor Robinson, Councilman Marcos, Mr. Ray Ambrose of Corridor Transportation (CTC), the City's Planning Director and Economic Development Director. Delegate Holmes stated that he was investigating ways to bring transit service between Laurel and Bowie, including service to Bowie State University. Mayor Moe provided information relating to the City of Laurel's participation in CTC and the benefits of having this service. Laurel pays a subsidy fee of approximately $30,000 per year to CTC in order for them to operate their service in that city. Mayor Robinson and City staff discussed the recently completed consultant study performed by TranSystems for the City. Mr. Ambrose explained how the CTC system works and noted that any changes in service would have to be reflected in the Prince George's County Five-Year Transit Master Plan, which is now being updated. Delegate Holmes concluded the meeting by stating his determi-nation to contact Prince George's County officials and the President of Bowie State University to ascertain their interest in this concept.

3. BAPB Results: Superior Lane Car Wash Special Exception

On Tuesday, February 27th, the Bowie Advisory Planning Board (BAPB) held a public hearing on Special Exception (SE) #4565 for a proposed detail car wash in vacant space located at 3329 Superior Lane, where a car wash previously existed more than 15 years ago. The current uses on the site include a restaurant, an ice cream shop and a lawn mower repair/rental center. At the conclusion of the hearing, the BAPB unanimously voted to table action on the SE, until such time as the applicant provides the following: a more detailed site plan on parking/queuing issues; a queuing analysis; architectural drawings of renovations to the car wash; and more information on environmental issues related to noise, air, and water pollution. Mr. Ty Troyer made the motion to table, which was seconded by Mr. James Golato. Because of the need for additional information, the City Council public hearing on this application has been cancelled until a second public hearing for the BAPB is scheduled. Notices of the cancellation were mailed Wednesday.

4. Streets Paved

As requested by City Council during the Mid-Year Budget review, attached is a list of the streets paved over the past two years.

Attachments