MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council
FROM: David J. Deutsch, City Manager
SUBJECT:
Status Report/Council Poll
DATE: July 19, 2007
Status Report
1. Town Hall Meeting
The Prince George's County Department of Family Services Administration on
Aging is sponsoring three upcoming forums to discuss issues concerning
senior citizens and family caregivers. One of the three forums will be
held at the Bowie Senior Center on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 from 12:30 to
2:00 p.m. There is no charge for the event, which will be held in the multipurpose
room.
2.
ZHE Meeting Summary – Hall
Road Rezoning Conditions
On Wednesday, July 18, 2007 staff attended the Zoning Hearing Examiner (ZHE)
hearing regarding a proposed amendment to Condition #5 of Zoning Map Amendment
A-9838-C. The ZHE previously ruled in favor of a revised condition that
unlinked the timing of construction of the County library from the rest
of the project. In January, the District Council remanded the case back
to the ZHE to take additional testimony regarding the details of the library
construction schedule and funding. After granting several continuances
since April, ZHE Joyce Nichols opened the hearing. Mr. Dan Lynch, attorney
for the applicant, explained that a letter was expected from the Office
of Central Services concerning purchase of the library site but it had
not yet been received. Mr. Lynch asked that the record be kept open until
July 31, 2007 for receipt of the information. Mr. Lynch further requested
that some of the conditions of A-9838-C be amended, and he submitted a
proposed approving ordinance revising several conditions (see attached).
While most of the changes are minor or clarifying in nature, one new, substantial
change was proposed to Condition #5. The applicant's reworded Condition
#5 states that if Prince George's County has not acquired the library site
from the applicant within six months, the applicant may delete the library
site and increase the total amount of commercial square footage by up to
50,000 square feet. Six (6) City residents attended and several spoke at
the hearing, including Dr. Isaac Trouth, Dr. Frank Enty, and Mr. Russ Ideo.
Each of the speakers, as well as the City's Planning Director, asked that additional time be provided for community comment on the revisions prior
to close of the record. Examiner Nichols concluded the hearing by granting
the applicant's request to leave the record open until July 31st for receipt
of the County letter and until August 10th for receipt of comments from the
community on the proposed amendments to the conditions.
3. Melford CSP-06002 Oral Argument
On Monday, July 23, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. the District Council is scheduled
to hear oral argument on St. John Properties' pending Conceptual Site Plan
(CSP-06002) that was approved by the County Planning Board in January.
A copy of Attorney John McDonough's response to the appeal filed by Martha
Ainsworth, Bruce Pletsch, Charles Reilly, Jon Robinson and Fred Tutman
is attached for your information. City staff will attend the hearing and,
given an opportunity, will reiterate the City's position of record, which
is that the CSP cannot be implemented under the current City covenants
on the property. Staff will recap the District Council action in a Status
Report next week.
4. Freight Railroad Realignment Study Letter to NCPC
In reviewing the proposed FY 2008-2013 Federal Capital Improvement Program
drafted by the National Capital Planning Commission, staff discovered that
the Commission "recommends and strongly endorses" funding for
further studies related to the relocation of freight railroad traffic out
of the District of Columbia to locations in Maryland. Staff drafted the
attached letter (which is similar to the one recently sent to elected officials
about this subject) requesting that NCPC to reconsider its recommendation.
5. Environmental Infrastructure Action Strategy Plan
As Council is aware, the Department of Planning and Economic Development
has been working to prepare an Environmental Infrastructure Action Strategy
Plan for the City. The final meeting with the resident steering committee
was held last week. The City Council public hearing is scheduled for August
1, 2007 (see attached public notice mailed this week). Copies of the Plan
document, prepared with the assistance of a grant-funded consultant, will
be included in your package next week and will be available to the public
at the Planning Department and the City's website as of next Wednesday.
According to the project schedule, it is anticipated that Council will
take final action on the Plan in September.
6. New Mixed-Use Zone Special Study
On Wednesday, July 18, 2007 Councilman Todd Turner and planning staff attended
a Stakeholder Meeting held by M-NCPPC for the new mixed-use zone special
study. Approximately 40-50 representatives of County government, public
agencies, municipalities, private developers, citizen groups and the professional
community attended. This effort is in response to criticism that existing
zoning tools and techniques are inadequate and result in built environments
with uses that often fail to live up to community expectations. The purpose
of the meeting was to provide background on the initiative, validate the
process and public participation element, seek feedback on the nature of
mixed-use development and present some examples
of best and worst practices locally and across the country. This was the
initial meeting for the project, which is expected to produce recommendations
for
County public hearings in early 2008. Stakeholder interviews will continue
through the summer.
7. Mill Branch Crossing Stakeholders Meeting
The attached
memorandum summarizes the Stakeholders Meeting held on Wednesday,
July 18, 2007 for Preliminary Plan #4-07043, Mill Branch Crossing, a proposed
mixed commercial project containing 800,000 square feet of development
on the east side of US 301 north of Mill Branch Road. City hearings will
not be scheduled on this large project until later this fall.
8. 2007 Election
As of today, the following have filed for office: Fred Robinson, Mike Lyles
- Mayor; Jimmy Marcos - District 1; Diane Polangin, James Golato, Kevin
Conroy - District 2; Todd Turner, Mary Ellen Winlund - District 3; Isaac
Trouth, Troy S. Stewart - District 4; Leon Buck, Jr., Geraldine Valentino-Smith,
Dennis Brady - At-Large.
Attachments:
Hall Road
Proposed Rezoning Conditions
Melford CSP Appeal - Rebuttal
Letter Opposing Railroad Realignment
Environmental Infrastructure Plan - Notice
of Public Hearing
Memorandum re: Mill Branch Crossing Stakeholders Meeting