MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council
FROM: David J. Deutsch, City Manager
SUBJECT: Status Report/Council Poll
DATE: September 27, 2007
Status Report
1. Fort Meade Regional Growth Management Committee Meeting
The City hosted the September 20th meeting of the Fort George G. Meade Growth
Management Committee. Mayor Robinson welcomed the attendees on behalf of
the City. The meeting was called to hear presentations from Baltimore City,
Montgomery, Carroll, and Howard Counties on their planning efforts for
the growth expected surrounding Fort Meade due to BRAC.
In addition to local jurisdiction representatives, staff members from the
offices of Senators Cardin and Mikulski attended, as did a representative
from Bowie State University.
The Fort George G. Meade Growth Management Committee exists to provide actionable
information that will mobilize local governments in the region to respond
to the opportunities and impacts of Fort Meade growth in a coordinated and
timely manner.
City staff continues to monitor various county and regional BRAC planning
efforts.
2. Planning Board Results - Harmony Place
On September 20th, the Prince George's County Planning Board conducted a
public hearing on the Harmony Place Preliminary Subdivision Plan. On August
1st, the City Council reviewed this Preliminary Plan, which proposes to
create two lots, one of which will contain two (2) multi-story buildings
of multi-family rental housing, a clubhouse, an outdoor swimming pool,
a parking garage and surface parking area on the north side of Health Center
Drive. Since M-NCPPC staff were recom-mending disapproval of the plan,
a lengthy discussion took place between the Planning Board, Park and Planning
staff, and the applicant regarding the extent of environmental features
on the property and agencies with jurisdiction over the regulation of those
features. After the discussion, the Board and the applicant agreed to a continuance of the case to October 25th. The Board, however,
did take testimony from three (3) area residents. The record remains open.
3. Melford Retail SDP #0401/01 Stakeholders Meeting
On Tuesday, September 25th, a Stakeholders Meeting was held on the Melford
Pod 3 Retail. This is a proposal by St. John Properties to build three
(3) 8,125 square foot retail buildings along Melford Boulevard in addition
to the previously approved 150,000 square foot office building. The 12-acre
site is zoned M-X-T (Mixed Use Transportation Oriented) and is located
in the northeast quadrant of Robert Crain Highway (Route 301/3) and John
Hanson Highway (Route 50/301). A revision to the previously approved Specific
Design Plan (SDP) for two (2) office buildings is required.
Approximately seven (7) residents in addition to staff and two (2) representatives of the St. John Properties, Mr. Ramon Benitez and Mr. Robert Antonetti, Jr., attended the meeting. Mr. Antonetti gave a brief outline of the project, noting that the three (3) retail buildings would be located adjacent to each other along Melford Boulevard with sidewalks between them accessing parking located at the rear and possible outdoor seating located along the boulevard facing the existing pond. He noted that the recently approved Conceptual Site Plan (CSP) permits office and retail/ commercial uses on the property.
Residents asked whether there would be any fast food restaurants located in the buildings. Mr. Antonetti noted that there were no drive-through facilities available, which would preclude certain franchises from wanting to locate there. A resident asked whether there was a time limit on the validity of an approved SDP. (Staff finds that according to Section 27-528 of the Zoning Ordinance, since one of the office buildings has been built, the approved SDP is still valid.) The applicant noted that noontime lunch traffic was a problem at the junction of Belair Drive and Route 3 and that provision of restaurants in the retail buildings should alleviate this problem to some extent. There were some questions regarding building “green” and limiting the amount of impervious surface area on the site. The applicant noted that while these proposed buildings will not be LEED certified, they are working towards making them more energy efficient and that future buildings in the development may meet LEED certification standards depending on tenant fit-out. They are researching the use of photo voltaics on the rooftops of future buildings and full cut-off light fixtures are being utilized on several sites.
City public hearings have not yet been scheduled. The plans may be sent out for referral from Park and Planning next week having just been accepted this week.
4. County Fire/EMS Facility Stakeholders Meeting
On Wednesday, September 26th, the Department of Planning and Economic Development
conducted a Stakeholders Meeting for the proposed County Fire/EMS facility,
which will be located on 2.98 acres of land at the intersection of Health
Center Drive and Northview Drive, across from Bowie Town Center and the
City's Gymnasium. The meeting was attended by Councilman Turner, 10-12
members of the Bowie Volunteer Fire Department (BVFD), and several other interested
residents. Major Rich Lambdin of the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department
presented a PowerPoint show indicating the need for a fire station at the
proposed location, the layout and design features of a typical facility,
and the site plan for the proposed station. It was also noted that the
County will be conducting a public hearing on October 2nd regarding the
Public Safety Facilities Master Plan, being prepared by M-NCPPC. Numerous
questions were asked by the Stakeholders including: provision of Opticon
control devices at traffic signals in the area; the impact of local traffic
on the station's ability to meet emergency response time standards; the
development impact on the site's environmental features; the proposed method
of stormwater management; the adequacy of the 30-space parking lot, given
the training functions that may occur at the station; whether there would
be adverse impacts from Fire/EMS personnel using the 24-foot training tower
behind the station; what type of equipment and apparatus would be included
in the facility; and, the high cost of the facility vs. more cost effective
solutions such as increasing staff at the existing stations in the City.
There was strong sentiment expressed by the BVFD members present regarding
the latter. Major Lambdin concluded by noting that there is a requirement
that 1% of the construction cost of the facility be devoted to public art
and that the Department's Arts Council representative has contacted the
City's Arts Committee to discuss their participation in selection of an
artist and artwork for the station. The project is now in the building
permit phase; the bid process is expected to begin in December and a March
2008 groundbreaking is anticipated. The schedule calls for completion of
the facility by early 2009.