Glenn Dale Citizens Association

Meeting Minutes –November 15, 2005

Prepared By Jim Titus, Secretary

Meeting started at 7:37 PM. We had 12 people plus all officers except President.(who arrived later)

Secretary’s Report [7:38 PM]

Minutes accepted.

Announcements

Application for preliminary plan for Zoglio Property (MD-450 and MD-193). This is 18.89 acres. Zone R-E. Probably about 18 homes. Dated October 18. If anyone is interested, they should call MNCPPC. #4-05105 Still an open question: will access be MD-193? (Recap: Failure to post led Zoglio to have to re-file).

Note from Councilman Hendershot. Leaf collection from Nov. 7-Dec. 30. Call 301-499-8576 (vacuum collection) 301-952-7630 (bag leaf)

Festival of Lights. Nov 21 from 6-8:30 PM

 

Old Business

Bell Station. MD-450. Dag Petroleum is interested in running the gas station. They called us. It’s not clear what is going on. Mary spoke with the lawyer. This property is going to Eastern Petroleum (also franchisee for BP in Anne Arundel). It will be run as a BP station and they will stick with the previous plan. We won’t know the difference.

Naco Building. This property is going up in "leaps and bounds." They had built a 15-20 foot mound. Why this berm along the building? Now, there are southern pines on top of the berm. Mary went to the inspector, and showed the plans. Inspector went out and called Mary: He said owners are not conforming to the plans. So they will either change back to what it was, or submit approved plans. The next day, the mounds came down to a 6-ft berm. It appears that a fence will be built along Good Luck Road.

Explanation: This is all because it is a government rented building, hence security concern. There are utility poles in the mounds.

Question on sidewalks: They are adding deceleration lanes. If this were a true widening, they would have to add sidewalks. But sidewalks not required for deceleration lanes.

 

Eastgate. Lately, some refurbishing. Restaurants supposedly are going to be added, but that has not happened. Mary called: Owner said permits not issued. Mary asked Doug Peters’ office, who called MNCPPC who said permits will be issued. Mary called the company again: (Mr. K, the person who is looking for lessors.) Mr. K insisted permits not issued—but they did not seem to want to be on the phone when Mary called to check, leaving the impression that Mr. K does not really know.)

Soil Conservation Road. Plan is to finish in October 2006. They will not close old road until new road is opened. They have already cleared the space for the road and walked the route. Good Luck Road will stay open, although it will sometimes be down to one lane.

Goddard Corporate Development Park. Northern Avenue along MD-193, as well as 35 acres down Forbes, to the right. And then they want to level three "Greentec" buildings.

Douglas Jemal had proposed 1431 units, including Honeywell Building. Proposal #2 will not demolish Honeywell or Verizon. Owners want a continuous care community on a 3-4 story building, with 662 units, plus 28 town houses.

Property facing northern: They would put in a street of 14 single family homes, access to homes would be via an alley, but the homes would face Northern Ave.

By Greentec: 4-story buildings with about 328 units. Everyone said no to that.

He came back with Proposal #3. CCRC stays the same. Plus 28 single family homes and 95 townhouses.

He is resistant to low density by next to Greentec. The threat is that if we don’t agree to what they want, they will go to MNCPPC and push their agenda there. Mary will meet December 5 at 7515 Mission Drive at 6:30 PM. He has offered to build police substation.

Question: Does a CRC here make it more difficult to have one at Glenn Dale. No one knows. Speculation: They heard we want a CCRC, and so they are proposing one.

Followup: Proportion of senior to assisted is a question.

 

Henry Wixon began to preside at 8:15.

Glenn Dale Hospital. County’s expression of interest solicitation. Responses submitted by:

1.: Mt. Jezreal (sp?) with quadrangle development. Builder is Guilford.

2. National Center for Sustainable Development.

3. Coscan Adler with St. Pauls.

4. Ken Michaels w/Smart Grown Development, Cherokee Investment, Harbor View Develoment, and Streuver Bros.

County was going to meet today to see what their next steps will be. The applications are pretty sketchy.

Now we have to decide whether we want to push RFP with criteria, or a "deal-making" approach. Henry thinks he should call the County, and that we should weigh in on having a formal RFP process.

Henry moved that GDCA favor an RFP process and that he be given authority to weigh in accordingly.

Discussion: What is our ability to weigh in? We definitely need to weigh in on the evaluation criteria. But it may also be possible to comment on proposals that are submitted. Henry: His impression is that some bidders are against an RFP process.

Motion carried.

East Glenn Dale Sector Plan. Work session is November 22. Room probably holds about 30 people. John: If they invoke CB-48 they need not hold a public hearing.

John pointed out that if it is like the Bowie Plan, Mr. Peters might come in with various proposals. Mr. Peters could offer changes to Planning Board’s recommendations. Most likely, they might consider changing Jemal’s zoning to give him more flexibility. But one still needs to go through the process. It would still have to go back to the Planning Board for special exception.

Some legislation is being drafted for TDR’s. To work, they have to float with the market. In MoCo, the TDR’s were safeguarded through sewer limits in some places (rather than easements). But now with mounds, it turns out that those areas may be buildable. We need to better understand, however, what is going on there.

 

Emergency Preparedness. Tony got relatively little feedback last month—he was expecting more feedback, he said. He plans to try to get Office of Emergency Management staff to come.

Daisy Lane and Bell Station. One new house is being added on Daisy. It doesn’t seem to have been repaved in years. Question: Do we want curb and gutter? Consensus: No. Old Ragoli House: People do not stop at the sign.

Question about Prospect Hill Road pavement and Old Pond Road. Henry will ask for the maintenance schedule.

The facility on Old Pond is probably going to be eventually sold off as surplus federal property. The county wants to buy it—either to maintain the historic gardens or to put up new homes.

New owner: Michael Bolden, bought the big white house, and joined us tonight for the first time.

Treasurer’s Report: 1439.98 + .16 We will have some new members.

Elections: To vote: You must have attended one of the last 4 meetings.

Officer, must attend 4 of the last 9 meetings.

All officers were re-elected by acclamation.

Adjourned at 9:12 PM