Old Business

Glenn Dale, Lanham-Seabrook Sector Plan. Henry said: We are getting to the end of this process. Henry summarized the Citizen Advisory Committee meetings. Suggestion for a school on the Glenn Dale property. Henry pounded the table. Staff’s suggestions did not include adaptive re-use, he said. Jim and Henry both reported what they had said to staff.

Jim explained that he had congratulated staff for being so open about intent to subvert the statute. The plan showed almost nothing happening to Glenn Dale hospital in the next 10 years, followed by a housing development on the 60 acres and the old buildings being turned down. Thus, staff was not even considering the possibility of pursuing the CCRC required by the statute or the adaptive re-use of buildings previously discussed. Jim told the staff that he appreciated that the staff was not pretending to follow the statute but coming right out and saying in the plan that the county will deliberately run the buildngs into the ground and then tell the state ten years later that the buildings have deteriorated too much to use. “You are as honest and transparent as the man who pled guilty to murdering his parents and then asked for mercy because he was an orphan. People may object to your decisions; but you do not make the decisions, you merely convey them, and you have done so in an admirable fashion”, Jim had told staff. People indicated that Henry has said much the same thing but he wasn’t as funny.

Henry added: “I was quite stern.” Henry continued. Likelihood that any of these beneficial changes will occur is low. On Dec. 4, this will all come to a head. The good news is that the historic preservation staff seems interested in getting hospital listed onto the National Register of Historic Places. Henry is drafting a letter. He added: Our sense is that the council members are largely on board regarding maintaining the integrity of the statute.

Regarding USDA Glenn Dale Plant Introduction Station. (The land for sale near Old Pond Drive.) USDA has decided it will surplus the land, but nothing has been done.

Bell Station Center Tree Preservation. Mary oriented us about the remaining trees. Owners propose to plant trees along the buffer zone next to their property. 17 red maples, a few sawtooth oaks, 10 little leaf lindends. About 60 evergreens of various types, and 100 bushes. Mary asked them to plant during spring or fall. Outgoing letter indicates they will plant the trees within one year of when the property is graded—and put them in place within 2 years of the approval of a new conservation plan. They will warranty the landscape materials for 5 years. (Public works only required 2 years). This will ultimately increase the overall canopy, they say. Henry and Mary will go and inspect the property to ensure that the sewer line does not cause the loss of more large trees than necessary. Titus asked: are they going to mow?

Henry: Need to save these trees, it will make a huge difference in how that area looks.

New Business

Purple Line. Jim Titus suggested that we should endorse the purple line, but given that people have not had the opportunity to review the new EIS, we should adopt a motion now allowing the officers to do so if there is no quorum at the December meeting, because the comments are due before the January meeting. Tim Howe objected to the idea of the officers being empowered to endorse the purple line, because he has not studied the purple line. A few exchanges occurred between Jim and Tim on the issue with which further elucidated that Jim and Tim were not going to agree on the merits of the Purple Line during this meeting, and that Tim was not going to agree that the officers should be empowered to Act if a quorum is lacking. No one else spoke to the issue. Henry said that we will take the issue up again in December if there is a quorum.

Others pointed out that public meetings are taking place now on the Purple Line, and that there wll be a meeting on the topic tomorrow.

Master Transportation Plan. Henry brings up the scenic road issue. Jim mentioned BTAG.

Parks and Recreation. 2010 and Beyond. Meeting about the park.

Historic Sites and Districts Plan Update. Public Meeting Thursday December 4, Montpelier Mansion.

November 20. Meeting called “water is essential for life”. Comprehensive Water Resources meeting.

Updates on Old Business

Glenn Dale Commons. The small recreaction center has been put back into the plan.

Golf Course. Nothing new.

Roads: MD-SHA will restripe the left turn lanes from MD-193 to MD-564.

One final comment made from the floor: Dues for 2009 are now being collected.

We adjourned at 9:00.

Presentation. Arena Liquors.

Located at Landover Crossing Shopping Center, across from where Landover Mall existed. With Sams Club and Landover Mall go, the center is losing its utility. It was close to the US Air Arena. New owners took it over. They kept the store running. When they took over. Gross receipts were $1 million. Now it only takes in $500,000. Current lease up in 2010. They tried to negotiate a rent reduction—but the deal was, they need to leave in 2010.

State of Maryland requires license to stay within a legislative district. They have found such a location in the Duval Shopping Center. Representative showed us a map of where liquor stores are. At Duval, they would have 1280 square feet. They plan to display fine wines—imports. Will not sell single beers, 40-oz, 1/4pt. They realize that they need to make sure that they are meeting standards of the community. Under current law: class A beer and wine. They would be 9-9 on Monday-Thursday, and 9-10PM on Friday/Saturday. Question: No Liquor Store? They will try to participate. Would provide water/dry ice in disasters.

Q: No Drive-Inn

Q: Location.

A; Next to Subway?

Q: Why close at 9PM?

A: Nature of business. They know that after 9-10, it is a bad crowd. Specialty beers, no need to go to College park.

Q: License says 6-12, but they are open 9-10.

They will have one lottery machine, no check cashing, no cigars. Bill passed restricting single-sale cigars. They will sell cigarettes. Employees trained in alchohol awareness.

Q: Howe. No Keno.

Q: Where do you live?

A: Partners live in Laurel, Montgomery, and Clinton.

Q: No food.

A: They will be similar to the one at Fairwood.

Q: What assurances that you will close at 9 or 10 PM?

A; They could enter into a covenant to stay at certain hours.

Q: What do competitors do?

A: Competitors may try to stop them from trying to open.

Q: What security do they have now?

A: Surveillance. PG County police.