Glenn Dale Citizens Association

Prepared By Jim Titus, Secretary

Meeting started at 7:40 PM. All officers attended. (For other attendees, see the "Attendence Section on the web page.) The President [Henry] introduced everyone. He noted that the Treasurer [John Shields] has been Treasurer for 15 years..

Secretary’s Report [7:41 PM]

The Secretary [Jim Titus] was out of town during the June meeting. The Vice President [Mary] said that a volunteer had taken the minutes and emailed them to her, but the email may have been deleted from her computer because she could not find them today. No one knows who took the minutes. She and John will try to go over the attendence list and contact whoever it was.

Mary’s Oral report. The June meeting. We had 10 people with 3 new members. We discussed Bell Station Rd.

Treausurer’s Report. We have received checks for $59.80—we now have $1443.87.

Announcements [7:44]

1. Marietta is free one of the days this weekend, probably Sunday. Activities for children, program called "Summer fun". Dorsey Chapel.

2. No more announcements.

Old Business [7:46]

The following are comments from the President, unless otherwise indicated.

Montesori School. New project wlil be near Prospect Court and Hillmeade. It will have an entrance opposite Northridge. The people there are concerned. The agreement among the parties: Hillmeade Road is wide enough to be restriped to allow better access into the site. Jim Titus: The impact of the restriping on the bikelane is unclear.

Golf Course. Summary: The project is at least temporarily suspended by bureaucratic circular logic.

President: The detailed site plan has been remanded back to planning board on a technicality, namely, the detailed site plan was different from the preliminary plan. The reason? Because planning staff imposed conditions on the preliminary plan, and the detailed site plan complied with those conditions. This happens all the time—it’s what is supposed to happen, and it usually does not cause a remand. John: Realistically, the goal was delay.

Mary: the revised plan was better. Doug Peters had few questions. One question by Council: All the old golf course paths would become footpaths open to the public in the plan. Councilmen Bland and Harrington wanted to make sure that buyers knew that the trails would be open to the public. Their concern is with all these open-to-public areas not being maintained, and resulting fees with people unprepared. Mary addeed: If this is such a problem, how did Northridge deal with that?

Mary added: the trees along the NACO development by Northern Avenue that was supposed to be protected have been bulldozed.

Trails. [7:58 PM] WB&A Trail will be extended to the Pax River any week now.

Glenn Dale Hospital. [7:58 PM]. Not much happening this month. John noted that similar hospitals at Forest Glenn had been remediated for less than $1 million, so it ought not cost the $3 million (or more) previously assumed.

East Glenn Dale Plan [8:03]

1. Hearing will take place July 25 on the plan in Upper Marlboro at 7PM.
2. Mary has drafted a letter on comments. Association should send a letter, as well as testimony. Mary’s points:
1. Page 15—mentions moderate to high density for University Boulevard (MD-193). We had some discussion on whether that corridor was extended to MD-564. We oppose it being extended
2. Adding a few more roads to the list of roads where the ambiance of an existing estate should be maintained. (Two-lane part of Daisy Lane.)
3. The node issue. We discussed this at length. Jim Titus thought that the node at MD-193/MD-564 would only increase development within ¼ mile of the intersection, given density of node provided in the plan, and thought that high-density there is reasonable given the railroad tracks and possibility of a rail transit station some day, provided that development is designed to accommodate development. Jim said that the definition the plan says that a node only affects development within ¼ mile of the node.Mary said that regardless of the definition of a node, the county’s intention is to use node as an excuse to intensity development not in the node (Glenn Dale Business Park) rather than within the node. Jim said this is why he prefers to spend his time on bike trails.
4. L-A-C Community Comprehensive Zone for Glenn Dale Business Park—too much intensive development close to Northern Avenue
5. Plan is to change zoning from RR to RE in the county owned stormwater lands.
3. John. CB-48 will be voted and will pass. A procedural bill to diminish need for hearings when text amendment are made.
4. Roads. The plan calls for six-lanes on MD-193, 4 lanes for MD-564.
5. Future MARC station. Jim and two members indicated a need for mass transit, supporting the idea of a future rail station. Stacey said that the letter ought to be careful about how we request a MARC station, lest we appear to be endorsing development near the station. Henry repeated his earlier assertion that rail station will never come to Glenn Dale—and that if it did, it would be bad for Glenn Dale. Therefore, Henry opposes a rail station coming to Glenn Dale.
6. Golf Course [8:55PM] Several options in there. Motion that Association writes letter bringing up the points that were made tonight.
7. One member discussed his house (built 1916) on Daisy Lane. The house was a store. Straightening the road would possibly take on house. We agreed to amend the motion to include the idea that Daisy Lane should not be straightened.
8. Support current zoning. John noted that the proposed plan makes no changes to the Golf Course. Endorses the plan.

Motion Passed.

Henry: We will take a position against CB-48 if it is what John says. Motion passed. John asked Jim if he could put it up on the web site. Jim said he would do so when he uploaded the minutes.

Adjourn shortly after 9:05 PM.

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