Glenn Dale Citizens Association
Meeting MinutesMay 17, 2005
Prepared By Jim Titus, Secretary
Secretary’s Report
Jim Titus gave an oral presentation of the minutes. At the three minute mark, the President said that his presentation had taken too long, and the minutes were adopted unanimously. Jim Titus will be out of town for the June meeting.
Treasurer’s Report. We got Checks for $59.80—we now have $1443.87.
Announcements
Old Business
BP Gas. The President described the situation at Bell Station Center: The first project to come in at Bell Station Center is a gas station. GDCA had a bit of leverage because it will have an eatery. GDCA pushed for a high quality gas station: Red Brick and green roof. This hopefully sets a higher tone than we might otherwise get for a commercial area. There is no general plan. Car wash open 5AM-9PM. Food Service 5AM-midnight until a date that has already passed—so it could be 24 hours. DSP-03081 BP/Bell Station. Note: Reason to be person of record is to preserve right to testify if something bad happens. BP has bought Solarex, and they were planning to have solar powered light. But they have decided not to do so.
Question: Does Anyone Oppose? No, we should support. Motion carried that we would support the proposal by phone.
Reid Temple. Henry: We have had various representations made. We have written a letter concerning research on the approval process. While project was approved for one size, at the staff level they have allowed it to be exceeded. Park and Planning has offered a temporary Use and Occupancy Permit--without meeting the conditions. Looks like they may not have to meet the conditions. We need to make sure that they meet conditions before getting a permanent Use and Occupancy Permit or there will be no leverage. We wrote a letter to Donna Wilson regarding this situation, which went out at the beginning of May. [Note: Need to get Titus this letter so he can upload it]. We asked for documents, a written response, and to schedule a meeting. Not just Reid Temple. No response yet.
John. Preliminary plan is not binding. It is the "resolution". They needed easements.
We got a letter from Monica Jerbi complaining about how the "rentacops" control traffic. She had to wait 8 minutes at Prospect Hill and Glenn Dale before they would let her through, even though there was little traffic going to the church. The police told her that it is perfectly normal and acceptable for police to conduct traffic so as to benefit those who pay their overtime salaries. Jim Titus has noticed the same problem on Fridays on MD-564 at the Mosque between Seabrook and Cipriano Road, i.e., the people the mosque pays to conduct traffic make everyone on MD-564 wait for mosque traffic—but mosque traffic does not have to wait for through traffic.
Jim drafted letter asking the SHA and PG police to clarify the general procedure regarding traffic on state highways. John suggested talking to the reverend. They might understand that if they don’t talk to us, they may have real problems with getting permit for school. Dave Wilson said that we might annoy Reid Temple if we send a letter asking the police to improve training for conducting traffic. Everyone agreed that the plan would be to first see whether Reid Temple would fix the situation, and then send the letter. Because the letter is not just about Reid Temple, we will send the letter regardless of whether Reid Temple improves the situation, but letter might be edited. Jim mentioned that he will be out next month—Dave Wilson said he would take responsibility for getting the letter out if Henry does not send it. John will talk to the reverend about the situation, and get back to Henry about it.
Glenn Dale hospital. Henry thinks we have a window of opportunity—we might have a replay of the swap proposal. So it would be good to somehow get this proposal going. . We have always supported adaptive reuse of the buildings.
This proposal does not meet letter of the law.
Question: Do we give up on CCRC issue? St. Paul’s has done CCRC’s. When they visited two months ago, they said they would improve the plan—but they have not. Evidently, they don’t want to put any more effort into it until they see more support for it. John is skeptical about their understanding about what they are getting into. Realistically, it will be several years.
Question: Is coal ash/fly ash a second problem. John sent an email to MNCPPC that a Golf Course developer is willing to put money into recreational facilities on hospital site. Once that is done, it ties up a part of the site. Still, if something does not happen to the site, it is vulnerable.
Discussion. Once the statute is amended: We all have to understand that the 149 acres that are not developed will not be contiguous, most likely. It probably would be best for 60 acres to be contiguous—but on the other hand, the proposal is to develop land that is hidden from Glenn Dale Rd--that is good. These folks have a commitment to preserve at least the facades of the buildings. Some semblance of preserving a bit of Glenn Dale history. If we have to sacrifice CCRI to get buildings preserved, that may be acceptable. And it is a bit in the same vein. Question: Why no assisted living? No reason why they could not have one building designated assisted living. Not necessarily nursing home. The fear is that once the law is changed, we lose control. Question—if statute changed, can we get a sunset on the change after which it reverts to current language?
Another question: Does definition of CCRC include assisted living? We don’t want to push Bazuto and lose this opportunity. Still, assisted living does not need to be in those old buildings—it could be in some of the new.
John Shields: My developer will pay for recreational facilities at hospital site if they get the go-ahead to break grown.
Henry: It would be good to get a consensus. Push for assisted living. It is 60 acres; we will achieve a number of objectives. We need to see an updated plan. Henry plans to suggest that we are excited and asking for more details.
We put forth an unworried resolution to tentatively support the general thrust of the proposal, but with fewer units, assisted living, no through traffic through the new homes, i.e., outlet onto MD-450 not Glenn Dale Road, more information. Peter Teubin offered to revise a drawing, using the sketch they provided. [Note: I thought I put a sketch in my brief case but can’t find it. If anyone has their drawing, please scan and send.
Motion carried with one no vote.
Eastgate. Recap of previous month’s presentation by Eastgate Developers. Doug Peters says that restaurants should be moving forward. Damians, Panera Bread, and—supposedly a Starbucks—but we doubt the part about Starbucks. Next proposal. Staybridge Suites. Question: Are we going to oppose concept? Note—this will be a lot higher than shopping center. But not the highest around. Are there other 4-story buildings? Yes—up on Executive drive. Another office building—5 stories. Aerospace is 9 stories tall. Can it be compatible with St. Georges? Or St. Georges? (See pdf map of the current plan for Eastgate Shopping Center.)
Adjourn at 10:08.
PRESENTATION RE: PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AT GLENN DALE HOSPITAL
Presentation: Started at 7:10.
Representatives: John A. Lally, Attorney at law. Representing St Paul’s. Carl Williams of St. Paul could not make it. Artie Harris, of Bazuto. David B. Adler of Coscan/Adler.
David Adler. We cannot do too much planning beyond the conceptual stage, until we get control of the property. Not too much has happened since we were here two months ago. Recap: County has ability to sell 60 acres of the site. Awhile back, we entered into discussions with Bozzuto and St. Paul’s with the idea of doing something on those properties. We might do about 200 single-family homes, aged-restricted, 55 and up. Lots will have about 7000 square feet. Homes of 23,000 square feet. Most homes would have bedrooms on the first floor, and some homes would be one floor only. Homes would tend to be narrower and deeper. There would also be a clubhouse.
Most likely it would be a PRC (planned retirement community). There are 60 acres. The PRC zone allows 8 units per acre. But realistically, you could only get about 4 detached homes per acre. So the plan is for 8 X 60 = 480 units. About 200 would be homes on 50 acres, and 280 units in the three big buildings on 10 acres. They may also keep one of the smaller buildings as a rental office. "Neighborhood Recreation Area" would be opened to everyone. Facilities and ball fields would be open to everyone.
Of course, the 160-odd acres of parks are another matter. These developers are not offering to build the park, but their assumption is that money provided for the land would be used by MNCPPC to build parks. They developed (AA) the community called Russet at MD-198 and BW Pkwy. That community has 12 miles of trails, and this development would have trails.
Lally: Met with Al Cornish. He was neutral. Hendershot sees this as a legacy piece and might be a champion if there is a commonality of interest.
Question on archeology requirements. Of course, not building for years. Site has environmental issues, needing to be resolved.
Cut-through traffic issue. They are very open to not having an outlet onto Glenn Dale Rd near Old Pond Road (or onto Old Pond). Their residents would not want cut through traffic either. There might have to be an access point for emergency vehicles, of course, but that is a different story. (Titus pointed out that a paved bike trail might also be sufficient for emergency vehicles.)
Lally: Park and Planning is tired of being seen as the obstacle for further progress. The main point is that they need our support.
They have an email from Lincoln.
Artie Harris. Have not been in the buildings for a long time.
Adler: Doing condos and villas near MD-193/US-50.
Disconnect: Do the two developments really need to be separate from eachother. The apartments will be 62 and up, homes at first 55. Universal design features. People might go over.
Adler. Suggest contact Hendershot to make this happen.
Harris: Has a management company that does myriad development activities. They are all about building quality projects, and teaming with St. Paul. They have not talked about how much money it will take…Will do minor feasibility assessment to get a ballpark estimate.
They build units in Bethesda around the historic theater in Bethesda. They know how to do adaptive reuse.
Mechanism by which we make sure that the entire project happens, rather than—for example—the 200 homes get build and the historic buildings never get renovated. Historical preservation tax credits will be part of the financing for rehabilitation, and home construction would not start. Once that happens, it would be very difficult to fail to complete the rehabilitation because the penalty would be greater than simply the loss of the credits.