Business & Tech

County's Planning Staff Recommends Approval of Cafritz Preliminary Plan

The preliminary plan goes before the Prince George's County Planning Board on Thursday.

Prince George's County has moved once step closer to possibly getting its first Whole Foods last week when—in a report dated May 9—the Prince George's County planning staff recommended approval with conditions of the preliminary plan of the Cafritz property.

The approval comes after a recent agreement between UMD and Calvert Tract LLC, in which the University of Maryland granted developers right-of-way to build a CSX bridge, now referred to as the J-crossing, across its property.

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In January, the planning board staff recommended disapproval of the Cafritz property preliminary plan after developers failed to meet several conditions. Among those was the condition requiring them to secure right-of-way to build across the CSX tracks.

Developers experienced a further setback when they were unable to reach a right-of-way agreement for the crossing with the American Center for Physics.

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However, developers reached an agreement with UMD early last week and released drawings of the proposed J-crossing.

Riverdale Park's town council voted on Saturday during a special legislative session to send a letter to the planning board approving the most recent preliminary plan, with conditions. The council was satisfied that the agreement brought Calvert Tract, LLC into compliance with the CSX crossing condition.

Among those conditions, Mayor Vernon Archer could testify that the developers have made sufficient progress negotiating with UMD about where the J crossing would land, addressing residents' concerns about quality of life and traffic impacts.

The proposed “T” intersection at Layfette and Rivertech Court is concerning to some residents, according to Councilman Alan Thompson (Ward 2). Thompson said that people, who had previously supported the development have become lukewarm at the prospect of the intersection as planned, and he was hoping that an alternative plan could be put into place.

Not everyone is convinced that the letter from UMD brings developers into compliance with the CSX crossing condition.

University Park Councilwoman Arlene Christiansen (Ward 3) told Patch on Saturday that she was not convinced the letter from UMD came from the appropriate university official. Christiansen also said the University Park Town Council will likely vote to disapprove the Cafritz property preliminary plan during a special session on Monday.

But if you can’t get enough Cafritz, there are two upcoming Cafritz meetings this week. University Park is meeting in special session at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the University Park Elementary School library, the College Park City Council is expected to vote on its position on the preliminary plan during its 7:30 p.m. Tuesday meeting at City Hall, and Riverdale Park is holding a public meeting specifically on the J-crossing at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the Town Hall.

The planning board will vote on the Cafritz property preliminary plan during its May 16 meeting. The meeting will be live-streamed on Riverdale Park-University Park Patch. 

See also: 

  • UMD Agrees to Cafritz CSX Crossing
  • CSX Bridge Continues to Elude Cafritz Developers
  • Cafritz Back Before the Planning Board in May
  • Funding the Cafritz Bridge: TIFs and Taxing Districts
  • ACP Rejects Cafritz CSX Bridge Proposal
  • Cafritz Developers Announce Intent to Refile
  • University Park Mayor Wants Cafritz Apology
  • Cafritz Team Withdraws Preliminary Plan
  • Planning Staff Recommends Disapproval of Cafritz Preliminary Plan


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