Planning Staff Recommends Disapproval of Cafritz Preliminary Plan

Staff for the Prince George's County Planning Board are advising members not to approve the current preliminary plan of subdivision for the Cafritz project, arguing that the proposal fails to meet several conditions required for passage.

The Prince George's County District Council authorized the rezoning of the Cafritz property from residential use (R-55) to mixed use (MUTC) in June, allowing for development of the 37-acre parcel of land to begin.

Thursday's Planning Board hearing, where the Cafritz team will seek the green light for its preliminary plan of subdivision (PPS), marks the next major hurdle for Calvert Tract, LLC in developing the property.

But in a report dated Jan. 10, planning staff recommended "disapproval" of the Cafritz team's PPS on the grounds that the applicants:

• Have not submitted documentation that proves the plan meets the woodland conservation threshold set in Condition 10(b).
• Have not submitted documentation demonstrating a commitment to establishing a private vehicle shuttle per Condition 18.
• Have not submitted documentation pertaining to participation in a circulator bus program per Condition 19.
• Have not submitted documentation of a funding mechanism for construction of the CSX crossing per in Condition 25(b) or cost estimates for the CSX crossing per Condition 25(d). 

"Without the required documentation to fulfill the conditions of Zoning Ordinance
 No. 11-2012, staff is compelled to recommend disapproval of this Preliminary Plan of Subdivision," the report reads.

Planning staff also recommended:

• Moving a planned hiker/biker trail so that it aligns with the entire historic trolley trail, as opposed to making a detour and reconnecting with trail as proposed in the PPS.
• Moving the proposed roundabout east, so the trail will only intersect with Van Buren Street once, with the aim of increasing pedestrian safety.
• Moving a row of townhouses so they will be outside of the CSX noise corridor.

The Riverdale Park Town Council has expressed disagreement with the realignment of the hiker/biker trail and the roundabout.

Members also raised concerns with the lack of a funding mechanism for the CSX crossing and will discuss their stance on the PPS at a special legislative session on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

For more information, view the planning board staff report here.