County Planning Board Approves Cafritz Preliminary Plan, 4-0

Welcome to the live blog of the Prince George's County Planning Board hearing on the preliminary plans of the Cafritz property. 

10:49: p.m.: The preliminary plan for the Cafritz property passes the planning board unanimously, 4-0.

10:44 p.m.: Hewlett say she thinks the historic preservation review requirement has been met, as ERCO is intended to be torn town and the J-crossing of the bridge will have even less of an effect on the historic ice house than the previous version of the bridge. She has asked these to be entered into the record as findings. 

10:24 p.m.: Hewlett calls for a motion. Council Memeber Manuel Geraldo calls for a motion to approve the Cafritz preliminary plan. Motion is seconded. The planning board will now review conditions. 

10:20 p.m.: Things are wrapping up.

“I think every effort was made to address the concerns of municipalities," Hewlett said in reference to the developers. 

10:04 p.m.: Taub and the planning board are now addressing the letter submitted by College Park. 

10:00 p.m.: Hewlett has said that it's time for everyone to "step a little more lively." 

9:37 p.m.: Taub says developers feel they have addressed all of the issues raised by by University Park, and that the conditions were also addressed in the staff report. The conditions from the University Park letter are being adressed one by one by the planning board. 

9:33 p.m.: According to associate general council for the planning board, the town of Riverdale Park is free to accept or not accept right-of-way on any road dedicated by developers. However, this acceptance will not require to maintain the road. The town can establish conditions that the county or the developer would maintain the road. 

8:40 p.m.: A Cafritz representative gets on the stand to discuss condition 25b and 25c in detail. They feel that between multiple letters and emails from UMD and CSX, they have met all the conditions related to the crossing. 

8:33 p.m.: University Park Councilman James Gekas (Ward 2) argues that condition 25c, securing right-of-way for the CSX crossing, has not been met and that further approvals are required from UMD.

“If there’s trouble on the east side of the bridge, with acquisition costs, this whole thing is going to go down like Humpty Dumpty,” Gekas said.

8:25 p.m.: And we're back! Riverdale Park resident Joe Kelly testifies that the whole Cafritz project submittable process has been flawed, and deadlines have been missed repeatedly. 

He urged the planning board to disapprove the Cafritz preliminary plan because they have not followed established protocol. 

"I’ve heard many people say this is a done deal. That doesn’t mean is shouldn’t be done correctly," Kelly said. "They shouldn’t expect it and you shouldn’t accept it."

7:46 p.m.: Following Christiansen's testimony, Hewlett calls a recess until 8:15 p.m.

7:40 p.m.: University Park Council Member Arlene Christiansen (Ward 3) takes the stand and begins by noting that the updates to the project have been coming late and that has made it difficult for residents and municipalities to properly review documents. Christiansen said she is “deeply concerned” about the number of cars that will be on the road, especially on Saturday, and the lack of public transportation options. 

7:30 p.m.: "The LOI from University of Maryland is not a done deal," Adele Ellis, College Park resident said. She also referenced a brouhaha earlier this year when a letter was submitted by the developers from the American Center for Physics. The letter indicated support for the CSX crossing on it's property. The letter was later found to have been drafted by the developer without the knowledge of ACP. For this reason, Ellis said, developers do not deserve the benefit of the doubt on the likelyhood of the current crossing. 

7:20 p.m.: Riverdale Park resident Kate Kelly argues the impact of the proposed development on schools has been understated, as both Riverdale Park Elementary and University Park Elementary are both already over capacity. She also noted that pursuant to a letter she received from UMD on May 10, there is no current appraisal of the property proposed for the CSX crossing. Kelly urges disapproval of the preliminary plan on these grounds. 

7:15 p.m.: Riverdale Park resident Lou King adds his voice to those in opposition to the proposed widening of of Route 1 in front of the Cafritz property. 

"All though this plan we talk about the preservation of trees," King said. Widening Route 1 would take away ten to 15 feet of treeline, said King, according to SHA's current plan.

“I find that contradictory to what has been discussed at length up until this point in this process."

6:19 p.m.: Following testimony from Riverdale Park Town Administrator Sara Imhulse on the conditions recommended by her town council, the planning board takes a short recess.

5:28 p.m.: "It is the opinion of Riverdale Park that all conditions necessary to move forward with the bridge have been met," Riverdale Park Mayor Vernon Archer tells the board.

After briefly reviewing his council's conditional approval of the preliminary plan, Archer emphasizes that Riverdale Park opposes the Maryland State Highway Administration proposal to widen U.S. Route 1 around the development.

"Please don't give us an interstate in our front yard," Archer says.

4:54 p.m.: University Park Mayor John Tabori tells the board that the preliminary plan process has been "plagued by late filings and last-minute changes" and that his town has experienced "extensive problems in processing the information as a result." He relays the town council's unanimous disapproval of the preliminary plan.

He's now laying out the town's specific objections, many of which are described here.

4:25 p.m.: Developers disagree with planning staff on location of bike lanes. Larry Taub, attorney for the developers, presents an augment for shifting the lanes, but planning staff does not concur.

3:25 p.m.: Amster asks staff if developer is in “substantial conformance” with conditions, what is missing?  Hewlett says “substantial” does not mean something is missing. Staff clarifies that "substantial conformance" is as far as the developer can go. 

3:20 p.m.: Planning Board Chair Betty Hewlett tells Amster he is misinterpreting staff answers to his questions. 

3:18 p.m.: Staff agrees with Amster that the UMD letter is a conditional recommendation. Staff says the conditions UMD places on the developer are not subject planning board approval. Staff confirms that they have accepted the letter as satisfying condition 25c, recommending the bridge and right-of-way. 

3:05 p.m.: University Park resident Jayson Amster questions if the funding mechanism has been established to pay for the CSX crossing. Staff clarifies that they are not approving the funding mechanism established to pay for the bridge, and that approval is not necessary at this point in the process. According to staff, all the developer had to show at this point was that they had taken steps to set up a funding mechanism. 

2:06 p.m.: Planning board is back in session.

1:57 p.m.: The board briefly recesses to get copies of the revised planning board staff report for the board and for the public. 

1:30 p.m.: Planning board staff has said they think the recently submitted J-crossing provides for better circulation through the development and a better connection to Route 1 and Maryland Ave from the south.