Politics & Government
Meeting Roundup: University Park's Council Talks Whole Foods, Town Street Repairs and Bank Accounts
Briefs from University Park's July 11 mayor and council meeting.
- A resident from the 4000 block of Tennyson Road asked council to consider removing or trimming a Bradford Pear Tree from her front yard. She said the tree, which has dead branches, often drops branches onto her driveway and she fears for the safety of her family, neighbors and her cars. Mayor John Tabori said the town is looking into trimming all the trees, but will have to wait until fall when the leaves fall and the sap dries.
- Another resident, Roberta Kisker, ask the town to reconsider its rental fee schedule for families that are renting their homes for a period of six months or less. The fee was increased to $400 this year and Kisker, whose family is headed out of the country while her husband is on sabbatical, will be renting her home to another couple for a period while they are away. She said a fee of $250 for homes only renting for a part of the year is reasonable. Council later voted in favor of this fee amendment.
- Councilman Len Carey said the town in March. Because of the water's bright green hue, the leak seemed dangerous to residents and onlookers, although the county's HazMaT said it wasn't hazardous. Tabori said he'd ask for the information in writing.
- Council approved a permit for a screened porch in the rear of the Cook residence at 6407 Queens Chapel Road.
- The also approved a 4-foot fence at the Mosser residence at 6306 Queens Chapel Road.
- Chuck Wilson, of STEP-UP, gave a brief update to council about the committee's progress with the town's energy efficiency program. They are working with SunTrust bank to find ways to help homeowners get low-interest rate loans for improvements to their homes. He introduced the interns — , and — to council and they explained their various tasks this summer. This week last year, the town learned it received the $1.4 million DOE grant. Check out for weekly updates.
- The town is thinking about transferring its accounts to from . Council tabled the discussion until its July 18 meeting.
- The 's developers will present their proposal for the Whole Foods on July 18 at the council's meeting. The council's biggest concern is the traffic on Route 1 and the additional cars this development would bring.
- Tabori asked that a special newsletter be issued at the beginning of August with a recap of this presentation and explanation of the proposal.
- Tabori said the town's street repair and maintenance contract was signed but hasn't been picked up yet by the contractors. When they pick it up, they'll have five days to put together a schedule for construction which will then be forwarded to residents. He said the construction won't begin until Aug. 1 and would last about three weeks in each ward.
- The town's e-mail and phone systems were down over the Fourth of July weekend and are still recovering. Tabori apologized if residents have gotten slow responses.
- Prince George's County Council is proposing Tuesday to put in speed cameras all over the county. One area that would receive cameras is Adelphi Road in front of . If they install the cameras, residents could get tickets for speeding, but the town wouldn't make a profit - the county would. Councilman Michael Cron proposed that the town look into installing cameras at that location and Route 1 themselves, so if any revenue is made off the cameras, it comes back to town.
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