Comments are by Councilmembers Llatetra Brown Esters and Susan Whitney and are not approved or sanctioned by the City of College Park

Haga clic aquí para leer esta publicacion en español.

ANNOUNCEMENTS/COMMENTS – MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON

Councilmember Esters acknowledged the departure of many students and encouraged residents to give of their time, efforts, and contributions (if possible) to the various charitable organizations within the city, including the College Park Food Bank.   

Councilmember Whitney congratulated the graduates of 2023, including SGA Liaison Andriessens.

Councilmember Mackie thanked the volunteers and the police for their help during University of Maryland’s (UMD) graduation. 

Councilmember Adams congratulated the UMD Baseball team for winning the Big Ten championship.  

Councilmember Kabir informed residents about the upcoming Memorial Day event on Monday, May 29 at 11am. This event marks the 30^th anniversary of the City’s memorial dedication. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Former Councilmembers Catlin and Dennis attended.  

PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS: 

Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week

Military Recognition Month

Farewell to Student Liaison Valerie Graham and Deputy Student Liaison Adrian Andriessens.

Mayor Kabir thanked the student liaisons for building a bridge between the university and the city. He acknowledged Ms. Graham for her work on the redistricting committee and presented gifts to both students.  

SGA Liaison Graham thanked everyone for the year, which she described as interesting.  She said she was awed by Mayor and Council’s passion and dedication to the city.  Mr. Andriessens will be leaving the country for the next 9 months, while Ms. Graham will still be around.  

AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Motion to approve the agenda made by Councilmember Rigg, seconded by Councilmember Whitney 

CONSENT AGENDA 

23‐R‐09 Resolution authorizing operation of a speed monitoring system on Rhode Island Avenue between Greenbelt Road and Paducah Road, a residential highway with a speed limit of 35 mph or less, to the full extent of the hours allowed by state law.

23‐G‐84 Approval of submission of the College Park Livable Community Action Plan to AARP – Kiaisha Barber, Director, Youth, Family and Senior Services

23‐G‐85 Approve the installation of two commemorative benches in the College Park Woods neighborhood (exact location to be determined) in honor of former Mayors Alvin Kushner and Anna Owens in an amount not to exceed $6,500.

23‐G‐86 Approval of minutes of April 25, 2023, May 9, 2023, and May 16, 2023.

Motion to approve the consent agenda made by Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell, seconded by Councilmember  Esters, the motion passed unanimously.  

ACTION ITEMS

23-O-03 Adoption of Ordinance 23-O-03, FY ’24 Budget Ordinance – Gary Fields, Director of Finance

Mr. Fields said the Mayor and Council completed the five-month-long budgetary process. The budget ordinance indicates the budget was amended, but it was not amended; the inclusion of that language was an error and will be changed accordingly.  

Mr. Fields included key highlights about the FY’24 budget. He said the budget was built on a real property tax rate of 30.18 cents, which is the same as last year, and for the first time in the City’s history, a commercial tax rate of 3 cents more. He referenced a document outlining property tax rates over the past five years. Since 2019, the residential personal property tax rate has decreased by 9.91%. Over that time, surrounding municipalities have maintained a flat rate rather than going with the Constant Yield Tax Rate [CYTR] as College Park did. In order to provide services and accomplish our strategic plan, staff has recommended the City not maintain the CYTR for FY’ 24.  

Mr. Young thanked the Council for sticking through the budget process, saying it is one of the most important things we do as a body and that staff take it very seriously. The public hearing was already held. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked Mr. Fields what would happen if we just went with the 30.18 tax rate without the 3-cent increase for the commercial rate. Mr. Fields said there would be an approximate $515,000 deficit in the budget, this includes the grants proposed for students housing. 

Mayor Pro Tem asked if the money could be used for something else should the grants for student housing not be approved. Mr. Fields said it could be used for something else but would require a budget amendment.  

Mr. Young said we do not yet have an established student housing grant program. It will be in a future work session about the utilization of those funds.  When asked if the budget required a super majority or a majority vote.  City Attorney Ferguson said only a simple majority is required.  

Councilmember Rigg said we have discussed the budget extensively. He referenced the chart provided by Mr. Fields as illustrative of our work. He said we made a tweak in order to create two programs, a still-to-be-developed student housing subsidy and money to help the city’s small businesses.

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell expressed appreciation for Councilmember Rigg’s comments and appreciates the council for working together. She said she will be looking for a future agenda item sooner rather than later to discuss the proposed subsidy for students and economic development.  

Mayor Kabir agreed and said he understood it may already be on a future agenda item.  

7-0 – passed unanimously.  

23-O-06 Introduction of an Ordinance to increase the salary for the Mayor to $15,000 per year, to increase the salary for a Councilmember to $10,000 per year, and to establish a separate level of pay for the Mayor Pro Tem at $12,500 per year. Salary increases will be effective after the next General Election. The Public Hearing will be on June 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers.

Ms.Way-Pezzutti said there was a work session held on May 16 to discuss Mayor and Council compensation and that increases were approved based upon comparisons to compensation in other municipalities. She said the Mayor and Council would like to increase stipend amounts, and staff would like to introduce a new payment schedule. 

Councilmember Esters asked about the reason for the payment schedule change for Mayor and Council.  Ms. Way-Pezzutti said the change is based upon when the new council is elected. They are paid in advance. Mr. Young said it also make sense logistically to pay the Mayor and Council on the same schedule as City employees. Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell made the motion to approve, seconded by Councilmember Whitney. 

PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSESSION DISCUSSIONS 

A. Presentation from Len Lucchi and Stephanie Anderson on the 2023 legislative session

Mr. Gardiner introduced Mr. Lucchi and Stephanie Anderson and briefly referenced their work during the recent State legislative session.  

Mr. Lucchi said the 443rd legislative session was a different due to turnover in leadership and the return to an in-person session. Governor Moore was sworn in on day 8, had to present his budget on day 10, and then identify his cabinet.    

The new administration was actively engaged in the legislative process. Moore’s Cabinet was directly involved in the creation of bills, which differed from his predecessor. Committee chairs are all appointees of the new presiding officers and represent new and younger leadership.  

Mr. Lucchi said they started the session with the understanding that there would be a healthy budget surplus. However, the estimated cost of the Maryland Blueprint for Education increased by half a billion dollars, while projected revenues went down by half a billion, creating a $1 billion shortfall. 

He pointed out that the Chair of the Budget and Appropriations and the Vice Chair of Senate Appropriations Committee are both College Park residents and that there will be $1.5 billion in the FY’24 budget and the following fiscal year for the North College Park Community Center. 

Route 1 improvements are not directly in the budget. There is a new Transportation Secretary who can hopefully ensure it gets on the County’s list of priorities.  

He highlighted the legalization of recreational adult cannabis use starting July 1 with a 9% sales tax.  The initial bill had no tax revenue going to municipalities. The next version limited revenue-sharing in a way that would cut out smaller municipalities. the Maryland Municipal League fought to get 5% of the 9% tax to be shared between municipalities and their counties, but he said it won’t garner much revenue for the city.

As for legislation governing vehicular noise and speeding, two bills were introduced; they both passed one chamber, but not the other. Part of the issue is that the House has particular rules about county legislation. He said if we want this legislation to move forward, Montgomery County and Prince George’s need to work together for bi-county legislation to make it stronger.   

Stephanie Anderson focused her part of the presentation on policy priorities.  

She said SB382 will establish an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Taskforce to establish policy and recommendations. 

HB182/SB335 got rid of unlawful declaration of covenants, allowing offensive language to be removed.

HB150 created loan programs for development of affordable and multi-family housing.  

HB70, the Safe Access For All (SAFE) Roads Act of 2023 requiring the Department of Transportation to implement all possible incremental near-term safety improvements as soon as practicable if a new approved pedestrian or bicycle safety construction or improvement project is projected to take more than 12 months to complete. 

She also mentioned state disaster and recovery funds and HB289 which established Maryland Forestry Education funds. Paid family medical leave was another big bill that passed this year.  Advocates were concerned about local governments, and they wanted more time for municipalities to understand the impact of this law.  They successfully pushed the start date back from October 24, 2023 to January 1, 2024.

College Park submitted over 40 letters of support, and over half of the bills supported by the City were approved.

Councilmember Esters asked about the need to create a pilot for noise and speeding cars since we know it is an issue throughout the region. 

Councilmember Whitney asked if timing was the only hurdle in getting HB208 passed. They said that was the only issue they could discern. Mr. Lucchi said the City needs to be more strategic and make a lot more noise about the urgency of the program. Councilmember Whitney asked whether HB150 and SB156 would provide loans to redevelop existing affordable housing or only new development.  Ms. Anderson did not have an answer but will follow up.  Finally, she asked how sustainable communities are defined by HB706 Sustainable Communities/Business Façade bill.  Mr. Young said we are considered a sustainable community and Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said College Park has had the distinction since 2011.  

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked about the status of the Police Accountability Board and if we will see it moving forward. 

Councilmember Rigg mentioned cannabis legislation. and asked if any regulation required the State to use the funds they receive from the sale of cannabis to provide mitigation funds or addiction support? Ms. Anderson said she was aware of support for small, minority-owned businesses to enter the industry and to address unequal enforcement of the law but is unaware of other strictures. Councilmember Rigg said he is from Colorado and believes many residents will see them as a nuisance businesses, saying that municipalities will have a lot of the issues to address.  

Councilmembers Esters asked about legislation related to modified mufflers, specifically to regulate auto shops modifying the mufflers.  

Mayor Kabir asked what happened to HB1333, which increases the fines for modified mufflers. Ms. Anderson said it never made it out of committee.

Councilmember Whitney asked if  there has ever been any talk of having modified mufflers checked during emission tests. 

Ms. Anderson said we need to find out what is happening in other jurisdictions to get legislations passed. 

Councilmember Rigg asked about state law to cap the amount that municipalities can impose for civil citation to $1000.  How can we start to have the conversation about raising this cap?.  

REQUESTS FOR / STATUS OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked if two items on the future agenda items needed to be kept on the list, the format of council meeting and discussion on AirBNBs. Ms. Miller said the only changes that are being made are the format of the hybrid meetings. At the time, we said we would revisit in 6 months.  She said the work session on short-term rentals will be on July 6.

Councilmember Adams would like to add a  Commemorative Bench for Richard Wagner.

Councilmember Rigg would like to add a discussion to reconfigure the position of Mayor Pro Tem.

Mayor Kabir would like to add the seating arrangement of the Council to the discussion of the Mayor Pro Tem position.   

COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON OR CITY MANAGER

Councilmember Mackie mentioned a recent Council of Government (COG) meeting for the Chesapeake Bay Policy Committee, saying College Park’s stormwater drain paintings were shared.  She added there was a new one in District 4. She added that Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week is approaching and that Prince George’s County Public Schools has implemented an environmental awareness curriculum.  She encouraged residents to enjoy the Chesapeake Bay and said one way to protect it is not to litter.  

Councilmember Kennedy pointed out that Ms. Mackie chairs the Chesapeake Bay Policy Committee.

Councilmember Adams said May is Building Safety Month and thanked fire department, code enforcement and those working in building safety for their work.  

Mayor Kabir said he attended two civic association events (Berwyn and Calvert Hills),the recent Arbor day event, and two bike events, including Bike with a Cop.  

SGA Liaison Valerie Graham thanked the Mayor and Council for the wonderful opportunity over the past year. 

SGA Liaison Adrian Andriessens thanked Mayor and Council for the experience.

Mr. Young thanked the SGA Liaisons for all they brought forward and wished them well.  He said the City is having an issue with people taking the food scrap buckets because they think they are being abandoned. He asked the Mayor and Council to help to promote the program.  

MEETING ADJOURN

Click here for the May 23rd meeting agenda. Click here to watch the video of the May 23, 2023, meeting (when it is available). 

Click here to see the agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on June 6, 2023 (When it is available). Tune in, show up or share your thoughts/concerns about the following anticipated Presentations and Workshop discussions:

Discussion of lowering the speed limit (currently 35 mph) on Rhode Island Ave

Approval of Cooperation Agreement Regarding CDBG funding

Consideration of letter to M-NCPPC Parks and Recreation copying the County Council regarding the mandatory dedication of parklandDiscussion of closing the alley between 49^th Ave. and Blackfoot Road to drive through vehicles

On Tuesday, May 16, Fazlul Kabir was sworn in as Mayor of College Park, leaving a vacancy on the City Council from District 1. In accordance with the City Charter, the vacancy may be filled by appointment within 30 days (by June 15) by majority vote of the Council. The appointed term will end in December when the next Mayor and Council are sworn in. Residents who are interested in applying to fill the Council vacancy must be 18 years old as of June 13, be a citizen of the United States, be a current registered voter in the City, and must have lived in the City for at least one year. The applicant does not need to be a resident of District 1 to be considered, but if appointed, will represent District 1 on the City Council. District 1 is shown in blue on the map below, and includes the neighborhoods of Sunnyside, Hollywood, Cherry Hill, Daniels Park and Autoville. Information about the responsibility of the City Council is located in Article III of the City Charter: https://ecode360.com/12119206 and Chapter 62, Section 4, of the City Code: https://ecode360.com/9897014. The City Council meets on Tuesday evenings in the Council Chambers of City Hall. Councilmembers are expected to attend meetings in person except under certain circumstances. Councilmembers are paid $7,000 per year. If you are interested in being considered to fill the vacant Council seat, please submit a letter of interest with the following information:1. Your name, address, and contact information, and a statement asserting that you meet the qualifications described above.2. Information about yourself. This could include your occupation, education, professional background, and community involvement. You may attach a resume.3. A brief statement of why you should be considered to fill the vacancy. Letters should be submitted by June 1 at 12:00 noon in one of the following ways:By email to cityclerkoffice@collegeparkmd.gov with the subject line “Council Vacancy Application.” By mail or hand delivery to Janeen S. Miller, City Clerk, City of College Park, 7401 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 201, College Park Maryland, 20740. For more information please call Ms. Miller at 240-487-3501.

Comments are by Councilmembers Llatetra Brown Esters and Susan Whitney and are not approved or sanctioned by the City of College Park.

Haga clic aquí para leer esta publicacion en español.

CERTIFICATION OF RESULTS OF SPECIAL ELECTION – BOES Chief John Payne 

• 14,263 registered voters
• 1,850 votes cast
• Final vote count
  • Brian Haddad – 19
  • Denise Mitchell – 354
  • Catherine “Kate” Kennedy – 469
  • Fazlul Kabir – 1,008

CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT – Swearing-in of Mayor Fazlul Kabir

• Ethan Sweep from Congressman Glenn Ivey’s office presented Mayor Fazlul with a certificate of congratulations and Recognition of his contributions to the community. He said to reach out to his Congressman Ivey’s office for help with anything. 

COMMENTS FROM MAYOR KABIR

ANNOUNCEMENTS/COMMENTS – MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON

• Councilmember Kabir – Looking for Celebrating College Park Parade participants & volunteers
• Councilmember Esters – BDCA meeting this Thursday, May 18^th at Tacos a la Madre.
• Councilmember Whitney – PGPD District I Steering Wheel Lock Giveaway at The Mall at Prince George’s Thursday, May 18^th at 11 am. Must prove county residency & that you own a Hyundai or a Kia. 
• Councilmember Adams
  • Bike to Work Day with City Hall Pit Stop on May 19^th
  • Calvert Hills Civic Association Meeting on May 17^th
  • UMD student Samuel Isaac Castañeda passed away late Monday last week. Adams said Castañeda had been working on a project late and had an accident while driving home. 
• Councilmember Rigg congratulated Mayor Kabir.
• Councilmember Mackie
  • Porch concert on Gettysburg Lane in College Park Woods on Sunday, May 21 at 4 pm.
  • Recognized College Park students who won STEM awards in state educational competitions.
• Mayor Kabir
  • Thanked staff and everyone who came out for the first Friday Night Live (FNL) concert of the season. 
  • He said he would be at City Hall Plaza for Bike to Work Day and provided details for the event.
  • Arbor day event rescheduled for Thursday May 18th at 6 pm at the corner of 52nd and Narragansett Parkway
• Student Liaison Valerie Graham
  • She introduced the next Student Liaison, Dhruvak Mironi, and Deputy Student Liaison, Gannon Sprinkle, who will start in June. 
  • She announced the SGA election results. 
• Deput Student Liaison Adrian Andriessens congratulated Mayor Kabir. 

CITY MANAGER’S REPORT 

No announcements. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

• Former County Councilmember Dannielle Glaros
• Former City Councilmember Maxine Gross

PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS: 

• Volunteer Appreciation Month 

• Kids To Parks Day – May 20, 2023

AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA 

Councilmember Adams moved to move 23-G-74, Approval of staff’s recommendation of updated Guidelines and Allocations for Program Open Space – Erik Valentine, Community Development Planner from the Consent Agenda to the Action Agenda.

The Agenda was approved as amended. 

CONSENT AGENDA. 

23-G-75 Approval of an Aging in Place Home Repair Program Guidelines Abstain: and Operating Agreement with Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland, in substantially the form attached, subject to City Attorney review – Erik Valentine, Community Development Planner and Kiaisha Barber, Director of Youth, Family and Senior Services 

Suellen – would like to add subrecipient agreement into this item.  

23-R-07 Approval of a Resolution Of The Mayor And Council Of The City Of College Park Adopting The Recommendation Of The Advisory Planning Commission For Application Number CEO-2023-02, 4910 Hollywood Road, College Park, Maryland, Recommending Approval Of Variances From City Code §87-23.C, To Permit The Installation Of A 4.5-5 Foot-High Slatted Wooden Fence Along The Side Yard Of A Street

23-R-08 Approval of a Resolution Of The Mayor And Council Of The City Of College Park Adopting The Recommendation Of The Advisory Planning Commission Regarding Variance Application CPV-2023- 01, 7501 Wellesley Drive, College Park, Maryland Recommending Approval Of Two Variances: 13-Foot Street Side Yard Setback , And a 2-Foot Rear Yard Setback Variance From Section 27-4202(E) (2) Of The Prince George’s County Zoning Ordinance, To Convert and Widen a One-Car Carport into a Two-Car Garage (appeal period ends May 

 23-G-76 Authorization to allow free parking on summer weeknights after 5:00 p.m. and free all-day Saturday parking in the City’s downtown parking garage from May 27 to August 12, 2023 – Bob Ryan, Director of Public Services 002 

23-G-78 Approval of PTO/PTA membership incentive stipends to Tier One Schools (Hollywood Elementary, Paint Branch Elementary School, Greenbelt Middle School and Parkdale High School) and Tier Two Schools (Berwyn Heights Elementary, University Park Elementary, Cherokee Lane Elementary, Buck Lodge Middle, High Point High School, College Park Academy) – Kiaisha Barber, Director of Youth, Family and Senior Services 

23-G-79 Approval of Memorandum of Agreement between The Family Therapy Training Institute of Miami and College Park Youth and Family Services for training and implementation of Brief Strategic Family Therapy, in substantially the form attached subject to City Attorney reveiw – Kiaisha Barber, Director of Youth, Family and Senior Services 

23-G-80 Approve minutes from the April 18, 2023 meeting. 

Consent agenda passes unanimously.

PUBLIC HEARINGS 

• 23-O-05 An Ordinance Of The Mayor And Council Of The City Of College Park Amending City Code Chapter 15 “Boards, Commissions And Committees”, By Deleting Article II, “College Park Recreation Board”, §§ 15-3 Through 15-18, In Its Entirety To Remove The College Park Recreation Board From The City Code And Re-establish By Resolution A City Events Advisory Board For The Purpose As Set Forth In Resolution 23-R-06.
  • City Clerk Janeen S. Miller said the item was introduced two weeks ago. The first step in making renaming the Recreation Board as the City Events Advisory Board was adopting 23-R-06. The second step is adopting this ordinance, 23-O-05, to remove the Recreation Board from City Code. 
  • Council had no questions. 
  • The public had no questions or comments.
  • Councilmember Adams moved to adopt 23-O-05. Councilmember Whitney seconded. It passed unanimously.

ACTION ITEMS 

23-G-82 Consideration of Detailed Site Plan DPS-22024 and Related Departure, Discovery Point, located at the southeast quadrant of Baltimore Avenue and Campus Drive – Miriam Bader, Director of Planning 

• College Park Director of Planning Miriam Bader introduced the item.
  • The Applicants, Terrapin Development Company (TDC) and Brandywine Realty Trust, have submitted Detailed Site Plan DSP-22024 to redevelop an existing University of Maryland parking lot located at the southeast corner of Baltimore Avenue and Campus Drive, just north of The Hotel at UMD. 
  • This Phase 1 of a multi-phased development will construct two mixed-use buildings:
    
    • Building 1 is an 8-story office with ground floor retail
    • Building 2 is a 4-story office building with ground floor retail. 
  • The Planning Board hearing is scheduled for June 8, 2023
  • The Applicant is required to provide a total cost cap of $501,954.40 in BPIS (Bicycle and Pedestrian Impact Statement) improvements to off-site pedestrian and bike facilities for of for the entire project (790 apartments and 524,000 square feet of office)
  • Since the development in being completed in phases, with separate DSPs for each phase, the Applicant is asking M-NCPPC if it may phase in the BPIS improvements, rather than providing all of them in Phase 1 of the development.
  • If M-NCPPC allows them to break the improvements into phases, Council must decide whether it agrees with that. 
  • 483 parking spaces are required by sector plan, but the Applicants want to reduce it to 333. Staff approved based on Applicant’s rationale and plans for parking garage in later phase.
  • City has seven requirements to support DSP. Please see Detailed Site Plan Recommendation at the bottom of page 121 of the meeting Agenda.
• City Attorney Suellen Ferguson
  • City has not reached an agreement on the Declaration of Covenants but hopes to be ready to bring it to Council next week.
  • City is waiting to see what M-NCPPS says about staging spending on BPIS improvements, but even if they approve it, City can request a lump sum.
• Project Attorney Larry Taub explained the ownership structure to Council
  • The property is owned by UMD. 
  • UMD intends to convey the property to TDC. 
  • TDC will continue to own the property but will ground lease it to Brandywine Realty Trust for long time
  • They have reviewed the City’s report and are in agreement with their conditions as shown.
  • Still need to negotiate the details in the Declaration of Covenants.
  • They agree with the City on its BPIS requests and will put them forward. They are seeking an amendment to the Certificate of Adequacy to do so. While that may not be  approved before certification, they will submit it before approval.
  • The developer’s position is that BPIS money should be spent based on 35 cents times the square footage being submitted for development in the DPS for each stage of the development.  
  • That said, the Developer will not leave an improvement incomplete because the prorated BPIS funds for that stage had been spent.
• Michael Vergason of Michael Vergason Landscape Architects talked about the conceptual design of the outdoor space and how it was supposed to bring the community together for community events and outdoor dining.
• UMD alumnus Michael Talbott of architecture firm Ayers Saint Gross spoke about the buildings’ architecture and how it relates to the current streetscape.
• UMD’s Ed McGinnis said this development is a big win and very exciting. He said the choice to put the project on the City’s tax rolls was made to lift the community and university together. 
• TDC President Ken Ulman said they made a conscious decision to put the development on City tax rolls. He said developing office space this large is not common nowadays, but TDC is bullish on the ability to fill the spaces, and UMD will master lease a significant amount of space. The current vision for tenants includes:
  • Recruiting private sector businesses that want to be here. 
  • Office space for UMD entrepreneurs who want to be close to their labs.
  • Capitalizing on the connectivity to the Purple Line
  • UMD’s intention is to
    • locate their visitor center on the second floor
    • locate their bookstore on the first floor 
    • locate the Office of Community Engagement in the building, as well.
• Council Questions and comments:
  • Councilmember Esters asked how they intend to connect with the community?
    • Mr. Taub: The project will have space for community meetings and non-profits, but central to all of this is the university. It will elevate the university and help bring UMD students into the private sector. He said they are not ignoring the community.
    • Mr. Ulman said they have focused on pedestrian and bike connectivity and how to connect to the Trolley Trail and Northwest Branch Trail. Currently, it’s an uninviting parking lot. They want it to be a welcoming place.
  • Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell expressed concerned that this will negatively impact the Lakeland and asked how it would be protected.
    • Mr. Ulman said the project would provide job opportunities for both residents and students and mentioned opportunity for curation of retail. He also mentioned the BPIS investments, Riverwalk and the bike path on the north side of Campus Drive.
  • Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said the City has been promised LEED gold buildings for years and never gets them.
    • The team said they think they are very close and are looking at the scoring all the time.
    • Mr. Ulman said they’re focused on being net-zero ready and that the site currently has no stormwater management. 
  • Councilmember Adams
    • said getting people to walk and bike to this development is very sustainable and said the City is trying to get people to live and work here. He suggested UMD might match the City’s New Neighbor Homeownership Grant to encourage that.
    • Confirmed that it met FAA height requirements 
    • Asked that BPIS improvements at Trolley Trail and Campus Drive be prioritized and that budget would cover them if phased in.
      • Mr. Taub said their priorities would be Campus Drive hub #1, followed by Campus Drive hub #2 and that they would complete any project they started.
      • City Attorney Ferguson said those improvements won’t necessarily be in phase one. They are still looking for clarification from parks and planning about when improvements must be made.
    • Councilmember Rigg:
      • Developers should include elements that tell the story of the mutually beneficial relationship between College Park and UMD. He wants long-term residents on campus interacting with students and vice versa.
      • He asked again about mitigation measures for underground trash debris in landfill.
        • Mr. McGinnis said they have negotiated an environmental management plan and will have environmental consultants on site.
    • Councilmember Whitney confirmed there would be an environmental consultant on-site every day during construction (Mr. McGinnis – yes) and asked if there was any precedent for splitting BPIS funding across stages.
      • Mr. Taub said they’re just starting to get information on that.
      • Ms. Ferguson said answering that question has been more complicated than they expected.
    • Councilmember Mackie asked where current parkers would go during construction
      • Mr. Taub said current parking in underutilized, and The Hotel’s garage could accommodate overflow.
    • Councilmember Mackie asked about increased traffic on Route One as a result of the development, and Mr. Taub said the traffic study found no negative impact.
    • Councilmember Rigg asked about illegal lefts from westbound Campus Drive onto Diamondback Drive, and Mr. Taub said they’d look into that.

PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSESSION DISCUSSIONS

(Note: this item moved forward in the agenda as many Senior Advisory Committee members were present to discuss it.) Discussion of AARP Livable Community Action Plan – Senior Advisory Committee and Kiaisha Barber, Director of Youth, Family and Senior Services

• Robert Thurston of the Senior Advisory Committee presented the College Park Age Friendly Action Plan to Council.
  • Started in September 2020. 
  • Timeline – 5-year cycle: They spent 2 years developing the action plan, and 3 years implementing it. They envision a continual improvement process. At end of 5 years, they will rinse and repeat. June 2026 is the date to complete this cycle and celebrate successes.
  • AARP livability has 8 domains, and College Park has chosen five:  Housing; Transportation; Communication and Information; Social Participation, and Health services & Community Support.
  • The Senior Advisory Committee looked at what was achievable in this cycle and what would be the greatest benefit to the city to select its priority actions. In addition to reviewing the priority actions, Mr. Thurston highlighted the following:
    • Encouraging more missing middle housing, not just middle/lower income, is key. He knew of at least 3 residents who were active in community but moved because they didn’t have a good choice for downsizing.
    • They recommend advocating aggressively for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and see them as alternate housing and a source of possible rental income. 
    • On the surface, College Park looks like a transportation hub, but it can be a challenge to travel within the city. Last-mile transportation needs improvement.
    • The City offers many resources, but the information is not reaching a lot of the population. Resources should be aggressively promoted through a variety of channels.
    • Council should move to change the City policy on promoting only City-sponsored events.
    • Civic associations should be encouraged to be more proactive in creating community events and promoting them across neighborhoods
    • City should highlight emergency preparedness and help train community on how best to support themselves and their neighbors if disaster strikes.
    • Community gardens would enhance nutritional status of residents and provide opportunities for socializing. 
    • The SAC believes it is critical that a staff position, either temporary or permanent, be created for a coordinator to track progress.
    • The City’s livability index has increased from 50 to 55 since the initiative began.
  • Council comments and questions:
    • Mayor Kabir – How does the rating of 55 compare with neighboring towns? (Mr. Thurston – SAC didn’t study that.) 
    • Councilmember Kennedy Kate
      • Community Preservation Trust (CPT) plans to eventually expand into allowing people living in their homes to get funding for aging-in-place improvements in exchange for entering into CPT.
      • Interested in missing middle housing and what we could do policy-wise to incentivize senior living.
      • What would Council role be in improving communication? Supporting staff position?
      • Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell
        • Proposed ADU legislation is coming up in County Council. Would like council to hear presentation on that. 
        • Part of Emergency Management Plan should be an MOU with hotels and churches and figuring out how to get seniors out first. 
        • Would like to talk about partnering with Uber to help with transportation needs
      • Councilmember Whitney
        • Having a UMD Shuttle sign-up table at future community events would be an easy way to promote it. 
        • Love the community garden idea. It would benefit both children and seniors. 
        • The public fitness space should not be considered only on City property but also on M-NCPPC property.
        • Sidewalks have also been requested by families with young children or who are expecting. 
        • Enthusiastic about promoting civic association events across neighborhood. When neighbors know each other, they care more about each other and will make the city better for all.
      • Councilmember Rigg
        • Be cautious about ADUs because they could lead to additional quality of life issues. 
        • Love missing middle idea. 
        • Interested in multigenerational housing that would be culturally appropriate for all generations. 
        • A lot of communities in the city lack sidewalks. Does SAC want us to lean in on that? University Park had major push for sidewalks even if not every house on a street wanted it (Mr. Thurston – Overall goal is to improve transportation, and walkability is a big part of that.) 
      • Councilmember Adams
        • Not worried about ADUs affecting quality of life. We just need to make sure the limitation of no more than 5 unrelated residents for the property includes the ADU.
        • Enthusiastic about matching program. We could connect with the UMD off-campus housing site.
      • Councilmember Mackie asked if SAC has considered providing contractor recommendations for seniors. Trusted individuals. (Mr. Thurston – Neighbors Helping Neighbors has considered that but would like guidance from the City Attorney.)
      • Councilmember Esters – What is the goal rating to get to in order to feel like work that you’ve done has been achieved? (Mr. Thurston – They haven’t talked as a group, but he’d aim for 65.)
  • Next steps, Ms. Barber:
    • Council needs to vote on whether or not to approve to action plan for submission to AARP. It may appear on a Consent Agenda.
    • After that, it would be up to Ms. Barber and staff to bring various initiatives back to council as appropriate. 
    • Anticipate these goals to be integrated into strategic plan OKRs and the related reports. 

ACTION ITEMS

23-G-74 Approval of staff’s recommendation of updated Guidelines and Allocations for Program Open Space – Erik Valentine, Community Development Planner

• Mr. Valentine provided an overview of Program Open Space and the changes proposed by the county.  The program is to shift from a focus on acquisition to development. The proposed changes would move from municipalities receiving an annual allotment for Program Open Space to municipalities requesting the use of funds for acquisition from the pool of funds when they are ready to utilize funds.  
• Questions & Comments from Council:
• Councilmember Adams: Is the new grouping of funding for both acquisition and development? (Mr. Valentine said the City would still have allocated funds for development. The pooled resources would only be for acquisition. City currently has just over $1 million for acquisition.)
• Councilmembers Adams – How much development funds do we have? (Mr. Valentine said the City has about $346k for development for FY24. 
• Councilmember Mitchell
  • said it sounds like we’ll be competing with other municipalities for this money, which could easily go to south county.

Councilmember Esters asked if municipalities were asked for their input before the proposed        changes were made. Mr. Young said municipalities were not asked for input.  

Councilmember Mitchell:

• Suggested all 27 municipalities should send a letter in opposition to making this change without consulting with them, saying the county will continue to take such actions if there’s no pushback. She suggested working through PGCMA and Four Cities.

• Councilmember Adams believes the fact that M-NCPPC funds are being used to buy a site for the North College Park Community Center could put us at the back of the line for a while. 
• Councilmember Adams moved only to approve the allocation of Program Open Space funds proposed by staff.

23-G-72 Approval of the Mayor Pro Tem Motion By: To: 2 nd: Yes: No: Abstain: 003 

• Mayor Kabir nominated Councilmember Mitchell to be Mayor Pro Tem. 
• Councilmember Whitney moved to approve the nomination, which was seconded by Councilmember Esters. 
• The nomination was unanimously approved.

PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSESSION DISCUSSIONS (Continued)

Discussion of Mayor and Council compensation – Teresa Way-Pezzuti, Director of Human Resources 

• Ms. Way-Pezzuti – City is recommending that changes be made to Mayor and Council compensation. Many municipalities have resident committees that review compensation and make recommendations. Staff recommends having the city attorney draft a resolution for an increase of at least $3,000 for both Mayor and Council and to create a review committee every two years to review compensation. 
• Councilmember Kennedy said we should consider budgeting for executive coaching for councilmembers and mayors if they want it, saying many take the role to improve professionally. 
• Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked if there was time to create a compensation committee now that could implement changes prior to the next Council being seated in December, then again in two years.
• Ms. Miller said the timeline would be very tight.
• Councilmember Adams said just because we’re sitting here today doesn’t mean we’ll be here in December. He suggested an additional tier of compensation for Mayor Pro Tem and elevating the position of Mayor Pro Tem to step into role. He also suggesting a comparable 40% increase for Mayor and an amount in the middle (about $12,000) for Mayor Pro Tem.
• Councilmember Rigg expressed reluctance to take it to committee, saying it’s hard to get committee volunteers and we already have decent data. He said some will comment when we give ourselves a raise no matter what we do. 
• Councilmember Esters said we should give community members a voice in the process. 
• Councilmember Whitney suggested no committee for the increase going into effect in December 2023 but appointing a committee going forward. 
• Councilmember Mackie thinks residents will want input. 
• Ms. Miller pointed out this would be an ordinance, and Ms. Ferguson said we would need to adopt it and make it official.
• Councilmember Adams recommended $10,000 for Council. $12,500 for Mayor Pro Tem (MPT), and $15,000 for Mayor. He suggested increasing the Mayor Pro Tem’s commitments to be at events, civic association meetings, etc., to take pressure off of the Mayor. 
• Councilmember Whitney asked for confirmation that this had no budget implications, and Mr. Young confirmed it did not.
• Councilmember Rigg suggested we clarify the role of MPT going forward, saying the City seemed to ask for, and the former Mayor willingly gave, more than should be expected. He’d like MPT and Councilmembers to provide more support to the Mayor. 

Discussion of a request for commemorative bench installations in honor of Mayor Kushner and Mayor Owens – Janeen S Miller, City Clerk, and Robert Marsili, Director of Public Works 

• Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said she and Councilmember Mackie would like to get approval from colleagues to install the bench at the College Park Woods Clubhouse once development is done.
• Councilmembers agreed to put it on a future Consent Agenda.

REQUESTS FOR / STATUS OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 

• Councilmember Mitchell will bring forth future agenda request for a charter task force.
• Councilmember Rigg will put forward an agenda request to redefine the Mayor Pro Tem role.

COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE 

• Resident Carol Macknis wants Council to return the Public Safety Meetings to a monthly schedule and actively promote them in all Districts. She said we’re told police need community support. She said having the meetings allow police to respond to resident concerns and explain incidents before innuendos on nextdoor get out of control.

COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON OR CITY MANAGER 

• Councilmember Kennedy – She, Councilmember Mackie, and Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell took a field trip to the COG Farm tour on Friday and are happy to talk later about what they learned
• Councilmember Adams congratulated Mayor Kabir on getting through his first (very long) meeting.
• Councilmember Mackie- The EAC had a great presentation for staff that may come to Council soon. She noted that she has a passion for the farm committee because without farms, we won’t have food.
• Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said the farm tour showed some innovative ways to address food insecurity.
• Councilmember Whitney congratulated UMD students graduating from Monday through Wednesday next week and said to expect lots of traffic and happy people.

Click here for the May 16th meeting agenda. Click here to watch the video of the May 16, 2023, meeting. 

Click here to see the agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on May 23, 2023. Tune in, show up or share your thoughts/concerns about the following anticipated Presentations and Workshop discussions:

• 23-O-03 Adoption of Ordinance 23-O-03, FY ’24 Budget Ordinance 
• 23-O-06 Introduction of an Ordinance to increase the salary for the Mayor to $15,000 per year, to increase the salary for a Councilmember to $10,000 per year, and to establish a separate level of pay for the Mayor Pro Tem at $12,500 per year. Salary increases will be effective after the next General Election. The Public Hearing will be June 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. 
• Presentation from Len Lucchi and Stephanie Anderson on the 2023 legislative session.

We’d like to extend our congratulations to the thousands of University of Maryland students graduating this year!

The University of Maryland’s commencement ceremonies begin at 9:00 am on Monday, May 22nd and end at 9:00 pm on Wednesday, May 24th. The Main Commencement Ceremony that all graduates and their families are invited to attend will be held at SECU Stadium from 7 pm to 9 pm on Monday, May 22nd and will culminate with fireworks. Plan to see lots of traffic and happy people. For more information, please visit UMD’s commencement website.

In related news, we have been informed that the hours next week for MDOT SHA  US 1 College Park Improvement Project road resurfacing work on US 1 (Baltimore Avenue) between Lakeland Road and Berwyn Road will be changed.

Due to Commencement ceremonies, crews will shift to night hours next week. On Monday, May 22nd, crews will work from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am. From Tuesday, May 23 through Friday, May 26th, crews will work from 9:00 pm to 7:00 am. All traffic will be shifted to the east side of US 1 with one lane for northbound traffic and one lane for southbound traffic.

Comments are by Councilmembers Llatetra Brown Esters and Susan Whitney and are not approved or sanctioned by the City of College Park.

Haga clic aquí para leer esta publicacion en español.

ANNOUNCEMENTS/COMMENTS – MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON

Councilmember Kabir thanks all who came out for the City’s parade held on Saturday, May 6.  He also thanks city staff and volunteers for all their work.   

Councilmember Kennedy announced the upcoming North College Park Civic Association (NCPCA) meeting to be held on Thursday, May 11.  She said that a community planner from the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) will present on the north College Park playground….

Councilmember Esters announced the Lakeland Civic Association meeting to be held on Thursday, May 11 at the College Park Community Center at 7pm.  

Councilmember Whitney thanked staff for their work to hold a parade and elections on the same day. 

Councilmember Mackie also thanked parade volunteers and the Board of Elections.  She said that May is Melanoma Month and encouraged people to wear SPF when outdoors.  

SGA Liaison Valerie Graham wished fellow UMD students good luck on finals and encourage them to take advantage of campus resources available to them.

SGA Liaison Adrian Andriessens also wished fellow UMD students good luck and encouraged them to take advantage of mental health support.

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell wished students good luck on finals.

CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

Mr. Young announced that May 13^th would last spring clean-up day and will be held from 7:30am – 12pm. He added that students and others moving out should take advantage. He also announced that Virtual Kitchen/Krazi Kebob was the recent winner of the Amazon small business award. 

Mr. Young said that the Friday Night Live series will kick off on Friday, May 12, featuring the Nighthawks, classic rock and blues band. Food and beer, and a bounce house for kids will be available.  

The City Manager concluded his remarks by sharing that the Hollywood Farmers Market is open each Saturday from 9am -1pm now through November 18. He then asked Ms. Miller, City Clerk, to provide an update regarding the special election.    

Ms. Miller said, to date, there were 862 votes cast during early voting and 629 votes on election day. According to Ms. Miller, between the number of votes cast and ballots mailed, there were a total of 1897 ballots distributed, but she said that would not necessarily be the total number of votes cast in the election. She said the Board of Elections will begin canvassing on Thursday, May 11 in City Hall. Preliminary results will be announced on Thursday, May 11, and the results will be verified on Friday, May 12.  Any ballots received and postmarked May 6 will be counted. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Former District 2 Councilmember Bob Catlin 

AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Councilmember Esters made a motion to move agenda item #23-G-71 to the consent agenda.  Seconded by Councilmember Whitney. Motion passed.  

PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS 

Mr. Dorsch, College Park resident, said the value of our property continues to rise, which results in a higher tax bill.  He asked why the City would increase the tax rate on homes.  

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell interrupted Mr. Dorsch and let him know there would be a public hearing on the item during which he would be able to make a comment.  

Mr. Dorsch proceeded with comments about the recent special elections. He said the elections were a waste of money, saying the Mayor Pro Tem should have been able to take over the position until the next scheduled election.  

David Turley, College Park resident, represents the VFW on Branchville Road. He said he has had numerous conversations with councilmembers and staff about Gerber Auto taking up parking spaces on Branchville Road with their cars. He said he hoped we would do something about the parked cars and those speeding down the street.  

CONSENT AGENDA 

23-G-71 Consideration of a 4-hour parking limit in a specified area of Branchville Road and consideration of traffic calming measures near the VFW located at 5051 Branchville Road – Jim Miller, Parking Enforcement Manager and Steve Halpern, City Engineer – Moved to consent and passed unanimously.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

Constant Yield Tax Rate

Gary Fields, Director of Finance, introduced this item by saying the City is required to hold a hearing as we have split the residential and commercial tax rate. The required advertisement was in the Washington Post on April 18. He added that the second hearing for the proposed 2024 budget will be held on May 23. The City proposes to increase the commercial tax rate to $0.3318.  The City proposes to maintain the current property tax rate of $0.3018 on residential properties rather than lowering it to the constant yield rate of $0.2772. The current tax rate is 8.8% higher than the constant yield rate and will generate $369,497 in additional tax revenue. This property tax rate would still be amongst the lowest in the county and state. Mr. Fields said the City continues to maintain a strong and healthy fund balance at 65%, which is above the city code requirement of 25%. 

College Park resident Mr. Dorsch asked why the City is increasing the tax rate on residents. He said this is one of the richest cities in the county and the state, saying the City should be reducing the property tax rate for residents. He referenced the newest dog park and the Hollywood Park that he said is not used. He asked how much money the City has in the bank and asked the City to adopt the constant yield rate.  

23-O-03 An Ordinance Of The Mayor And Council Of The City Of College Park To Adopt

The Fiscal Year 2024 General Fund, ARPA Allocation Fund, Capital Projects Fund And Debt

Service Fund Budgets Of The City Of College Park

Mr. Field the formal hearing to adopt the ordinance will be held on May 23. 

ACTION ITEMS

23-G-73 Discussion and possible action on a financial incentive from ARPA grant funds for small businesses – Michael Williams, Economic Development Manager 

Mr. Williams introduced this item and said the City is seeking approval to provide a second round of ARPA funds this year to small businesses. He believes there still is need.  

Councilmember Kabir thanked Mr. Williams for proposing a second round of grants. He said we have a lot of home-based businesses and warehouse businesses who exist and are paying taxes versus new businesses coming to the city.  He asked if the home-based business would be eligible for the second round of grants.  Mr. Williams said all businesses will be eligible to apply for the grant and that we will be able to verify their status.  

Councilmember Adams thanked the staff for the work and asked if Meals on Wheels and the fire departments will be part of this second round. Mr. Williams said they will be eligible to apply, but there are small businesses that are ailing. Adams asked if the city is providing the discretion to increase the amount from $7000.  The City manager indicated that we only have a certain amount of money available, and those numbers are based upon that. Mr. Young said he would be comfortable going up to $10,000.

Councilmember Rigg asked if this is the last of the ARPA funding available for economic development.  Mr. Williams said some of the funds for economic development will be focused on the attraction of businesses and will not be ARPA restricted. He said the City is working to attract and retain businesses.  He mentioned the upcoming Knox Road project and said there are national and local chains that want to come to College Park. He said he is looking to get existing businesses squared away so he can focus on development. Rigg said he thinks the city has spent ARPA money well and agrees with the second round of small business grants, but he sees a real sustainability problem with providing what amounts to operational subsidies for businesses.  

Councilmember Esters said she appreciated the work and reiterated the importance of prioritizing those businesses that did not receive funds in the first round and those who are in need. 

Councilmember Whitney asked about the slowdown of grant awards.  Mr. Young said there were some businesses that needed additional vetting and the involvement of Haggerty Consulting is available again to assist with the distribution of funds.  

Councilmember Mackie asked if everyone would be eligible for the second round of grant funding.  Mr. Williams confirmed that would be the case.  

COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON OR CITY MANAGER

Councilmember Rigg attended what he believed to be his last PTA meeting as a parent. He said they are critical organizations for engagement with the school system. He referenced the upcoming Council meeting that will include discussion with Ms. Barber, Director of Youth and Family Service, on how we can better engage with the school system. He asked that parents continue to keep an eye on our children after this year as they have dealt with significant learning loss over the past three years.  

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchel thanked Mr. Rigg for his comments and mentioned the resignation of the County’s school superintendent.

Councilmember Mackie mentioned opportunities for summer involvement for our youth.   

SGA Liaison Valerie Graham mentioned that despite the investigation into the UMD SGA election, the new SGA liaisons were approved. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said she was able to represent the City during Governor Moore’s recognition of “If I Were Mayor” participants.  She expressed her pride for all youth involved and the various topics they discussed.  

MEETING ADJOURNED 

Click here for the May 9 meeting agenda. Click here to watch the video of the May 9, 2023, meeting. 

Click here to see the agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on May 16 2023. Tune in, show up or share your thoughts/concerns about the following anticipated Presentations and Workshop discussions:

Swearing in of Mayor-elect Fazlul Kabir

Discussion of AARP Livable Community Action Plan 

Discussion of Mayor and Council compensation 

Discussion of a request of commemorative bench installations in hour of Mayor Kushner and Mayor Owens

Information Report:  Restructuring the Planning Department and creating a new Grants Coordinator

We’d like to congratulate our Mayor-elect Fazlul Kabir on his victory in the Special Election for Mayor of College Park. We look forward to working with Dr. Kabir as he moves into his new leadership role. The official results will be presented by the Board of Election Supervisors at the Council meeting on Tuesday, May 16th, then the new Mayor will be sworn in.

Comments are by Councilmembers Llatetra Brown Esters and Susan Whitney and are not approved or sanctioned by the City of College Park.

Haga clic aquí para leer esta publicacion en español.

ANNOUNCEMENTS/COMMENTS – MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON

Councilmember Kabir mentioned the return of the Farmer’s Market to Hollywood Shopping Center on May 6.  Due to the City parade, the market will begin at 1pm.  

Councilmember Esters thanked residents for voting and indicated the next day to vote would be Saturday, May 6 at City Hall.  

Councilmember Mackie said May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and May 2 is National Teachers Day.  She thanked teachers for their work to educate our children.   

CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

Mr. Young mentioned the City’s upcoming clean-up day, the last of the season, on May 13 from 7:30am – 12pm, which will include bulk trash drop-off.

Mr. Young said that the week of May 2 was National Small Business Week.  He encouraged those who were interested in more information and virtual summits to log on to SBA.gov.

He mentioned the upcoming grand opening of Ruth’s National Kitchen, which will be located in the Astor near Trader Joe’s. Mr. Young mentioned the City’s Parade on May 6 and the elections, on the same date, to be held at City Hall’s1^st floor community room from 10am – 6pm.  

Councilmember Mackie asked about the rescheduled Arbor Day event and Mr. Young confirmed it would be held on Thursday, May 18.  

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked if there were results from the SGA elections. Ms. Graham said that the results would be determined once SGA worked through some current issues.    

PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS:

Presentation of Ceremonial Checks to Public Schools Education Grant Recipients: University Park, Berwyn Heights Elementary Schools; Buck Lodge Middle School and College Park Academy.

Ms. Kiaisha Barber, Director of Youth and Family Services (YFS) introduced the item and introduced     Dr. Bernache, Chair of the Education Advisory Committee (EAC), who expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to provide funds to the schools.  

Buck Lodge Middle School Principal Kenneth Nance thanked the city for the grant which supports their positive behavior intervention and support program. He said the school’s attendance numbers are very good, given impacts from the pandemic and that academics have also improved as a result of the funding.

Berwyn Height Elementary School Reading Specialist Kathleen Schuster expressed gratitude for the grant, which was used to purchase document cameras that help students improve writing skills, such as how to hold a pencil and spacing between letters.

College Park Academy Student Advocate Bernitta Johnson of thanked Council for the grant which helped to subsidize student participation in the CPA Plus enrichment program, which provides tutors and study time. Due to the grant, 27% of participants have received a subsidy. 

University Park Elementary School Resource Teacher Debra Greene shared her appreciation for the grant which helped to fund multimodal tools such as the Fuzz Ball that has introduced meaningful play for their students.  She also shared the story of a student who had difficulty engaging with his classmates until using the Fuzz Ball.  

Lakeland S.T.A.R.s 2022-2023 Review: Akhila Vishnubhotla, Coordinator for Student Engagement, College Park Scholars, University of Maryland, and students from UMD

Ms. Kiaisha Barber, Director of Youth and Family Services (YFS) introduced the presentation from  Ms. Akila Vishnubhotla.  Lakeland S.T.A.R.S. is a tutoring program for students from Paint Branch Elementary who are paired with a University of Maryland student. The main purpose is to aid student learning and expose them to higher education. The program coordinators help to train and schedule the tutors, and YFS helps to coordinate travel and communication with teachers. Free time includes UMD clubs and other activities. During COVID, the program was virtual, which was challenging. As of fall 2022, the program is back in-person.  

Councilmember Esters asked if, given the name of the program, students have learned about the Lakeland Community. Ms. Vishnubhotla said much of the activity has focused on the University of Maryland but thought lessons about the Lakeland community could be incorporated.  

Councilmember Whitney said she would like to see more male tutors. Ms. Vishnubhotla said there were male tutors, although none were part of the presentation.  

Councilmember Riggs thanked the coordinators and tutors for their important work.  

AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Councilmember Kabir made a motion to approve a letter to Mayor Bowser asking that all concerts in DC held on festival grounds maintain their volumes to the festival grounds.  

Motion to move CPCUP to jointly pursue MDOT grant to fund Campus Drive Bike Path and Riverwalk to consent agenda.

The agenda was approved as amended.

CONSENT AGENDA 

23-R-05 Resolution establishing the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) – Erik Valentine, Community Development Planner

23-R-06 Resolution establishing the City Events Advisory Board – Ryna Quinones, Communications and Events Manager

23-G-68 Authorize the purchase and installation of six workstations from Price Modern for City Hall at a cost not to exceed $50,000 to be funded from the CIP Facilities Capital Reserve– Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager

23-G-69 Consideration of a request by the College Park City-University Partnership for the City to jointly pursue MDOT grants to fund the Campus Drive Bike Path and Riverwalk Trail and to approve letters of support for the grant applications. – Erik Valentine, Community

Development Planner, and CPCUP Representative

The Consent Agenda was unanimously approved.

ACTION ITEMS

23-O-05 Introduction of an Ordinance Of The Mayor And Council Of The City Of College Park Amending  City Code Chapter 15 “Boards, Commissions And Committees”, By Deleting Article II, “College Park Recreation Board”, §§ 15-3 Through 15-18, In Its Entirety To Remove The College Park Recreation Board From The City Code And Re-establish By Resolution A City Events Advisory Board For The Purpose As Set Forth In Resolution 23-R-06. The Public Hearing will be held on May 9, 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of College Park City Hall

Councilmember Mackie made the motion to introduce the ordinance. It was seconded by Councilmember Kennedy.

REQUESTS FOR / STATUS OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

None

COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON OR CITY MANAGER

Councilmember Whitney announced recent recognitions by the Committee for the Better Environment, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. for their help with the permaculture garden and the City’s tree giveaway and the Yakovenkos, who have made their home energy autonomous and actively share information about their improvements with others.  

Councilmember Adams mentioned the recent meeting for the Bike Association. He said County Councilmember Eric Olson and Maryland State Senator Roseapepe are looking to have more people involved with the committee.  

Mayor Pro Tm Mitchell mentioned the recent Four Cities Meeting in Greenbelt on Thursday, April 27 attended by councilmembers Adams. Esters, Mackie, and Whitney.  County Council member Eric Olson was present as attendees talked about common initiatives.

Councilmember Rigg mentioned that he, Councilmember Kennedy, and the Mayor Pro Tem met to discuss the SGA Liaison and Deputy Liaison positions. Valerie Graham, current SGA Liaison, informed council that SGA will decide soon.  Rigg also mentioned that basketball will come back to the Calvert Hills School site.  

MEETING ADJOURNED

Click here for the May 2 meeting agenda. Click here to watch the video of the May 2, 2023, meeting. 

Click here to see the agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on May 9, 2023. Tune in, show up or share your thoughts/concerns about the following anticipated Presentations and Workshop discussions:

PUBLIC HEARINGS:

• The Constant Yield Tax Rate
• 23-O-03 An Ordinance Of The Mayor And Council Of The City Of College Park To Adopt The Fiscal Year 2024 General Fund, ARPA Allocation Fund, Capital Projects Fund And Debt Service Fund Budgets Of The City Of College Park 

ACTION ITEMS 

• 23-G-71 Consideration of a 4-hour parking limit in a specified area of Branchville Road and consideration of traffic calming measures near the VFW located at 5051 Branchville Road 
• 23-G-73 Discussion and possible action on a financial incentive from ARPA grant funds for small businesses 

Saturday, May 6th is a big day for College Park! Not only is it election day for the Special Election for Mayor, but it’s also a chance to see some bands and have fun with your neighbors at the parade. We hope to see you there!

Here’s the information you may need:

Election Day 
Saturday, May 6, 2023
10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
City Hall, 7401 Baltimore Avenue, Community Room 1st Floor, College Park, MD 20740

Click here for additional candidacy information or visit the Election page on the City’s website

Celebrating College Park Parade
Saturday, May 6, 2023
10:00 am
Rhode Island Avenue 

Join the City of College Park on May 6, 2023 at 10:00am to celebrate our community! Spectators can line up along Rhode Island Avenue to see local groups, organizations, entertainers, performers, and more!  This year we have some awesome performers coming including String Bands, Marching Bands, dance groups, musicians, performers and so much more! 

Parade Road Closure:

This Saturday, May 6 from 9:00 am to about 12pm (noon), the City of College Park will close Rhode Island Avenue from Edgewood Road to Blackfoot Place to host its City of College Park Community Parade.  Please see the map below for more information and suggested detours. 

On May 6, 2023, the City of College Park will hold a Special Election for the office of Mayor. Click here for additional candidacy information or visit the Election page on College Park’s website. 

Here’s where you can watch the candidates forum hosted by College Park Here and Now. Videos are posted for each question the candidates answered, so you have the option to focus on topics of particuar interest to you.

You can watch the first candidate debate, sponsored by the Yarrow Civic Association, here.

Early Voting 
Tuesday, May 2, 2023
8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Davis Hall, 9217 51st Avenue, College Park, MD 20740

 Election Day 
 Saturday, May 6, 2023
 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
 City Hall, 7401 Baltimore Avenue, Community Room 1st Floor, College Park, MD 20740