Her office is launching a new way to submit requests to streamline the response process and ensure a prompt response. Please click this “submit a request” link if you have specific requests of her office. This includes constituent concerns, policy feedback, invitations or requests for meetings, proclamations, and other types of support. Her office needs your consent/authorization to ensure that they are advocating properly on your behalf and able to be efficient in their response.
Sharing this from the City of College Park:
WGL’s paving contractor Resurface Inc. is working on getting back on schedule with street restoration projects that were delayed due to inclement weather and cold temperatures.
Over the next two weeks, they are expected to work at the following locations:
Parking restriction signage has been posted, and exact dates may change due to weather. We’ll continue to post relevant updates in the weekly bulletin.
Comments are by Councilmembers Llatetra Brown Esters and Susan Whitney and are not approved or sanctioned by the City of College Park.
Click here to watch the video of the City of College Park Mayor & Council Meeting held on February 18, 2025. By going to this link, you can watch the discussion of specific agenda items you are interested in. If you have questions about Council actions and discussions, please email us at lbesters@collegeparkmd.gov and swhitney@collegeparkmd.gov.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Mr. Young said he was pleased to announce the City of College Park has received the Government Finance Association award for the presentation of its budget. He said the award represents a significant achievement by the city and reflects commitment by the governing body and staff to the highest principles of government budgeting. To receive the award, the city had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for budget presentation to assess how well an entity’s budget document serves as a policy document, financial plan, and a communications and operations tool. Mr. Young thanked members of council and residents who participated in the process. He mentioned we will start the budgeting process again in the next few weeks.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Former District 2 Councilmember, Bob Catlin
PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS
• Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
There were no amendments to the agenda. Motion to approve agenda made by Mayor Pro Tem, Mitchell, seconded by Councilmember Hernandez.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Bob Catlin, resident, former City Councilmember – said the Board of Directors for the Berwyn District Civic Association (BDCA decided to reduce the number of meetings from 9 to 6. Meetings were not held in December, January, and February. Mr. Catlin provided an accounting of the history of homicides in College Park, concluding by saying that the Prince George’s County Police Department has not been able to solve murders that were not committed by a relative or friend of the victim.
Husain Waheed, non- resident – provided information about work with the University of Maryland Research Center.
Oran Shareef, resident – said he sent an email about affordable housing. He works for a company called BOXABL. He said he would like to make a presentation to the city about the home offered by his company. The homes are about $50,000 and would help with the affordable housing issue.
CONSENT AGENDA
25-G-23 Approval to submit the Terms and Conditions Form to participate in the EmPower Maryland rebate program, in partnership with Pepco, for the Duvall Field Renovation Project – Rakhmel Rafi, Grants Coordinator
25-G-27 Approval of a Property Use Agreement (PUA) for a new Class B, Beer, and Wine alcoholic beverage license for the use of Shake Shack Maryland LLC, t/a Shake Shack, 4394 Knox Road, College Park, Maryland 20740 – Jatinder Khokhar, Director of Public Services (BOLC agenda on February 25, 2025)
Motion to accept the consent agenda made by Councilmember Hernandez, seconded by Councilmember Esters.
PRESENTATIONS:
Proposed Pedestrian Crossing at Greenbelt Road and Rhode Island Avenue – Steve Halpern, City Engineer, Masakatsu (Mas) Fukui, P.E., Consultant Project Manager, SHA Office of Traffic and Safety, Dean Randolph, Chief, SHA Office of Traffic and Safety and Erich Florence, SHA Deputy District 3 Engineer
Mr. Halpern introduced the design team to discuss the work to be done at the intersection of Greenbelt Road and Rhode Island Ave.
Mr. Fukui said the corridor is well-traveled, and the goal is to improve accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists. The main point of the project is the installation of flashing beacons (RRFBs). He said they will reconstruct all the ramps on the southwest corner, and the equipment will be solar-powered.
Councilmember Esters thanked Mr. Halpern and SHA and said this project was a long time coming. She mentioned concern with moving the median as expressed by residents and asked why that is proposed and how changes would improve safety.
Mr. Fukui said the median is being moved because it is too narrow. He said standard signs will not work, and it is not ADA accessible.
Councilmember Whitney asked if the median could be widened. SHA’s Eric Florence said they could consider widening the median, but that would mean decreasing the lanes. Ms. Whitney said that narrowing the lanes could be a good thing since doing so is commonly considered a traffic-calming measure.
Councilmember Hernandez thanked SHA and the District 2 Councilmembers. He asked if there was a way the refuge island could be maintained. He mentioned the flashing beacon near his home that has been malfunctioning and said he wants to make sure there is a plan to maintain the fixtures in the future. SHA staff mentioned that the beacon was low on battery and said SHA has the ability and the facility to maintain the devices. While batteries are one of the issues, it is not the only issue.
Mayor Kabir asked if the beacons will be the same as others along Rhode Island Ave. Mr. Fukui said they would be, but they would be solar-powered.
Councilmember Hew – asked if the lights would ever turn red. He was told that will not turn red. Councilmember Hew said that people know red means stop. He asked about widening and lengthening the refuge island.
Mr. Fukui said bumping out the corner should help with pedestrians passing. Mr. Florence said SHA would consider a hawk signal at this intersection, which would turn red.
Councilmember Mackie asked if there will be a raised crosswalk or flat; it will be flat. She asked what type of warning there will be for drivers prior to the intersection. Mr. Fukui said the signage will be refreshed. Councilmember Mackie asked about extending the time allotted for crossing. Mr. Florence said SHA would look into it.
Councilmember Esters asked how long it would take for SHA to look into the matter discussed, Mr. Florence said approximately two weeks.
Creating a Vacant Property Registry – Miriam Bader, Director of Planning and Community Development; Bob Catlin, Chair of the Vacant and Blighted Properties Tax Committee (VBPTC); Darrin Sharp-Vice-Chair of the VBPTC.
Ms. Bader introduced the agenda item. She said Mayor and Council adopted a resolution on March 5, 2024, to create a Vacant and Blighted Property Tax Committee to make recommendations to Mayor and Council on a vacant and blighted tax proposal in College Park. The Phase 1 charge of the committee was to: Develop and reach consensus on a clear definition of vacant and blighted property in the city; utilize best practices from other jurisdictions that have implemented similar tax program to establish definitions; make recommendations on combining or separating vacant and blighted, and on which properties/occupancy types a vacant and blighted property tax should apply to; and report findings to the Mayor and Council withing 4 months. The committee reported their findings to the Council on September 10 and the Council added a Phase 2 charge for the committee to investigate the feasibility of creating a Vacant Property Registry.
Councilmember Esters thanked the committee for their work and asked if exceptions included those individuals/households seeking permits. She also asked about renewal of registration and whether a restriction would be placed on how many times a home could be placed on the registry because for some, it may just amount to the price of maintaining a vacant property when our goal should be to improve the property. Mr. Sharp said exceptions did include those seeking permits. Mr. Catlin reminded Councilmember Esters of the purpose of this discussion was the creation of the registry. Penalties would need to be discussed during another phase of their work.
Councilmember Whitney asked about the exception related to individual dwelling units in multifamily residential buildings that consist of two or more dwelling units shall not be considered vacant for purposes of this Ordinance. She asked why that decision was made, as it may be helpful to have that data. She acknowledged where the report did not want to consider vacancy over the summer months in order to make it reasonable for student apartments in the city. She said it seemed to contradict the sentence at the bottom of page 45 that said “The Council should consider differentiating penalties among residential properties, commercial, and mixed-use properties.
City Attorney Nate Foreman said he added the language at the end of page 45 and would look at it again. He said their focus was mainly on creating a registry. The creation of the registry was to figure out how to consider what was vacant and blighted, how we can assist Public Services in addressing properties that were habitually vacant and help if the council were interested in imposing a differential tax on these properties. This phase is not the end goal, it is the start. When you have large multifamily properties that have some vacancy but not complete vacancy, it seems unfair to consider them as vacant as their occupancy changes often. This was a recommendation that Council will need to decide; the committee is willing to make changes. He said the additional exception was added after the committee reviewed the document and it may not have been properly vetted.
Councilmember Whitney said in addition to the consideration Mr. Foreman outlined, we are also talking about affordable housing, and if we have vacancy throughout the city because they can hold on to the property and drive prices up, it would be helpful to have that information. She suggested it could be crafted in a way so as not to be overly burdensome. She referenced the Applicability section of the document that says…” whether or not the real property is improved with a building or other structure—that has not been used or legally occupied for more that 90 days is considered vacant.” She did not like the inclusion of “used or”, as it may allow property owners to use property in an unintended manner. She suggested removing that language.
Councilmember Rigg thanked the committee for their work. He asked about active violation stop work orders, saying we would not want people to get a stop work order, then walk away, versus those who are working to obtain proper permits. He asked how we can differentiate. He suggested they can include a timeline.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked about the term “agent” and whether that person was required to be on nearby.
Mr. Sharp said the thought was that if the agent were out of town, they would have an agent who was in town. He said it would be updated to “local agent.” Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell felt that would be helpful as we often have issues with owners and agents who are overseas. She said she agreed with Dr. Esters about placing limitations on vacancies. She suggested that after a certain amount of time there be an infraction for non-use.
Mr. Catlin reiterated that the second phase of the committee’s work would be to consider a tax on vacant properties. He said it would be important to gather the data before taxing individuals.
Councilmember Rigg thanked the committee for the inclusion of the table outlining the registration and penalty fees. He said he believes that registration fee should be nominal and the penalty fees should be healthy.
Councilmember Whitney agreed with Councilmember Rigg that the registration fee should be nominal, and the penalty should be healthy. She asked if the city could share the administrative costs. Mr. Young said a fee study could be done.
Councilmember Mackie asked for what happens when there is a death or health issue. Mr. Sharp said it is an exception. Ms. Bader said they did consult with code officers regarding how such issues are handled.
Councilmember Hernandez said he trusted those with residential property, but he is interested in the commercial properties. He asked for a sneak peek into how we address commercial properties. It is not only blighted but does not allow for occupancy. Mr. Sharp said there are a lot of different dynamics that may be in play regarding occupancy, sometime vacant properties are collecting rent.
Councilmember Esters said there should be a differentiation between vacant and blighted commercial properties given the various dynamics that can be associated with vacancy. Ms. Bader said the committee discussed this issue and thought issues of vacancy and blight should be considered separately.
WORKSESSION DISCUSSIONS:
Legislative Review (there is a possibility that action will be taken on time-sensitive bills) -Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager
Mr. Gardiner said there had been discussion with the county committee on the land use vote. He said the issue was taken up this week, but we should find out the fate of the bill next week. Mr. Gardiner said there have been over 3,000 bills introduced in session, and it has been very busy. He said the bill to increase infraction fines is looking good for us and shared that council-approved letters were forwarded to the appropriate committees.
Councilmember Whitney asked for clarity on HB330 (Improvements to Property Adjacent to Rail Stations). She said she would like to make sure Lakeland is protected given the language we moved forward last year. She asked about HB705 (Real Property -Short-Term Rentals) and if we should write against it. Mr. Gardiner will be looking into the bill.
Mayor Protem Mitchell asked for updates on HB707 (Notation of Nonapparent Disability -Eric’s law) and said that Delegate Wilkins is seeking support. She also asked how HB372 will impact us and if we should weigh in.
Mr. Gardiner said there have been rumblings about reducing the amount of money coming to municipalities from the A&A tax (MML priority bill). Mr. Young said there are many things the state is doing to reduce its costs and impose the burden on localities (i.e., streetlights)
REQUESTS FOR / STATUS OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Councilmember Whitney asked about the residential overoccupancy and when it will come to the council. Mr. Young said it would not happen any time soon as staff are working on currently working on numerous issues.
Councilmember Rigg made a motion to bring the issue of RealPage to Council as brought to us by tenants union. He said he spoke to Mr. Young, and, although there is an affordable housing task force, this issue is time sensitive. Mr. Young disclosed we are a client of RealPage and use data, but we don’t use it to set rent. He noted there are issues as identified by the States Attorney General.
Councilmember Rigg noted that the request references SB609, and Council may want to consider supporting that. Rigg moved for a work session on the item, and Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell seconded. Council unanimously voted to add it as a future agenda item.
COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE
Husain Waheed, non-resident – mentioned his work with the UMD research center and the proposal he has put forth.
VJ, resident – would like to thank the Mayor & Council and SHA for the discussion about improvements slated to be made at Rhode Island Ave and Greenbelt Road. He is a bike commuter, and this is a path he takes each day. He said the city should consider improving the bike path to bring it closer to the sidewalk. He would also like the council to include barriers that will make the lane safer.
COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON OR CITY MANAGER
Councilmember Mackie attended the recent CMAST meeting. She described it as a great collaboration between the city, the university, and the county,
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell attended CMAST. She talked about new hazing reports and traffic during games. She mentioned an upcoming game on Thursday, February 20 with USC.
Mayor Kabir attended a local officials meetings with CASA and a Bi-County Community Meeting on the land use authority bill. Based upon the discussion, there is a belief that the bill should have abetter chance this session because more cities are involved. The current bill provides for zoning authority if cities have a certified planner.
Councilmember Whitney said her heart goes out to the many federal employees living in the city and the region. There are so many fired who were high performers.
Councilmember Hernandez attended the recent CASA Know Your Rights session. He is working to determine what can be shared with the council. He has heard from the Food bank where there are concerns. He mentioned the County Executive election starting the end of February. Heart goes out to fellow federal elected officials. He encouraged them to reach out to Congressional representatives. He said Governor Wes Moore has created a website for fired federal workers that should be a resource.
SGA Liaison Otte recognized Black history Month and Women’s History month.
SGA Liaison McDonald – encouraged more people to attend UMD Sporting events. She also mentioned a UMD class that offers naturalization and the Naturalization Clinic.
Mr. Young said city staff recently had follow up with RecWell Staff that resulted in a good conversation. There will be a roll out of programs the city will help publicize to our residents. We have reached an agreement with the Union negotiation. He will forward information to Council shortly.
ADJOURN
Click here to see the full agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on March 4, 2025, when it is available. Tune in, show up or share your thoughts/concerns about the following anticipated Consent Agenda and Action Items, and Workshop discussions proposed to be on the agenda that may interest District 2 residents. Please contact us as soon as possible if you need accommodations to participate in a meeting, including language translation:
Action
Discussion
To further assist customers, Pepco wants to ensure they understand the factors impacting their bills, the available payment options, and steps they can take to save energy and money, as well as access assistance programs. Customers can visit pepco.com/BillSupport for tools to equip them with additional information on understanding their energy bill, rates and more.
Bill Drivers:
Pepco is taking the following steps to help customers:
Enroll today in Energy Assistance and Programs:
Congressman Glenn Ivey’s office (MD-04) is sharing this Privacy Release Form (PRF) for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This PRF is specifically for ICE. Constituents that are worried about ICE can fill out this form, sign it, and keep it on hand in case they are ever detained by ICE. If someone is picked up, our office needs this form, and the name of the person picked up in order to reach out to ICE and get more information about their detention location. Without this form, that task is a lot more difficult.
Please call Congressman Ivey’s district office at (202) 225-8699 if you all have any questions.
Comments are by Councilmembers Llatetra Brown Esters and Susan Whitney and are not approved or sanctioned by the City of College Park.
Click here to watch the video of the City of College Park Mayor & Council Meeting held on February 11, 2025. By going to this link, you can watch the discussion of specific agenda items you are interested in. If you have questions about Council actions and discussions, please email us at lbesters@collegeparkmd.gov and swhitney@collegeparkmd.gov.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Mr. Young said Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) have already announced their closure on February 12. Trash pick-up in the city on Wednesday will be shifted to Thursday.
Councilmember Whitney said she wanted to acknowledge the long days and nights for our Public Works staff during inclement weather events. She said they always do an outstanding job.
AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Councilmember Rigg made a motion to move item Action Item 25-G-21 (Approval of liquor licenses issues and renew with the City of College Park to the Consent Agenda. Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell seconded the motion.
Councilmember Whitney said she needed to recuse herself from the vote on the item for reasons of employment.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell moved to accept the Consent Agenda, Seconded by Councilmember Rigg.
Councilmember Whitney said she was unable to vote on the item related to liquor licenses but could vote on other Consent Agenda items and asked for guidance.
Councilmember Rigg suggested to note for the record that Councilmember Whitney’s need to abstain from voting on item 25-G-21 due to employment but does vote for other items on the Consent Agenda.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Husain Waheed, non-resident – working with the University of Maryland Advanced Research Center. He co-authored three proposals dynamical systems, biofuels, and continuous learning labs. There is no need for financial support for these projects which should be able to provide economic efficiencies. They are supported by ISO. He is looking for verification to satisfy legislators and the University. He asked if the materials he sent were received. Ms. Allen, City Clerk, confirmed receipt of the information and said she spoke with Mr. Waheed. He asked about potential assistance from the Student Liaisons.
Mr. Mirani (former SGA Liaison), resident – last spring he co-founded the College Park Tenants Union. This group has spoken to students and non-students. He mentioned a recent Washington Post article that indicates landlords are using RealPage algorithms to drive up costs. He said according to the Washington Post article, there are 5 apartment complexes in College Park that use RealPage, including Aster, Varsity, Domain, Atworth, and Union at Knox.
Francis Riley, resident, and member of the College Park Tenants Union – expressed concern about the use of RealPage. She spoke of a lawsuit by the State Attorney General against RealPage, and she would like the Council to join the lawsuit.
Gannon Sprinkle resident – said he wanted to speak on behalf of the College Park Tenants Union about the use of RealPage. This software uses algorithms that drive up the cost of apartments. The use of RealPage makes it more difficult for families to live in College Park. He asks that the Council write the State Attorney General.
Councilmember Rigg asked the College Park Tenants Union to write a letter to CPMC. He is compelled but needs more information.
CONSENT AGENDA
25-G-19 Approval of the annual full-service ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS) contract with AIMS Parking Management Solutions for software support, hosting, and maintenance of both software and hardware in the amount of $67,439.50, to be effective February 1, 2025, through January 31, 2026 – Jim Miller, Parking Enforcement Manager
25-G-20 Approval of an amendment to contract CP-24-01 with NZI Construction Corporation, in substantially the form attached and subject to the City Attorney’s approval, in the amount not to exceed $392,731.66 for construction of a sidewalk on 52nd Avenue – Steve Halpern, City Engineer
25-G-21 Approval of a letter to the Board of License Commissioners to recommend that liquor licenses issued within the City of College Park be renewed for the following year and to authorize the City Manager to send a letter to the BOLC to that effect – Jatinder Khokhar, Director of Public Services
Councilmember Rigg made a motion to accept the Consent Agenda, seconded by Councilmember Hernandez. Approved unanimously, aside from Councilmember Whitney abstaining from 25-G-21 due to her employment.
ACTION ITEMS
25-G-22 Appointment of the Child Care Task Force Committee Members, Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager
Assistant City Manager Gardiner introduced the item, and Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked about the subject matter experts that should be on the committee. Gardiner said Council had agreed to two voting members from each district plus one voting member from Education Advisory Committee (EAC).
Councilmember Esters – thanked for those who applied and reminded Council of previous discussions about subject matter experts being invited to meet with the committee rather than being placed on the committee.
Councilmember Mackie thanked the residents who applied and said the EAC already had this on their radar.
Councilmember Whitney said the applications were impressive and said it was a hard decision for District 2, where there were multiple applicants.
WORKSESSION DISCUSSIONS
Discussion and action of the November 2025 Election – Yvette Allen, City Clerk and Susan Huemmrich, Chief Board Election Supervisor
Ms. Allen introduced the item and said the Board of Election Supervisors (BOES) met last week and discussed the date they would like to hold the election. They recommend Tuesday, November 4 from 8am – 8pm for Election Day.
Councilmember Hernandez asked why City Hall was chosen. Ms. Huemmrich said the BOES looked at size and accessibility to determine the best location. They considered the Lakeland College Park Community Center, but they are concerned the County may need it for elections around that time.
Councilmember Hernandez asked about circumventing Davis Hall privacy issues. Ms. Huemmrich said there were both safety and privacy issues. Councilmember Hernandez said the majority of voters have used Davis Hall over the years.
Ms. Huemmrich mentioned one of the City’s objectives is to modernize and improve services. She said we need to think outside the box and would like to centralize voting at City Hall.
Councilmember Hernandez said he thinks we should use both locations. He asked for early voting location at Davis Hall and City Hall.
Councilmember Esters said she understood the advocacy but said that Davis Hall is not the best location for the elections. She asked about shuttle transportation throughout the city for older residents to get back and forth to City Hall and about Sunday being a consideration to allow more people the opportunity to vote who may not be able to get to the polls on Tuesday.
Councilmember Mackie asked if we were going to send cards out to residents with the dates and location for the locations. Ms. Allen said they would. Councilmember Mackie asked if BOES thought about other places in the Hollywood area, like churches. Ms. Huemmrich said they had thought of Hollywood Elementary School, but they do not know how long the county elections will last. Councilmember Mackie said she hopes we do not have two sites on one day. She said Davis Hall is uncomfortable and suggested we consider two shorter days.
Councilmember Whitney said she agreed with Councilmember Esters about changing the voting day to Sunday. She said Davis Hall is not a viable option. She asked about having a drop box in Lakeland and College Park Woods.
Ms. Allen said during the BOES voiced concerns about having a drop box at Lakeland College Park Community Center because county elections may be happening at the same time, necessitating County and City drop boxes, which could be confusing. She said they could consider another location in Lakeland.
Councilmember Whitney asked about there being celebratory activity related to Election Day. Ms. Allen said the city cannot do anything to lure people into the voting booths, but candidates can offer encouragement.
Councilmember Hew said he would like to advocate for Davis Hall and the use of spaces that are not being utilized. If not, he would like to consider one of the churches or other locations. He said he would like to strongly suggest Tuesday as a voting day. He suggests one polling box at Mom’s and using the other for Lakeland or College Park Woods.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said she was in favor of Sunday Election Day. She understands the interest in Davis Hall, but the space is small and there are privacy issues. She supports the use of a shuttle for Attick Towers and Spellman House.
Councilmember Rigg said he was in favor of holding election day on Sunday, since it is the most adaptive to the needs of most of the population. He supports an additional drop box at College Park Woods. We have seen an increase in the vote by mail options. For various reasons there is a need to always have polling on election day. He says he would look forward to moving to complete vote by mail. If we do not, we will continue to find ourselves in the same situation having the same conversation each time there is an election. He said we should offer an early voting location north of MD-193, if feasible.
Councilmember Hernandez said he appreciated the comments and wants to be a good colleague. He said he supports adding a drop box in Lakeland and College Park Woods. He also appreciates Sunday as a voting day, it allows more people to vote.
Councilmember Esters asked Ms. Huemmrich to discuss the challenges of having two days for voting. They are currently looking for twelve volunteers for the one day. It is difficult to identify volunteers who are willing to take on 15 hours per day.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said the City of Rockville conducted an entirely mail-in election and it cost just over $100,000. She asked about having voting for 4 hours in North College Park on an alternate day.
Councilmember Hew reiterated the need for voting location on North College Park and suggested the American Legion.
Councilmember Mackie understands the older voters and appreciates Councilmember Rigg’s comments and olive branch. If we do two days, she believes the hours should be shortened. The integrity of the vote is important, and they wanted to use City Hall to allow them to lock materials. She asked Ms. Huemmrich how items would be secured with two places. Ms. Huemmrich said they would need to move the equipment from one location to another. The security of the location will need to be maintained to ensure there is no tampering. At the end of the day, the ballots must be counted to zero.
Ms. Allen said most of the equipment is locked up in the administrative offices with lock and key. If it needs to be transferred, Public Works staff transports the equipment.
Mayor Kabir summarized the discussion:
Ms. Allen would like to take suggestions to BOES and then come back to Council next week with the election day date.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchel asked for confirmation the date will be confirmed by next week. Ms. Huemmrich said the City Charter stipulates Council must identify a date by March 31, but we should do so ASAP.
Councilmember Whitney asked about the rate of attrition of BOES over the years and wonders if that has to do with the demands associated with multiple dates and locations. Ms. Allen said they are retiring. Ms. Huemmrich said two members who were recently sworn in, three members were sworn in last July, a senior member has tendered resignation.
Councilmember Hernandez asked how we can incentivize BOES members and asked for information about recruiting new members.
B. Review and discussion of code provisions Chapter 125, Housing Regulations, Chapter 119 Refuse, Solid Waste, and Special Trash, and Chapter 141 Nuisances – Jatinder Khokhar, 002Director of Public Services and Stephanie Anderson, City Attorney
Mr. Khokhar said at the November 19 Council meeting staff were asked to revise the language for §125-10, §141-6A and §110-2. The first issue was dealing with beer pong, second was indoor furniture outside, and third was storage of refuse and recycling containers.
Ms. Anderson proposed to discuss each chapter separately.
125-10 Responsibilities of owners and occupants –The language has been left alone to allow code officers to address issues. The new language added is there to address beer pong tables or furniture that can be used for drinking games.
141-6 Refuse Carts and Recycling Carts
Refuse and recycling carts are often not returned after pickup or not stored properly. The updated language reinforces that they are only to be used for refuse and stored at the rear or side of the house. Language related to the removal of carts was removed because there is charter language (119-3) that stipulates what needs to be done with carts. There is a need for consistency. There was no enforcement provisions added. A notice would be issued withing 48 hours which could be issued if not followed.
110-2 Fees and Penalties
Each Violation would be $50. There are accommodations for those with disabilities and those with topography issues.
Councilmember Rigg commended Ms. Anderson and city staff, he felt there had been responsiveness to feedback as it related to language. He said we are not making a new policy; we are referencing other sections of the charter. This topic has been discussed a lot. It is a narrow amendment to the city code that addresses issues with drinking games.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell thanked Councilmember Rigg for his comments. She asked Ms. Anderson if the first notice would be given to the occupant or the owner. The way the code is written the notice is given to is the occupant, who could be the owner/tenant. Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked if the fine remains $50 if there are repeated violations, or if the number of offenses is capped. Ms. Anderson said the goal is to get compliance, but it does provide an option to use discretion. After notice of violation, the occupant is given 48 hours to correct the violation. After that, each additional day incurs another $50 fine.
Councilmember Mackie had questions about the definition of outside furniture. She asked if the language addresses issues such as mattresses in the front yard. Rigg said the existing code should address this.
Councilmember Hernandez cautioned Council to find the proper balance in addressing an issue and avoiding rabbit holes. When there is inclement weather, we should not penalize our residents.
Councilmember Rigg said he appreciated Councilmember Hernandez’s support and is sensitive to the aspect of civil liberties.
Councilmember Whitney said she appreciated what has been done. She said it reflects the conversations we’ve had and she is happy to move forward.
Mr. Khokhar said when redrafting the language there were discussions with the Director of Public Works. They did not want to overreach, and there was a focus on providing reasonable accommodations where needed.
Mayor Kabir asked if the item was ready for introduction. Ms. Allen said it would be brought back next week or the first meeting in March.
Discussion on the status of the Social Sports League – Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager
Mr. Gardiner provided an update to the program introduced by Council last year. $30 thousand was budgeted in FY25 to offer league activities. The lack of sufficient staff limits the city’s ability to move forward. There was someone on staff with experience in a prior position who thought if the city took this on, it would require about one half full-time equivalent.
Mr. Young said we are not staffed to take on these additional services. He said this is an example of where we are stepping out of our wheelhouse.
Councilmember Esters – said based upon what was shared we should not focus on league activities. She suggested that we focus on partnerships with organizations like UMD to offer residents more activities/services focused on wellness, especially now.
Councilmember Hernandez questioned our capacity to do this. Mr. Young said we have control over very few fields. He said we can work with UMD, but their primary responsibility is to maintain their fields for the UMD community.
Councilmember Hernandez said he is eager to use Duvall Field for this in the future. He does not want to overtax our team when the county already provides resources.
Councilmember Whitney said we were advised to partner with UMD Rec Well and the School of Public Health and asked what happened. Mr. Gardiner said there was interest in a course where students would manage a sports league for the city, but it would not have been a permanent arrangement so was not a good fit.
Councilmember Hew said he would support pursuing this when Duvall Field is completed. Perhaps there would be the opportunity for us to reach out to regular users of the field.
Councilmember Rigg asked if the city heard from anyone in the area interested in getting involved. Mr. Young said there were only a few who were interested. The issues were the limited number of options we had to control space. Rigg suggested addressing this policy goal by promoting existing opportunities which may not be well known.
Councilmember Mackie said she appreciated the ideas brought up by colleagues. She said there is an epidemic of obesity but there are already opportunities that exist. We will soon have a state-of-the-art facility at Duvall field where we can host activities.
Mr. Young said we have what we need to move forward. There will also be conversations about the North College Park Community Center. There will be a conversation with Park and Recreation about getting residents involved.
Legislative Review (there is a possibility that action will be taken on time-sensitive bills) – Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager
Mr. Gardiner provided a quick overview of the legislative session and bills that would be interest to Council.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked for more information about the prescription drug affordability act bill.
Councilmember Esters made motions for the city to send letters of support for the bottle bill and the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act (HB1006).
Councilmember Whitney made a motion for the city to send a letter of support for a bill prohibiting vehicles from stopping or standing in Bike Lanes (HB0178/SB173).
Councilmember Hew thanked Councilmember Whitney for bringing up the bike lanes issue.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked for additional information on the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act (HB554). She also asked for information on bills at the county level we should be aware of.
REQUESTS FOR / STATUS OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Councilmember Rigg said he is interested in the issue the tenants union brought up earlier in the meeting. He said he will gather more information and speak to colleagues to ask for it to be added to the agenda list.
COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE
Husain, resident– said he was going to put questions in the webinar chat to ask questions, but it did not allow him to do so. Mr. Young said we do not allow for chats during meetings due to security and protocols. Husain asked for information about HB999 (Opioid-Associated Disease Prevention and Outreach Program Data).
COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON OR CITY MANAGER
Mayor Pro Tem said she recently attended the Mayor Alliance on Hunger.
Mayor Kabir said the upcoming Four Cities meeting at 7pm on February 27 will be hosted by College Park. The next Prince George’s County Municipal Association (PGCMA) meeting will be held on February 20. He said Senator Alsobrooks and Senator Van Hollen will host a town hall on 2/12 to discuss support for federal workers.
Councilmember Whitney said UMD had already announced their closure on Wednesday, February 12 due to impending inclement weather.
Councilmember Hernandez asked residents to help with Neighbors helping Neighbors.
SGA Liaison Otte said UMD would be closed on 2/12 and said to stay safe.
Mr. Young said while UMD will be closed, College Park will be open, and the city will be out clearing the streets. He said we should all do our part.
MEETING ADJOURNED
Click here to see the full agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on February 18, 2025. Tune in, show up or share your thoughts/concerns about the following anticipated Consent Agenda and Action Items, and Workshop discussions proposed to be on the agenda that may interest District 2 residents. Please contact us as soon as possible if you need accommodations to participate in a meeting, including language translation:
Consent:
Approval to submit Terms and Conditions Form to participate in the EmPower Maryland Rebate Program, in partnership with Pepco.
Approval of a Property Use Agreement (PUA) for a new Class B Beer, Wine alcoholic beverage license for use by Shake Shack.
Presentations:
Proposed Pedestrian Crossing at Greenbelt Road and Rhode Island Ave.
Creation of a Vacant Property Registry.
Worksession Discussions:
Legislative Review
It is February, the time of year when we have grown accustomed to the cold weather but long for signs of spring. It may take a bit longer to see those signs since Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog Day and predicts six more weeks of winter, but it’s not too cold for parents to plan for summer camp. College Park’s annual summer camp scholarship applications are open! Learn more at https://www.collegeparkmd.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=711.
Normally, it would be enough to recognize that February brings with it Black History month and Valentine’s Day. And although we want to encourage you to take advantage of programs and activities offered by Prince George’s County and the University of Maryland, we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the many changes we have witnessed at the federal level over the past few weeks. We recognize that some of these changes are a cause for great concern and have negative impacts for many in our community. Federal workers who have concerns about the impacts of recent executive orders on their jobs are encouraged to contact Congressman Glenn Ivey’s office via phone at 240-906-6262. Immigrant and working-class families in need of support can contact CASA at 1-866-765-2272. We encourage everyone to find balance and take care of themselves and their families. You will find information about resources for mental health support and immigration issues on the city’s website.
Apparently, this time of year is a great time for elections. Prince George’s County is holding a Special Election for County Executive. The primary election is Tuesday, March 4, 2025, and the general election is June 3, 2025. The city is also holding a Special Election on March 11, 2025, to fill the council seat vacated by former Councilmember Stuart Adams.
During February, the following items are anticipated for the Council meeting agenda: the appointment of the Child Care Task Force Committee, discussion and action related to the November 2025 election, and a presentation from the Vacant and Blighted Properties Tax Committee on creating a vacant property registry.
In closing, we want you to know the City of College Park remains committed to being an inclusive community. Now more than ever, it is important to aspire to be One College Park. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Llatetra Brown Esters Susan Whitney
Councilmember District 2 Councilmember District 2
lbesters@collegeparkmd.gov swhitney@collegeparkmd.gov
Comments are by Councilmembers Llatetra Brown Esters and Susan Whitney and are not approved or sanctioned by the City of College Park.
Click here to watch the video of the City of College Park Mayor & Council Meeting held on February 4, 2025. By going to this link, you can watch the discussion of specific agenda items you are interested in. If you have questions about Council actions and discussions, please email us at lbesters@collegeparkmd.gov and swhitney@collegeparkmd.gov
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Mr. Young said the city would be tracking three weather systems coming into the area. He said the anticipated winter precipitation would begin Friday into Saturday and another on Monday through next Wednesday. The city started treating the roadways in anticipation of these weather events.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Former Deputy Mayor Stefan Leggin of Brentwood, Maryland.
PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARD
AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Councilmember Rigg proposed the following amendments to the agenda:
Move item 24-G-15 – Authorization to disburse funds for the PNC Foundation Purple Line Grant and State of Maryland Department of Housing and Community Develop (DHCD) Project Restore 2.0 Grant from action to consent agenda.
Pull action item 25-CR-01 – A Charter Resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park, to Amend Article II, “Mayor and Council, “§ C3-6 “Vacancies”, Section B (1) but proceed with the public hearing.
Pull action item 24-CR-02 – A Charter Resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of the College Park to Amend Article IV” Voting and Elections, “§C4-2,” Registration of Voters” to allow for Vote 16 but proceed with public hearing.
Motion to add 25-G-18 – Letter of support for the Coalition to Support Prince George’s County Fire and EMS
Motion to approve the agenda as amended by Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell, seconded by Councilmember Rigg.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Mr. Dorsch, resident – the city needs to sell the house at 4704 Calvert Rd. The city should not be in the house rental business. Now is a good time to sell it because the federal government is not making any changes to interest rates. It would be smart for the city to put the house on the market.
Husain, non-resident – working with the advanced technology center. There is a proposal for dynamical systems that was sent to the City Council, and he met with the 21st delegation. He will follow up with a brief overview next week. Trying to move it forward due to the economic efficiencies that have been proven over many years.
CONSENT AGENDA
25-R-02 Resolution of the Mayor and Council adopting the recommendation of the Advisory Planning Commission regarding Variance Number CPV-2025-01, located at 4806 Erskine Road, College Park, Maryland, Recommending Approval of One Variance and Three Validations: A 5.2 foot Variance from the Prince George’s County Zoning Ordinance Section 27-4202 (e) (2) to reduce the required 25-foot front yard setback to 19.8 feet; a variance of 11.2 feet to validate the existing front yard setback for the house; a variance of 15 feet to validate the existing lot width and a variance of 488 square feet to validate the existing minimum lot area. The Appeal Period Ended January 31, 2025.
25-R-03 Resolution of the Mayor and Council adopting the recommendation of the Advisory Planning Commission regarding Variance Number CPV-2025-02, located at 9533 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park, Maryland, Recommending Approval of One Variance: A 1-foot side yard setback Variance for a deck and associated steps from the Prince George’s County Zoning Ordinance Section 27-11003 to allow the existing deck and newly constructed steps to remain. The Appeal Period Ended January 31, 2025.
25-G-15 Authorization to Disburse funds for the PNC Foundation Purple Line Grant and State of Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Project Restore 2.0 Grant.
Motion to approve Consent Agenda by Councilmember Hernandez, seconded by Councilmember Esters.
PRESENTATIONS:
Coalition to Support Prince George’s County Fire and EMS – Stefan Leggin
Former Vice Mayor of Brentwood, Stefan Leggin is a member of the Coalition to Support Prince George’s County Fire and EMS. The coalition in non-partisan group advocating for systematic change to county Fire and EMS. They want to ensure that Fire and EMS is not put on the back burner as other areas are well funded. The reallocation of career firefighters from volunteer fire departments has caused great concern. For example, Brentwood only has one part-time ambulance worker. Prince George’s County is automatically short twenty-five people at the beginning of every shift. When there aren’t enough staff, they call other fire departments with staff, which directly impacts College Park and other surrounding cities and counties by taking their resources. Many municipalities are speaking out and the coalition wants them to speak out together.
Mayor Kabir said that Chief Greene answered the questions posed by the coalition. Mr. Leggin acknowledged Chief Greene’s response.
The Coalition will be sending a letter to the County Executive candidates through their staffers, along with the Coalition’s media contacts.
Councilmember Whitney asked when they plan to finalize their letter, Mr. Leggin said Monday, February 10. Councilmember Whitney asked if they could wait until Wednesday to allow College Park to weigh in. Mr. Leggin agreed.
Second Quarter FY25 Strategic Plan Update – Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager
Mr. Gardiner started the second quarter update by talking about a variety of accomplishments, to date. He said all ARPA funds were obligated by the required deadline, city communications are now offered in English and Spanish, preparations are being made for a ribbon-cutting for the College Park Woods Clubhouse, Tyler training has been implemented, and work toward repairs at the home located at 4704 Calvert Rd. He said the city is looking forward to the Duvall field groundbreaking, updated procurement policies, and staff training on equity and inclusion, in addition to the upcoming special election and council advance.
Councilmember Whitney asked about 72% for the tutoring progress and the 0% progress with Animal Welfare.
Mr. Gardiner said the number for animal welfare should have been 100%. For the tutoring program, there have been challenges getting the number of enrollees they were hoping for. They are trying to offer incentives to get people to enroll. Students have a lot of web-based tutoring options in public schools, while private school students do not. We may be competing with offerings in the public school spqce.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
24-CR-02: A Charter Resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park To
Amend Article IV “Voting and Elections,” §C4-2, “Registration of Voters” to allow for Vote 16 – Stephanie Anderson, City Attorney and Yvette Allen, City Clerk
Ms. Anderson introduced this item and said this charter would lower the voting age from 18 to 16 for local elections in the City of College Park. She said State law allows municipalities to lower the voting age. Other local jurisdictions including Hyattsville, Riverdale Park, Mount Rainier, Takoma Park, and Greenbelt have successfully adopted similar changes with varying degrees of voter participation among 16–17-year-olds.
David Dorsch, resident – he is against this, it is monkey see, monkey do. You want people to vote for who know the issues and can vote on them.
Mr. Biffil, non -resident – he does not vote in the city although he owns property. There are issues when you let non-taxpayer residents run things. Only resident taxpayers should have a vote.
Michael Lynch, non-resident – had the opportunity to vote at 16 in Riverdale Park. He did the responsible thing. Voting encouraged him to get more involved and learn more. He will not regret the decision to vote. At 17 he served as an election judge. 16- and 17-year-olds are active in the community, they serve in their communities. They show they are mature enough and engaged enough. By allowing them to vote, we encourage them to become the citizens we want them to be.
Nora Eidelman, resident – it is positive thing to allow students the opportunity to vote at an earlier age. Youth are normally the ones to bring change. Low-income people do not pay taxes, imagine not allowing them to vote. This is a great way to tell young people that they count, and to show them respect.
Anya Kleinman, non-resident- high school junior and president of Vote 16. She wants to be a strong advocate for voting rights. In Maryland, you can drive a car, get married and work at 16. According to a study from NIH, at the age of sixteen individuals have the cognitive skills needed to make decisions. Lowering the voting age helps to increase voter engagement year after year. It would allow College Park the opportunity to develop and engage young residents in a meaningful way.
Vanessa Lee, non-resident – 17-year-old who is part of Vote 16. Too often young people are overlooked, but introducing voting at 16 helps to develop long life habits. We encourage earlier civic involvement. Seven cities have extended the voting age to younger citizens. It ensures that local politics reflect all voices.
Oscar Gregory, non-resident – opposes the idea of allowing those under the legal age of eighteen to vote. One could argue that those who are the legal age may not understand. We must get our constituents to vote. Adding more does not do that.
Ari Franco, non-resident – Youth engagement organizer. There is a belief that starting civic engagement at 18 is too late. College Park can support its youth by allowing 16-year-olds to vote in local elections. The movement is a global shift toward lowering the voting age. He requested a friendly amendment to the proposed charge asking that the City distribute materials to ensure those impacted are notified of their new rights, either through regular election mailing or sent separately
Alyssa, resident – strongly encouraged support of the resolution. College Park could join other municipalities leading this movement. There can be an increase in turnout. Thankful to see the city consider this idea.
LaJuan Allen, non-resident – Director of Vote 16. He urged the council to support the charter amendments. When 16-year-olds vote, turn out of those who are eighteen and over increases. The earlier we get people to vote, the more we create civically minded individuals. 16–17-year-olds can drive a car and work, so they do pay taxes. It would be wrong to shut them out of this process.
SGA liaison Otte – Would like to see data from other municipalities to understand the numbers of 16-year-olds that vote.
Mayor Kabir stressed that those who would like to forward their thoughts and opinions on the matter still have an opportunity to do so.
Councilmember Hernandez asked if tonight’s delay would cause concern with the upcoming election. Yvette asked that we vote on this as soon as we have our new councilmember seated.
25-CR-01: Charter Resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park, to
Amend Article III, “Mayor and Council,” § C3-6, “Vacancies”, Section B (1) – Stephanie
Anderson, City Attorney and Yvette Allen, City Clerk
Ms. Anderson introduced the item and said the city’s current charter requires that the city automatically have a special election if the vacancy occurs more than 180 days before the next election. The resolution would amend how a Council vacancy can be filled.If the vacancy occurs within 365/366 days of, but no later than 60 days before the next general election, the vacancy can be filled by appointment of the Mayor and Council by a majority vote within 30 days after the vacancy or by a Special Election not later than 65 days after the vacancy occurs. The decision on how to fill the vacancy must be by majority vote of the Mayor and Council. If any vacancy is not filled as state in §C3-6, the position shall remain vacant until the next general election.
Councilmember Mackie had questions about the motion and said she did not see the language regarding appointments. She tabled her question until the council votes on the matter.
David Dorsch, resident – does not see a reason to change it. We need to get someone in the seat as fast as we can. We should have the election as soon as possible.
Brian Roan, resident – spoke out in opposition of the amendment. It does not live up to the spirit of democracy. He said the council often speaks out about residents not voting and he believes people do not feel heard. An appointment in this city where voting turnout is so low is a coronation.
ACTION ITEMS:
25-G-18 – Mr. Rigg made a motion to suspend the rules to add to the Action Items writing a letter of support for the Coalition to Support Prince George’s County Fire and EMS, seconded by Councilmember Hernandez.
David Dorsch, resident – supports this decision.
Brian Roan, resident – supports this decision.
Councilmember Rigg mentioned the groundswell of support.
Councilmember Hernandez – referred to his previous comments on the matter.
The Motion passed unanimously, and Councilmember Mackie asked that we inform Mr. Leggin about the letter as soon as possible.
25-G-16 Approval of a grant request for the rehabilitation of the Monarch
Preschool Playground Equipment, Michael Williams, Economic Development Manager
Mr. Williams presented the item along with Ms. Taylor, Ms. Herrara, and Ms. Miller of Monarch Preschool. Monarch Preschool submitted a grant request for the rehabilitation of the Monarch Preschool playground equipment. The application asserted that physical activities also play an important role in learning, physical and mental health, and fitness. New playground equipment will enhance students’ learning, social and physical abilities.
Currently, there are 50 families/students enrolled in the Monarch Preschool. Twenty-four of the enrollees live in the City of College Park. Monarch Preschool is requesting $50,000 for the replacement of playground equipment and construction.
Councilmember Esters acknowledged that 24 of the 50 enrollees live in College Park and asked about any incentives for children from College Park. Ms. Taylor said they are working to increase capacity for those within the College Park community.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked about the qualities related to accreditation. Ms. Taylor said the preschool is currently Excel level 4 hoping to be Excel level 5. She said they do not have a high turnover rate among employees. She said they are working with employees to complete their degrees and have a job at Monarch when they are done. Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said it takes a lot to have four staff members be part of a cohort. Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked about IEPs and how they prepare for accreditation. Ms. Taylor said there is an outside learning requirement for accreditation.
Councilmember Esters asked that a definition of IEP be provided for the purpose of those listening to the discussion. Ms. Taylor said the IEP is an individualized education plan for students with disabilities.
Councilmember Hernandez said he had been working with Monarch prior to being elected. He mentioned the formation of the Childcare taskforce and asked for a breakdown of the population. Ms. Taylor said the breakdown is 60% Latino, 30% African American and 10% other. Councilmember Hernandez asked about how long caution tape has been situated around the play area. Ms. Taylor said the tape has been up since 2001. (Councilmember Esters later asked for clarification – the tape has been up since 2021)
Councilmember Rigg asked if the playground will be available to the community when it is not being used by children. Ms. Taylor said it would be available for community use when not being used by Monarch students. Councilmember Rigg asked if Monarch would be willing to memorialize the city’s contribution to the playground. Ms. Taylor said they would be willing to do so.
Councilmember Hernandez said the Council often speaks about the city’s contributions to businesses as it relates to these grants, but he stressed this grant would serve as a contribution to the community.
The Motion passed unanimously.
WORKSESSION DISCUSSIONS
Establishing an Affordable Housing Task Force – Miriam Bader, Director of Planning
Ms. Bader introduced this matter and said the discussion around an affordable housing study began in 2021 with a request to review Hyattsville’s Affordable Housing strategy and develop recommendations regarding whether we might do something similar in College Park. During recent discussions regarding the pilot rental subsidy program (April 16,2024), Councilmember Esters made a motion to create an affordable housing task force as part of the housing subsidy, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell. The motion was split from the housing subsidy discussion by Councilmember Whitney and Councilmember Adams and passed unanimously to create a housing task force, to include key stakeholders, that will: Research and share data regarding the housing needs in the City of College Park; Develop a Definition of Affordable Housing; Outline the parameters of a sustainable program that will be open to all residents who meet specified criteria.
Ms. Bader asked Council for input about the committee and its composition.
Councilmember Esters thanked staff for their work to move this forward and mentioned the national and regional housing crisis. She mentioned the issues for residents who are not able to age in place and the need for housing that is affordable, not necessarily subsidized housing. She emphasized the need for missing middle housing and mentioned a recent presentation by a county representative on the matter.
Councilmember Whitney asked that we add a line to the charge about identifying any conditions that introduce barriers to affordable housing, such as local landlords using RealPage, and Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked that the task force be asked to define “affordable and attainable housing”.
Janeen Miller, liaison to the Age-Friendly Livable Community committee, said the city has a committee that has been working on an age-friendly action plan. As a work group, they are working on a plan and different strategies to enable aging in place, including an intergenerational housing match program. The home seekers could be graduate students. The work group recently met with the University of Maryland Office of Community Engagement.
Councilmember Mackie wants to see senior housing but also housing for those with disabilities. She mentioned housing for seniors who are University of Maryland alumni.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said we should consider having housing experts on the committee.
Councilmember Esters said we should consider a committee structure like the Child Care Task force, where there is representation from each district and experts are invited to give input. She said affordable housing should be available for everyone, but also mentioned young professionals, many of whom will be graduating from University of Maryland. She also said that affordable housing should be found throughout the city and not concentrated in any one area.
Councilmember Hew said that we should consider requiring all new developments in the city to have a percentage of affordable housing.
Councilmember Hernandez mentioned a need to focus on future-proofing homes. Ms. Miller mentioned the funds provided by the city through partnership with Habitat for Humanity for retrofitting to allow seniors to age in place.
Councilmember Whitney said she heard an older resident in a large house who wondered if there could be a house swap program available in the city. She suggested two members from each district and one student.
Ms. Bader asked council if there should be representation from the Age-Friendly work group and all agreed. Based upon the discussion, Ms. Bader confirmed ten voting members on the committee, this would include two people from each district, one student and one from the Age-Friendly Livable Community workgroup.
State Legislation Update – Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager
Mr. Gardiner gave a brief overview of the bills we are monitoring in the State legislative session and mentioned the return of the Bottle bill we supported last year, and a Bike/Pedestrian bill that would prohibit stopping or driving in a bike lane.
Councilmember Esters asked for the council to have more information about the Protecting Locations Act, the Maryland Data Privacy Act, and a bill asking to End 287g Agreements Legislation (this bill seeks to stop local police from acting as ICE (Immigration Customs Enforcement) agents.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked about Eric’s Law and about County bills that might impact us.
City Manager Young said there was one county bill, CB-2-2025, which is a county bill prohibiting boat parking introduced by Councilmember Olson. It conflicts with current provisions that we use a lot in Calvert Hills. He has asked our consultant, Mr. Perez, and his staff to work with Councilmember Olson to make sure the county bill is in alignment so we don’t lose our current process.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said the county also has a bill about vacant property that we should ensure aligns with our purposes.
REQUESTS FOR / STATUS OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked to verify if a discussion about the annexation bill is coming next week. Mr. Young said it probably won’t be on next week’s agenda. He said some things happened in Annapolis this past weekend that helped us, but we’d have to move fairly quickly if it was something Council wanted to consider.
COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON OR CITY MANAGER
Councilmember Rigg said there were many comments about voting tonight. Asked people to give great thought to Vote 16. We have an opportunity to engage young residents in a substantial way.
Councilmember Mackie said the District 4 listening session was successful and thanked Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell for facilitating.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell thanked Councilmember Rigg for his comments and will think about it Vote 16 a bit more. She mentioned the start of Black history month and recognized College Park as an inclusive city.
Councilmember Esters acknowledged comments from Councilmember Rigg and Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell. She recognized the challenging times many may be growing through and encouraged everyone to take care of themselves. She reminded residents of the city’s recent message that provided resources for mental health and immigration issues.
Councilmember Hew mentioned EV charging stations. He said the Citizens Police Academy is coming up and asked residents and councilmembers to consider signing up. He said the academy provides information about how and why police respond the way they do.
Councilmember Hernandez told residents to take care of themselves. He said there is certainty in the municipality and that representatives will respond to you. He said he wanted to celebrate the small wins and mentioned the median that will be built on Cherry Hill Road.
Mr. Young – will be participate in the citizens police academy for University of Maryland for the next six weeks.
MEETING ADJOURNED
CLOSED SESSION
Pursuant to the statutory authority of the Maryland Annotated Code, General Provisions Article § 3- 305(b), the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park are providing notice that they will meet in a Closed Session after the meeting to: Conduct collective bargaining negotiations or consider matters that relate to the negotiations. The Council will not return to public session.
Click here to see the full agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on February 11. Tune in, show up or share your thoughts/concerns about the following anticipated Consent Agenda and Action Items, and Workshop discussions proposed to be on the agenda that may interest District 2 residents. Please contact us as soon as possible if you need accommodations to participate in a meeting, including language translation:
Action Items
Approval of letter to recommend liquor licenses issued within the City of College Park be renewed
Appointment of Child Care Task Force Committee Members
Worksession Discussions
Discussion and action of the November 2025 Election
Legislative Review
The College Park District 2 Digest 