County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (@CEXAlsobrooks) tweeted at 8:09 PM on Mon, Jan 10, 2022:
We’re excited to announce that we will begin distributing 25,000 at-home rapid COVID-19 test kits each week through libraries & community centers, beginning this Wednesday January 12. Test kits are free and residents must show proof of County residency when picking up a test kit.  

All Statements below are from District 2 Councilmembers Llatetra Brown Esters and Susan Whitney and are not approved or sanctioned by the City of College Park.

Briefing by M-NCPPC on the Preliminary Adelphi Road Sector Plan and Proposed Sectional Map Amendment (SMA) and review of staff comments 

• This topic took a majority of the work session meeting time. 
• In addition to the presenters, Scott Rowe, Supervisor of Long-Range Planning for M-NCPPC, was also present.
• Shubha Punase, Project Manager, and Michael Calomese, Deputy Project Manager provided an overview of the proposed project. According to the presenters, the vision is to develop the area, which includes 102 acres of unincorporated land and will include a stop along the Purple Line, into a “gateway to the University of Maryland” that is welcoming, accessible, and sustainable. As written, the plan indicates an interest in various goals, including: 
  • The development of high-density, mixed-use housing that is affordable to students, employees, and seniors.
  • The expansion of the roadway networks, and creation of a multi-modal transportation system that incorporates improvements for bicycles and pedestrians. 
  • The preservation of natural resources, the expansion of open space networks and providing parks and recreational facilities
  • The reduction of urban heat island effect, thermal heat impacts on streams and storm water runoff by preserving the existing tree canopy and increase shade and tree canopy over impervious surfaces. 
• Planning staff recognized the merits associated with the goals of the plan but acknowledge some concerns:
  • Lack of alignment between Sector Plan and Prince George’s County 2035 Plan.
  • Lot 1 should have been considered for inclusion in the Sector Plan boundary. 
  • The plan needs to both identify the location and carefully consider conservation of Guilford Woods.
  • High-density development should be considered for Campus Drive.
  • Plan 2035 calls for low to medium density development for areas designated as campus centers, like the proposed area.
  • The plan was weak on the demand for student housing.
  • The need for development around the College Park Metro area

Staff have made various recommendations to improve upon the Adelphi Road Sector Plan. College Park Director of the Department of Planning & Community Development Terry Schum will prepare a letter that details the City’s response. Itwill be submitted prior to the February 2^nd deadline, pending Council approval.

• Members of the Council also recognized the merits associated with the goals of the plan including accessibility and walkability, however they discussed the preservation of Guilford Woods, stormwater management that will be negatively impacted by the development of Guilford Woods, and the consideration of development on impervious surfaces such as Lot 1. Concerns were also raised over inadequate capacity of public schools in the area to accommodate additional students.
• A Public Hearing with the District Council and the Planning Board will be held on January 18th. You may view meetings by selecting the “In Progress” link next to the meeting on the Council’s live streaming page: https://pgccouncil.us/LIVE. If you wish to speak publicly at the meeting, doing so requires two levels of registration. Here are Prince George’s County Council’s instructions for speaking at a meeting: https://pgccouncil.us/DocumentCenter/View/5288/Registering-to-Speak-at-an-Upcoming-Meeting. 
• All public comments on the Adelphi Road Sector Plan are due by close of business on Wednesday, February 2, 2022.
• Written testimony or comments may be emailed to clerkofthecouncil@co.pg.md.us or faxed to 301-952-5178. Physical letters sent through the mail will not be accepted.
• For more details visit https://www.mncppc.org/4947/Adelphi-Road-UMGC-UMD-Purple-Line-Statio
• The City Council will most likely vote during its work session on February 1^st on whether to approve or amend the letter the City Planning Department has prepared in response to the Sector Plan

Discussion and selection of City Representatives on Council of Unit Owners and Board of Directors for One College Park Condominium (new city hall)

Governance of the new city hall will be executed through a Council of Unit Owners, with each unit owner having one vote on the Council. The overall number of votes is determined by the number of units owned. The City of College Park will have three (3) votes, the University of Maryland will have two (2) votes and the Terrapin Development Corporation will have one (1) vote. 

The Council of Unit Owners appoints a Board of Directors to administer general operations. There will be a total of six members, three (3) of which will be appointed by the city. Members of the Board will serve for three years. The City Manager proposes that the city’s representatives for both the Council of Owners and the Board of Directors be the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, and the Finance Director. This item will be placed on the Consent Agenda for the January 11 Council Meeting. 

 Authority to send funds to One College Park Condominium c/o Lincoln Property Management 

The Council of Unit Owners will assume the governance of the One College Park Condominium once it is established. In the meantime, operating costs for the building are accruing. There is a request to authorize the property manager to pay operating costs from a bonded account to be funded by the City and UMD. This item will be placed on the Consent Agenda for the January 11 Council Meeting. 

Discuss with the City’s lobbyists potential City Legislative priorities to pursue during the 2022 General Assembly session and at the County level

The City recently contracted with L.A. Perez Consulting to assist the City in working and communicating at the County level, and Tony Perez and Therese Hessler joined to hear the Mayor and Council’s priorities. Len Lucchi and Stephanie Anderson of O’Malley Miles Nylen & Gilmore serve as the City lobbyists on State issues. At the State level, Lucchi and Anderson mentioned Redistricting as the first order of business. Lucchi indicated that there will be a focus on the “three C’s” during this session – Cannabis, Climate and COVID. The Mayor and Councilmembers mentioned areas of interest including funding for infrastructure; stormwater management; affordable housing; funding for the M-NCPPC pedestrian bridge over the Northeast Branch by the Calvert Road Park; M-NCPPC funding for a small community center in North College Park; acquiring land-use authority from the County; additional funding for Attick Towers; improvements in childhood education; and support for local charitable organizations.

Discussion of Council Advance 

The City Manager has tentatively scheduled an orientation for the Mayor and Council on January 22 from 9am -3pm. Our new City Manager refers to this meeting as an “advance” because it is forward thinking! The meeting will include an overview of the Council-Manager Form of Government, Public Information and Open Meetings Act requirements, a discussion on the budget development process, and a review of the Mayor and Council’s Rules and Procedures. 

Review and discussion of Mayor and Council’s Rules and Procedures

Mayor and Council review the rules and procedures on a biennial basis. Proposed revisions include the addition of criteria for remote participation in Council meetings and public hearing requirements for Charter Amendment Resolutions. Additional areas for discussion of the rules and procedure may focus on scheduled breaks during meetings, community forums held by elected officials, and the current procedure for adding items to the Future Agenda listing. 

Final approval of changes will be in February during a regular meeting to allow for public comment. 

Discussion of COG Assignments

Each year, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) asks the City to make appointments to their board and policy committees. These committees include:

COG Board of Directors

Transportation Planning Board

Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee

Region Forward Coalition

Human Services Policy Committee

Climate, Energy, Environment Policy Committee

Chesapeake Bay Policy Committee

Food and Agriculture Regional Member Policy Committee

Council members discussed their interests and were assigned to respective committees to serve as primary or alternates. 

To view the recording of the Council meeting held on January 4, 2022 or to view previous Council meetings click here.  The next City Council meeting is on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 7:30 pm. Due to the upward trend of Covid-19 cases in the region, it will be virtual. Click here for information on how to join. You can review the agenda here.