[RP TownTalk] Wachovia and the Field of Rubble

[Alan K. Thompson]

My most recent memory (and I have missed several council meetings this year,
so this may be out of date) is that Potomac Development / Caputo did not
sign the MOU with the time-out approval of the building, so there is not,
now, a time-out in effect.  Of course, if it's not signed, then there is no
MOU to allow development....

There is a long, long history behind the approval of this development.  The
original development plan, approved by the council near the turn of the
millenium (if not before), had an Eckerd drug store.  The Wachovia plan was
a big improvement over that plan, but still did not meet many M-U-TC zoning
requirements (the M-U-TC zoning guidelines were approved *after* the
original Eckerd plan was approved).  The previous council gave approval to
that development plan, and the current council, in their first meeting as a
council (again, my memory -- there is only a cryptic motion at the end of
the minutes from that council meeting that might be the motion I remember,
and that doesn't even say what the result of the vote was) felt obligated to
support the prior council's decision.

If the current MOU offer expires (this would have to be an "effective"
expiration --  I think the current one gives a number of months from when
it's signed, not from when the council made the offer)  then the council
would have a wide array of options to choose from in dealing with Potomac
Development.  If in fact there is no MOU in effect, the council could
retract their offer at any time.

Alan

P.S.  The M-U-TC zoning guidelines can be read at
http://www.mncppc.org/cpd/riverdaleplan.htm if you're interested.

On Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 9:40 PM, Heather Blanchard <
heather.blanchard at mac.com> wrote:

> When exactly is the date  of the time out clause? What needs to happen?
>
> This development is not the right kind of development for RP. If Caputo is
> looking to building something, why can't we -- as a community -- tell him
> what we want to see there? Why are we letting developers just offer up
> development that isn't right for the area? ESPECIALLY, since that piece of
> property is one of the most valuable and visible that this town has.
>
> If there is any redress on this development, it would be great to know.
> Maybe we need to rethink how a development like this can get through the
> council with a, "well...okay..."
>
> Just think about Hyattsville - they stuck to their guns and are
> experiencing PLANNED, gradual, steady and hopefully sustainable development.
> There might be lesson's learned from our sister communities as we go down
> the road of development.
>
> Heather
>
>
>
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