[RP TownTalk] Cafritz/Whole Foods Application

[Jonathan W. Ebbeler]

Friends/Neighbors -

 

I just wanted to write a short post to remind everyone in town to PLEASE
make your voice heard (for or against) with the Planning Board.  You have
until tomorrow (Jan 20th) to email your thoughts and make your voice heard.
I would ask all residents to take 5 minutes to draft a short note so that
your thoughts are in the public record.  The ultimate re-zoning decision
will be made by the County Council (sitting as the District Council) based
only on what is part of the public record.  Your emails count and have
enormous weight.

 

For those of you that do not know, beyond the normal work session and
legislative meetings a super committee formed with representatives of
Riverdale Park, University Park, and College Park met for a series of 12
meetings with the developer.  At the conclusion of those meetings all three
towns were able to come to a series of Consensus Conditions that although
College Park voted ultimately not to support, Riverdale Park and University
Park was joined by Hyattsville in supporting the application.  To highlight
the result of the negotiations the following came out of the negotiations:

 

-Traffic is mitigated through legally enforceable new trip caps of 548 AM
and 902 PM.  This equates to a maximum of 10,150.

-Traffic is further mitigated through the creation of a shuttle running to
Prince George's Plaza and College Park Metro Stations

-Public safety vehicles will have access to the site through a Rhode Island
Connection

-At full build out 80% of parking will be in structured parking decks rather
than in parking lots

-Traffic is further mitigated by a mandatory bridge that is required to be
built over the CSX tracks 

                -The site cannot be touched (no trees cut down, no soil
moved) until the development team obtains letters of approval with CSX and
UMD and the funding is in place

                -No use or occupancy permits (i.e. no one can move into a
residence or a business open up) are granted for up to 100,000 sq. ft of
retail and 120 townhomes until the bridge is at least 50% constructed

                -The developer will contribute 50% up to $5mil towards the
construction of the bridge (developer estimates 7.5-8.6; PG County DPWT
estimates 9-10.6mil) with the rest to be financed through Tax Increment
Financing (a TIF uses future tax revenue generated within the borders of the
development to pay for current capital improvements - i.e. the current
Riverdale Park tax base WILL NOT be used to finance this project, ONLY tax
revenue directly attributable to the new commercial and residential
development within the borders of this project)

-A Trolley Trail connection will connect the portion owned by MNCPPC to the
south, connecting to the College Park Trolley Trail to the north

-10% canopy coverage requirement will be met by preserving mature woodland
specimen trees 

-LEED certification for the development

 

The Riverdale Park Town Council voted 5-0 to support the application.
Please take a moment to write a note to Susan Lareuse (the staff planner)
and Betty Hewlett (chair of the PG Planning Board) to ensure that your voice
is heard.  While I did vote yes and do personally support the application, I
encourage those of you that disagree with the Council's position to also
write an email.  It is important in every democracy to give equal weight to
both sides of the discussion and let the facts decide the outcome.  I
believe the facts support our vote, but do recognize that there are those of
you that disagree with me on that opinion. I would be happy to discuss the
reasons why ultimately we concluded this project was supportable.

 

Please be sure to address the following email addresses when sending out a
note:

Susan.lareuse at ppd.mncppc.org  

ehewlett at co.pg.md.us

 <mailto:publicaffairs at ppd.mncppc.org> publicaffairs at ppd.mncppc.org

 

Democracy works best when everyone participates!

 

Best,

Jonathan

 

 

Jonathan. W. Ebbeler | Councilman - Ward One

Town of Riverdale Park

4711 Oliver Street

 

 

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