[RP TownTalk] EYA in Hyattsville

[Jonathan W. Ebbeler]

Keep in mind that historically the land itself was previously developed and
had a mix of uses over the last 150 years:  private mansion for the Calvert
family, farm, school for boys, multi-family housing for 1000+ etc.  The
subject property is greyfield not greenfield land.  Additionally, approval
or disapproval of the rezoning did not rest upon Whole Foods.  
 
The Cafritz Property is privately held, not owned by the town, county, or
state.  As a matter of law the owners always had the right to cut down the
trees, grade the property etc. (assuming compliance with stormwater
management, canopy preservation requirements etc. that they will also be
subject to under the new zoning) regardless of the rezoning request.  The
land was always going to be cleared regardless of what type of development
was pursued [R-55 (residential) or M-U-TC (mixed use)zoning].  
 
The land owner has had every legal right for decades to fence off their
property precluding pedestrians from trespassing.  If this had been done the
trolley trail would dead-end around Tuckerman Street.
 
 
 
 
 
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RE Big Bad Woof and Yes Market; aside from the fact that these stores don't
take up as much physical space as the Whole Foods, one of the big
differences as far as I'm concerned is that these and the other stores in
that area were built on property that had businesses in the past, a lovely
wooded area wasn't decimated to build those stores.  Just my humble opinion,
but I find it more than a bit ironic that Whole Foods, which supposedly
prides itself on caring for the environment, being "natural," and all that,
will be built after yet another of our green areas is torn down.  I mean, if
people want a Whole Foods so badly, that's fine; however, I can't believe
that there's NO other property available anywhere on Route 1 or the general
area which has already been cleared and where the store could be built.
 
 

 

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