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<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2>Some have warned that the Dumm's Corner
development would dramatically alter the nature of our town. A look at
Riverdale's history and my own experience, although not exactly the same
as the current project, may shed some light on this view.</FONT></DIV>
<P><FONT size=2>I hope the following will prompt you to consider two
things: the long-term value of holding developers to the current zoning and the
potential affect on the surrounding neighborhood over the next 20 or more
years.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Here are two relevant paragraphs from <U>The Riverdale Story:
Mansion to Municipality</U> by the Riverdale 75th Anniversary Book
Committee:</FONT></P>
<P><I><FONT size=2>"Between 1959 and 1962, the mayor and council made zoning
decisions that dramatically changed the character of Riverdale between the
Northeast Branch and Kenilworth Avenue south of Riverdale Road. One application
after another was presented seeking to rezone parcels of land from single-family
to multifamily (apartment) use. The applications were approved by town
officials, and dozens of Victorian houses were demolished to make way for
garden-type, mid-rise and high-rise apartment buildings. When the new buildings
were completed in 1964 and 1965, about 846 housing units were added to the
town's inventory of residential property.</FONT></P></I>
<P><I><FONT size=2>The successful experience by developers in making such a
massive change to land use in the eastern part of the town led to an effort to
rezone property west of the Northeast Branch on Taylor Road in 1965. In this
instance, residents around the proposed site of the rezoning application learned
that <B>the first few applications that succeed create a domino effect, and the
remaining owners sell their properties easily once they know a multistoried
building and heavy traffic are coming to their neighborhood. </B>[Emphasis mine]
Armed with this knowledge, residents appearing before the Prince George's Board
of Commissioners aggressively opposed the first application. Residents
argued that approval of this first site would be spot zoning, allowing a
multifamily zone in the midst of single-family zone. The application failed. One
similar application was filed for Riverdale Road; it also failed."
</FONT></P></I>
<P><FONT size=2>My Own Story</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>I was six years old when I walked alone from Riverdale
Elementary School along Riverdale Road, across the bridge, down quiet,
stately 54th Avenue to my home on Spring Lane. That was in 1955. 54th
Avenue is anything but quiet and stately today. A dense,
transient, population requires frequent visits from our police. Reports of
stolen vehicles, assaults, burglary and rape are not unusual.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>I remember the year my mother made me an elephant costume for
Halloween. She walked along the street with me, my sister and friends, but we
had to go to the doors by ourselves. I was terribly afraid to go to the
houses along 54th Avenue. They were huge compared to our small brick home, they
were set far back from the street, and had wide side yards; the houses looked
old and dark and scary; it was nighttime. I declined the chance for free
candy; I was convinced the numerous historic Victorian homes were
haunted. (Considering what developed over time along that street, maybe they
were haunted.)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>My family moved from Riverdale in 1956. I did not return to my
old neighborhood until I was in high school. In 1968 my high school sweetheart
lived with his family in one of the new garden-style apartments at the
south end of 54th Avenue. Talk about modern luxury! This complex
had a heated indoor pool (a big deal in 1968)! </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>I imagine some of the same points brought up about the
Dumm's Corner project were brought up when the projects on 54th Avenue were
in the application stages: modern, state of the art design, good quality,
currently popular housing, increased tax revenue, and customers for the
Kenilworth Avenue businesses.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>The heated indoor pool, the last I saw of it, had been closed
for a decade, deteriorated beyond repair. The complex was old, run-down, and low
rent. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>If only we knew then what we know now, would we have allowed
them to build those apartment buildings?</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>This area is so hot for development that I don't think we need
to wave our zoning standards to get high-quality conforming development the way
we want it, at a good profit for the owner of Dumm's Corner and to fill Town
Center.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Judy Glaes</FONT></P>
<DIV></FONT><FONT size=2>P.S. When I was ready to buy my first house, in
1983, I came back to Riverdale Park due to the warm friendly feel of
my childhood neighborhood. I have that feeling here in the western part of
Riverdale.</FONT></DIV>
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