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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Friends/Neighbors –<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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 20<sup>th</sup>) 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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>-Traffic is mitigated through legally enforceable new trip caps of 548 AM and 902 PM. This equates to a maximum of 10,150.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>-Traffic is further mitigated through the creation of a shuttle running to Prince George’s Plaza and College Park Metro Stations<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>-Public safety vehicles will have access to the site through a Rhode Island Connection<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>-At full build out 80% of parking will be in structured parking decks rather than in parking lots<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>-Traffic is further mitigated by a mandatory bridge that is required to be built over the CSX tracks <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> -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<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> -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<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> -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)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>-A Trolley Trail connection will connect the portion owned by MNCPPC to the south, connecting to the College Park Trolley Trail to the north<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>-10% canopy coverage requirement will be met by preserving mature woodland specimen trees <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>-LEED certification for the development<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please be sure to address the following email addresses when sending out a note:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:Susan.lareuse@ppd.mncppc.org" target="_blank">Susan.lareuse@ppd.mncppc.org</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:ehewlett@co.pg.md.us" target="_blank">ehewlett@co.pg.md.us</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'><a href="mailto:publicaffairs@ppd.mncppc.org" target="_blank"><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155CC'>publicaffairs@ppd.mncppc.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'>Democracy works best when everyone participates!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'>Best,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'>Jonathan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'>Jonathan. W. Ebbeler | Councilman – Ward One<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'>Town of Riverdale Park</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'>4711 Oliver Street<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>