Rethink College Park

**REMINDER** College Park US 1 Corridor Sector Plan community meeting:       Wednesday 7-9pm @ Lakeland/College Park Community Center [5051 Pierce Ave]

The updated Sector Plan, once initiated, will be a PG County Planning document containing legal stipulations and overall vision for development of properties within its boundaries.  There is currently in place, an older version of the Sector Plan.  It is thought to have problems since it has been around for a while and the Rt.1 mixed-use development it envisioned has not been realized.  A property’s ultimate inclusion in the Sector Plan will ensure its rezoning and development [both if any] conform to  specifications and vision of the Plan.

The updated Sector Plan is still in its planning stage.  Wednesday’s meeting is part of a public process where updates to the Plan will be discussed.  A public design charrette [interactive community workshop] will be held in December for the same purpose.  More information about the Sector Plan @:

• RTCP Library page on Rt.1 Corridor Sector Plan [RTCP library can always be found on the right-hand column of the blog under "About This Site"]

• M-NCPPC page on the Sector Plan

M-NCPPC proposed to amend to the updated Sector Plan, properties in two separate swaths north and south of the current Sector.  The northern swath includes parts of the Ikea, Hollywood, and Cherry Hill Rd. neighborhoods.

The southern swath includes Rt.1-fronting properties between Guilford Rd. and East-West Hwy. (including Cafritz Property).  College Park and University Park both oppose this addition.  County Councilman Eric Olson is planning to not include the southern swath in October when time comes for him to motion initiation of the Sector Plan amendment to voting by County Council.  Once he does that, no one can make a backdoor effort to re-include the controversial properties.

The Sector Plan will also be discussed at a tentative M-NCPPC Planning Board meeting October 2nd, and at a tentative County Council public hearing (where Sector Plan update/amendment is initiated) October 21st.

The fifth Cafritz Property meetings will be held this SATURDAY (Sept. 15, 10am-noon) and TUESDAY (Sept. 18, 7pm-9pm) at RIVERDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (5006 Riverdale Rd, Riverdale MD).

Both identical workshops will present a concept plan for the mixed use development. The concept plans are to be based on design principles culled from previous workshops. There will be a new format without the familiar topic stations: A 20 minute presentation will precede a slated hour for open discussion.

See our previous posts on the Cafritz Property.

In this article we draw attention back to a concern aired in a previous post. Many citizens have spoken up for the Cafritz’s to keep their property undeveloped, or to not pursue changing existing zoning to accommodate mixed use. Up to the second (previous) round of meetings at the end of June, the development team had not adequately addressed these concerns to the public at large. However at the latest meetings those concerns were addressed head-on by the development team.

The Cafritz’s acknowledged that not everyone in the community supports development that is mixed-use. In explaining their choice for mixed-use over other development styles, they claim that they have received more positive than negative support for their mixed-use project. They purport that their development will abate an under-served market.

To demonstrate that the Riverdale and surrounding area market is under-served, the development team cited these comparative statistics from the Washington Post: In DC there are 24 square feet of retail space per capita, and one grocer per 9,700 people. In Riverdale there are 15.8 square feet of retail space per capita and one grocer per 18,000 people. Riverdale’s figures are less than half the national average and are clearly deficient when compared to DC. Cafritz Property development would conceivably close that gap by some amount by serving the local market. All concerned parties will not be appeased by the Cafritz’s answer for mixed-use development. But we commend the developer nonetheless for stepping up and explaining their reasons this time around.

It is worthwhile to note that comparing the Riverdale area to DC and national market averages assumes that DC and the nation as a whole are efficiently served by their retail markets. For example, are DC’s 24 square feet of retail space per capita all truly necessary? Could better planning reduce that figure while maintaining or even improving DC’s consumer utility from its retail market? Such planning is necessary in today’s age of urban sprawl, abandoned strip malls, and vanishing green space.

Round three of Cafritz Property development public meetings took place last week where design principles were publicized. These principles will be used to draft concept plans. The completed concept plans will be presented in a fourth round of public meetings in September before the Cafritz’s apply for rezoning. Identical meetings for the concept plans will be SATURDAY, September 15th (10am-12pm), and TUESDAY, September 18th (7-9pm).

Here is a representative list of the design principles…

Transportation & Connections - No vehicle connection to Calvert Hills, but instead pedestrian and bike connection is possible. Connect to Riverdale Town Center with streets, paths and trails, and connect to the existing surrounding trail system overall. Buffer sidewalks with trees and lamp posts. Connect for cars, bikes, and/or pedestrians over the CSX tracks to River Road. Make a Rt.1 intersection with no University Park access to discourage cut-through traffic in UP.

Organize streets in a grid pattern with parallel parking. Implement “right-size” parking that at most meets but does not exceed zone requirements; get a variance for that if necessary.

Business & Retail - The retail broker on the development team reports that there are no negotiations between East Campus and Whole Foods. This further strengthens the possibility of the grocer being on the Cafritz Property. Images of short retail fronted by wide recreational and pedestrian areas were posted as representative of what the developer has in mind.

Placemaking - Locate tall buildings (4-8 stories) in the south-center of site, and stagger shorter buildings from there to the sides. Back parking garages against the post office buildings to the south to minimize their presence. Make a main public green on Rt. 1 that sets back about 156′ and retains natural topography and trees. Scatter other green areas throughout. Place public art throughout.

Livability - Make residential primarily home-owned rather than rented. Minimize single-story retail by building residential above ground-level retail.

Environment - A pilot LEED rating system called LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND) is being pursued. The pilot rating system integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism, and green building into the first national standard for neighborhood design. The Cafritz Property is not part of the pilot program but is pursuing LEED ND nonetheless with help from a consulting firm hired for that specific purpose.

The future of the WMATA site bordering the north of the property is still very up in the air. This is probably why the pedestrian/biker connection to Calvert Hills was only identified as a possibility at this point.

We are happy to report that the development team addressed their reasoning for mixed-use development over other possibilities. This was something that was not done in previous meetings, as discussed in a previous article. **Check back soon for a more in-depth discussion about this.**

The third meeting for the Cafritz Property was a summary of community input from the previous first two meetings that the developer found to be salient (as were reported in our previous Cafritz post). A large obvious chunk of public opinion that was not reported back at all was the interest of many citizens to keep the property undeveloped, or to not pursue changing existing zoning to accommodate mixed use. This is pragmatically to be expected of a developer pursuing mixed use in the first place. However it is disappointing that the Cafritz’s who boast of interest in community wishes did not note the expressed public interest in single-family residential in the wrap-up meeting and explain why this avenue is not being pursued.

When asked outright about single-family residential, the developer has always been quick to direct attention back to a purported great need and benefit for more mixed-use in the area. The benefit of mixed-used development could very well prove to be true. It would be satisfying to hear the exact reasons why the Cafritz Team appears to see more merit in mixed-use over single-family residential for current residents. The developer obviously has no intention of making a single-family residential development if they can get a zoning change.

It could be that pursuing a mixed-use ideal is meeting halfway those in the community who want only single-family homes. This post is largely intended to direct attention to a post on the Route 1 Growth blog. It discusses the pros and cons of the current direction of the Cafritz Property development, and its hypothetical alternatives.

June 14th saw the 3rd and final meeting of the initial round of Cafritz Property community workshops. The development team has publicized the following rough time line of further planning stages for development: 1) design principles 2) concept plan 3) file for rezoning. Public input from the completed initial round of meetings is now being synthesized by the development team into design principles, Step 1. These principles will be discussed and possibly amended based on public input in two identical meetings in July. Here are the tentative dates:

-THURSDAY, July 26TH (7-9pm) -SATURDAY, July 28th (10am-12pm)

The development team will then use finalized design principles to draft a concept plan, Step 2. That plan will be presented in two identical meetings in September. Here are the tentative dates:

-SATURDAY, September 15th (10am-12pm) -TUESDAY, September 18th (7-9pm)

*all meetings take place at Riverdale Elementary School (5006 Riverdale Road)

The final Step 3 will then be to apply for rezoning the property to allow for the mixed use development. If all goes well for the Cafritz’s, the earliest groundbreaking can be expected is fall 2009.

The Route 1 Growth blog has an insightful and valuable discussion on the pros & cons of re-zoning the site for dense mixed use versus developing single-family homes with the existing R-55 zoning. Route 1 Growth also has a list of important questions for the public to ponder in this development process. We highly encourage perusing these posts and their accompanying discussions. They are an invaluable resource for public involvement. The posts discuss (among other insightful things) the possibility that the development team already has multiple concept plans in part or whole, and is simply holding their series of public meetings to determine which will sit best with the public. Because development is a highly political process, this strategy would hypothetically gain the developer public support when it comes time for rezoning and other types of government approval.

Actual Cafritz Development planning strategy not withstanding, here is a synopsis of public input from meetings 1 and 2 of the first round of workshops that, in meeting 3, the development team reported to be salient. The development team will purportedly use this input to draft concept plans that did not exist before the June 14th meeting…

    Place-Making - Make a place for all ages that gives opportunities for informal socializing. Ensure housing that is compatible with surrounding communities. Minimize tall buildings (especially above tree line). Use case studies of places including Georgetown, Bethesda Row, Silver Spring, and Boulder, Colorado. Include recycling, child care, recreation, adult education, and senior facilities. Include volleyball courts, interactive sculpture gardens, a skate park, water features, and sidewalk dining.
    Livability - Make dense varied housing accommodating a mixed income market that follows a village concept. Ownership is preferred over rental. Arrange density in a bull’s eye design (increasing density toward development’s center). Provide senior housing and no student housing. Mitigate impact on local school enrollment.
    Open Spaces & Connections - Ensure open public community spaces that vary in size (not one outdoor mall). Make green spaces inter-connective with paths. Include flexible open space similar to the Astroturf in Silver Spring. Develop a continuation of the Rhode Island Ave. pedestrian/biker right-of-way path connecting the Calvert Hills neighborhood of College Park to Riverdale Town Center. Connect the development to surrounding trails in a way that enhances overall local trail system connectivity. Make an automobile connection to Riverdale Town Center.
    Transportation - Enact programs that bring pedestrians, not cars. Make “right-size” sustainable parking to minimize impact on surrounding neighborhoods that has minimal visual impact. Create alternate north/south routes to Rt. 1 to minimize cut-through traffic in surrounding neighborhoods. Make an east/west connection over the CSX tracks to River Road. Make a clearer articulation of streets, curbs and sidewalks with more and safer Rt. 1 crossings.
    Environmental Sustainability - Maintain an overall green quality with retail adhering to LEED standards. Retain as many mature trees as possible, especially in buffer areas. Employ native species, incorporate wildlife habitats, make community gardens. Contact the county about storm drainage and other off-site issues.
    Culture & Community - Integrate the arts with the overall mixed-use and village concept in a way that is connective to the Hyattsville Arts District. Do not duplicate East Campus amenities. Include permanent gallery space, mixed use community meeting space, and a combined food/music venue that are all designed for the larger community.
    Business & Retail - Integrate open-air business and retail in ways that support pedestrian activity and help revitalize Riverdale Town Center. Encourage craft markets and local ethnic restaurants and business. Limit national chains and big box stores.

We hope that the development team will make a good faith effort to incorporate as much of this public input as possible into fresh concept plans.

–> Another article on the Purple Line in the Washinton Post: “More Stations, Bigger Welcome for Purple Line Plans” - It’s a much needed PG county counterpoint to a less than enthusiastic Montgomery County-centric article about the potential for more stops.

–> Cafritz Meeting tonight, 7PM @ Riverdale Elementary School

Saturday afternoon saw fruitful initial community input for planning of the potentially large development project at the Cafritz Property (interactive map). A healthy attendance was present along with a violinist and a caricature artist for entertainment. The workshop itself had the vibrant community feel that Cafritz Family hopes to create in its development.

**PLEASE NOTE, a second identical workshop is to be this Thursday, tell your neighbors!**

No plans for the site have been submitted yet and therefore the public is open to make any suggestions it pleases without disrupting predetermined designs/plans. This is a critical chance for the public to voice comments, questions, and concerns in person to a very receptive developer. We reiterate a statement by County Councilman Eric Olson: “Rarely do I find a developer who is so willing to engage the public before a complete plan is in hand… [I] want to acknowledge what I see as a true commitment to the community from [the Cafritz Family].”

The workshop was organized into nine workstations where respective members of the development resource team were available to interact with attendees. Each workstation represented a different development issue. The issues were placemaking, livability, environmental sustainability, open space & connections, transportation, business & retail, history, culture & community, and the WMATA site.

Eight project values were described outright: 1) linking the development with surrounding communities to create a greater community, 2) high-quality mixed use development, 3) pedestrian safety, 4) integrating the arts into daily community life, 5) enhancing surrounding communities by making great places, 6) programming open spaces, 7) a choice of housing types, 8) sustainability.

Although no plans have been submitted for any type of approval, we do know some facts and ideas that are being worked with…

The project will be internally focused. This means that there will be limited frontage on Rt. 1 and surrounding neighborhoods. A patron would have to enter the property itself to really see what the development is all about. The community would have a central orientation rather than the peripheral facades that characterize most strip malls. This means that there could very well be a light natural (forested) buffer along Rt.1. That would somewhat maintain the present visual respite along Rt.1 that the forest on the Cafritz Property provides now.

The WMATA site exists between Albion Road and the northern portion of the Cafritz Property (see the long boot-shaped portion on top of the Cafritz Property on the more detailed vicinity map). It was acquired by WMATA from the Cafritz property holding through eminent domain for Rt. 1 access to construct the Metro tunnel and building. The construction has obviously been complete for years and is no longer needed so WMATA could possibly transfer ownership of the property. The actual future of this WMATA property is unknown, but it is quite possible that it will remain as a natural buffer to Albion Road.

Through the middle of the property runs a trail connecting the end of the Rhode Island Avenue paved bike trail (a.k.a. the Trolley Trail) to the Riverdale Square Station. The dirt trail actually lies along a utility easement that PEPCO has maintained. Because of the easement, the trail will remain intact through the development (although it will likely be paved) and is a great opportunity for community connections (to the EYA Arts District in particular) and public outdoor living space.

Similar to much of Rt.1, pedestrian frontage along the Cafritz Property is non-existent or downright dangerous. The Cafritz Property’s portion of Rt.1 will be improved by the development. If a traffic access intersection is made on Rt. 1, a major pedestrian crossing will be integrated. This is much needed for pedestrians crossing to and from University Park as the only existing crossings are at East West Highway and Queens Chapel Road. Those crossings are fairly dangerous themselves and would not be particularly convenient to the new develpment . Pedestrian bridges across the CSX railroad tracks on the east side of the property would create much needed access to public recreation (Lake Artemesia, Wells Ice Rink & Pool). These are being assessed by the resource team to increase interconnectivity of the existing recreational trail system. Pedestrians would otherwise only have the pedestrian tunnel at the CP Metro Station.

The Business and Retail arm of the resource team stated that Whole Foods Mid-Atlantic President Ken Meyer has seen the Cafritz Property and said he would like to put a store there. The company is waiting on plans for the development in order to move forward. Fall is a reasonable time to expect a more definitive position from Whole Foods as to whether or not it will place a grocery store on the Cafritz Property.

Read the new Route 1 Growth Blog for a list of community suggestions for the Cafritz project. The RP Coffee House blog has a linked listing of the development resource team, as well as a discussion with graphics about footprint impact of a Whole Foods.

It was noted that the developer’s site will eventually have a forum to make comments.  They can presently be sent to info@cafritzpop.com.