Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.metro From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Mixed-use zoning proposal back on PG council agenda Date: Mon, 23 Nov 92 15:07:21 EST Message-ID: Lines: 76 \SE B;METROPOLITAN \HD Mixed-use zoning proposal back on PG council agenda \BY Jim Keary \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES A controversial zoning proposal to allow high-density residential and commercial development in the same neighborhood has reappeared on the Prince George's County Council agenda after it sat for four weeks in a holding pattern. The council took no action on the mixed-use community development proposal after an Oct. 27 public hearing where the majority of residents who spoke at the meeting opposed the plan. Many opponents said such a zone would allow for too much high-density development on large tracts of land. "It's an unabashed disguised gift to the development community," said Stan Fetter, an activist with the Prince George's County Civic Federation. "It's a developer zone. It's something they shouldn't get away with." Council member Steven Del Giudice, a supporter of the proposed zone, said it is a good way to build planned development in the county. "It's a way for staged growth," Mr. Del Giudice said. "We should allow it. It's working now" in other jurisdictions. Council Chairman Richard Castaldi believes the proponents of the bill decided to let the issue cool down instead of voting for it after the public hearing. "With all those people there I think they got a little nervous," said Mr. Castaldi, who opposes the zoning proposal. "They said they were holding it for more citizen imput, but there hasn't been any." Mr. Del Giudice noted that the types of development in a mixed-use zone would be similar to Columbia in Howard County where there is a mixture of single-family homes, town houses, apartments, offices and shopping in the same development. "It worked in Columbia, and there are places in the county where it would work," Mr. Del Giudice said. He said that the mixed-use proposal will be on the agenda again tomorrow during the council's last legislative meeting of the year. If the measure isn't approved, it could be introduced again next year, he said. The mixed-use zone would allow for planned development on tracts of land of 750 acres or more. It would also allow the construction of up to 22 apartments and town houses on an acre of land. The large number of people that could move into the mixed-use community concerned many of opponents of the zoning proposal. Many opponents live in Bowie and fear the Rouse Co., which built Columbia, might want to develop the Turf Farm using the mixed-use zone. The Bowie City Council opposed the measure because the zone has inadequate requirement for transportation and other public facilities. The council also objected to the possibility of higher-density developments. Mr. Del Giudice said that Bowie is mainly fearful of more people moving to the area. "They are just concerned about apartments and town houses," Mr. Del Giudice said. But Mr. Fetter said that there are very few places in the county that could handle such a large development without greatly improved roads, schools and utilties. He said the Turf Farm development, which is bordered on the north by Route 450, would create a large amount of traffic on the roadway. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM