City Council considering proposal to recognize former Bowie Mayor Robinson

By Mike Rauck

Former Bowie Mayor G. Fred Robinson

Councilman Henri Gardner will present a proposal during Monday’s city council meeting to recognize former Mayor G. Frederick Robinson by naming a road and the new ice arena after Robinson.  

Although the council agenda doesn’t include a formal resolution, an email sent to some constituents by Gardner provided details of the proposal.  The plan calls for the city to rename Excalibur Road in front of City Hall to Mayor Fred Robinson Road and to name the new ice complex Mayor G. Fred Robinson Ice Arena.

Robinson served as Bowie’s mayor from 1998 to 2019, and he served on the City Council from 1986 to 1994.  The construction of the new City Hall and plans for the new ice complex were approved during Robinson’s tenure as mayor, and he was an active and vocal supporter of both projects.

According to a recent city manager’s report to the council, the city is in the process of obtaining the building permits for the new ice complex, and construction is expected to begin in March.

The new ice complex is expected to open in 2021.

Bowie area projects moving forward after Planning Board approval

By Mike Rauck

The Prince George’s County Planning Board approved applications for three Bowie area development projects after public hearings were held earlier this month.  Approvals were given to the Amber Ridge, Pecan Ridge, and Melford Mansions projects.

The Planning Board approved a conceptual site plan application for Amber Ridge, a 19-acre development just outside the city limits on Route 301 South – just north of Mitchellville Road.  A total of 187 townhouses are planned, and space is being reserved for 20,000 square feet of retail space.  A detailed site plan for the residential component of the property will still have to be approved prior to construction, but the remaining approvals are only contingent upon plans that follow development guidelines.

Retail space including a grocery store was originally planned for the Amber Ridge site decades ago, but property owners changed their focus to residential after they couldn’t secure an anchor.

A traffic light and a cutover to Route 301 North were considered for the project, but the Maryland State Highway Authority determined that the expected traffic did not warrant the cutover.

Caruso Homes and Ryan Homes have been lined up to build the townhouses at Amber Ridge.

A detailed site plan was approved for the Pecan Ridge subdivision, a development of 80 single-family homes located just outside the City of Bowie along the WB&A trail on a 41-acre horse farm currently operated as Temptation Farm.

Developer Caruso Homes proposed a Public Benefit Conservation Subdivision for Pecan Ridge, which is meant to preserve open space and/or site features. According to county law, Public Benefit Conservation Subdivision developments in the Rural Residential Zone like Pecan Ridge must preserve at least 40% of the land, and developers can build on up to 60% of the property with minimum lot sizes of 6500 square feet (0.15 acres). Caruso will conserve 42% of the property for green space.

Among the areas of the property being conserved is a buffer with the Horsepen Hill Farm property, a buffer with the Blue Skys Stable property, and a grove of Pecan trees that dates back to the early 20th century.

A detailed site plan was approved by the Planning Board for the Mansions at Melford Town Center, an apartment complex that includes 435 units in nine separate residential buildings in the Melford section of Bowie.

The Melford Mansions complex is the second apartment complex approved for the Melford Town Center. A detailed site plan for the 389-unit Aspen apartment complex was approved in 2018.

According to an article in commercial real estate publication Bisnow, Andrew Roud from St. John Properties announced that ground will be broken on both the Aspen and Melford Mansion apartment complexes by the end of the summer.  Some grading and work on the storm water system has already taken place.

Committees to hear testimony on race track bills tomorrow

By Mike Rauck

The Maryland Senate and the House of Delegate both introduced versions of the Racing and Community Development Act of 2020 in the Maryland General Assembly earlier this month, and the two committees will hear testimony about the bills tomorrow (Tuesday) in Annapolis.

The House Ways and Means Committee will be in session starting at 1:00pm tomorrow to hear testimony on HB1056, among other bills, and the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee will be in session starting at 2:30pm to hear testimony on SB987.  The House Ways and Means Committee meeting may go into the evening given the number of bills on the agenda.

Click here for an overview of how the two bills affect the future of the former Bowie Race Course property.

The House Ways and Means Committee meeting will be taking place on Tuesday, February 25th at 1:00pm in Room 130 of the House Office Building, 6 Bladen St, Annapolis.  Click here for guidelines for providing oral and/or written testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee.

The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee meeting will be taking place on Tuesday, February 25th at 2:30pm in Room 3 of the Miller Senate Building, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis.  Click here for guidelines for providing oral and/or written testimony to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.

Click here for information on parking in Annapolis for the 2020 legislative session.

WMATA Bowie bus line cuts proposed; Metro public hearing tomorrow in New Carrollton

By Mike Rauck

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is holding open houses and public hearings to provide information and solicit feedback for the organization’s fiscal year 2021 budget.  The closest event to Bowie is taking place Tuesday night, February 25th at 6:00pm, Metro Points Hotel, 8500 Annapolis Road, New Carrollton.  An open house will begin at 6:00pm, and the public hearing will begin at 6:30pm.

The proposed plans include cutting two Bowie area bus lines:  the C28 Pointer Ridge route and the B29 Crofton-New Carrollton line which includes stops on Northview Drive, including the commuter parking lot.  A Metro report indicates that these bus lines are experiencing low ridership. The B21 and B22 bus lines will still service the Bowie Park & Ride Lot on Northview Drive if C28 and B29 lines are shut down.

Click here for more information.

Renovations underway at Bowie High School Annex on Belair Drive

By Mike Rauck

Work crews recently began the first phase of a multi-million-dollar partial renovation of the Bowie High School Annex on Belair Drive.  Hess Construction was awarded a $15.8 million contract for the initial work.

The first phase of renovations includes the following improvements, according to Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS):

1. Replacement of entire suspended ceiling system;

2. Replacement of the 1989 roofing system & update to the failing drainage system;

3. A new sprinkler system throughout the 1963 facility (includes service upgrade to the water main);

4. Replacement of all classroom unit ventilators and related piping;

5. Replacement of the entire steam system to a four-pipe hydronic system (includes two new chillers for full air conditioning capacity);

6. Educational enhancements/renovation to science classrooms 121, 122 & 123; computer lab 116; family & consumer room 114; and 9 standard classrooms along with corridors, restrooms and storage spaces;

7. Abatement & replacement of all asbestos-containing floor tiles throughout the school;

8. Painting throughout the school;

9. Repair of structural earthquake-related damage; and

10. Purchase & installation of six portable classrooms to remain after construction completion (option chosen to avoid moving the school to another location during construction).

A total of $23.4 million has been approved for the project, although school officials indicated that there are other costs for the renovation above and beyond the Hess Construction award.

Additional improvements have been identified for Phase 2 of the project, but PGCPS is waiting to announce those details until it’s clear how much money will be available after the completion of Phase 1.

City of Bowie courting Trader Joe’s

By Mike Rauck

Bowie Mayor Tim Adams announced during last night’s City Council meeting that he sent a letter asking the Trader Joe’s CEO to consider Bowie for the store’s next Maryland location.  “I also asked our federal, state, and county elected officials to send their own letters supporting Bowie’s request,” Adams said.

A link is now available on the city’s web site to allow residents to submit their own requests to Trader Joe’s.  Click here for the city’s web page for Trader Joe's.

At least one resident suggested bringing Trader Joe’s to the city during the recent council listening sessions, and multiple residents expressed the need for better retail options in the city.

The latest initiative to bring a Trader Joe’s to Bowie is not the first.

Two Bowie residents created the “We Want Trader Joe's in Bowie, MD” Facebook page in 2012 after the Safeway grocery store in the Bowie Marketplace closed.  The purpose of the page was to gather followers and show local support for Trader Joe’s.  The page has been dormant for more than seven years.

The closest Trader Joe’s to Bowie is in Annapolis, and Trader Joe’s has no stores in Prince George’s County.

Planning Board to hold hearings for two area development proposals on Thursday

By Mike Rauck

Pecan Ridge

The Prince George’s County Planning Board will conduct public hearings tomorrow (Thursday) for multiple development plans including applications for the proposed Pecan Ridge and Melford Mansions projects.  The meeting starts at 10am in the Council Hearing Room in the County Administration Building, 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive in Upper Marlboro, and residents can sign up to speak during the hearings.

Pecan Ridge is a proposed 80-unit residential housing development located just outside the City of Bowie along the WB&A trail on a 41-acre horse farm currently operated as Temptation Farm.

Developer Caruso Homes is proposing that the Pecan Ridge development be a Public Benefit Conservation Subdivision, which is meant to preserve open space and/or site features. According to county law, Public Benefit Conservation Subdivision developments in the Rural Residential Zone like Pecan Ridge must preserve at least 40% of the land, and developers can build on up to 60% of the property with minimum lot sizes of 6500 square feet (0.15 acres). Caruso is proposing to conserve 42% of the property.

Among the areas of the property identified for conservation is a buffer with the Horsepen Hill Farm property, a buffer with the Blue Skys Stable property, and a grove of Pecan trees that dates back to the early 20th century.

The Bowie City Council voted unanimously last month to recommend that the county reject the preliminary plan of subdivision proposed by Caruso Homes for the Pecan Ridge development citing residents’ concerns about the environment, traffic safety, and school overcrowding.  The Planning Board, however, will likely base their decision on less subjective criteria for school and traffic capacity as prescribed by law.

The Planning Board will also conduct a hearing Thursday for a detailed site plan application for the Mansions at Melford Town Center, an apartment complex that includes 435 units in nine separate residential buildings.

The Melford Mansions complex is the second multi-family application being considered for the Melford Town Center.  A detailed site plan for the 389-unit Aspen apartment complex was approved in 2018, although most of that project is still in the permitting phase.

Click here to see the agenda for Thursday’s meeting.

Click here for instructions for signing up to speak during one of Thursday’s hearings.

Two bills offer different approaches to former Bowie Race Course property

By Mike Rauck

The Maryland Senate and the House of Delegate both introduced a version of the Racing and Community Development Act of 2020 bill in the Maryland General Assembly last week, and each offers a different approach for dealing with the future of the former Bowie Race Course property.  The House version of the bill establishes a task force to determine the future of the property, and the Senate version of the bill gifts the land to two entities:  the City of Bowie and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC).

Senate Bill 987 requires the property to convey on or before July 1, 2024.  Land within 100 feet of the Patuxent River will be gifted to M-NCPPC for what the bill calls passive recreational activities, including hiking, wildlife viewing, picnicking, and walking.  The remaining portion of the property will be gifted to the City of Bowie for what the bill calls active recreational activities, including baseball, football, soccer, and cricket.  SB987 allows one structure to be built on the property that has up to 50,000 square feet of space (similar in size to the Bowie City Gym), and the bill requires that the city enter into a joint use agreement with Bowie State University for the use of the recreational facilities on the property.

House Bill 1056 establishes that a task force be formed to determine the future of the race track property.  The task force must conduct meetings and public hearings about future uses of the property, and input must be sought from state officials, county officials, elected and appointed municipal officials, neighborhood groups, civic, educational, and charitable organizations, and other interested parties.  The task force must report to the Governor and General Assembly by October 1, 2021, and the task force findings must include the preferred public uses of the property, including estimated costs for land acquisition and development, along with possible funding sources for the plan.

HB1056 specified membership in the task force as follows:  Two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, three members of the House of Delegates appointed by the Speaker of the House, the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources or a designee, two members of the Prince George’s County Council appointed by the Chair of the Council (one must represent the district where the property is located), the Prince George’s County Executive or designee, the Mayor of the City of Bowie (Mayor Tim Adams), and the Bowie City Councilmember whose district the track resides (Councilman Michael Esteve).  The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House shall appoint a Senator and Delegate to serve as cochairs).

Both SB987 and HB1056 specify that the land be transferred through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Program Open Space.  According to the agency’s web site, Program Open Space “provides financial and technical assistance to local subdivisions for the planning, acquisition, and/or development of recreation land or open space areas.”

Restrictions exists for land gifted under Program Open Space, and such restrictions will prevent the former Bowie Race Course property from being sold for development.

Hearing for the two bills will begin in Annapolis later this month, and the text of both bills may be amended.  If both bills pass, the conflicting language will have to be reconciled.

The 2020 session of the Maryland General Assembly ends in early April.

Click here to see the text of the Maryland Senate bill.

Click here to see the text of the House of Delegates bill.

Representatives for Maryland’s 23rd Legislative District meet with residents

By Mike Rauck

Three lawmakers from Maryland’s 23rd legislative district met with residents Saturday at the Kenhill Center in Bowie for coffee, doughnuts, and a Q&A session.  Maryland Senator Douglas J.J. Peters, Delegate Marvin Holmes, and Delegate Geraldine Valentino-Smith hosted the event.  Delegate Ron Watson wasn’t able to attend due to recent surgery.

Prince George’s County Council Chair Todd Turner also joined the discussion.

The 2020 Maryland General Assembly session began last month and runs through early April.  Friday was the deadline for new bills to be submitted.

Funding for schools, funding for school construction projects, and the future of the former Bowie Race Course were subjects of interest to many of the residents in attendance.

Legislation to overhaul public education in Maryland was introduced this week.  The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, as it’s called, is based on recommendations that came out of a commission led by a former chancellor of the University of Maryland System, William Kirwan.

The biggest hurdle to implementing the Kirwan recommendations is funding.  The legislation includes a spending formula that would require Prince George’s County to increase spending on education by $360 million over 10 years.  Delegate Valentino-Smith told constituents that the funding formula will be heavily debated.

The Built to Learn Act is legislation currently being considered in Annapolis to increase state funding for school construction and other capital improvement projects by $2.2 billion over five years.  According to County Council Chair Todd Turner, state funding is critical to school construction projects.

The Maryland Senate and House of Delegates both introduced bills last week that include language related to the future of the former Bowie Race Course.  Maryland Senator Douglas J.J. Peters played an important part in drafting the Bowie Race Course text for the Senate version of the bill.

Peters told constituents on Saturday that the Senate version of the Racing and Community Development Act of 2020 will divide ownership of the property between the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission and the City of Bowie, with the understanding that Bowie State University will have use of the property for recreational activities.

None of the lawmakers present during Saturday’s meeting were aware of the details in the House version of the bill as it was introduced late last week.

The Senate and House versions of the bills are likely to change as they are debated in committee, and the two versions of the bills will have to be reconciled if they both pass.

Bowie Living will contrast the Senate and House versions of the bills in a future post.

Delegate Marvin Holmes asked those present to make sure that they participate in the upcoming Census.  Federal funding for the state and legislative districts will be affected by the results.  When listing topics he was concerned about, Holmes told residents it was the, “Census, Census, Census and the Census.”

With regard to county initiatives, Turner encouraged those present to participate in upcoming hearings for the Bowie and Vicinity Master Plan, and he let residents know that the Countywide Map Amendment initiative to adopt new zoning categories for the county is still ongoing.

Residents present on Saturday brought up concerns about the new traffic light planned for the intersection of Church Road and Fairview Vista Drive, the complexity of language in city code, and legislation currently being considered that would eliminate state income tax on the first $50,000 of income for retirees.

City Council removes Amber Ridge public hearing and vote from agenda

By Mike Rauck

Amber Ridge Illustrative Plan

The Bowie City Council was scheduled to host a public hearing and a vote on plans for the Amber Ridge development project during Monday night's council meeting, but councilmembers voted to remove the item from the agenda at the beginning of the meeting.  The lack of a vote means that the Prince George’s County Planning Board will not have a Bowie City Council recommendation when it considers the project during its meeting today (Thursday), although Frank Stevens from the city’s Planning  & Community Development Department stated that he plans on addressing the Planning Board on behalf of the city.

Amber Ridge is a proposed housing development for 200 townhouse and 20,000 square feet of retail space on Route 301 South near the intersection with Mitchellville Road, and the Bowie City Council was scheduled to make a recommendation on both a preliminary plan of subdivision and a detailed site plan.

Two residents who signed up to speak during the Amber Ridge public hearing Monday night were permitted to address the council during the citizen participation portion of the meeting.

Bowie Mayor Tim Adams explained to residents Monday night that the city doesn’t make the final decisions on development projects, and the city needs to continue to fight to get zoning authority.  He also shared with residents that it’s important for the council to not take any actions that might jeopardize the city’s ability to get zoning authority.  With regard to the lack of action on Amber Ridge, Adams stated, “It was the best way for us at this time to address the issue.”

In a phone call with Bowie Living, District 3 Councilman Adrian Baofo stated that the decision to cancel the Amber Ridge hearing and vote is not indicative of how the council will treat future development project recommendations.  The council is concerned that its recommendations won’t be taken seriously if the development plans before the council are always rejected, according to Baofo, so the council is currently working on a new approach.  Boafo indicated that a closer working relationship with the county Planning Board is likely part of that plan.

Based on a memorandum of understanding between the City of Bowie and the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission, the city has the right to review, comment, and make recommendations on all major development applications in the city or within one mile of the city limits.  That includes reviews of conceptual site plans, preliminary plans of subdivision, and detailed site plans.

The city has adopted development review guidelines and policies for reviewing major development applications.  The guidelines call for a stakeholders meeting to be held for an application, a review of the application by city planning staff, a public hearing and recommendation by the resident-lead Bowie Advisory Planning Board, and finally a public hearing and recommendation by the Bowie City Council.  Council approved recommendations become part of the record when the county reviews a development application, and it’s common for city staff to address the county Planning Board, District Council, and County Council in support of Bowie City Council recommendations.

Commercial buildings for sale on Old Annapolis Road in Bowie

By Mike Rauck

Hardy's BBQ - one of the current tenants

A group of three commercial buildings on Old Annapolis Road owned by the Melvin family (owners of the former Melvin Motors) are for sale with a $1.5 million asking price. The sale is being brokered by NAI Michael.

Some of you might recall former businesses located in these buildings including 7-11, Grand Illusion video arcade, Best Pie, Acme Stove Company, and a hobby shop featuring an outdoor track for remote controlled cars. Used bookstore Déjà vu Books once hosted story time for kids here in the 1990s.

What businesses do you remember being at this location?

Hardy’s BBQ and New Life Ministries are among the current tenants.

Click here for more information.

Additional traffic signal coming to Church Road

By Mike Rauck

Intersection of Church Road and Fairview Vista Drive

The Bowie City Council allocated $250,000 this week to pay half the cost of a new traffic signal to be installed at the intersection of Church Road and Fairview Vista Drive.  The county will fund the other half.

It's not yet known when the traffic signal will be installed.

The Prince George’s County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE) wouldn’t grant some permits for the construction of the new Bowie Ice Arena without funding for the traffic signal.

According to a memo to the Bowie City Council from City Manager Al Lott, DPIE waived requirements for other road improvements associated with the project in exchange for the traffic signal.

Area residents voiced concerns in recent months about the speed and volume of traffic on Church Road in the wake of the death of fourteen-year-old Kamal Nashid. Nashid was struck and killed by a car last June while crossing Church Road at Fairview Vista Drive – the location of the future traffic signal.

Legislation is currently being considered in the 2020 Maryland General Assembly Session that would allow a speed monitoring system to operate along a 2.5 mile stretch of Church Road between Old Stage Road and Dunwood Valley Drive.  That stretch of Church Road includes the intersection with Fairview Vista Drive.

Jamaican restaurant now open in Collington Plaza

By Mike Rauck

Getti’s Island Spyce Restaurant opened this week in Collington Plaza, 3548 Crain Highway in Bowie. The restaurant serves Jamaican style food, including Jerk Chicken and Bull Bay Style King Fish, as well as organic juices that are made on site.

Caribbean recipes can vary from island to island, and the staff is quick to point out that the food served by Getti's is authentic Jamaican. To emphasize that point, the interior of the restaurant is decorated with colors of the Jamaican flag, including a large Jamaican flag painted on the wall behind the bar.

Getti’s will eventually offer alcohol once a liquor license is obtained.

About eight small tables are available for dining in, but Getti’s is primarily a takeout restaurant.

Click here to go to the restaurant’s Facebook page.

Alcohol will be served at the bar once Getti's obtains a liquor license.

Not many places to sit. Getti's is primarily a takeout restaurant.

Jerk Chicken lunch special with served with Getti's fruit punch

Organic juices made on site

Menu (front)

Menu (back)

Swimming opportunities for students and local community coming to the newly renovated Bowie State aquatic center

By Mike Rauck

An open house was held Saturday at the newly renovated Bowie State University Aquatic Center to give students, alumni, and members of the local community a chance to tour the facility and ask questions about upcoming swim programs.   The pool has been shuttered for most of the last twenty-two years.  Swim programs are expected to start in March.

“I’m very excited for our campus and for our students and our alumni and friends of the university to have access to our pool once again,” Bowie State University President Dr. Aminta Breaux shared Saturday from a pool-side podium.  “We are continuing to change and evolve to meet the needs of our students.”

Among the intended uses for the university’s eight-lane lap pool are recreational swimming opportunities for students and alumni, swim lessons, water aerobics, rehabilitation for student athletes, and swim certification programs for the school’s ROTC students.

Bowie State currently rents pool time from the Sport Fit health club for its ROTC program.

According to Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Clyde Doughty, Jr., the pool will also be available to organizations and nearby residents who aren’t affiliated with the university to help offset costs and to showcase the campus and facilities to the public.  Doughty expects swim teams to rent lanes and host swim meets, and an annual membership program will be available to individuals for recreation and lap swimming.

Details about the membership program are still being planned, but the school expects a yearly charge of around $175.

A scuba training group and a swim team have already inquired about renting pool time.

BSU President Dr. Aminta Breaux

Long before the Sports & Learning Complex in Landover and the Fairland Aquatic Center in Laurel opened, the Bowie State University Aquatic Center was an important resource for the local swim community.  The Bowie High School Swim Team hosted meets at the university, and the Prince George’s County high school championship meet was held at the pool each year.  The BSU pool was also home to the Bowie Bulldogs, a local club team that was not affiliated with the university or Bowie High School.

To implement the new swim program, Bowie State hired local pool management veteran Mark Wascavage to be the school’s new Aquatics Coordinator.  Wascavage recently retired from Prince George’s County Public Schools after teaching at Duval High School for forty-five years, and he has more than forty years of experience managing pools, including more than twenty years managing the Belair Bath & Tennis pool in Bowie.

Wascavage graduated from Bowie State University with a master’s degree.

Doughty is working on plans to bring club sports and other recreation opportunities to BSU students, including club swimming.  Reponses to a recent student survey indicate a high interest in soccer and lacrosse.
“We also need facilities to accommodate and support those interests,” Dr. Breaux stated, and she mentioned recent lobbying efforts to acquire land to support the club sports initiatives.

Dr. Aminta Breaux. writes, "We are Bowie Bold!"

Dr. Breaux addressed lawmakers in Annapolis in January about the need for land that was once part of the former Bowie Race Course.  Although the racetrack property isn’t adjacent to the university, it’s only one mile away.

City of Bowie officials are lobbying to have the racetrack property gifted to the city for open space and recreational purposes.

According to Dr. Breaux, the aquatic center renovation is a milestone that fits neatly into the theme and title of the school’s current strategic plan, Racing to Excellence.  She also touted the nearly complete 400-space parking lot with a new solar canopy as well as plans for a new residence hall and entrepreneurship center that is expected to open by July 2022.

At the conclusion of a question and answer session at Saturday’s open house, Dr. Breaux enthusiastically wrote on the aquatic center chalkboard, “We are Bowie Bold!”