Greenbelt Metro Area and MD 193 Corridor Sector Plan and Sectional Map Amendment
Community Workshop 8: Sector Plan Area Concepts and Design
Springhill Lake Elementary School
March 22, 2012
This meeting consisted of a presentation, four break-out stations, and a report back to the community. The
comments from the break-out tables were noted on flip charts, table notes and maps, or during the report
back. These comments are listed below.
Table 1:
GSA Scenario
 Question metal scrap yard remaining as industrial vs. park uses
 Land use designation doesn’t mesh with the zoning
 Fire house location along Hanover Parkway may not provide even coverage. Further to the west,
it would overlap with the College Park and Berwyn Heights stations. Need to provide coverage
for Old Greenbelt.
 Is there a middle ground between the 2 scenarios?
 With major GSA employer, doesn’t have much space for other uses
 At Metro station, one floor of retail w/residential above, 6-8 floors
 Need improved pedestrian connectivity and safety, especially to Berwyn Heights. Very important,
may be the most important aspect over density.
 Not optimistic that GSA development will not spark redevelopment in other areas; concern the
area could become another Suitland, not Silver Spring.
 What if redevelopment doesn’t come with GSA development, what is the alternative? Is the plan
flexible?
 Maximize flexibility of land uses in plan
 What is the land use and density in South Core?
 Piecemeal plan
 Medical mile is an advantage because of walkability
 Covenants exist for south core. Prevent undesirable uses such a strip joints
 More optimistic with non-GSA scenario to create mixed-use development
 Land uses to create transitions from day time to evening
 With the GSA alternate, the tenant plan should provide mix of uses instead of only employment
 Don’t see justification for 1,400 dwelling units at Beltway Plaza
 Where is demand for 60 percent more dwelling units? Where is the employment to support this?
 Housing needed: work force, affordable, senior
 Medical uses can support infill office scenario
 Provide for senior community such as Collington along Central Avenue
Table 2:
 Concern over relevance over 2001 sector plan, re: alignment of North/South Connector,
pedestrian connection over tracks
 Property owners should share their long-term goals/vision with local community; invite GSA,
businesses, etc.





Inventory parking spaces; calculate parking implications of both scenarios
Has an official response been received from any of the municipalities?
Why are we not selecting a preferred scenario rather than including both?
Are we still considering downgrading the centers?
Is there a relationship between our centers & COG’s centers?
Table 3:
 Why did GSA scenario seem to cause more changes?
 Springhill Lake redevelopment: proffers outweighed benefit of new development
 GSA has recently reduced the amount of square feet per employee
 What time frames are short-, medium-, and long-term?
 P.G. Scrap important tax base for Berwyn Heights; industrial unique inside Beltway
 Lots of pods because of highways; improvement to transit (bus) connections into/through
Greenway Center & others
 Why assume retaining existing buildings and uses
 More emphasis on aggregating parking and structured parking
 Assumptions for North Core
 Where is pedestrian bridge to North College Park?
 No assumptions about transportation options (shuttles, etc.)
 Orientation North/South Connector important (need to show alignment)
 Metro station as “key intersection” for pedestrians and cyclists
 Uncomfortable with Fire Station on Hanover because of traffic response times; move to central
location—Hanover Parkway is not a central location
 South of MD 193 for fire station makes more sense
 Ivy Lane and Cherrywood Drive as key intersection
 Greenway Center: need for open space/public amenities; concern over future retail impact on
roads
 Residential colors misleading (medium vs. high); different specific areas better (?)
 Greenway Center residential not good or bad; about specific design
 Berwyn Heights development in line with the town’s own ideas; entrance to town across from
Beltway Plaza
 Long-term grid pattern to connect Beltway Plaza and Franklin Park at Greenbelt Station
 Beltway Plaza likes mixed-use (include residential); residential at Greenway Center ok too, but
should not compete with residential at Beltway Plaza
 Don’t need so many “town centers” (e.g. Beltway Plaza)
 Too many developments with people “driving in & driving out”
Table 4:
 Hanover Parkway/MD 193 fire station is a challenge -- intersection is busy; site on a hill; farther
from center
 Long-term: open space at PG Scrap








West side of Cherrywood Lane: convert to environmental/open space and/or narrow P.G. Scrap
property (just north of current retail)
Want comprehensive, phased plan for Beltway Plaza
Schools – what is “proposed” and what is “planned”?
What is short-, mid-, and long-term? (in years)
City wants to support current housing stock, concern about ability to absorb 1,400 new units
Desire to connect Greenbelt east and west (multi-modal complete streets)
Roundabouts can be effective
Green streets