BY REBECCA BENNETT — On Dec. 21, the Hyattsville City Council voted to send a letter opposing the Clay Property be rezoned to R-20 and to supporting land swap proposal #2 to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commision and the Prince George’s County District Council.
Hyattsville city staff told the council at the Dec. 7 meeting that they do not support the rezoning to R-20 that would allow the property butted up against University Hills to have up to 210 townhouses. The current R-80 zone supports up to 57 detached single family houses.
Councilmember Tom Wright (Ward 3), a University Hills resident, said he — as did other residents — preferred the property stay wooded, but would entertain a “low-impact” development, which is in the updated Prince George’s Plaza Transit District Development Plan (TDDP) presently moving towards final approval in the county. The Clay Property is a part of a transit district overly zone map amendment that was approved by the Prince George’s County Planning Board on Dec. 3 and lists the property as an R-80 zone. The final approval lies with the Prince George’s County District Council.
Wright said that while the TDDP is attempting to create an urban setting around the Prince George’s Plaza Metro Station, this property is so far north that it should compliment the surrounding community.
Councilmember Patrick Paschall (Ward 3) said he originally thought both requests by the developer would be approved by the council.
“The sole driver in any of these discussion was achieving what the community wanted,” Paschall said. “It turns out the community has very legitimate concerns and the developer doesn’t have any answers.”
“This is not a movement in disfavor of the developer,” Wright said. “The Blumberg family has been very good to the City of Hyattsville.”
