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by Cynthia A. Lockley
a woman for all seasons

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The Newsletter of the Cool Spring Terrace Civic Association
Adelphi, Maryland  20783

February 2007 newsletter

graphic of house in winterGeneral Membership Meeting

CSTCA General Membership Meeting: Saturday, 17 February 2007

The next Cool Spring Terrace Civic Association meeting is Saturday, 17 February 2007, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. in Lecture Room A, National Archives at College Park. A picture ID is required to enter the property and building.

Below are copies of two letters: one from Councilman Campos to MNCPPC on Jan 22, 2007 asking them to acquire Cool Spring Forest, and the second, a reply from MNCPPC acknowledging receipt of the councilman's request and stating that they are moving forward with contacting the owners attorney.

Agenda

  • Cool Spring Forest acquisition
  • Cool Spring Road improvements
  • The Takoma Tree hearing
  • Other local issues. Councilman Will Campos will be in attendance to address community concerns.

photo of a red dragon in a parade
Happy Chinese New Year!

General membership meetings of the CSTCA occur on the third (3rd) Saturday of each month.

Next month's meeting date: Saturday, 17 March 2007

Related Information

Letter from Councilman Campos to MNCPPC proposing acquisition of Cool Spring Forest, 22 Jan 07 PDF file (60.5 K PDF)

Reply from MNCPPC to Councilman Campos about acquiring Cool Spring Forest, 2 Feb 07 PDF file (327.5 K PDF)

Hearing Meeting

Urgent! The second public hearing day is scheduled for Wednesday, February 14, 2007 on the special exception (SE 4494) to residential zoning by Takoma Tree Experts Inc. to operate a nursery and garden center at 2310 Cool Spring Road.

Carpool rides are offered—e-mail me at or call me at 301-422-0405. We need more people to show up! Please let me know if you are going either way.

There is too much dangerous traffic on Cool Spring Road as it is, and our neighborhood is not zoned for commercial use! Yesterday's pedestrian fatality on Cool Spring Road (although not related directly to Takoma Tree) is a tragic example of critical traffic problems we've been trying to fix for years. We are still woking on them!

It is very important to be physically present at these zoning hearings, when someone wants a special exception to the existing zoning – residential to commercial in this case. This is a legal proceeding—so letters and calls do not count—you have to show up! You can speak, or not, if you want once you are there. The important thing is to show up! Otherwise the zoning hearing examiner will think the community does not care about the issue. And we do!

What a better way to celebrate Valentine's Day—take the day off with someone you care about and do something special starting in Upper Marlboro—like support the quality of life in your residential community (sounds nice doesn't it?)

We have been concerned for a long time about the heavy trucks and other issues from this location now, and the dangers of additional commercial traffic on Cool Spring Road that a nursery would bring. The recent tragic pedestrian fatality on Cool Spring Road is a case in point. Our neighborhood is zoned for residential – not commercial – use. It is illegal to operate this way. That's the bottom line.

In the past, our association has successfully opposed similar requests by Takoma Tree and Landscape for a special exception. We won back then, but the legal proceeding in our favor was unfortunately not enforced. Mr. Marvel and Tacoma Tree are trying again under a different name and legal construct.

This has been a long-standing issue in our neighborhood, several residents who couldn't make it to the first day's hearing in December are very interested being present and in giving evidence regarding the facts on the ground with regards to this nonconforming land use. It is not that we are against Mr. Marvel's running a business, but it should not be run in our residential neighborhood. Mr. Marvel's lawyer is bringing in Mr. Marvel to testify this time also.

It is very important to be physically present at these zoning hearings. If you want to go—and we hope you do!—and need a ride—or have a ride to offer, please contact me (Carol Hurwitch ) at or call 301-422-0405.

Plan on being there by 9:30 am and staying most of the day, in case this hearing is not the first one that day. We will not know the order of the cases until we get there.

All zoning examiner hearings begin at 9:30 a.m. The hearings are held in Upper Marlboro at the County Administration Building, 14741 Gov Oden Bowie Drive, Second Floor, Room 1177. Please call 301-952-3644 with any questions about the status of the hearing. We'll be trying to keep you informed also.

Hook up with some for rides! If anyone knows of a restaurant nearby in Upper Marlboro, we may organize a gathering afterwards.

Thanks!

Carol Hurwitch

Community Networking

 

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