City waits to take stand on high-rise

College Park District 3 City Councilwoman Stephanie Stullich last night joined the ranks of disgruntled homeowners, District 3 Prince George's County Councilman Eric Olson, state Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George's) and others who have expressed their discontent with plans to build a student housing project above the Maryland Book Exchange.

But city officials who said it was too early to take a stance on the development shot down Stullich's plea to oppose the proposal.

In last night's city council work session, Stullich presented a letter from the Old Town Neighborhood Association outlining aversion to the project by non-student residents of southern College Park — those who live in homes between downtown and the Metro line. Stullich used the letter to advocate for the council to side with residents: in a 24-0 vote last month, the neighborhood association opposed the project, citing concerns about a possible increase in noise and other disruptions that many residents felt would occur if hundreds of additional students moved into the area.

But other council members, who said they understood residents' concerns, decided they wouldn't take a stance on the project until the developer made detailed plans for the apartments available to the public.

"I'm concerned that doubling the number of students in the long run may hurt property values because of the amount of parties, noise and code violations that seem to come with a large student population," District 1 Councilman Patrick Wojahn said. "But I'm not sure what the benefit is on taking a stance on this issue now.."

Developers Ilya Zusin and Josef Mittlemann believe the project can still move forward despite their proposed development. Over the summer, the two entered into a contract to purchase the 2.6-acre downtown property and have announced their plans for a five-story, 1,000-bed facility at the corner of Route 1 and College Avenue that would target undergraduate tenants. Zusin has said his compliance with all zoning laws and addition of about $250,000 per year in property taxes and 100 permanent jobs in the city are all positives for the area. He has also noted his tenants would likely be no more disruptive than the many students who already live in Old Town.

District 2 Councilman Jack Perry said the civic association's opinion can't trump the fact that the developers' intended use for the property is legal according to county zoning laws and the city's master plan.

"[The developer] should be allowed to do what the zoning and the law permits," Perry said.

But many residents disagree.

"The influx of at least 835 undergraduates will profoundly and negatively impact our neighborhood, as this new population will swell the ranks of house parties that are already straining our nerves and the resources of the city," read the letter, signed by Christopher Aubry, the acting president of the neighborhood association.

Any stance the council took would serve as political clout, as the county government makes all final decisions on development projects in Prince George's.

Zusin, who attended the work session, said he was not yet ready to announce a timeline for when the plans would become available.

The council also addressed two other issues fairly unique to college towns — streets overcrowded with students' cars and any aesthetic or safety hazards posed by furniture placed on rooftops.

Wojahn proposed a system of graduated fees to address parking overcrowding: the more vehicles per home, the more they'll have to pay for residential parking permits. He said under such a system, there would be a standard fee for permits for the first two cars, with an increase for each additional vehicle.

Now, those with proof of residence in most College Park neighborhoods can get five parking permits per house at $10 per permit.

Stullich, who supported the graduated permit fees, also proposed a bill that would cut down on rooftop furniture. City staff agreed to present wording for the city code to make rooftop furniture illegal at the council's next work session.

apino at umdbk dot com