At its September 14 meeting the Greenbelt City Council considered two plans to oppose the SCMaglev train. They will also send a letter in opposition to a potential statue garden in Greenbelt Park.
Council was supportive of staff proposals to oppose the maglev project. The first maglev agenda item was a step toward creating a task force to oppose the train. The task force would lead efforts including public outreach and partnerships with other organizations.
Much of council’s discussion of the task force revolved around its composition. Councilmember Rodney Roberts suggested that all members of the Forest Preserve Advisory Board be included on the task force, since the city’s Forest Preserve could be adversely affected by maglev. “They are uniquely situated to have a lot of information about the Forest Preserve in general,” Roberts said. “They’ve been working on all the various items. They know, they have access to, you know, what plants are there and animals and endangered species.”
Other councilmembers suggested the board should include representatives of the Youth Advisory Committee, council and local homeowners’ associations. Council asked staff to prepare a resolution creating the task force to be voted on at the next regular council meeting.
Engineering Consultant
Council also supported a staff recommendation to hire an environmental engineering firm to help oppose the maglev project. The firm would be asked to review a draft environmental impact statement on the project which was expected to be released in spring of 2020, but will now be released for public review in January 2021.
Councilmember Judith Davis supported hiring the firm but questioned the timeline. “Hiring a firm in September or October for something that’s happening next spring seems to me a little too advanced, though we do need to have a firm on hand that can start gathering material,” said Davis.
Davis also read a letter from Rick Cummings, vice president of Condominium Ventures, Inc., which manages the Greenbriar and Hunting Ridge condominium communities. The letter opposed the maglev train on the basis that in normal conditions buildings and underground utilities are damaged by soil movement, and a train tunnel could cause further damage.
Staff noted that the first step would be to gather names and availability of firms rather than immediately hiring. Council asked staff to bring information on possible firms to the next meeting.
Heroes Project
Davis noted her opposition to the American Heroes Project, a federal proposal to erect a statue garden, potentially in Greenbelt Park. She expressed concern that the project could turn the park into a “theme park” that would require additional parking and visitor center space.
“Our national park should stay the way it is,” Davis said. “It is a beautiful little park.”
Council approved a motion to send a letter to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior stating that Greenbelt Park is not an appropriate location for the American Heroes Project.
Reopening
Councilmember Emmett Jordan raised the question of pandemic reopening in Greenbelt, asking that some city facilities move toward opening.
City Manager Nicole Ard said that Greenbelt’s services are uniquely people-driven and she wants to keep those people safe. Public Works Director Jim Sterling said that keeping staff safe involves staggered shifts, personal protective equipment and disinfectant. He said those strategies can be used as buildings reopen and the necessary shields are being installed in public buildings. Jordan called the progress encouraging.
Other Business
Ard presented information on the Greenbelt Business Improvement and Recovery Fund. Applications for grants up to $10,000 to support businesses are due October 16. If funds are not fully distributed at that time the application will move to a rolling basis. Nonprofit groups will not be eligible for the program unless they provide a service related to COVID-19.
Council delivered a proclamation marking September 26 as National Public Lands Day and heard details of a planned socially-distant volunteer event for that day. Volunteers will pick up litter along Indian Creek and must register in advance.
Allison Mollenkamp is a University of Maryland graduate student in journalism reporting for the News Review.
