The Prince George’s County Fire Department (PGFD) has asked the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) for permission to place temporary trailers for firefighters and apparatus for two years at Chestnut Hills Park in Beltsville, one mile from the Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department (BVFD) Station 31, during that station’s renovations to address health and safety concerns there as cited by the county. Still unknown to the community are what temporary structures will be built, what the renovation will consist of and service impacts, timelines and costs.
The proposal follows other 2024 events including the county’s attempt to remove career staff from BVFD due to health and safety concerns cited by the county, an engineering assessment identifying station conditions in need of attention and an attempt to place trailers at Beltsville at that point during station renovation. A proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), was described by the Beltsville News as pressuring Beltsville to grant 15 years᾽ authority to the county over BVFD land. BVFD owns the land and building, with the county responsible for maintenance. Beltsville refused to sign. (See Timeline, page 8.)
Proposal
In August PGFD Fire Chief Tiffany Green asked the M-NCPPC for permission to place modular buildings at the park to house firefighters and apparatus there for at least two years. Beltsville learned of this in October. An October letter from Bill Tyler, director of Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation, describes two 35’ high buildings of 2,500 and 3,500 square feet. On January 11, the News Review observed a November 8 county Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE) sign at the park mentioning four buildings.
The project would place buildings, utilities and stormwater management, as well as driveways, parking and possibly other paved features on a field next to a playground which the correspondence said would remain open. The project was referred to the Prince George’s County Planning Board for review and approval, a submission process that includes asking applicants what community feedback they collected and will include a public hearing. The News Review was unable to find the project on any published board agenda since August but did find a January 8 site development and grading permit. DPIE staff said board approval is required before issuing a grading permit.
Location Concerns
In an interview with the News Review, BVFD President Margie Dickey said the station’s 4911 Prince George’s Avenue address gives rapid access to Route 1, Powder Mill Road and Sunnyside, to serve locations along Route 1 and in Calverton, Vansville and Greenbelt. The proposed trailers would be located near the intersection of Montgomery and Sellman Roads, farther from those arteries and in a more residential area.
Green’s September 18 letter to M-NCPPC said the location will house career and volunteer firefighters and an engine and ambulance. As a county facility, Dickey said it won’t house Beltsville-owned vehicles, which may therefore be a mile from the firefighters and thus reduce service to the area.
Unknowns
During the interview with the News Review, Dickey said that in a December meeting about the station renovation, Green expressed the intent to fully vacate the station for a faster renovation, but said Green didn’t answer whether the trailers would accommodate BVFD administrative staff, saying it could be discussed later. BVFD manages its corporate business from the station, including bills, taxes and regulatory recordkeeping, says Dickey, who believes the renovation can be accomplished in phases without fully displacing personnel and functions.
Dickey said the county didn’t discuss what the renovation may include at the December meeting. Rather, PGFD provided draft agreements about PGFD and BVFD responsibili-ties and commitments during the renovation, not the renovation itself. She added BVFD doesn’t know when the Chestnut Hills construction would begin, if approved, or when station staff would move there.
Fiscal Concerns
Dickey said Beltsville made repair requests to PGFD for years that went unaddressed and wondered how funds are available for a $500K – $1M Chestnut Hills construction estimate, which she said would be county-funded. She said installing trailers at BVFD’s paved site with existing power and water would cost less than on parkland. In March 2024, then county executive Angela Alsobrooks projected a $171M deficit for the fiscal year ending in June 2025. Green’s August letter to M-NCPPC estimated $4.2M for the Beltsville renovation. Dickey said county Public Safety Director Barry Stanton said state funds, state bonds and BVFD funds could be used for the renovation, but she was unclear if county funds are available.
Lacking Transparency
Dickey also said that BVFD, State Senator Jim Rosapepe (D – Legislative District 21) and County Councilmember Tom Dernoga (D – District 1) negotiated with PGFD on the BVFD trailer MOU in good faith until October 2024, when indirectly learning of Green’s August request for access to Chestnut Hills. Dickey noted the county hasn’t consulted with the Beltsville community that will be impacted by the move.
According to Dickey, BVFD believes the county’s intent was to permanently move firefighters and build a new firehouse elsewhere until meeting highly public community and elected official pushback. She supported her assertion by saying the county doesn’t need 15 years authority over BVFD land during a short renovation, but 15 years does fit the time needed to budget, approve and build a new firehouse. The News Review found the county’s 2019-2024 and 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plans include (but don’t fund) replacing the Beltsville and the Greenbelt stations. She further supported her statement by noting the draft trailer MOU was not initially accompanied by a renovation agreement. That was included in the December meeting. Dickey credits the involvement of Rosapepe, Dernoga and Delegates Ben Barnes, Mary Lehman and Joseline Peña-Melnyk for moving the county toward renovation over replacement.
Both Rosapepe and County Councilmember-at-Large Jolene Ivey expressed concerns about reduced fire and EMS services in Beltsville and the north county. Ivey questioned the Chestnut Hills location, supporting the Beltsville location and improving the firehouse. She applauded the Beltsville community’s determination to pursue the staffing, station conditions, and service and protection they deserve.
Dickey ended her conversation with the News Review with her perspective on county actions over the last year. She said PGFD has not been fiscally responsible in how it has addressed Beltsville services and facilities and has demonstrated a huge lack of transparency. She said public servants who are sworn to protect and serve county residents and property have jeopardized those persons and property, instead of prioritizing their safety.
Elected Officials
Rosapepe told the News Review that he and other members of the District 21 delegation as well as the county council support temporary trailers at BVFD, and that he and his colleagues urged M-NCPPC to reject trailers at the park. He said the delegation and Dernoga asked the county to work with BVFD to agree on what improvements the firehouse needs, which he is hopeful “we’ll work out” within a few months.
The News Reviews’ questions and request for comment went unanswered by PGFD Public Information Director Alan Doubleday.