With very little council comment on its FY 2025 budget, the city’s Department of Planning and Community Development got the opportunity to strut its stuff and showcase its activities.
The city council worksession of April 3, as well as dealing with the T-Mobile temporary antenna (story to come), introduced the draft FY 2025 Department of Planning and Development budget, which is a reduction from the current year (FY 2024). Introduced by City Manager Josué Salmerón, the department’s budget is $1,393,100, a $12,400 reduction from the FY 2024 budget.
The total cost of the department to the city is reduced, even though overall expenditures will have increased, because the department expects to generate more revenue through increased fees for services.
A supervisory inspector position is funded for six months only, and Terry Hruby, Director of Planning and Community Development, anticipates hiring in January. Previous incumbent Gilberto Cabrera was promoted and his prior position remains open until he completes his six-month probation in the new position. Salmerón explained that this is a standard cost-saving measure where a vacancy can be held open for a period of time without negative effects on performance.
Training Investment
Additional on-the-job and classroom training being provided to technical and inspection staff is also expected to reduce engineering costs by using internal expertise.
Mayor Emmett Jordan requested clarification on variation in the cost of benefits and Hruby explained that this was due to staffing fluctuations during the year. Salmerón further clarified, pointing out that the methodology used was based on the actual cost of department staff benefits rather than a plug number average. (Note: A plug number is an approximation used as a placeholder.) He believes this creates a more realistic benefits estimate.
Jordan was concerned that keeping a vacancy open might result in falling behind on inspections. Hruby affirmed they were still inspecting all rental apartments annually, except that half of Franklin Park is inspected on alternating years. Cabrera, assistant director of planning and community development, confirmed that the remote inspections pioneered during covid were still available on request.
ARPA spending plans will include bus shelters and continuing expansion of the solar lighting program associated with them, which has proven successful and popular.
Charlestowne North
A departmental challenge over the last year has been the bankruptcy of Charlestowne North’s early 2023 buyers and the dismal conditions then prevailing at this once-luxury apartment building overlooking Greenbelt Lake. Hruby, Salmerón and Cabrera documented the city’s participation in its turnaround.
With the owner in receivership, Cabrera said major issues, like leaks in the common areas and apartments, have been fixed. The security system is operational but the elevators await their final inspection, and necessary repairs depend on the hiring of third-party contractors.
Cabrera confirmed that the receiver, Tarantino, is communicating effectively with the city and trash pickup is now routine. The waste chutes, which were (as previously reported in this newspaper) choked with waste up to the eighth or ninth floor, were cleared by city’s Public Works Department and are operational. Two technicians have been hired for individual apartment maintenance, and a property manager and assistant property manager are on-site and have a support team from Tarantino headquarters.
During the year, the city did three solid waste removal trips at Charlestowne North and two snow removal runs. The property manager, who had held the fort during the period when zero support was forthcoming from the owner, was retained.
Jordan asked about billing for the services the city has rendered. Salmerón confirmed with Hruby that the bill for services provided by the city is approximately $34,000, but explained that the judge in the bankruptcy has jurisdiction over what is paid out and when. Salmerón is hopeful that at least some of that amount will be forthcoming, but stated he had felt compelled to provide the service as a matter of public health to city residents. Nobody contradicted him.
Other Apartment Concerns
Jane Apartments, cited multiple times for trash accumulations, has instituted more frequent pickups with daily oversight and the situation has been resolved.
Residents in Franklin Park and other apartment communities get a response to a complaint within 24 hours and an inspection may be scheduled if required. Problems are evaluated approximately every 10 days and a citation may be issued if nothing is being done. Mostly, issues are attended to promptly by owners.
Projects
Numerous ongoing projects are underway, including the Royal Farms gas station and convenience store, which is on track after some initial compliance concerns. City projects include Buddy Attick Park’s final two relatively small elements: interpretive signs and a kiosk. Hruby noted that the parking lot stormwater control measures appear to be working well, and in response to a question by Councilmember Silke Pope, stops have been placed at the end of parking spaces to prevent vehicles from rolling into the tree line.
Cycle trail improvements are being identified and worked on along Greenbelt Road from Hanover Parkway to Good Luck Road. (See story on the trail, page 13.)
The department expects a supplemental environmental impact statement for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing project. Both this and the FBI headquarters are still being defined, especially in terms of traffic and parking, so any city action remains on hold until there is more specific information.
Staff are also preparing for a Vision Zero grant application that will help accomplish the required initial planning before applying for implementation grants that follow, but this project is currently also on hold. Vision Zero is a Maryland program modeled after an international effort to achieve zero fatalities and serious injuries on the roads by 2030. Other grant applications are also under consideration.