Montpelier Hills News

Town House Plan Agreed June 15, 2006 - Update

From: MH HOA & Rec Boards
Dear Montpelier Hills (MH) Homeowners:

So much as happened in the last few days. Not the least of which is the terrific response we received from all of you on the recent petition about the issues that had not been resolved with Berman Enterprises on the 211 townhouse (TH) plan.

Your Homeowners Association (HOA) and Recreation Association (Rec) Boards are grateful for your guidance and support throughout this process. You kept us energized, reminded us of why we’re doing this, and provided the back up we needed to resolve the remaining issues with Berman Enterprises.

That’s right – we reached an agreement on the 211 TH plan.

The PG Planning Board approved the plan with conditions.

Here’s how the remaining issues were resolved:

1) Amenities:

Berman Enterprises’amenity package now includes:

  • The amenities shown on the Specific Design Plan (SDP) plan include: picnic tables/areas, connecting walking trails, benches/sitting areas, tot lots, a child-size basketball court in one court, and trash cans. On the MH Rec land, a multi-purpose court, picnic shelter with sitting area, playground, and parking. These amenities are valued at $325,000.
  • $400,000 that will be paid on a fixed schedule into an escrow account to serve as seed money for a recreational capital improvement to Montpelier Elementary School (e.g., sports building or gymnasium). MH residents would be able to sign up to use this space for their own use. The MH HOA and Rec Boards have approval of the project design or the funds won’t be released to the county. If the county does not appropriate the rest of the funds needed for this project in two years or construction has not begun on the project within four
    years, the money will return to MH for a recreational benefit approved
    by both Boards in consultation with the community. These additional monies were obtained without having to add more THs.

  • Over $60,000 to reimburse the community for current and future legal fees associated with this second and final phase of MH development.

2) Inclusion of Parcel J - MH Rec Land - in the SDP:

The Rec Board has granted permission to include Parcel J in the SDP so the amenities on that
parcel can be completed. Berman Enterprises will not encumber the property with a tree conservation easement.

3) Sidewalks:

Sidewalks will be provided throughout the new TH courts.

4) Landscaping-Offsite Mitigation:

Berman Enterprises will add trees on land owned by the HOA in Courts 1 and 6 to make the buffers denser between the phase one and [phase] two developments in these courts. The SDP contains information on the retaining walls which will include anti-graffiti coating.

5) Community Consistency in Phases One and Two:

The County Staff recommendations and resolution from the County Planning Board contain conditions to assure that the aesthetics, quality and value of the community be maintained as a whole. Signage, entry walls, building materials, architecture style, and other features will create a consistent and cohesive aesthetic between the phases.

Look at how far we’ve come.

Berman Enterprises’ original plan over a year and a half ago had 267 townhouses that were
20 feet wide in a tight layout with many back to back, more pavement than green space and wooded areas, and no specific amenities. We now have a 211 TH plan of 24-foot wide THs that preserves green space and buffers, addresses parking with two-car garages and guest parking, creates a community witha consistent layout and features between the phases, provides repayment of attorneys fees, and includes over $725,000 in recreational amenities and potential capital improvements to Montpelier Elementary School.

NEXT STEPS – We still have several things to do.

  • Berman Enterprises still needs to prove that their underground stormwater management plan is feasible. Before grading for this system, they need to enter into a Joint Multi-use Stormwater Management System Maintenance Agreement with the county Department of Public Works and Transportation and the MD National Capital Park & Planning Commission (MNCPPC) Department of Parks and Recreation for the construction, operation and maintenance of that underground system. We plan to meet with Department of Environmental Resources to review the detail design plans when they are ready, as well as review the draft maintenance agreement.
  • We will need to work with Councilman Dernoga and other county and school officials to develop plans and appropriate funds for the recreational capital improvement to
    Montpelier Elementary School.
  • We will need to monitor the construction plans to ensure the building adheres to the SDP. The MH Boards and MHIWG will monitor everything the Bermans do in this community to ensure compliance with approved plans until this second and final phase of our community is
    built. Further, we have recourse if it is clear the Bermans and their builders try to deviate
    from the approved plans.

Your help is still needed.

We need MH residents to join the MHIWG to help us carry out these next steps.

Again, we thank you for your support; you make us proud to represent MH.

Signed,

Judy Gretsch, Montpelier Hills HoA Secretary

Club Amazon Closes Permanently

This June 15, 2006 Laurel Leader article about the permanent closure of Club Amazon did not get into the June 15th print edition.

See other MH NEWS articles about Club Amazon.
See local newspaper articles about Club Amazon.
See other
Noteworthy Local News

Deal Reached with Town House Developer

MH RESIDENTS:


Our continued vigilance and negotiations have paid off - a deal has been reached with Berman Enterprises, Prince George's County Councilman Dernoga, and the MH HOA and Rec Boards to resolve the remaining issues with the 211 townhouse Specific Design Plan (SDP). An amenities package has been negotiated, sidewalks will be included, off-site mitigation will occur, and design features will ensure a consistent community character.



Representatives from the Boards are attending the Planning Board hearing to voice our support for the SDP with the conditions that address our issues. A draft of those conditions is included in the County Staff Report, which is available at http://www.mncppc.org/pgco/planning/pdf/06-15-6/SDP-0510.pdf
The conditions start on page 18 under the header RECOMMENDATION. Please note that previous revisions of the drawings already address some of these conditions. The final conditions will be available after the hearing.


While you are welcome to attend the hearing, as is your right as a citizen, your Boards no longer need your attendance to show opposition to the plan.


Very quickly after the hearing, we'll provide more details on the resolution of the remaining issues, the outcome of the hearing, the final conditions, and our next steps.


Yes - there will be next steps so we still need MH residents to join the MHIWG to help us moving forward. Email Gary Stone at garolds@yahoo.com to be added to the [MH Residents Only] email list for meeting announcements. Keep visiting the MH Community Web site at http://mhnews.bloqspot.com for updates [see New Town Houses in MH ].


Thank you for your support through this process.


Judy Gretsch MH HOA Secretary

[see http://mncppcapps.org/planning/Resolutions/2006%20Resolution%20PDFs/SDP-0510.pdf ]

How You Can Help The MH Board Oppose The New Town House Plan Until Major Issues Are Resolved With The Developer














1) IF POSSIBLE, ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THURSDAY, JUNE 15


Location: 1st Floor Hearing Room
County Administration Building
14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive
Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Time: 9:00 am *
* there are many other items on the planning board’s agenda,
so be advised the MH TH plan may be heard anytime 9 am to 5 pm
We will let you know if the time for MH can be bracketed more precisely.

For a Ride to the Hearing :
email jcgretsch@aol.com or call 301- 343 - 0119

Directions:
  • Take 495 to Route 4 south
  • Exit onto Water St. (Not marked "Water St.") First exit after Old Crain Hwy
  • North/Left on Water street Park free at Equestrian Center
    and take shuttle bus
  • OR
  • Continue North on Water St.
  • Right/East onto Governor Oden Bowie Drive
  • And park for $.75/hour at meters near lake and County Administration Building
    Meters are maximum 1-hour, 2-hours, 3-hours or 4-hours.















2) SIGN the Montpelier Hills PETITION -- EVEN IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE HEARING

  • Community working group members have begun taking petitions door-to-door throughout Montpelier Hills, listing the major unresolved issues with the developers.

  • The petitions are an opportunity for MH homeowners to voice their opinion to the County Planning Board and support the Board position for the County to withhold approval of the Town House Plan until major issues are resolved with the developers.
  • Petitions can be returned to the following Board/MHIWGmembers -- just drop them off -- No later than June 14.

Kathy Williams 11626 Tuscany Drive
Gary Stone 9202 Fairlane Place
Floyd Hughes 12210 Blue Moon Court
Ella Demby 12105 Apache Tears Circle
LaVerne Anthony 9206 Ispahan Loop

3) Watch menu item "New Town Houses in MH" for updates