Meeting Minutes—June 13, 2024
North College Park Community Association (NCPCA)
Attendees:
In Person:
David Alicea; Kamthorn Clary; Bryan Haddad; Jacob Hernandez; Fazlul Kabir; Arelis Perez; David Turley; Brendan Wray
Online (names written as they appear in chat):
Celia Anklesaria; Melissa Peterson; Diana Sisson
Minutes Taken By:
Brian J. Roan, Secretary
Call to Order
President David Alicea opened the meeting by reading the consensus to record presenting the agenda and soliciting a motion to approve. Arelis Perez moved to approve the agenda, and it was seconded by Kamthorn Clary. The motion to approved the agenda passed.
Minutes
Arelis Perez motioned to approve the May minutes, with a second by Jacob Hernandez. Approval was passed by vote.
President’s Report
Since this was the last meeting before hiatus, President Alicea ran through a list of the accomplishments seen by the NCPCA in the past year. He expressed his thanks to the directors and other members for making this a successful year. He also reiterated that there would be an election later in the night for election by acclamation.
Vice President’s
Outgoing-VP Brys Broughton thanked those who had signed up on Member Planet. He also thanked everyone and said goodbye, as this was his last meeting. President Alicea thanked VP Broughton for his service.
Treasurer’s Report
SECU Checking Account: $1,787.42
SECU Savings Account: $334.74
Treasurer Melissa Peterson gave updates on accounts. She mentioned that there may be another summer social this year in the vein of the ice cream social last year, but this will be kept below $150.
Secretary’s Report
Secretary Brian Roan was not in attendance but had left word to state name when addressing membership or approving a motion.
Development Committee Director Report
Director Brendan Wray met with Eric Valentine for updates. The Hollywood Sidewalk Project construction contract should be approved at a city council meeting in July. New micro mobility parking will be coming to North College Park. The Autoville townhomes project has not moved forward yet as the developer reworks its proposal. VP Peterson asked about the timeline for zoing for that development, and Director Wray noted at the county council has extended the old zoning for two years. VP Peterson spoke briefly in favor of denser housing. The development might drop to 8 units.
Arelis Perez noted that most of the Autoville residents are opposed to the development. CM Jacob Hernandez said that he had been to meetings regarding this project and ran down a history of concerns and developments. He noted that the city can add conditions to the site plan to be considered by the main power lies with the county. Kam Clary noted that the residents are concerned about the character of the neighborhood, not logistical concerns. So any dense development will be seen as worthy of opposition. Mayor Fazlul Kabir acknowledged the concerns of the residents but noted again how the city is hamstrung by the rules of land usage and how the power lies with the county and not the city. CM Hernandez and Mayor Kabir expressed further the city’s lack of agency in development within the city limits. They also brought up other possible developments, which Arelis Perez noted would always happen without resident voices being heard. CM Hernandez noted the drive for increase in density but spoke in favor of the single family residences that make up North College Park. Kam Clary noted that a 10% increase of density usually relates to a 3% decrease in per square foot average cost. CM Hernandez noted that this would be condo related, not rental apartments, though Clary said townhomes would be the same.
Director Wray also brought up the April traffic study regarding the changes to Rhode Island Avenue. Speeds have decreased 1–3MPH in either direction and yield rates are up to 60%. The city also conducted a survey for public perception. A majority of bikers, drivers, and bus riders made the road safer. 53% noted a reduction in speeding and aggressive driving.
Events Committee Update
Director Mary Roop was not in attendance but thanked everyone for taking part in the BBQ and College Park Parade. Trolley Trail Day saw an increase in attendees and business participation. The Hollywood Farmers Market is averaging 200 people a week, up from 100–150 last year. Permanent signage has been added on Rhode Island.
Kam Clary noted that the manager of the market is hoping the attendance bump is sustainable and encourages people to keep coming and to look for more vendors.
Arelis Perez said that she heard that Trolley Trail Day was not as well attended in Berwyn and Lakeland. She encourages organizers to remedy this. Mayor Kabir noted that Hyattsville had more activities and because College Park was more dispersed they had fewer events at some stops. Arelis Perez stated that people who went from College Park to Hyattsville never came back up. Mayor Kabir highlighted the Lakeland celebration. He said he would share Arelis Perez’s notes with organizers. CM Hernandez voiced his disappointment at the lack of leveraging Trolley Trail Day for North College Park businesses and streetscape. He noted that increased communication was needed, which Arelis Perez agreed with. Action Item: CM Hernandez hopes that for the future Trolley Trail Day we can get together a few months beforehand to work out ways to better take advantage of the possible increased visibility. President Alicea agreed.
A further discussion on how to get the word out took place.
Motions to Re-elect Officers and Directors by Acclamation
President Alicea’s re-election was motioned by outgoing VP Brys Broughton and was seconded by Kam Clary. The motion passed by vote. He expressed his pride in how membership had stepped forward to take up responsibilities with the organization.
Kam Clary was motioned to be appointed/elected by Arelis Perez. Brys Broughton seconded. The motion passed by vote. Kam Clary spoke briefly on community engagement.
Treasurer Peterson was put forward for re-election by Arelis Perez. VP Clary seconded. The motion passed.
Secretary Brian Roan’s re-election was forwarded by Arelis Perez. Brys Broughton seconded the motion. The motion passed by vote.
CM Hernandez motioned to approve the appointment of Director Wray as the head of the development committee. Arelis Perez seconded. The motion passed by vote.
Arelis Perez motioned to re-appoint Director Roop as the head of the events committee. Brys Broughton seconded. The motion passed by vote.
The finance director is unable to serve again, and no new director was forthcoming. Arelis Perez expressed interest in possibly taking up this position.
Unscheduled Motions and Announcements
Mayor Kabir announced that there will be an event for residents age 14–17 in the Youth and Family Services Building on Nantucket Road on July 17 and August 2. This will be called Teen Time and will include games and activities. He also announced an exhibition at city hall taking place on June 19 where artwork from the Virginia Museum of History and Culture will be on display. There will also be free summer parking at the garage downtown from May 25 to August 2 all day Saturday and Sunday to encourage more customers to downtown locations while school is out.
Arelis Perez noted a mural created during the Friday Night Live events that is on display in city hall. Neighbors Helping Neighbors, partnered with the Jewish Council on Aging, has vacancies on its board. This is an organization that helps neighbors aging in place with items like transportation and lawn cutting. The final series for Lakeland will be July 27 at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.
Someone announced the new site for bike and pedestrians to report near misses. However he did not have the web site on him. He also noted that you can report incidents to the Noise Control Board by writing to the city clerk. He also noted that the city control police are handing out repair orders to cars that are overly loud and to contact the city to let them know where to be.
Bryan Haddad commented that he believed that police weren’t being truthful about handing out tickets and that laws needed to be changed to allow for harsher punishment. He also asked that the city ask for recently approved noise cameras. The lobbying for these cameras has, according to CM Hernandez, been competitive. He said he would follow up on the camera.
Bryan Haddad said that turning on your car alarm to “mess with the joy” of someone revving their engine was a good strategy. Diana Sisson online said this was a bad strategy because it amplifies the noise and raises a level of confrontation. Haddad said it was necessary and Sisson respectfully disagreed. Someone said that if a noise is associated with a specific property then that could be brought to the noise board, thus Haddad setting off his alarm could be brought to the noise board. The problem, this person said, was that many people are merely passing through. Kam Clary asked for clarity about the sound cameras and their efficacy, which CM Hernandez said is why they are currently doing a pilot program. David Turley noted that certain businesses in College Park are attracting and modifying louder vehicles. Mayor Kabir said that some of these businesses operate in a gray area legally in attracting and performing this kind of business. A discussion about police efficacy began.
CM Hernandez announced that the county was planning on pulling career firefighters out of Berwyn Heights and Greenbelt. He noted that something similar happened in Beltsville but residents were able to pull together to stop it. He encouraged people to track the situation. He also noted that council would be out for three weeks. He reiterated that they were looking into noise cameras. He noted 3 unrelated shootings in the North College Park neighborhood at the Holiday Inn and bowling alley. He said with the summer coming there might be increases in nuisance crimes and encouraged people to report them. More conversation took place about neighborhood quality of life concerns. CM Hernandez brought up an “unruly social event” that included hundreds of cars. Police were contacted. CM Hernandez encouraged people to help to build a case against these kinds of things. He also talked about a business owner in North College Park who identified a criminal who was scratching cars. CM Hernandez noted how a meeting was held for businesses in the Hollywood commercial district to try to create a network for these owners in order that they might take advantage of programs available. A meeting was had on vacant and blighted properties as well, where they are trying to define what these terms mean before presenting them to council. He gave updates on development around the city. He also brought up the rat infestation as a result of the demolition of the motels on Route 1. He encouraged people to report any rat-related issues so they could be tracked. He highlighted more city events and accomplishments.
Kam Clary asked about the work being done on Wichita which would close the street and whether there was a city accommodation happening. CM Hernandez noted that this was under discussion. David Turley said this situation was crazy and a conversation about parking options was had.
Call to Adjourn
Arelis Perez motioned to adjourn. CM Hernandez seconded. The motion was carried by vote.