Submitted by: Jeff Ulysse
Submitting Department: Community & Economic Development
Agenda Section: Action
Item Title:
title
Library Apartments/3325 Toledo Road Garage Redevelopment Detailed Site Plan (DSP) 01002-04
end
Suggested Action:
recommendation
I move that the Council authorize the Mayor to provide correspondence to the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission in support of applicant’s request for the following modifications
and the following conditions to Detailed Site Plan 01002-04.
1. The City Supports the applicant’s request for a modification from the design standards to locate transformers above-ground along Democracy Ave where TDDP standards require that on A Streets, B Streets, Pedestrian Streets, or Promenades, no new public utilities, including, but not limited to, transmission or distribution lines and mechanical equipment, are permitted aboveground, if applicable.
2. The City Supports the applicant’s request for a modification from the design standards for building frontage that varies from 9' - 23' deep where the requirement for minimum frontage zone depth/build -to line, on all existing “B” Streets, is 15’ and the maximum frontage zone depth/build-to line is 20’.
3. The City Supports the applicant’s request for a modification from the design standards for street light fixtures to be spaced between 40’ to 45’ apart where a maximum of 40’ is required.
4. The City Supports the applicant’s request for a modification from the design standards to allow ground floor ceiling to maintain an 11’6’ clearance where TDDP Standards requires the ground floor ceiling to have a minimum 14’ clearance.
5. The City Supports the applicant’s request for a modification from the design standards for buildings wider than 50’ shall be designed as a series of building fronts no wider than 50’. The applicant is requesting a deviation from this standard due to the unique elements and structural constraints of the proposed development which seeks to re-purpose 50% of an existing parking garage to incorporate a multifamily building.
6. The City Supports the applicant’s request for a modification from the design standards for building placement that requires 100% minimum A street, Pedestrian Street, or Promenade and 60% Minimum B street for the side street building placement. The applicant is requesting to validate the existing conditions due to the unique nature of repurposing of an existing parking garage to incorporate a multi-family building which is further constrained by an existing retaining wall.
The City recommends the following conditions of approval:
1. All transformers associated with this development shall be relocated south within the southern courtyard pending the approval by PEPCO. Alternatively, all transformers shall be relocated further south and properly screened as indicated in Sheet DSP-25.
2. The applicant shall integrate public art features to mitigate the volume/massing of the three stair cases on the eastern façade along Democracy Avenue into the development.
3. The applicant shall further address plans for the designated trash collection area which we believe does not adequately safeguard interactions with pedestrians and vehicular traffic within the garage.
4. Prior to Planning Board approval, execute a Declaration of Covenants Agreement with the City that includes, at a minimum, the following provisions:
a. Provision of public access easement to the City for any sidewalk along Toledo Road not located within the ROW
b. Acknowledgement of applicant responsibility for maintenance of pedestrian light fixtures, landscaping, and sidewalks
c. Restrictions related to construction staging and hours of operation, if needed
d. If feasible, provision of an outdoor public art feature
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Summary Background:
Project Summary
• The subject application proposes to redevelop the eastern half of the existing parking garage known as Garage A at the University Town Center into 209 multifamily residential units. The western half of the parking garage is to remain.
• The subject property is a 2.87-acre lot located at 3325 Toledo Rd, within the Prince George’s Plaza Transit District Overlay Zone.
The subject property is a 2.87-acre lot located on the southwest corner of Toledo Road and Constitution Drive, approximately 265 feet west of Toledo Road’s intersection with Adelphi Road (Figure 1). The site is located within University Town Center. Hyattsville Branch Library is located directly to the east of the property. The site is currently developed with a five-story parking garage containing 1,455 parking spaces.
The proposal would raze the eastern half of the parking garage (adjacent to the Hyattsville Branch Library) and construct a multifamily apartment building with 209 apartments. The western half of the garage would remain intact and serve as public parking and parking for the proposed multifamily units. The apartment complex will be 7 stories tall (less than the maximum 10 stories dictated by the Prince George’s Plaza Transit District Development Plan). The Planning Board date is tentatively scheduled for December 14, 2023.
Prior to the new zoning ordinance taking effect on April 1, 2022, the subject property was zoned M-X-T (Mixed Use-Transportation Oriented) within the Transit District Overlay Zone (TDOZ) in the Downtown Core character area. The project is being reviewed under the regulations of this zone in lieu of the RTO-H-C (Regional Transit-Oriented, High-Intensity-Core) Zone which was approved on April 1, 2022, as part of the countywide comprehensive rezoning. This is allowed pursuant to Section 24-1703(a) of the 2018 Subdivision Regulations.
The site has road frontages on the south side of Toledo Road, the west side of Democracy Avenue, and the north side of Constitution Drive. Toledo Road is a City road. Democracy Avenue and Constitution Drive are private roads.
Garage access is currently provided along Toledo Road and Constitution Drive. Under the proposed development, access to the western portion of the garage will remain in its current location on Toledo Road. To accommodate the redevelopment, the eastern garage entrance on Democracy Avenue will be eliminated along with the eastern half of the garage.
The applicant is proposing the development of a seven-story multifamily building with associated improvements, including amenity space (fitness center, outdoor lounge area) and stormwater management. Improvements to the frontage along Toledo Road (City street) are also proposed.
The applicant is proposing 209 units of multifamily housing. A proposed unit breakdown is as follows:
• 103 studios (49% of total units)
• 93 one-bedroom units (45% of total units)
• 13 two-bedroom units (6% of total units)
A multi-story public parking structure will be retained on the western portion of the site with 727 parking spaces. This structure will be tied into the residential. The entrance to the parking structure on Toledo Road will continue to be used.
The below approvals preceded the Detailed Site Plan application. These approvals are included in Council’s materials:
• On December 14, 2022, the Prince George’s County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement approved a Stormwater Management Concept Plan for the site with five (5) conditions.
• On March 7, 2023, the Planning Director approved a Certificate of Adequacy (ADQ-2022-055) with five (5) conditions. The ADQ addressed transportation, pedestrian and bikeway, parks and recreation, police, fire and rescue, and schools adequacy.
• On March 16, 2023, the Prince George’s County Planning Board approved the Preliminary Plan of Subdivision for this site (PPS 4-22004) with eleven (11) conditions.
Next Steps:
The M-NCPPC Planning Board is scheduled to conduct a hearing to consider DSP-01002-04 on Thursday, February 22, 2024. Any recommendations adopted by the City Council at the February 5th, 2024 meeting will be conveyed to the Planning Board before the M-NCPPC hearing.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
City Administrator Comments:
Recommend the Mayor and Council support the application with modification and conditions.
Community Engagement:
The application was presented to the City Council on October 24th 2023 and presented before the Planning Committee on November 7th 2023.
Strategic Goals:
Goal 2 - Ensure the Long-Term Economic Viability of the City
Legal Review Required?
N/A