Transportation advocates call on elected officials to make wiser transportation investments before asking Maryland residents to pay more.

With 15 Metro stations offering ample room for new businesses, housing and public spaces, Prince George’s has all the right ingredients for transit-oriented development (TOD) to create mixed-use, walkable, and vibrant communities. Join us to learn how the county can take full advantage of all its opportunities as the market for TOD continues to grow. TOD is commonly defined as higher-density, mixed-use development within walking distance of transit stations.

We have weighed the concerns expressed by a variety of residents and groups regarding the best course for the Falkland North site. The decision regarding the historic designation of the south and west parcels, and the redevelopment of the existing buildings and grounds of the north parcel will continue to be one of earnest disagreement among some stakeholders. Opponents of redevelopment of the north parcel point to the distinctive social and architectural history of the site and the loss of numerous mature native trees. We acknowledge that these are indeed significant losses. However, we believe that the benefits of the proposed project for Falkland Chase North outweigh these losses, along with the preservation of the historic south and west parcels. After careful review of plans, reports, a brief site visit, and comments from opponents and proponents, we believe that this project has many local, county and regional benefits.

We would like to express our support for the White Flint Sector Plan and urge the Council and County Executive to create a feasible transportation infrastructure financing plan to move this effort forward without delay. We call on the Council to work with the Executive to establish a financing plan that is fair, accelerates redevelopment, and rightfully places this high value Metro-oriented development plan as a top priority for County and state transportation spending. The urgent need to create a workable, timely transportation financing plan requires us to rethink our spending priorities.

Every resident in Prince George’s County deserves a decent, affordable home as the first step to achieving economic security, a higher quality of life and a sense of stability. For the county’s moderate- and low-income households, having and keeping a home within their budget has become increasingly difficult.