Council Approves $2.5M Bond Ordinance

Voting six to three, the Hyattsville City Council approved a to fund a variety of infrastructure projects over the next few years, including a push for a new parking facility in the downtown Route 1 corridor.

"There is an obvious need to address parking issues on Route 1," said council Vice-Presient David Hiles during last night's meeting. "We have a great new retail section, and it's obvious that we need to address the parking issues related to that. This is basically a response to that need."

During a public hearing preceding last night's council meeting, local activist David Marshall criticized the bond issue for overspending on road improvements at the expense of neighborhoods not along the Route 1 corridor. 

"It seems as if the city is spending too much money on roads at this time," said Marshall. "It seems as if that should be rerouted a bit for other things, for recreational amenities on the west side of the city in particular."

His comments were echoed by council members Paula Perry (Ward 4) and Ruth Ann Frazier (Ward 5), who tried to portray the bond issuance as an example of municipal inattention to the city's western neighborhoods. 

Both Perry and Frazier, , voted against the measure this time around. 

"I'm sorry. All of a sudden, as a council member, I feel very left out of the loop," said Frazier during debate.

Rounding out the three council members who voted against the bond ordinance was Councilor Tim Hunt (Ward 3) who criticized it for not disclosing more information about how the bond funds would be used for new Route 1 parking facilities.

Of the bond funds, $90,000 will be used to pay for new parking meters and parking lot renovations taking place in the downtown Hyattsville Route 1 corridor.

Much of majority of the money could also be used for the purchase and clearing of land to make way for a new parking facility in the downtown Route 1 corridor.  At least $1.5 million is needed for property acquisition–officially marked in the city's most recent Capital Improvement Plan as "other"–according to sources familiar with council deliberations on the project. Another $500,000 would be needed to prep the lot for the possible construction of a to-be-determined style of parking facility. 

The bond issue could also be used to fund field renovations at the city's parks and a roadway improvement plan.

As of right now, city officials do not know the specific terms of the bond like interest rate or the repayment schedule. Those details will become known by October, according to City Treasurer and Acting City Administrator Elaine Stookey, when the bond funds are issued.