MEETING PREVIEW: Rent Stabilization, Community Service Grants, and More

The agenda for tonight’s College Park Mayor and Council worksession includes discussions about rent stabilization in the city and funding for a new public works building.

The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers of . The worksession is open to the public, but a 7 p.m. executive session to discuss a “legal matter” is not.

Anyone who wishes to attend the worksession can pick up a free parking pass on the first floor of city hall. Those who can't attend can watch the meeting online here.

A summary of agenda items is below. The complete agenda accompanies this post.

Consent Agenda

Council will consider a proclamation to be read at next week’s meeting, encouraging residents of College Park to participate in the National Kids to Parks Day on May 19, by taking children to a park.

Discussion Items

• Driveway Variance

City staff will suggest that council approves a resident’s request to construct a second driveway apron at his home located on Hollywood Road near 50th Avenue.

• Rent Stabilization

Council will discuss whether the city’s should be allowed to sunset on Sept. 1, 2012. Analysts from Sage Policy Group, Inc., followed up on 2005 and 2009 studies to determine if there is still a “rational basis” for rate caps on rented homes in the city. The verdict from the company: It does for now, though the basis may weaken once rental activity in the new high-rise student housing complexes is steady, and if the high rises bring rental rates down, according to the recent report. (The study summary is included in the agenda, pages 13 to 25.) Tonight’s discussion follows a debate at last week’s meeting between council members and property owners about the rent stabilization ordinance. 

• Community Service Grants

A subcommittee of council members will recommend 11 recipients to split $15,000 in community service grants, allocated from the fiscal year 2012 budget. Council will review the recommended recipients and programs, and the suggested grant amounts, which include:

1. , Family instructional nights program, $1,260
2. , Exhibit improvement and development, $1,500
3. Lakeland Community Heritage Project, , $1,750
4. American Legion Auxiliary, College Park Unit 217, participant scholarships, $1,000
5. Pregnancy Aid Centers, Inc., Food pantry program, $2,000
6. Boy Scout Troop 298, Leadership education for young men, $1,000
7. Cub Scout Pack 298, Subsidize Cub Scout program, $1,000
8. , Senior Summer Day Camp, $1,500
9. Council unit 23-5, Community Garden of North College Park, $500
10. , , $1,740
11. Embry Center of Family Life, Lakeland All-Stars basketball program, $1,750

• City Hall Expansion and Public Works Building

Council will review an ordinance to transfer $1.4 million from the city’s to the Capital Improvement Program, to cover the estimated cost of a the public works modular building replacement and a $400,000 deposit toward the . If passed, the ordinance would amend the fiscal year 2012 budget.

• M-NCPPC Budget Requests

City staff will recommend that the council prepare requests for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission fiscal year 2013 budget. Staff has prepared a letter for the Prince George’s County Council, requesting funding for projects that include a lighting study for the Paint Branch Trail and the expansion of the city's dog park, among other items.

• Boards and Committees

As always, council members will have the opportunity to nominate residents to city boards and committees.