Prince George's County Council Approves Cafritz Tax District

Prince George's County Council voted 6-2 on Tuesday to approve the boundaries for what will become a special taxing district to fund infrastructure improvements on the proposed Cafritz development in Riverdale Park. 

The measure was passed over the objections of the University Park Town Council, which voted against supporting the preliminary plan of subdivision for the new Cafritz development on Monday evening. 

At the Prince George's County Council meeting on Tuesday, University Park Town Councilwoman Arlene Christiansen (Ward 3), raised concerns that the development could cause property tax assessments to rise for nearby properties in her town. 

Her University Park Town Council colleague, Councilman James Gekas (Ward 2), urged the county council to delay passing the special tax district boundary measure until more details were known about the cost of the CSX bridge. 

Other objections included a fear that the development would burden public roads and schools nearby. 

Brad Fromme, deputy chief of staff for Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker, said that concerns about how the development would affect the local schools were off base. 

"A development like this - mixed use - the thought that it's going to create, going to have 2,000 kids come in, it's just not the case," said Fromme. "It's more the empty-nesters, the young, the urban folk who gravitate towards that type of development. The preliminary plan report doesn't have anywhere near the impact that they are putting out there."

Fromme admitted that nearby property owners, even those not in the new special tax district, may have to pay higher property taxes as a result of the increased value of their homes once the development opens. 

"I think you can make a pretty strong case at the end of the day that that's a good thing," said Fromme. "As a community, we want those things. We hope that's the case." 

County Council Chairwiman Andrea Harrison (D-District 5), Vice-Chairman Obie Patterson (D-District 8), and Councilwoman Karen Toles (D-District 7), Councilman Mel Franklin (D-District 9), Councilman Will Campos (D-District 2) and Councilman Derrick Davis voted in favor of the measure. Eric Olson (D-District 3) and Mary Lehman (D-District 1) voted against it. Councilwoman Ingrid Turner (D-District 4) was absent. 

The measure sets the boundaries for properties within the Cafritz tract which will be subject to a new tax designed primarily to fund the construction of a new railroad overpass which can carry traffic over the CSX tracks to the east of the proposed development. Securing the location and developing a funding mechanism for the bridge is one of the requirements imposed by county planners on the development before it can proceed. 

The exact nature of the tax, and the methodology by which it will be collected, have not yet been determined. Those details will be worked out in a separate measure which must be approved by the Prince George's County Council at a later date.