[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6564302,"mediaKeyId","3292854-9b188bf562412d80510a0a41ade8e81b","parentId",3292854,"title","Council coalesces around a conservative budget template; staff to present COA 6 as starting point","audioSeconds",4157,"startMs",5899000,"endMs",10056000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3292854-9b188bf562412d80510a0a41ade8e81b&start=5899&end=10056","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3292854-9b188bf562412d80510a0a41ade8e81b/thumbnail_5899000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6564302/College-Park/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Council-coalesces-around-a-conservative-budget-template-staff-to-present-COA-6-as-starting-point","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564302-3c73fc242b85aa471ca7280a0bffb6eb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202327&Signature=FqpDBAETQHroeF~5RiZCqFidwuEMOb6jZXoXpSFoX~uEUA6dho0jtDK2k4W8nr31LI7x0E9GBGhVYxgao7hfSeF~FSKVCPWa5ddkWP6WgkfiAS84O6gshpy6il3Gr8Y5H-J0-2OEl3BlvyEby3gNevUMvst9szT4Fztz9IrkOtexH0rjLv~hXvP6UmCaTALgI64aG0Ubr4Jhbjyg-QTKFWC16unJ~bJVsfIS8cyL-MKrlYPY1TSMU~r-JWkAOutOs1t4u-6CB-Vv1Pkty7bObnfwbiQsvZ8HtzvaaYLc3CYc~j-yFdUoLYmaN7tvS3a1vScWYwIdVkiJzAP2p4D3Ww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","College Park, MD","date","2025-05-14T02:52:07.867Z","article","The College Park City Council spent a large portion of its May 13 work session reviewing multiple proposed budget amendment packages and settled, by an informal show‑of‑hands process, on a compromise package staff labeled COA 6 as the working template for next week’s formal budget adoption.

Finance Director Gary Fields reviewed a spreadsheet of council proposals and noted staff’s ability to balance the budget after council identified priorities. City Manager Young and Fields told the council that city reserves remained ahead of worst‑case October projections and that staff could rebalance and prepare a final budget based on council guidance.

Three councilmembers submitted competing packages of proposed amendments (identified in the staff materials as several COAs). Councilmembers argued over the pace and scale of additional spending given fiscal uncertainty from state action and potential impacts on fund balance. Some councilmembers argued for increased spending on emergency assistance, business retention and bilingual resident services; others urged caution and preferred no changes to the manager’s proposed budget.

After discussion, councilmembers used an informal preference exercise in which each councilmember stated which COA best matched their priorities. Several councilmembers signaled support for COA 6, described in the staff spreadsheet as a middle‑ground package that, among other items, adjusts business attraction/retention funding, maintains some sidewalk/CIP design funding, and includes modest targeted increases while preserving reserves. Councilmembers asked staff to prepare the FY2026 proposed budget using COA 6 as the baseline and to limit any additional amendments to relatively small, de‑minimis amounts going into next week’s meeting.

Fields and the city manager noted staff’s ability to reallocate contingency funds and to prepare the formal budget document for the council’s May 20 meeting. Councilmembers also asked staff to follow up with clarifications, including exact mapping for flood‑prone parcels discussed in the Lakeland plan presentation and more specific cost estimates for sidewalk design and economic incentive programs.

No formal vote occurred at the work session; council members used the informal straw‑poll to guide staff work. The council directed staff to return a balanced budget next week incorporating the COA 6 template and requested that any material contract or program changes be returned to council for formal action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Council Meeting May 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","During a May 13 work session the council discussed a range of proposed budget amendments and by informal straw polling settled on a compromise template (referred to in discussion as COA 6) as the starting point for next week’s formal action; staff will prepare the proposed budget using that template and perform legal/financial balancing.","taxTitle","College Park, Prince George's County, Maryland","taxId",53864,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":44,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6564305,"Council hears final draft of Lakeland neighborhood plan; adoption scheduled for next week",2166,3733000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3292854-9b188bf562412d80510a0a41ade8e81b&start=3733&end=5899","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3292854-9b188bf562412d80510a0a41ade8e81b/thumbnail_3733000.jpg","/articles/6564305/College-Park/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Council-hears-final-draft-of-Lakeland-neighborhood-plan-adoption-scheduled-for-next-week","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564305-d97f8b766bacdc526da6e5d7b73443da/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202327&Signature=BZf6I9pXmC1OnDilUifmLeNMwWuPU~c5EITitr8oRQPY5pvG~GLTPuDqTDCJVnGWSMR6r~RVp~d7J0CeZePLKovxWHThZERtpJexJJmyMD~h5lQbOFZeWr3DaucIiqmgWN4rA8q3B0isSAyTLk-DTV1o5Q1GwJMtUZ-7-VQOnu1SQ6ZuY0QaECXmPTEsGARXNHBKDafMipku14vAsXKpAae3ypLVCT-~4s9Htup-69vvPi9wqVY76iKkXc~SHU0UChiNG8KNRwy~0dtjqfqe7o5DBG-6Nf68kWKeClcgoKEvussXyI9hj-CXuasrq9jPiaxP7~b7htiwvVop0OvG7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","College Park planning staff on May 13 presented the final draft of the long‑running Lakeland neighborhood plan, describing a community‑led vision for redevelopment, cultural preservation and improved walkability.

Senior planner Carlos Núñez said the plan — developed over roughly 18 months with more than 20 public engagements and university partnerships — was intended to “restore Lakeland’s historic legacy and community identity while addressing the long‑standing impacts of displacement and inequity.” Núñez emphasized zoning changes that the plan would use to transition density across the neighborhood, propose new neighborhood commercial zones on Rhode Island Avenue, and create a cultural heritage overlay to recognize Lakeland’s African American history.

Miriam Bader, the city director who joined the presentation, described an immediate project tied to the plan: activating the city‑owned Pierce Avenue property with a therapeutic, trauma‑informed demonstration garden created by a University of Maryland landscape‑architecture studio and led by Dr. Naomi Sachs. Bader said the project could include a shared vegetable or meditative herb garden, picnic tables and programming coordinated with the nearby community center and restorative justice committee.

The plan recommends a mix of interventions including:
- Up‑zoning targeted corridors for mixed‑use development while down‑zoning areas adjacent to single‑family blocks to create gentler transitions;
- Establishing a cultural heritage district and preservation supports for churches and historic sites such as Embry AME Church and the former Lakeland High School site;
- Re‑zoning some flood‑prone land for parks and open space; and
- Incentives for community‑driven placemaking, interpretive signage and walking tours.

Community members who helped lead or review the plan addressed the council. Maxine Gross, a Lakeland resident and plan participant, thanked council and staff and urged the city to seek county adoption where appropriate. Robert Thurston, a Lakeland resident, said the plan gives the neighborhood a “front facing document” to guide developers and preserve community goals. Nick Desperto, the incoming student liaison, encouraged the plan’s elements that would create more affordable rental opportunities for students.

Council members broadly praised staff and community partners for the plan and asked clarifying questions about specifics such as where flood‑prone parcels are located and how accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules might be applied. Staff said they would follow up with mapping details and noted that state ADU legislation will require local ordinances that the city must adapt.

City staff announced they plan to place the Lakeland neighborhood plan on next week’s consent agenda for formal adoption. If adopted, staff said next steps would include seeking funding for priority projects, formalizing the heritage district concept and continuing community‑led implementation activities.","City planning staff presented the final draft of the Lakeland neighborhood plan on May 13, highlighting zoning recommendations, heritage‑district ideas and community partnerships for a Pierce Avenue demonstration garden; the council signaled support and staff will place the plan on the consent agenda for adoption next week.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6564310,"College Park council OKs ParkMobile as secondary pay‑by‑phone option, approves service agreement",682,2991000,3673000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3292854-9b188bf562412d80510a0a41ade8e81b&start=2991&end=3673","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3292854-9b188bf562412d80510a0a41ade8e81b/thumbnail_2991000.jpg","/articles/6564310/College-Park/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/College-Park-council-OKs-ParkMobile-as-secondary-paybyphone-option-approves-service-agreement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564310-4312f6033254eb57f9c8661350c1e598/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202327&Signature=m48AQ58TMsLHx~gAm6EDHyKdaBYDHTCbIcbX-IO9iX0grLa40m7eAG~QtxAKBRpUi0ho1a0mO7S~JzoFuwh1chc3-~m6SVnhaGGRO4DkQ-L6RmTcJs8p4ARAfYB0JmPTf6y-X1Qxl73aLSen4zc6NSchx9EZAvIPNxRqYYsxgechrrnLonhVynTSSxUE-HJ-ZlNYli8uhcuADYJYIFQPtSZmhp~DSjzBBDkR9CHH8BXB82ptBwPYoA3Cs3dJ0gm4bSu5pPRO0YfUVM6azYRvKNTAGiZtox9JS1aVfPEHYgmpRw5BIUydasF1-sDAk2FEmr5kD3qwXqLGuSuSmt9fLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The College Park City Council authorized the city manager on May 13 to enter a service agreement with ParkMobile, LLC as a secondary mobile pay‑by‑phone provider for city parking operations.

Parking Enforcement Manager Miller presented the item (agenda 25GS51), describing the proposal as an option to add ParkMobile in addition to the city’s current provider, Ames/AMP Park. Miller told the council the city’s 2024 mobile app transactions totaled 58,079 and that shifting all mobile payments to ParkMobile would add a 3% Merchant‑of‑Record (MOR) fee in addition to the typical $0.20 per transaction processing fee the city pays today.

Miller said a full hypothetical shift to ParkMobile would add roughly $16,428 in MOR fees to the city’s gross meter revenue ($547,601.17 in total meter collections referenced from the State of the City report). He also said the university and many regional entities use ParkMobile and that adding ParkMobile could reduce user confusion at campus and shopping center locations.

During council discussion, some members emphasized accessibility for users who regularly use ParkMobile and the benefit of giving residents more payment options. Councilmember Ranker, Councilmember Whitney and others said ParkMobile’s familiarity would improve the parking experience for residents, particularly visitors and university users.

Councilmember Durango (opposed) said he has had negative experiences with the ParkMobile service and objected to the MOR that would reduce net revenue to the city. The council debated whether the additional fee structure could be altered in negotiation with ParkMobile; staff said legal review and negotiation would be part of the agreement process.

Gavin Neubauer, a resident who spoke at the council meeting, described practical user benefits: “There have been a couple issues I’ve had with it, mostly when it comes to how it works in the shopping center... ParkMobile would work a lot better. It’ll tell you your time on your home screen which AMP does not do,” he said.

The motion to authorize the agreement — described in the meeting as approval for the city manager to enter into a service agreement subject to city attorney review — passed 7‑1 with one opposing vote recorded. The approved authorization directs staff to finalize a contract with ParkMobile subject to legal review and return any material changes to the council as required.

Clarifying details the council recorded in the discussion included: ParkMobile’s 3% MOR fee, the city’s $0.20 per‑transaction processing charge, the 58,079 mobile transactions processed through the city’s current vendor in 2024, and AMP’s prior role filling the gap when MobileNow ceased operations during the pandemic.","The council authorized the city manager to enter a service agreement with ParkMobile, LLC as a secondary mobile payment vendor for city parking, a move supporters said would reduce confusion for drivers while some councilmembers raised concerns about added Merchant‑of‑Record fees and lower municipal revenue.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6564315,"College Park adopts ordinance allowing stop‑sign monitoring systems in school zones",579,2408000,2987000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3292854-9b188bf562412d80510a0a41ade8e81b&start=2408&end=2987","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3292854-9b188bf562412d80510a0a41ade8e81b/thumbnail_2408000.jpg","/articles/6564315/College-Park/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/College-Park-adopts-ordinance-allowing-stopsign-monitoring-systems-in-school-zones","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6564315-6489b410f63474587822eb37e7d343c0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202327&Signature=gBWqOiMJbKCVp7Gjar~RPqjuCeGQ3lVFkHNJV28Vk71P5c4cDc7UdGxhiWRDuOe0PdW2MmkOaeZKoUYhJhNULaqdkwE56lG7tu3~CTYwQ9~7j-svREMAb95Lysu~Qy9txX9Jw0Zi5LDoRmAJf5v9tmby7oyuDwdGxsA960fjgC2LqON~AcUW3lgMQzfBnjnb~QHyU3AH5AxjdrmhGZi9yYopOJkarSOC8wJYkvv5SaLBdYBmAm83zcfCqS9k~S7UMA1FBGkZpKcCkax8zEekTj4CEd44qcKelMoXlYYdvIYeIF4d8AWC5vRJrllH2IhCVzZ-oKMoGrYRh5S83L~nrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The College Park City Council on Tuesday adopted Ordinance 25‑0‑02 to add “stop‑sign monitoring systems” to the city code, allowing use of camera systems to record drivers who fail to stop in school zones.

The measure, presented by Jatinder Coker, the city’s director of public services, implements language authorized in the state Transportation Article and adds Article 9, §184‑46, to the City Code. Coker told the council that the state statute authorizes local jurisdictions in Prince George’s County to use stop‑sign monitoring systems in school zones and that an owner or driver whose vehicle is recorded can be subject to a civil penalty if no traffic citation was issued by an officer.

Supporters said the cameras would improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety near schools. Mark Schroeder, chair of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, told the council the committee “felt that stop sign enforcement would be a significant assistance in ensuring the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists” and offered the committee’s endorsement. Schroeder also urged the city to redact the faces or other identifying marks of pedestrians captured in footage who are not the offending driver.

Council discussion referenced prior demonstrations and conversations with other jurisdictions that have used similar systems. Councilmembers noted they had seen videos during a vendor demonstration showing vehicles rolling through stop signs and cited that evidence as part of the rationale for the ordinance.

Coker said staff would confirm technical details with the vendor, including whether camera angles or software settings could obscure or redact non‑driver faces. “Typically, they can angle the camera to only get the necessary information. But I’ll confirm it with the vendor,” Coker said.

The council completed a public hearing on the ordinance before voting. No roll‑call vote tally was recorded in the meeting transcript; the council approved the ordinance by voice vote.

The ordinance references the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland (authority cited in the staff report) and amends Chapter 184 (Vehicles and Traffic) of the College Park City Code to add the stop‑sign monitoring provisions.

What happens next: the city will work with the vendor on operational details, including data access, retention and redaction protocols, and will move forward with implementation per the ordinance’s language and applicable state law. Councilmembers signaled a desire for further details from staff on privacy and data handling before final operational rollout.","The College Park City Council on May 13 adopted Ordinance 25‑0‑02 to add stop‑sign monitoring systems in school zones under state law; supporters said the technology could improve pedestrian safety while some residents and advisors raised privacy concerns about non‑driver identification in camera footage.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council coalesces around a conservative budget template; staff to present COA 6 as starting point

Council hears final draft of Lakeland neighborhood plan; adoption scheduled for next week

College Park council OKs ParkMobile as secondary pay‑by‑phone option, approves service agreement

College Park adopts ordinance allowing stop‑sign monitoring systems in school zones