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Avondale residents urge removal from West Hyattsville rezoning; cite notification, infrastructure and displacement concerns
Summary
Multiple speakers from the Avondale North Woodridge neighborhood urged the planning board to remove their area from proposed rezoning, saying they first learned of draft changes in May 2025, that local streets and services cannot absorb higher density, and that rezoning would harm long‑term homeowners.
Residents of the Avondale North Woodridge neighborhood told the Prince George’s County Council and the planning board at the joint public hearing that draft 3’s proposed reclassification of RSF‑65 to RSFA would change the neighborhood’s character and strain infrastructure. Several residents asked the planning board to amend the draft to remove Avondale from the rezoning area.
Jewel Smith, vice president of the Avondale North Woodridge Community Association, said, "This change would irreparably alter the character of our neighborhood," and asked the board to reconsider rezoning Avondale North Woodridge. Smith identified concerns about rush‑hour congestion on Queens Chapel Road, limited police coverage, lack of sidewalks on some streets and rising property taxes that, she said, could be driven higher by rezoning.
Community association president Pat Padua said the association gathered “more than a 100 signatures from Avondale residents opposed to the rezoning proposal,” and asserted that notice to the neighborhood was inadequate: residents were not aware of earlier outreach and only learned of the third draft in May 2025.
Why it matters: residents said their largely Black and Hispanic community relies on modest single‑family lots, on-street parking, existing public services and small parks; they fear rezoning will encourage multifamily redevelopment that changes the neighborhood without compensating infrastructure or protections for long‑term owners.
Principal concerns raised
Notification and process: Nancy Gaskins and other speakers said they were not alerted when earlier outreach occurred and only became aware of the draft in spring 2025. Gaskins said inadequate notice undermines public trust and asked for greater transparency.
Infrastructure and safety: Speakers described existing traffic backups on Queens Chapel Road and Chilum Road at peak hours, limited police resources, and gaps in pedestrian infrastructure such as sidewalks on residential streets. Jewel Smith and Neonbi Carter said neighborhoods lack basic safety features before any density increase is considered.
Displacement and economic impacts: Residents argued rezoning could raise property taxes for long‑term homeowners and reduce neighborhood green space. Several speakers expressed support for limited measures such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs) at the homeowner’s option, but opposed wholesale rezoning that allows commercial or multifamily owners to buy strips of homes and replace them with higher‑density developments.
Requested outcome
Avondale speakers asked the planning board to remove Avondale North Woodridge from the RSFA rezoning (item noted as change 36 in the staff presentation) or to delay any action until the neighborhood receives more complete notification and a more detailed infrastructure analysis.
Ending
Speakers closed by requesting that their concerns be considered in amendments to the draft. The planning and council dais acknowledged the testimony and the public record will remain open for written comments through the close date staff announced.
