Oak Creek Club HOA backs basic-plan amendment for 28 homes but cites traffic, parking and communication concerns

The Oak Creek Club Homeowners Association told the Prince George's County zoning hearing examiner on March 26 that it supports an amendment to the development's approved basic plan to allow construction of 28 single-family homes, but asked the applicant and county to address traffic and parking concerns and to improve the timeliness of communications with residents.

Oak Creek Club HOA Secretary Suzanne King testified that the association "did take official action to support the upcoming land development proposal," while also relaying resident concerns about congestion at the traffic circle at Marybouree Parkway and parking for residents and visitors to the 28 proposed homes. King said the HOA has also asked the applicant to confirm that prior designations for a church and daycare have been removed from the plan.

The association asked for clearer, earlier distribution of documents after receiving materials from the applicant's counsel the day before a prior hearing. King said the HOA had sent a letter to the applicant's counsel outlining expectations for communication and that the board appreciated counsel's attendance at a community meeting earlier in the month. "We appreciate Mr. Hatcher's comments in the last hearing that he would work with us to rectify this situation," King said.

Applicant counsel Michael Hatcher (on the record) told the examiner that the applications before the panel are amendments to previously approved basic plans, not separate filings. He also confirmed that updated exhibits were submitted on March 5 (a revised exhibit 42 and a revised exhibit 47) and that the applicant intends to continue coordinating with the HOA on approximately a bimonthly basis through subsequent review steps, including the CDP, SDP and PPS processes.

During testimony, Mr. Brown (county counsel/staff) confirmed that the HOA's position was to approve the application "with your concerns noted," and King responded, "That's correct." The zoning hearing examiner said the evidentiary portion of the hearing was concluded but left the record open so the HOA could submit a letter documenting the date of its meeting, the motion and vote, and King’s authorization to speak on the board's behalf. The examiner set April 11 as the outside date to close the record, but said she would close it sooner if the letter arrived earlier.

The testimony focused on three practical issues residents raised: traffic and congestion at the neighborhood traffic circle, where a previous community member had testified about existing congestion; where residents and visitors to the new homes will park, particularly those facing Marybouree Parkway; and the HOA's request that the design and siting of the proposed homes be consistent with adjacent land bays in the development. King noted that some of the traffic and parking items may be addressed in later approvals (PPS, CDP or SDP) and said the HOA looks forward to working with the applicant through those processes.

Next steps: the HOA or its counsel was asked to file a short letter into the record verifying the date the board met, the board's motion and vote, and that King was authorized to testify on the HOA's behalf. Upon receipt of that letter the examiner said she would close the record; otherwise the record will close on April 11. After the record closes, the examiner said a decision in the three related cases will be forthcoming.