Lake Marlton Land Holdings LLC asked the Prince George's County Hearing Examiner on Nov. 5, 2025, to rezone the LCD portion of Parcel 102 in Marlton to RMF‑12, arguing a change in neighborhood character (and, alternatively, a mapping "mistake") makes commercial development unviable and residential zoning more appropriate.

The applicant's attorney, Arthur Horn of Shipton Horn, said the application seeks only a zoning map amendment and not approval of any specific site plan. "We are here simply for the rezoning application portion," Horn said. Developer Patrick Ricker, who identified himself as a managing member of Lake Marlton Land Holdings LLC, said the parcel totals roughly 29.3 acres across Parcels 101–103 and that about 18 acres of Parcel 102 are currently zoned LCD and proposed to be rezoned to RMF‑12. Ricker described two years of community outreach, the preparation of a conceptual site plan and an illustrative drone video of the site submitted as Exhibit 39.

Park and planning staff's technical report (Exhibit 27) was discussed at the hearing; the applicant agreed with the staff's findings in most respects but asked one technical amendment to a recommended condition about traffic modeling. Traffic engineer Michael Linhardt (Lenhart Traffic Consulting) presented Exhibit 25 and testified that the road network as studied can safely serve the project as proposed in residential form and that residential development would generate substantially fewer peak trips than a commercial center of the scale potentially allowed under the LCD designation. Linhardt also asked that the staff condition be clarified to reflect the actual modeling method used (SimTraffic in addition to Synchro), a technical wording change the applicant requested the record accommodate.

Market analyst Edward Steer testified that the site's dead‑end configuration and the availability of retail on Route 301 reduce the viability of new commercial development at this location. Landscape architect David Bickle presented a conceptual plan (Exhibit 16) showing access points on Heather Moore Boulevard, Woodstock Drive East and Marlton Center Drive, preservation of northern environmental buffers, parking counts (including 51 additional guest spaces), and at least 2 acres of central open space. Planner Ken Dunn said the record supports a finding of a change in neighborhood character (and alternatively a legal mistake in prior map action) and recommended RMF‑12 as an appropriate zone.

Several residents testified in opposition during the public‑comment portion. Arlis Proctor, who gave an address of 8901 Fairhaven Avenue, said, "I've lived here since 1978," and expressed concerns about trash, vandalism, and the need for road improvements. Other residents cited school overcrowding, loss of wooded open space and wildlife, noise and construction impacts, and a lack of demonstrated community benefit. A petition opposing the rezoning was noted in the record (Exhibit 26); the examiner explained petitions are not dispositive for zoning and encouraged opponents to participate in later procedural stages.

No vote was taken at the hearing. The examiner said the record would be left open briefly for limited documentary follow‑up; the applicant requested the record remain open to submit an affidavit authenticating the drone video (Exhibit 39) and to confirm preservation of the linked video. The examiner advised that a written decision will follow and that parties may appeal to the County Council (sitting as the district council) and later to the Circuit Court if dissatisfied.

Because this hearing addressed only the zoning map amendment, witnesses and counsel emphasized that a rezoning approval would not by itself authorize development. If rezoned, the site would still require subsequent approvals (preliminary plan of subdivision, adequate public facility determinations, and a detailed site plan) that would revisit traffic mitigation, school capacity, stormwater, environmental buffers and other implementation details and allow additional public input.