Bowie council approves detailed site plan to replace Freeway Airport with 297 homes
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Summary
The Bowie City Council unanimously approved Detailed Site Plan DET-2024-016 to redevelop the Freeway Airport property into 297 single-family detached homes on about 131.5 acres, with the applicant paying for a traffic signal and council requesting the county consider a median and additional speed enforcement.
The Bowie City Council on Nov. 17 voted unanimously to approve Detailed Site Plan DET-2024-016, endorsing a proposal to redevelop the Freeway Airport site at 3900 Church Road into 297 single-family detached homes on roughly 131.5 acres.
Council members and staff described the proposal as the product of extended community engagement. Rowan Coby, the city’s transportation planner, told the council the plan reflects the preliminary subdivision approved April 7, 2025, and that the applicant has recorded a restrictive covenant and will install a traffic signal at the main entrance at the applicant’s expense.
The project team, represented by attorney Robert Ansonetti, described the site layout, which preserves about 39% of the land as open space and adds recreation amenities including a dog park, a roughly 1.25-mile shared-use walking trail, two playground areas and a community pavilion. The presentation emphasized internal sidewalks and connectivity; applicant materials also commit to turn lanes and other off-site traffic work. Ansonetti said the detailed site plan closely mirrors the previously endorsed preliminary plan and requested council support. “We do agree with the advisory planning board’s recommendation for this case, and we would respectfully request your support of this application,” he told the council.
Council discussion acknowledged the outreach work but raised traffic-management concerns at the proposed northern right-in/right-out access. Several members asked staff and the applicant to evaluate adding a short median to prevent unsafe left-turn or u‑turn maneuvers; Council Member Brady asked staff to consider the median as a design consideration rather than a mandatory condition. Council Member Rogers also recommended asking Prince George’s County for an additional speed camera on Church Road near the entrance.
With that consideration included, a motion to approve the detailed site plan passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition. Staff noted the county planning board is set to hear the related detailed site plan matter on Dec. 11; the applicant will return with subsequent architectural and subdivision filings showing home designs and finishes.
Next steps: the approved detailed site plan allows the applicant to move to record plats and seek builder partners; the council asked staff to follow up with the county engineering/traffic authority on median feasibility and posting of any requested speed-enforcement measures.
