I attended the La Plata town hall meeting last night to see what exactly was being proposed with the new proposed Kohl's department store in La Plata, MD.  Let me say that I was some kind of impressed!  It was the biggest crowd I have ever seen at a town hall meeting, It was literally standing-room only all the way out into the town hall foyer!

     The town hall meeting was geared specifically to residents in the subdivisions of Jamestowne, Quailwood, and Hawthorne Green.  So why all the fuss?  Well, for a couple of very good reasons.  I have included a map showing the proposed site location so all of you know what was proposed (understand this is only for reference, and should not be taken as any sort of guarantee in regards to location, size, etc.).  You can click on the image to expand to full size. 

Location

    The red box is the proposed location for the Kohl's Department store, as well as a bank and some sort of smaller retail location, according to the developer who spoke at the meeting.  The yellow and blue blocks show the location of the Pepsi plant on 301 and another possible location for future development.

Concerns

    One of the biggest issues that residents were worried about was the traffic.  According to the developer, the entrance/exit to Kohl's would have to be on Oriole Ln., which is currently a 2 lane residential road that leads into the immediate subdivisions.  It would require that another traffic light be added to Oriole Ln, and the developer claims that it will not cause any additional traffic congestion by having an additional light on Rt. 301, but many local residents did not share his confidence.

    Another large concern was the environmental impact of the whole project.  There is a possibility that some residents may be able to see the store from their back yard, and there were also concerns about water runoff, noise pollution, and sound pollution.

    Residents were eager to offer alternative site locations, but the fact is that this plan is for the location more so than it is for Kohl's.  It just so happens that Kohl's is the store that is being proposed, but they are not the developer nor did they.  Local residents need to decide if the town should allow any sort of development to proceed, and if not, there needs to be a reason why they come to that decision.

Touchy Subject

    Residents who have their homes backing up to the property claimed they were told that "It would never be developed".  At the time they purchased, there were no known plans for development there, but they were fed a fairly common line from the company that built their homes.  If it's not in a land trust of some sort, there's always the risk it'll be developed.  Especially when the land is as valuable as this 10 acre parcel on 301.

    Can that be enough reason to stop the development?  Well, the developer has claimed to have a plan to prevent the residents from being disturbed by building a wall and planting trees, so at least there's some sort of offer being made, and it shows the town that the developer is willing to address local concerns.

What About Traffic?

    The traffic concern is a big issue here.  If a traffic light were to be added on 301 at Oriole Ln, the developer says that it won't slow traffic significantly on 301.  Do YOU agree?  I'm not a traffic expert, but I'd like to to study any sort of traffic proposal that claims another light would help.  Granted, if Kohl's were to go there a light would be NEEDED to help get people in and out of Kohl's and to discourage them from joyriding through a residential subdivision.  How badly will it slow traffic on 301 though?  That's the study I want to see.

Will It Affect Home Values?

    Ah, there it is..... the $100,000 question.... (or more, depending on the value of your home).  A homeowner that's getting hit in the pocketbook so that a developer can make an extra buck can yell louder and faster than any other force known to man!  It only makes sense, really.  Why should someone else be allowed to get rich while his actions cause your finances to sink?

    Well, think of it this way....  We all know that real estate is all about 3 things: Location, Location, Location, right?  So, consider a scenario for just a moment:

You have to move to Georgia tomorrow.  You have your choice of 2 small, quaint towns.  Town "A" forces you to drive 15 minutes to get to any sort of shopping beyond the grocery store and the auto parts store.  Town "B" has a couple of discount department stores, pet stores, office supply stores, multiple eateries, etc.  Which do you choose?

    If you can get all of the amenities you enjoy in the small town feel you want, the choice is simple, right?  Who wouldn't want the convenience if that small town feel was still there.  Town "B" wins.

Oh,  Sorry, I forgot to mention.  If you decided on town "B", you have to live behind one of the department stores, But don't worry, it's got a scenic view...... At night if you look out from your second floor window you might be able to see the night shift employees having a smoke break on the loading dock.....

     Not as appealing right?  That's they catch to it all.  It has the possibility of dragging down values on the homes most directly impacted by it's location, but overall, it has a chance to raise values overall by raising the local quality of life.  What's key here is to get out, and make your voice be heard!  If you've got something to say or a concern you want addressed, now is the time to do it!

    Call your local members of the town council, speak up at the next town hall meeting!  I'll continue to keep up to date on the project, and as soon as I know more I'll post it here!

~Jonathan Benya    j.benya@c21nm.com
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St.
La Plata, MD 20646
301-653-8116
Southern Maryland and La Plata Real Estate Website
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