Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-10-19
Two School Site
Gifts May Cost
County $4,000
MISUNDERSTANDING
onfronts Board
In Prince Georges


BY CHARLES A. McALEER
Prince Georges County's Board
OF Education today Is confronted
with q "n1isund Outstanding which
may cost 1t $50. 900.
The predicament involves two
school sites-on totaling .l6
acres and the other l2-in the
new Palmer Park subdivision
along Landoyer road near the
George Palmer highway.
Board members thought they
would get tile sites for nothing
under an agreement reached two
years ago. They learned differ
emily yesterday.
Kennith Frank. developer Of
the 45O-acre planned community,
appeared before the board ii
Upper Marlboro and said what
he really meant was $4,000 an
acre. That would bring the total
land cost for the county to $685.
600.
Nothing In Writing
The school board believed the
|26 acres were to have been an
outright grant on the part Of
the Palmer Park developer. AT
its meeting in August. 1858,
board members recalled. Mr..
Frank appeared before them
and made the free offer--so they
thought with the provision tnat
the school board assume any ex-
penses necessary in clearing.
grading and installing public
facilities.
Unfortunately. both sides
agreed yesterday, nothing was
put into formal writing.
Mr.. Frank advised yesterday
that former owners OF the land
held deeds Of trust on the prop
erty at $1,000 an acre. He placed
the ultimate cost" Of the land
at between $4,000 and 5000 an
acre. He said he thought the
board understood this two years
ago. and that what he was really
doing was throwing in his share,
leaving only the liens for the
county to pay. He added he
since has had TO pay the Wash
ington Suburban Sanitary Com
mission 100000 to bring sewer
and water facilities to the prop
erty and already had partly
graded some Of the % acres.
Even at the $4,000 figure. Mr..
Frank said, the county would
be getting the land ct low cost.
He noted that he hoped to close
q deal today with Catholic school
authorities to sell some 20 acres
as . parochial school site at the
81. 500-an-acre price.
Mr.. Frank, who said he
bought out the original planners
of the community. declared he
was aware the board was In dis
agreement with him, but said he
could do nothing more. He added
he knew OF no other developers
who gave school sites outright TO
the county. He conceded, how
ever, that he had decided land
free to the Maryland National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission for future park use.
School Supt. William s.
Schmidt agreed that the situa-
ton was confused" He said also
that $4,000 an acre had been the
original asking price and that
the hoard--or at least one for
mer member-agreed in July.
1858. not to pay more than $4,000
an acre.
Impressed By Gift i
One board member, Mrs. Louise
.. Yuill, recalled that the gift"
Of the land made quite an i'm
on us" at the time be-
cause Of the nature OF 1t. She
noted that. with that assump-
lion, the school board gave its
okay to the project and the
developers thus were able to have
the property rezoned.
you have us over a barrel"
she told Mr.. Frank. I'VE have
to put schools there"
Mr.. Frank said there already
are sos homes there and another
500 under construction. He said
plans call for more than
1000 homes in all, which he
hopes to complete by the end
Of next year.
The school board plans to
build an elementary school on
the 12-acre tract and q Junior
high school on the l6-acre site.
Because Of the need for schools
II instructed its attorney.
Edward Nylen, to confer with
Mr.. Frank on the deeds Of trust
question and to prepare q new
nufinn AZ the 20 nm fiptira