Evening star., 1962-09-12
College Site
In Maryland
Draws Protest

Suburban Maryland planners
have asked the Prince Georges
County Board Of Education
not to purchase q community
college site in an area desig-
mated for open space in the
proposed bi-county general
plan.
Planning Director Arthur
Stellhorn said, in q letter to
the board, building a college
in a proposed natural resource
wedge would not serve the pub
lie interest because it would
conflict with the Maryland
National Capital Park and
Planning Commissions general
plan for suburban Maryland. !"
Mr.. Stellhorn suggested that
placing college where limited
development is planned would
promote the installation Of
public sewage facilities in the
wedge area" Sewer construc-
ton and the college itself
would tend to promote devel-
opment in a proposed low
density area" he said.
Talks to Continue
After reading the letter, the
board members indicated yes
terday they would continue to
negotiate for a 159-acre tract
tnear Largo, Md, as the site
for one Of two new junior col
leges. Last month, they voted
to offer the o. B. Zantzinger
Co. $250,000 for the property
at Landover and Oak Grove
roads.
Informed that the owner Of
the land wants 1895. 1000. the
board made a counter-offer Of
$26S, 900.
Board President W. Carroll
Beatty said he did not think
the M-NCPPC should tell us
what sites to buy and not to
buy for schools"
Determining Body
1--WE want to cooperate with
the planning commission, but
lby law we are the determining
body" he remarked.
/ Mr.. Stellhorn, in his letter,
said q community college should
be "oriented to the southern
edge of the proposed John n
Hanson corridor" one of three
planned spokes Of high-density
development radiating from
Washington.
| He reminded the board that
the Regional District Act pro-
vides for a 60-day study by
the M-NCPPC before purchase
of school sites.
Paul M. Nussbaum, counsel
to the board, said the pro-
vision was "unenforceable." He
. advised the board, however, tc
refer the land purchase pro-
posal to the planning commits
sion for study.
Action Postponed
, The board agreed to postponl
action and to follow Mr.. Nuss
baum's recommendation.
! In other action, the boar,
} awarded John Tester and Son
= Inc. a contract to build a nev
: junior high school at Belair
The Tester company's 81, ,519, 80
! bid was the lowest Of six re-
ceived.
Construction of the school
5 which will accommodate S0I
students, will start Immediately
! 1t is scheduled for completion
early in the 1963-64 school year
Action was initiated to &C
quire about % acres at Boyde
. avenue, off Brierfield road, TO
q new senior high school, ant
IL acres on Owens road TO
! ! an elementary school. Th'
! board voted to offer $4,000 81
!; acre for each tract.
Crowd Facilities
Thomas s. Gwynn. assistan
superintendent in charge o
school planning, was directet
to notify the planning com
mission that a proposed re
coming for Is acres on Selmal
road, near Cherry Hill road
would overcrowd school facili
ties in the area. He was ais
authorized to urge the planner
to set aside an elementar.
! school site If rezoning i
granted for rs acres at thl
!, intersection Of Cherry Hill an,
} Selman roads.
Both applications seek con
; version to single-family resi-
Dental.