Opinion ID: 2361192
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Applications

Text: On October 26, 1993, Northpeak-Race Track Limited Partnership (Northpeak) filed with the District Council two applications for zoning map amendments. Both applications were in furtherance of Northpeak's desire to build a townhouse development and retail center on approximately 99 acres of land at the intersection of Route 197 and Race Track Road in the vicinity of Bowie, Maryland. A 30-acre tract, lying in the northwest quadrant of the intersection, was then zoned R-A (Rural Agricultural); the other 69 acres, lying in the southeast quadrant, were in R-R (Rural Residential) and R-A zones. Application No. A-9900 concerned the townhouse development and sought R-S (Residential-Suburban) zoning for the 30 acre tract in the northwest quadrant and 65 of the 69 acres in the southeast quadrant. Northpeak proposed, initially, to build 235 single-family attached homes on the 65-acre parcel and to leave the 30-acre parcel undeveloped. Application No. A-9901 dealt with the proposed retail center; it sought to have a four-acre parcel located within the 69-acre tract rezoned from R-R to L-A-C (Local Activity Center). The initial proposal was to build 20 single-family attached homes and 25,000 square feet of retail commercial space in the L-A-C area. We were informed that a separate application was required for that parcel because a different zoning classification was requested (L-A-C as opposed to R-S). Throughout the review process, however, the two applications were considered together; to some extent, they were based on the same supporting documents.