No Quorum Stalls Hyattsville Sidewalk Plans

It was supposed to be a meeting where the Hyattsville City Council could arrive at a consensus on how to proceed with the University Hills Green Streets project.

But the city council was unable to move forward on the issue because there were not enough council members present to legally conduct city business. Only five city council members attended last night's meeting. Mayor Marc Tartaro, Councilor Eric Wingard (Ward 1), Councilor Ruth Ann Frazier (Ward 5), Councilor Paula Perry (Ward 4) and Councilor Carlos Lizanne (Ward 4) were absent, not counting the council vacancy created by the resignation of former Councilor Nicole Hinds Mofor (Ward 5) earlier this year. According to the city charter, there must be at least six of the 11 members of the city council present to approve legislation or even discuss city business from behind the dais.

But they could listen.

Thus, lacking a quorum, the assembled city council members, led in the meeting by Council President Matt McKnight (Ward 3), turned the night into a public hearing on the issue where residents had another opportunity to register their feelings on the project.

The overwhelming majority of the residents who spoke at last night's meeting lived in the southernmost portion of University Hills, between Rosemary Lane and Calverton Drive. This area, home to some of the most expensive homes in Hyattsville, has seen some of the most intense opposition to the installation of sidewalks along their streets.

Rose Fletcher, who, along with her husband Randy, own the historic Hitching Post Hill mansion on Rosemary Lane, said the addition of sidewalks or stormwater improvements on her street would detract from the rural character which once typified the region when her home was the centerpiece of a large farm.

"We want to preserve the bucolic nature of Hitching Post Hill," said Fletcher to the assembled council members.

Jim Menasian, a Rosemary Lane resident, said that sidewalks along his street were not wanted or needed.

"Our section of Rosemary Lane is a dead end, it's two blocks long," said Menasian during the meeting. "Why does the council not let the residents have what they want?"

One of the few non Rosemary Lane residents to take the podium at last night's meeting was Barbara Dunn, a resident of the 3400 block of Stanford Street presented a petition she said was signed by nearly 80 percent of the householders on her street. The petition asked for sidewalks to be installed only on the northern side of her block.

The only member of the public to advocate for a broad implementation of the city's existing sidewalk policy in University Hills was 37th Street resident David Marshall. He emphasized that sidewalks serve not only the residents of the streets upon which they are built, but the larger community as well.

"The sidewalk is not for the person in that building," said Marshall. "The sidewalk is for the person who needs to use it...somebody might want to walk down Rosemary Lane. They should be able to make that random choice...because every single citizen has a right to be completely safe everywhere they go, including University Hills."

Ward 3 council candidate Patrick Paschall also addressed the council during the meeting, urging city leaders to settle on a plan which gives deference to resident feedback, but provides a working pedestrian transportation network throughout the neighborhood.

"Nearly universally, residents have told me that they want sidewalks on Wells, Stanford and Gumwood," said Paschall.

Paschall also had harsh words for members of the city council who failed to make an appearance at last night's meeting.

"The failure to make a quorum to discuss a special session, specifically to discuss this important issue, hinders the council's ability to serve its residents," said Paschall.

Marshall echoed that sentiment.

"I find it inexcusable that the council as a whole is not here tonight," said Marshall. "Yes, they have issues, they have medical concerns, but you have a group of folks who came out to express to 10 of you, not five of you, 10 of you, their opinion on how things should go in their neighborhood."

"I share their disgust," continued Marshall.

After the meeting, McKnight said that Tartaro, Frazier and Perry had notified city officials that they would be missing the meeting to attend to unspecified medical and family emergencies. McKnight said he did not receive word from Wingard or Lizanne that they would be missing the meeting. The attendance of any one of those members would have allowed the city council to discuss and possibly approve a plan of action to move the project forward.