Wells Run Agreement Passes in Hyattsville

The Hyattsville City Council at its Sept. 7 meeting passed a motion for Mayor William Gardiner to execute an amended memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishing the Inter-Municipal Collaborative Committee on Wells Run.

But it was not passed without some reservation.

"I guess I have some concerns," said Council President Marc Tartaro (Ward 1). "There's already been a number of expressions [from University Park and Riverdale Park] about development in Hyattsville and if they don't like the nature of that development that they will do everything in their power to make it not happen. I don't think that's a good starting place for collaboration."

Tartaro, along with councilmen William Tierney and David Hiles (both of Ward 2) voted against the motion.

The MOU – which was amended to ensure that the council select the committee members from Hyattsville – will be between Hyattsville, University Park and Riverdale Park.

Wells Run is a narrow tributary of the Anacostia River starting underground in Hyattsville near Northwestern High School and spilling into the Northeast Branch in Riverdale Park.

The MOU has been discussed at two previous city council meetings and by the Hyattsville Environment Committee. It was not passed previously to allow time for City Attorney Richard Colaresi to review it.

On Tuesday, Colaresi said the MOU would not legally impact development in Hyattsville.

"It's more of a policy issue," he said.

Also, City Councilman David Hiles (Ward 2) said at a the Aug. 2 council meeting that the council should hold off on the MOU for six months, until other more pressing matters are addressed.

"I don't see the benefit for Hyattsville except for being nice to neighbors who haven't been particularly nice to us," he said Tuesday.

Riverdale Park and University Park have already passed an MOU similar to what is proposed in Hyattsville, said Riverdale Park Councilman Alan Thompson (Ward 2).

University Park resident Bridget Warner supports the MOU.

"I feel it's a real opportunity to leave our kids something a little bit better in terms of water quality in the future," she told the council.

During the last big storm to hit the area, large chunks of concrete broke from the retaining wall of Wells Run in Riverdale Park.

But resident Stuart Eisenberg said the city should consider how University Park has treated Hyattsville, especially regarding Queens Chapel Road, which the State Highway Administration blocked off in University Park.

"This is an item that brings my lesser demons out, not my better angels," Eisenberg said. "There are more polluted areas that we can have a bigger impact on."