At the tomorrow’s City Council meeting, the Council will consider Action Item 26-G-14, a recommendation to the Prince George’s County Planning Board regarding the Detailed Site Plan for Branchville Crossing, a proposed affordable housing development at 4810 Branchville Road. While the final approval authority rests with the County, the City’s recommendation—and the conditions attached to it—play an important role in shaping how this project moves forward.
This recommendation reflects months of review, technical analysis, and public discussion, including a detailed City Council work session earlier this month. The goal is to balance the urgent need for affordable housing for seniors and residents with disabilities with safety, accessibility, environmental protection, and long-term accountability.
The Big Picture: What Is Branchville Crossing?
Branchville Crossing is proposed on a 2.2-acre vacant property near the intersection of Branchville Road, Rhode Island Avenue, and University Boulevard. The plan calls for a four-story multifamily building with 87 affordable rental units, restricted to elderly residents and people with physical disabilities. The project will be financed using 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, which require long-term affordability and income limits.
From the City’s perspective, this project addresses a long-standing priority: creating permanently affordable, accessible housing for residents who are often most vulnerable to rising housing costs, while ensuring the development fits responsibly into its surrounding area.
Prior City Council Work Session Discussion
This item is not new to the Council. Branchville Crossing was discussed in depth at the January 13 City Council work session, where Councilmembers reviewed the project’s parking proposal, traffic safety issues, accessibility features, landscaping, noise mitigation requirements, and long-term affordability protections.
That work session was critical in identifying concerns and shaping revisions. Many of the technical conditions now attached to the City’s recommendation—including parking safeguards, safety improvements, and environmental protections—are the direct result of that discussion. A more detailed summary of the January 13 work session and earlier background on this project is available here: https://www.kabircares.org/branchville-crossing-dsp/
Parking: Why the Project Exceeds the Normal Limit
Under current zoning rules, a development of this size would normally be capped at 36 parking spaces. The developer is proposing 54 surface parking spaces, and the City Council previously indicated support for exceeding the cap due to the specific needs of senior and disabled residents, on-site staff, service providers, and safety considerations.
The City’s recommendation includes an important safeguard. If the County updates its zoning ordinance to allow 54 spaces, the developer must provide at least that many spaces before the building can open. If the ordinance is not changed, the project must comply with whatever limit is ultimately adopted. This approach supports accessibility without guaranteeing excess parking beyond what County law allows.
Noise, Landscaping, and Design Revisions
Following earlier Council feedback, the developer completed a Phase II noise study, confirming that required noise mitigation measures can be achieved. Landscaping plans were also revised and strengthened. One feature—a walking path around the stormwater management facility—was removed because required noise barriers made it impractical and unsafe.
The revised plans focus on improved buffering, better planting quality, and long-term maintenance, ensuring that the site remains attractive and functional for residents while respecting nearby roadways.
Traffic Safety and Accessibility Improvements
Before the Detailed Site Plan can be certified, the developer must complete several traffic safety and accessibility upgrades, including replacing damaged “Do Not Enter” signs at the Branchville Road and Rhode Island Avenue intersection, adding large painted stop bars and directional markings along Branchville Road between 49th Avenue and Rhode Island Avenue, and installing an ADA-compliant ramp near 49th Avenue, if feasible.
These conditions are designed to improve visibility, reduce the risk of wrong-way driving, and make pedestrian movement safer—especially for residents with mobility challenges.
Landscaping, Trees, and Environmental Protections
Environmental protection is a major component of the City’s recommendation. Before any grading begins, the developer must submit an Invasive Species Management Plan to protect the wooded buffer along University Boulevard. This plan allows for the removal of invasive plants, storm-damaged trees, and unhealthy vegetation while preserving the overall tree canopy.
Landscaping will be closely monitored by the City. Plantings will be inspected after installation and again after one year, before warranties expire. Any dead or failing plants must be replaced, and continued inspections may occur if maintenance issues arise. Several non-native plant species originally proposed must be replaced with better-suited alternatives, and substitutions cannot be made without City approval.
On-Site Amenities and Public Art
The current plan includes a shuffleboard court, but the City allows flexibility to replace it with other recreational amenities better suited to senior and disabled residents, as long as the final selection meets residents’ needs.
The City is also encouraging—but not requiring—the developer to pursue public art. If they do, the City will provide a dollar-for-dollar matching grant of up to $15,000, reimbursed after installation, to support artwork in a visible courtyard or common area.
Long-Term Affordability and Property Management
Several conditions are designed to protect the project’s mission over time. The apartments cannot be sold individually, ensuring the building remains rental housing serving seniors and people with disabilities. The property must also be professionally managed by an experienced management company. Any change away from professional management would require City approval.
These requirements help ensure stable operations, proper maintenance, and continued compliance with affordability commitments.
What the Council Is Being Asked to Do
At this meeting, the Council is being asked to recommend approval of the Detailed Site Plan to the County Planning Board, support exceeding the parking cap subject to zoning rules, and approve the Declaration of Covenants, which legally binds the developer to all agreed-upon conditions.
The Council is not approving construction itself, but its recommendation carries significant weight in the County review process.
Why This Matters
If approved by the County, Branchville Crossing would transform a long-vacant site into permanently affordable housing for seniors and residents with disabilities—meeting a real and growing need in our community. At the same time, the City’s detailed conditions ensure attention to traffic safety, accessibility, environmental stewardship, and long-term accountability. This recommendation reflects a careful balance between compassion, planning, and responsible development.