Category: Branchville Crossing

At the January 13, 2026 City Council Worksession, the Mayor and Council will discuss the Detailed Site Plan (DSP) for Branchville Crossing, a proposed affordable housing development at 4810 Branchville Road. This discussion builds on many years of planning and community conversation about this site and reflects College Park’s continued effort to address housing affordability while ensuring compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods. While no formal vote will be taken at this meeting, Council feedback at this stage is influential in shaping how the project proceeds.

Project overview and historical context
Branchville Crossing is proposed as an 87-unit, four-story multifamily residential building intended to serve seniors and households with physical disabilities. Housing concepts for this same site have been discussed previously, including earlier affordable rental housing proposals reviewed by the City and community, as documented in KabirCares coverage of past Branchville Crossing development discussions. These earlier proposals established the site as a location where affordable, community-serving housing could be thoughtfully integrated.

What a Detailed Site Plan means—and why it matters
A Detailed Site Plan is one of the most important stages in the development review process. Unlike conceptual or preliminary plans, a DSP examines how a project will actually function on the ground. This includes the precise placement of the building on the site, building height and massing, internal circulation, parking layout, pedestrian routes, landscaping, lighting, stormwater management, and accessibility features. The DSP review ensures that what is proposed on paper translates into a safe, functional, and well-designed development that meets City standards.

For Branchville Crossing, the DSP discussion allows the Council to understand not just the number of units, but how residents—many of whom may have mobility challenges—will move through the site, access entrances, connect to sidewalks, and reach nearby services. These details are especially critical for senior and disability-focused housing.

Design, scale, and neighborhood compatibility
Because Branchville Crossing is proposed as a four-story building, the DSP review focuses carefully on building scale and transitions to nearby properties. Planning staff evaluate setbacks, buffering, landscaping, and architectural elements to ensure the development fits appropriately within the surrounding context. Council members may comment on whether the design minimizes visual and functional impacts while still achieving the density needed to support affordability.

Accessibility and livability considerations
A central purpose of this project is accessibility. Through the DSP process, staff review features such as ADA-compliant entrances, elevator access, internal pathways, parking proximity, lighting, and emergency access. The goal is to ensure that residents can live independently, safely, and comfortably. These considerations align with our long-standing discussions about aging in place and creating housing that supports dignity and independence for seniors and residents with disabilities.

Transportation, parking, and pedestrian safety
The DSP also addresses how the site connects to the broader transportation network. This includes vehicle access points, parking supply and layout, loading areas, and pedestrian connections to nearby sidewalks and transit options. Council discussion may touch on traffic flow, sightlines, and safety—especially important in developments serving seniors. These details help ensure the project supports mobility without creating undue impacts on surrounding streets.

Environmental and stormwater management elements
Another key component of the DSP is environmental performance. Staff review stormwater facilities, tree preservation or replacement, landscaping plans, and opportunities to reduce runoff and heat impacts. These elements reflect broader City sustainability goals that have been emphasized on KabirCares.org, ensuring that new development contributes to environmental resilience while meeting regulatory requirements.

Relationship to affordability and financing
The DSP must align with the project’s affordability goals and its use of the 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. Design efficiency, unit layout, and site configuration all affect construction and long-term operating costs. A well-designed DSP helps ensure the project remains financially viable while delivering quality housing that will remain affordable for decades.

What the Council’s role is at this stage
The January 13 Worksession item is a discussion item, not an approval. Council members will not vote on the DSP at this meeting, but their questions and feedback help guide staff and the applicant before the plan advances further. The item will come before Council at another for action (support or oppose or no position) at a future meeting.

Why residents should stay engaged
Branchville Crossing is not just about adding housing units; it is about how we design places for people who rely most on stability, accessibility, and community connection. Inclusive growth requires attention to detail, not just good intentions. The Detailed Site Plan review is where those details are examined, refined, and aligned with community values.

Residents will have additional opportunities to follow this project as it continues through the review process, and staying informed helps ensure the final outcome reflects College Park’s shared commitment to equity, livability, and responsible growth.

Cruz Development Corporation is requesting Detailed Site Plan (DSP) review for property located on the north side of Branchville Road, west of its intersection with University Boulevard and Rhode Island Avenue.

The purpose of the DSP is to construct a 7-story, 81-unit apartment building with 130 parking spaces (35 surface and 95 structured). The proposed density is 37 dwelling units per acre. This project is proposed to be affordable housing financed with bonds from the State Department of Housing and Community Development. Residents will need to meet income eligibility requirements.

The Planning Board is scheduled to hear the DSP on July 23rd. Since the Worksession on July 7th, City staff has met with the Applicant and a representative of the Branchville Volunteer Fire Department to develop mutually agreeable conditions. The City Council will consider the approval of Detailed Site Plan 19042 with conditions at tonight’s Council meeting.

At tomorrow night’s Council meeting, the Council will hear oral argument on a request by Cruz Development, for a departure from the City fence ordinance to erect a 6′ high front yard fence. The property (called “Branchville Crossing”) is located at 4800-4900 block of Branchville Road.

The Property has two very long frontages: 630.16-feet along University Boulevard (MD 193) and 527.88-feet along Branchville Road. The frontage along University Boulevard has a guardrail and no curb-cuts. There is unrestricted access to the property from Branchville Road.

Cruz asserts that the property has been used for illegal dumping, trespassing and other activities that appear to access through the front yard without proper authorization and a fence is needed for security and to prevent liability. Cruz referenced use of his property for the burning of a vehicle and for parking without his permission. The property is more difficult to monitor and police than a developed property and the owner is out of town. Continued information here to learn more about illegal dumping, causes, reasons, effects and solutions.

The Branchville Volunteer Fire Department testified that installation of a fence would block their use of the applicant’s property when turning and maintaining their vehicles. Vehicles belonging to Fire Department members are routinely parked on the gravel area on the applicant’s property. On October 1, 2015, the APC conducted a hearing on the merits of the variance, at which the APC heard testimony , and it recommended the approval of variance by a 3-1-0 vote.

Staff recommends that the front yard fence variance from the City Fence Ordinance be approved with the following conditions:
(a) Correct the fence location plan to accurately reflect the height of the existing fences on the western property line. They are 4-feet tall not 8-feet tall.
(b) Reduce the fence height to 4-feet to lessen the impact on the neighborhood.
(c) Upgrade the material of the fence from welded wire to black metal or something similar that would be more compatible with the neighborhood.