La Plata, MD – Charles County citizens may have seen the first of what has been called the reverse vote from its new board of county commissioners, Tuesday, Feb. 10 in La Plata.
Commissioners’ President Peter Murphy [D], along with commissioners Amanda Stewart {D-District 3] and Ken Robinson [D-District 1], voted 3-2 in favor of removing the 268-acre Indian Head Technical and Science Park from the CoStar property listings until they can come up with a viable plan for the tract of land the county had to buy back from developers for $6.4 million last August.
The decision still allows the county to consider unsolicited offers for the property.
Debra Jones, business manager for attraction and recruitment, told the commissioners her office was looking for some direction from county leaders before moving forward.
“It’s important to have a clear strategy decided,” Jones said.
The property became a multi-million dollar boondoggle last year after county leaders discovered they owed the property owners $6.4 million to purchase back property under a contract forged by a previous board, what then-President Candice Quinn Kelly called, “a sweetheart deal.”
An independent audit of the property by Jones Lang Laselle determined the best use of the property would be residential, an option the current board is not overly favorable toward.
The 268-acre site could provide 1.1 million square feet of office space, Jones noted.
She was asking approval from the commissioners for the property to be withheld from the county’s marketing material, “until we have specific guidelines to present to potential customers. It doesn’t preclude us from considering any unsolicited offers.”
Robinson said he found the JLL report to be very comprehensive.
“As I recall, they said that the tech park was the wrong use at the wrong time,” he said. “I agree.”
He noted there are still signs out on the road near the property and suggested that if it is removed from the marketing material, the signs should come down as well.
“I think you should leave it on the marketing material,” Commissioner Bobby Rucci [D-District 4] stated. “Why not keep it out there?”
He also said he felt the JLL study was “misplaced.
“I think it’s premature,” Rucci said. “We’re still working on our joint land use study. We’re sending the wrong message.”
“Policy needs to be made as to how we’re going to move forward,” Stewart stated.
Commissioner Debra Davis [D-District 2] agreed with Rucci that the property should remain as part of the county’s marketing strategy.
“I think it’s just a waste not to have it out there,” she said.
“We could take it out of the marketing material, but it could be put back in at any time,” Stewart explained.
“We need to make a decision on what is before us,” Murphy said.
He asked for a motion to remove the material concerning the park from the county’s marketing material “at this time.”
Robinson made the motion, which was seconded by Stewart.
Stewart called for a potential agenda request for commissioners to discuss the next step, “to get options from the interdepartmental team to determine a purpose for the property. This needs to be a priority,” she said.
Davis told Murphy she thought the county was interfering with the planning commission’s job.
“We are not allowed to interfere,” she said.
“That is not my intention,” Murphy responded. “We can put it in terms of educating ourselves.”
Davis and Rucci voted against the proposal.
Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com