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School Needs Are Major
Greenbelt West Concern

This article is the sixth in a series of articles to ensure that Greenbelt residents are aware of the development and redevelopment proposals being considered for Greenbelt West. Greenbelt West is that area of the city west of Kenilworth Avenue, east of the Metrorail tracks and between the Capital Beltway and Greenbelt Road. This week’s article is about the impact these developments are likely to have on the schools in that area.

There are currently two schools in Greenbelt West: Greenbelt Middle and Springhill Lake Elementary. Greenbelt Middle School is one of the oldest middle schools in Prince George’s County. Long before there were any plans for the development and redevelopment of Greenbelt West, its deteriorating condition had become a cause of concern to the city. A renovated or new Greenbelt Middle School has been in the school board’s Capital Improvement Program since 1988; however, for a variety of reasons, the project has been deferred year after year. At the same time, Springhill Lake Elementary was not scheduled for any significant work.

This picture started to change with AIMCO’s plan for rebuilding the Springhill Lake community. Springhill Lake Elementary is located at the lowest part of the property and one of AIMCO’s proposals was to acquire this property for the purpose of building a lake. In exchange, AIMCO offered to build a new elementary school elsewhere in the neighborhood. Over recent months, support had developed for the idea of building a combined middle/elementary school on the present Greenbelt Middle School property, which would serve about 1,000 middle school and 800 elementary school students. However, as discussions continued, it became increasingly apparent that the new residential units to be added by Greenbelt Station and the redeveloped Springhill Lake (2,000 and 2,900 respectively) would likely generate more than enough children to require at least another elementary school, if not another middle school.

Now that these needs have been recognized, the parties involved are looking at various options. The school board owns a 19_acre property in College Park, just across the Metrorail tracks from the South Core of Greenbelt Station. This property could be used for either a middle or elementary school. Based upon conversations with county representatives, including County Councilmember Douglas J. J. Peters, another scenario is that the county may choose not to relinquish the existing Springhill Lake Elementary School site or do so only if AIMCO provides a site for an additional elementary school.

In addition to land, the funding for the schools must be identified and committed. The school board’s Capital Improvement Program includes $31 million for a middle school and both AIMCO and Greenbelt Station will be required to pay school surcharge fees. Although those fees are typically paid over time on a per_unit basis as the development is built, AIMCO has offered to pay $20 million up front as its fee toward the combined elementary/secondary school. It is projected that enough funding is available for the combined school but funding has not yet been identified for any additional elementary or secondary school.

Other impacts will inevitably occur depending upon which plans are ultimately adopted. For example, if a combined middle/elementary school is built on the Greenbelt Middle School campus, then students will have to be relocated for a period of two to three years. A location on Greenbelt Road between Good Luck and Lanham-Severn Roads is under consideration.

The schools issue is one of the most complicated issues related to the development of Greenbelt West because it involves so many interested parties and because the decisions to be made are so intertwined. Since building Greenbelt Station and rebuilding Springhill Lake will take seven to 10 years, there will be time for all the school needs to be identified and solutions to be found. Finding the best solutions will require the creativity and cooperation of everyone.

If there are questions about this article, please forward them to the Planning Department at 301-345-5417 or email pcd@greenbeltmd.gov. The next – and last – article will identify the next steps in the process.