An Independent Newspaper Attention News Review Staff! Our Annual Meeting will be held on Sun­ ' day, October 18 at 6 p.m. in the News Re- view Office. Dinner will be served (Members only, please) For info call 301-441-2662. Volume 61, Number 47 15 Crescent Rd., Suite 100, Greenbelt, MD 20770-1887 Thursday, October 15, 1998 An Analysis Annexat ion St irs Hornets Nest by James Giese city, a small, 31-home subdivi­ and a much larger parcel of land To the west of Greenbelt, a sion known as Parkside has off Edmonston-Kenilworth Av­ proposal is pending to build a $1 stirred up a hornet's nest of citi­ enue known as the Jaeger tract. billion mixed-use complex on the zen activists. These activists However, it made no effort to do Greenbelt Metro Station property fought the development of the so. Then in the early sixties, the and the adjacent A. H. Smith property by its owners beginning Jaeger tract was zoned for high­ properties. This complex is to in 1994 and are now fighting the rise apartments and townhouses include a 1.2 million square-foot efforts of the subdivision's new over the active opposition of the upscale regional shopping mall, a residents to become a part of the city, including an unsuccessful 395,000 square-foot hotel and city. Having lost the battle to appeal to the highest court in conference center, 270 housing defeat annexation before the city Maryland. Afterwards, the units and one million square feet council by a three to two vote, Westchester Park apartments and of office space. It would have Parkside opponents are now busy townhomes were built. significant impact upon area circulating petitions to put the is­ Development roads and adjacent wetlands. Yet, sue before voters at a citywide Still the Parkside parcel re­ to date, the proposal has stirred referendum. mained undisturbed, and for an­ little citizen interest or action. Background other 30 years the National Park To the north of Greenbelt, the The land now called Parkside, Service could have tried to buy new Department of Agriculture which consists of only 7.7 acres, the land, but did not. It was only office complex built on Beltsville is located on the north side of after the property was subdivided Agricultural Research Center Good Luck Road and is bordered and land clearance begun that open space is resulting in in­ by Greenbelt Park on three sides. Greenbelters took an active inter­ creased traffic flow on area It originally was designated for est in how Parkside was devel­ roads. Road improvements are purchase by the federal govern­ oped. Then, a small group, led planned that will affect sensitive ment for the Greenbelt project. by citizen activist Jean Snyder, wetlands. Again, there has been However, the government failed tried unsuccessfully to prevent the little citizen action relating to this to buy it and several other par­ development from taking place. development, although the cels on the fringe of Greenbelt Snyder's group was concerned Greenbelt City Council has taken before the appropriations to buy with the impact caused by clear­ an active role. land elapsed. If the government ing the land, by water runoff Miss Greenbelt, Joi Loretz, waves to the crowd on Labor Day. To the east, a major expansion had bought this parcel in the from it and by people living • photo by Prospero Zevallo of the Goddard Space Flight 1930's, the land most certainly within the confines of the park Center is t.alcing place. New con­ would have become a part of and taking away the wilderness Meet Our Miss Greenbelt struction has eliminated much Greenbelt Park, as the southern feel for a large section of the open space and is causing in­ portion of the city was retained park. Joi Loretz and Her Court creased traffic loads upon area for a regional park of the Na­ Eventually construction was roads. There has been almost no tional Park Service. completed, and the new owners by Sandy Smith guage. Her hobbies are citizen or council interest in this For over 25 years, the federal moved into the 31 large homes. Joi Loretz is Miss Greenbelt rellerblading, traveling, skiing, development. government could have tried The typical home consists of a for 1998. She was selected from and dancing. But on the south side of the again to buy this enclave of land See ANALYSIS, page 5 IO contestants at this year's La­ Joi is a member of the bor Day Festival to represent the Greenbelt Youth Advisory Coun­ city of Greenbelt at civic activi­ cil and was elected president of Proposed Busing Changes Coming ties and programs through the the council this year. She spent coming year. Joi was also voted the summer working it Gallaudet by Mary Moien their neighborhoods. All reas­ with 695 students instead of the Most Spirited and Miss Photoge­ University teaching dance· to deaf With the recent settlement of signments and boundary changes 569-student capacity. In 2000, nic. Joi said she was "very children. She wants to become a the school desegregation suit, will be subject to the School 226 students will move to John happy and excited" to win the sign language interpreter and Vaughns, et. al. and NAACP v. Board's policies and procedures Carroll Elementary, reducing the Pageant this year. She was first teacher of deaf children. Board of Education of Prince including public hearings. · enrollment to approximately 90% runner-up last year. She said she She was sponsored by Georges County, et al., all parties Greenbelt's Schools capacity. No other changes are was surprised to be named Miss Greenbriar. agreed to a Memorandum of Un­ Eleanor Roosevelt High anticipated at this school. Photogenic. In fact she said she Runners-up derstanding to change the future School has a capacity for 2,291 Springhill Lake Elementary had noticed others that she would Susan Arleen Wise was se­ of the Prince Georges County students and last year had 3,111 School have chosen for that title but she lected as first runner-up in the school system. The Accountabil­ students for I 36% capacity. For Springhill Lake Elemen­ was exceptionally pleased to be l 998 Miss Greenbelt Pageant. ity-Based Comprehensive Plan Changes should be made there in tary School, a number of changes named Most Spirited because she Like Joi, she is also a student at for the Prince George's County two years, i.e., the school year are anticipated starting with a six had so enjoyed participating in ERHS. This 15-year-old 10th Public Schools in Support of the starting in Fall 2000. At that room, 150 seat addition for this the Pageant. grader is in the Russian Club, Memorandum of Understanding time, almost 500 students living school year. As of last school Joi thinks that other pageants Sign Language Club, 4-H Club, contains detailed information in Lanham and .Dodge Park will year, there were eight temporary don't compare with Greenbelt's, as well as the Drama and about plans for each public be. reassigned to Duval High buildings at the school. In 2000, since the Greenbelt Pageant was AWANA Clubs. She has studied school in the county. School. In addition, another 300 about ll O students will transfer geared to making friends and was CPR and plays handbells and the Although a number of changes Science and Technology students out of Springhill Lake; those a learning, rather than a competi­ piano. Her special talents and are planned regarding quality of will move to the newly opened from Carmody Hills will be mov­ tive, experience. Joi performed a skills are in child care, sign lan­ education and school construc­ Ardmore Area High School. ing to Oakcrest Elementary and Jazz dance with Jasmine Harris in guage, computer skills, house tion, among other issues, no area With continued growth in the stu­ those students from Fairmont the talent portion of the pageant. management and cooking. Her is of more concern to residents dent population in the Greenbelt See BUSING, page 16 She has already begun her of­ career goals include nursing, inte­ that the decrease in court-order area, ERHS is expected to be at ficial duties as Miss Greenbelt by rior design and fashion and also school busing. According to the 99% capacity in 2000 and at · . appearing at the Greenbelt Arts being a wife and mother. Susan report describing the comprehen­ I 04% capacity in 2002. WhatGoesOn Center Art Auction and is lined was sponsored by Stewart and sive plan, no busing changes are Greenbelt Middle School had Mon., Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. up for appearances at Schrom Labbe, D.D.S., P.A., Orthodontics anticipated for Greenbelt area 871 students last year, I 09% of it City Council Worksession on Fest and at the Halloween events Exclusively. schools this year. However, by 864 student capacity. No Goals, Municipal Building. with children at the Youth Center. Gaea Ruoff was named sec­ November 30, 1998, each cluster changes are expected at this Tues., Oct. 20, 7 p.m. She looks forward to a full year ond runner-up in the pageant. of schools will be assigned a school until 200 l when approxi­ A.C.E. Meeting, Municipal of events. Gaea is an 18-year-old graduate School Improvement Specialist mately 250 students from Palmer Building. Joi is 17 years old and is in of the International Baccalaureate whose role will be to provide as­ Park, Cheverly, Beaver Heights, 8 p.m. PRAB Meeting, the 12th grade at Eleanor and Humanities program at Cen­ s is tance with development of and Kentland will be relocated to Community Center.