Author: Cheryl Cort

New Carrollton station area walking tour

New Carrollton station area walking tour

Posted on by Cheryl Cort

On Dec. 2, 2025, we met up to take a look at what’s been happening around the New Carrollton Metro station. It’s a Metro station, a bus station, an Amtrak station, a MARC station, and coming soon: a Purple Line station! We got a bird’s eye view from the top of the Metro parking garage and saw lots of progress and preparation for new housing, transit facilities, and even a bit of retail around the New Carrollton Metro station. Check out the Metro handout on all the building around the Metro station.

Transformation Playbook for New Carrollton – Metro HandoutDownload

Tour Speakers:

Nia Rubin, Acting Vice President, Office of Real Estate and Development, WMATA

Matt Sanchez, Director of Development, Urban Atlantic Development

Vic Weissberg, Prince George’s County Dept. of Public Works and Transportation

Karen Guzman, Office of Prince George’s District 3 County Council Member Eric Olson

Ray Biggs, II, Senior Project Director, Purple Line, Maryland Transit Administration

Scott Gottbreht, PhD, Assistant Secretary of Policy, Maryland Dept. of Housing & Community Development

Alan Lederman, Managing Director of Development, Urban Atlantic Development

Pictured: Matt Sanchez, Urban Atlantic, speaks to the group, overlooking the site for the new affordable senior building located across Garden City Drive. Photo by Dan Behrend.

Co-sponsors: CSG, WMATA, MDOT & RISE Prince George’s

Ray Biggs & Cheryl Cort 12-3-25 by Dan Behrend

Pictured: Ray Biggs, II, Senior Project Director, Purple Line, Maryland Transit Administration, and Cheryl Cort, CSG. Background: Purple Line station under construction and the IRS building.

DC Alert: Support more homes for Cleveland Park and Woodley Park

DC Alert: Support more homes for Cleveland Park and Woodley Park

Posted on by Cheryl Cort
Source: OP https://app.dcoz.dc.gov/Home/ViewCase?case_id=25-09

Send a letter of support by Dec. 1, 2025 to the DC Zoning Commission in support of upzoning along Connecticut Avenue, Zoning Case No. 25-09.

Take Action

Tell the DC Zoning Commission that you support the proposed new mixed-use zones (Zoning Case No. 25-09)  to permit taller buildings to allow for more homes, including affordable homes, above shops for the Cleveland Park and Woodley Park business districts on Connecticut Avenue. Any new buildings would be subject to the design guidelines adopted by the Historic Preservation Review Board. The zoning proposal would also remove the cap on restaurants in these business districts, which will help fill in vacant storefronts and attract new businesses. Send your letter before December 1.

Sign up in advance to testify on Dec. 1 at 4 pm. The hearing is virtual!

How to testify for Conn. Av. rezoning ZC No. 25-09Download

Image by DC Office of Planning, ZC No. 25-09.

DC Testimony Workshop: Preparing for Wisc. Ave. Rezoning

Posted on by Cheryl Cort

Date: Nov. 10 2025, 7 – 8:30 pm

AGENDA

Introductions – name, neighborhood, motive 

How to testify

  • Sign up & what to expect at virtual hearing 4pm, ~5pm proponents start 
  • Principles for testifying
    • Proponent with or without recommended improvements
    • What’s motivating you to be here
    • Tell your personal housing story, don’t worry about details, don’t be an expert
  • Dos/Donts – don’t oppose because it’s not good enough, instead support & urge to make it better; do make it personal rather than being an expert; only speak for allotted 3 minutes; always be polite & respectful of commissioners & all others – including opponents; don’t worry – Commissioners want to hear from you they are not are not out to get you
  • Sample testimony- below 

Peter Shapiro – How to have the most impact

How to testify – check in

  • Ask participants: What’s your main argument – why do you care about approving this upzoning? (one sentence)

3. Q & A – resource people

Resources

How to testify for Wisc. Av. 25-13Download
Wisc Av. rezoning – proposal briefingDownload
Testimony: Support for Z.C. Case No. 13-14E, modification to Parcels 2 and 4 (Reservoir District formerly known as McMillan) (DC)

Testimony: Support for Z.C. Case No. 13-14E, modification to Parcels 2 and 4 (Reservoir District formerly known as McMillan) (DC)

Posted on by Cheryl Cort

We wish to express our support for the proposed modifications to this PUD (13-14E) for the Reservoir District to allow for greater flexibility given changing conditions over the decade that this proposal has been waiting to move forward.

Event Materials: Prince George’s vision for safer streets, more choices, better communities

Event Materials: Prince George’s vision for safer streets, more choices, better communities

Posted on by Cheryl Cort
Veronica O. Davis speaking on Zoom screenshot.

On June 5, 2025, an all-star panel discussed county efforts to create more walkable, bikeable, transit-accessible communities with new county and state plans. 

Speakers: Prince George’s County Planning Director Lakisha Hull; Carm Saimbre, Maryland State Highway Administration; Prince George’s District 3 County Council Member Eric Olson; and chair of TIEE; Veronica O. Davis, national transportation expert, and author of Inclusive Transportation; moderator: Bernard Holloway, RISE Prince George’s. 

View the video recording here.

View Planning Director Hull’s presentation:

Go Prince George’s Presentation – 6.4.25Download

The discussion featured Go Prince George’s, a new draft master plan for transportation in the county.  This plan implements the newly adopted Urban Street Design Standards for activity and transit centers, and shifts focus to transforming the county’s transportation network by creating more travel options, focusing on the movement of people versus solely the movement of vehicles. A joint hearing by the County Council and Planning Board will be convened in fall 2025. Residents and other stakeholders are encouraged to provide comments on the draft. 

The June 5 discussion also included progress by the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) to elevate its focus on addressing pedestrian and bicycle safety. Documents about the Complete Streets policy, statewide progress on implementation of the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, and other safety plans can be found here. 

Prince George’s new draft Transit Vision Plan is also open for review. To learn more click here.