Now is the time to start planning for the 1.1 million new Maryland residents expected in the next two decades,Gov. Martin O’Malley told the Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.
The steady influx of residents, combined with thousands of jobs expected to come to the state from Base Realignment and Closure and the branching out of the federal government, requires state and county planners to start looking at “smart growth” clustered around Maryland’s 112 mass transit stations, O’Malley said.
“If you don’t invest in it now, then you don’t see it for a while,” he said. “It takes years to develop the funds for improvements.” For example, the Intercounty Connector that will eventually run between Prince George’s and Montgomery counties required a long-term plan that included more than $400 million in the coming fiscal year.
In Prince George’s County, O’Malley said, there’s nearly 2,800 acres within walking distance from 14 of the county’s 15 Metro stations that could be developed, “and we’re working with the county to harness this potential.”
Montgomery County officials have already worked out plans to build several thousand homes within walking distance to the Shady Grove Metro station. Those plans, however, require the shifting of several county facilities and are meeting stiff resistance from residents in areas that would receive the offices, warehouses and the public safety training academy.
O’Malley toutedas an example of smart growth plans for the University of Maryland’s College Park campus to redevelop the East Campus along the Route 1 corridor that will also tie into the future Purple Line. Despite strong opposition among some Montgomery County residents, the governor has pushed forward with building the Purple Line that will connect Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.
He also described how state and county partnerships have helped reduced violent crime throughout Maryland. “It’s not acceptable and it’s not right that our state should be first in so many good categories and also near the top when it comes to violent crimes,” O’Malley said.
