Residents in Covington are rallying against a proposed storage facility on Elder Oaks Blvd, arguing it will ruin their green space. They’re being urged to voice their concerns at the upcoming county council meeting to help stop the project from moving forward.

Here are the highlights:

  • Covington residents opposed a proposed storage facility at Elder Oaks Blvd.
  • Around 50 residents attended the Bowie City Council meeting wearing red.
  • Five community and HOA leaders spoke against the storage proposal.
  • The property has been green space in the heart of five residential neighborhoods for decades.
  • Assistant City Manager Dan Mears discussed the history of the property and recent legislation.
  • CB-011-2023 legislation moves future storage proposals from commercial to industrial zones.
  • The Prince George’s County Council will hear CB-011-2023 on March 28.
  • Residents can register to speak or submit comments regarding the legislation.
  • The legislation allows current storage proposals, including Elder Oaks, to proceed.
  • Residents are encouraged to attend the hearing or submit comments to oppose the Elder Oaks proposal.
  • The City of Bowie formally requested not to grandfather in the Elder Oaks proposal.
  • Other pre-existing storage proposals cannot be prevented due to “by-right” zoning.

Originally Published on March 21, 2023Last Modified on March 21, 2023

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Elder Oaks Storage Discussion and Next Steps

Covington residents came out in force to the Bowie City Council's Monday meeting this week to voice opposition to a proposed storage facility at the center of their residential community.

Around 50 residents, wearing red, attended the meeting. Five community and HOA leaders spoke for those in attendance, offering candid thoughts on the storage proposal at Elder Oaks Blvd., which has for decades sat as green space in the heart of the five residential Covington neighborhoods.

Assistant City Manager Dan Mears shared a history of the property and detailed the recent Prince George's County legislation that would move future consolidated storage proposals from commercial to industrial zones.

The legislation in question, CB-011-2023, is being heard by the Prince George's County Council on Tuesday, March 28 at 10:00am at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Bldg. at 1301 McCormick Drive, Largo, MD 20774.

Residents can register to speak in person or submit comments in writing using the county portal linked here.

While CB-011-2023 will limit future consolidated storage proposals to industrial, rather than commercial, zones, the legislation still allows current storage facility proposals to move forward, including the one at Elder Oaks.

Residents are encouraged to attend the Prince George's County Council hearing on the bill or submit written comments through the linked portal. Residents opposed to the Elder Oaks storage application should ask the county council to not grandfather in the proposed storage facility at Elder Oaks Blvd.

The City of Bowie has submitted a formal request to the Prince George's County Council to not grandfather in the Elder Oaks Blvd. proposal application, but we are being advised that resident input is critical in helping to persuade a majority of the County Council.

The city has been advised that other pre-existing proposals for consolidated storage at Marketplace behind Harris Teeter cannot be prevented as their applications are included "by-right" in their zones and long predate the new county legislation.