Item: 7

PGCPB Hearing Date: October 22, 2020

MR-1937F William Schmidt Outdoor Education Center

Referrals

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301-952-3530

September 16, 2020

MEMORANDUM

TO: Ivy Thompson, Senior Planner, Special Projects Section, Countywide Planning

VIA: Henry Zhang, Master Planner, Urban Design Section

FROM: Thomas Burke, Planner Coordinator, Urban Design Section

SUBJECT: Mandatory Referral MR-1937F William Schmidt Outdoor Education Center

The Urban Design Section has reviewed the package dated August 27, 2020, submitted in support of MR-1937F – William Schmidt Outdoor Education Center. This 371.02-acre property is located on the west side of MD 381 (Aquasco Road), a designated scenic and historic roadway, situated approximately one mile north of its intersection with MD 382 (Croom Road) in Brandywine. The property is within the Reserved Open Space (R-O-S) Zone, and surrounded on all sides by agricultural and forested properties in the Open Space (O-S) Zone.

The applicant, Prince George’s County Board of Education, is proposing new construction and renovations at multiple areas on the property, totalling approximately 21 acres of disturbance. The property consists mostly of forest with various trails, outdoor education areas, cabins and administrative buildings. With the exception of the Orme School building, located at the frontage on Aquasco Road, all buildings are located minimum 600 feet, and fully buffered by dense woodland from Aquasco Road. The camp sites and student building are located more than 1,000 feet away from Aquasco Road.

The Urban Design Section has evaluated this application and offers the following comments and recommendations:

Site Design The applicant is proposing new buildings, building renocation and site improvements such as parking, trails and sidewalks at various locations on the larger campus including Village 1 and Neville Building, Dining Hall, Village 2, and Orme Building. Other site work will consist of paving the existing gravel campus entry roads to provide more vehicle-appropriate fire department access and minimize maintenance due to school bus traffic. The site design in general is acceptable.

Architecture The new structures will be uniformly themed in low profile, modern architecture style, and will all be one story in height, with a combination of flat and low pitched roofs. The buildings are finished mainly with a combination of various building materials, such as shiplap siding, fiber cement

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panels, aluminum curtain wall systems, and glass. However, no information regarding if any green building and sustainable design techniques will be incorporated into the development has been provided. The applicant is encouraged to incorporate those design techniques into the development, to the extent practical.

Landscaping The project is exempt from the requirements of the 2010 Prince George’s County Landscape Manual. The Urban Design Section notes that similar projects would be required to demonstrate conformance with Section 4.3 Parking Lot Requirements for Interior Planting, if the surface parking lot area is larger than 7,000 square feet and Section 4.6(c)(2), Buffering Development from Special Roadways, which would require a 40-foot wide buffer with a minimum of 80 plant units per 100 linear feet of frontage, excluding driveways. Landscaping and existing woodland are shown on the submitted landscape plan, providing screening of the Orme School building and parking lot from Aquasco Road. The rest of the development will be screened from Aquasco Road by the existing woodland. All planting materials should be native species.

Lighting A photometric plan was not provided with this application. If lighting is considered for the site, full cut-off lighting fixtures are highly encouraged to reduce light pollution into the forested areas and onto adjacent properties.

Tree Canopy Coverage (TCC) Properties located in the R-O-S Zone are exempt from tree canopy coverage requirements and a note to that effect should be provided on the landscape plan or a statement be included in the Mandatory Referral narrative document.

Conclusion The Urban Design Section recommends the following in regard to Mandatory Referral MR–1937F, for William Schmidt Outoor Education Center:

1. During the construction phase, the applicant should adhere to the State of Marylandregulations regarding particulate matter and noise pollution.

2. The applicant is encoeuraged to incorporate green building and sustainable site designtechniques into the development, to the extent practical.

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September 14, 2020

MEMORANDUM

TO: Ivy Thompson, Special Projects Section, Countywide Planning Division

VIA: Howard Berger, Supervisor, Historic Preservation Section, Countywide Planning Division

FROM: Jennifer Stabler, Historic Preservation Section, Countywide Planning Division Tyler Smith, Historic Preservation Section, Countywide Planning Division

SUBJECT: MR-1937F William Schmidt Outdoor Education Center

The William Schmidt Outdoor Education Center project proposes renovation and new construction at three different sites on the subject property. The William Schmidt Outdoor Center is located at 18501 Aquasco Road in Brandywine and is approximately 450 acres. The subject property consists mostly of woods with various trails, outdoor educational areas, cabins, and administrative buildings.

The subject property is adjacent to Connick’s Folly and Cemetery (87A-009) a County-designated Historic Site. Historic records and the plat of the property indicate that another cemetery is located on the subject property. This cemetery is likely the burial ground for the Watson family that owned the subject property throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Historic Preservation staff made a site visit to the subject property and confirmed its location. The Watson family cemetery is not near to or within the limits of disturbance of the proposed construction.

The submitted materials indicate that the 10.2 acres of disturbed area across the three sites will have no impact on the adjacent historic site and the Watson family cemetery present on the property. Historic Preservation staff recommend approval of MR-1937F William Schmidt Outdoor Education Center as submitted with no conditions.

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MN THEIMARYL~ND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION

1111 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive r-- r-- Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772 lllmi ~ TTY: (301 ) 952-4366

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Area

September 11, 2020

MEMORANDUM

TO: Ivy Thompson, Senior Planner, Special Projects Section, Countywide Planning Division

VIA: David A. Green, MBA, Master Planner, Community Planning Division

FROM: Wendy Irminger, Planner Coordinator, Neighborhood Revitalization Section, Community Planning Division

SUBJECT: MR-1937F William Schmidt Outdoor Education Center, Brandywine, MD

FINDINGS

General Plan:

This application is consistent with the 2014 Plan Prince George’s 2035 Approved General Plan which designates this application in the Rural and Agricultural Areas.

Master Plan:

This application conforms with the land use recommendations in the 2013 Approved Subregion 6 Master Plan.

BACKGROUND

Location: 18501 and 18715 Aquasco Road, Brandywine, MD

Size: 361 acres

Existing Uses: Outdoor education center

Proposal: Improvements to the existing use. The proposed work will consist of both new construction and renovations at multiple locations on approximately 21 acres of total disturbed area within the property.

GENERAL PLAN, MASTER PLAN, AND SMA

General Plan: This application is consistent with the 2014 Plan Prince George’s 2035 General Plan which designates this application in a Rural and Agricultural Area policy area. The vision for the Rural and Agricultural Areas includes retaining low-density residential, supporting park and open space land uses and focusing new investment on maintaining existing infrastructure.

Prince George’s County Planning Department Community Planning Division 301-952-3972

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14 7 41 Governor Oden Bowie Drive Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772 www.pgplanning.org

Master Plan: The 2013 Approved Subregion 6 Master Plan Institutional uses on the subject property.

Planning Area: 87A

Community: Westwood

Aviation/MIOZ: This property is not located in an Aviation Policy Area or the Military Installation Overlay Zone.

SMA/Zoning: The 2013 Approved Subregion 6 Sectional Map Amendment retained the subject property in the R-O-S (Reserved-Open-Space) Zone. This zone provides for permanent maintenance of certain areas of land in an undeveloped state, with the consent of the property owners; encourages preservation of large areas of trees and open space; is designed to protect scenic and environmentally sensitive areas and ensure retention of land for non-intensive active or passive recreational uses; provides for very low density residential development and a limited range of public, recreational, and agricultural uses.

cc: Long-range Agenda Notebook Frederick Stachura, J.D., Supervisor, Neighborhood Revitalization Section, Community Planning Division

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MEMORANDUM

February 13, 2020

14 7 41 Governor Oden Bowie Drive Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772 TTY: (301) 952-4366 www.mncppc.org/pgco

TO: Ivy Thompson, Special Projects, Countywide Planning Division

FROM: ~ Masog, Transportation Planning Section, Countywide Planning Division

SUBJECT: MR-1937F William Schmidt Outdoor Education Center

The Transportation Planning Section has reviewed the mandatory referral application referenced above. The applicant proposes renovations and new construction at three different sites within the overall property.

Site Plan Review The site is currently developed as an outdoor education facility operated by the Prince George's County Public Schools. Development includes several cabins and classrooms. This project would include the following improvements:

• Near the existing Neville Building, the proposal for Village 1 includes six cabins, two classrooms, an open-air pavilion, and a staff building.

• Approximately 1,000 feet south of the existing Neville Building, the proposal includes a new dining hall.

• In an area of existing cabins, the proposal for Village 2 would replace them with eight new cabins, a classroom, and an open-air pavilion.

All improvements would include additional paving w here needed, water and sanitation improvements, and stormwater improvements.

Access and circulation are acceptable. Because the fac ility is used for daytime and overnight field trips and is within a rural area of the County, fac ilities for pedestrian and bicycle access are not proposed. This site is well-served by internal sidewalks and trails which are being expanded to serve the new uses.

MD 381 (Aquasco Road) is listed in the Approved Countywide Master Plan of Transportation as a master plan collector facility with a proposed right-of-way of 80 feet. All existing and proposed structures are located far outside of the ultimate right-of-way.

Conclusion Overall from the standpoint of transportation, it is determined that this plan is acceptable.

301-952-3650

September 10, 2020

MEMORANDUM

TO: Ivy Thompson, Senior Planner, Special Projects Section, CWPD

VIA: Megan Reiser, Supervisor, Environmental Planning Section, CWPD

FROM: Mary Rea, Senior Planner, Environmental Planning Section, CWPD

SUBJECT: MR-1937F/ William Schmidt Outdoor Education Center

The Environmental Planning Section (EPS) has completed its review for MR-1937F, William Schmidt Outdoor Education Center, and provides the following comments and recommendations for your consideration. A meeting with the applicant and their consultants regarding the three project areas was held on March 10, 2020.

Background

“Camp Schmidt” consists of approximately 450 acres of mostly wooded land located on Aquasco Road, southeast of Brandywine, Maryland. The oldest building on the overall site is the former Orme Elementary School built in 1956 on Parcel 20, a 9.88-acre site fronting on Aquasco Road. Between 1964 and 1972 the Board of Education acquired additional adjacent properties which were consolidated into Parcel A in 1975 under Record Plat 91-39 totaling 361.14 acres. Parcel 24 with an area of 74.88-acres was purchased in 1974, which expanded the campus area.

The overall campus has multiple buildings and structures in four separate clusters. The oldest building was built in 1956 and the most recent buildings were constructed in 1982. Many of the buildings on the campus contain systems and materials that have reached the end of their useful life and require modernization and major renovations to comply with current energy, performance, and accessibility standards. The Board of Education commissioned a Masterplan and Feasibility Study for “Camp Schmidt” from Grimm + Parker Architects which was submitted to the Board for approval on January 29, 2016. The total acreage for the overall campus is 445.90 acres.

EPS staff has been in communication with the Prince George’s County Public Schools staff and their consultants during the development of the master plan for the environmental center campus to provide technical advice with regards to environmental requirements.

Countywide Planning Division Environmental Planning Section

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Although there has been no meaningful development activity on-site since the adopted Woodland and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Ordinance (WCO) in 1990, Parcel A is the subject of an approved Type II Tree Conservation Plan, TCPII-067-98-02. The purpose of the TCPII was to establish an off-site woodland conservation bank with 289.7-acres of woodland preservation. This acreage was applied to satisfy the woodland conservation requirements of benefitting school projects constructed throughout the county between 1998 and 2013, and the bank is now exhausted.

Proposed Activity

This Mandatory Referral (MR) application proposes renovations and new construction in three “clusters” on an existing outdoor education center. The property is approximately 436.02 acres identified as Parcel’s A and 24; the address is 18715 Aquasco Road, Brandywine, MD. The development projects currently proposed are as follows:

1. Village 1 and Neville Building. Proposed work includes construction of a new villageconsisting of 6 student cabins, a camp center, an open-air pavilion, and two classroomstructures.

2. Dining Hall. Proposed work will consist of construction of a new dining hall.

3. Village 2. Proposed work includes construction of a new village with 8 cabins, a campcenter, and an open-air pavilion.

4. Orme Building. The old school building will be converted from a dormitory to classrooms, aconference room, and offices.

The project areas also include pedestrian and vehicular access and circulation improvements, landscaping, and stormwater management (SWM) provided by Environmental Site Design (ESD) elements. The total disturbed area is estimated to be approximately 21.0 acres.

Site Description

The project site is zoned R-O-S (Reserved–Open-Space) and identified as Parcels A and 24 totaling 436.02- acres. The site is located on the south side of Aquasco Road between Horsehead road and Croom Road, and is partially developed, but mostly wooded. Based on the information provided on PGAtlas.com, the site contains Regulated Environmental Features (REF) including streams and buffers, nontidal wetlands and buffers, and 100-year floodplain which comprise the Primary Management Area (PMA). The site is within the Patuxent River basin and the Swanson Creek watershed. Based on the NRI, the area of the site located in the PMA is approximately 118.76-acres. The site does not contain Wetlands of Special State Concern (WSSC) and is not located in a Tier II Watershed.

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Web Soil Survey (WSS) that was included in the Natural Resource Inventory Plan submission (NRI-143-2019), the following soils are found to occur on the site: Beltsville silt loam; Croom Gravelly sandy loam; Croom-Marr complex; Downer-Hamonton complex; Fallsington sandy loam; Grosstown gravelly silt loam; Grosstown-Hoghole complex; Grosstown Woodstown-Beltsville complex; Hoghole-Grosstown complex; Ingleside sandy-loam; Lenni and Quidocqua, Marr-Dodon

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complex; Matapeake silt loam; Potobac-Issue complex; Sassafras sandy loam; Udorthents, reclaimed gravel pits; and Woodstown sandy loam. According to available information no Christiana complexes or Marlboro clay are located on-site.

The portion of the site (approximately 9.69 acres) in the southeast corner is within a mapped Sensitive Species Review Area (SSPRA) designated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Natural Heritage Program (DNR NHP), which is a significant distance from the proposed development areas. The majority of the site is identified as potential Forest Interior Dwelling Species (FIDS) habitat.

The site has frontage on Aquasco Road which is a designated scenic and historic road. The site is located within the Rural and Agricultural Area of the General Growth Policy Area (2035), and within Environmental Strategy Area 3 of the Regulated Environmental Protection Areas Map as designated by Plan Prince George’s 2035 Approved General. The site is designated as Institutional in the General Plan Generalized Future Land Use (2035) and is in the Priority Preservation Area (PPA). The site is not located in a Priority Funding Area (PFA).

According to the Countywide Green Infrastructure Plan of the Approved Prince George’s Resource Conservation Plan (May 2017) there are Regulated Areas and Evaluation Areas of the Green Infrastructure Network located on the majority of the site.

Grandfathering

A portion of the site (Parcel A) is grandfathered with respect to the environmental regulations contained in Subtitles 25 that came into effect on September 1, 2010 and February 1, 2012 because the site has a previous TCPII approval.

Environmental Review

Existing Conditions/Natural Resources Inventory: A Limited Natural Resource Inventory Plan (NRI-134-2017) was approved on January 11, 2018. This plan shows detailed information for portions of the site where development activities are proposed and mapped information for the remainder of the site. The identification of specimen, champion and historic trees was deferred until more a detailed design is complete. General Notes on the NRI indicate that “No Trees are to be Removed” is not consistent with design drawings which show the removal of trees within the development areas and in areas of off-site woodland banking located on the site.

The NRI shows “Existing Reforestation Areas” located on the site but no afforestation/reforestation areas are identified on the TCPII. Further explanation of whether these areas were intentionally planted or are the result of natural regeneration will be needed to confirm the existing woodland conservation requirement for the site and required mitigation for additional clearing as part of a separate TCP revision.

The NRI also does not address the specific location of a cemetery located on the site. A revision to the NRI to address these items will be required as the project develops further and prior to any revision to the TCPII.

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Woodland Conservation: This application is subject to the Prince George’s County Woodland and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Ordinance (WCO) because the site has a previously approved tree conservation plan.

Parcel A is subject to a Type II Tree Conservation Plan, TCPII-067-98 approved on June 8, 1998 and subsequent revisions; -01 (April 28, 1999) and -02 (October 2, 1999). The site has been used as an off-site woodland conservation bank for numerous Board of Education (BOE) projects for a total of 289.70-acres of woodland preservation. Clearing of 2.43-acres of woodland conservation banking areas, is currently proposed and will require appropriate mitigation. Prior to issuance of permits for the project, a revision to the approved TCP2 will be required. Initial review of the design development drawings shows structures which have been “thumb printed” into the site in order to limit the woodland impacts. In the cases of individual cabin groupings as shown on Sheets C-310 and C-330, a 20-foot building setback is generally required between a structure and a credited woodland conservation area in order to allow for maintenance access for the buildings, and vegetation management, which should address potential tick habitat in close proximity to sleeping facilities.

Plans submitted by Biohabitats as part of the MR application, which are not titled, include Parcel 24, which is owned by the BOE as a “Potential Easement Mitigation” for afforestation/reforestation in existing fields. For Parcel 24 to provide woodland conservation mitigation for TCPII-067-098-02, the property would have to be included in the existing TCPII or have a separate TCP prepared. Because of its adjacency to Parcel A and co-management by the Board of Education, there is an excellent opportunity for the expansion of managed FIDS habitat. The Masterplan and Feasibility Study does not appear to address a long-range plan for Parcel 24, which is 74.88 -acres in area and contains existing high-quality forest as well as potential afforestation areas. We suggest that the BOE consider expanding available off-site woodland conservation banking on this site as an opportunity to enhance the ecological value of the adjacent site, and to fulfill an ongoing need for additional off-site woodland conservation for BOE projects.

The existing off-site bank did not include the requirement for the preparation of a Forest Stewardship Plan for the long-term management of woodlands on the property which came into effect in 2010. EPS recommends that any revision to the existing on-site bank include the development of a Forest Stewardship Plan to provide for practices which promote forest health and diversity, and as a demonstration of sustainable practices for native and renewable resources. Due to the potential FIDS habitat on the site, management for wildlife habitat enhancement is also recommended.

Impacts to Regulated Environmental Features: There is PMA located on this site comprised of regulated streams, stream buffer, steep slopes, and floodplain; however, the delineation of the PMA has not been shown on the design development plans submitted to-date. Without the PMA delineation it is difficult to determine if there any PMA impacts. The applicant should make every effort to minimize impacts to REF and woodlands prior to the approval of the Tree Conservation Plan.

Soils: According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Web Soil Survey (WSS) that was included in the Natural Resource Inventory Plan submission (NRI-143-2019), the following soils are found to occur on the site: Beltsville silt loam;

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Croom Gravelly sandy loam; Croom-Marr complex; Downer-Hamonton complex; Fallsington sandy loam; Grosstown gravelly silt loam; Grosstown-Hoghole complex; Grosstown Woodstown-Beltsville complex; Hoghole-Grosstown complex; Ingleside sandy-loam; Lenni and Quindocqua, Marr-Dodon complex; Matapeake silt loam; Potobac-Issue complex; Sassafras sandy loam; Udorthents, reclaimed gravel pits; and Woodstown sandy loam. Marlboro clay and Christiana clay complexes have not been identified. The County may require a soils report, in conformance with County Council Bill CB-94-2004, during the building permit review process.

The Prince George’s County Soil Conservation District (PGSCD) will require approval of an Erosion and Sediment Control prior to the initiation of grading which reflects detailed design on the property.

Stormwater Management: Stormwater Management (SWM) on the site will be subject to review and approval by the Department of Permits, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE), and based on the approved NRI which informs the SWM concept approval for the development activity. As required by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), full Environmental Site Design (ESD) treatment must be provided for all new impervious surfaces as well as 50-percent for all existing impervious areas. A Stormwater Management Concept Approval Letter and/or plan were not submitted with the current application but will be required prior to the development of the final technical approval and issuance of grading permits.

Design Development (10/15/2019) drawings submitted with the MR application show the proposed use of environmental site design elements, such as bio-swales and micro-bioretention ponds to address SWM requirements at time of detailed design.

Lighting: The plans do not provide details with regards to proposed lighting associated with the new facilities proposed. As design development continues, the applicant should make every effort to reduce and minimize glare onto potential SSPRA and FIDS habitat by the use of full-cut-off optic fixtures.

Conclusion

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on MR-1937F, William Schmidt Outdoor Education Center. The site is subject to the approval of a Natural Resources Inventory (NRI-143-2019). A revision to a previously approved Type II Tree Conservation Plan (TCPII-067-98-02) for the project is required under separate review for permitting purposes. The applicant should make every effort to reduce lighting glare on-site to enhance ecological function and habitat conservation, particularly with regards to potential FIDS habitat. The applicant is encouraged to consider the expansion of off-site woodland conservation banking to satisfy the woodland conservation requirements for this project and provide additional off-site woodland conservation acreage for other BOE projects within the Patuxent River basin. Development of a Forest Stewardship Plan for the off-site bank is recommended as a tool to demonstrate professional forest conservation practices to the student population.

If you have questions regarding these comments, please contact the Environmental Planning Section at 301-952-3650.

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