Takoma Junction Development Agreement

From Suzanne Ludlow, City Manager of Takoma Park

On Wednesday, July 27, the Takoma Park City Council will consider a resolution authorizing me, as the City Manager, to sign the Development Agreement between the City of Takoma Park and Neighborhood Development Company (NDC). A copy of the Development Agreement is posted as part of the Council’s agenda and is on the City’s Takoma Junction Development webpage. There are a number of changes from the version discussed at last Wednesday’s Council meeting; these changes meet the requests made by the Council and many community members. Those changes are listed in the agenda cover page for the Resolution.

Councilmember Fred Schultz has noted that the Development Agreement is a bit like a prenuptial agreement – it includes many provisions for what happens when things don’t work out as planned. Keeping the marriage theme for a moment, we are now at a place when the parties involved may take the “big step.” We are at the point when the parties involved need to decide if it is better to move forward or not. On Wednesday night, the Council may decide to take the next step in the redevelopment of Takoma Junction.

If the Council authorizes me to sign the Development Agreement, the most important part of the project begins: the community-involved planning process. It is this process that allows the development to be a uniquely Takoma Park development that meets the needs of the Takoma Park community.

After working for local city governments for 33 years, I have a lot of trust in community planning processes. These processes involve professional and expert information, studies and design concepts, physical and financial constraints, and many, many different community members and stakeholders considering the information, brainstorming, questioning, and expressing opinions. This is the community creating itself.

I believe we are at the place in the Takoma Junction Redevelopment Project to begin that community process. I look forward to seeing this next phase of Takoma Park creating Takoma Park.

Suzanne Ludlow
City Manager
Email: SuzanneL@takomaparkmd.gov
Phone: 301-891-7229