More than 800 people have asked to pause plans to build a
new K-8 school at the intersection of Fort Washington Road and East Swan Creek
Road.
By Nicole DiAntonio (WUSA), Published: 10:52 AM EDT June 16,
2021
FORT WASHINGTON, Md. — There is a petition growing online about plans to build a new K-8
school in Prince George’s County.
The proposed school building is scheduled to be built at the
corner of Fort Washington Road and East Swan Creek Road.
As of Wednesday morning, more than 800 people have signed
a Change.org petition to protest the building.
“The citizens of the Tantallon area of Fort Washington, MD
oppose the building of a 2000 student school on the 23 acre wooded lot at the
corner of Fort Washington & East Swan Creek Roads. This development would
have a great impact on the environmentally peaceful area by adding increased
flooding, traffic, light and noise pollution to the surrounding neighborhoods,”
organizers wrote on the online petition.
For the last five weekends, homeowners gathered in the
Tantallon area to protest the proposed school location.
Ed Burroughs, a member of the Prince George’s County Board
of Education representing District 8, was at Saturday’s march talking with
homeowners.
In a letter sent to the Chief Executive Officer of the
Prince George’s County Public Schools on March 23rd, 2021, board member Edward
Burroughs wrote “I am writing to convey concerns that I have received from
members of the community regarding the proposed site for the new Southern Area
K-8 School. These members raised a variety of concerns in over an hour long
exchange between constituents and some of their elected officials.”
The letter went on to say “Members of the community have
expressed a strong desire to temporarily suspend construction activity
surrounding the Southern Area K-8 School in order to allow the Board Chair to
convene the proposed stakeholder meeting and discuss alternative locations for
the school. I support the community in their request and I hope that the
request for a pause in the development of this site can be granted. I look
forward to continuing to work with you to successfully build a new Southern
Area K-8 middle school while also addressing the flooding and traffic concerns
raised by members of the community.”
Some homeowners worry that tearing down acres of wooded area
will increase flooding in a neighborhood already prone to floods. They worry
the problem will get significantly worse when construction begins.
“We’ve had repeated flooding, redoing the whole basement,
losing many treasured photographs. My late husband was in the military and had
awards that you think would be preserved so they would be safe. We also lost
family photographs and memorabilia,” said Fort Washington homeowner Dr. Flavia
Walton.
Other homeowners worry about the impact on traffic. The
proposed location is near Indian Head Highway, a roadway known to be dangerous.
“Being here on Swan Creek Road, if you are here at any time
of the day, cars come down here at least 50 miles per hour so it is not safe
for our residents nor is it safe for any of the children,” said homeowner
Anthony Mitchell.
Now some homeowners are trying to delay construction until
they can work out these issues.
“They need to stop and they need to go through a
comprehensive independent assessment of where we are as a community and what
needs to be done,” said homeowner Brian Woolfolk.
RELATED: Neighbors
in Fort Washington area share ongoing concerns about flooding that has lasted
many years
In a statement posted online, District 8 Councilmember
Monique Anderson-Walker asked for a comprehensive study to be done before
construction begins.
“Flooding in South County is a historical and
resource-draining scourge throughout District 8. My concerns with this project
have always been directed at the flooding impact on the residents who live in
closest proximity to the school on Swan Creek Road, as well as the potential
for increased flooding in surrounding neighborhoods," said
Anderson-Walker. "Ensuring the project planners are giving EVERY
consideration to environmental, traffic, and flood mitigation strategies and
solutions through engagement with the community, independent third-parties, and
an objective analysis of the school’s master plan and proposed stormwater
management plan, is paramount,” Councilmember Monique Anderson-Walker wrote on
March 28th, 2021.
It is a topic some homeowners in the Fort Washington area
plan to discuss with school board leaders at the Tantallon Square Civic
Association meeting Wednesday evening.
WUSA9 reached out to the Prince George’s County School
District and have not yet heard back.
There is another protest scheduled in the Fort Washington neighborhood for this upcoming Saturday.