According to The Washington Post, Prince George's County, which abuts the District of Columbia, has been using "text amendments," a legal loophole to circumvent existing zoning rules and put development projects on a fast-track. Local opposition to the practice is rising. Some of the higher profile mega-projects helped along by text amendments include FedEx Field, the Landover-based home stadium of Washington Redskins and MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill.
But residents are increasingly objecting, with the loudest outcry coming in response to a text amendment that would have allowed Amazon to build a 4 million-square-foot “merchandise logistics center” in Westphalia, a subdivision in Upper Marlboro that was supposed to rival town centers in Reston, Va., or Columbia, Md.
Amazon announced Aug. 23 that it was pulling back from the project, following opposition from residents and an appeal in court. Homeowners in Westphalia say they are thrilled by Amazon’s decision but will continue to pressure the council to change the way it uses text amendments, which critics say can be shrouded in secrecy and rob the public of the chance to voice concerns.
“We have to be really vigilant — a year from now, it could be another warehouse owner,” said Briana Bostic, whose family bought a home in the neighborhood last year. “The bigger story is that this is a pattern.” Prince George’s County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D), who has met with homeowners and the developers of Westphalia, said she was “deeply dissatisfied” with the experience of Westphalia residents and shares their concerns about how the zoning process played out.
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