South county prepares for National Harbor

Resort scheduled to open in April

The Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center is part of National Harbor’s mixed-use development, which will open in phases over the next few years. Developer The Peterson Cos., of Fairfax, Va., plans to build National Harbor on 300 acres. The project includes high-end condominiums, restaurants, office and retail space.

Residents such as Zeno W. St. Cyr II, president of the Riverbend Citizens Homeowners Association, said while the need to lessen crime is the number one issue in his community, National Harbor is a close second.

‘‘Our community is one of the most impacted by the National Harbor project. It’s literally right in our backyards,” St. Cyr said. ‘‘Some of the homeowners have their view of the Potomac [River] obstructed as a result of the project.”

Residents, along with their legislators, say they will also be continuing efforts to keep southern Prince George’s rural.

Del. James E. Proctor Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Accokeek is backing a state bill that would keep private, rural land from falling into the hands of developers.

If passed this year in the Maryland General Assembly, the Purchase Development Rights bill would allow farmers to sell the development rights of their land to the county so the land would stay rural.

‘‘This is a good thing because it will keep the area rural,” Proctor said. ‘‘It will also inform those who may not have heard about the program.”

The Accokeek Arson Investigation Group is expected to step up efforts this year to find the arsonist or arsonists that have set 15 fires so far to properties in south county between March 2004 and last year. All of the arsons were committed in the Accokeek area and all involved structures that were vacant or scheduled for demolition; houses under construction; and some construction equipment. The most recent occurred Dec. 4.

The fires have caused more than $2 million in damage, according to Mark Brady, spokesman for the Prince George’s County Fire Department.

The Accokeek Arson Investigation Group consists of Prince George’s fire investigators as well as officers from the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Residents said they are expecting more police patrols during 2008.

Sharon Taylor, spokeswoman for the Prince George’s County Police Department, said community policing would continue to be given high priority.

‘‘We look upon property crime as violence against communities’ quality of life,” Taylor said.

A new $8 million District 7 police station with more than 100 sworn officers is scheduled to open in Fort Washington by the end of this year.

Catherine Taggart-Ross, president of the Surratts Garden Community Association, said her group would work to give youths more opportunities to stay busy. Though her association is not asking for a facility, it is raising funds to continue Operation Safe Streets — a program that started in 2007.

The program helped 385 youths over the summer. Events included movie nights and roller-skating activities. Taggart-Ross hopes the Surratts Garden association could raise funds to continue the program this year.

Tamara Davis-Brown, president of the Windbrook Area Civic Association, said the association would like to see The Bus service add more stops in the southern part of the county.

She said it is difficult for people without cars to get around with the current bus routes.

In Morningside, Mayor Karen Rooker said that she would like to see Suitland Road fixed soonest. According to Rooker, the road is full of potholes and the traffic is often backed up.

‘‘We’ve been promised this for 20 years,” she said. ‘‘And in 2003 they promised these grand improvements.”

Rooker said nothing has been done yet, but the county has promised to fix the potholes and repave the road by spring this year.

‘‘This has been pushed to the backburner for too long,” she complained.