BRINGING QUALITY REDEVELOPMENT
Opening the New City Hall
College Park is about to make history by opening up the first City Hall that will also share office space with a university. In doing so, the city will bring hundreds of new year-round employees to downtown College Park, bringing new vibrancy and new support for our local businesses. The new City Hall will also include a new public plaza with outdoor seating for local restaurants and coffee shops and a new gathering space for public events and music.
Revitalizing the Hollywood Commercial District
The city will soon begin construction on a series of new parks and gathering places in the Hollywood Commercial District, to spark redevelopment in this important commercial area for North College Park. After convincing businesses like Mom's Organic Market and Proteus Bicycles to locate and expand in Hollywood, Patrick will work to bring new and better businesses to this area.
Improve Baltimore Avenue
US Route 1, also known as Baltimore Avenue, is the roadway that connects College Park and also divides it. Much of the road is inhospitable to cyclists and pedestrians, and many of the businesses along the roadway are vacant. By working with the State Highway Administration to make this roadway more welcoming to all users, we can support new businesses all along the corridor. The State Highway Administration is currently fixing the roadway south of Greenbelt Road, and I will work to ensure these are completed and that we begin design on improvements in North College Park.
A GREEN & SUSTAINABLE CITY
Established the City's first Sustainability Plan
The City of College Park is working to reduce its climate footprint by increasing the energy efficiency of our buildings, converting our fleet to electric vehicles, and pursuing a new City Hall that will be certified LEED Gold, one of the highest possible standards for green buildings.
Pursuing A Greener Transportation System
Since I have been mayor, we have made our city safer for walking and bicycling, adding sidewalks and trails and developing a Complete and Green Streets plan. The city has also fought against harmful transportation projects such as the widening of the I-495 Beltway, which would increase carbon emissions in our region and harm the quality of life for College Park residents.
Enhanced and Protected our Green Spaces
As mayor, I have worked to reverse the decline of our tree canopy by fighting for stronger mitigation requirements for new development, encouraged residents to replace trees that they cut down on their own property through our Tree Canopy Enhancement Program, and built new parks around the city.
Working to Better Manage Stormwater
As mayor, I have advocated for better management of our stormwater resources by advocating for stormwater management projects including the long overdue stormwater mitigation in Calvert Hills and pursuing rain garden and permeable pavement projects around College Park. In the years to come, I will put our Covid-19 relief funds to use and work with developers to help further improve stormwater management in and around College Park.
SERVING ALL RESIDENTS
Pursuing a More Equitable College Park
Recent events around the country and in our community have highlighted the fact that Americans continue to face different outcomes in our society solely based on the background and our race. In College Park, we are committed to pursuing city policies and practices that equitably treat people based on race and ethnicity, and work to address disparities that people in our community face. I worked with our city staff to hire a Racial Equity Officer to work on this, and we will continue this effort in the months and years to come.
Pursuing Restorative Justice in Relation to the Greater Lakeland Community
The City of College Park has a long and troubling history in regards to the Lakeland community. The City's pursuit of "urban renewal" in the 1970's and 80's caused the displacement of two-thirds of Lakeland residents, and the city has never adequately addressed this history. Last year, I worked with the City Council to pass a resolution formally apologizing for this shameful history. We are working to establish a Restorative Justice Commission that will, to the extent possible, look to make the people displaced in Lakeland and their descendants whole for what the City took from them, and to ensure that the historic Lakeland community is restored and thriving.
Making College Park an Age-Friendly Community
College Park must work to ensure that we accommodate our older residents and that they are able to remain in our community as they age. In the years ahead, we must pursue more housing that is affordable to older residents on a fixed income, ensure that older residents have the social services they need, and make our community a place where older residents can live and thrive. I will work to make sure College Park becomes an AARP-designated Age-Friendly Community.
A SAFER COMMUNITY
Ensuring Our Community is Safe for All Residents
Unfortunately, many people who live in our communities around the country do not currently see police as providing safety, but instead as a threat to safety. In College Park, to build a safer community, we should ensure first that our police have strong relationships with members of our community to ensure they are effectively serving all of our residents. We should also pursue alternatives to policing, such as better crisis and mental health services, to ensure that police are not always the first responders when someone is in crisis, and make sure our police have the tools they need to effectively and safely respond to different situations.
Providing Safe Infrastructure for Pedestrians, Bicyclists and People with Disabilities
There are still many places in our city where there is no safe place for people to walk, bike or use a wheelchair. The city should use available resources to make sure that people can safely walk or bike during all times by providing more sidewalks, lighting our trails, and ensuring our streets can safely be shared by all users.