HARRY HUGHES, Governor

4029

Governor

May 23, 1986
The Honorable Harry Hughes
Governor, State of Maryland
State House
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Dear Governor Hughes:

This letter is to once again request that you veto House
Bill 1183, which will have the effect of eliminating cluster
development of residential property in Prince George's County,
Maryland. The County government is acutely aware of the concerns
that have been raised regarding our current cluster process. In
response to this we have proposed legislation that will address
the issues thus far raised and anticipate likely Council approval
of these bills shortly.

As the time period for action draws to a close, we are
becoming increasingly concerned with the devastating effect that
this bill will have on our land development policies should it be
allowed to become law.

Clearly a subdivision tool, the use of cluster would only be
permitted under House Bill 1183 if a developer is willing to go
through the entire process of rezoning — a lengthy and expensive
procedure. Without cluster, much quality development and open
space would be lost. Of critical importance is the severe
detrimental impact that this legislation would have on the
sensitive environmental questions relating to the Chesapeake Bay.

Cluster development as it is now permitted, enables the
creation of smaller individual lots in a closely spaced area,
with large amounts of land remaining open and undeveloped. It
does not represent increased density over the parcel nor does it
permit cookie-cutter development in a checkerboard fashion to
occur over a given tract of land.

It creates more aesthetically pleasing communities, reduces
the amount of area paved, and lessens costs associated with
streets and other public facilities by reducing the area to be
served by infrastructure improvements.

Clustering as a land use tool is critical if we are to
implement the Chesapeake Bay Critical Areas plan and the Patuxent
River Watershed Plan. It is through cluster that we can protect
land from excessive grading and preserve those environmentally
sensitive areas. To allow HB 1183 to become law is counter to
the State's policies designed to protect and improve the
Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

We respectively and urgently request that you veto House
Bill 1183. The use of cluster is a local planning issue. HB