County Approves Concrete Plant For Tract of Land Near Cheverly

The Prince George's County Council voted yesterday to allow the developer of a concrete plant to move forward with his plans to build a facility in an unincorporated area of the county known as Cedar Heights, a small community just outside of Cheverly.

The council granted a special zoning exception to American Resource Management Group to build the Marvaco Concrete Batch Plant, despite objections from residents who say the plant will reduce their quality of life.

Residents stormed out of the council chamber after the 8 to 0 vote.

"We'll see them in court," said Charles Gallion, president of the Cedar Heights Civic Association. "We're not going to take this sitting down."

Jane F. Barrett, director of the University of Maryland Environmental Law Clinic, which represented the community, argued that the applicant narrowly defined the area that would be affected and also underestimated the increase in noise and traffic.

"This was the District Council's chance to protect that community, which is overstressed and is an African American community, and they failed to do that," Barrett said. The council sits as the District Council to hear zoning cases.

The plant was displaced by Nationals Park, and its owner has been looking for a new home ever since.

Thomas E. Haller, an attorney for American Resource Management Group, said his client looks forward to working with the community. Haller said he wanted the council to judge his client's application on its own merits, "not on the failings" of other industrial plants in the area.

"We understand their concerns," Haller said. "I'm happy the council approved the application, but I know my client shoulders some of the burden to help clean up that area."

The District Council had delayed the case three times. In June, it recommended that additional studies on traffic and health be completed and that allegations of environmental racism be explored.

Council member Andrea Harrison (D-Springdale) said American Resource Management Group should obtain air monitoring equipment and the county should move forward with an air quality study of the area.

Haller said American Resource Management Group would like to begin construction at the end of next year and open the plant in 2010.