Purple Line Community Compact workshop focused on housing, small businesses, workforce development, and a sense of place along the Purple Line
More than 150 area stakeholders came together in Silver Spring last month to begin work on the Purple Line Community Compact, a “shared vision” that will help shape the economic, social and environmental future of communities dotting the Maryland Transit Authority’s 16-mile proposed Purple Line Corridor. Backed by Md. Gov. Martin O’Malley, and Montgomery and Prince George’s County leadership, the Compact will be a livability strategy designed to identify and mobilize common goals for vibrant, economically sustainable communities.
Saturday’s compact workshop, the first of two consecutive sessions this fall, was organized and led by the Purple Line Corridor Coalition (PLCC), a diverse and collaborative partnership which has actively engaged more than 150 regional stakeholders across Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and state government in the planning of the Purple Line light rail corridor. The workshop was designed as an inclusive, collaborative venue for stakeholders to share input and ideas on four priority goals identified at the PLCC’s March 2014 "Beyond the Tracks" workshop: Creating a balance of housing choices, supporting and growing local businesses, building a thriving labor market and celebrating neighborhood identities. Facilitator-led breakout sessions followed by four, floor-to-ceiling “post it walls,” each dedicated to one goal, guided attendees as they refined priority details and language.
“A lot of people have put efforts into getting us here today, because we all care deeply about what we’re about to accomplish,” said Gerrit Knaap, Director of the National Center for Smart Growth, which administers the Purple Line Corridor Coalition. “This is not the place to debate whether we want the Purple Line or not. The beginning point today is, we think the Purple Line is coming and we need to plan for it.”
The workshop attracted a variety of organizational leaders, groups and individuals who hold a stake in the Purple Line corridor, from small business associations and advocacy groups to residents from Chevy Chase and Takoma Park. Montgomery County Councilmembers George Leventhal and Cherri Branson, Prince George’s County Councilmember Deni Taveras, Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission and several cabinet secretaries and key leaders of state agencies, including the Department of Planning, Department of Housing and Community Development and Transit also participated in the workshop.
A community compact outlines the shared vision of community groups, government leadership and special interest organizations for community and economic development along a new transit corridor. While not a binding contract, compacts are a starting point for planning a transit corridor and provide a framework to guide future decision-making, partnerships and development. Compacts have been key in shaping corridor development in cities across the country, including Seattle and Baltimore.
An insta-poll at the end of Saturday’s three-hour workshop revealed that 74% of attendees supported the goals and direction of the compact.
“Regardless of when the Purple Line breaks ground, the time is now for us to come together and create a common vision for the economic future of the corridor. This is an important next step in that process,” said Dannielle Glaros, Chief of Staff for Prince George’s County Councilman Eric Olsen, who is running unopposed next Tuesday for Olsen’s seat. “In speaking with other attendees, it seemed the common feeling was that of willingness to come to the table and make that plan. The energy was very positive.”
Saturday’s efforts will set the stage for the second Compact workshop, which will take place Monday, November 17, 4-7 PM at the Felegy Elementary School in Hyattsville. Stakeholders will reconvene to focus their efforts on strategy development, which includes taking stock of existing programs, policies, and activities that support those strategies, and considering what additional steps must be taken to reach intended goals. PLCC leaders are hoping a finalized compact will be ready to sign in December or January.
An interim draft of the work accomplished Saturday will be posted on the Purple Line Corridor Coalition’s website in the coming weeks, acting as a “living document” that will be available for comment. Online feedback will help guide further iterations leading to the second workshop.
ABOUT THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR COALITION:
The Purple Line Corridor Coalition (PLCC) is a partnership of regional stakeholders across Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and state leadership working to ensure that investments in the MTA’s proposed light rail, the Purple Line, will achieve the maximum economic, social, and environmental benefits to the residents and businesses along the corridor. Formed in 2013 by the University of Maryland’s National Center for Smart Growth(NCSG), the PLCC seeks to identify methods for preservation and growth, revitalizing and stabilizing neighborhoods, preserving community assets, supporting small businesses, connecting workers to jobs and creating healthy and vibrant communities. Sourcing a mix of stakeholder input, research and regional trends from the NCSG, and models from cities across North America, the PLCC will identify strategies to help guide the actions of developers and government. Learn more at smartgrowth.umd.edu/PLCC.