Hope for PG, etc..... (Silver Spring, Bethesda: appointed, crime, how much)

[khelawanj]

I moved from Montgomery CO and have lived in Bowie for 4 years now. I notice that property tax in PG is a lot higher than Montgomery, but housing is cheaper to buy. My question is for anyone who has lived in PG for a long time, do you see PG improving as a whole?

I really like living in Bowie actually much more than when I lived in Silver Spring, or even Olney growing up. I find Bowie residents to be extremely friendly. Although I wish for more diversity (anything more than just white and black...like asian and spanish) I do think that will get better with time.
It discourages me to read how much PG gets a bad rap because I really think that it is a nice place to live.

[jayman1981]

Well let me jump in before this thread turns into a heated battle. I think P.G. will get better. Having lived in the county for 25 years, P.G. is actually seeing better days. Of course we can go in so many directions when it comes to school, crime, and minority communities. I feel that P.G. is on it's way up. Still a lot of work to be done, but I believe that P.G. will one day be mentioned in the same light as Arlington, Fairfax and MoCo as the place to be.

As far as diversity will that is starting to trickle down to other areas. Northern P.g. is pretty diverse while Central and Southern P.G. is still majority black. Basically from exit 17 Landover area on up is where the diversity begins. I hope to see that as well. I stayed in Silver Spring for a year and was really impressed with the cohesiveness of cultures that the area has. Anyway hopefully when this recession( I know Obama claimed it was over) is over then the projects that were scheduled will resume.

Originally Posted by khelawanj

I moved from Montgomery CO and have lived in Bowie for 4 years now. I notice that property tax in PG is a lot higher than Montgomery, but housing is cheaper to buy. My question is for anyone who has lived in PG for a long time, do you see PG improving as a whole?

I really like living in Bowie actually much more than when I lived in Silver Spring, or even Olney growing up. I find Bowie residents to be extremely friendly. Although I wish for more diversity (anything more than just white and black...like asian and spanish) I do think that will get better with time.
It discourages me to read how much PG gets a bad rap because I really think that it is a nice place to live.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by khelawanj

I moved from Montgomery CO and have lived in Bowie for 4 years now. I notice that property tax in PG is a lot higher than Montgomery, but housing is cheaper to buy. My question is for anyone who has lived in PG for a long time, do you see PG improving as a whole?

I really like living in Bowie actually much more than when I lived in Silver Spring, or even Olney growing up. I find Bowie residents to be extremely friendly. Although I wish for more diversity (anything more than just white and black...like asian and spanish) I do think that will get better with time.
It discourages me to read how much PG gets a bad rap because I really think that it is a nice place to live.

What's so special about Spanish and Asian people?

[bowian]

I lived in PG for a few years as a teenager. More recently, I have lived here for nine years. I can say that the county hasa improved in many ways sincew the 70s. I enjoy living here overall. The school system is working out so far for my kids although there have been bumps in the road. My neighborhood is a nice enough place on the whole. I do get tired of some things like poor customer service, the damned litter and the selfish attitudes that were mentioned in the Arlington thread. I feel like I could be getting more for taxes I pay. But I have hope that the county will continue to improve, and constructive solutions and positive attitudes will prevail.

[justtitans]

Contrary to what people may believe, I believe PG County has a lot of potential. It is one of the reason why I am deeply disappointed in the results of this county thus far. I expect more. With that said, any changes made to this county have to start with the school system. The school system at this time is rock bottom, so it has no choice but to go up. I believe it will help that the probing of our elected officials is occurring. People will put the money where it belongs, dot their i's and cross their t's. When I think of where this county can go, I think about Bowie. Bowie is one of the few places I truly enjoy here. It is one of the only planned communities in our county and it has a lot of qualities that makes it the best place to be at in the county. At the same time I look at places like Fort Washington and think that it could be just as nice. Because of poor leadership a lot of our towns have been poorly planned out. We are just now working on building around our Metro Stations, we have done little to improve the transportation issues in some of the other areas like Indian Head Hwy and Allentown Road (which is finally getting some work done on it) so there is much that can be added, and we have not balanced retail development(most of the retail shopping and development has happened around Bowie and Upper Marlboro). Although I'm not completely sure how good he will be, I believe Rushern Baker has a good idea of some of the changes needed for this county. It's going to be an up hill climb, but it will happen.

[Pitkin]

PG should be booming.

3 major highways (B-W parkway and I-95 plus the beltway, Rt. 50)
2 commuter rail lines (Penn and Camden)
University of MD is here

However PG does lack a lot of much need infrastructure. In Montgomery County and NoVa metro goes pretty far and beyond the beltway. I know Largo Town Center station is pass the belt but its only for a short length. I know NIMBY's on here are going to disagree with this but there needs to be some type of rail connection to Laurel (Downtown Laurel), Bowie (Bowie Town Center), Upper Marlboro (Courthouse/Esq center), and SoMd. There currently plans underway to build a light rail down Rt. 5/301 from Branch Ave station to Waldorf. I think that'll do PG and Chuck county some good and relieve congestion on roads.

Southern MD Transit Corridor Preservation Study (http://mta.maryland.gov/projects/smtcorridorstudy.cfm - broken link)

SO if PG starts building transit orientated developments instead of these Atlanta type sprawl car eccentric communities and fix the schools or at least get them average then I can see the county improving.

[jayman1981]

I agree but it seems everybody equates metro with higher crime. I really don't know how true that is but I would like to see stats on that. From a logical stand point I like the idea.

Originally Posted by Pitkin

PG should be booming.

3 major highways (B-W parkway and I-95 plus the beltway, Rt. 50)
2 commuter rail lines (Penn and Camden)
University of MD is here

However PG does lack a lot of much need infrastructure. In Montgomery County and NoVa metro goes pretty far and beyond the beltway. I know Largo Town Center station is pass the belt but its only for a short length. I know NIMBY's on here are going to disagree with this but there needs to be some type of rail connection to Laurel (Downtown Laurel), Bowie (Bowie Town Center), Upper Marlboro (Courthouse/Esq center), and SoMd. There currently plans underway to build a light rail down Rt. 5/301 from Branch Ave station to Waldorf. I think that'll do PG and Chuck county some good and relieve congestion on roads.

Southern MD Transit Corridor Preservation Study (http://mta.maryland.gov/projects/smtcorridorstudy.cfm - broken link)

SO if PG starts building transit orientated developments instead of these Atlanta type sprawl car eccentric communities and fix the schools or at least get them average then I can see the county improving.

[Pitkin]

Originally Posted by jayman1981

I agree but it seems everybody equates metro with higher crime.

Thats a myth. Vienna, Falls Church, and other points in NoVa have metro stations and crime is quite low. Then again police in the commonwealth are more competent. Nevertheless the DC area will continue to progress. All of these NIMBY's need to go to Delaware or the Eastern Shore. If your county is in a major city's MSA then you should be subject to change.

But here's my fantasy map showing corridors in MD that lack adequate transit. I think a BRT or LRT will help mobility in these areas as well as promote smart growth.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en...,1.454315&z=10

[jayman1981]

Pitkin you should be a city planner, if your not already one. If you look at the history of this region you have to look at the development patterns that have taken place over the last 20 years. In counties close to D.C. (P.G. MoCo, Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria) there focus was on communities close in. As housing became more expensive over the last 10 years development has exploded beyond the beltway for each county/city. Now with that in mind some areas planned communties alot better than others. I think Arlington is the greatest example of smart urban growth through mass transit. Of course Rockville, Silver Spring, Bethesda and Alexandria also should be applauded for there efforts to center developments around metro as well. P.G. on the other hand hasn't quite caught up, but I believe they are trying to develop plans for density developments around it's existing metro stops

Originally Posted by Pitkin

Thats a myth. Vienna, Falls Church, and other points in NoVa have metro stations and crime is quite low. Then again police in the commonwealth are more competent. Nevertheless the DC area will continue to progress. All of these NIMBY's need to go to Delaware or the Eastern Shore. If your county is in a major city's MSA then you should be subject to change.

But here's my fantasy map showing corridors in MD that lack adequate transit. I think a BRT or LRT will help mobility in these areas as well as promote smart growth.

Untitled - Google Maps

[$mk8795]

Originally Posted by Pitkin

PG should be booming.

3 major highways (B-W parkway and I-95 plus the beltway, Rt. 50)
2 commuter rail lines (Penn and Camden)
University of MD is here

However PG does lack a lot of much need infrastructure. In Montgomery County and NoVa metro goes pretty far and beyond the beltway. I know Largo Town Center station is pass the belt but its only for a short length. I know NIMBY's on here are going to disagree with this but there needs to be some type of rail connection to Laurel (Downtown Laurel), Bowie (Bowie Town Center), Upper Marlboro (Courthouse/Esq center), and SoMd. There currently plans underway to build a light rail down Rt. 5/301 from Branch Ave station to Waldorf. I think that'll do PG and Chuck county some good and relieve congestion on roads.

Southern MD Transit Corridor Preservation Study (http://mta.maryland.gov/projects/smtcorridorstudy.cfm - broken link)

SO if PG starts building transit orientated developments instead of these Atlanta type sprawl car eccentric communities and fix the schools or at least get them average then I can see the county improving.

I have been reading and hearing about this so-called "transit oriented development" for years and I have come to the conclusion that its just one of many code words of preaching anti-Growth for PG County..........

Most of the Development in Virginia is not under the so-called Transit Oriented Development and people wonder why Northern Virginia is doing better than the Maryland Suburbs. And don't say that there is alot of development in Northern Virginia near Metro Stations because most of the Development accrued before Ground Breaking of Subway Stations like the Dulles Corridor.........