Info for City Council Work Session - 3 Sep 2025
Council is back from its August recess and kicks-off the fall with our first Work Session next Wednesday, Sep 3.
See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record, and if any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me as your voice helps me shape legislation and decisions.
Watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12. (Note: Work Sessions don’t generally have a Public Hearing component, but you can still send me your thoughts as they are always helpful as I approach the meeting.)
AGENDA
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Call to Order - Kyla M. Clark, Council President
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Bid Recommendation- LPD- Purchase of Tasers
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Bid Recommendation- LPD- Handgun Replacements
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Bid Recommendation- DPW- Snowden Place, Ward Street, and Northview Court Road Improvements
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2025-2030 Open Ended Architectural and Engineering (A&E) Services Contract Recommendation
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Ordinance No. 2043- (Text Amendment No. 267)- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the Unified Land Development Code, Chapter 20, “Land Development and Subdivision Regulations,” Section 20-22.50, “Interim Limited Retail Uses and Providing an Effective Date.”
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Ordinance No. 2044- (Text Amendment No. 268)- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the Unified Land Development Code, Chapter 20, “Land Development and Subdivision Regulations,” Article 1, “Zoning,” Division 2, “Administration and Enforcement,” to Add Section 20-3.7, “Validation of a Permit or License Issued in Error.”
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Resolution No. 8-2025- A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland for the Purpose of Approving Procedures on Social Media Use for the Laurel City Council.
Adding Instagram & Bluesky to My Social Channels
If you’re an Instagram and/or Bluesky user, I’ve got some news – You can now find me on both these platforms! 🙂
Our modern day has so many options for following, sharing, and learning 👍 – We all have our favs, and I wanted to be sure folks had a way to connect, follow my work, and learn about City goings-on in their platform of choice.
So head on over and hit “follow” for my Instagram profile AdrianForLaurel and my Bluesky handle AdrianForLaurel to catch all the latest there. (Of course, don’t forget my Facebook page for those in Facebookland.) 🌄
And you can always find all the latest ways to connect with me on my website’s Connect page (including email newsletter, RSS feeds, email, phone, and more).
Thanks for following and don’t hesitate to reach out anytime with an idea, question, or just to say hi!
City Hall in the Park *this* Thu, Aug 28
The last of the City’s summer series of City Hall in the Park is this Thursday, August 28.
This one will be held at the City Greenview pool/ park over in Patuxent Greens - a great opportunity to check out this City amenity you haven’t been there previously.
The gathering starts at 6:30 p.m., there’ll be FREE food, simple giveaways, face painting for the kids, and more. Plus the opportunity to hear from and connect with Department Directors and City electeds (including yours truly) to ask questions, get answers, share concerns and/or ideas, and more. And you’re sure to make a new friend or two from among your neighbors. 😀
These have been a great highlight of the summer (some garnering 20+ participants), so be sure not to miss the last one, and I’ll see ya there!
New session of Laurel Citizen's University now Open!
Everyone I’ve talked to who’s participated in this program has had great things to say. It’s free and it’s a tremendous way to go ‘behind-the-scenes’ of essentially every facet of the Laurel City government.
From hearing direct from Department Directors (like Police and Public Works), to getting insight into the City’s finances, to connecting with the City elected officials (like myself), and learning the myriad of ways you can get involved in whatever areas interest you.
You’re sure to make friends, food is provided, there’s a graduation recognition at the end, and you will feel empowered by what you learn plus have a good time in the process, guaranteed. 🙂
See the below graphic for more info, visit the official Laurel Citizen’s University page to sign-up, and I hope to see you there!
Back-to-School Fair at Laurel High today, Aug 19
In search of a backpack giveaway for the new school year? How about free hair cuts and vaccines?
Then stop on by Laurel High School today, Tuesday, August 19 anytime between 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. to participate.
And if you’re there early enough (5 - 7 a.m.), you’ll get a chance to meet local News4 TV reporter Molette Green as she shares highlights from the event. 🎥
Additional details below!
City Election Scheduled for Nov 4 -> Candidates & Resources
Reminder that this fall, our City will be holding a General Election – Some key bits of info as a help:
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Early Voting Day will be Saturday, Nov 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Election Day will be Tuesday, Nov 4 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Voting locations will be the same as last election: Ward 1 residents at the Municipal Center on Sandy Spring Road and Ward 2 residents at the DiPietro Center on Cypress Street.
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Mail-In Voting is also available - Applications to request a mail-in ballot must be submitted by noon, October 28. And the mail-in ballot, once received, must be placed in the designated drop box at the above voting locations or postmarked no later than Election Day, November 4. (Applications for a mail-in ballot are available from the City’s designated page.)
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To vote, individuals must be residents within the City limits and registered voters within Prince George’s County. Check out this map to confirm you’re within the City limits and check out this Maryland Voter Lookup tool to confirm you’re appropriately registered. (If you need to register and/or update your registration, you can use the Maryland Voter Registration webpage.)
About candidates on the ballot, per the City’s latest News Release:
As of August 12, 2025, the City of Laurel Board of Election Supervisors has certified the following candidates for the 2025 City of Laurel General Election: At-Large Council Seat — Christine M. Johnson and Brencis D. Smith; City Council, Ward 1 — James Kole and Adrian G. Simmons; City Council, Ward 2 — Kyla M. Clark and Jeffrey W. Mills. One additional filing is pending certification by the Board.
I hope you find the above information helpful, and please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions!
UPDATE: On 28 Aug 2025, Board of Election Supervisors also certified Sheila Carroll as a Ward 1 candidate.
PG County Real Estate Trends + Proposed Property Tax Change
Prince George’s County is considering changes to its “municipal tax differentials” – the County property tax credit we as Laurel residents receive since we rely instead on our City for certain services (like police, trash pickup, & others).
Bottom line: They’re eliminating one credit, adding another, with a negligible net difference to Laurelites – so okay on that front.
But something I found interesting woven inside the report: Charts showing real estate trends for Prince George’s County. Sharing here, with my notes added:
NOTE 1: The median sales price for existing homes increased from $252k to $448k between 2016 to 2025 – a 78% increase overall, and equivalent to a 6% increase per year.
NOTE 2: Thus far in 2025, there’s been an average of 615 homes sold in PG County per month, down from the 695 per month last year, and down from the pre-COVID average in the 800s.
NOTE 3: As of Jun 2025, homes averaged around 27 days on the market, up from the hot market during COVID when it was as low as 12 days.
NOTE 4: PG County’s real estate tax base has been growing by double-digits for 11 years in a row, even as much as 24% in recent years. This points out the critical importance to home owners of the Homestead Credit to cap your annual increase even if your property value goes up more.
Hope you find the above interesting as well!
What are those Bump-outs on Main Street about?
If you’ve made your way down Main Street lately, you’ve likely seen the series of newly installed “bump-outs” along both sides of the street and may be wondering ‘what that’s all about’?
They’re actually part of a multi-stage Main Street safety enhancement the City has been working on, including:
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Flashing light pedestrian cross-walks;
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Enhanced pedestrian and traffic signage;
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Updated pavement markings;
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Tree trimmings, and more
The bump-outs themselves are designed to increase ‘line of sight’ for vehicles entering Main Street from the side roads — If you’ve attempted to turn onto Main Street over the years from these side roads, you’ve likely experienced difficulty looking up-and-down the street for cross-traffic. This makes that much easier.
I know for myself, working on Main Street and walking up and down to the restaurants, Post Office, and other businesses each week, I do feel like vehicle traffic has improved over the last 3 years as these changes have been rolled out. Of course, there’s unfortunately still your occasional discourteous driver that isn’t paying heed, but by-and-large as I enter a crosswalk, I find drivers slowing and stopping for a safe crossing.
If you’re interested to see more on the changes, check out this presentation with pictures and descriptions, and of course, just let myself or the folks at DPW know if you have any questions.
Laurel Police host National Night Out next Tue, Aug 5
National Night Out is an annual community-building event that promotes police and community partnerships. It’s also a great excuse to bring out the entire family for a night of FREE food, music, meet the K-9 unit, see a Rescue Squad vehicle extract and just enjoy being outside around Laurel Lakes with our community.
Come from 6 to 8 p.m. at Granville Gude Park next to the lake (there’s also an adjoining playground for the kids). This is also a perfect opportunity to interact with our local police department, share thoughts, ask questions, and build relationships. I can guarantee you’ll find them open, interested, and wanting to connect as they truly take to heart their pledge to protect and serve.
This a great tradition we have here in Laurel and I know you’ll enjoy being a part! 👮🏼👮🏾♀️🚓🙂
Important Changes to Konterra Master Plan + Your Voice
Konterra has been ‘under development’ for almost half a century, but ground finally started to break last fall and actual construction is currently underway on Phase 1 townhome units.
However, significant changes to the development plan are being proposed, due in no small part to the changing economic landscape both since plans were first adopted and more recent shifts.
As reported by Voices of Laurel in their Facebook post recap’ing Monday’s Town Hall meeting hosted by PG County Councilman Tom Dernoga:
Konterra was to include 3 downtowns with anchor stores and 24 local centers. Changes in the real estate market, the demise of department stores, and other factors have necessitated changes to the 2035 Master Plan. Developers now propose more housing, smaller but more plentiful shops, walking and biking paths, and activity centers
Although Konterra is just outside Laurel City limits, it promises to have a big impact on our town and region. And as residents of District 1 of Prince Georges County, all City residents have a voice and part to play in the direction Konterra goes. Councilmember Dernoga has stressed that input from the public is a critical part of the development plan changes, and you can reach out directly to his offices with any questions, thoughts, or ideas.
A couple resource for you as well:
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Konterra’s May 2025 development update flyer (includes the below pics)
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The current PG County approved Master Plan for the development (the one that will be updated based on feedback from stakeholders)
Juneteenth / MML Conference / City Hall in the Park - Highlights & Pics
»Juneteenth Festival«
The first half of the summer has been chock full of great activities, including our City’s Juneteenth Festival marking Freedom Day when the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation reached Texas at the end of the Civil War. Residents and vendors were out for a beautiful afternoon, including guest vocalists and the Laurel Boys & Girls Club Wildcats (one of whom is pictured below receiving a special proclamation from the Mayor). I also had a chance to connect with Mr. Joseph Fisher of First Generation College Bound and listened as he shared the importance of a values-driven culture supporting youth to provide them a springboard to their future. If you haven’t been out to City’s annual Juneteenth Festival, I recommend you check it out and help mark this important turning point in our nation’s history.
Photo credit: City of Laurel
»Maryland Municipal League Summer Conference«
Each year hundreds and hundreds of Maryland’s Mayors, Councilmembers, City Department Heads, and more convene for an annual summer conference to learn and share ways to help their municipalities be successful. Certification classes I took at the event included topics such as Open Meetings Act, Public Information Act, Municipal Employment Law, Social Media & 1st Amendment, Planning for Continuity of Operations, and Cyber risks for Municipal Governments. I also participated in the pre-conference tour of the historic town of Snow Hill where I connected with their Economic Development Director and Main Street Non-profit & got a number of good ideas to bring back to Laurel (more to come on that down the road).
»City Hall in the Park«
A great way to connect with City elected representatives and City Departments are at the monthly summer City Halls in the Park. This month’s was held at Marcus Colbert Community Park and was well attended, featured food and kid face painting, and a great opportunity to connect and hear questions and topics on everyone’s minds. I met a couple who had just moved to Laurel two weeks prior and were able to share experiences and ideas for work they have done that will help benefit Laurel. And during our open Q&A session, multiple residents shared their interest in seeing Laurel attract a great array of businesses to build up the economic vibrancy of our town, something very near and dear to my heart as well. Thank you for everyone who came out, to our City team for putting on the event, and the next one will be on Thursday, August 28 starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Greenview Drive Cabana.
Photo credit: City of Laurel
Caring for the Patchwork of Alleys in Old Town
You may not even notice them if you’re not looking, but scattered all across Old Town in Laurel are short and long alleys that run behind many of the houses. Fixtures of a bygone era, some are indiscernible without a survey, others are regularly used by residents to access their back driveways, and others are slowly degrading with time.
As time has gone on, one of the challenges has been figuring out which ones belong to whom, since they go so far back to a time when records are scarce – Many are considered part of each resident’s private property, some are public and used by the City, and others are considered abandoned. When it comes to upkeep, then, the question has become who has ultimate jurisdiction for each alley?
Around 2020/ 2021, the City undertook a research project to figure out as best it could what all the alleyways were, how they were being used, and which belonged to whom. That effort got distilled down into Resolution 9-21 signed into law in October 2021 providing a table of alleys and a protocol for approaching their maintenance and possible improvement.
The gist is that the City pro-actively maintains the City-owned and/or officially used alleys, while residents ultimately retain responsibility for resident-owned alley ways. Some protocols are laid out for those resident-owned alleys where the City can opt to help shoulder some costs for improvements, but legal ownership of those still remains with the residents.
If you happen to be impacted, or are just curious to learn more, here’s a copy of Resolution 9-21, also available from the Office for the Clerk to the Council.
Konterra Plan Town Hall on Mon, Jul 28
One of the biggest impacts to the Laurel area over the next 5-10 years will be the development of the Konterra property just south of the City’s bottom border. Decades in the works, ground was finally broken last fall and the vision of bringing mixed-use structures to the expansive location is now underway.
But there’s a proposed change to the plan for the area and public comment is critical to the process. At the Town Hall hosted by our PG County Councilman Tom Dernoga, Konterra representatives will present the latest concepts for the Town Center and surrounding properties, and representatives of property owners will be on hand.
You can register in advance or simply show up to be a part of the conversation on what is headed our way – Additional details in the event graphic below.
A Field of Community Fun at Touch-A-Truck + Helicopter Visit
I couldn’t help but be struck by the view as I walked across McCullough Field with my kiddos on Tuesday –
A group of families were wrapping up a youth football practice, a bunch of men were playing an energetic game of pick-up soccer, there were kids out on the playground swinging & running around, doubles teams having a good volley out on the tennis courts, and across the field was the amazing sight of a Maryland State Trooper helicopter that had just landed and was giving tours & photos as part of the City’s Touch-A-Truck event. I even stopped to take a short video pan of the moment:
I was struck by the feeling: this is what community is all about. People spending time with each other, having fun, creating stories, meeting new friends, all doing different things, but all part of the same thing.
A big smile came across my face – and I also captured this pic courtesy of the Parks & Rec team as a family memory for our photo album. Cheers Laurel! 🍻
Info for City Council Meeting - 28 Jul 2025
See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record, and if any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me as your voice helps me shape legislation and decisions.
Join in-person, watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12.
And if you’d like to register to speak, simply sign-up when you arrive in person or reach out to the City Clerk’s office. (See my post for how to share your voice at Council Meetings.)
AGENDA
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Call to Order - Council President Kyla M. Clark
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Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America - Keith R. Sydnor, Mayor
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Roll Call - Sara A. Green, CPM, MMC, Clerk
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Approval of Minutes: July 2, 2025 Work Session; July 14, 2025 Special Work Session; July 14, 2025 Regular Meeting
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Report of the Mayor and City Council
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Mayoral Appointment: Adina Reno, Bicycle and Pedestrian CAC, 07/28/2025-07/28/2028
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General Public Hearing
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Second Public Hearing with Possible Action on Resolution No. 7-2025- A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland, Expressing Support for Woodland Job Corps Center and Urging Continued Federal Funding for the Job Corps Program
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Second Public Hearing with Possible Action on Ordinance No. 2037- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend Laurel City Code, Chapter 7 “Garbage, Waste, Weeds, Recycling, Etc.,” Section 7-35 “Organics Composting Program”, Section 7-36 “Public Education and Enforcement,” Section 7-37 “Inspections and Investigations by City,” and Section 7-38 “Penalties,” and Adding Section 7-37.1 Notice of Violation and Providing for an Effective Date.
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Second Public Hearing with Possible Action on Ordinance No. 2042- An Ordinance Amending the General Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland, for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 and to Provide an Effective Date
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Bid Recommendation- Pipe Repairs- Van Dusen Road Dam- Department of Public Works
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Possible Adjournment to Closed Session. The Authority for this Closed Session is contained in the Open Meetings Act General Provisions Section 3-305 (b) (7) to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice and Section 3-305 (b) (13) to comply with a specific constitutional, statutory, or judicially imposed requirement that prevents public disclosures about a particular proceeding or matter regarding an internal operational policy.
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Adjournment
City Hall in the Park on Thu, Jul 24
Laurel City Hall is coming to you in the next installment of the City Hall in the Park series – We’ll be visiting Marcus Colbert Community Field off Contee Road this Thursday, July 24 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
This is a perfect opportunity to learn the latest developments around town, connect with Department Heads and elected representatives, get your questions answered, share ideas, meet neighbors, and more.
This year, the City has also been serving hot dogs and hosting yard games (like corn hole) to make it even more inviting (and also help provide an outlet for the kids while parents key in on the talk).
So free food, free fun, and showing some Laurel love – a perfect combo. Hope to see you there! 🙂
Touch-A-Truck kid event *tomorrow*, Tue, Jul 20
So many kids love trucks! 🛻 And here’s a way to get up close and personal – Everything from tractors, to police cars, to tow trucks, to fire trucks, and more!
PLUS: Laurel’s Parks & Rec team usually have some fun games up their sleeves, like last year there was the bubble machine 🫧 and yard games!
So kids: Grab an adult’s hand and find your way down to Emancipation Park (near the library/ McCullough Field) on Tue, Jul 22 between 6:30 - 8 p.m. where the road will be closed and you can walk up-and-down to see all manner of trucks, climb inside, take pictures, and meet your neighbors.
This one is another favorite of my kiddos and is always a lot of fun! Thank you Parks & Rec team, Laurel Library, and PGCMLS for sponsoring!
I’m Exploring Updates to Use & Occupancy Permits for Small Businesses
I shared in Monday’s Council Meeting that I’m currently working on a project to explore updates to our Use & Occupancy Permit code as it relates to the relatively newer types of commercial spaces loosely described as ‘shared spaces’ (e.g., like ‘co-working’ offices).
I’ve had some initial conversations with property owners, small businesses, as well as the City team, and am in the midst of exploring and researching various alternatives that can fit these types of spaces to achieve the dual goals of: (a) keeping our residents safe, and (b) promoting our local small business economy. Through a collaborative effort, I believe there’s a great opportunity here to further equip Laurel with a strong infrastructure and as a platform for small businesses growth.
To that end, if you’re:
- A property owner/ manager of a ‘shared space’,
- A small business owner/ operator within a ‘shared space’, or
- Otherwise interested
Please use this form to ask to be kept in the loop and/or to share your thoughts. Based on my initial work, as many as 300+ small businesses in Laurel may be affected, and everyone’s perspective, help, and ideas is an important contribution. Thank you! 🙂
Native Plant Garden Tour tomorrow, Jul 20
You may have noticed all types of new ‘native gardens’ popping up around town and wondered what all the ‘buzz’ was about. (a little pun fun 😉)
Well here’s your chance – Sacred Grounds and Laurel for the Patuxent are collaborating to host a free Native Plant Garden Tour tomorrow, Saturday, July 20 from 4 - 6 p.m. where they’ll visit a few of the native gardens around town and you’ll have a chance to learn about what beautiful plants are native to this area, how it helps our local ecology, and how to even get started on one of your own, be it small or big.
There’s sure to be some good tips, new learnings, AND new friends, so you won’t want to miss! Just be sure to register in advance, which’ll also provide you the address for the first stop on the tour to join up with the group.
For those who may not be familiar, Sacred Grounds is a program of the National Wildlife Federation that seeks to “recognize congregations, houses of worship, and faith communities who both create wildlife habitat and actively link faith practices and caring for the environment.” They are looking to partner with faith communities in Laurel and even have grant money available for those interested – To learn more about the program you can visit the Sacred Grounds page, and feel free to reach out to me and I can put you in touch with the local contact.
General Election Candidate Info Session on Tue, Jul 15
Tomorrow, Tuesday, July 15 at 6 p.m., the City will conduct a Candidate Information Session for anyone interested to run in the General Election this November 4.
The session will be in Council Chambers at the Municipal Center and will cover topics like: (a) our City form of government, (b) the official election calendar, (c) candidacy filing requirements & guidelines, and more. Note that Candidate Packets cannot be picked up (or dropped off) during the session – the Clerk asks that applicants reach out to her directly to schedule an appointment to do so at “elections AT laurel.md.us”. If you’re curious to see some of the main components of Candidate Packet, here’s what many of the main pages look like. The Clerk’s Office will accept completed packets through noon on Friday, July 25.
Additional information can be found on the event’s official announcement page.
