At its January 12 regular meeting, the Greenbelt City Council took the first steps toward annexing large tracts of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) and Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), approved an ordinance establishing fines for people parked in electric vehicle charging spaces who are not charging their vehicle (electric or otherwise) and approved a contract to replace one of the elevators in the Community Center.
Council introduced for first reading three charter amendments to annex parts of the BARC and GSFC campuses. According to a January 7 memorandum from Terri Hruby, director of Planning and Community Development, annexing the properties will “strengthen the city’s ability to partner with BARC and NASA in support of their respective missions, long-term sustainability and land preservation objectives,” as well as enhance the city’s ability to influence possible future development on these lands.
In a September 17, 2025, memorandum, Hruby said that there is case law that affirms that annexation of tax-exempt properties does not require consent of the property owner.
According to the annexation plan, the identified area will be eligible to receive all applicable city services. However, since the properties to be annexed are currently owned by the federal government and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Hruby does not anticipate that annexation will place any immediate burden on city services.
BARC Area 1 is bounded by the CSX tracks, Sunnyside Avenue, Edmonston Road and the city limits. This includes some of the WMATA Greenbelt railyard.
BARC Area 2 is bounded by the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Beaver Dam Road and the city limits. The western boundary is not definable by roads or other landmarks.
BARC/NASA Area 3 is bounded by Greenbelt Road, Good Luck Road, Soil Conservation Road, Beaver Dam Road and the city limits.
A public hearing on the proposed annexations is scheduled for Monday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m. during the regularly scheduled council meeting in the Municipal Building.
EV Parking Spaces
Council unanimously approved an ordinance that prohibits stopping, standing or parking at any space that provides access to electric vehicle charging stations except by plug-in electric drive vehicles plugged into the charging equipment. Violations are subject to a fine of $100. City Manager Josué Salmerón said that the legislation can be challenged by a referendum submitted within 45 days with signatures equivalent to 10 percent of votes cast for governor in the affected jurisdiction.
Elevator
Salmerón said that all three elevators in city buildings are beyond expected lifespans. The city has obtained $200,000 in Maryland Consolidated Capital Bond Loan program funds to modernize the elevator to the second floor of the Community Center near the Multipurpose Room. Council unanimously authorized Salmerón to approve a contract worth $222,271 to modernize the elevator. The funds above the bond amount will come from the city’s capital budget.
Salmerón said the work will require six weeks to perform once equipment has been obtained. The Recreation Department will be involved to try to minimize the impact on senior activities, with as much of the second-floor programs as possible moved to a lower level for accessibility.
Red Light Cameras
Council unanimously approved a one-year extension of its red-light camera contract with Verra Mobility in collaboration with Howard County. In response to a question from Councilmember Danielle McKinney, Salmerón explained that this collaboration allows Greenbelt to benefit from the bargaining power of Howard County, so that it can obtain a lower cost than Greenbelt could by negotiating over its six camera locations. The expected cost of the one-year extension is $291,914.
Proclamation
Mayor Emmett Jordan read a proclamation recognizing January 19 as Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A day of service in remembrance of King will be held on Saturday, January 31 at Buddy Attick Park to install wire cages to protect trees from beavers and to remove invasive plants.
Consent Agenda
Under petitions and requests or as part of the consent agenda council, without discussion:
•Heard a request from Alexander Barnes to remove a parking space uphill from the crosswalk on Westway between Crescent and Ridge in order to provide better visibility of pedestrians.
•Authorized the city manager to execute a $20,790 contract for the purchase of a cold storage trailer for food recovery programs.
•Authorized the city manager to convey the city’s preference for the light blue paint scheme for the water tower on Lastner Lane.
•Removed Rev. Ray Raysor from the Community Relations Advisory Board due to repeated absences.
Administrative Reports
Salmerón reported that:
•The city’s Charter Review Task Force kicked off the previous week with a goal to deliver its recommended changes in nine months.
•There were 576 warnings issued during the first week of the new Save As You Throw program. There will be a warning period of three weeks before the city issues fines for noncompliance.
Jordan called for escalating the issue of frequent complaints of power fluctuations in Greenbelt Center and East, including one that caused elevators in Charlestowne North to fail. Salmerón said that problems have been reported to Pepco, which says it is working on it.
