Anne Arundel County Executive John G. Gary is considering a bill that would give the Redskins another chance to make their case for a $160 million stadium in Laurel if the team does not get "a fair playing field" in the appeals process.
Mr. Gary said that he would ask the County Council to change the zoning laws if a recent Circuit Court decision prevents the Redskins from amending their proposal, for instance, to purchase property to provide the required amount of parking.
"My intention is that they must go through the process, which is to apply to the appeals board as they have," Mr. Gary said. "If, however, we find they were not able to be given a fair playing field and were not able to offer remedies to what the hearing officer says was deficient in their proposal . . . I would consider asking the County Council to hear their case."
Mr. Gary said he is not interested in getting into a bidding war with another county. But he will be upset, he said, if Gov. Parris N. Glendening approves state money for road improvements at the 75-acre Konterra site in northern Prince George's County after having rejected road aid for the Laurel site. The road and traffic problems are nearly identical at the two sites, Mr. Gary said. "I'd certainly challenge that," he said.
The County Council would not hear the zoning case, but would consider a bill to change the zoning status of stadiums, for example, from a special exception to a permitted use with specific conditions. Stadium opponents vowed to legally challenge any attempt to pass a bill that would directly benefit the Redskins.
Administrative Hearing Officer Robert C. Wilcox rejected the stadium proposal in October, ruling that the site was too small, did not allow for enough parking and would cause massive traffic problems.
Redskins officials immediately appealed the decision and said they would use Mr. Wilcox's opinion as a guide for fixing their proposal.
But in an August ruling, Anne Arundel Circuit Judge Martin A. Wolff overturned an appeals board approval of a landfill plan, saying that the substance of the proposal had changed radically between the initial hearing and the appeal.
Judge Wolff's decision is being appealed to the Court of Appeals.