Update — October 13, 2026: The Gazette has since reviewed planning materials and the October 8 hearing, at which the Planning Board unanimously approved the retail application with conditions. That decision occurred before this article was published but was not reflected in the original report. Read our follow-up on the approval and proposal’s scope.
Update — October 18, 2026: This article has been revised to distinguish the warehouse parcels and grading-permit record from the separate retail site, reflect the previously reported October 8 retail approval, and incorporate a new review of Walton’s public updates. The October 13 correction above is retained.
WESTPHALIA, Md. — County records list a fine-grading permit issued in July at a warehouse-site address along Presidential Parkway. The planned retail center nearer MD 4 and Woodyard Road is a separate part of Westphalia Town Center, for which Walton’s public community update targets preliminary grading in late 2026 to early 2027.
The Planning Board unanimously approved the retail application, DSP-2026-0013, with conditions on October 8. The Gazette’s October 13 follow-up details the proposal and approval. That decision does not establish a construction start date.
As reviewed on October 18, 2026, Walton’s community development update still gives the late-2026 to early-2027 grading target. The page also refers to a pre-application submission within 60 days, but does not date that forecast or explain its relationship to the approved retail application. That wording does not establish a new submission deadline.
The development is expected to bring commercial activity to a Westphalia area where residential construction has continued to expand.
Earlier plan cleared way for retail infrastructure
The retail application follows a prior county approval covering infrastructure for that portion of Westphalia Town Center.
In January 2024, the Planning Board’s decision on DSP-22042, “Westphalia Retail,” became final after the County Council waived review. The county case record describes approximately 65.88 acres near MD 4 and Woodyard Road and a detailed site plan for infrastructure to facilitate grading, utilities and street layout for the retail component.
That earlier approval established a framework for site infrastructure. It does not establish that the specific clearing photographed by the Gazette is work authorized under DSP-22042 or the subsequently approved retail application.
Clearing and construction visible along Presidential Parkway
The Westphalia Gazette has observed extensive land clearing, grading and heavy construction equipment along the unopened portion of Presidential Parkway between the Police Federal Credit Union area and Westphalia Town Center. Photographs taken by the Gazette show a fenced and barricaded roadway, cleared ground and excavators beyond the barriers.
Warehouse parcels and the grading-permit record
The warehouse and retail sites are separate parts of Westphalia Town Center. County planning staff’s report for DET-2022-001 locates Westphalia Business Center 1 and 2 on both sides of Presidential Parkway, east of Machinists Place, at the western end of the Town Center. Walton’s July 7, 2026 announcement identifies the 33.17-acre property as Westphalia Logistics Center and says Northpoint Realty Partners acquired it with plans for two warehouse buildings totaling 306,000 square feet. The retail application is nearer the MD 4/Woodyard Road intersection.
A further records check found that the county’s issued-permit dataset lists a site-development fine-grading permit at 9200 Presidential Parkway, issued July 16, 2026, under permit case ID 3250788. PGAtlas parcel records identify that address as Plat 1, Parcel 32, with 14.278 acres; 9201 Presidential Parkway is Plat 1, Parcel 33, with 18.887 acres. The warehouse staff report places Parcel 32 north of the parkway and Parcel 33 south of it. This establishes a grading-permit record at a warehouse-site address. The Gazette has not verified the permit’s detailed limits of disturbance, current inspection status or whether every area of photographed clearing falls within that permit.
Presidential Parkway opening remains undated
As reviewed on October 18, Walton’s public community update says coordination with Pepco is nearing completion for streetlights along Presidential Parkway. The developer says retention ponds have been completed and final paving and landscaping will be scheduled after the streetlight-installation timing is established. The page provides no public opening date for this section of the parkway.
Questions about the Sprouts timeline
Walton announced in May that Sprouts Farmers Market had signed a lease for approximately 23,000 square feet in the proposed 140,000-square-foot retail center. At the time, Walton anticipated an opening in the second half of 2028, subject to county approvals.
Walton’s community page, as reviewed on October 18, still says negotiations are underway to “finalize a grocer lease agreement” and projects a grocery-store opening in late 2028 to early 2029. The page does not identify when that wording was posted.
The Gazette has not confirmed whether the community page’s wording reflects a revised schedule, negotiations related to the announced Sprouts lease or another aspect of the retail development. It does not establish that Sprouts is withdrawing from the project.
Walton did not respond to questions
For the original October 9 report, The Westphalia Gazette contacted Walton seeking clarification about work underway along Presidential Parkway, the scope of the retail case, the grading schedule, the status of the Sprouts agreement and the expected opening of the roadway. Walton did not respond by the Gazette’s October 6 deadline or by the original publication time.
The Gazette will update the report if Walton provides additional information.
What comes next
Walton also says it is nearing completion of negotiations with three homebuilders for future residential development, with horizontal development targeted for late 2028. Those are developer targets, not confirmed construction start dates.
The records distinguish the warehouse parcels along Presidential Parkway from the retail site near Woodyard Road and establish a fine-grading permit issued at the northern warehouse parcel’s address. Further verification is needed to match the photographed work to the permit’s detailed boundaries. The retail-grading schedule remains a developer target, while the Parkway opening date and the relationship between Walton’s grocery-store statements remain unresolved.