Prince George's County Approved General Plan
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| Prince George's County Approved General Plan | |
|---|---|
| Name | Prince George's County Approved General Plan |
| Jurisdiction | Prince George's County, Maryland |
| Adopted | 2014 |
| Supersedes | 2002 General Plan |
Prince George's County Approved General Plan. The Approved General Plan for Prince George's County, Maryland is a comprehensive policy document adopted by the Prince George's County Council to guide land use, transportation, housing, and economic development across Greenbelt, Bowie, Upper Marlboro, Hyattsville, and other municipalities. The Plan integrates goals from regional entities such as the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Maryland Department of Planning, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and federal partners including the United States Department of Transportation, aiming to coordinate growth with projects like Metrorail and Baltimore–Washington Parkway improvements.
Overview
The Approved General Plan articulates a vision for the county that aligns with the Maryland Sustainable Communities Act, the Climate Action Plan efforts championed by the Maryland Department of the Environment, and regional strategies promoted by the National Capital Planning Commission. It establishes place types, design guidelines, and policy frameworks intended to influence decision-making by the Prince George's County Planning Board, Prince George's County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement, and local municipalities such as College Park and Hyattsville. The document references corridors and nodes including US Route 1 (Maryland), Route 410 (Maryland), and the University of Maryland, College Park area.
History and Development
The Plan builds on prior planning efforts including the Prince George's County 2002 General Plan, postwar suburbanization trends tied to Fort Washington, and corridors shaped by projects like the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. Development of the Approved General Plan involved consultants experienced with frameworks used in Portland, Oregon, Arlington County, Virginia, and planning best practices from the American Planning Association. Major milestones included briefings to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and hearings before the Prince George's County Council, reflecting influences from regional plans such as the Vision 2030 initiatives and responses to demographic projections from the United States Census Bureau.
Goals and Guiding Principles
Core goals emphasize sustainable growth compatible with the Chesapeake Bay Program restoration targets, resilient infrastructure aligned with Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines, and equitable development resonant with directives from the Fair Housing Act. Guiding principles borrow from models endorsed by the Congress for the New Urbanism, the Urban Land Institute, and the Local Government Commission, promoting transit-oriented development near Metrorail stations, preservation of historic resources like those documented by the Maryland Historical Trust, and protection of stream valleys identified by the Anacostia Watershed Society.
Land Use and Zoning Recommendations
The Plan recommends new place typologies to replace legacy zones from the Prince George's County Zoning Ordinance and suggests targeted rezoning around activity centers such as National Harbor, Downtown Largo, and the New Carrollton area. It proposes mixed-use corridors inspired by examples in Reston, Virginia, encourages conservation of the Patuxent River corridor, and supports adaptive reuse in industrial nodes influenced by conversion projects in Silver Spring, Maryland. Recommendations reference coordination with the Maryland Transit Administration and alignment with state designations such as Priority Funding Areas (Maryland).
Transportation and Infrastructure
Transportation policies advocate multimodal networks integrating Washington Metro, MARC Train, Amtrak Northeast Corridor, regional bus services like WMATA Metrobus, bicycle infrastructure similar to projects in Portland, Oregon, and pedestrian improvements reflecting standards from the National Association of City Transportation Officials. Infrastructure recommendations address stormwater management consistent with the Clean Water Act and utility coordination with agencies including Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. The Plan prioritizes investments for gateways along Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway) and transit-supportive designs near Greenbelt Metro Station.
Housing and Economic Development
Housing strategies call for increased affordable housing linked to incentives from programs like the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and partnerships with nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity. Economic development sections promote employment centers at sites comparable to Bethesda Row and Tysons Corner, support small business incubation informed by Small Business Administration programs, and recommend workforce development coordination with Prince George's Community College and the University of Maryland, College Park research economy. The Plan addresses displacement risks noted in cases like Washington, D.C. gentrification debates.
Implementation and Monitoring
Implementation relies on agency actions by the Prince George's County Office of Central Services, capital improvement programming guided by the Prince George's County Department of Public Works and Transportation, and performance measures influenced by metrics used by the Brookings Institution and Urban Institute. Monitoring frameworks propose annual reporting to the Prince George's County Council and periodic updates in coordination with the Maryland Department of Planning, with contingency protocols reflecting lessons from emergency responses by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Public Engagement and Controversies
Public engagement for the Plan included outreach modeled after practices by the National Civic League, town halls in communities such as Largo, and coordination with civic groups including the Prince George's County Civic Federation. Controversies have centered on rezoning debates similar to controversies in Alexandria, Virginia and concerns over environmental justice raised by advocacy organizations like the Environmental Justice Clinic and local branches of the Sierra Club. Legal challenges and legislative scrutiny have involved hearings before the Prince George's County Council and consultations with the Maryland Attorney General on statutory compliance.