Prince George's County Planning Department

Prince George's County Planning Department
Name	Prince George's County Planning Department
Type	County planning agency
Headquarters	Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Jurisdiction	Prince George's County, Maryland
Parent agency	Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

Contents

Prince George's County Planning Department is the county-level planning agency charged with land use, zoning, and development review in Prince George's County, Maryland. It operates within the framework of statewide statutes such as the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Act and coordinates with regional entities including Montgomery County, Maryland, Howard County, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. The department works alongside municipal partners like City of College Park, Maryland, City of Bowie, Maryland, and City of Hyattsville, Maryland to implement plans, process permits, and engage residents.

History

The department's roots trace to the creation of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in 1927, which established a county-level planning apparatus to address rapid suburbanization following the Great Migration and the expansion of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. During the post-World War II era, the department responded to federal programs such as the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 that drove development near Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway), U.S. Route 1 in Maryland, and Baltimore–Washington Parkway. In the 1960s and 1970s the agency engaged with urban renewal initiatives influenced by figures like Robert Moses and planning approaches tied to the National Capital Planning Commission. More recent history shows adaptation to regional plans such as Plan Prince George's 2035 and coordination with transit expansions like the Washington Metro and the Purple Line (Maryland), reflecting shifts toward transit-oriented development and environmental stewardship related to the Chesapeake Bay Program.

Organizationally the department is a component of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and interfaces with the commission's leadership, county executives such as Prince George's County Executive (Maryland), and the Prince George's County Council. Leadership positions historically include a director or planning chief who works with deputy directors, division heads for long-range planning, current planning, and community outreach. The department collaborates with neighboring jurisdictions like Anne Arundel County, Maryland and state agencies including the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland Department of the Environment. It also consults with academic institutions such as the University of Maryland, College Park, George Washington University, and Howard University on research and technical assistance.

The department prepares master plans, sector plans, and area studies that implement policies from countywide frameworks including Plan Prince George's 2035 and zoning ordinances adopted by the Prince George's County Council. It administers the county's Prince George's County Zoning Ordinance and processes rezoning petitions, subdivision plats, and site plan reviews. Staff routinely coordinate with regional agencies such as the National Capital Planning Commission, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority on transportation and land-use integration. Environmental review considers regulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, particularly for watersheds draining to the Chesapeake Bay. The department's technical roles include traffic impact analysis, stormwater management oversight tied to Clean Water Act requirements, and historic preservation coordination with the Maryland Historical Trust.

Major initiatives overseen or influenced by the department include the countywide Plan Prince George's 2035, corridor and sector plans for areas like Route 1 Corridor (Maryland), town center revitalizations in Hyattsville, Maryland and Greenbelt, Maryland, and transit-oriented projects aligned with the Washington Metro Green Line and the Purple Line (Maryland). Redevelopment of former military or federal sites has involved coordination with the U.S. Department of Defense and the General Services Administration for properties near Joint Base Andrews and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Economic development strategies connect with partners like the Greater Washington Partnership and Maryland Department of Commerce to support employment centers at National Harbor and the Metrorail stations in Prince George's County. Large-scale infrastructure projects, including road improvements on MD 210 and stormwater projects in the Anacostia River watershed, reflect multi-agency cooperation.

The department conducts public hearings before bodies such as the Prince George's County Planning Board and coordinates community meetings in municipalities including Laurel, Maryland and Seat Pleasant, Maryland. Outreach tools include workshops, charrettes, and partnerships with civic associations like the Prince George's County Historical Society, neighborhood coalitions, and faith-based groups. Engagement also involves collaboration with transit advocates such as TransitCenter and regional civic organizations like the Committee for Montgomery and the Anacostia Watershed Society on environmental planning. The department applies public notification requirements from statutes such as the Maryland Open Meetings Act and assists applicants through processes tied to the Prince George's County Code.

Regulatory and permitting functions encompass site plan approval, subdivision review, and enforcement of development conditions adopted by the Prince George's County Council. The department issues recommendations used by permitting agencies including the Prince George's County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement and coordinates compliance with state agencies like the Maryland Department of the Environment and federal standards from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for wetlands. Enforcement actions may involve collaboration with legal entities such as the Prince George's County State's Attorney and code compliance officers. The department also tracks mitigation measures required under environmental review processes tied to the National Environmental Policy Act and supports monitoring consistent with regional initiatives from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.