Prince George's County Council Committee of the Whole - July 7, 2026

On July 7, 2026, the Prince George's County Council sat as the Committee of the Whole in the Council Hearing Room at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building, Largo, Maryland. The agenda was posted for 10:30 a.m., but the meeting was convened at 11:59 a.m. with 11 members present. It recessed at 1:42 p.m., reconvened at 2:30 p.m., and adjourned at 3:20 p.m. The session included a lengthy public hearing and debate on CR-066-2026, a two-year hyperscale data center moratorium, followed by a historic site designation, the Central Avenue-Blue/Silver Line Sector Plan and Sectional Map Amendment, Board of Education financial matters, and several routine resolutions.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Several speakers opposed the two-year moratorium or urged a shorter pause. Alexander Austin, President and CEO of the Prince George's Chamber of Commerce, speaking for more than 850 businesses, asked the council to limit any moratorium to six months and to wait for the Maryland General Assembly study expected in December. Tamia James, Sherry Lewis, Jermaine Hargraves, Claude Rucker, and Diedre Roy presented 'facts' supporting data center development, including roughly 2,400 total jobs annually during construction, several hundred direct operational jobs, tens of millions of dollars in county tax revenue, Loudoun County's $875 million in data center tax revenue in 2024 (38% of its county budget from 3% of its land), and the claim that all U.S. data centers use less than 1% of national water consumption.

• Labor representatives opposed the moratorium. Mike Dempsey of the Prince George's County Union Carpenters asked that data center construction proceed with union labor and project labor agreements. Victoria Leonard of the Baltimore-D.C. Building Trades, representing 28 affiliates, said the two-year moratorium was not necessary because the data center task force had already delivered a report. Don Slaiman of IBEW Local 26 opposed the word 'moratorium,' saying it hurts union businesses; he cited Local 26's growth from 9,000 to 17,000 members in eight years, an increase from 14 million to 28 million hours worked, and more than 33 million hours expected this year, with apprentices starting at $27 per hour and journeymen at $62 per hour plus $30 in benefits.

• Many speakers supported the moratorium or asked for stronger action. Jon Robinson, representing himself, advocated banning hyperscale generative AI data centers and called them an existential threat. Greg Smith, a board member of Sustainable Hyattsville, supported expanding the moratorium to all land use approvals and permitting; he cited PJM warnings of possible rolling blackouts or brownouts by June 2027 and a PJM letter stating that 94% of projected energy demand growth from 2024 to 2030 would be driven by data centers. Herb Jones of the South County Environmental Justice Coalition wholeheartedly supported CR-066-2026 and a two-year pause, saying utility bills would rise and that PJM and NERC should be included in stakeholder talks. Taylor Frazier McCollum of the No Land Over Data Center movement opposed hyperscale centers, cited Virginia's $1.9 billion loss to data center incentives, and said 24,000 people had signed her petition. Claire Flintoff, a lifelong Cheverly resident, urged adoption of the resolution as a first step but flagged that Draft 1 language did not match the fiscal and summary background; Chair Oriadha responded that Draft 2 contained the clarification. Dan Smith of Cheverly supported Draft 2 and favored smaller, targeted data centers over hyperscale facilities. Kathy Bartolomeo of Greenbelt supported CR-066-2026, raising PFAS, drought, grid reliability, and climate concerns. Julie Therrett of Greenbelt supported a moratorium on AI data centers. Beth Landry of CCAN Action Fund supported the moratorium and signed onto amendments from local organizations; she estimated a proposed 820 MW project could produce about 1.6 million metric tons of CO2 per year, roughly 15% of the county's 2015 emissions level of 9.9 million metric tons. Nirvan Sengupta spoke for residents and the natural environment against higher utility costs and pollution. Reginald Martin supported CR-066-2026 and said the people should decide.

Discussion Items

CR-066-2026: Temporary Moratorium on Hyperscale Data Center Operation

Chair Oriadha moved CR-066-2026 ahead of the posted agenda order. The resolution, sponsored by Chair Oriadha and Council Member Dernoga, would establish a two-year moratorium on the operation of hyperscale qualified data centers. Staff Director Rana Hightower provided the overview, noting that the Planning Department submitted comments and requested an amendment. Legislative Attorney Josh Hamlin presented Draft 2, which would largely track the earlier pause in CR-098-2025 for two years, add detailed site plan approvals, and terminate automatically if the council enacts comprehensive data center legislation. Devin Martin, Deputy Chief of Staff to County Executive Aisha Braveboy, said the executive had signed her third executive order holding data center permits through September 30, 2026, and asked for more time for a collaborative stakeholder process. County Attorney Anthony Jones, co-chair of the data center task force, explained that Executive Order 15-2026 stops DPI from processing existing permits such as the Landover Mall application, while CR-066-2026 would stop the Planning Department from accepting, processing, reviewing, and approving new preliminary plans of subdivision for future data center applications.

During debate, Council Member Blegay strongly supported the moratorium, citing unanswered water and grid questions, national and state actions, and her surveys showing nearly 80% resident opposition. Vice Chair Olson called Draft 2 a smart, judicious pause. Chair Oriadha described the issue as a moral and equity issue for the county. Council Member Harrison questioned whether two years was the right timeline, proposed considering a one-year pause, and noted that neighboring jurisdictions with over 200 data centers derive more than 42% of their local tax base from such facilities. Council Member Adams also thought two years was too long and wanted more economic-impact analysis. Council Member Fisher moved to hold the bill, saying members needed more time and noting that an executive order moratorium was already in place until September; the hold motion failed. Council Member Adams-Stafford supported the moratorium but said the county needed real regulation and asked colleagues to support her forthcoming data center regulation bill. The final vote recommended Draft 2 favorably with amendments.

TA-1-2026: Weinstein House/Harry's Market Historic Site Designation

Tom Gross of the Historic Preservation Section presented the proposed designation of the Weinstein House/Harry's Market at 4221 31st Street, Mount Rainier (Documented Property 68-074-05), a mixed-use complex built in two phases circa 1921-1924. Staff found that the property meets four of the nine historic site designation criteria under Section 29-104A. The Historic Preservation Commission recommended designation on February 17, 2026; a joint public hearing was held on May 4, 2026; and the Planning Board voted 3-0 on June 11, 2026, to recommend designation. Council Member Ivey moved to refer the transcript analysis for preparation of a resolution, noting that she had taken her oldest sons to the store when she lived in Mount Rainier. The motion carried 6-0.

TA-2-2026: Central Avenue-Blue/Silver Line Sector Plan and Sectional Map Amendment

Bill Skibinski and Elena Perry of M-NCPPC presented the preliminary Central Avenue-Blue/Silver Line Sector Plan and proposed Sectional Map Amendment (CR-053-2023). The process began May 30, 2023. After the March 10, 2026 joint public hearing and the March 25 close of record, the Planning Board adopted the plan and endorsed the SMA on May 28, 2026. The presentation reported 25 oral testimony speakers, including 18 in support; 79 written submissions plus two late submissions; and 42 total expressions of support. For the SMA, there were 15 submissions: 3 supportive or neutral, 10 opposing specific zoning changes, and 2 requesting new zoning changes. The Planning Board accepted both late exhibits, including a request to rezone the Addison Station Brownfield property from RSFA to LTOE. The presentation noted a district council action deadline of September 22, 2026, but later referenced September 24, 2026; that discrepancy was not resolved on the record.

The plan revisions highlighted by staff included removing the proposed amphitheater at Morgan Boulevard Metro Station after County Executive comments and replacing it with an enhanced public plaza; retaining the Rolling Ridge neighborhood rezoning to LTOE despite resident concerns about nonconforming homes and displacement; formalizing the Blue Line Corridor Coalition's role in implementation; encouraging coordinated development of the Northwest Stadium property and the adjacent Gray Lot; supporting a state transit-oriented development designation for the corridor; expanding economic development strategies to include industrial and manufacturing uses; coordinating with the Maryland 214 Pedestrian Safety Action Plan; revising the Cabin Branch Road pedestrian bridge proposal to prioritize near-term at-grade safety improvements; strengthening cultural heritage and preservation policies, including possible preservation or adaptive reuse of the William and Mildred Ridgely Gray House at 8118 Central Avenue; and adding healthy food systems strategies. On the SMA side, the Planning Board adopted targeted rezoning changes, including modifications to the Morgan Boulevard Center boundary and transitions such as 8601-8607 Central Avenue from IE to CGO with existing IE uses continuing by right through 2032. The Committee accepted the late testimony into the record and referred the transcript analysis for document preparation; both motions carried 6-0.

TR-4-26: Board of Education FY 2026 Financial Review and Transfer Request #3

Caleb Callender, Budget and Policy Analyst, reported that the FY 2026 transfer request #3 was approved by the Board of Education on June 11, 2026. The financial review decreases the FY 2026 operating budget by $5,553,550, reflecting a $3,193,464 decrease in state Blueprint College and Career Readiness grant revenue and a $2,360,086 decrease in the local share of that grant. Total FY 2026 revenue and expenditures decrease to $2,989,759,213. The Committee favorably recommended the transfer request and reconciliation to the County Council by a 6-0 vote.

TR-5-26: FY 2027 Board of Education Approved Annual Operating Budget

Staff presented the Board of Education's FY 2027 operating budget reconciliation totaling $2,984,293,453, described as an increase of $23,587,803 over the FY 2026 County Council-approved operating budget and $13,729,353 over the County Council-approved FY 2027 operating budget. The county contribution remains constant at $969,076,600, with increases of $8,654,350 in federal sources and $3,369,697 in state revenue. The Committee favorably recommended the budget reconciliation to the County Council by a 6-0 vote.

CR-067-2026 through CR-070-2026

CR-067-2026 approves 28 stop sign monitoring system locations in the Town of Riverdale Park, based on traffic studies at 10 locations; staff confirmed the town met all requirements. The agenda lists Council Member Olson as the sole sponsor, while the minutes also list Council Member Dernoga as co-sponsor. CR-068-2026 adjusts the FY 2027 School Facilities Surcharge for inflation, using the CPI-U increase of 3.8%. CR-069-2026 adjusts the FY 2027 Public Safety and Behavioral Health Surcharge by 3.8% CPI-U, increasing the surcharge by $126 above the FY 2026 level of $3,300 for permits in the developed tier and by $376 above the FY 2026 level of $9,903 for all other buildings. CR-070-2026 makes a supplementary appropriation of $15,381,210 in federal, state, and other grant funds for the Circuit Court, Office of the State's Attorney, Police Department, Fire/EMS Department, Office of the Sheriff, Office of Homeland Security, Department of the Environment, Department of Family Services, Health Department, Department of Social Services, and Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement. Each resolution was favorably recommended to the County Council by a 6-0 vote, with Council Members Adams-Stafford, Blegay, Burroughs, Fisher, and Harrison absent for the post-recess roll calls.

Key Outcomes

• CR-066-2026: Motion to close debate carried 8-3. Motion to hold the resolution failed 2-6-3. The Committee favorably recommended Draft 2 with amendments to the County Council by a vote of 7-1-3, with Council Member Adams dissenting and Council Members Burroughs, Fisher, and Hunter abstaining.
• TA-1-2026: Referred for document preparation 6-0.
• TA-2-2026: Late testimony accepted into the record 6-0; transcript analysis referred for document preparation 6-0.
• TR-4-26 and TR-5-26: Favorably recommended 6-0.
• CR-067-2026, CR-068-2026, CR-069-2026, and CR-070-2026: Favorably recommended 6-0 each.
• The meeting adjourned at 3:20 p.m.