OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Prince George's County Council Special Meeting - July 27, 2026

County Council & Boards — Monday, July 27, 2026
BodyPrince Georges County, Maryland
SessionCounty Council & Boards
DateMonday, July 27, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:24:50

Transcript — Verbatim
0:14

Good morning.

0:16

We are sitting at the county council.

0:18

Today is Monday, July 27th.

0:22

Madam Clerk, please have a roll call.

0:25

Good morning, Chair Orieta.

0:27

Here.

0:28

Mr.

0:29

Adams.

0:30

Here.

0:30

Ms.

0:31

Blagay.

0:32

Here.

0:33

Mr.

0:33

Danoga.

0:34

Present.

0:36

Ms.

0:36

Hunter.

0:37

Here.

0:38

Ms.

0:38

Ivy.

0:40

Here.

0:42

Six members present at roll call.

0:46

Yes, sir.

0:47

Yeah, Eric Olson.

0:49

Oh, wonderful.

0:50

Vice Chair Olson is present as well as Ms.

0:52

Fisher, who's coming in now.

0:54

So we have eight members present at roll call.

0:57

Thank you.

0:59

And now we'll have a moment of silence.

1:06

That will be led by the Pledge of Allegiance by Councilman Burblagay.

1:31

Now we'll move on to request by the general public to speak.

1:37

We'll start with Tanya Stevens.

1:49

I just want to make sure your mic is on.

1:51

They're gonna there you go.

1:54

Thank you.

1:55

Good morning, Chair and Council members.

1:57

During my last testimony, I spoke about transparency, community engagement, and the shock our community experience learning about the construction of a winery in a preserved area.

2:09

Through a pre through a press release announcing it's groundbreaking rather than through a public process.

2:15

I ran out of time before I could ask the most important question.

2:19

When will the county hold its first community meeting?

2:22

And when will the county provide meaningful information about this process and the project?

2:29

Meaningful engagement as in before decisions are locked in, as in informing bordering homes that the lands surrounding their homes are being declared surplus for economic purposes.

3:02

And before the council has answered its emails.

3:13

Documents referenced throughout the record have not been produced.

3:28

Taxpayers cannot discern from the start to now how this project progressed.

3:34

For instance, the odd parcel zoning pattern of commercial of a commercial destination, hotel and resort being characterized as agritourism, or the 57% discount of 41 acres of land.

3:51

This was not a single missed opportunity.

3:57

Thank you.

4:07

And then after Dan Smith, we'll have Greg Smith.

4:26

This issue is moving quickly, of course, and just want to update you that uh on a report that came out from Politico on Saturday about health impacts from Vantages Sterling Data Center, a data center that's been touted for bringing its own power.

4:41

So this is a data center with natural gas.

4:45

This data center has been permitted by the state to produce significant amounts of pollution.

5:00

Uh soot pollution and um let's see, cumulative emissions from seven different pollutants, 95 tons a year of nitrogen oxides, more than 56 tons of soot.

5:12

A study that uh was commissioned by Harvard University School of Public Health reports that this would cause 53 million to 99 million in annual health costs for uh the public there, and that this could lead to 3.4 to 6.5 premature deaths annually.

5:32

Serious issues we're talking about here.

5:35

NBC 4 reported on Saturday that there was an extensive flickering of electricity from here to Chicago to Boston to Florida for 10 minutes.

5:48

This was a flickering attributed correlated to a change from a data center in Loudoun County or in the in the data center alley to going on to its own power from the grid.

6:07

These are issues that are coming up very seriously.

6:11

We're not getting those.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Economic Development████████████████████20%
Community Engagement█████████████████17%
Procedural██████████████14%
Workforce Development████████████12%
Public Engagement██████████10%
Personnel Matters██████████10%
Transportation Safety███████7%
Environmental Protection██████6%
Technology and Innovation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Prince George's County Council Special Meeting - July 27, 2026

The Prince George's County Council held a special meeting on Monday, July 27, 2026, at 10:00 AM in the Council Hearing Room. The meeting included the confirmation of a new chair for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), adoption of several resolutions, and public testimony on multiple topics including data center impacts, labor agreements for the proposed Sphere project, and concerns about appointment transparency.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes: The Council unanimously approved the minutes from the July 21, 2026 meeting by an 8-0 vote (Councilmembers Oriadha, Adams, Blegay, Dernoga, Fisher, Hunter, Ivey, and Vice Chair Olson voting aye).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Tanya Stevens expressed ongoing concerns about a lack of transparency and community engagement regarding a winery project, citing a press release as the first notification and questioning how a commercial hotel/resort was characterized as agritourism, as well as a 57% discount on 41 acres of land.
  • Dan Smith (Cheverly) highlighted health and grid stability concerns from data centers, specifically referencing a Politico report on the Vantages Sterling Data Center. He cited a Harvard study estimating $53–99 million in annual health costs and 3.4–6.5 premature deaths per year from pollution, and an NBC 4 report on a 10-minute electrical flicker across 13 states linked to a data center going on backup power.
  • Greg Smith (Hyattsville) expanded on grid fragility, noting that 94% of projected power demand increase in the PJM region from 2024–2030 will be driven by hyperscale data centers. He thanked council members who supported a two-year moratorium on data center zoning approvals and criticized the planning board's decision not to oppose LDR 155 despite a staff recommendation against it.
  • Roxy Mejia (Painters and Allied Trades Union) urged adoption of a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for the proposed Sphere project at National Harbor, arguing it would create career pathways, local hire, and safe, timely completion.
  • Victoria Leonard (Baltimore-DC Building Trades) joined labor advocates in calling for negotiations with Sphere Entertainment, stating the company (revenues $387M in Q1 2026, share price ~$136) should sign labor agreements. She urged the Council not to consider any TIF legislation until agreements are signed.
  • Vaughn Thomas (LiUNA Local 11) noted half of his union's 3,000 members are Prince George's County residents and requested help connecting with the Sphere development team.
  • Joaquin Duff (Carpenters Union Local 491) stated that the Carpenters Union has a training center in Oxon Hill and that a PLA would ensure skilled workers and local hiring.
  • Lamar Mutts (Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters) referenced the success of the PLA on Phase 2 of Prince George's County Public School construction (on time, on budget, meeting MBE goals) and urged the same approach for the Sphere project.
  • Josh Armstead (UNITE HERE Local 23, representing hospitality workers) urged connecting unions with Sphere and declining TIF legislation until labor peace agreements are signed, citing union contracts in Las Vegas providing over $30/hour and family health care.
  • Greg Smith (second speaker) criticized the appointment process for Kevin Anderson, noting that the council website had a broken link for the appointment packet and no public notice beyond legal ads run recently. He requested deferral until September to allow informed public comment.
  • Dan Smith (Cheverly) also criticized the appointment process, comparing the lack of vetting to the extensive recruitment for a school superintendent, and urged restoring trust in planning staff.
  • John Robinson (biologist) cautioned about limits to growth, stating that adding new development often displaces agricultural land or parks, and urged the new planning board chair to consider long-term sustainability.

Discussion Items

  • Appointment of Kevin A. Anderson to M-NCPPC (APPT-16-2026): County Executive Aisha Braveboy introduced Mr. Anderson, citing his experience as former Maryland Secretary of Commerce, President/CEO of City First Homes, and over 30 years in housing and economic development. Supportive testimony was given by Troy Stovall (TEDCO), Arthur Horn (attorney), and Joseph Fisher (First Generation College Bound). Anderson pledged to lead with integrity, transparency, and a focus on community. Councilmembers asked about smart growth and community voices. After public hearing, the Council voted 9-0 to confirm.
  • CR-074-2026 – National Harbor Extraordinary Development District: The Council considered a resolution to designate an area for a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district to enable future development, including the proposed Sphere project. The legislation was reported out of Committee of the Whole with no recommendation (6-0 vote). During debate, Councilmember Burroughs noted the project could triple revenue compared to previous attractions (Six Flags, Commanders). Several members expressed concern that labor agreements had not been negotiated with unions. Councilmember Dernoga stated he would not vote for any future aspects of the project until labor is satisfied. The resolution was adopted 8-0.
  • Proposed Correspondence – Cannabis Reinvestment and Restoration Board Methodology (LTR 07212026d): The Council approved sending a joint letter to the Maryland Office of Social Equity transmitting the methodology for distributing community reinvestment funds. The Committee of the Whole had voted 6-0 favorably. The Council authorized the chair's signature by a 7-0 vote.
  • CR-059-2026 – FY26 Annual Action Plan for Housing and Community Development: This resolution reprogrammed $1,170,000 in CDBG funds from prior years to the Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Program and $130,000 for program administration. The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee voted 4-0 favorably. The Council adopted it 7-0.
  • CR-072-2026 – Stop Sign Monitoring Systems – Town of Edmonston: Approved four stop sign camera locations based on traffic studies, as authorized by state law HB 364-2024. The Council adopted it 7-0.
  • CR-79-2026 – M-NCPPC Appointment Confirmation: The Council formally confirmed Kevin A. Anderson as a member of the M-NCPPC (Prince George's County Planning Board). Voted 8-0.
  • CB-72-2026 – Emergency Weather Operations Fund (Introduction): Sponsored by Councilmembers Burroughs, Adams, Oriadha, Dernoga, Blegay, and Hunter. The bill was introduced and will proceed to a second reading.

Key Outcomes

  • Kevin A. Anderson confirmed as Chair of the Prince George's County Planning Board (M-NCPPC) by a 9-0 vote.
  • CR-074-2026 adopted (8-0), establishing the National Harbor Extraordinary Development District. Councilmembers emphasized that future approvals must include Project Labor Agreements and community benefits.
  • CR-059-2026 adopted (7-0), reallocating $1,170,000 in CDBG funds for housing rehabilitation.
  • CR-072-2026 adopted (7-0), approving stop sign cameras in Edmonston.
  • Proposed correspondence to the Maryland Office of Social Equity approved (7-0).
  • CB-72-2026 introduced; will return for second reading after summer recess.
  • The Council recessed at approximately 11:30 AM (based on agenda flow) and adjourned after completing agenda items.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning. We are sitting at the county council. Today is Monday, July 27th. Madam Clerk, please have a roll call. Good morning, Chair Orieta. Here. Mr. Adams. Here. Ms. Blagay. Here. Mr. Danoga. Present. Ms. Hunter. Here. Ms. Ivy. Here. Six members present at roll call. Yes, sir. Yeah, Eric Olson. Oh, wonderful. Vice Chair Olson is present as well as Ms. Fisher, who's coming in now. So we have eight members present at roll call. Thank you. And now we'll have a moment of silence. That will be led by the Pledge of Allegiance by Councilman Burblagay. Now we'll move on to request by the general public to speak. We'll start with Tanya Stevens. I just want to make sure your mic is on. They're gonna there you go. Thank you. Good morning, Chair and Council members. During my last testimony, I spoke about transparency, community engagement, and the shock our community experience learning about the construction of a winery in a preserved area. Through a pre through a press release announcing it's groundbreaking rather than through a public process. I ran out of time before I could ask the most important question. When will the county hold its first community meeting? And when will the county provide meaningful information about this process and the project? Meaningful engagement as in before decisions are locked in, as in informing bordering homes that the lands surrounding their homes are being declared surplus for economic purposes. And before the council has answered its emails. Documents referenced throughout the record have not been produced. Taxpayers cannot discern from the start to now how this project progressed. For instance, the odd parcel zoning pattern of commercial of a commercial destination, hotel and resort being characterized as agritourism, or the 57% discount of 41 acres of land. This was not a single missed opportunity. Thank you. And then after Dan Smith, we'll have Greg Smith.

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