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Record of Proceedings

Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee Meeting – September 22, 2026

County Council & Boards — Tuesday, September 22, 2026
BodyPrince Georges County, Maryland
SessionCounty Council & Boards
DateTuesday, September 22, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

Um we will be starting the planning housing and economic development committee today, Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026.

0:09

A continuation of our meeting yesterday.

0:12

Can we please um call the role?

0:19

Chair Brigade.

0:20

Present.

0:21

Vice Chair Ariada.

0:24

Here.

0:27

Councilmember Adam Stafford.

0:31

Councilmember Denoga.

0:34

We have four members present during roll call.

0:38

Thank you.

0:39

Um so we're what's a quick agenda today.

0:42

Let's start off with C B 87, an act concerning electrical code of Prince George's County.

0:50

Turn it over to Ms.

0:50

Hightower.

0:52

Good evening, uh Madam Chair and members of the PHED committee.

0:56

Uh the this bill, C B 87 adds enforcement provisions that were not included in the electrical code, which is subtitle 11.

1:04

The enforcement provisions are consistent with subtitle 4 and 13.

1:09

The bill and agenda summary item are located on pages 4 through 11.

1:14

There's a letter from the exec county executive asking favorable consideration of the bill.

1:18

Ms.

1:19

Shaylen Miller Wise is here and can provide a fiscal and policy overview if you would like.

1:29

That concludes my overview.

1:32

Thank you.

1:33

Um now turn over to Bill sponsor.

1:37

Councilmember Ivy.

1:40

This is 87.

1:42

Yeah, this is not the right bill.

1:44

Okay.

1:45

Whose bill?

1:46

It might be the county county executive bill proposed.

1:51

Okay.

1:51

So do we have a motion?

1:53

Motion to move favorable?

1:55

All right.

1:56

Uh we have a motion and a second.

1:58

Can you please call the roll?

2:00

Chair.

2:03

Aye.

2:03

Chair.

2:06

Vice Chair Oriado.

2:08

Aye.

2:10

Councilmember Denoga.

2:13

Councilmember Adam Stafford.

2:16

Motion carries favorable 40.

2:18

All right.

2:19

Next bill is C B 80, and that concerning universal design for housing.

2:24

Um Ms.

2:25

Hightower.

2:25

Yes, this bill updates the county's universal design for housing laws by revising and adding definitions, clarifying applicability, and establishing certain exemptions.

2:35

It sets new universal design requirements for specified multifamily properties, updates waiver provisions, and revises penalty provisions.

2:45

The bill also makes technical corrections and generally strengthens universal design standards in the county.

2:52

Miss Shaylin Miller Y is here and can provide a uh policy and fiscal uh overview.

3:00

Uh the planning department did submit some comments.

3:04

And that concludes my overview, madam chair.

3:07

Thank you.

3:07

Now to the bill sponsor.

3:11

Thank you.

3:12

That we had um a couple of things that we found out once the bill went into effect July 1st that was impacting affordability for multifamily.

3:23

And so in the interest of making sure that there were enough um units available for people who were lower income.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████50%
Affordable Housing█████████████████████████████████████████████50%
Summary of Proceedings

Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee Meeting – September 22, 2026

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee of the Prince George's County Council met on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 4:30 PM in Committee Room 2027. Chair Wala Blegay presided, with Vice Chair Krystal Oriadha, Council Member Shayla Adams-Stafford, and Council Member Thomas Dernoga present (4 of 5 members; Council Member Eric Olson absent). Council Member Jolene Ivey also attended. The committee considered two legislative items and voted to favorably recommend both to the full County Council.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • CB-080-2026 (Universal Design for Housing): Peter Goldsmith, of the law firm Lerch, Early & Brewer, testified in support of the bill on behalf of the Housing Initiative Partnership, Green Street Housing, and team associates. He explained that the original universal design legislation had unintended consequences on multifamily development, potentially increasing unit square footage by over 20% and threatening housing affordability. He stated that the bill was a compromise reached after extensive collaboration with the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE) and that it retains significant civil penalties to ensure compliance. He requested a favorable vote.

Discussion Items

  • CB-087-2026 – Electrical Code of Prince George's County: Committee Director Rana Hightower presented the bill, which adds enforcement provisions to the electrical code (Subtitle 11) consistent with Subtitles 4 and 13, including administrative adjudication of appeals, additional civil and criminal penalties, citation issuance, and provisions to prevent property transfers with existing violations. The bill is sponsored by the County Executive, not Council Member Ivey as initially thought (a clarification was made during the meeting). No public speakers signed up. The committee moved to a vote without further discussion.
  • CB-080-2026 – Universal Design for Housing: Rana Hightower introduced the bill, which revises definitions, clarifies applicability, establishes exemptions, sets new universal design requirements for specified multifamily properties, updates waiver provisions, revises penalties, and makes technical corrections to strengthen universal design standards. Council Member Ivey, a co-sponsor (with Council Member Adams), noted that the bill addresses affordability concerns that arose after the original law took effect on July 1, 2026, by ensuring sufficient units for lower-income households. Peter Goldsmith's supportive testimony followed (see Public Comments). No amendments were offered.

Key Outcomes

  • CB-087-2026: A motion by Council Member Dernoga, seconded by Vice Chair Oriadha, to favorably recommend the bill to the County Council passed unanimously (4-0; Blegay, Oriadha, Adams-Stafford, Dernoga voting aye).
  • CB-080-2026: A motion by Council Member Dernoga, seconded by Chair Blegay, to favorably recommend the bill to the County Council passed unanimously (4-0; Blegay, Oriadha, Adams-Stafford, Dernoga voting aye).
  • The committee adjourned after completing its agenda.

Meeting Transcript

Um we will be starting the planning housing and economic development committee today, Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026. A continuation of our meeting yesterday. Can we please um call the role? Chair Brigade. Present. Vice Chair Ariada. Here. Councilmember Adam Stafford. Councilmember Denoga. We have four members present during roll call. Thank you. Um so we're what's a quick agenda today. Let's start off with C B 87, an act concerning electrical code of Prince George's County. Turn it over to Ms. Hightower. Good evening, uh Madam Chair and members of the PHED committee. Uh the this bill, C B 87 adds enforcement provisions that were not included in the electrical code, which is subtitle 11. The enforcement provisions are consistent with subtitle 4 and 13. The bill and agenda summary item are located on pages 4 through 11. There's a letter from the exec county executive asking favorable consideration of the bill. Ms. Shaylen Miller Wise is here and can provide a fiscal and policy overview if you would like. That concludes my overview. Thank you. Um now turn over to Bill sponsor. Councilmember Ivy. This is 87. Yeah, this is not the right bill. Okay. Whose bill? It might be the county county executive bill proposed. Okay. So do we have a motion? Motion to move favorable? All right. Uh we have a motion and a second. Can you please call the roll? Chair. Aye. Chair. Vice Chair Oriado. Aye. Councilmember Denoga. Councilmember Adam Stafford. Motion carries favorable 40. All right. Next bill is C B 80, and that concerning universal design for housing. Um Ms. Hightower. Yes, this bill updates the county's universal design for housing laws by revising and adding definitions, clarifying applicability, and establishing certain exemptions.

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