Section IV: Elements

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SECTION IV: ELEMENTS

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Land Use .............................................................. 92

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Economic Prosperity .............................................. 120

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Transportation and Mobility .................................. 140

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Natural Environment ............................................. 162

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Housing and Neighborhoods ................................. 180

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Community Heritage, Culture, and Design.... 194

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Healthy Communities.............................................. 220

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Public Facilities ..................................................... 230

⬚ figure Indicates that the definition of a word or term may be found in the Glossary of Terms, which starts on page 282.

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KEY TERMS

The following terms are essential to understanding the recommendations of Plan 2035:

Vision

The vision statement describes, in aspirational terms, what Prince Georgians want the County to become by 2035 and establishes the broadest context for decision-making.

Goal

A goal reflects desirable future conditions and is the end state toward which actions are aimed. Each Plan 2035 element starts with a goal.

Policy

A policy is a statement of intent upon which government decisions are evaluated. Plan 2035 policies are intended to guide County planning efforts, policies, and operating and capital budgets. Policies should be read by starting with “Prince George’s County commits to...”

Strategy

A strategy is an initiative, program, project, or regulatory change that is a specific action to achieve a goal. Strategies can be directly incorporated into a work program and are often accomplished by a variety of stakeholders, such as county and state agencies, municipalities, nonprofits, and residents.

LAND USE

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15 Metro stations (out of 89 in the region) are located in Prince George's County

Growth and Land Consumption by Tier

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Developed Tier 25% Growth 5% Land Consumption

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Developing Tier 73% Growth 59% Land Consumption

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Rural Tier 2% Growth 36% Land Consumption

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90% of approved, but unbuilt development is located outside of the Capital Beltway

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2035 Land Use Goal

Direct future growth toward transit-oriented, mixed-use centers in order to expand our commercial tax base, capitalize on existing and planned infrastructure investments, and preserve agricultural and environmental resources.

INTRODUCTION

Plan 2035 addresses land use ¹ issues that affect the County as a whole, specifically where future growth and development should be concentrated, where land should be preserved or dedicated, and how our established communities and municipalities can be strengthened. It establishes a framework that governs the preparation of master plans, smaller area plans, functional plans, and county policies that, in turn, shape land use, zoning, ² and recommendations specific to our centers, neighborhoods, and individual properties.

As discussed in Section II: Defining the Context, recent development trends in the County have not been consistent with the goals and objectives of the 2002 Prince George’s County Approved General Plan. Projected residential and commercial growth has not been concentrated in our 27 centers leaving our centers without the density ³ necessary to support vibrant, mixed-use communities and to attract critical business investment and new employers. Residential development has continued to encroach on our rural and agricultural areas endangering our farmland and natural resources, resulting in costly water, sewer, and road expansions, and triggering the construction of large stormwater management ⁴ facilities. Sprawling development since the 1960s has undermined our transit network, contributed to our health crisis, and constrained our competitiveness in the region (see Maps 8a-8d). These trends, in conjunction with changing local needs and housing preferences, regional growth forecasts, and fiscal considerations, underscore the urgency of new land use policies and priorities to help change the course of development in the County.

Work Integrating a mix of uses in our employment areas and maximizing the potential of our transportation assets, especially our transit stations, will help attract potential employees and employers, retain existing businesses, and expand the County’s tax base.

Live Changing how and where we grow will create new options for where Prince Georgians can live, play, learn, and recreate. By building around our rich transportation network, we will increase our accessibility to shopping, jobs, recreation, and public facilities. By building new walkable and interconnected communities, we will improve our quality of life and the health of our children.

Sustain Prioritizing denser, mixed-use, transit-oriented growth and promoting infill and redevelopment in existing communities will reduce pressures on undeveloped land and conserve forest ⁵ and agricultural resources, improve water and air quality, and reduce our reliance on vehicular transportation.

Map 8a. 1935–1960 Suburbanization ⬚ figure 76,000 DUs Added 28,000 Acres Consumed 0.37 Acres Land/Unit

Map 8c. 1985–2010 Sprawl ⬚ figure 96,000 DUs Added 41,000 Acres Consumed 0.42 Acres Land/Unit

Map 8b. 1960–1985 Leapfrog ⬚ figure 147,000 DUs Added 43,000 Acres Consumed 0.29 Acres Land/Unit

Map 8d. 2010–2035 Business As Usual ⬚ figure 63,000 DUs Added 24,000 Acres Consumed 0.38 Acres Land/Unit

LAND USE

WHERE WE ARE TODAY

The County continues to sprawl outside of the Capital Beltway—away from its transit network—and lose prime agricultural and resource land, predominately to low-to medium-density residential development. Between 2002 and 2010, the County experienced a 7.7 percent increase in developed land and a 6.3 percent decrease in resource land—agricultural, forest, and wetlands (Source: Maryland Department of Planning).

The majority of residential growth between 1980 and 2010—measured by the number of issued building permits—occurred in our communities outside of the Capital Beltway far from our transit stations (see Chart 13). Approximately 60 percent of nonresidential growth occurred outside of the Capital Beltway during the same period. These trends are particularly problematic because suburban development during the past three decades has not been compact and has, as a result, consumed a disproportionate amount of land and required extensive new infrastructure investment. Between 2002 and 2011, suburban development outside of the Capital Beltway accounted for 73 percent of all growth and 59 percent of all consumed land, while more urban areas inside the Capital Beltway accounted for 25 percent of all growth and only 5 percent of all consumed land.

Chart 13. Residential Growth Trends (1980-2010)

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Source: M-NCPPC, 2013

Existing Land Use

Existing land use reflects how land is currently being used. It establishes a baseline for analysis and, when compared to future land use patterns approved through the master plan¹ process (see Future Land Use below), it helps identify areas suitable for change and redevelopment or areas appropriate for preservation and stabilization.

Using the state’s Tax Assessor land use categories described in Table 13, Map 9 presents a snapshot of the dominant land uses in Prince George’s County. The highest percentage of the County’s 282,589 acres is devoted to single-family dwelling units (27 percent). Land dedicated to agricultural and natural resource activities accounts for 16.7 percent of the County, while parks and open space, institutional uses, and vacant property consumes approximately 20 percent of our land. Only 37 acres, or 0.013 percent, of County land is classified as mixed use.

Existing land use may be different from what is envisioned by an approved master plan and may transition as a result, over time, to a new use through rezoning and/or redevelopment. For example, a site that is home to a struggling commercial shopping center today might evolve into a future mixed-use neighborhood. Other areas, however, may not experience land use changes in the future because their predominant character is consistent with the vision and goals of Plan 2035.

Future Land Use

To help residents, elected officials, investors, and state and federal agencies understand the current long-term land use pattern for the County, Plan 2035 has compiled and generalized future land use designations envisioned by approved sector and master plans into a Generalized Future Land Use Map (see Map 10). The criteria used to generalize the future land uses are described in Appendix E. This map is intended to be dynamic and subject to change as master and sector plans are amended in the future to align with the Plan 2035 vision.

The purpose of the Generalized Future Land Use Map is to:

• Assist with data collection, monitoring and analysis, and modeling at the County level on issues such as water quality and transportation.
• Inform public facility and infrastructure investment decisions at the local, state, and federal level.

It is important to note that master and sector plans will continue to evaluate land use at the local level, guide site specific development, and implement zoning² recommendations based on demographic trends, population forecasts, and market analyses.

LAND USE

Land Use Categories

Land use categories provide general guidance on the intensity, character, and location of land uses. As of 2013, approved county plans relied on 27 different land use categories. To ensure land use categories are applied consistently across the County and allow for effective countywide land use analysis and monitoring, Plan 2035 establishes 11 general land use categories in all future planning efforts (see Table 14). Sector and master plans may use text and graphics to identify common subcategories and accompanying descriptions and densities, as needed.

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Table 13. Existing Land Use

Source: M-NCPPC, 2013

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Map 9. Existing Land Use Map

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Legend

LAND USE

Source: M-NCPPC Property Information Layer, September 13, 2013

Table 14. Generalized Future Land Use Categories

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Map 10. Generalized Future Land Use Map

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The Generalized Future Land Use Map is not a zoning map and is not intended to identify land uses and zoning for specific properties.

Source: M-NCPPC, 2014

This map generalizes future land use designations as shown in approved sector and master plans. It does not follow parcel boundaries, and its land use categories do not identify permitted uses or imply dimensional standards. By definition, this map should be interpreted broadly and is intended to provide a countywide perspective of future land use patterns. To identify the future land use designation for a specific property, please refer to the property's relevant approved sector or master plan.

Approved General Plan | 101

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Challenges

Housing Stock Does Not Meet Anticipated Housing Preferences

As discussed in Section II: Defining the Context, Prince George’s County is not prepared to meet the housing preferences of many of its seniors—a growing segment of its population—and young professionals—a critical component of its workforce and economic competitiveness. Simply put, we are facing a looming deficit in multifamily housing, particularly in walkable and mixed-use, transit-accessible locations. While only 32 percent of our housing stock is multifamily, demand for this housing type is projected to reach 61 percent by 2030.

The County’s pipeline—defined as development that has been approved but has not yet been built—will further compound this housing gap (see below for more detailed analysis). Only 11 percent of housing units in the pipeline were multifamily, and 11 percent were located inside of the Capital Beltway (within the 2002 General Plan’s Developed Tier¹), in closer proximity to transit.

Past Development Approvals Impact Future Growth

As of December 31, 2011, there were approximately 17,000 approved residential dwelling units that had not yet been constructed in the County. Eighty-six percent were located in suburban areas outside of the Capital Beltway, and 89 percent were single-family homes (see Map 7). If we do not pursue change, the magnitude of this pipeline will ensure that past development trends and policies will continue to shape Prince George’s County for decades, undermining its economic competitiveness in the region and its ability to accommodate the needs of its changing population.

In Prince George’s County, there are three types of pipeline development: issued building permits, lots of record (record plats), and approved preliminary plans of subdivision, which have not yet been recorded. Table 15 shows the breakdown of pipeline development by the 2002 General Plan tiers. Pipeline development levels change as development applications are either constructed or are not pursued.

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Table 15. Pipeline Development by the 2002 General Plan Tiers

Source: M-NCPPC, August 2013 (Data as of December 31, 2011)

As Table 15 reveals, recorded plats in the 2002 General Plan Developing Tier accounted for the majority (85 percent) of our pipeline development. What is problematic about this finding is that, while many of the lots of record are very old and unlikely to develop—due to environmental or size constraints—without lot consolidation, they are treated similarly to recently approved preliminary plans of subdivision. As such, a lot of record is not required to post bond for proposed public infrastructure improvements (bonding of infrastructure is not required until the time of building permit application in Prince George’s County). As a result, development is frequently not constructed shortly after it is platted, but is allowed to absorb development and transportation capacity in perpetuity. Even though development is frequently not constructed shortly after it is platted (and therefore not generating any actual vehicular traffic), it is considered as having been constructed and therefore generating vehicular trips. As a result, new development must perpetually take these “phantom” trips into account (since plats do not expire).

Too Many Centers Undermine Economic Growth

It is critical that we concentrate residential development and employment in a limited number of centers to achieve the density, intensity, and form necessary to support successful mixed-use, walkable communities and economic generators. Even with robust regional demand for transit-accessible development, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) has projected that the County will attract only 63,000 new dwelling units and 114,687 jobs by 2035. This projected growth cannot be spread over the 27 centers envisioned by the 2002 General Plan (as amended) or over the 28 centers envisioned by Plan 2035. (The number of centers increased to 28 with the designation of the new Muirkirk MARC Station. The number of centers will reach 34 once the construction of the Purple Line has been approved and funded; 5 of the proposed 11 Purple Line stations in the County are already within existing centers.)

WalkUp As described in Christopher Leinberger’s 2012 report on walkable urban places (WalkUPs) in the Washington, D.C., region (“DC: The WalkUP Wake-Up Call”), WalkUPs are anticipated to be the major driver in the region’s real estate market. They are also valuable sources of tax revenue, in particular, when compared to the amount of land that they consume. (For example, the seven WalkUPs identified in Arlington County, VA occupy only ten percent of the County’s land, but produce more than 50 percent of the County’s tax revenue.)

According to the report, there were 43 regionally significant WalkUPs in the Washington metropolitan area in 2012, largely concentrated in northwest Washington, D.C., Arlington, Montgomery, Fairfax, and Loudon Counties. Three WalkUPs were identified in Prince George’s County—at Prince George’s Plaza, around the New Carrollton Metro Station, and at National Harbor.

Since 2000, focused (re)development and revitalization efforts have successfully fostered new Walk-UPs along the southern Green Line around the Navy Yard, the National’s Baseball Stadium, and the U.S. Department of Transportation and along the northern Green Line around the Columbia Heights Metro Station. These efforts involved a range of coordinated tools, such as creative incentives and parking strategies, land assembly, by-right zoning, and publicly-funded critical infrastructure, and can serve as a model for how new walkable, transit-oriented places can be developed and strengthened in Prince George’s County.

To create viable mixed-use centers with adequate densities and a balance of jobs and housing, Plan 2035 proposes concentrating the bulk of future growth and development in eight Regional Transit Districts and reclassifying the remaining centers to Local Centers (see Planning for the Future).

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Opportunities

Economic Growth Hinges on Transit-Oriented Development A 2011 study by the George Mason University Center for Regional Analysis (GMU) concluded that robust economic growth in the region cannot be guaranteed unless the housing preferences of its workforce have been met. The study recommended that a majority of new housing be located in compact developments with convenient access to jobs and transportation options to meet the workforce’s growing demand for mixed-use, walkable, transit-accessible communities.

To be competitive in the new economy, jurisdictions such as Prince George’s County, must be viewed as an attractive place for a broad spectrum of people to live.

LAND USE

Across the region young professionals have been flocking to walkable urban communities, and perhaps even more importantly, employers have increasingly been following their employees, bringing both jobs and investment. The County’s greatest opportunity to build a strong commercial tax base and generate the type and scale of economic development opportunities that will enhance its competitiveness within the region rests on creating and enhancing such places.

Protect Our Natural Resources and Prime Agricultural Land

Although the County has been losing natural resource land to residential and commercial development, opportunities remain to invest in the protection of our prime agricultural land, to preserve green infrastructure corridors, and to enhance the quality of life countywide. With the adoption of the Priority Preservation Area (PPA) Functional Master Plan in 2012, the County identified prime agricultural and forest resources worthy of protection from development and critical to ensuring the long-term stability of our rural areas (see Growth Policy Map).

The County’s goal is to preserve 80 percent of its remaining undeveloped land, or approximately 46,220 acres (this figure includes land within the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and the Patuxent Research Refuge). With approximately 21,451 acres already under protection, the PPA’s focus has been to protect the remaining 24,769 acres over a 16-year period, or roughly 1,500 acres per year.

The Natural Environment Element discusses how water and air quality laws and programs impact the County’s growth pattern.

Reconcile Future Land Use Patterns with the Plan 2035 Vision

As is discussed under Future Land Use, the Generalized Future Land Use Map is a compilation of generalized future land uses envisioned by sector and master plans approved in accordance with prior general plans—the 1982 and 2002 General Plans and the 2000 Biennial Growth Policy Plan. In some instances, envisioned future land use designations may prove inconsistent with the Plan 2035 vision and goals to concentrate higher density, mixed-use development at our centers, curb commercial and residential sprawl, and preserve our natural areas. As sector and masters plans are amended, future land use designations will need to be reviewed to ensure they help support and implement, rather than undermine, Plan 2035.

Planning for the Future

The Plan 2035 vision is a compilation of two maps—the Growth Policy Map and the Strategic Investment Map (see Section I: A Blueprint for Tomorrow).

Growth Policy Map

The Growth Policy Map visually communicates where and how we should grow as a county for the next 20 years. It classifies centers based on their function and desired density and intensity of development (see Plan 2035 Center Classification) and identifies areas critical for preservation and long-term neighborhood stabilization and investment.

The Growth Policy Map consists of six components highlighted below and described in detail in Section I: A Blueprint for Tomorrow.

• Regional Transit Districts are high-density, vibrant, and transit-rich mixed-use areas envisioned to capture the majority of future residential and employment growth and development in the County (also see Plan 2035 Center Classification).
• Employment Areas are areas commanding the highest concentrations of economic activity in four targeted industry clusters—healthcare and life sciences; business services; information, communication, and electronics; and the Federal Government.
• Local Centers are focal points of concentrated residential development and limited commercial activity serving our Established Communities (also see Plan 2035 Center Classification).
• Established Communities make up the County’s heart—its established neighborhoods, municipalities, and unincorporated areas outside designated centers.
• Future Water and Sewer Service Areas are holding areas that are located inside the Growth Boundary, but have not been approved for a water and sewer category change.
• Rural and Agricultural Areas are areas with significant natural and agricultural resources that are best suited for low-density residential development on well and septic, agricultural activity, and forest preservation.

Growth Policy Map

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REGIONAL TRANSIT DISTRICTS BA - Branch Avenue Metro CP - College Park/UM Metro/M Square Purple Line G - Greenbelt Metro LTC - Largo Town Center Metro NC - New Carrollton Metro NH - National Harbor PGP - Prince George’s Plaza Metro S - Suitland Metro

LOCAL CENTERS

1. Konterra
2. Muirkirk MARC
3. Takoma/Langley Crossroads
4. UMD West*
5. UMD Center*
6. UMD East *
7. West Hyattsville
8. Port Towns
9. Riverdale MARC
10. Riverdale Park*
11. Beacon Heights*
12. Annapolis Road/Glenridge
13. Seabrook MARC
14. Bowie MARC
15. Landover Metro
16. Cheverly Metro
17. Landover Gateway
18. Bowie
19. Capitol Heights
20. Addison Road
21. Morgan Boulevard
22. Southern Avenue Metro
23. Naylor Road Metro
24. Westphalia
25. Oxon Hill
26. Brandywine

*Future Purple Line Centers

Legend

• Employment Areas
• Future Water and Sewer Service Area
• Rural and Agricultural Areas
• Established Communities
• Growth Boundary
• Metrorail
• Proposed Purple Line Light Rail

Plan 2035 Center Classification System

REGIONAL TRANSIT DISTRICTS (REGIONAL)

• Branch Avenue Metro
• College Park/UM Metro/M Square Purple Line
• Greenbelt Metro
• Largo Town Center Metro
• National Harbor
• New Carrollton Metro
• Prince George’s Plaza Metro
• Suitland Metro

New Housing Mix: Predominantly high-rise and mid-rise apartments and condos, townhouses Average Net Housing Density for New Development: 40+ Dwelling Units/Acre FAR for New Commercial Development: 3+ Transportation Characteristics: Metrorail with frequent local feeder connections (bus and shuttle service) and intermodal facilities—commuter rail (Amtrak and MARC service), fixed guideway (light rail and bus rapid transit), and interstate highways and arterials.

LOCAL TRANSIT CENTERS (LOCAL)

• Addison Road Metro
• Capitol Heights Metro
• Cheverly Metro
• Landover Metro
• Takoma/Langley crossroads
• Morgan Boulevard Metro
• Naylor Road Metro
• West Hyattsville Metro

New Housing Mix: Mid-rise and low-rise apartments and condos, townhouses Average Net Housing Density for New Development: 15-30 Dwelling Units/Acre FAR for New Commercial Development: 1.5-3 Transportation Characteristics: Metrorail or light rail with potential for localized parking and local transit connections with all types of bus service.

NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS (LOCAL)

• Annapolis Road/Glenridge*
• Beacon Heights*
• Murkirk MARC (new designation)
• Oxon Hill
• Port Towns
• Riverdale MARC
• Riverdale Park*
• Seabrook MARC
• Southern Avenue Metro

*Future Purple Line centers

New Housing Mix: Mid-rise and low-rise apartments and condos, townhouses, and small-lot single-family Average Net Housing Density for New Development: 10-15 Dwelling Units/Acre FAR for New Commercial Development: 0.5-2 Transportation Characteristics: Typically light rail, commuter rail, or local bus hub with limited or no parking.

CAMPUS CENTERS (LOCAL)

• Bowie MARC
• UMD East*
• UMD Center*
• UMD West*

*Future Purple Line centers

New Housing Mix: Mid-rise and low-rise apartments and condos, townhouses, and small-lot single-family Average Net Housing Density for New Development: 10-15 Dwelling Units/Acre FAR for New Commercial Development: 0.5-3 Transportation Characteristics: Light or commuter rail, arterial roadways, and local/express bus service.

TOWN CENTERS (LOCAL)

• Bowie
• Brandywine
• Konterra
• Landover Gateway
• Westphalia

New Housing Mix: Low-rise apartments and condos, townhouses, and small, single-family lots. Average Net Housing Density for New Development: 10-60 Dwelling Units/Acre FAR for New Commercial Development: 1-2.5 Transportation Characteristics: Largely automobile-oriented with access from arterial highways. Limited bus service along with on-demand bus service.

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Moderate- to high-density and intensity regional-serving centers. Destinations for regional workers and residents that contain a mix of office, retail, entertainment, public and quasi-public, flex, and medical uses. The balance of uses will vary depending on the center’s predominant character and function. Walkable, bikeable, and well-connected to a regional transportation network via a range of light transit options. Density and intensity are often noticeably greater within a quarter mile of Metro and light rail stations.

The recommended jobs-to-household ratio ranges from three jobs to one household (3:1) to six jobs to one household (6:1). For more mixed-use centers and six jobs to one household or greater (> 6:1) for larger employment centers. In employment centers, housing and retail uses are secondary, but essential to creating competitive and vibrant environments attractive to employees.

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Smaller-scale, mixed-use centers that are well connected by transit. Many of these areas are integrated with an established street grid and offer local-serving retail and limited office uses.

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Primarily residential areas that are often lower in density. These areas generally have fewer transit option and offer neighborhood-serving retail and office uses.

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Transit accessible low- to medium-density, mixed-use development oriented toward supporting university research, as well as community housing and retail needs, and student housing needs at Bowie MARC.

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Town Centers, such as Brandywine, Konterra, and Westphalia, are currently under construction and have received significant public and private investment for infrastructure improvements. These centers are envisioned to develop per the guidelines of Plan 2035 to help fulfill countywide goals.

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Plan 2035 Center Classification

As was discussed in Section II: Defining the Context, the 2002 General Plan (as amended) classified its 28 centers into three types—Metropolitan, Regional, and Community. The 2012 assessment of the general plan, Looking Back, Moving Forward, concluded that this classification system was no longer adequate. It did not capture the full range of center types in the County nor adequately describe the desired development character and function of each. The assessment also found that there was no consistency in the application of density ranges for the centers in master plans, the result of which was detailed planning at the center level that often did not take into consideration countywide housing and employment goals.

Plan 2035 developed a new center classification system to address these issues and help implement the Plan 2035 vision for the County. The system reorganizes the County’s centers into two principal categories—Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers. The Local Centers are further broken down into four types—Local Transit Centers, Neighborhood Centers, Campus Centers, and Town Centers. Table 16 provides guidance on the preferred housing mix and density and transportation characteristics, as well as the floor area ratio (FAR)¹ for new commercial developments for the Regional Transit Districts and each of the Local Center types.

Core and Edge

In the Regional Transit Districts, the development is more dense, often with offices, apartments, condominiums, retail, and other uses arranged vertically within buildings. Mixed-use development may be arranged vertically, but uses may also be integrated horizontally, especially in Local Centers, in a series of buildings organized and sited to support walkability. The ground floor of development in centers should have frequent openings such as windows or doors and include active uses to improve the environment for pedestrians. More information about urban design² for the centers is included in the Community Heritage, Culture, and Design Elements of the plan.

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Walkable, mixed-use areas, including transit-oriented developments, are often roughly one-half mile in diameter and organized around a core and edge. An entry to a Metro station or another transit stop is often located at the center of the core, with the most dense and intense development growing out from this point. Best practices dictate employment and retail uses be concentrated in the core and that the edge include more of a residential mix with less of an emphasis on commercial uses. Master plans and sector plans will map the core and edge within the designated centers and specify the necessary development pattern to meet the targets identified in Table 17.

POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

Policy 1 Direct a majority of projected new residential and employment growth to the Regional Transit Districts in accordance with the Growth Policy Map and the Growth Management Goals set forth in Table 17.

Table 17. Growth Management Goals

The goals identified in Table 16 are 25-year goals that provide guidance on the success of the Growth Policy Map and Plan 2035. These goals are not designed to be applied to, and shall not be tested against, individual development projects. Source: MWCOG 8.1 Projections, 2012

LU1.1 To support areas best suited in the near term to become economic engines and models for future development, encourage projected new residential and employment growth to concentrate in the Regional Transit Districts that are designated as Downtowns (see the Strategic Investment Program under the Implementation section).

LU1.2 Revise and update the Zoning Ordinance, Subdivision Ordinance, and other County regulations to ensure they are consistent with and support the Plan 2035 growth management goals, vision, and policies. Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the Zoning Ordinance, including its use tables, zoning districts and densities, and variance criteria.

LAND USE

LU1.3 Evaluate the existing zoning districts in the Regional Transit Districts to ensure that sufficient development capacity is available to meet desired population and employment targets set forth by the Center Classification System (see Table 16).

LU1.4 Annually review and report on County growth trends to measure progress toward meeting Plan 2035 growth management goals. Identify potential revisions to policies and ordinances to assist with meeting the goals.

LU1.5 Annually review the CIP program to ensure consistency with the Plan 2035 vision, goals, and policies. The Planning Board will review proposed public facility and infrastructure projects and submit its recommendations to the District Council and County Executive for consideration (also see Strategic Investment Program under the Section V: Implementation).

LU1.6 Identify the key capital improvement projects for each of the centers identified in Table 16 that are necessary to promote and facilitate economic and residential development within the center. Identify and coordinate the capital improvement projects with county agencies and key stakeholders. Prepare a summary of the Center Diagnostic score for each center.

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Policy 2 Limit the expansion of public water and sewer outside the Growth Boundary in Rural and Agricultural Areas.

LU2.1 Coordinate the provision of public water and sewer, as outlined in the Public Facilities Element, with the Department of the Environment (DoE) and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) and in accordance with the Growth Policy Map to ensure that water and sewer facilities are not extended beyond the Growth Boundary. The Growth Boundary should be reviewed on a periodic basis to assess compatibility with Plan 2035 goals.

LU2.2 Coordinate amendments to the Growth Boundary with future updates to the Septic Tier Map and the County’s Water and Sewer Plan.

Policy 3 Use Plan 2035, including the Growth Policy Map and Center Classification System, to guide the development of land use policies for all future master and sector plans, functional plans, and other county planning documents.

LU3.1 Evaluate the Plan 2035 future land use categories and apply to new master plans so that, over time, all plans use a common nomenclature to describe similar land uses. Allow plans to develop common land use subcategories.

LU3.2 Review preliminary master plans and rezoning requests to ensure that proposed development is consistent with the Growth Policy Map and the Center Classification System (see Table 16). (See also Section V: Implementation, under Plan Administration for Amendments and Updates.)

LU3.3 Review approved master plans to evaluate the consistency of existing Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers with the Center Classification System (see Table 16). To ensure consistency, future master plan revisions and/or rezonings may be warranted.

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Policy 4 Phase new residential development to coincide with the provision of public facilities and services.

LU4.1 Annually evaluate the County’s residential and employment forecast projections to identify the amount of new land area required to meet demand.

LU4.2 Create a working group to address the magnitude of the residential pipeline in Established Communities and Rural and Agricultural Areas. Potential strategies to reduce the pipeline include amending the County code to limit validity periods, reevaluating approved adequate public facilities for projects that have not provided assurances that public infrastructure will be constructed in a timely manner, and requiring performance bonding prior to recordation of final plat.

LU4.3 Evaluate strategies to phase development countywide. Potential strategies include establishing a residential allocation process.

LU4.4 Identify additional strategies that may reduce the amount of residential and commercial development that is no longer economically viable and has been approved but not constructed throughout the County. Evaluate various codes and procedures including validity periods and the effect on adequate public facilities.

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Policy 5 Implement the Growth Policy Map through coordinated multimodal transportation and mobility planning and programs.

Related Policies and Strategies

See Policy 1 and Associated Strategies in the Transportation and Mobility Element for Integrated Land Use and Transportation Planning Recommendations.

Land Use and Transportation Linkages Land use planning and transportation are closely linked. During the past half century, transportation meant new roads and highway interchanges, often spurring sprawling development with each new facility regardless of its location or potential impact on existing communities. Transportation has since expanded from the highway system to encompass transit, bicycles, pedestrians, bikeshare, and car sharing, as well as complete streets policies (see the Transportation and Mobility Element). This shift toward multimodal transportation, in particular transit, is critical to supporting compact development and promoting economic development and growth in our Regional Transit Districts.

Policy 6 Support new employment growth in Employment Areas in accordance with the Growth Policy Map and the Growth Management Goals (see Table 17).

LU6.1 Align the Economic Development Corporation’s work program with the Growth Policy Map to establish programs and policies to support employment growth in the Employment Areas, with a particular emphasis on the Innovation Corridor (see the Strategic Investment Program under Implementation).

Related Policies and Strategies

See Policies 1-12 and Associated Strategies in the Economic Prosperity Element.

Policy 7 Limit future mixed-use land uses outside of the Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers.

LU7.1 Reevaluate mixed-use land use designations outside of the Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers as master plans are updated.

LAND USE

LU7.2 Consider developing, as part of the Zoning Ordinance update, alternative lower density zoning districts that promote walkability and allow for a mix of uses.

Policy 8 Strengthen and enhance existing residential areas and neighborhoods in the Plan 2035 Established Communities.

LU8.1 Coordinate land use planning with County municipalities.

LU8.2 Use conservation subdivisions in areas adjacent to Rural and Agricultural Areas to transition density and to encourage preservation of green infrastructure corridors as defined by the County’s Green Infrastructure Plan.

LU8.3 Encourage municipalities to designate Development Review Districts to promote and preserve the integrity of high-quality and complementary infill development¹ in the Established Communities.

LU8.4 Revise and update the Zoning Ordinance, Subdivision Ordinance, and other County regulations to ensure they help protect, strengthen, and revitalize the Established Communities.

LU8.5 Continue to coordinate, apply for, and use state and federal programs and resources for neighborhood revitalization and reinvestment of low- and moderate-income communities. Programs and resources include Sustainable Community designations, HUD program funds, and tax incentives.

Related Policies and Strategies

See Policy 3 and Associated Strategies under the Housing and Neighborhoods Element for Neighborhood Stabilization Recommendations.

See Policy 3 and Associated Strategies under Implementation for Neighborhood Reinvestment Area Recommendations.

Policy 9 Limit the expansion of new commercial zoning outside of the Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers to encourage reinvestment and growth in designated centers and in existing commercial areas.

LU9.1 Evaluate rezoning requests to determine if the location, population projections, and market demand justify an increase in commercially-zoned property.

LU9.2 Develop a countywide strategic plan for future retail development and implement its recommendations through the Zoning Ordinance update, master plan process, and public private partnerships with county agencies. As part of this retail plan, inventory older commercial areas and shopping centers to identify candidates for potential (re)development and rezoning to accommodate residential infill or other neighborhood-serving uses.

Policy 10 Retain Future Water and Sewer Service Areas in water and sewer categories S5 and W5 until additional residential development capacity is needed to meet growth projections.

LU10.1 Evaluate the Future Water and Sewer Service Areas through annual reviews of the residential pipeline and residential development capacity analysis.¹ Establish criteria to determine when land within the Future Water and Sewer Service Areas should be reclassified.

LU10.2 Review the annual water and sewer amendments to retain the S5 and W5 water and sewer categories until additional residential capacity is required and public facilities are in place to serve projected development.

LU10.3 Evaluate Future Water and Sewer Service Areas as potential woodland conservation banks or stormwater management offset areas to meet the requirements of the Watershed Implementation Plan (see the Natural Environment Element).²

LAND USE

Policy 11 Preserve and protect the Rural and Agricultural Areas to conserve agricultural and forest resources.

LU11.1 Continue to implement the Priority Preservation Plan (PPA) to achieve identified agricultural and forestry land preservation goals and coordinate with the Prince George’s County Soil Conservation District, University of Maryland Extension Service, the agricultural community, residents, and community groups.

LU11.2 Amend the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Ordinance to support agricultural production and forest preservation in the Rural and Agricultural Areas.

LU11.3 Evaluate the impacts of extractive industries, such as sand and gravel mining, on resource lands, rural character, economic development, and post-reclamation requirements in the Rural and Agricultural Areas. Map remaining sand and gravel natural resources to locate potential future sand and gravel operations, update and revise development standards, and identify post-reclamation land uses, including residential development, agriculture, and forestry. Propose comprehensive legislation to revise county codes and identify recommendations for the Zoning Ordinance update.

LU11.4 To preserve environmentally sensitive land and to encourage development in the Regional Transit Districts, evaluate a transfer of development rights program, density exchanges, or purchase of development rights program for the Rural and Agricultural Areas. Explore opportunities to transfer development rights within areas and to coordinate with the Watershed Implementation Plan and Maryland Accounting for Growth Policy.

Policy 12 Participate in regional planning activities to enhance collaboration, coordination, and implementation. Regional issues include employment, transportation, sustainability, health, air quality, climate change, workforce and affordable housing, food system planning, infrastructure, water quality, and land use.

LU12.1 Participate in the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments’ regional planning activities to improve coordination on transit and land use planning. Provide periodic briefings to the Planning Board on regional issues to identify potential land use strategies and programs.

LU12.2 Coordinate with the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments to develop forecasts for residential and employment growth based on the Plan 2035 vision, goals, and policies. The forecast should include an analysis of the remaining development capacity in Prince George’s County based on approved zoning, residential and commercial pipeline development, and the Growth Management Goals (see Table 17).

LU12.3 Collaborate with adjacent jurisdictions and county municipalities to ensure coordinated land use patterns, connected transportation networks, and continuous environmental networks, in particular during the preparation of master, sector, and functional plans.

LAND USE

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SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Where and How We Grow Policy Paper, January 24, 2013

Center Prioritization and Typology Policy Paper, February 14, 2013

24 Approved Master and Sector plans

Jobs-Housing Ratios: National Perspectives and Regional and Local Benchmarks, Fairfax County, 2012

2002 Prince George’s County Approved General Plan

Functional Master Plans, Water and Sewer Plan, Solid Waste Plan, Watershed Implementation Plan

Economic Development Strategic Plan

Priority Preservation Plan for Agriculture

Star-Spangled Banner Scenic Byway Corridor Plan

Momentum: The Next Generation of Metro Strategic Plan 2013-2025, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

PlanMaryland, Maryland Department of Planning

Region Forward, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

The top 5 employers in the County:

University System of Maryland Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility Washington U.S. Internal Revenue Service U.S. Census Bureau United Parcel Service

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61% of employed residents commute outside the County every day for work

Between 2010 and 2030, 115,000 new jobs are expected to locate in Prince George’s County

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The job-to-population ratio in Prince George’s County is 0.40

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

2035 Economic Prosperity Goal

Create a diverse, innovative, and regionally competitive economy that generates a range of well-paying jobs and strategically grows the tax base.

INTRODUCTION

Prince George’s County has a strong, high-value economic base poised to capitalize on a series of competitive advantages. These advantages include numerous federal agencies; proximity to the nation’s capital; a robust regional economy; a transportation network that includes 15 Metro stations, three international airports, a network of railways, and access to interstates and highways; higher education institutions, including the University of Maryland, the region’s top research university; a new regional medical center; a diverse workforce; a high level of minority and small business activity; land available for transit-oriented development; and a stock of competitively priced commercial and industrial real estate. The Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation plays a critical role in promoting economic development in the County by providing business services that help attract, retain, and expand businesses, create high-quality jobs, and expand our commercial tax base.

Two recently completed county studies, the 2013 Economic Development Strategic Plan and the 2010 Prince George’s County Industrial Needs and Employment Study, highlighted economic sectors with high growth potential. The 2013 Economic Development Strategic Plan identified four industry clusters with the capacity to create high-wage jobs and sustained economic growth. They are: the Federal Government; Business Services (defined as the range of activities that support the operations of companies and government agencies); Healthcare and Life Sciences (see the discussion on the County’s new regional medical under Where We Are Today and Opportunities and Challenges); and Information, Communication and Electronics, and Advanced Technology Industries.

Work Strategic investment in growth industries, cutting-edge technologies, higher education, and research institutions will generate a range of employment opportunities and grow our tax base.

Live Robust economic growth attracts investors and businesses to the County resulting in good jobs and higher incomes. Increased local revenues deliver amenities, public facilities, and services critical to the County’s quality of life.

Sustain Thoughtful and targeted economic development can protect our natural resources by concentrating development and revitalization in Downtowns, the Innovation Corridor, and local centers in addition to expanding employment opportunities in green technology sectors that promote health, conserve resources and generate revenue.

The 2010 Prince George’s County Industrial Land Needs and Employment Study found that industrial production, distribution, and repair activities are also vital to the County’s economic health because this sector generates well-paying jobs for workers with lower levels of formal education and is more apt to hire locally. The study categorized approximately 7,374 acres of industrially zoned land in the County as economically healthy.

Did You Know? Prince George’s County has recently introduced new development tools and initiatives to restructure its regulatory system and promote growth, including:

• Establishing a $50 million Economic Development Incentive Fund
• Securing state authorization for a new Payment in Lieu of Taxes system
• Creating the new Department of Permitting, Inspection, and Enforcement (DPIE)
• Coordinating the new Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative (TNI)

The 2011 Study of Occupational Shifts and Workforce Characteristics noted that, while Prince George’s County possesses a strong pipeline of highly skilled talent, 61 percent of employed residents commute outside the County. These out-commuters tend to be more highly educated than residents working in the County. The study found that the workforce pipeline includes a large percentage of graduates in highly skilled occupational areas, such as computer sciences, engineering, and business and financial operations, whose numbers exceed expected job forecasts.

The 2012 Urban Agriculture: A Tool For Creating Economic Development and Healthy Communities in Prince George’s County, Maryland Study identified strategies to make urban agriculture a viable economic sector in the County. The 2012 Approved Priority Preservation Area Functional Master Plan also set forth strategies to bolster the agriculture sector, including exploring tools to support urban agriculture and providing new market opportunities for County farmers. Also see the Healthy Communities Element.

WHERE WE ARE TODAY

As discussed in the County Profile and Assets and Challenges within Section II: Defining the Context, Prince George’s County is not maximizing its economic development potential and strengths. While the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore region expanded an impressive 6.4 percent (adding 250,000 jobs) between 2001 and 2011, the County’s economy contracted 1.4 percent (losing 5,346 jobs). During this period, the County’s industry drivers also performed weakly. Two outcomes of the County’s underperforming economy have been higher unemployment rates and lower median household incomes than those recorded across the region.

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

The 2013 Strategic Economic Development Plan identified the locations of niche market areas in which businesses in the County’s four industry clusters are concentrated. These locations provide opportunities for the County to focus strategic marketing and investment to spur economic development. Six geographic areas were identified as “Economic Submarkets” because of existing concentrations of targeted industry clusters or Class A office uses within the fields of health and medicine, business services, information and technology, and federal government-leased space. The six “economic submarkets” are Bowie, College Park/ Riverdale Park, Greenbelt/Berwyn Heights, Largo-Capital Beltway Corridor, National Harbor, and Beltsville/Calverton. Due to the presence of federal institutions like the U.S. Census Bureau and the potential for future General Service Administration (GSA) installations, the southern Green Line stations, including Branch Avenue, Naylor Road, and Suitland, were added to the Employment Areas on the Growth Policy Map.

The Southern Green Line Station Area Plan (2014) includes specific strategies to promote the economic development of the Suitland and Branch Avenue Metro Stations, and generally supports opportunities for economic development and employment within these station areas.

Plan 2035 designates the Greenbelt/Berwyn Heights, College Park/Riverdale, and Beltsville/Calverton market areas as the County’s Innovation Corridor due to their high concentrations of businesses and office users in targeted industry clusters, exceptional transportation access, relatively healthy real estate and housing markets, and wide range of services and amenities critical to attracting and supporting new residents and companies. Both the College Park and Greenbelt Metro Stations, as well as several proposed Purple Line stations, are located in the Innovation Corridor creating opportunities for transit-oriented development and corresponding employment growth. This Innovation Corridor is described in the Strategic Investment Map.

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Map 12. Economic Submarkets

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Source: M-NCPPC, 2013

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

The August 2013 decision by Dimensions Healthcare System to construct a new $650 million regional medical center at the Largo Town Center Metro Station sets the stage for the advancement of the County’s healthcare and life sciences cluster.

Broadband is vital to our economy and our residents. Broadband Internet facilitates innovation, a key economic driver, and helps individuals find and apply for jobs, obtain information about their community, continue their education, and access public services. In 2011, approximately 78 percent of Americans used the Internet, a dramatic increase from 2000 when only it was only 46 percent. According to the National Telecommunication and Information Administration, broadband internet infrastructure in Prince George’s County is far more widespread than in the nation as a whole (see Table 18).

Table 18. Access to Broadband Technologies in Prince George’s County and the U.S. as of June 30, 2012

Source: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 2012

Therefore, identified “digital divides” or variations in internet usage amongst population groups will most likely be due to socioeconomic factors.

The Inter-County Broadband Network (ICBN) is the largest state-led effort to help complete the County’s access to high-speed broadband internet. (The ICBN is part of the One Maryland Broadband Network that was granted $115 million under the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.) The ICBN was created to provide affordable, accessible high-speed broadband access to community institutions, businesses, and residents throughout the State of Maryland. The network will

Did You Know? The new regional medical center is a partnership between Prince George’s County, the State of Maryland, the University of Maryland Medical System, and Dimensions Healthcare System. Ground breaking is expected in 2015 with an anticipated opening in 2017.

Internet Usage The 2012 Pew Internet and American Life Project found that age (being 65 or older), education (having less than a high school education), income (earning less than $20,000 per year), and linguistic skills (identifying Spanish as the preferred language) are the strongest negative predictors for internet use. While County-level internet adoption data is currently not available, it is reasonable to assume that Prince George’s County would follow national trends.

provide economic development benefits, cost savings, health care and public safety improvements as well as educational opportunities to people around the state. ICBN also offers dark fiber leasing opportunities to all qualified private entities that commit to use the ICBN middle mile fiber as a platform for building out the last mile to constituents.

Prince George’s County is one of nine jurisdictions to benefit from the ICBN. The County recently completed construction of the ICBN which connects 136 schools, libraries, and community facilities, delivering high-speed internet and other advanced network services over approximately 110 miles of new, County-owned lines. One challenge moving forward is to ensure these facilities are equipped to handle and capitalize on the ICBN.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Challenges

Priority Investment Historically, the County has not strategically prioritized its investments, diluting their overall impact on the County’s economy. This trend can be reversed by targeting emerging economic hubs that exhibit the highest potential for sustained job generation, such as our Downtowns and the Innovation Corridor, and capitalizing on our existing and planned transit infrastructure, including the Purple Line (see the Transportation Element).

One such example is the planned $650 million state-of-the-art regional medical center adjacent to Largo Town Center Metro Station. The center will become a “hotspot” in the County for medical and biopharmaceutical research, health care services, and health-related education and training. It creates an enormous opportunity in one of the Plan 2035’s designated Downtowns to catalyze job growth, attract investment, grow our commercial tax base, and promote transit-oriented development.

Regional Competitiveness The County has not effectively competed for regional investment. Administrative and other disincentives are commonly cited as discouraging potential investors. By streamlining the development approval processes in targeted areas, and ensuring consistency and transparency in decision making, the County will enhance its appeal to businesses and development.

Economic Performance The County’s economic performance over the past decade has made it clear that “business as usual” will not attract the investments and generate the jobs and incomes to support a high quality of life for Prince George’s County residents.

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

Opportunities

Workforce

Investment is attracted to an educated and entrepreneurial workforce. Maximizing job training programs, capitalizing on higher education and research institutions, strengthening small businesses, and fostering entrepreneurship will help retain recent graduates and start-ups (in particular from the knowledge-based sectors) in the County.

These efforts will also address the County’s wage gap. Low wages not only impact the quality of life of our residents, but constrain economic growth by diminishing the County’s overall purchasing power, which is essential to attracting and supporting local businesses. Tackling the digital divide presents another opportunity to reduce the County’s wage gap by enhancing access to educational and economic opportunities, as well as to public services.

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Choice Neighborhoods

Investment is also drawn to areas with a high quality of life. Developing transit-oriented, vibrant places, providing the right type of housing, establishing a County brand, and responding to quality of life concerns—related to crime and the public school system—are all critical to attracting new employers and workers. To meet workers’ changing housing preferences, it will be particularly important to encourage significant multifamily development in our economic submarkets, especially those with strong office markets such as College Park/Riverdale, Greenbelt/Berwyn Heights, and Largo.

Digital Infrastructure

Strategically deploying advanced digital infrastructure will draw high-tech and research and development businesses to targeted locations spurring innovation, spin-off development, and job creation.

Federal Jobs

While federal government employment is expected to decline nationally in the coming years, it will remain a major employer in the region with a high level of specialization and a strong presence in Prince George’s County. The County has an opportunity to capture an even greater share of federal employment and General Services Administration (GSA) at its leases at its 15 Metro stations if it invests in necessary infrastructure improvements and amenities. The challenge is to provide the infrastructure, amenities, and other location requirements to make the County competitive for future federal government lease opportunities.

Green Economy

Opportunities to capitalize on emerging sectors, including the green economy, will also continue to present opportunities for future employment and business growth.

Community Health

In addition to introducing open space and landscape diversity into urban environments and providing residents and restaurants with high quality, locally produced food (see Community Health), urban agriculture employs residents, provides training (see ECO City Farm profile in Community Health), and increases property values. It creates jobs because its intensive growing techniques require manual labor, its high-tech production methods require agricultural and related specialists, engineers, and computer experts, and its direct marketing requires marketing specialists, as well as sales and distribution personnel. Conversion of abandoned properties into gardens and farms also improves the overall image of neighborhoods, bolstering property values.

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

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Approved General Plan | 129

POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

Policy 1 Support targeted industry clusters—identified in the 2013 Economic Development Strategic Plan—that have the capacity to create high-wage jobs and sustained economic growth.

EP1.1 Dedicate County resources to attract businesses to the Downtowns, the Innovation Corridor, and economic submarkets in order to promote synergies. Implement development tools and incentives such as predesignated Tax Increment Financing, Business Improvement Districts, and targeted industry incentives such as real estate tax abatements for targeted tenants and the use of grants and/or loans.

EP1.2 Promote networking and talent bridges to connect companies in targeted industry clusters with top talent being generated or attracted by universities and federal labs in the County.

EP1.3 Establish competitive places for business development with cutting-edge digital infrastructure, high-quality amenities and services, and physical environments that facilitate walkable, mixed-use environments.

EP1.4 Revise the County Code to create a streamlined development review process and standards for the Downtowns and the Innovation Corridor to encourage business development at these locations.

EP1.5 Market the County’s competitive advantages by launching a proactive marketing and branding campaign.

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ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

EP1.6 Establish a Technology Innovation workgroup to explore ways to deploy and utilize advanced digital infrastructure and technologies as an economic development tool in targeted industry clusters.

Industry clusters have become a mainstay in regional economic analysis with the finding that individual industries do not operate in a vacuum. With their synergistic relationship, clusters achieve individual and mutual benefit by settling in close proximity and creating identifiable, high-quality business environments that spur innovation, boost productivity, and attract investment.

Policy 2 Maximize the competitiveness of County sites to maintain existing and secure new, General Services Administration (GSA) leases.

EP2.1 Dedicate County economic development staff to proactively engage the private development and broker community to increase GSA lease space. Pursue federal leasing opportunities with GSA through the County Executive’s Office.

GSA manages, builds, constructs, and leases over 100 million square feet of federal workspace in the Washington, D.C. region, comprising 42 million square feet of owned space and 58 million square feet of leased space. The rules, created to implement the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990, require the GSA to establish rent caps or the maximum rents it pays per square foot by area. The 2013 caps are $34 in Maryland, $38 in Virginia, and $49 in the District of Columbia.

EP2.2 Negotiate with the GSA to increase the County’s rent cap to match that of other jurisdictions in the region. Allow rates that reflect the differences between a basic lease renewal in an existing building and one that requires new construction or costly upgrades.

EP2.3 Advocate for more stringent “proximity” clauses in federal government contracts to increase the presence of government contractors in the County.

Proximity clauses in federal government contracts require that government contractors locate within a certain distance or travel time of the federal agency they are supporting. The adoption and enforcement of proximity clauses would encourage a greater share of federal contractors to locate in the County.

Policy 3 Develop a business services industry cluster.

EP3.1 Market and support existing clusters to retain existing and attract new business services companies.

EP3.2 Conduct outreach to business services companies connected to key federal agencies in the County.

Policy 4 Develop a healthcare and life sciences industry cluster targeting specific fields, such as clinical research, nutrition, and food safety.

EP4.1 Promote the development of a healthcare industry cluster around the planned University of Maryland Medical System regional medical center by supporting tools to attract related business. Tools include land assembly, marketing, and relocation assistance.

EP4.2 Partner with the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in its Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) Capacity to offer a site for life sciences companies and, in particular, satellite labs for companies that have cooperative research and development agreements with BARC.

The EUL is a pilot technology transfer tool delegated to the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to be used strictly as a technology transfer tool. EUL authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to lease real property, either facility space or land, at BARC and the National Agricultural Library to tenants who are engaged in a joint research project, or are licensees of a United States Department of Agriculture technology.

EP4.3 Provide funding and resources to nurture, scale-up, and commercialize the County’s burgeoning biotech sector.

Policy 5 Expand the information, communications, and electronics industry cluster in the Downtowns and the Innovation Corridor.

EP5.1 Accelerate the transformation of the College Park/Riverdale Park Regional Employment Center into high-quality mixed-use development. See Center Classification Chart, Table 16.

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

EP5.2 Partner with existing research industry drivers—in particular, with the University of Maryland, College Park—to implement a County-focused technology transfer and enterprise capacity building initiative to grow the information, communication, and electronics sector.

An Innovation and Commercialization Collaborative brings together teams of advisors to assess, advance, and commercialize university technology transfer as well as to mentor local start-ups.

EP5.3 Advance industry networking in Prince George’s County to focus on digital media, e-commerce, and big data to serve both federal and commercial activities and leverage statewide efforts of the Technology Council of Maryland and other organizations in the region.

Policy 6 Promote entrepreneurship, small business development, and innovation.

EP6.1 Create a Prince George’s County Innovation and Commercialization Collaborative.

EP6.2 Establish creative and reliable financing approaches; provide ample adaptable and modern office, workshop, and lab space; and offer administrative, management, and marketing support to help start-up companies grow and remain in the County.

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CASE STUDY

An excellent example of industry networking taking place at a county level was the formation of the Montgomery County High Technology Council in the 1980s. The council used networking efforts to bring together academics, industry, and the public sector. The council’s monthly biotechnology network became a place where firms connected with each other, undertook joint research and development, shared personnel and equipment, and learned about trends and developments. An outgrowth of this network were business relationships with the Maryland Biotechnology Institute (University of Maryland), the Maryland Bioprocessing Center, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Institute of Science and Technology.

EP6.3 Connect potential employees and innovation activities—research results, discoveries, and technical innovations originating from the universities and research labs—with local minority business enterprise development. Enhance opportunities for qualified job seekers, and attract employers to local talent, by assisting with the process of applying for security clearance.

The Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program accelerates the commercialization of technology in Maryland by jointly funding collaborative R&D projects between companies and University System of Maryland faculty. MIPS provides funding, matched by participating companies, for university-based research projects that help companies develop new products. The Technology Advancement Program (TAP) helps entrepreneurs build some of the most successful technology companies in Maryland by supplying furnished offices and flexible lab space while TAP staff—seasoned startup and venture capital firm veterans—provide business support.

EP6.4 Create a centralized and accessible clearinghouse of information for starting, operating, and growing small businesses.

EP6.5 Conduct a comprehensive review of County Code provisions specific to the operation of small businesses—including licensing, permitting and inspections, and zoning and subdivision regulations—to facilitate and support small business development.

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ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

Policy 7 Maintain and promote the economically healthy industrial areas identified in the 2010 Prince George’s County Industrial Land Needs and Employment Study.

EP7.1 Target economically healthy industrial districts for infrastructure improvements and incentives programs.

EP7.2 Establish a public-private partnership involving the Redevelopment Authority, owners of industrial enterprises, landowners, and community leaders to revitalize, protect, and promote economically healthy industrial sites.

Policy 8 Support the preservation and expansion of the County’s agriculture sector as an important component of its rural economy and its commitment to environmental stewardship, and recognize urban agriculture as a viable industry (also see the Healthy Communities Element).

EP8.1 Develop a long-term, parkland-based agriculture program to support the County’s agriculture sector while balancing the County’s growing demand for parkland suitable for active recreation.

EP8.2 Create a new staff position at the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation dedicated to agriculture and urban agriculture.

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CASE STUDY

The University of the District of Columbia’s Agricultural Experiment Station Muirkirk Research Farm focuses on sustainable urban agriculture research and experiments with intensive growing techniques and specialty crops. Since March 2012, nine acres have been transformed into an urban farm. The research farm will conduct research on a variety of composting techniques, including the use of cooked food. Cultivated areas will include demonstration projects on permaculture and vertical growing techniques. Long-term plans include a research center with wet labs enabling more scientific research on urban agriculture.

EP8.3 Develop partnerships with regional and national foundations and other funders to invest in urban agriculture in the County.

EP8.4 Promote economic development programs and initiatives and reduce regulatory barriers to encourage the retention and expansion of agricultural activities. Coordinate with the Soil Conservation District, Extension Service, and the Economic Development Corporation to encourage new agribusiness development, promote agritourism, and explore the potential of alternative bio-based forest products (such as wood waste) and biofuels.

EP8.5 Provide financial incentives, including research and infrastructure grants, loans, and state urban agriculture property tax credits, and technical assistance, in areas such as business plan development and organic farming, to farmers to foster a viable agricultural industry.

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ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

Policy 9 Develop and maintain a skilled workforce to attract and support business growth and improve the County's economic competitiveness.

EP9.1 Prioritize science, technology, engineering, and math education in public schools and at Prince George's Community College.

EP9.2 Establish workforce-based partnerships, including internships, apprenticeships, and work study programs to connect students to future employers, particularly in targeted industry clusters.

EP9.3 Establish and secure federal, state, and private grants and resources to support age-appropriate career and technical training, counseling, and placement programs focused on the skill requirements of small businesses, targeted industry clusters, and the County's industrial sector.

EP9.4 Coordinate workforce development programs in the various institutions of higher education to generate a pool of skilled employees that will attract investors and businesses, and expand employment opportunities.

Policy 10 Nurture emerging industries, such as the green business sector, that have the potential to become strong economic engines and job generators.

EP10.1 Strategically identify sectors that have significant growth potential and could capitalize on the County's competitive advantages and assets.

EP10.2 Assess the need for strategic technical and financial support and incubator and workforce training programs.

Policy 11 Enhance the County's economic competitiveness by deploying and improving advanced and robust information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure throughout the County and addressing the digital divide.

EP11.1 Build upon the ICBN backbone to extend the backbone/ICT infrastructure to all areas of the County (to provide access within each census block) and especially at anchor institutions, such as schools and libraries.

EP11.2 Establish at least one technology cluster in each council district and/or in key ICT clusters and develop science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and ICT business collaborations and partnerships.

EP11.3 Work with Internet providers and the State of Maryland to provide best available internet technology in the Downtowns and the Innovation Corridor.

EP11.4 Assess which population groups have lower internet adoption rates and develop strategies to address identified gaps: including examining ways in which existing public institutions, such as libraries and community centers, can increase computer literacy and Internet skills.

EP11.5 Improve and develop ICT literacy and life-long learning skills to advance STEM curriculum and instruction and advanced technology access in healthcare and life sciences.

EP11.6 Utilize the Universal Service Fund to provide needed funds to wire schools, libraries, community centers, and other public facilities.

EP11.7 Continually upgrade the ICBN to keep pace with technology improvements and growing capacity requirements.

EP11.8 Fully “wire” all new public buildings during construction and complete the “last mile” for all public buildings, including emergency response facilities, to ensure they are connected to the ICBN.

Policy 12 Support the economic integration of the mentally and physically disabled into the County's economy.

EP12.1 Invest in rehabilitation services, vocational training, and other programs oriented to building self-sufficiency among the mentally and physically disabled through the Prince George’s County One-Stop Career Center and partnering local nonprofits.

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

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SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

2011 Study of Occupational Shifts and Workforce Characteristics in Prince George’s County

Economic Drivers and Catalysts: A Targeted Economic Development Strategic Plan for Prince George’s County, 2013

2010 Prince George’s County Industrial Land Use and Employment Study

Housing the Region’s Workforce: Policy Challenges for Local Jurisdictions

TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY

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41% of the County’s CO2 emissions come from single-occupancy vehicles

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Longest average commute in metro area

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Since 2005, vehicle miles traveled have decreased 3.6%

TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY

2035 Transportation and Mobility Goal

Provide and maintain a safe, affordable, accessible, and energy-efficient multimodal transportation network that supports the County’s desired land use pattern and Plan 2035 goals.

INTRODUCTION

Transportation and mobility refer to the complementary networks of roads, rail and bus transit, and trail facilities for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and equestrians within the County. These systems play a vital role in the daily lives of Prince Georgians and in the economy of both the County and the region. They deliver workers to jobs and products to markets. They influence where businesses choose to settle. They also help determine where residents work, live, play, and shop. Plan 2035 creates transportation policies and strategies that build on the County’s network of transit, trail, and road facilities and positions Prince George's County to compete for a greater share of the region’s population and job growth over the next two decades. Transportation and mobility are essential to achieving Plan 2035’s future land use vision and economic development goals and policies.

The Plan 2035 transportation policies and strategies build on the 2009 Approved Countywide Master Plan of Transportation (MPOT).¹ The 2009 MPOT envisions a single integrated transportation network for Prince George's County that reflects and supports the goals and policies of the 2002 Prince George’s County Approved General Plan and subsequent approved master and sector plans. It includes recommendations supporting an extensive network of trails in existing and future M-NCPPC parkland, as well as accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians along county and state roads. In addition, the MPOT recommends policies and procedures that are intended to be consistent with existing state, regional, and local transportation plans and programs, as well as county, state, and federal transportation legislation.

Work: Strategic investment in growth industries, cutting-edge technologies, higher education, and research institutions will generate a range of employment opportunities and grow our tax base.

Live: A multimodal transportation network is critical to the competitiveness and marketability of the economy because it helps attract and retain businesses, deliver workers to jobs, and deliver products and customers to markets.

Sustain: A multimodal transportation network lessens our reliance on vehicular travel reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality in the County and the region. Prioritizing the maintenance of existing transportation facilities over the construction of new facilities helps protect our natural resources, such as forest² and streams, and ensures that County resources are used efficiently.

Plan 2035 policies and strategies are also shaped by our desire to create a transportation network that provides convenient and equitable multimodal access to jobs and services. The proposed Purple Line, and several planning efforts and legislative initiatives, are critical to moving us in that direction.

The Purple Line is a proposed 16-mile, twenty-one station east-west light rail transit line extending inside the Capital Beltway from New Carrollton to Bethesda in Montgomery County. The Purple Line will:

• Connect the major central business districts and activity centers¹ of Takoma/ Langley Park, College Park/University of Maryland, New Carrollton, Bethesda, and Silver Spring.
• Provide direct connections to Metrorail at New Carrollton, College Park, Bethesda, and Silver Spring, which will link the Orange, Green, and Red lines.
• Connect to both MARC lines, Amtrak, and local bus routes.

The 2012 Prince George’s County Transitway Systems Planning Study provides an initial framework for the development of a fixed-guideway transit system² beyond Metrorail and the Purple Line. It recommends several corridors³ for concept-level studies (see Map 13):

• Bladensburg-Takoma-Langley Park (via Kenilworth Avenue, East West Highway, and Riggs Road)
• National Harbor (connection to the Washington, D.C. streetcar system)
• Purple Line Extension (from New Carrollton to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge)
• Greenbelt/Konterra (via CSX corridor, US 1, and Virginia Manor Road)

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Given the rapid growth in Charles County and southern Prince George’s County and the resulting congestion along US 301 and MD 5, transit along the MD 5 corridor has been the subject of a series of studies. In 2010, the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) completed the Southern Maryland Transit Corridor Preservation Study to evaluate a number of potential alignments along the corridor. It selected a preferred alignment from White Plains to the Branch Avenue Metro Station (to be preserved through local land use⁴ plans), along with nine proposed and two future station locations (see Map 13). Using 2009 dollars, it estimated that construction costs would range from $1.0 billion (for bus rapid transit⁵) to $1.4 billion (for light rail). In 2013, the Southern Maryland Rapid Transit Study was initiated for the purpose of determining a Locally Preferred

TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY

Map 13. Potential Transitway Corridors

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Source: M-NCPPC, 2013

Alternative for the Federal Transit Administration and developing an environmental document, including updated costs and ridership estimates.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) 2013-2025 strategic plan, Momentum—The Next Generation of Metro, establishes priorities for near- and long-term actions and identifies seven pivotal capital improvements. One of the pivotal improvements that is of particular importance to Prince George’s County is the Metrobus Priority Corridor Network (PCN) Plan. PCN was developed to improve bus service, travel speeds, and reliability on 24 regional corridors that serve half of Metrobus ridership. Seven corridors in the PCN are within, or partially within, Prince George’s County.

Three influential legislative initiatives have been enacted recently. The State of Maryland enacted the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013. This state law resulted in the first revenue increase for the Transportation Trust Fund since 1993. During the same year, the Prince George’s County Council passed Council Resolution CR-37-2013, which established a pedestrian and bicycle safety work group to review and evaluate ways and to recommend appropriate policies and/or legislation to address pedestrian and bicycle safety in the County. A year earlier, the Prince George’s County Council enacted Council Bill CB-2-2012 to promote pedestrian and bikeway facilities in targeted areas.

WHERE WE ARE TODAY

While Prince George’s County ranks high in the region and third highest in the state for overall commute times (see Table 19), it has made progress in enhancing residents’ transportation and mobility options. The Metrorail Blue Line was extended to Largo Town Center in 2004 and the Green Line now accommodates Yellow Line rush service to and from Virginia. Also, the Blue Line will carry Silver Line service to and from Virginia in late 2013. The County has also seen an expansion of its trail network. Additions to its trail system, including stream valley trail corridors, trails along abandoned railroad rights- of-way, and neighborhood trails are helping to enhance connectivity between communities and to other modes of transportation, such as rail stations and bus stops. These improvements have collectively contributed to a reduction in the County’s vehicle miles traveled (VMT) between 2005 and 2009 (Maryland

Pedestrian and Bike Facilities CB-2-2012 established an adequate pedestrian and bikeway facilities test during subdivision in 2002 General Plan centers and corridors. This legislation created requirements for both on-site and off-site pedestrian, bikeway and streetscape improvements needed to ensure the adequacy of these facilities when an application for new development is under consideration by the Prince George’s County Planning Board. It is an important opportunity to implement complete streets principles in the County.

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State Highway Administration, 2010 Highway Annual Mileage Report), an increase in bus and Metrorail ridership during the same period, and an overall high rate of public transportation use (see Table 20).

Table 19. Average Commute Times (2011)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2011

Table 20. How Workers (16 Years and Older) Commute Work

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2011

Pedestrian and bicyclist safety, however, remains of paramount concern. Prince George’s currently has the highest number of pedestrian deaths per 100,000 residents of any county in Maryland. Between 2007 and 2011, the rate of pedestrian fatalities within the County was nearly double that of all other large jurisdictions in the state (Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Montgomery County).

Let’s Commit to Growing Smarter! Growing smarter means taking advantage of and supporting our existing transportation system—our 15 Metrorail stations, 8 MARC stations, Amtrak station, and extensive bus, trail, and road network—to attract new jobs, create safer and healthier communities, protect our natural and agricultural resources, and improve our air and water quality.

Pedestrian Fatalities Between 2006 and 2011, more than 83 percent of pedestrian fatalities occurred on state roads even though the state was responsible for only 12 percent of total lane miles in the County.

Air Pollution According to the County’s 2012 DRAFT Climate Action Plan, air pollution from single-occupancy vehicles contribute to approximately 41 percent of the carbon dioxide emission in the County.

CTP The CTP, MDOT’s six-year funding program, reflects all transportation projects that receive state capital and operating funding. It includes proposed revenue and expenditures in the current fiscal year’s budget and projected revenue and expenditures for the following five fiscal years.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Challenges

Commuting Patterns and the Jobs Housing Imbalance

Six out of ten Prince Georgians commute outside of the County for work, straining the County’s road and transit network and resulting in long and expensive commutes. The County’s congested road network is also burdened by residents from neighboring jurisdictions, such as Howard, Anne Arundel, Calvert, and Charles Counties, as they commute through Prince George’s County to the region’s major employment centers—the District of Columbia, Fairfax County, and Montgomery County. To reverse these trends and reduce out- and through-commuting, Prince George’s County must begin to capture a greater share of employment growth locally, incentivize transit-oriented development with a strong employment component, and support innovative and flexible transportation and traffic management in designated growth and employment areas.

Prioritizing Investment

In order to develop targeted areas, the County needs to prioritize and coordinate where public funds are being channeled. Over the past four decades, transportation improvements have predominantly focused on vehicular transportation at the expense of building a comprehensive multimodal network. In recent years, funding priorities have shifted to transit and alternative modes due to air quality regulations and the increasing cost of widening existing roads in congested areas. Adapting our emerging land use patterns as well as established patterns to these new realities of transportation planning and implementation remain an important challenge for the County.

Transportation program funding decisions affecting Prince George’s County are made through state, county, and municipal governments which set the various tax rates under their authority and decide how much funding to allocate to their transportation programs. County priorities for state projects are communicated through the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Priority Letter process, which MDOT uses to develop annual updates to the Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP). County priorities for County-funded projects are determined through the Capital Improvement

TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY

Program (CIP) review process. The CIP budget is part of the County’s annual budget which is approved by the District Council.

Aging Infrastructure and Fiscal Constraints

Our transportation infrastructure is aging and requires significant investment to sustain its network of roads, highways, trails, and sidewalks. Financial constraints, however, will continue to restrict the scale and scope of transportation improvements as the County attempts to address existing and projected transportation needs. The national, state, and local transportation infrastructure network is significantly underfunded, the result of which is considerable maintenance backlogs and deferred infrastructure construction. An increase in funding to maintain and improve the County’s transportation network will improve access to jobs and services and is critical to the County’s long-term financial viability and sustainability.

Outdated Technology

Technology upgrades, such as real-time service updates at bus shelters, and basic improvements, such as covered bus stops and adequate lighting, will be important to modernizing the transit experience.

Getting It Done on The Ground

A number of planning documents and studies are already dedicated to improving the County’s transportation network. Implementation will require continued and timely coordination and collaboration of local, state, and regional agencies and the development community. Alignment of capital programs with County transportation plans and economic development policies is essential to meeting this challenge.

Services for Suburban and Rural Areas

Parts of the County are not well-suited for public transit service, but are home to aging residents who are driving less. The challenge will be balancing transportation improvements and access to these areas without continuing to promote an unsustainable development pattern.

CIP The CIP is the six-year funding program for the Prince George’s County Government and other local agencies. It contains all capital projects that receive capital funding and includes proposed revenue and expenditures in the current fiscal year’s budget and projected revenue and expenditures for the following five fiscal years. The Department of Public Works & Transportation administers the portion of the CIP that funds transportation projects.

Green Streets A street or road that safely and adequately accommodates and incorporates best management practices of environmental site design for addressing stormwater runoff, including using small-scale stormwater management[^] practices, nonstructural techniques, and better site planning to minimize the impact of road and sidewalk development on water resources.

Complete Streets The concept of complete streets places priority on ensuring that all users—pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and drivers—regardless of age and ability, can safely, comfortably, and efficiently travel within and outside their communities.

Physical Connections Between New Development and Existing Communities Many of the County’s recent residential developments have discouraged physical connections—roads and trails—with neighboring communities due to concerns over privacy, noise, and cut-through traffic. However, reducing connectivity has been shown to actually cause, rather than remedy, congestion. It also discourages walking and biking, which worsens commute time, air quality, and community health.

Opportunities Complete and Green Streets In 2012, Council Bill CB-83-2012 established the official complete and green streets policy for Prince George’s County. This bill requires that all County-financed and approved road projects include accomodations for all modes of transportation. It also included a provision that all County-funded projects must meet complete streets standards unless they are found to be cost prohibitive.

Consumer and Employer Preferences and Transit-Oriented Development The Millennial and Baby Boomer Generations are increasingly driving the market for greater transportation options. They are seeking alternatives to owning a car and prefer to live in walkable, transit-rich mixed-use communities, commonly referred to as transit-oriented developments. As the County’s upcoming workforce, the Millenials are also influencing where employers choose to locate their businesses. Building attractive, urban environments centered around our transit hubs will help the County attract employers, retain its recent graduates and high-skilled workforce, and expand and diversify its tax base.

[^]:

TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY

Purple Line

The proposed $2.2 billion Purple Line light rail transit system is the largest transportation infrastructure investment in Prince George’s County since the Intercounty Connector and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Improvement Project. As a new major east-west connector, it will enhance mobility and reduce travel times for thousands of area residents. It will serve as a critical economic driver by linking existing employment centers to emerging development areas and leveraging public investment.

Stimulating Job Growth through Transit Planning

Building on the Transitway Systems Planning Study and WMATA’s Momentum report, the next phase of transit planning study in Prince George’s County will evaluate key transit corridors to connect residents to jobs and employment centers and implement the Plan 2035 land use vision. New transit systems can take the form of light rail, bus rapid transit, and enhanced bus service.

Equity, Safety, and Community Health

By diversifying available transportation options, the County has an opportunity to ensure that the physically, economically, and socially disadvantaged have safer and more equitable access to jobs, public services, recreational facilities, and neighborhoods. Enhancing mobility does not just make communities more walkable and bikeable, it also makes them healthier.

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Purple Line

Daily ridership is projected to reach 69,000 in 2030 and 74,500 by 2040.

TRANSPORTATION ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ORDINANCE AND PLAN 2035 LEVEL OF SERVICE

The purpose of Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances (APFOs) is to ensure that infrastructure necessary to support proposed new development is built at the same time as, or prior to, that new development. APFOs affect public facilities such as public schools, roads, and fire/EMS and police service.

In regards to transportation, APFOs identify a level of service standard as a way of measuring the impact of new growth on existing transportation infrastructure. A Level of Service (LOS) is a way of characterizing the performance (or adequacy) of portions of the transportation system, such as freeways, signalized intersections, and local streets.

The 2002 General Plan identified LOS criteria by three tiers—Developed, Developing, and Rural—and centers and corridors. Plan 2035 replaces the tier designations with Transportation Service Areas (see Map 14) and guides APFO level of service as identified in Table 21.

Table 21. Level of Service Criteria by Transportation Service Area

Source: M-NCPPC, 2014

Level of Service

Level of Service is an assessment of how well a road operates from a traveler's perspective. The Highway Capacity Manual classifies LOS from Level of Service A to F. Level of service standards must balance land use, environmental constraints, and financial resources due to the difficulty of maintaining a LOS A during peak traffic periods.

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TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY

Map 14. Map of Transportation Service Areas

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Source: M-NCPPC, 2013

POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

Policy 1 Ensure that countywide transportation improvements are integrated with and support the Plan 2035 vision and land use pattern.

TM1.1 Design all capital road improvements and streetscape enhancements and all new development in the Regional Transit Districts, the Innovation Corridor, and Local Centers, to improve multimodal travel for pedestrians, cyclists, transit, and other alternatives to the automobile. The primary transportation improvements in these areas should be focused on pedestrian and bicyclist facilities and public transit upgrades and retrofits.

TM1.2 Designate Bicycle-Pedestrian Priority Areas (BPPAs) within Down towns, the Innovation Corridor, Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers, and in proximity to planned Purple Line stations to provide the highest level of accommodation for pedestrians and bicyclists.

TM1.3 Starting in 2019, update the 2009 Approved Countywide Master Plan of Transportation to reflect the investment priorities of Plan 2035, especially as they relate to prioritizing transportation investment at designated centers and discouraging new infrastructure in Future Water and Sewer Service Areas and Rural and Agricultural Areas.

The Annotated Code of Maryland includes a general provision for BPPAs. The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is currently refining this concept through the state’s pedestrian and bicycle master plan. The master plan will finalize BPPA’s criteria and designation process. Prince George’s County will work with MDOT to identify appropriate locations within Prince George’s County and take advantage of any future funding for making bicycle-related improvements within these areas.

TM1.3 Evaluate the need for and implement bike sharing programs in the Regional Transit Districts, the Innovation Corridor, and Local Centers. Placement of these stations should be coordinated with other regional bike sharing locations, municipalities, and pertinent agencies.

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TM1.4 Promote the expansion of car sharing programs in Downtowns, the Innovation Corridor, and Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers. Potential locations for these stations include higher density residential developments, employment centers, and transit hubs.

TM1.5 Fund improvements to the trail network that serves the Downtowns. Explore alternative trails, such as water trails, and fill gaps in the trail network.

TM1.6 Where feasible and practical, require physical connections—such as trail connections, bus-only streets, and roads—within new and existing developments in our Established Communities, while making adequate provisions for the mitigation of privacy, noise, and cut-through traffic concerns.

TM1.7 Evaluate the potential to strategically convert existing arterials to multi-way boulevards, where feasible and practical, that enhance pedestrian and bicycle connectivity without impeding traffic flow.

A multi-way boulevard is a landscaped roadway that is designed to maintain automobile capacity while providing local service roads to buffer activity areas from through traffic, ensure safe and attractive pedestrian and bicycle access, and provide on-street parking.

TM1.8 Coordinate future transportation and mobility improvements as outlined in the Master Plan of Transportation, the Plan 2035 Transportation and Mobility Element, and the Star-Spangled Banner Scenic Corridor Plan to ensure the County’s rural character is preserved. Improvements include promoting the County’s equestrian heritage—focused on trails that facilitate access to the Prince George’s Equestrian Center, Jug Bay Natural Area, and Rosaryville State Park—and preserving existing equestrian trail corridors within the Rural and Agricultural Areas.

TM1.9 Support innovative and flexible transportation and traffic management in designated Regional Transit Districts, Local Centers, and Employment Areas.

Policy 2 Expand and improve transit service, particularly on routes connecting Downtowns, the Innovation Corridor, and Regional Transit Districts in order to maximize the economic development potential and synergies between these areas.

TM2.1 Invest in existing bus service and in new bus and light rail transit service to connect Downtowns, the Innovation Corridor, and Regional Transit Districts. Coordinate transit planning initiatives with local municipalities, the County, the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA), and the State of Maryland.

TM2.2 Identify new transitway corridors that will support the Plan 2035 development priorities and amend the Master Plan of Transportation Transit Element to include the updated corridors. Concentrate medium- to high-density residential development along priority transit way corridors to provide the density necessary to sustain higher levels of rail and bus service.

TM2.3 Implement the recommendations for MetroBus Priority Corridor Networks recommended in Momentum—The Next Generation of Metro (Strategic Plan 2013-2025) through continued coordination with WMATA, the State of Maryland, and the County. Amend the Master Plan of Transportation as necessary.

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TM2.4 Update the Transit Services Operating Plan (TSOP) to reflect the Plan 2035 future land use plan and local and regional transit planning initiatives.

TSOP identifies the County's local and regional bus transit priorities including TheBus, WMATA Metrobus, Connect-A-Ride, and on-demand transit that provides transportation services to seniors, the disabled, and those not served by transit.

TM2.5 Continue close coordination with MTA through the final engineering and construction of the Purple Line to ensure proper streetscape improvements, multimodal access, and station amenities.

TM2.6 Invest in technology upgrades to modernize and improve transit experience and use.

Policy 3 Maintain levels of service standards for roads and highways as identified by Plan 2035.

TM3.1 Apply the LOS standards in Table 20 for the analysis of vehicular traffic congestion in the findings of adequate transportation facilities. Amend the Adopted Transportation Review Guidelines to reflect the new transportation service areas established by Plan 2035.

TM3.2 Evaluate the LOS standards for all modes in Regional Transit Districts to determine appropriate levels of service.

TM3.3 Create and maintain a comprehensive list of transportation improvements identified by the adequate public facilities analysis for development applications to assist with the prioritization of transportation capital projects. Improvements shall be identified by location using Geographic Information Systems to allow for future analysis of capital projects and pipeline development.

TM3.4 The Planning Board's Transportation Review Guidelines shall be reviewed and updated as needed to incorporate best multimodal practices during implementation of the strategies in Plan 2035 and adopted and approved master plans and sector plans, as well as future amendments to the MPOT.

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TM4.5 Enhance bike lanes and trails connections with key population and employment areas, historic sites and recreational areas. This includes Downtowns and the Innovation Corridor.

TM4.6 Encourage bike commuting by providing bike lockers and showering facilities at centers and employment areas. Evaluate zoning requirements for mixed-use developments.

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Policy 5 Improve overall safety levels within the County’s transportation network.

TM5.1 Identify areas with high pedestrian accident incidents and implement appropriate traffic-calming measures to increase safety while maintaining designated levels of service.

TM5.2 Expand the use of traffic-calming devices and pedestrian safety features to slow traffic and increase safety for all roadway users. Examples include Americans with Disabilities Act compliant curb ramps, curb extensions, raised crosswalks, improved lighting, safety signage, median islands, and speed cameras.

TM5.3 Prioritize pedestrian safety and mobility improvements that have been identified in completed implementation plans and studies prepared by the Planning Department and DPW&T. Identify a comprehensive funding strategy to construct priority projects.

TM5.4 Develop a countywide multilingual education campaign with the aim of reducing pedestrian accidents and improving pedestrian and bicycle safety.

TM5.5 Coordinate with DPW&T, MTA, and WMATA to ensure safe and convenient interline and intermodal transfers and access to stations. Provide adequate lighting along pedestrian corridors and consistent wayfinding signage to stations from neighboring communities.

Policy 6 Pursue a range of transportation facility and systems funding sources and strategies to maintain and enhance the existing transportation network in order to encourage the safe and efficient mobility of all persons.

TM6.1 Through the MDOT Priority Letter, the state’s Consolidated Transportation Plan, and the County’s Capital Improvement Program, prioritize implementation of transportation projects that reduce overall vehicle miles traveled and increase transit ridership within Downtowns and Reinvestment Areas.

TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY

TM6.2 Develop a coordinated approach to pursuing a range of diverse transportation funding sources. Establish an interagency work group that includes M-NCPPC, MDOT, DPW&T, and Maryland Department of Planning representatives as recommended in MPOT Strategic Transportation Policy and Master Plan Implementation Policy 2.

TM6.3 Establish an interjurisdictional working group that includes M-NCPPC, MDOT, DPW&T, the Maryland Department of Planning, and adjacent jurisdictions in order to identify priority congestion management corridors that cross jurisdictional boundaries, and recommend land use and transportation strategies to address congestion issues.

TM6.4 Create a strategic transportation planning implementation and review process as recommended in MPOT Strategic Transportation Policy and Master Plan Implementation Policy 4.

Policy 7 Promote the use of low-carbon transportation methods countywide to improve air quality and traffic congestion. Public investment that supports innovative infrastructure systems should be targeted at Downtowns.

TM7.1 Develop a countywide strategy that promotes the use of alternative fuel vehicles. This includes facilities for plug-in electric vehicles on streets and in parking facilities. Amend codes and standards to implement policies and strategies.

TM7.2 Develop a priority parking initiative for alternative fuel and carpooling vehicles at County buildings, commuter parking lots, and other popular areas to encourage the use of alternative fuel vehicles and carpooling countywide.

TM7.3 Continue to incorporate alternative fuel vehicles into County agency fleets.

TM7.4 Promote technology upgrades in Downtowns and the Innovation Corridor that encourage telecommuting opportunities for regional employers.

Policy 8 Ensure that minimum and maximum parking requirements for transit-accessible areas are appropriate to advance the overall goals of Plan 2035.

TM8.1 Revise the parking regulations of the Zoning Ordinance for transit-accessible areas to establish both minimum and maximum parking space requirements, incorporate bicycle parking regulations (including parking and storage requirements), provide guidance for the location and design of off-street parking facilities (including both surface lots and structured parking), amend parking space size, phasing, and loading area requirements to address urbanizing areas, add incentives and regulations for electric car charging areas and automobile and bicycle share programs, and strengthen links to landscaping, screening, and tree canopy¹ coverage requirements for parking areas.

TM8.2 Support parking reduction strategies such as shared parking, transportation demand management strategies and programs, car and bike share programs, and new sidewalk and trail connections between transit facilities and residential and employment areas in the Regional Transit Districts, the Innovation Corridor, and Local Centers.

TM8.3 Eliminate minimum parking requirements in Downtowns.

Policy 9 Improve mobility options for targeted population groups, particularly our elderly, mentally and physically disabled, and low-income households, in suburban and rural areas not served on a regular basis by transit.

TM9.1 Evaluate on-demand public transportation services to ensure that reliable access to a range of critical services, such as health care and recreation facilities, libraries, and grocery stores, is available.

TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY

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SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

2009 Prince George’s County Countywide Master Plan of Transportation

2012 Prince George’s County Transitway Study

2013 Prince George’s County Formula 2040: Parks Master Plan

State of Maryland Consolidated Transportation Program

2011 PlanMaryland: A Sustainable Growth Plan for the Twenty-First Century

MWCOG 2012 Report—“Electric Vehicles in Metropolitan Washington: Understanding the Region’s Current EV Readiness and Options for Expanding Their Use”

MWCOG’s Region Forward

2013 Transportation Review Guidelines—Part 2

Transit Service and Operations Plan (TSOP), Prince George’s County, May 2009

The Brookings Institute’s 1996 Report: “A Region Divided”

“Momentum—The Next Generation of Metro”, Strategic Plan 2013–2025, WMATA

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

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In 2008, the County released 11.5 million metric tons of CO2, the equivalent of 2.2 million passenger vehicles per year

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There are 127 registered LEED® projects in the County

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92% of our streams are in poor or very poor condition

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

2035 Natural Environment Goal

Preserve, enhance, and restore our natural and built ecosystems to improve human health, strengthen our resilience to changing climate conditions, and facilitate sustainable economic development.

INTRODUCTION

Preserving the remaining resources and restoring lost and degraded areas by developing strategically and compactly is essential to providing economic and social benefits for current and future generations.

Prince George’s County has proactively planned for and protected natural resource areas to ensure the long-term protection, restoration, and enhancement of our natural environment.

There are two ongoing planning efforts that have important implications for the County’s natural resources and the environment. Phase II of the Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) is intended to address nutrient and sediment impairments in local streams in Prince George’s County to help improve the conditions of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. This plan is focused on strategic measures to help reduce the impact of existing development on our rivers and streams. The second initiative is the County’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), which identifies ways to reduce greenhouse gas production from various activities, including transportation, land use, and government operations.

WHERE WE ARE TODAY

Water Quality and Resources

The County’s sprawling suburban development pattern and increasing stormwater runoff have degraded the County’s natural resources and the environment. Despite having all or portions of 19 stronghold watersheds where endangered aquatic species reside, approximately 92 percent of watersheds in the County are rated as “poor” or “very poor” for habitat conditions.

Stronghold Watersheds

Stronghold watersheds are the places where rare, threatened, or endangered species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, or mussels are concentrated. These areas are critical to protect because of their remarkable levels of biodiversity. These areas are designated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Work A healthy environment is a prerequisite for many companies looking to relocate to the region. Green industries are potential new job generators for County residents.

Live A healthy natural and built environment is the basis for a healthy community. Its forests and waterways provide clean air and water and opportunities for recreation.

Sustain Protecting and enhancing our natural and built ecosystems now will help ensure we preserve our unique resources for future generations.

Did You Know? The cost of the County's Phase II Watershed Implementation Plan has been assessed at approximately $377 million between 2013 and 2017. This estimate reflects the cost of construction of in-the-ground projects related to meeting the County's MS4 permit and does not include programmatic and other operational costs associated with implementing the WIP.

Stormwater runoff is generated when precipitation from rain and snow events flows over land or impervious surfaces and does not percolate into the ground. As the runoff flows over these surfaces such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops, it accumulates debris, chemicals, sediment, or other pollutants that harm County streams and waterways if the runoff is not treated. While centralized stormwater retention ponds and detention facilities have been the dominant approach to addressing the quality and quantity of runoff, updates to the County’s stormwater regulations now reflect a more comprehensive and smaller-scale approach to stormwater management ¹ practices, referred to commonly as low-impact development or Environmental Site Design (ESD). ² ESD relies on small-scale stormwater management practices, nonstructural techniques, and better site planning to mimic natural hydrologic runoff characteristics and minimize the impact of land development on water resources. Examples of ESD include rain gardens, landscape (filter) strips, and conservation landscaping with native plants.

There are several plans and guidelines that are of particular importance to water quality and quantity in the County.

• The 2010 Approved Water Resources Functional Master Plan fulfills the requirement for a Water Resources Element, one of several state planning requirements signed into law in 2006 and mandated by Article 66B of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The master plan ³ discusses how drinking water supplies, wastewater effluents, and stormwater runoff can be anticipated and managed to support existing and planned growth. Specific water-related policies and strategies are found in the Water Resources Element.
• Following the 2002 General Plan, ⁴ the 2005 Countywide Green Infrastructure ⁵ Plan was developed to delineate the network of ecological resources of countywide significance and identify policies and strategies for implementation. This plan contains specific metrics and objectives to track water quality improvements countywide.
• The 2007 Bioretention Manual, produced by the Department of the Environment (DoE), provides detailed design and construction information for building bioretention, or ESD areas. This important manual is utilized by various jurisdictions all over the nation when designing these types of stormwater management measures.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

• The comprehensive Hazard Mitigation Plan was updated in 2010 to focus on natural hazard prevention and mitigation ¹ with an emphasis on flooding.

Forest and Tree Canopy

Three legislative efforts updated ordinances and plans affecting forests ² and tree canopy ³ coverage in the County.

• The Woodland and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Ordinance was updated in 2010 to meet the new state requirements under the Maryland Forest Conservation Act.
• The 2005 Approved Countywide Green Infrastructure Master Plan included strategies relevant to addressing regulatory changes regarding natural resource management during the development process, many of which were implemented in a comprehensive legislative update in 2010.
• The Tree Canopy Coverage Ordinance was enacted in 2010 to address the need to increase tree canopy coverage countywide with a focus on existing communities where forest and tree canopy coverage is sparse.
• In 2010, the County’s Landscape Manual was updated in order to set a new standard of excellence in the design, sustainability, ⁴ and quality of landscaping in the County and to generate aesthetic, economic, environmental, and health benefits for the County’s residents, businesses, and visitors.

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Air Quality

The American Lung Association gave the County a grade of “F” for air quality and respiratory problems because of continuously high concentrations of ground-level ozone. An estimated 70,000 of the County’s 309,000 acres were converted from agricultural and forested lands between 1973 and 2010 fueling the County’s decline in air quality. While air quality is a regional issue and cannot be solved at a county-scale alone, there are a number of proactive steps Prince George’s County can take to reduce its contributions to air pollution. One extremely important step involves encouraging more compact land development to support multimodal transportation ⁵ (such as walking, biking, and transit) and decrease the County’s reliance on vehicular transportation, a major source of local air pollutants.

Light Pollution Light pollution can disrupt the migratory patterns and schedules of birds and interrupt flower pollination. Pollination is important to commercial crops and sustainable landscapes.

Alternative Energy Two noteworthy projects in 2011 illustrate demand for alternative energy sources.

As part of the Maryland Energy Administration Project Sunburst Initiative, 2,600 solar panels were installed on the Severn Building at the University of Maryland College Park. The Washington Redskins organization installed 8,000 solar panels in the FedEx Field parking lot meeting all of the facility’s power on non-game days and 20 percent on game days.

Greenfield A greenfield is an undeveloped area of farm or forest land or a site that has never been built on.

Light Pollution Light pollution occurs when outdoor environments are artificially illuminated at night. It is typically caused by misdirected or poorly placed lighting that shines outward and upward into the sky rather than downward towards its users. Artificial lights’ collective luminosity obscures the night sky and stars, impairs the character of the County’s rural landscapes, and disrupts the circadian rhythms of wildlife and humans.

Energy Production and Infrastructure Prince George’s County is served by three private electric utility companies: Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO), Baltimore Gas and Electric, and Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. PEPCO, the County’s largest energy provider, generates approximately 40 percent of its electricity from coal, followed by 36 percent from nuclear power, 19 percent from gas, 5.5 percent from renewable sources and 0.5 percent from oil as of June 2012. PEPCO intends to generate 18 percent of its energy in Maryland from renewable resources by 2020.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Challenges

Land Consumption and Water Quality One of the County’s greatest challenges will be to reverse its development pattern and begin to redevelop areas around existing infrastructure, in particular near our 15 Metro stations. Greenfield development over the last century has resulted in a loss of approximately 112,000 acres of natural land to development. The current pipeline of approved, but unbuilt development threatens to worsen this trend. The pipeline contains 16,976 dwelling units, of which approximately 90 percent are located in greenfields. Accessible primarily by car, these areas will continue to contribute to county greenhouse gas emissions and the loss of forests and habitat areas, essential to maintaining the County’s biodiversity and biological integrity.

The County’s current development pattern has also degraded many of the County’s streams and wetland ecosystems. The restoration of these environmental assets is constrained by the level of development surrounding them and by sobering fiscal realities of the costs of

restoration. According to recent state-issued stormwater permits, the County must retrofit approximately 8,000 acres of impervious surfaces by 2017. This undertaking will require new stormwater controls on existing parking lots, buildings, and roadways.

Climate Change

Another challenge confronting the County comes from the unknown impacts of climate change, in particular, flooding caused by more frequent and intense storms. The extent of the risks to County and private infrastructure is unknown and therefore challenging to address in the present. Vulnerability studies and analyses are necessary to determine potential impacts.

There are two approaches used to address the issue of climate change:

• Mitigation: reduces greenhouse gas emissions for greater benefit.
• Adaptation: reduces vulnerability of individual sectors without necessarily addressing the root cause.

The role of local government in climate change adaptation or mitigation includes:

• Adopting plans to promote mixed-use and walkable development.
• Requiring water and energy conservation practices.
• Updating building codes to provide for low-carbon buildings.
• Creating multimodal transportation options to reduce dependency on the single occupancy vehicle and reduce the total miles travelled.
• Evaluating climate change impacts relative to all scales of land use development.

Greening the Built Environment

Prince George’s County has developed under a range of envrionmental regulatory requirements. Making currently developed, as well as future growth areas, more sustainable will be critical to implementing Plan 2035. Incorporating green building features into new development and redevelopment can enhance indoor air quality, water quality, health, and energy efficiency; promote the adoption of renewable energy and water conservation; and reduce stormwater, the use of toxins, and waste.

Did You Know? Maryland’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permits allow Prince George’s County to control pollution that comes from storm drains. It also stresses reducing pollution that comes off of roads, driveways, and rooftops, and requires the implementation of trash reduction strategies and ESD for new and redevelopment projects to the maximum extent practicable. The permit is issued for five years.

Did You Know? Americans typically spend 90 percent of the day indoors and as such, are exposed to a variety of potential pollutants from mold emissions and off-gassing products that can axecerbate allergies to asthma, and can contribute to other health concerns.

Ecosystem Services Prince Georgians receive many life-sustaining benefits from nature, known as "ecosystem services." These services include clean air and water, fertile soil for crop production, pollination, and flood control. While critical to both environmental and human health, they are, by nature, limited in quantity and often times degraded by human activity.

Opportunities

Green Infrastructure and Open Space

In 2005, Maryland’s first-ever countywide green infrastructure plan was approved in Prince George’s County. This functional master plan contains policies and strategies to be implemented to preserve, protect and enhance the designated network of natural resources of countywide significance. Implementation of this plan has been successful and an update of the Green Infrastructure plan is necessary to address changes in regulations and to align the goals with the Plan 2035 vision and goals. The plan also needs to be revised to address green infrastructure at all scales, ranging from green roofs and bioretention areas to the County’s three river basins.

The County’s development pattern has resulted in a greater need for carefully planned and designed green and open spaces. These public and semi-public spaces can provide multiple ecosystem service such as improving water and air quality, reducing the urban heat island effect, and reducing light pollution. They should be designed as multi-functional landscapes that can serve as gathering places while providing opportunities for the arts, urban agriculture, transportation facilities, and other community uses.

In 2012, the County approved the Priority Preservation Area (PPA) Functional Master Plan, which contains specific goals, policies, and strategies relevant to agricultural land preservation and supporting programs for the County. The plan recommends:

• Seeking funds for agricultural preservation.
• Minimizing development and barriers to farming in the priority preservation area.
• Conducting valuations of farm and forest land for environmental and economic value.
• Reclaiming land for agricultural enterprises and agricultural support services.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Forest and Tree Canopy

The Forest Preservation Act of 2013 set a “no net loss” goal of 40 percent forest and tree canopy in Maryland. The act requires maintaining the state’s current percentage of forest and tree canopy. Prince George’s County is well positioned to meet this requirement with 52 percent forest and tree canopy as of 2010. The challenge facing the County lies in finding ways to direct growth away from greenfield sites to preserve existing forests. Importantly, this challenge also creates an opportunity to help meet WIP requirements through protected forested ecosystems.

While there are many countywide forest and tree canopy benefits, the State of Maryland has focused on the reforestation of buffers along streams specifically in order to improve water quality. Forested stream buffers improve water quality, provide additional forest canopy, and facilitate green infrastructure connectivity. The WIPII commits to the addition of approximately 84 miles of stream buffer reforestation on public land. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has provided forested stream buffer data that identifies priority areas for reforestation. This information should be used as a guide for the prioritization of forest buffer restoration projects along designated streams.

The 2002 General Plan has a goal of retaining 44 percent forest coverage countywide by 2025 (this goal does not account for individual trees, which comprise eight percent of the County’s canopy). Plan 2035 recommends sustaining the County’s combined forest and tree canopy coverage at 52 percent.

Energy Infrastructure

There are potential opportunities for the generation of renewable energy via solar panels, wind farms, and other sources.

As plug-in electric cars begin to command a larger share of vehicle ownership in the County, they may justify the installation of charging stations at Metro stations, multifamily complexes, and major employment centers.

52 percent of the County was covered by forest and tree canopy in 2010.

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Map 15. Watersheds

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Source: M-NCPPC, 2013

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

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POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

Land Consumption and Water Quality

Policy 1 Reduce the rate of land consumed by greenfield development countywide.

For more strategies related to land preservation, reference the Land Use Element.

Policy 2 Improve and maintain water quality through stormwater management and water resource protection.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

NE2.6 Develop a program to utilize vacant land (both publicly and privately owned) for stormwater management. Acquire land to serve the dual purpose of green infrastructure/stormwater infiltration and recreational/open space.

NE2.7 Evaluate the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Anacostia Watershed Restoration Plan’s identified list of projects and prioritize. Seek a variety of funding sources including public, private, and public/private partnership opportunities.

NE2.8 Continue to coordinate with the State of Maryland on the proposed nutrient trading program and on policies to reduce nonpoint source pollution to meet the requirements of the Watershed Improvement Plan.

NE2.9 Implement the remaining policies and strategies of the 2010 Water Resources Functional Master Plan (WRE). Continue to evaluate master plans, planning studies, and development review applications for WRE.

Greening the Built Environment

Policy 3 Implement green building techniques and green neighborhood design to reduce energy use, stormwater runoff, the heat island effect, improve air and water quality, and increase opportunities to reduce, reuse, and recycle construction waste.

NE3.1 Evaluate the County’s various regulatory codes and manuals to assess how to comprehensively provide urban green and open areas.

There are numerous regulations that address open space, such as the Zoning Ordinance, Tree Canopy Ordinance, Landscape Manual, and the Subdivision Ordinance. Formula 2040, the County's Functional Master Plan for Parks, Recreation and Open Space also proposes new standards for urban parks.

NE3.2 Revise the tax code or other appropriate regulations to provide developer incentives for LEED® Silver, Gold, and Platinum certifications (or equivalent green building rating programs) for residential and commercial buildings and neighborhoods. Incentives should be commensurate with achieved levels.

NE3.3 Remove barriers in the building code and County Code that discourage green building and green neighborhood design.

NE3.4 Revise and update the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations to require green building features consistent with Plan 2035 to help fulfill the requirements of the WIP and CAP, as well as other relevant plans, and should vary by land use, location, density, intensity, and scale of development, and type of project.

NE3.5 Redevelop brownfield and superfund sites in priority growth locations.

Brownfield Brownfield refers to real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Source: Public Law 107-118 (H.R. 2869)

Superfund Superfund sites are those properties that have been placed on the National Priorities List. The Superfund consists of funds from taxes imposed upon the petroleum and chemical industries, an environmental tax on corporations, and from general tax revenues that are used for clean-up efforts.

NE3.6 Study and implement methods to increase the amount of construction and demolition waste that is diverted as part of solid waste recycling in the County. Possible methods include tax incentives and reduced permitting fees.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Climate Change

Policy 4 Assess land use decisions for potential climate change impacts.

NE4.1 Perform a flooding and sea level rise analysis for the County. Prioritize climate adaptation[1] upgrades to at-risk areas with the greatest population impacts and include implementable actions and policy.

NE4.2 Include more detailed hazard information related to climate adaptation[2] and mitigation strategies when updating the County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan. This plan should utilize the information obtained in the sea level rise and flooding analysis, and should also include implementable actions for areas at high risk for flooding.

NE4.3 Create a countywide standard for reviewing infrastructure installation, upgrades, and maintenance projects against projected climate change impacts.

NE4.4 Locate major road, transit, electrical, wastewater treatment, stormwater, and other infrastructure out of high-risk areas. Where relocation is not feasible, update existing infrastructure with climate-resilient technologies.

NE4.5 Implement the County’s CAP and identify strategies related to land use. Integrate climate action strategies into County codes as appropriate.

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Forests and Tree Canopy

Policy 5 Preserve and enhance existing forest and tree canopy coverage levels.

NE5.1 Prepare a comprehensive forest and tree canopy coverage strategy that supports Plan 2035’s vision, goals, and development pattern.

NE5.2 Identify strategies in the Regional Transit Districts that will increase the tree canopy coverage by utilizing green roofs and environmental site design. Amend ordinances as necessary to implement the strategies.

NE5.3 Annually evaluate tree canopy and woodland conservation metrics. This includes data on fee-in-lieu, off-site tree plantings, and mitigation. Report findings to the Planning Board, County agencies, and elected officials.

NE5.4 Update the 2005 Green Infrastructure Plan to reflect updates and amendments to the regulated areas. This update should include policies and strategies that support the Plan 2035 development pattern and increase green infrastructure connectivity throughout the County, and should delineate Natural Resource and Climate Change Impact Areas pursuant to the PlanMaryland’s Preservation/Conservation Planning Areas.

NE5.5 Integrate into the work programs of all county agencies the priority status of the designated green infrastructure network as the County’s highest priority areas for preservation, restoration and enhancement of natural resources.

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Lighting

Policy 6 Reduce overall sky glow, minimize the spill-over of light from one property to the next, and reduce glare from light fixtures.

NE6.1 Amend the County Code to include lighting standards for appropriate development activities.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

NE6.2 Evaluate lighting design standards and practices for public buildings and spaces to ensure that safety, energy conservation, and light spillover are addressed.

NE6.3 Review and amend the County Code to ensure that new roadway lighting meets the guidelines for minimization of light spill-over and sky glow, and relies on low-energy light sources such as LED or solar-powered street lights.

Noise

Policy 7 Provide adequate protection and screening from noise to ensure that the State of Maryland noise standards are being met through the provision of earthen berms, plant materials, fencing, and the establishment of a building restriction line.

NE7.1 Evaluate and revise the County Code to mitigate and enforce noise standards and identify uses and/or activities that require additional restrictions. Use the 2012 State of Maryland noise standards as guidelines.

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CASE STUDY

Landfill Gas-to-Energy Project—In 1987, the Brown Station Road Landfill became one of the first landfills in the nation to operate landfill-gas (LFG) fired electric generators. Three 1,700 kW electric generators and two 350-HP boilers fueled by LFG provide power and steam to the County’s correctional facility. Excess electricity is sold to PEPCO generating approximately $8,500 per month in revenue for the landfill. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the LFG project’s annual energy production equates to powering 3,985 homes and reduces 31,915 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

Energy Infrastructure

Policy 8 Promote the efficient use of energy resources by providing education, outreach, and technical assistance to residents and businesses.

NE8.1 Develop a Sustainable Energy Education and Outreach Strategy to inform residents and businesses about the benefits of reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions.

NE8.2 Create an Energy Savers Volunteer Roundtable to assist with the implementation of education and outreach initiatives.

NE8.3 Encourage the use of energy management tools, such as the EPA’s Portfolio Manager—a free energy management tool that allows businesses to track, assess, and disclose their buildings’ energy and water performance.

Policy 9 Encourage investment in energy infrastructure, renewable energy, and the use of smart grid technologies to improve the efficiency, reliability, affordability, and sustainability of energy production and distribution.

NE9.1 Promote the use of innovative energy financing mechanisms such as on-bill financing, property-assessed clean energy, energy performance contracting, power purchase agreements, and home energy loan programs for moderate- to low-income residents.

NE9.2 Encourage the installation of the latest smart-grid/metering technology by offering incentives and technical assistance.

NE9.3 Create an energy assurance framework to assess strategies for enhancing energy security and community resiliency.

NE9.4 Participate in regional efforts to support the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging infrastructure.

NE9.5 Partner with local energy providers to develop alternative fueling stations for compressed natural gas, liquefied propane, biofuels, and electric vehicles.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Policy 10 Encourage the generation of low-carbon and clean, renewable energy sources.

NE10.1 Promote the development of “energy positive” homes and buildings that generate more energy than what is used in the production, construction, and operation of the home or building through the application of geothermal, solar, and wind technology.

NE10.2 Utilize solar panels or similar technology to increase the energy efficiency of outdoor lighting in appropriate areas, such as streets, parking lots, parks, and/or signage.

NE10.3 Evaluate and modernize, as warranted, the regulations in the zoning ordinance that impact the location, size, and design of solar, wind, and alternative energy production facilities. Include options for streamlining development review of permit procedures.

NE10.4 Develop a range of incentives to encourage the adoption of solar facilities on vacant roofs, parking structures, and unused open spaces.

NE10.5 Revise and update the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision regulations to include standards and criteria for siting renewable energy facilities at different scales.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Natural Resources Policy Paper, October 11, 2012, M-NCPPC

2005 Countywide Green Infrastructure Plan

2010 Water Resources Element Functional Master Plan

2010 Prince George’s County Hazard Mitigation Plan

2010 Woodland and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Ordinance

2012 Phase II Watershed Implementation Plan

2012 Priority Preservation Area Functional Master Plan

2012 Prince George’s County (Draft) Climate Action Plan

2012 Prince George’s County Land Preservation, Parks, and Recreation Plan

Prince George’s County, Office of Central Services, Sustainable Energy Program

HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS

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Current Housing Stock: Single-Family 68% Multi-Family 32%

Future Residents Want Different Housing

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Projected Housing Demand: Single-Family 39% Multi-Family 61%

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51% Housing Cost Burden 41% Renter Households Owner Households

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75% is 49 years old and newer Aging Housing Stock 25% is 50 years old and older

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HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS

2035 Housing and Neighborhoods Goal

Provide a variety of housing options—ranging in price, density, ownership, and type—to attract and retain residents, strengthen neighborhoods, and promote economic prosperity.

INTRODUCTION

As discussed in Section II: Defining the Context, recent trends reveal that the County’s existing housing stock and pipeline—defined as development that has been approved, but not yet constructed—do not meet the anticipated needs of future residents and employers in Prince George’s County. As the County’s population grows, its housing stock will need to better accommodate the changing needs and preferences of its progressively diverse population. Similarly, as the County works to capture a greater share of regional forecasted job growth, housing development will need to increasingly concentrate on building well-designed, mixed-income, multifamily housing in higher-density, transit-oriented, mixed-use communities with easy access to jobs. These changing dynamics call for new policies and priorities in the County’s housing sector, Consolidated Housing Plan, and Plan 2035.

Providing housing to meet the County’s growing and changing population, while strengthening existing neighborhoods, can be acheived by engaging stakeholders, nonprofits, and County agencies and developing housing and neighborhood revitalization activities.

The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) manages a variety of programs that implement housing policies:

• Neighborhood Stabilization
• Rental Assistance Programs
• Weatherization Programs
• Federally Funded Programs
• Community Development Block Grants

Work Supplying a range of housing options in walkable, transit-oriented, mixed-use neighborhoods positions the County to attract and retain young, highly educated residents that will form the base of the County’s future economy. Meeting the County’s emerging housing needs and preferences will attract new employers drawn to a diverse workforce and ensure that the County remains competitive in, and relevant to, the regional economy.

Live Preserving and providing a variety of housing choices at different price ranges in close proximity to transit, amenities, and employment centers is essential to ensuring a high quality of life for all Prince Georgians including its current and future workforce, seniors, youth, and special needs populations.

Sustain Sustainable design and construction practices reduce the environmental impacts of growth by reducing energy use, air and water pollution, and land consumption.

Many of these programs encourage the participation of nonprofit corporations and municipalities to help meet local needs in communities.

Two quasi-government agencies also assist in implementing the County’s vision with the assistance of appointed representatives—the Housing Authority and Redevelopment Authority.

Housing Authority

The Housing Authority of Prince George’s County, Maryland (HAPGC) is a semi-autonomous governmental agency charged with the provision of housing assistance services via the Housing Choice Voucher Program, Moderate Rehabilitation Program, Rental Allowance Program, and County-owned public housing. HAPGC is composed of three branches: the Housing Assistance Division, Rental Assistance Division, and Financial and Administrative Services.

Redevelopment Authority

The mission of the Redevelopment Authority of Prince George’s County is to be the County’s principal development/redevelopment entity with a specific focus on the development of mixed-income, mixed-use, and mixed-tenure housing in targeted communities and the development and preservation of workforce/affordable housing near transit centers.

WHERE WE ARE TODAY

Key findings from the detailed assessment of the County’s housing inventory and pipeline include the following:

• The County’s housing stock is aging; almost a quarter of all residential units were built in 1959 or earlier.
• Sustaining residential communities requires investment; this is especially true in communities with an aging housing stock. More than 10 percent of the County’s housing stock was built before 1940. Older homes may contain lead based paint or weatherization to reduce heating and cooling costs. A challenge in the future will be adapting older homes to allow residents to age in place.
• Home value and rent remain below regional averages. Existing housing stock values are low, compared to the region, for both homeowners and rental units. Fifty-eight percent of home values are under $200,000 and 75 percent of rental market units are under $1,250.

HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS

• The economic downturn affected home values and median rents throughout the State of Maryland. Even with lower rents and home prices, many homeowners and renters spend more than 30 percent of their household income on housing. Low home values can also be tied to the inability to refinance, contributing to foreclosure.
• The impact of the nation's foreclosure crisis continues to reverberate throughout the County.
• Vacant homes, as a result of foreclosures, can impact the stability of a community if the properties are not maintained properly and if they are vandalised. To address these issues state and federal resources have been allocated to assist homeowners with financing, education, and loan modification. Recent development has concentrated on single-family construction in suburban subdivisions at the expense of mixed-income, multifamily housing in urban, transit-oriented neighborhoods.
• The predominant housing type in the County is the single-family home, especially in suburban and rural communities. Providing a range of housing types, such as condos and apartments, at our transit stations creates opportunities for new jobs and housing to be located in transit-accessible neighborhoods. The changing demographics and the demand for jobs and housing to have access to a variety of transportation modes will increase investment in these areas. Approximately half of all renters and homeowners spend more than 30 percent of their income on

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housing related expenses, a burden that is exacerbated when commuting costs are included.

• Driving to afford has been a common practice in many suburban communities where homowners will drive further distances to afford a home and then commute to work. However, most residents do not include the cost and time of a long commute in their calculations. Long commutes, coupled with spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing and transportation, reduces the buying power and disposable income of residents. Providing opportunities for housing adjacent to transit is one solution to reducing housing cost burden, provided mixed-income communities are created.
• While anticipated future demand for housing will be driven mostly by the Millennial Generation—the County’s future workforce—it will also be influenced by the housing preferences of its growing senior and Hispanic populations.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Challenges

Housing Affordability

Despite below average rent and home values in the County, housing affordability remains a challenge that impairs the quality of life of many households and reduces the time available to spend with family and friends. Long commutes to employment centers—compounded by high commuting costs—further strain the budget of many Prince Georgians. Just as important, the high incidence of housing cost burden hampers economic development by limiting disposable incomes and, as a result, business growth and job creation. These trends underscore the importance of promoting high-quality and affordable mixed-income housing at transit locations.

Community Stability

Foreclosure events—totalling 4,265—occurring in Prince George’s County during 2012, represented 25 percent of the state’s total. Of the 40 zip codes in the County, 29 were categorized as severe or very high foreclosure hot spots during the same year, depressing housing demand, destabilizing communities, and straining county resources. Proactively mitigating the foreclosure crisis will need to remain a county priority.

Housing for Vulnerable Populations

Homeless rates continue to be troubling in the Washington metropolitan area and within Prince George’s County. The increasing threat of becoming homeless affects lower- and

HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS

middle-income households and includes youth, single parents, married couples, the elderly, people with disabilities, and returning veterans. Adequate transitional housing, group homes, and shelters with services are needed in transit-accessible locations to help residents transition to stability.

Opportunities

Housing Preference

Growth forecasts and evolving workforce preferences clearly indicate the need for a different approach to County housing policy. Proactive action by the County will prompt an evolution in the mix of housing types, increasing the supply of workforce and higher-value units necessary to realize the development of vibrant, mixed-use, and mixed-income neighborhoods around existing transit hubs. The County’s aging population creates additional opportunities for new compact communities and infill development featuring smaller, accessible units where residents have the options to age in place.

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TNI The County’s Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative (TNI) is an ongoing partnership targeting select neighborhoods that face significant economic, health, public safety, and educational challenges. Through TNI the County is working to improve the quality of life in six neighborhoods and identifying ways to enhance service delivery throughout the County for all residents. Prince George’s County is currently conducting a Residential Market Value Analysis with the assistance of the Reinvestment Fund to assess neighborhood and housing conditions across the County in order to help identify future qualifying neighborhoods and to develop an expanded revitalization program.

TNI Neighborhoods Current TNI neighborhoods are East Riverdale/ Bladensburg, Glassmanor/Oxon Hill, Hillcrest Heights/Marlow Heights, Kentland/Palmer Park, Langley Park, and Suitland/Coral Hills. Key indicators of success include improvements in violent crime, property crime, 3rd grade and 5th grade reading and math scores, school absentee rates, foreclosure rates, concentrations of Section 8 housing, income levels, pedestrian deaths/ injuries, and the number of residents on public assistance.

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POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

Policy 1: Concentrate medium- to high-density housing development in Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers with convenient access to jobs, schools, child care, shopping, recreation, and other services to meet projected demand and changing consumer preferences.

• HN1.1: Provide tax credits, financial assistance, zoning, and other tools to promote the development of higher-density housing in transit-oriented, mixed-use communities. A variety of tools and financing options are identified in the 2011 Economic Development Toolbox and the TOD ¹ Toolbox.
• HN1.2: Prioritize public investment in critical infrastructure, streetscape improvements that include landscaping and lighting, public facilities, parks, public art, and other amenities in the Regional Transit Districts and the Innovation Corridor ².

Policy 2: Preserve and expand the range of housing types and ownership opportunities, such as owner/resident of multifamily building and housing cooperatives, at different price points ranging from workforce and affordable units to upper-income housing to reduce housing and transportation cost burdens.

• HN2.1: Adopt an inclusionary zoning ³ ordinance to require market-rate housing projects set aside a percentage of units for low and moderate income household to create mixed-income communities. Units should be distributed within individual projects and the larger community to maximize their contributions to diversity and quality of life.
• HN2.2: Promote and support public-private partnerships, nonprofit housing providers, expand existing housing programs, and pursue state and federal funding to rehabilitate and maintain the County’s existing affordable housing stock.
• HN2.3: Support tools, such as residents’ right-of-first offer, that enable renters to individually purchase their units or collectively purchase their apartment buildings when faced with a condominium conversion.

HN2.4 Target student housing at locations identified by the University of Maryland, Bowie State University, the City of College Park, and the State of Maryland in order to accommodate future demand and preserve existing neighborhoods.

HN2.5 Revise and update the Zoning Ordinance to encourage a range of housing types and ownership opportunities.

Related Policies and Strategies

See Strategy 11.1 in the Public Facilities Element for Public Facility Surcharge Fees.

Policy 3 Stabilize existing communities and encourage revitalization and rehabilitation.

HN3.1 Prepare revitalization plans for individual neighborhoods under the Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative using the Prince George’s County Residential Market Value Analysis that is currently being prepared by the County.

HN3.2 Biannually inventory foreclosed and neglected properties to ensure effective monitoring and mitigation of housing blight. Continue to work with state and county agencies to provide assistance to areas with high concentrations of foreclosures. The Prince George’s County Residential Market Value Analysis will provide additional data on neighborhood stabilization strategies.

HN3.3 Partner with nonprofits and DHCD to expand access to foreclosure prevention counseling services and financial literacy.

HN3.4 Enforce housing maintenance standards and building codes. Particular attention should be directed towards Neighborhood Reinvestment areas and established communities.

HN3.5 Provide additional funding to purchase and rehabilitate deteriorated rental and single-family properties in Neighborhood Reinvestment Areas. Allocate initial operating

and capital funding to a rehabilitation program with the intent of moving to a self-sustaining program by using the proceeds from sold rehabilitated properties to fund further acquisitions. This effort should be coordinated by DHCD and the Redevelopment Authority.

HN3.6 Partner with private developers, community organizations, and county agencies to construct and repair public facilities, amenities, and services in established communities. Establish an inventory of critical service infrastructure repairs and maintenance.

Policy 4 Expand housing options to meet the needs of the County’s seniors who wish to age in place.

HN4.1 Encourage new housing development to incorporate universal design features by providing incentives through the zoning ordinance, reduction in permit fees, tax credits, streamlined permit review, and other tools.

HN4.2 Encourage universal design renovations by providing grants and loans to enable residents to modify existing dwelling units by removing architectural barriers, adapting units, installing handicap accessories, and adding accessory apartments. Potential grant funding could be established through nonprofits or through DHCD with assistance from social service agencies.

Essential universal design features include: at least one no-step entry into the house, entryway doors that are 36 inches wide, passageways measuring 42 inches wide, light controls, electrical outlets and thermostats that are easily reachable for a person in a seated position, and bedroom, kitchen, entertainment area, and a full bathroom on one level of the home.

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HN4.3 Educate nonprofit organizations and the senior community on the programs and services available to assist those who choose to age in place.

Aging in place refers to your ability to continue to live, safely and independently, in your home or neighborhood as you age and as your mobility and health change. Aging in place can be promoted through a combination of policies, such as efficiently delivering services in the home, providing more transportation choices, particularly for older adults who no longer drive, and improving affordable, accessible housing to prevent social isolation. Incorporating universal design principles—which essentially accommodate the needs of residents of all ages and abilities—can also promote independence as you age.

Policy 5 Increase the supply of housing types that are suitable for, and attractive to, the County's growing vulnerable populations. These include the elderly, the homeless, and residents with special needs.

HN5.1 Expand housing options by eliminating regulatory barriers to the construction of elderly accessible housing, accessory apartments, and assisted living facilities. Revise the zoning ordinance to encourage a variety of housing types.

HN5.2 Provide financial incentives, such as low-interest revolving loan funds, to landlords of multifamily housing to retrofit existing dwelling units. This can be used to remove architectural barriers, adapt units, and improve handicap accessibility for the elderly and residents with special needs.

HN5.3 Pursue state, federal, and private-sector funds to expand programs that deliver down payment and closing cost assistance and loans for rehabilitation and accessibility modifications for low-income, vulnerable populations.

HN5.4 Build partnerships with, and provide technical support and incentives to, faith-based institutions and nonprofits to undertake housing projects and programs for vulnerable populations, in particular the homeless, the mentally ill, at-risk veterans, residents with special needs, and those living with HIV/AIDS. Projects and programs could include transitional housing, group homes, and shelters with services to help residents transition to stability.

HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS

Policy 6 Increase funding for county housing projects and programs and leverage state, federal, and nonprofit funding and resources.

HN6.1 Establish and capitalize a County Housing Trust Fund with a dedicated source of revenue. This will help construct and rehabilitate low- and moderate-income housing.

Setting aside a certain amount per $100 of assessed value of real estate property revenue could provide significant funding. A few counties and cities surrounding Prince George’s County have enacted housing trust funds that have provided financing for thousands of affordable housing units over the past two decades.

HN6.2 Pursue state, federal, private sector, and foundation support to complement Community Development Block Grants, the HOME Investment Partnership, and other sources of funding.

HN6.3 DHCD will partner with County agencies, municipalities, neighborhood organizations, private nonprofit organizations, foundations, religious institutions, and for-profit housing developers to leverage County investments in housing projects to create new housing through sharing of resources.

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CASE STUDY

The One Penny for Housing Flexibility Fund is a dedicated, ongoing fund, created in 2005 in Fairfax County, VA, to preserve affordable housing. The fund supplements existing federal and state funding resources and provides financing to nonprofit and for-profit developers to acquire, rehabilitate, replace, or develop affordable housing. The District of Columbia’s Housing Trust Fund was established in 1988 and is funded by 15 percent of the Washington, D.C. Real Estate Recordation and Transfer Tax. The Fund has produced and preserved over 7,500 units of affordable housing across every ward in the city, disbursing $320 million and leveraging another $794 million from private and other sources.

Policy 7 | Integrate green building practices and achieve LEED® or equivalent certification in housing construction and rehabilitation to enhance indoor air quality, health, energy efficiency, and water quality, among other factors.

Related Strategies

See Strategies 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4 in the Natural Environment Element for Green Building.

Policy 8 | Strengthen the County’s institutional capacity to streamline, administer, and implement the housing programs.

HN8.1 | Increase staffing and funding for DHCD and supporting agencies to effectively manage housing production and rehabilitation and to streamline and administer housing programs and services.

HN8.2 | Recruit established national and regional nonprofit housing organizations and foundations to develop new affordable housing, rehabilitate existing housing, and provide homeowner education, nonprofit mentoring, and job training in the County.

HN8.3 | Recruit experienced housing developers to serve as mentors to nonprofit organizations in order to strengthen their financial, project, and construction management, and other skills critical to cost-effective and sustainable housing production.

HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS

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SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Housing Policy Paper, December 6, 2012

2010 Coalition for Smart Growth, “Building Stronger Communities: Moving Toward a Comprehensive Housing Strategy for Prince George’s County”

2012, Prince George’s County, Department of Housing and Community Development Strategic Housing Plan

2011 George Mason University Center for Regional Analysis, “Housing the Region’s Future Workforce: Policy Challenges for Local Jurisdictions”

2009 Prince George’s County Planning Department, “Trends and Current Status of Workforce Housing in Prince George’s County”

“Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice: Prince George’s County and City of Bowie,” Revised June 2012, Prepared by Mullin, Longergan Associates

Preliminary Affordable Housing Strategies, Takoma/Langley Crossroads Section Plan Implementation, April 2012

COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

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Since 2007, the County has awarded more than $2.5 million in grants for the acquisition and restoration of historic properties

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35 M-NCPPC manages and operates all County Historic Sites and Resources

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6 M-NCPPC manages and operates performing and visual arts facilities

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The Gateway Arts District was designated in 2002

COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

2035 Community Heritage, Culture, and Design Goal

Create walkable places that enable social interaction and reflect community character, and preserve and promote our cultural, historic, and rural resources to celebrate our heritage and encourage new investment.

INTRODUCTION

The Community Heritage, Culture, and Design element includes findings, policies, and strategies relevant to historic preservation and heritage conservation, arts and culture, and urban design in Prince George’s County.

Historic Preservation and Heritage Conservation

The protection of historic sites and districts within Prince George’s County accomplishes more than just preserving reminders of the County’s past. Historic buildings, structures, and sites provide a sense of place and the context for new development.

A thorough appreciation of context—the architectural and cultural character and setting of an area—is the starting point for designing a distinct place. Context includes the area’s natural and human history, the forms of its settlements, its buildings and spaces, its ecology and archaeology, its location, and the routes that pass through it. It also includes an area’s culture and people—the individuals and groups living in or near it. Taking context into account is crucial because it helps preserve our heritage and identity and seamlessly integrate new development into existing communities.

Work Creating mixed-use, amenity-rich communities makes economic sense. Younger generations (the Millenials) and the businesses that employ these highly educated workers are increasingly attracted to these types of places. Leveraging our historic resources and arts and culture industries helps revitalize neighborhoods, stimulate job growth, and cultivate new destinations in the County.

Live Preserving and adapting historic buildings can provide a sense of permanence, connect us to our past, and build a collective memory. Promoting art and culture in public places can help foster a unique “sense of place” by reflecting the character and history of our communities. Requiring high-quality urban design will improve our quality of life and health by encouraging the development of walkable, safe, and attractive places welcoming to all Prince Georgians—including our youth and elderly—visitors, and businesses. Designing compact, mixed-use neighborhoods allows us to efficiently use our infrastructure and public resources and support critical services, amenities, and a range of transportation options.

Sustain Investing in the reuse and repurposing of our existing infrastructure and buildings reduces our demand for raw materials, our solid waste production, and our carbon emissions. Replacing our historic sites and resources is not an option; they are non-renewable.

Arts and Culture

There are number of benefits to public art. It can increase social interaction, create more “eyes on the street,” broaden learning and awareness, contribute to economic development and cultural tourism, and establish a sense of place. Public art can inspire thought, instill pride, raise awareness, and honor events from the past. The presence of public art can also be a sign of a community’s maturity because a commitment to public art requires resources, reflection, and investment.

Urban Design

Urban design is the process of conceiving and laying out cities, towns, suburban areas, and rural villages. It focuses on designing groupings of buildings, neighborhoods, and the public realm and fostering a sense of place. Urban design is also concerned with the way that people experience and use these places and spaces.

Urban design is equally relevant to the planning and design of urban and suburban established communities as it is to rural areas. Problems such as encroaching sprawl, lack of architectural quality, loss of natural and rural landscapes, crime-prone areas, and unsafe pedestrian and bicycle conditions can be mitigated, or even solved, through forward thinking and context-sensitive urban design.

Did You Know?

The Historic Sites and Districts Plan has been supported with:

• The 2010 publication of the Prince George’s County, Maryland, Cemetery Preservation Manual
• The 2011 publication of the revised Illustrated Inventory of Historic Sites and Districts
• The 2012 publication of the revised African-American Historic and Cultural Resources in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

WHERE WE ARE TODAY

Historic Preservation and Heritage Conservation

Prince George’s County is rich with sites and stories that are significant to local and national history. These sites are part of the County’s strong cultural heritage and build upon the diversity of its many nationalities and ethnicities.

The County has made significant progress towards preserving its historic assets with the approval of the 2010 Approved Historic Sites and Districts Plan, the implementation of the Historic Property Grant Program, the passage of legislation to ensure archeological investigations, and the pursuit of public education efforts on the value of archeology. The 2010 plan added 98 properties as historic sites and 32 properties as historic resources. Since historic sites and districts can now be designated outside of the master plan amendment process, new sites can be continually added to the County’s inventory of historic properties. Outside of the local designation process, new properties and districts are also being listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

M-NCPPC’s Department of Parks and Recreation plays an important role in preserving our heritage and celebrating our diversity. It owns and/or manages 46 historic sites and resources, offer public programs, operates museums, and hosts festivals that celebrate local heritage.

The Historic Property Grant Program, which began its sixth year in 2013, has to-date awarded $2.5 million in grants for the acquisition and restoration of historic properties. Thirty-one historic sites are now protected by perpetual preservation easements held by M-NCPPC. In addition, historic preservation and heritage conservation policies and recommendations are integrated into every county master and sector plan.

Recent heritage conservation planning efforts have focused on the rural communities of Aquasco, Baden, and Croom in southeastern Prince George’s County—the Rural Villages Study, the Prince George’s Star-Spangled Banner Scenic Byway (SSBSB) Corridor Management Plan, and the Mount Vernon Viewshed. The purpose of the Rural Villages Study was to develop design recommendations and economic and business development strategies to strengthen and preserve these communities. The SSBSB Corridor Management Plan developed recommendations for roadway improvement standards and historic landscape conservation appropriate for designated scenic corridors and rural roads. Through the implementation of the Corridor Management Plan, the County will be eligible for state and federal funding to promote heritage tourism based on the local history associated with this historic route and the War of 1812. Efforts to protect the Mount Vernon Viewshed focus on developing tools to facilitate appropriate land development practices that retain and enhance the local character of its communities while conserving a significant cultural landscape.

The Lower Patuxent portion of the SSBSB and National Trail follows Croom Road (MD 382) from US 301 to MD 381, where it continues along MD 381 as a connecting road segment to the SSBSB in Charles County, and includes other areas and sites associated with historic events of the War of 1812.

Arts and Culture

In 1988, the Prince George’s County Council approved legislation that required that at least one percent of construction costs of certain new County civic buildings and major renovations of County civic buildings be used for the acquisition

Did You Know? The Prince George’s County Planning Board implemented regulations mandating the review of all subdivision developments to determine whether archeological investigations should occur on development properties. The new regulations implemented the Guidelines for Archeological Review.

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and installation of public art. Building on this legislation, the Arts in Public Places program identifies opportunities and partnerships to encourage the installation of public artwork in both civic and private sector construction projects throughout the County. Prominent installations of public art can now be seen at new public libraries and firehouses throughout the County as well as National Harbor.

Performance and Visual Arts Facilities The Department of Parks and Recreation manages and operates:

• The Brentwood Arts Exchange at Gateway Arts Center in Brentwood
• Harmony Hall Regional Center in Fort Washington,
• Montpelier Arts Center in Laurel
• The Prince George’s Publick Playhouse for the Performing Arts in Cheverly
• The Community Arts Services in Greenbelt.

The Department of Parks and Recreation manages and operates five performing and visual arts facilities throughout the County, providing opportunities for residents and visitors to engage in the arts. The department also runs Community Arts Services, which provides professional, affordable activities and services in dance, music, theatre and visual arts to County residents, artists and arts organizations. Performances, exhibitions, art classes, camps, and workshops, publications, technical assistance, part-time employment for county artists, and various competitions create opportunities for a diverse community of professional artists and community-based arts organizations, as well as youth, teens, and adults.

Urban Design

With the rise of motorized transportation over the last six decades, our County has largely evolved from a collection of walkable, compact residential neighborhoods, rural villages, and towns and cities to one of pedestrian-unfriendly, automobile-dominated sprawl. In addition, many of our newer communities increasingly lack an identifiable character or sense of place. Without distinctive physical characteristics—such as public spaces or plazas, a walkable main street, distinctive signage, landscaping, lighting, and architectural details, high quality construction and materials, and other defining features and amenities—our communities are visually blending into each other. Rather than reflecting the values, interests, and cultural and historic heritage of their residents, many neighborhoods have become indistinguishable one from another.

Transformation is on the horizon, though, for some of our aging inner-Beltway suburban communities. Redevelopment and infill create opportunities for enhanced walkability, connectivity, public amenities, and economic development. Strong design principles, applied correctly and proactively, will provide a structure for shaping or reshaping future development and enhancing the character of our communities and public spaces.

COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Challenges

Historic Preservation and Heritage Conservation

Although there is considerable and sustained enthusiasm on the part of some individuals and organizations on specific historic preservation and heritage conservation issues, Prince George’s County should place greater emphasis on the conservation of historic neighborhoods and the adaptation and reuse of historic buildings. Our county has historic communities with attractive housing stock and rich cultural history that could support cultural tourism and draw new residents to the area. While several new National Register districts have been designated, this type of designation is largely honorific and does not provide protections or foster community enhancement by itself. Many historic County neighborhoods have not pursued local historic designation as a way to safeguard and enhance their community’s unique character.

Acquiring, restoring, and maintaining historic properties require significant resources, as do managing and staffing historic sites and cultural events. As the County’s buildings and infrastructure continue to age, sustained commitment to investing in our cultural and historic assets will be necessary.

Developing a countywide heritage tourism plan would identify opportunities to advance heritage tourism and support economic development in the County. Possible activities include crafting a comprehensive branding and marketing campaign and partnering with local organizations to pursue grants, loans, and tax credits.

Did You Know?

The County’s Historic Preservation Tax Credit increased from ten percent to 25 percent in September 2013. The credit for new construction was also increased, doubling from five percent to ten percent.

CASE STUDY

⬚ figure Part of a system of Certified Maryland Heritage Areas, the Maryland Milestones & Anacostia Trails Heritage Area Inc. (ATHA) is the regional Heritage Area program for Prince George’s County and the Washington metropolitan area. The program celebrates the region’s unique historical innovations, major community moments, and amazing resources; it connects residents to their history, culture, arts, and natural resources. The 2001 Approved Anacostia Trails Heritage Area Management Plan describes the heritage tourism program for ATHA. Consisting of approximately 84 square miles in northern Prince George’s County, ATHA is home to one of the most significant events in the War of 1812, the Battle of Bladensburg; four National Register Historic Districts (Hyattsville, Mount Rainier, University Park, and Greenbelt); Montpelier Mansion, one of the finest examples of 18th-century Georgian architecture in the state; the College Park Airport, the world’s oldest continuously operated airport; several important African American sites; and numerous other historical and cultural resources and natural and recreational amenities.

Opportunities

Arts and Culture

Established in 2003, the Gateway Arts District has been a key contributor to the revitalization of the US 1 corridor in Mount Rainier, Brentwood, North Brentwood, and Hyattsville. By supporting local art events and affordable artist workspace and housing, it has helped revitalize neighborhoods, created jobs in arts-related businesses, and sustained a vibrant arts community in the County. Continuing to promote and leverage its achievements will create new opportunities to foster economic development along US 1 and solidify the corridor’s position as an important destination in the County.

The Gateway Arts District features well-known anchors such as the Arts District Hyattsville, the Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center, the Gateway Arts Center managed by the Gateway CDC, and the Mount Rainier Artists’ Lofts.

Did You Know? Supporting the visual and performing arts and public art throughout the County can be an effective tool to encourage revitalization and reinvestment in older, established communities.

Urban Design

As we accommodate population growth in the region and the County, we will continue to be challenged by traffic congestion, loss of open spaces, vistas and viewsheds, nondescript and poorly connected developments, and inadequate pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly facilities. These trends, combined with a lack of critical investment in our older neighborhoods, have eroded our county’s sense of place, ignored the historic context of our communities, and dismissed the importance of centers and the activities that take place there.

Our Zoning¹ Ordinance has historically been unable to reverse these outcomes and has increasingly been an impediment to creating high-quality, walkable and compact places featuring a mix of uses. To compensate for the Zoning Ordinance’s age, inadequate, and out-of-date regulations, many of the County’s sector and master plans have relied on Development (or Transit) District Overlay Zones (TDOZ/DDOZs). Sixteen master plans have either a DDOZ or a TDOZ in Prince George’s County. Each overlay zone has its own unique design standards and guidelines and applicability and exemption clauses. These regulatory tools function as small zoning ordinances to control

Did You Know? A Transit District Development Overlay Zone (TDOZ) creates design standards and guidelines to guide and coordinate development around transit stations, encourage transit use, promote an integrated mix of uses, and enhance connectivity and safety. A Development District Development Overlay Zone (DDOZ) has a similar purpose. It is intended to ensure that development meets established master plan goals, is compact, compatible, and walkable, promotes a sense of place, and encourages economic vitality and investment. New development in TDOZs and DDOZs is generally subject to the approval of a detailed site plan.

COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

the type and appearance of development within a plan’s boundaries. Each of these overlay zone results in unique regulations that dictate permitted uses and key design elements, such as building heights, setbacks, and parking standards.

This is problematic because the overwhelming number and range of different standards and requirements created by the overlay zones make our development process unpredictable, difficult to navigate, and costly. As the County continues to streamline its development review and approval processes, it is imperative that the Zoning Ordinance be revised and that a comprehensive set of modern urban design standards be developed to obviate the need for individualized design-related overlay zones.

We have a range of opportunities to encourage walkable, safer, and more compact communities. Thoughtful design can improve public safety. How a building is “sited”— oriented to the street—where its entrances are located, how its landscaping and lighting is designed and placed, as well as other elements are important factors in promoting pedestrian activity, increasing “eyes on the street,” and limiting lifeless spaces that can support illegal activities. These actions, in turn, are proven crime deterrents.

Our transportation network, in particular our trails and mass transit system, establishes a strong foundation for us to move from an auto-centric county to one in which owning a car is not a necessity. This is particularly important due to the growing number of seniors and other populations who chose to not own or do not have access to a car. As was discussed in the Transportation Element, we have a strong local, regional, and intraregional rail system—composed of 15 Metrorail, eight MARC, and one Amtrak station and 11 proposed stations—and extensive bus and trails networks. If supported and leveraged, these multimodal transportation options can help reduce our reliance on cars, combat sprawl, and promote vibrant and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods.

The County’s ongoing effort to develop a Complete Streets policy, as directed by the County Council in 2012, also provides opportunities to improve the physical character of the County. By ensuring multimodal access, complete streets support the visual transformation of spaces, improve public safety, and enhance economic opportunities (see text boxes and Transportation and Mobility Element).

Formula 2040, the master plan for the Department of Parks and Recreation, recommends the creation of approximately 310 new miles of trails to help connect our neighborhoods, enhance community health, and improve access to jobs, shopping, critical services, public facilities, and recreational centers.

Approved General Plan | 201

Now is the time for us strengthen our existing communities by preserving our historic assets, promoting arts and culture, creating new civic spaces, and leveraging and expanding our existing multimodal transportation network.

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COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

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Now is the time for us to foster new neighborhoods featuring a distinct sense of place and a mix of uses that are within walking distance of each other or are accessible by convenient and reliable public transit.

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URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES

The intent of Plan 2035's urban design principles is to serve as a guide for the development of urban design standards and guidelines for master plans and for the review of site plan submissions. Although the principles are not legally binding, they embody Plan 2035's vision and the desired physical form of future (re)development and neighborhood revitalization efforts in our communities.

Urban design is simply a physical reflection of our values. We value walkability. Urban design helps ensure that trails and wide sidewalks connect our homes to schools, libraries, local shops, jobs, and bus or train stations. We value good health. Urban design helps ensure that we have convenient access to public parks, that there is bicycle parking at our stores and offices, and that there are public places for urban gardens and farmers markets. We value safety. Urban design helps ensure that our streets are well lighted and that our buildings and public spaces are designed to discourage crime. We value sustainability. Urban design helps ensure that our communities include green spaces, that our streets are tree lined, that our homes and offices use less energy, and that our parking lots generate less stormwater runoff. We value our young and our elderly. Urban design helps ensure that our public spaces and parks are inviting and safe for our children and that our homes are designed so that they allow our seniors to age-in-place. We value our diversity. Urban design helps ensure that public art and the architecture of new development reflect our cultural and historic heritage.

While healthy, safe, and vibrant neighborhoods come in all different shapes and sizes, they have two common elements—they reflect the character of their communities and are connected.

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COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

I. Community Character Principles

Community character is what makes a neighborhood distinct and recognizable. To preserve, strengthen, and foster community character on a neighborhood scale, new development and redevelopment should follow the community character principles below.

1. Appreciate context by ensuring that proposed development reinforces, rather than undermines local character; creates places of distinction by drawing inspiration from its cultural, natural, historic, and architectural setting; and integrates with the surrounding landscape and built environment. Use compatible materials, architecture, and natural elements, respect existing footpaths and street connections, and relate to existing structures.

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2. Design sustainably to reduce energy use, improve community health, and protect environmental resources as well as to create a sense of place. For example, including a mix of uses promotes walking and biking and fosters a vibrant environment. Incorporating low-impact stormwater management addresses and treats runoff on-site and introduces new green spaces and opportunities for passive recreation. Incentivizing the creative and adaptive use of existing structures reduces waste and helps preserve historic and cultural assets and strengthen established neighborhoods.

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3. Prioritize infill, reinvestment, and revitalization in existing neighborhoods. Promote redevelopment around existing infrastructure and facilities to leverage public investment, promote the efficient use of County resources, strengthen older communities, and preserve open space and environmental assets.

4. Phase and plan development carefully so that each phase builds upon its predecessor and is able to meet the urban design vision for the project area, even if later phases are delayed or not completed. This can be achieved by introducing temporary uses and landscaping or staging development such that early phases are designed and constructed so that they do not look incomplete.

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5. Promote compact, transit-serviceable development. New neighborhoods should be designed so that they preserve open space, make efficient use of public infrastructure, maximize access to public transit, and connect to surrounding retail and/or civic uses.

6. Transition development to ensure that new development in Regional Transit Districts does not overwhelm lower-density and smaller-scaled neighborhoods. Transitions should emphasize gradual reductions in building heights, building massing adjustments, and landscaping rather than buffering. Careful attention should also be paid to development that is near the border between Established Communities and Rural Areas where suburban sprawl is encroaching on pastoral land.

7. Promote thoughtful design in Local Centers and Regional Transit Districts. Centers are the heart and hub of the County. Although they intentionally vary in density, intensity, and function, they are by nature compact, mixed-use, and walkable and are connected to surrounding neighborhoods and transportation systems. Centers typically:

• Design areas around a core. Centers should be focused around or along a central place or core—usually a transit station, public park, plaza, retail

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COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

center, main street, or civic center. Best practices recommend centers be roughly within a 15-minute walk, or half a mile, of their core (as context allows), and that the most dense and intense development radiates out from the core, transitioning to more moderate densities closer to surrounding established neighborhoods. A mix of uses, with an emphasis on employment and retail, are typically best concentrated within a five-minute walk, or a quarter-mile, of the core while outlying areas may accommodate a more residential mix of uses.

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• Integrate a strategic mix of uses that fosters an inviting and vibrant environment and is market-supported. Where there is a sufficient mix of uses, centers should focus on renovating and adapting vacant or underutilized buildings and/or on promoting infill development on vacant lots. Where centers lack a sufficient mix of uses, new development and infill should focus on filling in gaps as the market allows.

• Incorporate parks and open space. Centers should provide opportunities for social functions, such as farmers markets, gatherings, and special events, and passive and active recreation. The size and type of such spaces will vary depending on location, context, and primary use and function.

• Celebrate an area’s cultural and historic identity. Centers should support the inclusion of public art and encourage coordinated wayfinding signage, gateways, and streetscape amenities (such as lighting, benches, and transit stops) to help create and enhance a distinct sense of place.

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II. Connectivity Principles

A connected neighborhood is one that makes walking, biking, or public transit as easy and appealing as driving a car. To ensure residents have these options, new development and redevelopment should follow the connectivity principles below.

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1. Link new development and redevelopment to existing routes and surrounding communities. A network of connected streets and trails that responds to topography and respects scenic and historic context is an essential component of a functional neighborhood. This applies to existing neighborhoods where there are closed or missing connections, as well as to new developments built adjacent to existing neighborhoods. Concerns about privacy, speeding, and noise should be addressed without limiting neighborhood circulation.

2. Provide a range of mobility options. A well-connected neighborhood allows residents and visitors to safely, comfortably, and conveniently get from place to place using different modes of transportation, such as by automobile, public transit, bicycle, and on foot, and through car- and bike-sharing.

   Compact blocks—within an interconnected street network with sidewalks and/or paths—are essential to ensuring that a neighborhood is walkable and bikeable. Compact blocks typically range from 150 to 300 feet in length. Blocks exceeding 600 feet are typically not considered pedestrian friendly.

3. Use connections to foster a sense of place. Design roads and trails to respond to their local context—such as their historic, natural, and scenic settings—and to implement a community’s vision for the future. Their design should engage its users through architectural details, unique features, and/or interesting breaks, stopping places, and public spaces.

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COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

4. Create safe routes for all (referred to as Complete Streets). Complete Streets—as discussed in the Transportation Element— balance the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and drivers when designing roads and pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities and associated amenities. They highlight the importance of high-quality streetscapes, including such elements as a healthy, full-grown tree canopy, green or low-impact stormwater management infrastructure, benches, human-scaled lighting and signage, well designed transit stops, and special paving that designates pedestrian crossing points and walkways.

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5. Manage the flow and speed of traffic by relying first on the design and orientation of buildings and second on signage and traffic calming, such as speed humps, raised intersections, textured surfaces, and mid-block bulbouts. Placing buildings close to or up to the sidewalk helps frames a street, naturally slows traffic, and encourages pedestrian and bicycle mobility.

6. Do not allow parking to dominate the pedestrian realm or inhibit pedestrian and bicyclist mobility and accessibility. Automobiles are part of a robust transportation network, but should be only one of several transportation options. Parking accommodations for new developments should be located in shared or private garages accessed via alleyways. When surface parking cannot be avoided, it should be located behind buildings to help foster a pedestrian-friendly and human-scaled environment.

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POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

Historic Preservation and Heritage Conservation

Policy 1 Promote stewardship of and adaptive reuse of historic properties.

HD1.1 Identify and pursue opportunities to reuse economically viable and historically significant structures threatened by neglect and possible demolition.

HD1.2 Continue to provide incentives to encourage the preservation and/or adaptive reuse of historic resources.

HD1.3 Utilize the master plan process to evaluate historic sites and districts for designation.

HD1.4 Review and update the Historic Preservation and Heritage Conservation Ordinance to reflect best practices.

HD1.5 Support the development of state legislation, such as tax credits, that reward LEED® or equivalent green building certification for the rehabilitation of historic structures and communities.

Policy 2 Encourage local historic district designation of eligible communities to protect their historic character and the County’s diverse heritage.

HD2.1 Using established criteria, identify communities with contributing character to be protected through designation.

HD2.2 Promote rehabilitation financing options and incentives available to designated historic districts.

Policy 3 Integrate historic resources, sites, and districts into the County’s development pattern by promoting compatible urban design and enhanced connectivity.

HD3.1 Encourage compatible and context-sensitive design of surrounding development and appropriate streetscape enhancements and façade improvements.

COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

HD3.2 Link historic resources and sites with the County’s trails and sidewalk system, where appropriate.

HD3.3 Integrate environmental settings of historic sites with proposed parks and open space plans, such as the Glenn Dale Hospital site and the surrounding park land.

Policy 4 Enhance and expand heritage tourism as a component of the County’s economic development.

HD4.1 Develop a countywide heritage tourism plan to celebrate the County’s unique history, stimulate local economic development, and fund capital improvement projects. Build on existing efforts, including the 2001 Approved Anacostia Trails Heritage Area Management Plan and Maryland Milestones program.

HD4.2 Design a comprehensive branding and marketing campaign with a countywide focus to elevate the profile of the County’s cultural and heritage attractions.

HD4.3 Encourage planning and coordination between local cultural resources and heritage organizations.

HD4.4 Partner with local organizations to identify opportunities and pursue grants, loans, and tax credits to promote cultural and heritage tourism.

Policy 5 Encourage greater incorporation of archeological resource protection through site identification and preservation into land use and comprehensive planning processes.

HD5.1 Evaluate and amend County regulations to strengthen the protection of archeological resources.

HD5.2 Conduct archeological surveys on properties in the process of being evaluated for historic sites or historic district status.

HD5.3 Promote the public understanding of the significance of archeological resources.

Policy 6 Protect the character of historic, cultural, and scenic viewsheds.

HD6.1 Utilize HARPP and other funding sources to protect key elements of historic viewsheds.

HD6.2 Utilize scenic easement tax credits to protect historic viewsheds and vistas.

HD6.3 Identify potential amendments to the County Code to protect the character of heritage corridors, significant viewsheds, and cultural landscapes, identified in the Historic Sites and Districts Plan and subsequent studies. Coordinate amendments with the update to the Zoning Ordinance.

CASE STUDY

Scenic vistas and viewsheds are an important component of the cultural heritage and historic qualities of our communities and some, such as the view from Mount Vernon or the Star-Spangled Banner Scenic Byway, have national significance. The protection of scenic vistas and viewsheds can range from the conservation of a large-scale cultural landscape covering 15,000 acres to a historic tobacco barn set along a 16-mile long heritage corridor.

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Conservation of these important components depends, in large part, on how new development relates to its landscape. Careful siting of development is essential to complement the surrounding landscape and minimize adverse impacts on neighboring homes, natural areas, and local vernacular character. Development and design standards are an effective way to protect a viewshed or cultural landscape because they can address issues such as the massing and siting of new structures, vegetation retention, lighting, signage, architectural materials, and landscaping.

COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

HD6.4 Implement the recommendations of the Croom and Aquasco Roads Scenic Byway Plan Elements: A Corridor Management Program for these roadways and other related Star-Spangled Banner historic roadways in Prince George’s County in coordination with state and federal partners.

HD6.5 Support the Croom and Aquasco Roads Scenic Byway Advisory Committee.

Arts and Culture

Policy 7 Promote cultural and arts awareness, exploration, and expression in Prince George’s County.

HD7.1 Increase awareness of our communities’ diverse heritage and cultural traditions by promoting cultural preservation programs and activities.

HD7.2 Partner with nonprofits, such as the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council, and for-profit arts, culture, music and educational organizations to foster opportunities for life-long cultural exploration for all residents.

HD7.3 Establish partnerships to develop appropriate performance spaces, exhibit areas, and venues.

HD7.4 Establish a brand for arts, culture, and historic preservation and heritage conservation to promote the County’s history, diversity, and cultural heritage and spur economic development and tourism.

HD7.5 During the master plan process, identify opportunities to support arts and culture in the County. Opportunities include incorporating public art and informal performing arts spaces in public parks and plazas, developing public-private partnerships, and celebrating cultural heritage through architecture and urban design.

Policy 8 Support the established Gateway Arts District, as well as future arts and cultural districts, to foster synergies among artists and arts-related business opportunities and promote the districts as destinations and economic generators in the County.

HD8.1 Continue to support local artists and arts organizations and attract new artists through incentives, such as affordable housing and work space.

HD8.2 Increase opportunities for artists to participate in the creative delivery of public services, the planning and design of capital improvements, and in the design and delivery of public information.

Urban Design

Policy 9 Use urban design to guide development, promote community health, protect our natural, historic, and cultural resources and quality of life, and enhance mobility.

HD9.1 Rewrite the Zoning Ordinance to include a set of modern, user-friendly urban design standards and guidelines that promote sustainability, allow for creativity and individuality, and respect context instead of creating unique development and transit district overlay zones through the master plan process.

HD9.2 Locate and promote opportunity sites for future public buildings, civic spaces, and urban parks during the master plan process.

HD9.3 Require new developments at all scales to be designed around an interconnected street network rather than limited access culs-de-sac.

HD9.4 Enhance the public realm by installing public amenities and art in central places and ensuring public buildings model high-quality urban design and architecture and multimodal access.

HD9.5 Evaluate the phasing strategies for large-scale developments to ensure that each phase of the project can meet established urban design goals and requirements for the project area, even if subsequent phases are delayed or not completed.

COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

HD9.6 Orient and relate building frontages, rather than parking, to the street.

HD9.7 Identify and prioritize areas for street tree installation.

HD9.8 Implement tree planting initiatives at County entry points and key gateways and along all major transportation corridors.

HD9.9 Implement urban design solutions to ensure appropriate transitions between higher intensity and density development and surrounding lower-density residential neighborhoods. Urban techniques include decreasing (stepping down) building heights, reducing development densities, and otherwise modifying architectural massing and form.

Related Policies and Strategies

See Policy 4 in the Transportation and Mobility Element for Complete Streets.

See Strategy 1.6 in the Transportation and Mobility Element for Improved Connections Within and Between Existing and New Developments.

See Policy 4 in the Public Facilities Element for Sustainable Design of Public Facilities.

See Policy 3 in the Natural Environment Element for Greening the Built Environment.

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Policy 10 Encourage crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principles in all developments.

HD10.1 Continue to coordinate with county, municipal, and other police agencies, as well as the Maryland-National Capital Park Police, during the preparation of master plans and the development review process.

HD10.2 Provide training for staff on CPTED principles.

CPTED stands for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, a proactive approach to preventing and discouraging crime through urban design. CPTED is based on the understanding that individuals are more likely to commit crimes in places where they cannot easily be observed; therefore, places much be designed so that criminals feel more at risk when committing a crime.

Policy 11 Research and apply urban design best practices during the master plan process and when evaluating development proposals.

HD11.1 Explore the use of LEED® for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) rating system, which provides comprehensive sustainable design strategies and metrics, to ensure that development projects meet the Plan 2035 Natural Environment goal.

HD11.2 Promote the use of the Planning Assistance to Municipalities and Communities Program as a tool to complete small-scale urban design analyses to address urban design challenges and opportunities.

HD11.3 Initiate urban design contests to explore innovative products, such as accessory units, eco-communities, co-housing, and modern multifamily units.

HD11.4 Expand the use of 3D modeling to visualize and evaluate urban design proposals during the master plan process, development review, and when siting public buildings.

HD11.5 Prepare streetscape analyses of roadways and the adjacent public realm, as appropriate, to identify implementation strategies, such as adding bike lanes, widening sidewalks, or planting street trees to support Complete Street recommendations.

Related Policies and Strategies

See Policies 3 and 4 in the Housing Element for Universal Design and Housing Types for Vulnerable Populations.

COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

Policy 12 Emphasize compact design strategies for new development and redevelopment in Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers.

HD12.1 Identify and address the barriers to the redevelopment of existing parking lots as development sites.

HD12.2 Include block size, building placement, and density requirements in the Zoning Ordinance that support walkable, mixed-use development in identified Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers.

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Policy 13 Preserve and enhance the County’s rural and agricultural character.

HD13.1 Initiate cultural landscape and land preservation efforts to support the character of rural and agriculture areas.

HD13.2 Amend applicable codes to implement context-sensitive design for roadways and residential and commercial development to preserve the County’s rural character.

HD13.3 Use conservation subdivisions or other site planning and landscape conservation tools when developing in Established Communities near Rural and Agricultural Areas to cluster development and preserve land for resource protection or open space.

HD13.4 Finalize the recommendations of the 2013 Conserving Significant Cultural Landscapes: Protecting the Piscataway and Accokeek Historic Communities and the Mount Vernon Viewshed study to conserve the cultural landscape of the rural communities of Piscataway and Accokeek.

Related Policies and Strategies

See Strategy 1.8 in the Transportation and Mobility Element for Coordinated Implementation of Transportation and Mobility Improvements to Preserve Rural Character.

See Strategy 9.4 in the Economic Prosperity Element for Agritourism.

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COMMUNITY HERITAGE, CULTURE, AND DESIGN

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SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Community Design Policy Paper, February 2013

2001 Approved Anacostia Trails Heritage Area Management Plan

2010 Approved Historic Sites and Districts Plan

2011 Illustrated Inventory of Historic Sites and Districts, Prince George’s County, Maryland

2012 African-American Historic and Cultural Resources in Prince George’s County, Maryland

2010 Prince George’s County Landscape Manual

2012 Rural Villages Study and Prince George’s Star-Spangled Banner Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

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80,000 Prince Georgians don't have health insurance

The County is ranked 16th (of 24) in terms of health in Maryland

The County's death rate from heart disease is 15% higher than the state average and 17% higher than the national average

There are 17 farmers markets in the County

71.4% of adults in the County are obese or overweight

64.1% of youth in the County are obese or overweight

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

2035 Healthy Communities Goal

Create safe, connected communities that promote active lifestyles and provide convenient access to healthy foods.

INTRODUCTION

With nearly three-fourths of the adult population in Prince George’s County considered overweight or obese, the obesity epidemic demands a public policy solution. Given that heart disease kills more people in the United States than any other cause, and the mounting costs of health care, creating healthier communities is essential to the quality of life and economic prosperity of Prince Georgians. The purpose of this chapter is to present, from a land use perspective, how the physical environment can be changed, and how communities can be built, to improve the health of County residents.

Prince George’s County, led by the County Health Department, is pursuing a number of steps to improve the health of Prince Georgians. The Prince George’s County Health Improvement Plan 2011 to 2014: Blueprint for a Healthier County (HIP) is one important step. The HIP, prepared by the Prince George’s County Health Department with input from a range of stakeholders, provides a framework for addressing the County’s most pressing health needs, as well as overarching concerns from the health community. In addition to identifying County health priorities and implementation strategies, the HIP also includes measurable targets over a ten-year time frame (through 2020).

The recently completed 2012 Urban Agriculture: A Tool for Creating Economic Development and Healthy Communities in Prince George’s County, MD Study is also helping to inform the County’s efforts to improve community health. The study examined ways in which agriculture in urban areas can improve access to healthy, affordable, and ethnically appropriate foods, as well as how it can strengthen the economic conditions of the County’s inner-Beltway communities.

Work Unhealthy communities constrain local economic development by increasing the amount of money individuals spend on health care. Poor health diminishes worker productivity and academic performance, reducing current and future economic output both in the County and the region as a whole.

Live Designing walkable communities and increasing access to recreation facilities, urban parks, and healthy food will improve the health and quality of life for Prince Georgians and help make Prince George’s County a county of choice in the Washington metropolitan region.

Sustain Creating multimodal, walkable communities—critical to improving public health—will also reduce the County’s greenhouse gas emissions and regional carbon footprint.

Did You Know? Healthy foods are typically defined as fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals, lean meats and poultry, and low-fat milk.

Did You Know? Integrating a mix of residential, commercial, and institutional uses—such as libraries, community centers, and schools—and investing in pedestrian and bicycle improvements can have a big impact on how we choose to travel. The 2009 National Household Survey by the Federal Highway Administration revealed that 35 percent of people walk to work if their job is within a mile of where they live, 40 percent choose to walk if shops are within a mile, and 46 percent will walk if a school or church is within one mile.

WHERE WE ARE TODAY

Access to Healthy Food

From a land use perspective, two factors are key predictors of public health conditions: access to healthy food and levels of daily physical activity. While there are a number of ways to define areas with poor access to healthy food, access to healthy food remains a problem in Prince George’s County. Using the traditional “food desert¹” measure, 10 percent of our census tracts—73 percent of which are located inside the Capital Beltway—struggle with this issue (Source: USDA, 2010). Expanding the measure to include vehicle availability—an important indicator of supermarket access in areas with limited transit service—increases this percentage to 18 percent.

There are many ways to define which areas have poor access to food. Most definitions take into account accessibility to sources of healthy food, as measured by distance to a store or by the number of stores in an area; individual-level resources that may affect accessibility, such as family income or vehicle availability; and neighborhood-level indicators of resources, such as the average income of the neighborhood and the availability of public transportation.

Our commitment to pursuing healthier diets is further constrained by the abundance of unhealthy food options in the County, such as fast food restaurants and convenience stores that carry foods high in fat, sodium, and sugar. 71 percent of all restaurants in the County are fast food restaurants, 11 percentage points higher than in the whole State of Maryland.

Development Pattern

The sprawling suburban development pattern in much of our county has limited our accessibility to, and restricted our options for, daily physical activity. It has separated our neighborhoods from each other and from employment and shopping centers, frequently making nonvehicular travel impractical and unsafe. It has deemphasized pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure (such as wide sidewalks and bike lanes) and driven our county to claim the highest pedestrian and bicycle fatality rate in Maryland.

Costs of Poor Health

The Integrated Benefits Institute found that poor health costs the United States economy $344 billion a year due to lost productivity and sick

days. Considering this figure and the magnitude of the obesity epidemic in the County, the economic burden on Prince George’s County is likely staggering.

Urban Agriculture

Urban agriculture is not new to Prince George’s County. People have been growing food in their back yards and community gardens in non-rural parts of the County for many years. What is new and exciting is the changing nature of urban agriculture in the County. Growing food is no longer simply the pursuit of a hobby or economic necessity. County residents are becoming more conscious about their health and its connection to what they eat. Community and school gardens are booming, and new organic urban farms are being established. People from all walks of life are learning how to grow fruits and vegetables, and a new generation of “urban farmers” is emerging.

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Formula 2040

Formula 2040 has underscored the importance of improving the health outcomes of its programs. The Department of Parks and Recreation’s master plan recommends conducting outreach to neighborhoods and community associations on health-related issues—for example, through neighborhood walking clubs and community health fairs—and promoting healthy eating as an essential component of healthy lifestyles through community gardens, farmers markets in County parks, and healthy food options in day camps and after school programs.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Challenges

Retrofitting Older Communities Many of the County’s neighborhoods, shopping centers, and employment areas built since the 1960s have been designed around the automobile at the expense of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. The County’s road network took decades to construct and retrofitting it to accommodate a range of users (pedestrians, bicyclists, the elderly, young, and disabled) will require long-term commitment and dedicated resources.

Healthcare Access Another issue confronting Prince George’s County is its number of uninsured citizens. According to the 2011-2014 Prince George’s County Health Improvement Plan, an

estimated 80,000 County residents are uninsured. This is more than twice the number in Howard County and one-third higher than that of Montgomery County. This strains the County’s public health system as the uninsured are more likely to rely on emergency room services when sick or injured, rather than on preventative medicine.

Did You Know? Most development applications at the subdivision, conceptual, and detailed design stage are referred to the Prince George’s County Health Department through the health impact assessment process to ensure the health impacts and implications of new development are identified and addressed.

Opportunities

Health Enterprise Zone

The Health Enterprise Zone (HEZ) initiative is an innovative four-year pilot program, jointly administered by the Community Health Resources Commission and Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, to reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic minority populations and among geographic areas, improve health care access and health in underserved communities, and reduce health care costs. Community coalitions in HEZ areas will receive a range of incentives, benefits, and grant funding. The Town of Capitol Heights was one of five areas selected during the first phase of the pilot program in 2013. The Prince George’s County Health Department’s proposal recommends creating 5 new patient-centered medical homes in the Capitol Heights HEZ to serve a minimum of 10,000 residents and adding a total of 25 new providers.

Agriculture

The benefits of the County’s agriculture sector extends beyond serving as an important source of fresh and healthy foods. The sector, in both traditional and nontraditional forms (such as urban farming), can also generate direct economic returns by creating new jobs and offering hands-on training (see the Economic Prosperity Element).

Public-Private Partnerships

Recent and ongoing initiatives, plans, and pilot programs create opportunities for new public-private and interagency partnerships and innovative approaches to community health and food access issues. Examples include the Prince George’s County Food Equity Council, Formula 2040, Port Town’s Wellness Opportunity Zone, and the HEZ.

The Wellness Opportunity Zone, as outlined in the 2009 Port Towns Sector Plan, promotes incentives that encourage innovative alignments to public, private, and government sectors for promoting community health.

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

Policy 1 Integrate community health into the master plan and development review processes.

HC1.1 Incorporate new, and update existing, community health elements as master and sector plans are developed and amended. Assess the impact the proposed development pattern has on community health and wellness and identify strategies to enhance access to healthy food and recreational opportunities, improve connectivity between communities and residential and commercial areas, and address gaps in pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. Coordinate with the Health Department, the Food Equity Council, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and local and regional nonprofits.

HC1.2 Reevaluate and enhance the existing Health Impact Assessment process to improve its effectiveness and consider whether revisions should be made to address specific health impacts, including indoor air quality and potential exposure to hazards, such as lead paint.

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Policy 2 Improve residents’ access to fresh foods, in particular for households living in low-income areas with limited transportation options, and promote sources of fresh foods countywide.

HC2.1 Evaluate and revise, as appropriate, the County Code to accommodate urban agriculture and ease restrictions on the production of locally-grown food.

HC2.2 Evaluate and revise, as appropriate, the County Code and incentive programs to reduce the prevalence of food swamps.

HC2.3 In partnership with local nonprofits and community groups, the County Health Department, and the Department of Parks and Recreation, identify suitable local infill, brownfield, and other sites that may be appropriate for urban agriculture activities, community gardens, and farmers’ markets during the master planning process.

HC2.4 Incentivize, through tax abatements or other mechanisms, full-service grocery stores in designated regional urban transit centers and food deserts.

HC2.5 Support the Prince George’s County Food Equity Council.

Related Policies and Strategies

See Policy 9 in the Economic Prosperity Element for Support to Farmers.

Policy 3 Educate and build awareness of health and wellness initiatives that prevent and control chronic disease.

HC3.1 Develop online tools and GIS mapping to inform the general public of food swamps and food deserts. Annually update mapping and data collection.

HC3.2 Assist the Health Department with education efforts as outlined in the ongoing 2011-2014 Prince George’s County Health Improvement Plan.

Did You Know? Prince George’s County created a new food equity council in 2013. The mission of the council is to significantly improve public health and the well-being of all who live, work, study, worship, and recreate in the County. The council will develop and support policies, practices, and initiatives to create systemic change to the County’s food system, which will promote health, economic opportunity, and food security.

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

HC3.3 Build on existing state and local programs and collaborate with the Department of Parks and Recreation, the Board of Education, municipal partners, and others to educate residents of all ages and businesses on healthy lifestyles.

Policy 4 Improve access to health services and programs.

HC4.1 Work with the Department of Health, the Maryland State Community Health Resources Commission, and Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to evaluate, leverage, and replicate the achievements of the HEZs in the County.

Related Policies and Strategies

See Strategy 1.1 in the Public Facilities Element for Collocation of Public Facilities.

See Strategy 3.1 in the Public Facilities Element for Access to Public Facilities.

Did You Know? The 2013 Approved Greenbelt and MD 193 Corridor Sector Plan recommends the creation of a Medical Mile—a network of trails, mini parks and open spaces, recreation and workout amenities, educational signage, and contemplation spaces to enhance the mental health and physical fitness of the surrounding community and area employees. In addition, the sector plan envisions that the Medical Mile will help forge stronger partnerships between the nearby Doctors Community Hospital, established medical and healthcare practices, the City of Greenbelt, and local residents and businesses.

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CASE STUDY

ECO City Farms is an urban farm in Edmonston that is working to enhance food security, safety, and access and improve nutrition and health in Prince George’s County. The nonprofit has converted land—leased for a nominal price for 15 years from the Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation—into a highly productive farming enterprise that produces Certified Naturally Grown vegetables and fruits. ECO City Farms provides hands-on training, including an urban agriculture certificate program through the Prince George’s Community College. It sells produce directly through the Riverdale Farmers Market and through its farm share/community supported agriculture (CSA) program. With funding from a USDA Community Food Project grant, ECO City Farms is creating another farm and composting operation in Bladensburg, which will be a national model for a residential farm in a low-income apartment complex.

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HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

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SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Community Health and Food Access Policy Paper, November 15, 2012

2009 Port Towns Sector Plan and Sectional Map Amendment

2011-2014 Prince George’s County Health Improvement Plan

2011 Safe Routes to School¹ National Program

2013 Community Health and Food Access Policy Paper, Plan Prince George’s 2035

2013 Transportation/Land Use Connection Program, MWCOG

Formula 2040: Functional Master Plan for Parks, Recreation and Open Space

PUBLIC FACILITIES

Recreational facilities countywide:

27,000 acres of park land 148 neighborhood parks 90 miles of hiking and biking trails 295 athletic fields

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of public facilities:

19 libraries 54 Fire and EMS stations 126 elementary schools 24 middle schools 27 high schools 7 police facilities 43 staffed community centers 27 unstaffed recreation buildings

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The County's recycling rate is 49%, with a goal of 60% by 2020

PUBLIC FACILITIES

2035 Public Facilities Goal

Enhance the quality of life and economic competitiveness of Prince George’s County through the efficient, equitable, and strategic siting of education, public safety, water and sewer, solid waste, and parks and recreation facilities.

INTRODUCTION

Plan 2035 addresses the provision of public facilities—fire and rescue, police, schools, parks and recreation, water and sewer, solid waste, and libraries—needed to serve existing and future county residents and businesses. The effectiveness, sustainability, design, and location of these facilities are essential components of the County’s quality of life, economic competitiveness, and environmental health.

A range of public and quasi-public agencies and jurisdictions are involved in planning for, financing, managing and operating, and siting these facilities (see Table 22). Effective coordination of these stakeholders’ complex and, at times, conflicting priorities and approaches is critical to maximizing the impact and the return on the County’s investments in its public facilities.

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Work By nurturing an educated workforce, ensuring a safe environment, and providing a range of services, public facilities can strengthen the economic competitiveness of the County and enhance its appeal to future businesses and employees.

Live Public facilities are critical to maintaining a high quality of life for residents and creating opportunities for personal enrichment, professional development, and healthy living.

Sustain The location and design of public facilities have important implications for the fiscal health of the County and the vitality of our environment by promoting the efficient use of public resources and preserving our natural assets.

Did You Know? The City of Greenbelt, the City of Laurel, the City of District Heights, and Election Districts 4 and 8 (Baden and Aquasco) are not within the Metropolitan District—the County's park and recreation taxing district—and, therefore, fund and coordinate their own park and recreation services.

Table 22. Public Facility Providers

Source: M-NCPPC, 2014

The County's 27 municipalities play an important role in maintaining a high quality of life for Prince Georgians. Contingent upon their charters, they provide a range of services to their residents, such as police, code enforcement, parks and recreation, public works, social services, solid waste and recycling, and planning and economic development.

WHERE WE ARE TODAY

Several initiatives have assessed the conditions of existing public facilities and the demand for new public facilities in the County.

PUBLIC FACILITIES

Schools, Libraries, and Fire and EMS

Prince George’s County is served by a growing educational system and network of professional and volunteer-run fire and emergency medical service (EMS) stations. The 2013 Public Facilities Needs Assessment (PFNA) concluded that forecasted population growth will require the construction of two new public libraries, four new fire and EMS stations, and nine new public schools by 2035 (see Table 23).

Table 23. New Public Facilities Needed in 2035

Source: Public Facilities Needs Assessment Study, May 2013

Assumes public facilities budgeted in the FY 2012-2017 CIP will be constructed and operating by 2035

As public facilities age, renovations to existing facilities and the construction of replacement facilities will be critical to addressing facility deficiencies through 2035.

Police

A strong, responsive, and strategically located public safety network is vital to maintaining a high quality of life and attractive business environment in Prince George’s County. The County’s public safety needs were evaluated by the 2008 Approved Public Safety Facilities Master Plan (PSFMP) and subsequently reaffirmed by the PFNA. The PSFMP made recommendations for the construction, relocation, and consolidation of public safety facilities needed to serve the County through 2021 and beyond (see Table 23). It calls for the number of County patrol districts to be increased from six to eight.

School Renovations The approximate budget required to address the 2012 backlog of repair and renovations to school buildings is approximately $2.13 billion. The continuing aging of facilities and their systems will add approximately $715 million to the level of funding needed over the next ten years.

Health is more than access to fresh food. Health depends on being active-walking and riding bicycles. Check out the Transportation and Mobility Element and Community Heritage, Culture, and Design Element to see health related policies and strategies.

The PSFMP recommendations were based on service needs, growth patterns, operational factors, and changes resulting from security concerns.

Table 24. Planned and Programmed Police Facilities

Source: 2008 Approved Public Safety Facilities Master Plan

The Police Department further recommends the relocation and new construction of its Administrative Police Headquarters, currently located at Barlowe Road in Landover, and a combined public safety training facility to serve both county and municipal police departments.

As police district stations and other police facilities age, renovations and the construction of replacement facilities will be necessary to address facility deficiencies.

Parks, Recreation, and Open Space

Prince George’s County is distinguished by an award-wining parks and recreation system—boasting over 27,000 acres of land, 148 neighborhood parks, 90 miles of hiking/biking trails, and 295 athletic fields. By 2040, it is anticipated that the County will be largely developed, with limited opportunities to acquire major tracts of land for conservation, facilities, and/or maintenance yards. This finding prompted the preparation of Formula 2040, the County’s new master plan for parks and recreation, to strategically address future needs, improve the economic sustainability and fiscal benefits of its services, and enhance the health and wellness of Prince Georgians. Key recommendations of Formula 2040 include evaluating existing centers and facilities for reinvestment and repositioning and shifting its service delivery model to multigenerational centers with aquatics components.

Water and Sewer

Water and sewer management secures adequate water supplies and healthy drinking water, promotes public health, and protects our natural resources. It is also an important tool to guiding and phasing development and curtailing further sprawl in the County.

PUBLIC FACILITIES

The provision of public water and sewer service is limited to the County’s designated sewer envelope. The purpose of the sewer envelope is to promote the efficient use of public infrastructure investment, concentrate growth in communities where services are sufficient to accommodate development, and preserve the County’s rural and environmentally sensitive land.

The County uses four water and sewer categories to guide water and sewer expansion:

Category 3. Community System This category comprises all developed land (platted or built) on public water and sewer, and undeveloped land with a valid preliminary plan approved for public water and sewer.

Category 4. Community System Adequate for Development Planning This category includes all properties inside the sewer envelope for which the subdivision process is required.

Category 5. Future Community Service This category consists of land inside the sewer envelope that should not be developed until water and sewer lines are available to serve the proposed development.

Category 6. Individual Systems This category consists of all areas outside the limit of planned water and sewer service (sewer envelope), and of certain larger tracts of parkland and open space inside the sewer envelope. Development in Category 6 must use permanent individual water supply and wastewater disposal systems (i.e., well and septic systems) or shared facilities and smaller community systems as approved by the County.

Did You Know? The City of Bowie is responsible for the collection and treatment of raw sewage within its service area. The city's water plant serves approximately half of the residents of Bowie. With a few limited exceptions, this system does not expand into newly developing areas. The system was constructed by the Levitt Corporation in the early 1960s.

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Did You Know? The County does not provide refuse collection service to commercial or industrial establishments, apartments, or other non-county institutional uses.

County municipalities provide refuse collection services to all single-family homes within their boundaries and, in limited instances, extend service to apartments and small businesses.

Collectively they service approximately 50,000 households.

Recycling Activities Various waste recycling initiatives exist in the County including: • Prince George’s County Yard Waste Composting Facility (Western Branch) • Proper Disposal of compact fluorescent light bulbs • Prescription drugs/medications • Electronics Recycling Acceptance Site • Household Hazardous Waste Acceptance Site

Solid Waste Management

Solid waste management is the collection, transport, disposal, and/or recycling of solid waste (as opposed to sewage) and one of the most basic services a government can provide. The Waste Management Division (WMD) of the Department of the Environment is responsible for refuse collection for nearly 158,000 households and provides recycling pick up and single-stream recycling at the Prince George’s County Materials Recycling Facility in Capitol Heights.

In 2011, the WMD estimated that the County generated 1,239,812 tons of waste, of which 49 percent was recycled. In 2012, House Bill 929 put forth a voluntary statewide recycling goal of 55 percent by 2020 and a voluntary statewide waste division goal of 60 percent by the same year.

The WMD is shifting from disposing of waste within the County at the Brown Station Sanitary Landfill in Upper Marlboro to constructing a solid waste transfer station from which waste can be transported to other jurisdictions. Concurrent with this effort, the County has committed to minimizing waste generation, encouraging source reduction, and increasing county recycling rates.

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CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Challenges

Aging Infrastructure

Aging school facilities will require maintenance and system upgrades. This can create opportunities for colocation with complementary facilities, such as libraries and community centers, as well opportunities for energy efficiency improvements leading to cost savings and new synergies.

Fiscal Constraints

Growing fiscal constraints will threaten public programming and services. This trend can prompt the consideration of alternative funding mechanisms, public-private partnerships, more effective prioritization of public resources, and closer collaboration with County agencies.

The mounting cost of providing and maintaining water and sewer service will increasingly burden the County’s budget. This trend can promote innovative recycling, reuse, and reduction strategies and underscores the importance of curbing the County’s sprawling development pattern.

Opportunities

Neighborhood Revitalization

Development will prompt the construction and/or renovation of facilities. These facilities can help revitalize neighborhoods and catalyze economic development and job creation. Thoughtful design, coupled with coordinated planning of related transportation investments, can ensure facilities are accessible to a range of users, including our youth, elderly, and the disabled.

Did You Know? Population growth, changes in consumer preferences, demographic shifts, innovations in technology and construction, and budgetary constraints pose challenges and create new opportunities for the County’s public facilities.

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POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

Policy 1 Ensure public facilities provide efficient and equitable service to existing and future County residents and businesses.

PF1.1 Encourage colocation of compatible and complementary public facilities, such as libraries and community health centers, and services where colocation improves service delivery and optimizes intergenerational and intercultural use.

PF1.2 Encourage shared use of public facilities, such as school grounds for recreational use and as green spaces, community gardens, and playgrounds, particularly in neighborhoods with limited access to public open spaces.

PF1.3 Evaluate and update facility standards on a regular basis to account for changes in state and national guidelines and best practices, technology, and the operating technique of public agencies.

PF1.4 Revise the methodology that calculates the surcharge fees for schools and public safety. Items to be evaluated are charging fees by unit type, identifying a schedule to review school construction costs, and standardized methodology for pupil yield.

PF1.5 Update surcharges and impact fees on a regular basis to account for changes in construction techniques and in state funding contributions.

PF1.6 Fund maintenance and renovation of existing facilities to address anticipated deficiencies through 2035.

PF1.7 County agencies responsible for public facilities should coordinate closely with the Office of Management and Budget and M-NPPC to forecast the demand for, and assess the location of, future public facilities.

PF1.8 Obtain dedication and/or reservation of land for planned public facilities through the development review process.

PUBLIC FACILITIES

PF1.9 Consider alternative forms of developer contributions and financing techniques including, but not limited to, developer agreements and special assessment districts.

PF1.10 Fund systemic renovations and retrofits to maintain and expand the capacity of public water supply and sewer systems.

PF1.11 Support and fund treatment facilities to ensure compliance with the Watershed Implementation Plan to reduce pollution to the Chesapeake Bay and county waterways.

PF1.12 Construct dry wells in the rural and agricultural areas and other areas outside the sewer envelope for fire suppression.

PF1.13 Identify alternative funding sources to maintain affordability of water and sewer infrastructure in underserved and unserved areas inside the sewer envelope.

Policy 2 Invest in public facilities to catalyze economic development and revitalization, stimulate employment growth, and strengthen neighborhoods.

PF2.1 Utilize public facilities, such as urban parks and libraries, as development anchors.

PF2.2 Consider the acquisition and reuse of existing vacant or underutilized malls and shopping centers for public facilities, such as police substations, libraries, community centers, and schools.

PF2.3 Develop partnerships between high schools; institutions of higher learning, such as Prince George’s Community College; local businesses; and government agencies to provide training and ongoing support to prospective entrepreneurs and existing businesses, and attract new businesses to the Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers.

Policy 3 Provide and maintain multimodal access to existing public facilities.

PF3.1 Coordinate the County complete streets policy (see Transportation Element) with school route analysis, planning,

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and implementation by the Prince George’s County Planning Department, the Board of Education, Department of Public Works and Transportation, and municipalities.

PF3.2 Incorporate Safe Routes to Schools principles when building and renovating school facilities, school sites, and associated infrastructure.

PF3.3 Design and construct master plan park trails to accommodate all user groups (pedestrians, bicyclists, equestrians, mountain bikers, and disabled users) to the extent feasible and practical.

Policy 4 Locate new facilities in transit-serviceable locations to promote public safety and wellness and maximize facility use by all Prince Georgians, in particular its youth, seniors, and vulnerable populations.

PF4.1 Coordinate public facilities investments with planned transportation improvements.

Policy 5 Require the use of sustainable development practices in the construction, renovation, and expansion of public facilities to reduce operational and maintenance costs, environmental impacts, and enhance occupant health and productivity.

PF5.1 Require public buildings to be constructed to LEED® Gold or equivalent standards.

PF5.2 Monitor the use of, and report on, sustainable practices in public facilities in order to document environment, health, and safety benefits, as well as cost-effectiveness.

Safe Routes to School

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a federal initiative that empowers communities to make walking and bicycling to school a safe and routine activity. By funding projects, such as new sidewalks, crossing improvements, and bicycle parking, and programs that encourage children and their parents to walk and bicycle safely to school, SRTS boosts physical activity, improves community health, and helps to reduce congestion and air pollution caused by school-related traffic.

CASE STUDY

Vansville Elementary School was the first LEED® Silver certified public school in the County. It is collocated with the Vansville Community Center, the County’s first LEED® certified community center. The facility incorporated the latest environmental design and construction methods. It relies on a geothermal collection system buried under the parking lot for heating and cooling and features waterless urinals, dual-flush toilets and low-flow faucets. Vansville Elementary School was quickly followed by two new LEED® Gold institutions—the Barack Obama Elementary School and the Greenbelt Middle School.

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PUBLIC FACILITIES

Policy 8 Reinforce the recommendations of Plan 2035 in the County’s new water and sewer plan by designating water and sewer categories that support the County’s growth management goals.

PF8.1 Through the annual water and sewer amendment process, review the areas identified as Future Water and Sewer Service Areas on the Growth Policy Map to determine if water and sewer designations should revert to S5. Criteria for reverting water and sewer categories shall be developed in conjunction with the Prince George’s County Planning Department, the Department of Natural Resources, and WSSC, and will also be included in the County’s water and sewer plan.

PF8.2 Ensure and maintain the integrity of the sewer envelope by annually reviewing the water and sewer amendments for conformity with Plan 2035 and not expanding the water and sewer service area boundary to the rural and agricultural areas.

Policy 9 Protect and enhance the environmental quality of the County through sound water and sewer planning.

PF9.1 Promote innovative conservation approaches to reduce water consumption, reuse reclaimed water, and recycle treated waste water.

Did You Know? Reclaimed water is typically household or commercial wastewater that does not contain contaminants. It can serve as a valuable source of irrigation water for lawns and gardens and may be able to be reused to flush toilets. By reusing gray water, households save water and money on their water bills and reduce outflows to their septic systems. Gray water reuse similarly benefits already overburdened sewage treatment facilities.

PF9.2 Prevent contamination of waters from existing privately-owned water and sewer systems by encouraging their conversion to “best available technology” systems. Develop a program to assist qualifying County residents in applying for funding to upgrade their septic systems.

PUBLIC FACILITIES

Policy 10 Construct new facilities using innovative multilevel, collocated, multiple-use models for urban public facilities in the Regional Transit Districts.

PF10.1 Reevaluate land requirements for site acquisition and explore alternative and innovative development models for new facilities in order to improve their accessibility, enhance their integration with surrounding communities, and reflect changes in technology.

PF10.2 Develop urban prototypes for elementary, middle, and high schools and establish a standard minimum site size for new construction, rehabilitation, and the adaptive reuse of structures for school use within urban settings.

Policy 11 Focus new public infrastructure in the Regional Transit Districts and local centers, while maintaining existing infrastructure countywide to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of County residents.

PF11.1 Review Adequate Public Facility standards and surcharge fees to encourage development in local centers and Regional Transit Districts.

PF11.2 Review and prioritize Capital Improvement Program requests to ensure consistency with the policies of Plan 2035.

Policy 12 Increase the residential and commercial recycling rate and reduce the amount of solid waste that goes to County landfills.

PF12.1 Evaluate the Zoning Ordinance to remove impediments to the establishment of innovative recycling/recovery industries in industrial zones.

PF12.2 Implement Pay-As-You-Throw, a pricing system where residents pay by the pound to dispose of household garbage. The goal is to encourage recycling and composting to extend the life of landfills.

PF12.3 Establish composting pilot projects to reduce the amount of solid waste generated by organic materials, such as food scraps.

PF12.4 Examine existing, or create new, guidelines and regulations, as warranted, regarding the type, size, and location of composting facilities, backyard composting, and curb-side yard and waste collection.

PF12.5 Implement key recommendations from the Comprehensive Ten-Year Solid Waste Management Plan, including the construction of key facilities, evaluating rate structures and financing through the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund, expanding the types of recycling, and increasing private sector recycling and source reduction.

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PUBLIC FACILITIES

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

2008 Approved Public Safety Facilities Master Plan

2008 Water and Sewer Plan

2010 Water Resources Element Functional Master Plan

Public Facilities Needs Assessment Study, May 2013

2012 Prince George’s County Watershed Implementation Plan

2013 Formula 2040: Preliminary Functional Master Plan for Parks, Recreation, and Open Space

Comprehensive Ten-Year Solid Waste Management Plan

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