The Prince George’s County Planning Department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission has begun a three-year effort to rewrite and update Prince George’s County’s Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations, thereby transforming the current zoning code to a more user-friendly, 21st century document.

Updating the current code is critical to enabling the County to carry out the vision laid out in the updated General Plan, “Plan Prince George’s 2035”. A modernized zoning ordinance will make regulations easier to understand and more user-friendly, support the type of quality development the county desires, and encourage economic growth.  A fresh look at the current Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations is long overdue. Neither the ordinance nor the regulations have been updated in over 50 years. During that half -century, though, both have been amended numerous times in order to address specific and pressing planning and development needs and issues. These piecemeal amendments have resulted in an unwieldy 1,000 page document that is often described as confusing, inconsistent, difficult to use and which, in some instances, has presented a road block to the type of economic development that the County desires – development supporting economic growth and improved quality of life for County residents.

We invite you to join in this important project that will directly affect the future of Prince George’s County. Over the next three years, the Prince George’s County Planning department will work with citizens, residents, businesses, property owners, special interest groups and all other stakeholders to rewrite and reorganize the county’s zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations.

Help us to create a 21st century zoning ordinance by getting involved today! Tour this web site and learn the basics through our tutorial, “Zoning 101”. Provide comments and feedback on the current zoning ordinance. Review our draft work program. Sign up to receive emails on our progress. And, register to attend and share your thoughts at one of three public listening sessions scheduled to take place this January.

We look forward to hearing from and working with you on this most important project. Thank you for helping build a great future for Prince George’s County!!

Sincerely,
Elizabeth M. Hewlett, Chairman