Prince George’s County Council Vice Chair Wala Blegay, Esq. (District 6), during session on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, presented Council Bill CB-052-2023, an Ordinance to temporarily suspend the development of townhouse and townhouse-related residential uses outside of areas designated for medium to high-density development in the County's approved General Plan and comprehensive plans. The temporary limitation would begin on July 1, 2023 and continue until July 1, 2025. 

The proposed legislation would require the County to meet its goals to follow the approved General Plan - Plan Prince George’s 2035, and the County’s Climate Action Plan, both of which encourage smart growth such as development of townhomes near transit-oriented and local areas centers where the County has the necessary public infrastructure in place. 

Since the adoption of Plan Prince George’s 2035 in 2014, the Council has amended the Zoning Ordinance via 23 zoning legislative amendments and an amendment to the County Subdivision Regulations to permit townhouse and townhouse-related development not otherwise permitted by law. These amendments have resulted in the County falling short of the Plan’s targets for development in Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers.

Council Vice Chair Blegay commented on the overabundance of townhome development in Prince George’s County and noted that townhome developments in less dense communities without transit and expansion of County roads, will only cause traffic and other adverse infrastructure issues, stretching County resources.

“We have an oversaturation of townhome developments in Prince George’s County. This legislation will address our infrastructure issue and is one step toward decreasing the sprawl in our community,” stated Vice Chair Wala Blegay, adding, “It is time for us to meet our smart growth goals and put townhomes in the right place: transit-oriented and local area centers. We are currently witnessing hundreds of townhome developments in areas where there is no expansion of roads, transit, or commercial development.”

This bill has been referred to the Planning Housing and Economic Development Committee (PHED) for legislative review.  If approved, CB-052-2023 will take effect forty-five 45 calendar days after its enactment. 

Learn more about the Prince George’s Council People’s Agenda.

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