In March, the Prince George’s County Council acted on zoning legislation that will influence the County’s development trajectory for years to come.
The County Council’s proposed 280-page omnibus bill—otherwise known as a zoning corrections bill—was held in Committee and delayed beyond the April 1, 2024 deadline for allowing certain projects to be developed under the prior zoning ordinance. In response, the County Council passed temporary resolutions CR-22-2024 and CR-25-2024 to extend the ability to develop under the County’s prior zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations for an additional two years, until April 1, 2026. Council bills are expected to follow in order to codify the extensions.
The County Council will likely continue deliberations on the omnibus bill to better align the County’s new zoning ordinance with its original purpose: to replace the prior ordinance with a modern zoning ordinance that is user friendly and promotes growth in the County’s priority areas. We anticipate deliberations on the omnibus bill to continue into summer 2024. In the interim, it appears that applicants are now able to file development applications under both the prior and new codes until April 1, 2026.
How We Got Here: The Proposed Omnibus Legislation
The County Council originally introduced the omnibus bill in July 2023 as CB-73-2023, embodying the first substantial update to the County’s new zoning ordinance.
This legislation, spanning roughly 250 pages, was designed to refine certain procedures and clarify ambiguities. In addition, the first version of the omnibus bill addressed various deficiencies in the County’s new zoning ordinance, including an attempt to significantly increase allowable density in the County’s new transit-oriented and activity base zones.
The prior version of the omnibus bill ultimately encountered a varying degree of support across the factions in the Council during the 2023 legislative session. The Council ultimately held the 2023 iteration indefinitely in committee, permitting the Council to continue working with the Planning Department’s Staff on a revised version that would be introduced in 2024.
