ARSP Frequently Asked Questions
On this Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page for the Adelphi Road-UMGC-UMD Purple Line Station Area Sector Plan, you will find answers to frequently asked questions during our engagement and outreach sessions with community members throughout the plan area. The questions have been divided into categories based on the eight elements of Plan Prince George’s 2035.
Please click on each tab to see the questions and responses. If you have any additional questions or comments for the project team, please get in touch with us directly at ARSP@ppd.mncppc.org or sign up to meet with the planning team during our Virtual Office Hours. We want to hear from you!
Transportation infrastructure, traffic, congestion, bike/ped access, safety, and parking.
How does a sector plan address traffic generated by proposed growth?
Whenever the Planning Department conducts a master or sector plan, traffic impacts are assessed by modeling the anticipated trip generation for the area based upon the planned future land use and densities. Traffic forecasting will also account for the potential modal split based upon demographic forecasts, strategies to encourage transit, pedestrian, and bicycle usage, and other policies to reduce overall motor vehicle use. That data will be shared along with the sector plan draft in Fall 2021.
Plan 2035 recommends a traffic level of service (LOS) E that is appropriate for an urban community with a large population and many intersections.
As part of the preliminary plan of subdivision process for all development projects, if the anticipated number of motor vehicle trips associated with the project exceed the capacity of the surrounding roadways and intersections, the property developer will be required to build new or enhanced transportation facilities to meet that need. Additionally, as part of this plan, new developments will be required to build sidewalks, bicycle facilities, and transit facilities to support multimodal transportation to help reduce traffic congestion, instead of simply accommodating it with new infrastructure.
How does a sector plan address traffic generated by proposed growth?
The plan will recommend residential parking permit programs and increased enforcement to prevent rail passenger parking in surrounding neighborhoods. The plan will also discourage free, off-street, public parking, except as necessary to support retail businesses or visitors to residential buildings, within the sector plan area.
How do you assess traffic during COVID given the increase in teleworking?
As part of the existing conditions analysis for this sector plan, traffic counts were collected at key intersections throughout the sector plan area during October 2020. The traffic counts showed that the intersections within the sector plan area performed adequately. Even after increasing the counts by 25 percent, exceeding the 16.2 percent reduction found by the Maryland State Highway Administration in its statewide weekly traffic count data for 2019 and 2020, the intersections still had an adequate level of service.
Many of the roadway transportation recommendations will be informed by the use of the County’s travel forecast model. This model will help estimate traffic in the sector plan area in the year 2045 and consider the land use and policy recommendations of this plan, as well as overall growth and transportation projects in the region. The model’s base year of 2018 does not account for traffic reductions in 2020. Since the pandemic has shown that many jobs can be done remotely, work hours can be shifted, walking and bicycling are valid modes of transportation, and delivery may be more effective for some services, it is unlikely that travel trends will return to the same patterns from 2019. The use of the travel forecast model or adjusting traffic data to meet 2019 levels may actually overestimate the amount of traffic that will occur.
How is this plan related to the Cool Spring Road, Adelphi Road, Pedestrian, and Bicycle Access Improvement project by DPW&T?
The Cool Spring Road, Adelphi Road Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Improvement Study is being conducted by the Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T), whereas the Adelphi Road-UMGC/UMD Purple Line Station Area Sector Plan and Sectional Map Amendment is being conducted by the Prince George’s County Planning Department. These projects also differ in terms of geographies and focus. (Please visit the sector plan webpage to view the plan boundary.)
A sector plan identifies a long-range vision for the area along with implementable policies, strategies, and zoning changes to achieve that vision. Sector plans are developed in collaboration with partner agencies, like DPW&T, to help implement that vision. Accordingly, the planning team will incorporate all relevant DPW&T recommendations from the Cool Spring Road, Adelphi Road Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Improvement Study into this sector plan and within the transportation and mobility element. This element includes identification of pedestrian and bicycle access improvement needs within the sector plan area and relevant recommendations to address them.
Where can I find more information on the status of the Purple Line construction?
For more information on the Purple Line, please visit https://www.purplelinemd.com
Parks And Trails
The maps show a path from Windsor Lane (community to the south Guildford Woods) to the development. Is that going to be a formal path or just the trail it is now?
The sector plan is currently under development and the planning team is evaluating a variety of access path options to ensure that current and future residents of surrounding neighborhoods will be able to access amenities, open spaces, and the Purple Line station. Based upon that assessment, the planning team will make preliminary recommendations for future paths and trails for the sector plan area in the draft plan that will be shared with public for comments and review in Fall 2021.
Land Use
How does a sector plan address the impact of new development on adjacent existing neighborhoods?
The planning team studies and gets to know the plan area and its surrounding context and evaluates how to integrate new and existing communities and ensure new development has a minimal negative impact on surrounding existing communities—this includes recommending adequate public facilities and infrastructure to support future growth. This sector plan will also recommend encouraging alternatives to driving, smart environmental stewardship and green building practices; buffers along the fringes to minimize visual impacts from new development on established communities; and improved connectivity and accessibility current and future residents will demand. The 2018 Zoning Ordinance includes standards to ensure appropriate transitions between existing and new neighborhoods.
Natural Environment
What is the Woodland and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Ordinance (WCO)?
The Woodland and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Ordinance (WCO) reflects the County’s policy to conserve and protect trees, woodlands and wildlife habitat. All new developments are subject to the WCO (pursuant to Subtitle 25, Division 2 of the zoning ordinance) that requires retention or replanting of woodlands during the development process based on the woodland conservation threshold. The woodland conservation threshold is based on zoning, the amount of existing woodland on-site, and the amount of clearing proposed.
Why do the sector plan scenarios presented by the project team anticipate removal of so much tree canopy?
Scenario planning is a tool that helps planners evaluate future growth alternatives; these growth scenarios are not proposals but illustrative concepts, and they do not imply future development would and/or should exactly replicate them. This tool allows planners to test different concepts for growth and evaluate their potential impacts. Scenarios are built on a set of assumptions; as part of the existing conditions analysis for this sector plan, approved development plans and their accompanying Tree Conservation Plans (TCP) must be acknowledged as a baseline condition and incorporated into the planning process. The property at 7500 Mowatt Lane (Mosaic at Turtle Creek project) owned by the University of Maryland has been approved for development since 2008 with an associated TCP as per the zoning requirements. This approved TCP II (TCPII-054-08) identifies more than three acres of Woodland Conservation provided by the applicant (with 1.81 acres of on-site woodland preservation and 1.40 acres of credits for off-site mitigation).
The sector plan will recommend continued preservation of all environmentally regulated natural areas. Key considerations for this sector plan include 1) mitigation of the environmental impacts of future development through sustainable development strategies, and 2) balancing preservation of natural resources with market demand for a transit-oriented, amenity-rich neighborhood that promotes sustainability through smart growth, walkability, and accessibility.
How would Guilford Run be preserved through this plan?
The natural areas along the Guilford Run stream are environmentally regulated areas and will be recommended for preservation in this sector plan (both within and outside the sector plan area). The sector plan will also consider preservation for additional environmentally sensitive areas and those that present challenges for development; connecting existing natural areas or parks to create a continuous network of natural habitats; and identifying preservation areas that can double as a natural area and buffer between the sector plan area and adjacent single-family neighborhoods.
Permanent preservation of an area is accomplished through fee simple acquisition by the County or through the review of a development proposal and the applicable county regulatory ordinances.
Do you anticipate flooding problems with large areas of impervious paving from the future development in the sector plan area? Are you thinking of recommending green infrastructure and green building standards for the future development for this sector plan area?
Any increase in impervious surfaces could lead to stormwater impacts. The limits on the impervious surface area (or lot coverage allowed) are based on the zoning categories and zoning code requirements. In addition, all development and redevelopment will be subject to the County’s Stormwater Management requirements within Subtitle 32 of the County Code. The planning team will assess the amount of impervious surface the potential development could lead to and recommend appropriate recommendations to mitigate impacts caused by stormwater. Strategies will be identified to incorporate green infrastructure for stormwater management, encouraging onsite control/management of stormwater, and low-impact development and green building standards to mitigate negative impacts on the environment.
Housing And Affordability
What are projected price ranges for the housing options proposed for the sector plan area? How do you propose to address the housing needs of the University of Maryland graduate student population, which is already underserved?
The sector plan cannot recommend specific price points for housing, but it can recommend housing options that would span a range of price points for the University community including different housing sizes and configurations to meet the needs of graduate students.
Public Facilities
What is the plan for addressing school infrastructure needs in the sector plan area?
When the Planning Department conducts a sector plan, the County’s Pupil Yield Factors & Public School Clusters, 2020 Update is used to determine the number of school children anticipated from planned residential development. These factors are updated periodically and will change between the time the plan is approved and when development ultimately occurs. The factors do not currently account for multifamily housing for students and university employees within walking distance of their jobs and classes, so any pupil yield estimates are likely to exceed actual yield. It is always better to plan for more impact rather than less impact.
The planning team works closely with Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) to identify how best to accommodate increases in planned enrollment, including the construction of new facilities, changes in school boundaries, and measuring planned increases versus generational ebbs and flows of enrollments, and the sector plan will ultimately reflect that partnership.
For more information about school planning, please visit the PGCPS website.
What are the projections for student population increases at the University of Maryland, College Park in the next 15-25 years?
The Maryland Higher Education Commission projects overall enrollment at the University of Maryland, College Park to be approximately 43,995 students in the Fall of 2029 (projected increase of 8 percent, 2019-2029).
(Source: 2020 – 2029 Enrollment Projections Maryland Public Colleges and Universities, Maryland Higher Education Commission)
Plan 2035
Why is Plan Prince George’s 2035 (Plan 2035) important to the Adelphi Road-UMGC/UMD Station Area?
When the Prince George’s County Council approved Plan 2035 in 2014, it established where the County’s growth and preservation should occur over the next 20 years. Plan 2035 directed most new growth in Prince George’s County into designated centers. The half-mile radius surrounding the Adelphi Road-University of Maryland, Global Campus (UMGC)/University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) Purple Line station was designated as one of the Local Centers, identified as the UMD West Campus Center, and characterized by transit-oriented, mixed-use development. This new sector plan will provide detailed policies and strategies to implement the broader vision and policies of Plan 2035 within the Campus Center.
What is a Campus Center? Why is the Adelphi Road-UMGC/UMD Purple Line Station Area a Campus Center?
A Campus Center – one of four types of Local Centers designated in Plan 2035 – is a “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.” A Campus Center will generally have lower densities than communities surrounding major Metro stations. The Adelphi Road-UMGC/UMD Purple Line Station Area is designated as a Campus Center due to its proximity to both a transit station and a university.
This sector plan will define the boundary of the UMD West Campus Center and identify:
- The Core: the area around a transit station where the densest commercial and residential development should be concentrated.
- The Edge: where more of a residential mix of uses should occur.
Sector Plans
What is a sector plan?
Sector plans are comprehensive small area action plans that make targeted recommendations to implement Plan 2035 in a specific area of Prince George’s County. A sector plan provides policy direction that impacts everyday life, in areas such as land use, transportation, parks, and open space, and housing.
Sector plans are created through analysis of existing conditions, demographic and economic analysis, and evaluation of infrastructure needs; they are written with input from the community, stakeholders, and elected officials on how the area should grow. Each sector plan offers a new 25-year Vision and identifies strategies to implement that Vision.
What are the sector plan elements?
Each sector plan comprises eight plan elements as identified in Plan 2035: Land Use; Economic Prosperity; Transportation and Mobility; Natural Environment; Housing and Neighborhoods; Community Heritage, Culture, and Design; Healthy Communities; and Public Facilities. The Vision and Goals for a sector plan will address each of the eight plan elements.
A Campus Center – one of four types of Local Centers designated in Plan 2035 – is a “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.” A Campus Center will generally have lower densities than communities surrounding major Metro stations. The Adelphi Road-UMGC/UMD Purple Line Station Area is designated as a Campus Center due to its proximity to both a transit station and a university.
Why are we developing this sector plan?
A lot has changed in 32 years. This area has not seen a new sector plan since the 1989 Approved Master Plan for Langley Park-College Park-Greenbelt and Vicinity Plan. The construction of the Purple Line Light Rail Station and the expansion of the University of Maryland provide a transformative opportunity to reduce vehicle use and direct the development of homes and jobs to the station area. A new sector plan is needed for this area to address future growth and where it should be located.
The Prince George’s County Council initiated the new sector plan and approved the project’s Goals, Concepts, and Guidelines on November 10, 2020. The purpose of the Adelphi Road-UMGC/UMD Purple Line Station Area Sector Plan is to work with the community, stakeholders, and elected officials to create a long-term vision for transit-oriented development in the Campus Center and establish a set of policies and strategies that bring that vision to fruition.
How is this sector plan related to other County plans and studies?
All master and sector plans in Prince George’s County are guided by and implement Plan 2035, the comprehensive plan that provides a vision for the entire County. Plan 2035 identified this station location as a Campus Center where transit-oriented development should occur; however, Plan 2035’s policies and strategies are more general than those of a sector plan.
Upon approval, this Sector Plan will amend Plan 2035 and replace a portion of the 1989 Approved Master Plan for Langley Park-College Park-Greenbelt Vicinity Master Plan. This Sector Plan will also update the County’s 2009 Approved Countywide Master Plan of Transportation by creating new streets and bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and it will amend Formula 2040: Functional Master Plan for Parks, Recreation and Open Space by identifying several new public open space amenities.
The 2013 Purple Line Transit-Oriented Development Study provides the foundation for this Sector Plan.
What can a sector plan do or not do?
A sector plan is a policy document that recommends specific actions to implement its vision. However, there are certain things a sector plan can and cannot control:
- A sector plan cannot bring a specific business to an area, although it will contain strategies to support and encourage different types of businesses.
- A sector plan cannot raise or lower your taxes, although it will contain strategies that may make the area more attractive for investment, which could impact property values.
- A sector plan can recommend certain types of development, including housing or commercial uses, on a property, but it cannot prevent the legal development of any property.
- A sector plan can recommend preserving properties for rural or agricultural uses, and that portions of properties are preserved as parks or open space, but cannot recommend preservation of an entire private property, or otherwise eliminate all economic benefits of private property ownership.
- Although a sector plan can recommend the construction of certain infrastructure projects, such as sidewalk improvements or bike paths, it will not automatically lead to those projects being funded or constructed; those decisions are ultimately made collaboratively by implementing agencies and elected officials.
How is a sector plan implemented?
There are many ways a sector plan is implemented, and many people and groups must work together to achieve a plan’s vision. Each sector plan contains an implementation matrix of key partners and actions that must be taken, usually collaboratively between various property owners, community investors, public agencies, elected officials, community members/groups, businesses, and institutions.
The primary function of a sector plan is to identify how land should be used. From these recommendations, zoning may be applied through a Sectional Map Amendment. Zoning establishes legal regulations for the development or preservation of land. See more about zoning here.
A sector plan also identifies what public facilities are needed to support future growth, and, if those facilities are within the boundary of the sector plan, where they should be located. Public facilities recommendations include new streets, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities, and parks and open spaces. In larger plans, they may include new sites for future public schools, fire, and emergency medical services stations, libraries, and other facilities that house vital public services.
My property is located inside the sector plan boundary. How does this plan impact me and my property?
If your property is within the plan boundary, some plan recommendations may apply to your property once the plan is adopted. Community input will guide all decisions and numerous engagement opportunities will be available for your participation in the decision-making process with planners and the Planning Board. Thorough neighborhood and community engagement is part of the planning process, and you are encouraged to sign up to receive alerts about engagement opportunities and plan progress.
If my property is adjacent to the sector plan boundary, would the plan affect me?
Anyone who works, plays, worships, or spends time in the sector plan area—or considers the plan area as part of their neighborhood—is a stakeholder in this plan. If you spend significant time here, this is still your plan and there will be many opportunities to participate in the planning process. Sign up to receive alerts about engagement opportunities and plan progress.
What approved development projects currently are within the sector plan boundary and how do you incorporate them in your planning process?
An existing conditions analysis is part of the planning process for any master or sector plan. Any approved development is considered a baseline or existing condition. There is only one approved development project within the sector plan boundary, the Mosaic at Turtle Creek.
Zoning
Why is Plan Prince George’s 2035 (Plan 2035) important to the Adelphi Road-UMGC/UMD Station Area?
When the Prince George’s County Council approved Plan 2035 in 2014, it established where the County’s growth and preservation should occur over the next 20 years. Plan 2035 directed most new growth in Prince George’s County into designated centers. The half-mile radius surrounding the Adelphi Road-University of Maryland, Global Campus (UMGC)/University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) Purple Line station was designated as one of the Local Centers, identified as the UMD West Campus Center, and characterized by transit-oriented, mixed-use development. This new sector plan will provide detailed policies and strategies to implement the broader vision and policies of Plan 2035 within the Campus Center.
What is a Sectional Map Amendment (SMA)?
A sectional map amendment (SMA) is a comprehensive rezoning amendment for properties within an entire geographic area, such as a subregion, planning area, or part of a planning area. The purpose of an SMA is to revise zoning patterns to conform to recommendations of the applicable master or sector plan. SMAs are adopted for most plans with the exception of the general plan and functional master plans. An SMA is being done concurrently with this sector plan and will recommend zoning changes for specific properties to achieve the sector plan’s vision and goals.
What is the relationship between this SMA and the Countywide Map Amendment?
While this plan and SMA are underway, the County Council is reviewing the proposed Countywide Map Amendment (CMA). Once approved, the CMA will change the zoning of every property in the County, outside of the City of Laurel, to implement the County’s adopted 2018 Zoning Ordinance. This sector plan and SMA are proceeding under the expectation that the 2018 Zoning Ordinance will be in place by the time the plan is approved. Specific zoning changes beyond what is covered in the CMA are needed to create a Campus Center at the Adelphi Road station.
What are the implications of any zoning changes to a property as a result of this plan?
If the plan process recommends rezoning, that will happen at the very end of the plan through a legal update to the zoning map. Even if a property is rezoned, nothing can physically happen to the property unless the owner initiates a change (e.g., sale or redevelopment). Keep in mind that sector plans only produce recommendations for the future; no change can occur to a privately-owned property unless initiated by the owner.
Rezoning sometimes have tax or property value implications. The planning team will carefully analyze these potential impacts to residents as part of the plan visioning process and will discuss any potential changes with the community.
How will I know if my property is recommended for a different zone?
The planning team will keep the community updated throughout the process. Sign up to receive alerts about engagement opportunities and plan progress.
The first phase of the plan process involves analysis of existing conditions and possibilities with a lot of community engagement and conversations. After months of working with the community, plan recommendations are evaluated through:
- a public hearing and comment period at the Planning Board,
- several months of Planning Board work sessions, then
- a repeat of the public hearing, comment, and work session process at the County Council.
The Prince George’s Planning Department welcomes and encourages public participation and feedback up until the final version of the plan goes to the County Council for approval. Note that it is the County Council that has the power to approve the plan and authorize changes to the zoning map.
Does a change in zoning mean I am at risk of losing my property?
No. A sector plan is aspirational and outlines goals and makes recommendations for the future of a planning area over a 25-year period. Sector plans do not take any ownership away from or impose development mandates on residential property owners. If a property owner wants to redevelop a property after the County Council approves and adopts a sector plan and the sectional map amendment, then the new zoning rules would apply.
How has the Planning Department kept the community informed about this planning effort?
There have been, and will continue to be, opportunities to participate in the planning process. This includes:
Sector plan webpage updates.
Konveio site for public review and comment.
Virtual public meetings:
Virtual Project Kickoff meeting in December 2020
Virtual Community Visioning Workshop in April 2021
Virtual Community Scenario Planning Workshop in June 2021
An online community survey.
Virtual Stakeholder Listening Sessions in one-on-one or small group meeting formats.
Multimedia including presentation videos.
Social media and online community platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Nextdoor).
E-newsletters from the Planning Department, County Council, and County Executive.
Letters and emails were sent to property owners and stakeholders with information on project initiation.
Public meetings and workshops are announced via postcard mailings, social media, and e-newsletters.
Public information has been made available in both English and Spanish. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, community engagement activities have been virtual.
The draft sector plan and proposed SMA are scheduled for public release in November 2021. There will be a joint public hearing of the County Council and the Planning Board in January 2022 for public comments on the draft of the report, and (if required) a second joint public hearing in July 2022. Sign up to receive alerts about engagement opportunities and plan progress.
How are property owners involved in a sector plan process?
Turnout for our virtual meetings has been generally equivalent to, or greater than, in-person events for previous projects: Virtual Project Kickoff Event in December 2020 (100+ attendees), Virtual Community Visioning Workshop in April 2021 (80+ attendees), and Virtual Community Scenario Planning Workshop in June 2021 (35+ attendees). Other engagement efforts included an online community survey (138 respondents), an online interactive community input map (79 location-specific comments), and an online public comment portal for the draft Vision and Goals (20+ comments) and scenario presentation (30+ comments).
A series of Virtual Stakeholder Listening Sessions in one-on-one or small group meeting formats were also carried out between November 2020 and January 2021. This included meetings with major property owners (such as the University of Maryland), municipality representatives and staff from the City of College Park, public agencies, Purple Line Corridor Coalition, developers, and elected officials.
All relevant inputs and feedback will be considered in the development of the draft plan that will be shared for public review and comment in Fall 2021.
So far, have you seen good and continued public participation in the planning process?
Turnout for our virtual meetings has been generally equivalent to, or greater than, in-person events for previous projects: Virtual Project Kickoff Event in December 2020 (100+ attendees), Virtual Community Visioning Workshop in April 2021 (80+ attendees), and Virtual Community Scenario Planning Workshop in June 2021 (35+ attendees). Other engagement efforts included an online community survey (138 respondents), an online interactive community input map (79 location-specific comments), and an online public comment portal for the draft Vision and Goals (20+ comments) and scenario presentation (30+ comments).
A series of Virtual Stakeholder Listening Sessions in one-on-one or small group meeting formats were also carried out between November 2020 and January 2021. This included meetings with major property owners (such as the University of Maryland), municipality representatives and staff from City of College Park, public agencies, Purple Line Corridor Coalition, developers, and elected officials.
All relevant inputs and feedback will be considered in the development of the draft plan that will be shared for public review and comment in Fall 2021.
How can I stay involved in the planning process?
The sector plan webpage is the best place to find up-to-date information. You can also sign up to receive alerts about engagement opportunities and plan progress. Please continue to share your comments or request a one-on-one or small-group meeting by contacting the planning team at ARSP@ppd.mncppc.org.
Are the Online Interactive Community Input Map comments available to view?
To gather input from the community on the issues and needs of the sector plan area and surrounding neighborhoods, an online Interactive Community Input Map was available for public comment between December 9, 2020, and January 8, 2021. The planning team is currently analyzing this feedback, which will help inform the sector plan. Please visit the map link to view the input provided by the community.
How many responses did you receive on the Online Community Survey? Are the results available to view?
An online Community Survey about the issues and needs of the sector plan area and surrounding neighborhoods was available in English and Spanish between December 9, 2020, and January 8, 2021. There were 138 total respondents (133 for the English survey, and 5 for the Spanish). The planning team is currently analyzing this feedback, which will inform the sector plan.
The survey results are available online:
Who participated in the Stakeholder Listening Sessions? When were those conducted?
The planning team held Virtual Stakeholder Listening Sessions with more than 16 stakeholders in one-on-one or small-group meeting formats between November 2020 and January 2021. These sessions included property owners such as the University of Maryland and Hope Lutheran Church, staff from the City of College Park, partner agencies, Purple Line Corridor Coalition, and elected officials. A summary of feedback received will be shared soon on the sector plan webpage.
When was the Visioning Workshop and what were the outcomes? How will you incorporate public comments into the sector plan? When will you share the final “Vision and Goals”?
On Thursday, April 15, 2021, the Prince George’s County Planning Department hosted a Virtual Community Visioning Workshop to help create the vision for this sector plan area. More than 80 participants shared their ideas and preferences for the vision. Watch the video recording of the Virtual Community Visioning Workshop (main room and breakout rooms), or view/download the Virtual Visioning Workshop PowerPoint presentation.
The planning team developed the “Vision and Goals – Working Draft for the sector plan area with input from the workshop. This draft was shared online for public comment from May 27 to June 9, 2021. The comments will be incorporated, as appropriate, in the vision and goals for the sector plan and shared within the draft plan for public comment and review in Fall 2021.
How is public input incorporated into a plan?
Any planning effort requires consideration of a variety of points of view, multiple sources of information, and technical analysis. All public input in plans is valuable, even when a specific comment does not make it directly into a plan. Planners must consider all input and balance it with the rights of property owners, applicable laws and regulations, the housing, economic, and environmental needs of the County, and the desires, aspirations, and concerns of stakeholders.
To ensure transparency of the planning process, the Prince George’s County Planning Board, appointed community members who oversee planning and development, and the Prince George’s County Council, elected by County residents, undertake a public adoption and approval process to ensure that the public has adequate opportunity for their voices to be heard and may amend the Planning Department’s staff draft (or “preliminary”) sector plan to incorporate public testimony.
When will the existing conditions analysis be made available for public viewing?
The highlights from the existing conditions analysis will be shared soon on the sector plan webpage.
When will the market analysis be made available for public viewing?
A sector plan area market analysis report is being prepared for publication soon.
What is scenario planning?
Scenario planning is a tool that helps planners evaluate realistic future growth alternatives informed by the real estate market; regulations on how and where buildings, streets, and open spaces are built; and likely infrastructure funding. These scenarios, or growth concepts, illustrate potential layouts of how and where growth could occur within the sector plan area, and the possible size and type of structures to be expected in 2045 to accommodate growth.
It is important to note that these are illustrative concepts, and they do not imply that future development would and/or should exactly replicate them, except for the location of public rights of way and areas identified for preservation. A sector plan can and will recommend many things beyond what is shown in the scenarios; to achieve these options, the community and stakeholders will need to champion those recommendations.
Why did all scenarios recommend urban densities and development for the sector plan area?
Plan 2035, the County’s general plan for development, designates the Adelphi Road UMGC/UMD Purple Line Station Area as a Campus Center, where transit-oriented development is recommended to support the County’s universities. Transit-oriented development creates communities with housing, jobs, retail, and other amenities concentrated within walking distance of each other and of transit stations/stops. The more people who live, work, and play in transit-oriented communities, the fewer people who will have to drive to their destinations.
This policy was approved in 2014 and the purpose of this plan is to identify the goals, policies, and strategies necessary to implement university-supportive, transit-oriented development at this station.
Why did the future growth scenarios consider the Western Gateway project as a baseline assumption for the sector plan area?
As part of the existing conditions analysis for this sector plan, approved development plans must be acknowledged as a baseline condition and incorporated into the planning process. The property at 7500 Mowatt Lane owned by the University of Maryland has been approved for development (Mosaic at Turtle Creek) since 2008. Prince George’s County does not have planning or zoning authority over any project developed on state-owned property, including the University of Maryland, unless it is for private purposes.
Should the University choose to develop its property in a non-university manner, or sell the property to a private developer for development that falls under the Prince George’s County Code, the following applies to the property at 7500 Mowatt Lane:
- Approval for development of a 300-unit apartment building and associated Type 2 Tree Conservation Plan.
- Classification in the Multifamily High-Density Residential (R-10) Zone permitting construction up to 48 dwelling units per net acre by-right.
The current Western Gateway proposal that includes the same property at 7500 Mowatt Lane has undertaken public and civic engagement, including endorsement by the City of College Park, and has a fleshed-out development and preservation concept plan that exceeds the level of detail ordinarily considered during the development of a sector plan. The concept plan is consistent with the type of development, location of civic and environmental infrastructure, and public rights-of-way that would likely be recommended in a plan abutting a major university and a Purple Line station. While the market will ultimately determine the project’s schedule, it is a safe assumption that this project, or something very similar, will occur.
The planning team will continue to monitor the University’s plans for this site and make recommendations to increase accessibility and to mitigate impacts of this and other developments on the neighboring community.
Market Analysis
Why is market analysis important in comprehensive planning?
Plan 2035 identifies where Prince George’s County wants to direct long-term growth. The market analysis for a sector plan indicates the level of demand for living, shopping, working, and locating businesses in that specific plan area. A market analysis is conducted at the beginning of a sector plan process to assess economic and demographic conditions and analyze past growth patterns to help determine needs (for example, jobs and housing) over the next 20-25 years.
An analysis of the market helps planners quantify the need and potential for new housing, jobs, and retail to inform land use recommendations. Some areas have stronger markets than others; in locations where market conditions are weaker (i.e., demand for jobs, retail, and housing is low), a plan must identify necessary infrastructure improvements, public investments in placemaking and economic development, or other incentives to attract private investment.
A market analysis is not the only factor in determining the locations of land uses and future development within a sector plan area. Important consideration is also given to safe bicycle, pedestrian, and transit access to these economic and housing opportunities and preservation of and integration with existing communities and the environment.
How does a sector plan address the impact of new development on adjacent existing neighborhoods?
The planning team studies and gets to know the plan area and its surrounding context and evaluates how to integrate new and existing communities and ensure new development has a minimal negative impact on surrounding existing communities—this includes recommending adequate public facilities and infrastructure to support future growth. This sector plan will also recommend encouraging alternatives to driving, smart environmental stewardship and green building practices; buffers along the fringes to minimize visual impacts from new development on established communities; and improved connectivity and accessibility current and future residents will demand. The 2018 Zoning Ordinance includes standards to ensure appropriate transitions between existing and new neighborhoods.
