Route 1 Land Redevelopment Study

Route 1 / Beltsville Placemaking Pilot Project

The Beltsville Placemaking Pilot Project advances recommendations from the Route 1 Land Redevelopment Study by exploring opportunities for long-term placemaking and infrastructure improvements in Beltsville.

Through community engagement, capacity building, and a community-centered design process, the project will develop a short-term pilot along Rhode Island Avenue that seeks to strengthen community identity, improve the public realm, and enhance roadway safety and walkability.

The temporary pilot project will include raised traffic calming elements (through planter boxes) and a community design street mural along Rhode Island Ave, between Route 1 and Sellman Road.

If you have additional questions about this project, please email pgcplacemaking@ppd.mncppc.org⁠

Approved Study Released

The Route 1 Corridor Redevelopment Study: Final Recommendations Report has been published and can be viewed here.

Previous Stakeholder Meetings

A Route 1 Land Redevelopment Study Presentation of Findings Community Meeting and briefing was held on Thursday, December 7, 2023. You can view/download a copy of the meeting presentation here.

The Route 1 Land Redevelopment Community Stakeholder Workshop was held on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at the Beltsville Recreation Center. The purpose of the meeting was to provide residents and stakeholders with an overview of the project, share case studies, and receive feedback on findings. View/download the meeting presentation.

Thank you for completing the survey and for your participation in the meetings and workshops!

An Open House and Community Meeting was held on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, to learn more about the Route 1 Land Redevelopment Study. View video of the meeting.

Two meetings were held in December 2022 to engage local stakeholders and create recommendations for future development aligned with the approved Masterplan and Sectional Map Amendment. View or download the PowerPoint presentations from the meetings in English or Spanish.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) agreed with the Smart Growth America consultant team and The Neighborhood Design Center to work on the US Route 1 Redevelopment Study. This project began in June 2022 and will be completed in December 2023.

Stay up-to-date with the project! Sign up here for project updates and other project notifications. 

The Approved Master Plan and Sectional Map Amendment for Subregion 1 set out a vision for the area, which includes: 

• To encourage small-scale, neighborhood-serving, retail uses along the US 1 Corridor to meet gaps in the marketplace.
• To provide high-quality mixed-use development along US 1.
• To provide a pedestrian-friendly environment that is a safe and enjoyable place to walk.
• To develop design standards and guidelines for achieving high-quality development and improving the form and character of development along the corridor.
• To support a quality urban design framework.
• To eliminate substandard, marginal uses and properties, along the US 1 Corridor that need major structural repair and/or promote an unsafe, low-quality setting.

Goals 

• To provide an assessment of the available tools from each of the case studies and make recommendations for The Approved Master Plan and Sectional Map Amendment for Subregion 1 . These tools may include, but not be limited to, those which could lead to land assembly or those related to land value capture. Land purchase and assembly should not be the only solutions. The assessment should evaluate the tools, providing a comprehensive list of positive and negative aspects for each.
• To identify any tools that could also be applied to other areas in the county facing a similar situation,
• To evaluate the effectiveness of incentives—both regulatory and financial—to property owners and potential corridor businesses, including those available for business start-ups, facility expansions, job creation, and equipment purchases—to facilitate the region’s job growth and maximize the commercial tax base.
• To provide a financial analysis of the study area, taking into account the land value and potential for redevelopment, 
• To make recommendations on funding and the roles of government agencies and partners,
• To encourage greater coordinated relationships among commercial and industrial land uses with surrounding neighborhoods.
• To establish and maintain dialogue and close collaboration between the county and existing property owners along the US 1 Corridor in preparation for long-term redevelopment.