The Riverdale Park Mixed-Use Town Center (M-U-TC) zoning map amendment process is another step in the community's effort to revitalize its town center areas along US 1 and in the older core along Queensbury Road around the MARC station. This zone was originally recommended for Riverdale Park's older commercial areas in the 1996 Planning Area 68 Master Plan. The M-U-TC Zone was created during the master plan process to promote the revitalization and redevelopment of the county's older commercial centers.

Planning Department staff is undertaking the project in coordination with staff from the Town of Riverdale Park. The District Council initiated the project in April 2002.

The M-U-TC Zone allows for a mix of uses and locally established design standards and guidelines. These design standards and guidelines are intended to promote future development that will enhance the community. The design standards and guidelines are particularly important for Riverdale Park because of its significant historic buildings. A mix of retail, office and residential uses is permitted in this zone. This mix promotes uses of buildings for multiple functions, one of the town's development goals. Exact boundaries of the town center will be determined as part of the planning and rezoning process.

Working with the community, planners have created design standards and guidelines for the two town center areas. Initial efforts were focused on establishing design goals for the US 1 area. A community workshop to discuss development along US 1 was held on Saturday, June 8, 2002. Nearly 40 residents, property owners and merchants attended the meeting. The ideas and recommendations from this workshop were being used to develop the US 1 design standards and guidelines. Design standards and guidelines have also been drafted for the town's historic core, largely based on the recommendations in the Town of Riverdale Park's town center study. This proposed town center includes property north of MD 410 (East West Highway), which is currently in industrial use. Development concept plans have also been created for the centers. The Prince George's County Planning Board gave permission to print the preliminary plan at their meeting on July 31, 2003.

A joint public hearing with the County Council was held on September 29, 2003. All speakers testified in support of the plan. The Planning Board approved the preliminary plan on October 30, 2003 and transmitted the plan to the County Council for final action on November 13, 2003. The Prince George's County Council approved the Mixed-Use Town Center rezoning on January 20, 2004 per CR-5-2004. Copies of the approved development plan may be purchased from the Planning Department's Information Counter or reviewed at the Town Hall. The plan can also be viewed online or downloaded here. For more information about this project, please contact Dineene O'Connor, project manager, at 301-952-3573.

• Riverdale Park can create a local process to review proposed development for its compliance with the town's approved M-U-TC design standards and guidelines. The town committee would then advise the Prince George's County Planning Board as to the proposed development's compliance with the design guidelines for Riverdale Park's town center(s).

• If a local review process is created, all building permits that are reviewed for zoning compliance can be reviewed by the town's local review group.

• The early review process allows the town to be more aware of development as it is occurring and to create a dialogue with developers to encourage high quality and compatible development.
  

Creates locally appropriate land-use regulations

• The design standards and guidelines will be unique to Riverdale Park to implement specific development goals for the town.

Promotes traditional mixed-use development

• Allows buildings to line the sidewalk similar to older town centers.

• Allows residences, office uses and retail uses in the same building.

Eliminates developers' need for expensive and time-consuming zoning departures and variances to develop buildings that are compatible with older town areas

• Design guidelines will recognize the existing development patterns. Design guidelines will replace existing zoning requirements and allow flexibility in development that would not require departures or variances.