PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The
Countywide planning program emphasizes those activities
and projects that address comprehensive planning at
the County level, guide growth and development, and
embrace policies having a Countywide perspective.
The General Plan, as amended by the area master plans
and functional plans, represents a composite set of
Countywide planning policies; however, there is a
need for a comprehensive, coordinated, Countywide
implementation strategy. The Countywide Growth Management
and Strategic Economic Development Plan effort initiated
by the Council in FY 1997 is an attempt to address
this concern. Emphasis is being placed on an evaluation
and adjustment of policies that influence the relationship
between growth, infrastructure and economic development.
The work program projects will assist elected officials
in implementing established policies and evaluating
the effect of those policies.
The
Countywide planning program incorporates staff work
associated with responding to follow up activities
to Compliance with the State Planning Act. The State's
Smart Growth initiatives have encouraged staff review
of Priority Funding Areas, Neighborhood Conservation
Areas, and the Rural Legacy program. These initiatives
relate appropriately to the County's Growth Management
efforts and support an overall Countywide planning
program.
Current
project activities of a Countywide nature include
plans to develop a Functional Master Plan for Schools
and an examination of Airport Regulations and Legislation.
PROGRAM
ACTIVITIES
Purpose
To
establish an orderly, rational basis for guiding growth
over a two-year period. Progress toward meeting the
County's growth management and economic development
goals will be measured, Preferred Growth/Economic
Development Districts will be designated and direction
will be provided for growth policy adjustments. This
plan will implement legislation adopted as part of
the Council's Growth Policy initiative.
Product
It
is intended that the Council will approve a policy
plan every two years which will evaluate the success
of County policies and regulations in guiding growth
and providing for economic development. The first
Biennial Growth Management Policy Plan (anticipated
for Council approval in November 1999) will establish
at least areas of the County as well as public facilities
policies for these areas, designate Preferred Growth/Economic
Development Districts, make recommendations, in coordination
with other processes, for changes to County policies
and regulations and include an action plan which will
guide the capital improvement program and the focusing
of other County resources.
Every
two years after the first plan, the Growth Management
Policy Plan will monitor and assess the effect of
the growth management program on County goals, designate
new districts and/or delete old districts and review
and, if necessary, adjust growth policy area boundaries
as well as public facilities policies.
The
project will also include a system for monitoring
development activity (including subdivision and permit
activity) and its relationship to public facilities
programming and County fiscal conditions. Development
and market trends will also be identified in relation
to the County's Economic Development Strategy. The
plan will be revised every two years and placed within
a longer range framework that will provide a comprehensive
perspective to County development. The plan will be
prepared with active citizen participation.
The
project will aid the County in targeting its limited
resources, take greater advantage of scheduled infrastructure
investments and minimize the negative impacts of future
development.
History
In
FY98, the Council began a major growth management
initiative which addressed improvements in the Adequate
Public Facilities Ordinance, modifying the development
"pipeline" and providing a more comprehensive
growth management strategy for the County. It is anticipated
that legislation will be adopted in FY98 to modify
the APE Ordinance, place limits on development approvals
and enable the preparation of a biennial growth plan.
Airport
Regulations and Legislation
Introduction
The
Prince George's County Planning Department has been
engaged in a work program effort to examine risk and
land use compatibility issues around the county's
four general aviation airports: Potomac Airfield in
Friendly, Washington Executive Airpark in Clinton,
Freeway Airport in Mitchellville, and College Park
Airport in College Park. The project is an outgrowth
of several aircraft accidents in the neighborhoods
close to Potomac Airfield during the mid-1990s and
resulting residents' concerns. To help the staff further
understand the issues and risks involved at Potomac
Airfield and the other airports in the county, the
Planning Department hired a team of aviation consultants
to examine safety and land use compatibility issues
around each airport, to research what is being done
in other jurisdictions, and to recommend state-of-the-art
approaches to address issues in Prince George's County.
For increased public accessibility, a printed copy
of the consultant's
report is available as a reference at the
following public libraries:
An
aviation consultant, William V. Cheek and Associates
of Prescott, Arizona, conducted research and field
study around the county's four general aviation airports
during the summer of 2000. They prepared a detailed
report, entitled the Airport Land Use Compatibility
and Air Safety Study for the Maryland
National Capital Park and Planning Commission,
which was submitted to the Planning Department on
November 10, 2000. This report contains an overview
of the regulatory environment affecting airports and
land use planning, local and national airport compatibility
issues, a risk analysis and an evaluation of existing
and proposed land uses around each airport. The report
also identifies incompatible existing or proposed
land uses and contains recommendations for preparing
regulations, or taking other actions that will enhance
the safety and compatibility of land uses in the immediate
vicinity of these airports. It is important to note
that the views and opinions expressed in this consulting
study are those of William V. Cheek and Associates
and not necessarily those of the Maryland-National
Capital Park and Planning Commission.
Enactment
of New Regulations
Based
on data presented in the consultant's study, a draft
Manual of Regulations for Land Uses Around General
Aviation Airports in Prince George's County was
prepared and approved by the Planning Board on May
24, 2001 and transmitted to the County Council for
their consideration. In 2002, the County Council reviewed
zoning legislation that generally reflected the content
of the manual. This zoning bill, CB-51-2002,
establishes general aviation airport policy areas
(APAs) around each of the airports studied. Generally,
in these areas, land use controls correspond to safety
concerns and notification of contract purchasers is
required if a property is within one mile of the airports.
Subsequent to worksessions and public hearings in
the spring and summer, the County Council approved
CB-51-2002 on July 23, 2002 with an effective date
of September 1, 2002. The
General Aviation Airport Environment Disclosure Notice
was approved by the Planning Board on September 12,
2002 and may be viewed or printed from this web site.
To
ask questions about this project, please contact either
of the project planners:
Wendy
Irminger at 301-952-3572
(email: wendy.irminger@ppd.mncppc.org)
Craig Rovelstad at 301-952-3153
(email: craig.rovelstad@ppd.mncppc.org)
