News Detail

Prince George’s County Planning Recognizes the Inaugural Cohort of the Neighborhood Planning Academy

November 13, 2023

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

Prince George’s County Planning Department

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Monday, November 13, 2023

Prince George’s County Planning Department Recognizes the Inaugural Cohort 

of the Newly Launched Neighborhood Planning Academy

UPPER MARLBORO, MD – The Prince George’s County Planning Department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) hosted its first graduation ceremony to celebrate the launch and honor the members of the inaugural cohort of its Neighborhood Planning Academy on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex. This fall, 30 participants were selected from more than 300 applications to participate in a six-week pilot program exploring the History, Present, and Future of Prince George’s County, Planning 101, the Development Review Process, Building Healthy, Sustainable and Resilient Communities, and Multimodal Transportation and Street Safety. The curriculum was designed to demystify the complex process of planning in Prince George’s County and provide opportunities for County residents and stakeholders to learn how to engage in the planning and development review process. 

The Neighborhood Planning Academy held five virtual sessions and a final in-person session concluding with participant presentations. The participants selected diverse topics for their capstone projects including noise pollution, transportation, effective communication, bike lanes, ideal communities and spaces, solar power, and affordable housing.

“We applaud each participant’s commitment to become an active participant in the planning process and an advocate for the needs of their neighborhoods and community,” said Peter A. Shapiro, Chair of M-NCPPC and the Prince George’s County Planning Board. “We look forward to seeing and hearing from them in future public meetings.”

“From the inception to the launch and to the continued development of the program, we are proud of our team’s ongoing efforts to engage, educate, and inspire representatives from all regions of our County,” said Derick Berlage, Acting Deputy Planning Director of the Prince George’s County Planning Department.

The inaugural cohort of the 2023 Neighborhood Planning Academy included Jonathan Ammons, Greg Anderson, J. Leonard Anthony, Dan Behrend, Lois Brown, Tamara Davis Brown, Tyrice Brown, Janis Brunson, Divinity Buggs, Cassandra Burckhalter, Rachel Bush, Danielle Carter, Mary Cook, Dianna Davis-Small, Michelle Duvernay, April Gooding, Sharice Hendrickson, Harold Lawson, Gale Mamatova, Dan McDonald, Fai Nelson, Wanda Peterson-Parker, Jeronica Plummer, Ronald Skotz, Nancy Thompson, Diana Torres, Sabrena Turner, Leah Wade, Joycettee Ward, and Angela Wearrien.

For more information on the Neighborhood Planning Academy, visit: https://academy.pgplanning.com. Prince George’s County residents and stakeholders may join the mailing list to receive announcements about upcoming 2024 courses.

About the Prince George’s County Planning Department

The Prince George’s County Planning Department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is responsible for preserving, protecting, and managing the county’s resources through high-quality planning services and growth management guidance. Our mission is to promote economic vitality, environmental sustainability, design excellence, and quality development in Prince George’s County. Visit our website, www.pgplanning.org, to learn how you can become engaged in shaping the future of your community.

Contact:

Calista Black

Public Affairs and Marketing Officer

calista.black@mncppc.org | 301-952-3038