Prince George's County Council suspends rules on several housing and procurement bills and adopts major grant and compensation resolutions

Prince George's County Council members on Oct. 14 voted unanimously or by clear majorities on a series of procedural and substantive items: they suspended rules to advance multiple bills to committee, approved an amendment limiting residential conversions in a commercial zone, accepted late additions to the agenda, authorized a joint letter to the Maryland Department of Planning to amend a priority funding area, and adopted two resolutions that appropriate outside funds and adjust pay for fire officials.

Council members repeatedly used a rule-suspension procedure to move several bills forward for committee review. The council voted 9-0 to suspend the rules for CB 99 (Critical Worker Housing Assistance Program), CB 120 (procurement/accounting enhancements), CB 101 (Homeownership Equity Program), CB 102 (sick leave for legal proceedings), and CB 103 (real property surplus declaration). Each suspension was made by a motion and recorded with a roll call; the floor votes on those suspensions carried 9-0.

On land-use legislation, the Planning, Housing and Economic Development committee sent CB 43 (amendments to permitted uses in the CGO zone) forward with changes. Council members approved Amendment 1 to CB 43—requiring at least 50% nonresidential uses on the ground floor of…