Prince George’s committee backs six‑month feasibility study for county‑owned grocery store pilot

The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee on Thursday voted 3-0 to move forward CR-92-2025, a resolution authorizing a six‑month feasibility study to evaluate whether Prince George’s County should establish a county‑owned grocery store pilot.

The committee’s decision followed a briefing from the county policy group and presentations that reviewed a 2015 Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC) food system study, national and local case studies and local vendor experience. Committee members amended the draft to replace a reference to the Office of Central Services with the redevelopment authority and the Economic Development Corporation as lead partners before advancing the resolution as amended.

Why it matters: Council members and staff framed the resolution as a way to address persistent gaps in neighborhood access to affordable, healthy food. The study will examine site selection, capital and operating costs, funding sources and operational models, and is intended to identify whether a publicly owned grocery store could operate on a cost‑neutral basis for…