Prince George’s County presents third draft of West Hyattsville–Queens Chapel sector plan and 38 proposed zoning changes

Prince George's County planning staff and the county council held a joint public hearing to present the third draft of the preliminary West Hyattsville–Queens Chapel Sector Plan and a related sectional map amendment (SMA), which proposes 38 zoning changes intended to support transit‑oriented development around the West Hyattsville and Hyattsville Crossing metro stations.

The plan, staff said, proposes reclassifying single‑family detached neighborhoods from Residential Single‑Family (RSF‑65) to Residential Single‑Family Attached (RSFA) in parts of the sector plan area, recommends rezoning the Washington Gas property at Chilum Road to Local Transit‑Oriented Edge (LTOE), and adds new policy calls including a comprehensive floodplain study and a study of transfer of development rights. Thomas Lester, project manager for the sector plan, told the hearing the third draft “summarizes the third draft of the sector plan and sectional map amendment, and highlight[s] the major changes between the second and the third.”

Why it matters: the draft would change the county zoning map for portions of Planning Areas 65 and 68, alter future land‑use expectations for dozens of parcels, and add policies intended to expand housing types, protect natural resources and prioritize walking and biking near transit.

Staff presentation and key proposals

Thomas Lester, project manager, and Justin Thornton, deputy project manager, outlined major edits from draft 2. Staff said the third draft aligns the sector plan with recent state and county legislation, including HB 538 (effective Jan. 1, 2025) and County Council bill 15 (2024), and increases emphasis on anti‑displacement strategies and affordable housing incentives. The presentation noted that the plan recommends a 30% density bonus for qualifying projects that include at least 15% affordable units within three‑quarters of a mile of the West Hyattsville Metro Station.

On land use and zoning, staff proposed converting RSF‑65 areas to RSFA to allow more diverse housing types on predominant 5,000‑square‑foot lots (staff said 60% of lots are this size). The SMA recommends 38 zoning changes to implement the plan’s land‑use goals. The Washington Gas property is recommended for rezoning to LTOE to support future mixed‑use redevelopment, while staff documented the site’s long industrial history and added design guidance (native buffers, floodplain compliance, discouraging liquid gas storage near residences) if industrial uses change.

Transportation and public facilities changes include upgrading Chilum Road to a mixed‑use boulevard associated with the Washington Gas rezoning, substituting a shared‑use path for planned bike lanes on Jamestown Road to protect mature trees (identified as Res. 233), and removing a proposed T208 trail through WMATA property because of terrain and an alternate alignment. Public‑facilities adjustments removed proposed expansions of Chilum Road Park and portions of Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park when those expansions would encroach on private land; the plan still supports new parks, plazas and a West Hyattsville greenway.

Housing, floodplain and anti‑displacement measures

The housing element emphasizes increased housing supply, diverse housing types, and anti‑displacement measures. New strategies include referrals to free legal aid for residents at risk of displacement, support for renters advocacy, countywide “right to return” policies, and partnering to create a community land trust. The third draft also adds a policy calling for a comprehensive floodplain study and proposes exploring a floodplain overlay zone to inform redevelopment decisions.

Public process and schedule

Staff said the third draft integrates comments from the 2022 and 2024 hearings, and that notice was mailed in May 2025 to owners of parcels proposed for rezoning and to affected municipalities. The planning board expected a work session and action on Sept. 11, 2025, followed by district council work sessions in October and possible final council action as soon as November 2025.

The public hearing will remain open for written comments through the close of record date extended by the council to July 21, 2025; staff said written material must be submitted to be part of the official record.

Proponents and questions from the dais

Councilmember Waneka Fisher (District 2) noted recent state legislation on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), referencing HB 1466, and said the county will need to review local ADU rules as state law evolves. Supporters of the draft at the hearing praised multimodal, pedestrian and cycling safety improvements and the plan’s emphasis on transit‑oriented growth.

Ending

The hearing brought a wide range of public comment on zoning intensification, floodplain protections, displacement risk, and the future of industrial parcels. Staff will review testimony, the planning board will take action in September, and the council will consider the plan later in the year. Written testimony remains part of the official record until the stated close date.