County committee raises concerns, sends letter of concern on transit-oriented development bill

Prince George's County's General Assembly Committee voted to send a letter of concern about House Bill 80/Senate Bill 190, legislation that would alter local land-use authority in areas near rail transit stations and impose specific requirements on parking, mixed-use zoning and permit processing.

The committee heard a presentation from Lorenzo Bellamy of Bellamy Gen Group, who described the bill as "an attack on local authority and local control" and outlined the bill's key provisions. Consultants and county staff told the committee the bill had been amended recently and that the county executive's office opposed the bill in its current form.

Why it matters: the bill would restrict a local legislative body or agency with land-use authority from imposing minimum off-street parking requirements for residential development within 0.25 miles of certain rail transit stations and would require local zoning to allow mixed-use development within 0.5 miles of rail transit stations that meet specified service thresholds. It would also limit the number of public hearings required for a project and prioritize permit processing for designated transit-oriented development sites.

Committee action and rationale: Council member Oriada moved that the committee send a letter of concern clarifying county issues rather than take a simple support/oppose stance. Her amended motion asked staff to highlight the county's unique zoning context, the need for local flexibility on parking and mixed-use conversions, and to propose alternative language that would allow counties with approved transit-oriented plans or locally tailored zoning to meet the bill's objectives without losing local control. The motion passed 3-0 (Chair Calvin Hawkins, Vice Chair Wanika Fisher, Council member Oriada voting aye).

The committee asked staff to request alternative language that would allow a county to use an approved transit-oriented plan or program in place of the bill's blanket mile-based triggers. County staff also emphasized that Prince George's County has existing town-center and transit-area zoning tools already designed to encourage transit-oriented development but that the bill's one-size-fits-all distances could override local tailoring.

Ending: The committee directed staff to send a letter of concern and suggested amendments to the bill sponsor and to the Senate Budget and Tax Committee for the bill's upcoming hearing.