Prince George’s County council directs staff to prepare approval document for College Park rezoning with modified affordable‑housing condition
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Summary
The District Council moved to prepare an approval document for ZMA2024002 (Mark at College Park), asking staff to modify the language of a recommended condition on affordable student housing so the obligation is implemented through a recorded declaration of covenants rather than as a zoning condition; the motion passed unanimously, 9–0.
The Prince George’s County District Council on Feb. 9 took a procedural step toward approving a zoning map amendment in College Park, directing staff to prepare an approval document for ZMA2024002 while asking that language about affordable-student‑housing commitments be modified.
Evan King, technical staff with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, summarized the request to rezone about 4.52 acres near the intersection of Hartwick Road and US 1 (Baltimore Avenue) from the regional transit‑oriented low‑intensity edge zone to a regional transit‑oriented planned development zone to allow redevelopment and additional residential buildings. King told the council the proposal includes pedestrian promenades and a proposed “Ancestors Lane” pocket park as a public‑benefit feature.
Chris Hatcher, attorney for the applicant The Mark at College Park LLC, asked the council to adopt the Zoning Hearing Examiner’s findings and recommendations but to remove or reword condition 10. Hatcher said the condition “creates legal and implementation related issues” because “there is no required finding for affordable housing in any of the zones” and the applicant intends to implement its affordable‑housing commitment with the city through a separate declaration of covenants rather than with a zoning condition.
Carlos Nunez, senior planner for the city of College Park, told the council the city supports handling the applicant’s affordable‑housing commitment via a recorded declaration of covenants. “The city’s expectation that 10% of the beds be designated as affordable student housing is real, longstanding, and agreed upon to by the applicant,” Nunez said, adding staff believes the commitment is better implemented by a separate agreement timed to the development and leasing process.
Stan Brown of the People Zoning Council urged the council to delete condition 10 as drafted but recommended a reworded condition that would require the applicant to submit evidence of any covenant executed with the city during the detailed‑site‑plan review. Brown also pointed out typographical errors in the ZHE decision and the statement of justification that should be corrected in the record.
Vice Chair Olsen moved that staff prepare an approval document for ZMA2024002 subject to modification of the condition language consistent with the People Zoning Council recommendations. The motion passed on a roll‑call vote, 9–0. The council’s action at the meeting was a directive to prepare an approval document; the transcript records oral arguments continued and shows further procedural steps are expected as the council finalizes any ordinance or condition language.
What happens next
Staff will prepare the approval document and revised condition language for the council’s consideration, incorporating the record corrections and the recommended approach to implement the applicant’s affordable‑housing commitment through a recorded covenant. The council did not adopt a final ordinance on Feb. 9; it approved only the preparation of approval materials with the requested modifications.
