Prince George's County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Prince George's County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Subregion 5 master plan amendments rejected
Attempts to take up the Subregion 5 plan and zoning map amendments (Clinton, Aquasco, Brandywine) failed on suspension votes, leaving that area's plan update stalled.
Court-ordered redo of 2009 Subregion 5/6 zoning decisions
Seventeen years of litigation ended in a Maryland Supreme Court order sending four property zoning decisions back to the council, which must decide based only on the 2009 record — no new evidence allowed. Affected families testified they want their 2009 rezonings restored.
Subregion 5 and 6 Land Use Remand
A court-ordered public hearing was scheduled on land use designations for specific properties under the Subregion 5 and 6 master plans, based on the 2009 unredacted record. The remand follows the Maryland Supreme Court's 2025 Robin Dale Land decision, and the outcome could change zoning for the affected properties.
Water cremation facility proposed in Capitol Heights industrial corridor
A special exception would let Signature Funeral Alternatives run an alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation) operation in an existing I-E-zoned building near Capitol Heights. Supporters call it a clean, low-impact, eco-friendly service the county lacks; opponents say the community has rejected crematory-type uses there three times and worry it further industrializes an area lacking grocery stores, medical care, and retail.
Borgwardt Funeral Home crematory deferred
A Beltsville funeral home's plan to add a 1,664-square-foot crematory drew local opposition and was pushed to February 9 for further council review.
Port Towns growth and redevelopment
The council, sitting as the District Council, adopted a new sector plan and zoning map for Bladensburg, Cottage City, Edmonston and Colmar Manor to guide growth along the Anacostia and Route 450 corridors.
Subregion 1 Master Plan Amendment and Rezonings
The county is updating its long-term vision and zoning rules for Subregion 5, considering adjustments to residential, commercial, and industrial areas based on community feedback.
Legalization of unpermitted residential construction
Four property owners asked the Board of Appeals for relief from zoning dimensional and parking rules so they can obtain building permits — much of it for work already done without permits. The outcomes determine whether the additions, driveway, sunroom and shed can stay or must be altered.
Fence height exemptions for residential security
The Reeds wanted a 10-foot fence to keep basketballs out of neighbors' yards and woods, but the board said the security bar wasn't met. Good news: a 6-foot rear fence needs no board approval at all.
Driveway and lot-dimension variances in Capitol Heights and Temple Hills
A Capitol Heights homeowner won a variance to build his neighborhood's missing driveway after repeated car break-ins while street parking. His 1950s-era subdivision lot predates modern zoning rules.
Residential variance relief in Beltsville and Hyattsville
A property owner wants to run a parking lot on a small Rural Residential-zoned parcel to serve a nearby commercial or industrial use off Baltimore Avenue. The case also tests lot-size and buffering standards, so the outcome could shape how edge-of-zone properties near US 1 are used.
Driveway consolidation and street parking on dead-end streets
Neighbors of the Suco Wash project said a planned 20-foot driveway spanning the whole front of a house on a dead-end street would leave nowhere for anyone to park — pushing visitors to park in front of their homes. They also said they never saw the plans and weren't told a translator was available.
Central Avenue SMA revisory petition
A property owner asked the council to revise the rezoning map for three parcels at 8601, 8605 and 8607 Central Avenue in Capitol Heights, claiming four factual errors in the original zoning change. County lawyers found no reasonable basis for the revision, and the council denied it 7-0 — locking the current CGO zoning in place.