Introduction and Background - mncppcapps.org

1 Introduction and BackgroundHOWTOUSETHISDOCUMENTThis document is organized into three key sections: (1) the In-troduction and Background section, (2) the Plan section, and(3) the Sectional Map Amendment section. Taken together,the three key sections comprehensively address the purpose ofthe plan, the public participation process, an analysis of exist-ing conditions and issues, and the plan s recommendations, design policies, guidelines, zoning changes, developmentstandards and permitted uses. The Plan section and the Sec-tional Map Amendment section are most likely to be fre-quently used by property owners, developers, builders andplan reviewers. Others may choose to focus on the documentas a Plan section is organized in two parts: (1)Sector-WideVision and Recommendationsand (2)Subarea design Poli-cies and Guidelines. The partSector-Wide Vision and Recom-mendationsoutlines objectives, issues and recommendationsfor the entire sector as they relate to functional plan elementssuch as: land use, transportation and circulation, environ-ment, cultural heritage, recreation and open space, public fa-cilities and economics and market.

2 This part provides a broadunderstanding of the issues, policy objectives and recommen-dations proposed throughout the concepts, issues, recommendations, design policiesand guidelines pertaining to each of the six Subareas arefound in the partSubarea design Policies and design Policies and Guidelinesprovide frame-work for theDevelopment District Standards and Uses Per-mitted Listfound in the Sectional Map Amendment section ofthis document. TheDevelopment District StandardsandUses Permitted Listare only applied to those areas within theDevelopment District Overlay Zone (DDOZ).In all cases, theDevelopment District Standards and UsesPermitted Listare mandatory requirements. WhileSubareaDesign Policies and Guidelinesare not mandatory, they ex-press the plan s intent and should be applied to the extentpossible during the development review Sectional Map Amendment section describes the zoningtools that implement the land use plan.

3 It is essential thatproperty owners, developers, builders, and plan reviewers re-fer to this section to understand zoning changes and their asso-ciated applications. Development plans submitted within theDDOZ are required to find conformance with the applicableDevelopment District Standards and Uses Permitted Listandthe intent of theSubarea design Policies and use of the word shall in this text indicates that the ac-tion proposed reflects an ordinance ( , clearly mandated byeither State or County law) such as the Development DistrictStandards or reflects County policy regarding land develop-ment or other planning considerations. The use of the word should, while not necessarily legally binding, reflects a posi-tive statement or action of the Planning Board that these pro-posals will be followed in all instances where there are noextraordinary circumstances which would mitigate against Metro Area Sector Plan- Introduction and Background7 PURPOSE OF THESECTORPLANIn 1990, the Prince George s County District Council ap-proved theLangley Park-College Park-Greenbelt Master PlanandSectional Map Amendment(SMA).

4 The master planand SMA recommended mixed-used development aroundthe transit station and, in anticipation of a Transit District De-velopment Plan for the area, retained all existing zones. How-ever, specific boundaries for a sector plan were neverestablished because the proposed Greenbelt Transit DistrictDevelopment Plan was never recent years, the local communities and municipalities sug-gested that a planning effort for this area was necessary andshould include neighborhoods beyond the one-half mile walk-ing distance traditionally used to define the impact area for arapid rail transit facility. This extended boundary wouldmake it possible to first, address development, revitalizationand land use issues related to transit such as community link-ages and, second, provide tools to enhance the overall image ofthe Sector Plan January 1996, the Prince George s County PlanningBoard initiated a two-phase planning effort for the GreenbeltMetro Area.

5 TheGreenbelt Metro Area Study(GMAS)was initiated as a preliminary phase to determine study areaboundaries, identify stakeholders and issues, form a focusgroup to involve the community and municipalities, outline avision, determine planning objectives and recommend appro-priate planning techniques and approaches. The GMAS,completed in January 1998, developed the basic strategies forland use planning near the Greenbelt Metrorail and MARC rail station. (See Figure 1.)The GMAS process concluded that a sector plan and SMAwould be the most effective tool for carrying out the planningstrategies proposed by this study. These strategies were en-dorsed by the Prince George s County Planning Board andthe District Council. (SeePublic Participation Programinthe Background chapter.)The development of this sector plan and SMA was intendedas an open and inclusive process, beginning with the GMASin 1996, continuing with the Planning Board s public forumin May 1998 and concluding with planning workshops andplan development review meetings through the expansion ofthe original GMAS focus group into a larger sector planning objectives:nInvolve the Community and StakeholdersThe sector plan process includes many community resi-dents and stakeholders and provides them with many op-portunities for participation.

6 The approved sector plan sPublic Participation Program includes representativesfrom 3 municipalities Berwyn Heights, College Parkand Greenbelt and a 23-member sector planninggroup consisting of area residents, property owners, civic,business and community association representatives A Common VisionThe sector planning group defines a common vision for thearea as encouraging quality, integrated, multimodal andtransit-oriented development while preserving existing vi-tal features such as environmental and cultural Area-Wide IssuesTo achieve this common vision, the sector plan identifiesarea-wide planning issues and develops appropriate Potential ChangesThe sector plan process defines community interests andstakeholders goals and recommends policies, strategies8 Greenbelt Metro Area Sector Plan- Introduction and Backgroundand actions to guide changes in this area. The SectorPlan Area is part of a dynamic urban center in northernPrince George s County.

7 Unguided growth in this part ofthe County could adversely affect the surrounding commu-nities by increasing congestion, harming fragile, culturaland natural assets, and encouraging uncoordinated piece-meal Appropriate Land UsesThe sector plan recommends a variety of land uses. Theland use elements recommend basic policies which framethe SMA proposals (comprehensive rezoning proposal).These policies include major public facility investments inland development and options to encourage private invest-ment in quality land Local Planning Policies and Decision MakingThe sector plan considers local planning policies to ensurethat local decision-makers are guided by the sector Greenbelt Metro Area Sector Plan is an official policyguide for both short- and long-range change, development andrevitalization in the Sector Plan Area. This document willguide the Sector Plan Area development for 20 to 30 yearsthrough the 6-year cycle of plan review, realizing that the vi-sion and goals can be approached in stages dependent on mar-ket activity.

8 The corresponding SMA of the official ZoningMap, may require periodic updates to the standards to remainconsistent with the Land Use Concept and ensure orderly andcoordinated development of this intent of the sector plan is to develop a visionary ap-proach to building or rebuilding communities around or nearthe Greenbelt station. The plan is grounded in practicality toensure smooth implementation of the plan. A flexible frame-work of policy, design standards and guidelines for guidingSector Plan Area change will allow the plan to be more effec-tive in fluctuating market Metro Area Sector Plan- Introduction and Background9 Figure 1. The Greenbelt Metro Sector Plan Area is located in the north-ern portion of the PLANS, GROWTH POLICIESAND PROGRAMSS everal plans, policies and programs frame this sector planand provide a basis for small-area Prince George's County Interim GeneralPlan In November 2000 the County Council passedCB-97-2000, which adopted the first Biennial Growth Pol-icy Plan (BGPP) as the Interim General Plan (IGP).

9 The IGP grew out of a two-year review of Countywide growthmanagement opportunities, challenges and issues, undertakenby Commission 2000. This broadly based, 53-member advi-sory panel of citizens, municipalities, business and propertyowners and other stakeholders was established by the Councilto recommend goals and policies to guide the County's growthand development over the next 20 to 25 years. Commission2000's final report to the Council became the foundation forthe first BGPP and subsequently for the plans represent a comprehensive Smart Growth initia-tive that uses a system of growth Tiers, Centers and Corridorsto manage growth and to implement County growth and de-velopment policies. Both plans also place emphasis on attract-ing growth and encouraging redevelopment at Metrorailstations. This approach transit-oriented development(TOD) planning seeks to capitalize on existing public in-vestment in transportation infrastructure and other public fa-cilities.

10 Encouraging growth at these nodes reduces the needfor new public facilities (particularly road, transit, school andpublic safety facilities) that is created by more, lower-densitydevelopment in "greenfield" areas of the County. By concen-trating new development particularly additional hous-ing at transit facilities, TOD planning also increases transitusage and reduces auto-dependency, particularly for thepeak-hour IGP took note of the work underway on this sector planand recommended that the General Plan either consider or in-corporate the sector plan recommendations for 2000 recommended that the GreenbeltMetrorail Station area be classified as aregional growthpolicy centers are sites for development that combine com-mercial, retail, office and institutional land uses that are in-tended to attract workers, customers and clients from all partsof the County and possibly other areas of the metropolitanarea.