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What is the Historic Preservation Commission and what are its responsibilities?

On June 8, 2010, the Prince George's County Council, in cooperation with The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, approved the Prince George's County Historic Sites and Districts Plan, a master plan for county preservation efforts. This plan is an amendment to the 1992 plan.

To implement the master plan, the County Council enacted the Prince George's County Preservation Ordinance, Subtitle 29 of the County Code, to protect the identified historic resources and community aesthetics. The Ordinance established a nine-member Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) with the power to:

Evaluate properties for designation as Historic Sites or Historic Districts
Define Environmental Settings
Review and approve plans for exterior alteration, demolition or new construction
Approve property tax credits for appropriate restoration and (within historic districts) for new construction
Review nominations for the National Register of Historic Places

In addition, the Historic Preservation Commission reviews land use proposals affecting historic resources. Its staff, provided by the M-NCPPC Planning Department, assists historic property owners planning exterior alterations, conducts research and surveys on historic properties, and responds to public inquiry on many aspects of historic preservation.

Members of the Historic Preservation Commission are appointed by the County Executive for three year terms and must be knowledgeable in such areas as history, architecture, planning, real estate and historic preservation.