Project Detail Tasks

Task 1—Project Initiation

Project initiation meeting and a Gantt chart identifying tasks, sub-tasks, responsible parties, and time-lines for completion of the project.

Task 2—General Plan Policy Recommendations

A summary of the General Plan’s policy recommendations promoting development in Centers, Corridors and Corridor Nodes, the Developed Tier and the Developing Tier. The summary will include the Plan’s policies to preserve the rural character in the Rural Tier and incorporate related policies from subsequently approved area master plans, sector plans and functional master plans since the approval of the General Plan.

Task 3(a)—Current Development Regulations

An evaluation of the effectiveness of current regulations in the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations to implement the policy recommendations of the General Plan. The evaluation will identify specific regulations (or lack thereof) that present conflicts or otherwise impede the implementation of these policies through the development review process. The evaluation will also include alternative solutions to resolve the identified issues.

Task 3(b)—District Council Interviews

The purpose of the interviews is to identify the concerns and issues of these decision makers in the development review process, and to ensure that their concerns are addressed in the consultant’s evaluation and subsequent reports.

Task 4—Planning Board Briefings

Briefing sessions for the Planning Board on the findings of the first two preliminary reports and an overview of the proposed presentation for the first community outreach meeting.

Task 5—First Community Outreach Meeting

A community outreach meeting will be conducted to solicit input from stakeholders in the planning and development review process (including residents, civic associations, attorneys, engineers, municipalities and elected officials) regarding the General Plan’s policy recommendations and the implementation issues associated with current regulations. A review on best implementation practices currently in use from across the country will be presented in the meeting and to solicit suggestions for resolving these issues locally.

Task 6(a)—Planning Board Briefings

Briefing sessions for the Planning Board to review the public comments obtained at the first community outreach meeting and assess the effect of this input on the findings and recommendations contained in the first two reports.

Task 6(b)—District Council Briefings

Briefing sessions for the District Council to present an update on the progress of this project. Major findings of the following reports will be presented:

Final Report on the General Plan’s Policy Recommendations
Final Report on the Effectiveness of Current Regulations
Final Summary of Public Comments from the first community meeting

Task 7—Streamlining Efforts

A comprehensive analysis of the current development review process and recommendation of streamlining measures to promote efficiency, transparency and certainty in the decision-making process will be completed. The flow of applications will be examined from the initial point of pre-acceptance review, through the production of staff reports, public notice requirements, public hearings and final decision. The report will also include alternative solutions to resolve the identified issues. In particular, the analysis shall focus on the pre-acceptance screening and vetting process for new applications.

Task 8—Reformatting Regulations

The form, function and layout of the current Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations will be examined and alternative solutions to produce a user-friendly format will be recommended. The revised code should be written in plain English and be easy to navigate; clarify ambiguities and minimize technical jargon; provide clear separation between administrative procedures, the powers and duties of decision makers, and actual development regulations; and clarify the responsibilities of staff and applicants.

Task 9—Planning Board Briefings

Briefing sessions will be provided for the Planning Board on the findings of the third and fourth preliminary reports. An overview of the proposed presentation for the second community outreach meeting will also be provided.

Task 10—Second Community Outreach Meeting

A community outreach meeting will be conducted to solicit input from stakeholders in the planning and development review process regarding recommendations for streamlining the development review process and reformatting the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations. A presentation will be provided on best practices currently in use from across the country and suggestions will be solicited for resolving these issues locally.

Task 11(a)—Planning Board Briefings

Briefing sessions with the Planning Board to review the public comments obtained at the second community meeting and to assess the effect of this input on the findings and recommendations contained in the third and fourth preliminary reports.

Task 11(b)—District Council Briefings

Briefing sessions for the District Council to present an update on the progress of this project. Major findings of the following reports will be presented:

Final Report on Streamlining the Development Review Process
Final Report on Reformatting the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations
Final Summary of Public Comments from the second community meeting

Task 12—Code Revisions

Recommended revisions to the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations will be provided. The revisions will be based on the findings and recommendations contained in the four final project reports and the directives of the Planning Board. They should be drafted in the form of legislative text amendments, using the appropriate document templates from Prince George’s County’s web-based Legislative Information System.

Task 13—Public Outreach

An extensive public outreach program to engage the general public and solicit input on revisions to the codes. Topics will be presented in nine modules covering different sections of the codes. The program will start in March 2010 and will last until December 2010.A Planning Board meeting to solicit public comments on the proposed legislative changes to the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations. A brief overview of the project, including major issues and recommendations to improve the current regulations and the decision-making process will be presented.

Task 14—Planning Board Public Comments Sessions

A Planning Board meeting to solicit public comments on the proposed legislative changes to the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations. A brief overview of the project, including major issues and recommendations to improve the current regulations and the decision-making process will be presented.

Task 15—District Council Work Sessions

Presentations on the findings and recommendations contained in the four final project reports and draft legislation of the proposed revisions to the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations will be presented during the sessions for Council review and approval.