County Council Suspends Limit On Development

Approval of Projects Had Required Increase in Firefighters and Police

Residential development, which has been slowed in Prince George's County by growth restrictions, could quickly resume in the wake of a County Council vote yesterday to suspend a requirement that the county hire more police officers and firefighters before approving building projects.

In 2004, the council adopted an "adequate public safety facilities test" for development in response to residents' fears that new subdivisions were overwhelming police and fire departments as county crime was surging.

All development had to meet standards for emergency response times, and the police and fire departments had to increase staffing before new homes would be approved.

This year, the test required that the county employ at least 1,349 police officers and 692 firefighters. During the first part of the year, both departments came close but did not meet the standards, and 11 project plans were rejected.

Council members voted 6 to 3 to suspend the staffing requirements but keep the emergency response rules in place.

Supporters of the measure said the ordinance had succeeded in pressuring the county to increase the size of public safety agencies. With the graduation of police and fire recruits this summer, both departments will meet the requirements, they said. The resolution will allow the reconsideration of several developments that have been rejected since January because the staffing requirements haven't been met.

Council members worried that the old guidelines could delay several major projects considered vital for economic development within older communities, including a complex in Landover that would include the upscale supermarket Wegmans.

"There is wrong growth, and there is right growth," said council member David Harrington (D-Cheverly) at the meeting. "Without this resolution, we can't even do the kind of smart growth I think the county wants and needs."

Residents from the quickly growing southern section of Prince George's opposed relaxing the restrictions until more public safety workers are hired to make up for past development.

"It's going to takes us a little time to get out of this hole we've dug ourselves into," said Sarah Cavitt, president of a civic group. "Give us the time."

The council members supporting the resolution were William A. Campos (D-Hyattsville), Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Laurel), Camille Exum (D-Seat Pleasant), Harrington, Thomas R. Hendershot (D-New Carrollton) and Tony Knotts (D-Temple Hills).

Opponents were Marilynn Bland (D-Clinton), Samuel H. Dean (D-Mitchellville) and Douglas J.J. Peters (D-Bowie).