PLANNING PROGRAM PRESENTS INDUSTRIAL LAND USE FINDINGS IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Recognizing Industry's Role a Key to County's Economic Success

An assessment of Prince George's County's industrial land use, conducted by the University of Maryland's Urban Studies and Planning Program, was presented last week to the Prince George's County Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee, the first comprehensive examination of the county's industrial space in 20 years. The two-¬year study, spearheaded by Dr. Marie Howland and Dr. James Cohen, suggests that while some under-¬used industrial areas could be released to support the rapidly growing residential and service sectors, industry remains a vital part of Prince George's County's economy.
The study was commissioned by the county in response to growing pressures within the community to assess the stock of industrially zoned land, and to provide local government with suggestions on possible courses of action.
"Prince George's County is seeing significant population growth, which is putting pressure on the planning committee to create more residential and commercial space and potentially pushing out industrial uses," said Dr. Howland. "With news of industrial employment going overseas in the media, there is a growing feeling that industry isn't important anymore."
"In some locations there was also some conflict between industrial uses and nearby residential and commercial areas," explained Dr. Cohen, "places where there isn't an adequate buffer between the different uses."
By breaking down and examining industrially-¬zoned areas, the team-with the input of county planners, local businesses and citizens-was able to advise which land should remain zoned for industry, which could potentially be converted to retail, residential or commercial use, and where careful mediation and planning could resolve existing land conflicts. Several sites with a potential for high-¬technology, aerospace, bio-¬sciences, and information technology development were also identified. While the assessment determined that a 2000-¬3000 acre surplus of industrialized land exists in Prince George's County, it also confirmed that industry remains a vital element of the county's economy; results showed that 79% of industrialized businesses were economically healthy and that industrial jobs comprised 32% of the total employment within the county.

"The proportion of industrial jobs within Prince George's County was much higher than in the neighboring counties that we've looked at," said Dr. Cohen. "The study results emphasize the importance of protecting and preserving these viable industrial areas."
"Job growth and sustainability are a priority for Prince George's County," added Dr. Howland. "The response to our study was very positive."
While Prince George's County provided an ideal case study for assessing industrial land use, the same methods can be used across the board in cities and counties nation-¬wide.
 
"We've seen that a lot of jurisdictions across the country are looking at this very same issue," said Dr. Howland, "The University of Maryland is a great resource for these communities, and we hope that other jurisdictions will use us when tackling these matters."
Collaborating with Dr. Howland and Dr. Cohen on the study was Scott Dempwolf, current Ph.D. student and Dr. Doan Nguyen, a graduate of the School's Ph.D. program. A number of students from the Urban Studies and Planning Program were involved in researching and analyzing the county's industrial land.
"This study is an excellent example of the kind of community outreach the School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation has been doing for many years," says Dean David Cronrath. "Lending our experience, expertise and talents to local government and municipalities has always been of the utmost importance for the School and will continue to be a priority in the future."

The School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at the University of Maryland is home to four academic disciplines: architecture, urban planning, historic preservation and real estate development. Committed to educating its students and community about the importance of sustainability and smart growth, the School practices an interdisciplinary approach to education, research, creative work, and community and professional service. For more information, please e-mail us or call 301.405.8000.

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