Planning board chair Darryl Barnes resigns amid continuing investigation

Darryl Barnes stepped down as chair of the Prince George’s County Planning Board while an investigation into allegations against him continues, a move that strips one of the county’s most influential land-use posts of its leader as major development decisions remain on the board’s docket. Barnes’ resignation took effect Saturday, and he said the move was not an admission of misconduct.

The exit matters because the Planning Board controls far more than meeting agendas. The five-member body supervises land-use plans and comprehensive zoning maps, advises the County Council on zoning map amendments and special exception applications, and reviews site plans and subdivisions. For Prince George’s County residents, that means Barnes’ departure lands squarely in the middle of decisions that can shape housing, commercial development, neighborhood character, and the pace of growth across the county.

The allegations at the center of the probe surfaced in a confidential February complaint brought by the board’s general counsel and involved claims of retaliation, legal violations, and ethics violations. Barnes denied wrongdoing when contacted, and his resignation letter said he was stepping aside without waiving his rights. He also said he did not want the investigation to distract from the work of park and planning.

Barnes had been sworn in as chair on July 8, 2025, after the County Council unanimously approved his nomination. County Executive Aisha Braveboy appointed him to a four-year term scheduled to run until June 14, 2029, after the term of Peter A. Shapiro ended on June 14, 2025. Barnes, a former Maryland state delegate, arrived in the role as Braveboy, who was elected June 3, 2025, and sworn in June 19, 2025, was settling into county power. His departure now pushes the question of succession back to the county executive and the council that must confirm the next chair.

The board itself is part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, the bi-county agency created by state law in 1927 to handle regional parks and physical planning. That structure gives the vacancy broader weight than a routine personnel change. An internal message from acting M-NCPPC Executive Director Bill Spencer said Barnes’ resignation was effective Saturday, and reporting indicated the board had recently removed its vice chair from a leadership role. With the investigation unresolved publicly, county planning is now operating under a cloud that could affect trust in every future zoning map, subdivision review and land-use vote.