Prince George’s County seeks applicant for planning board vacancy
One open planning board seat could steer housing, zoning and land use countywide as Prince George’s County looks for a new member through June 2027.
A single vacancy on Prince George’s County’s planning board could help shape what gets built, where growth goes and how fast major projects move through zoning and development review.
Prince George’s County opened applications May 28 for a seat on the Prince George’s County Planning Board, the five-member panel that oversees land use planning, growth management, parks, recreation and development review. The selected appointee will serve the rest of an unexpired term through June 15, 2027, and the appointment still needs County Council confirmation before it is final.
The board’s reach goes well beyond an administrative title. It supervises the preparation of land-use plans and zoning maps, reviews site plans and subdivisions, advises the County Council on zoning map amendments and special exceptions, and helps set policies that affect growth, preservation and recreation across the county. In a jurisdiction where land-use decisions can influence housing supply, commercial development, park access and neighborhood change, the open seat carries direct consequences for residents watching traffic, density and redevelopment fights.
The county is seeking applicants with backgrounds in planning, architecture, engineering, environmental planning, real estate, economic development, construction, public administration, law, finance, business leadership or civic engagement. That mix signals what the job demands: technical judgment, familiarity with development pressure and enough independence to weigh proposals that can raise property values in one community while unsettling another.
Prince George’s County’s planning board is part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, a bi-county agency established by state law in 1927. The board meets in public session most Thursdays and provides managerial oversight of the Prince George’s County Planning Department and the Department of Parks and Recreation, so even one vacant seat can affect how the panel handles its workload.
The opening also comes during a period of turnover. As of March 19, the board included Chairman Darryl Barnes, Vice Chair Manuel Geraldo, and Commissioners Billy Okoye, Brittany Jenkins and Lori Matthews. Jenkins and Matthews joined that day, with Matthews replacing William M. Doerner, whose four-year term was set to end June 15, 2026. Barnes resigned as chair in late May amid investigations into alleged misconduct, adding urgency to the county’s search for a replacement who can help steady the board.
Residents tracking the process can follow the board’s public meetings and development work through the planning board and county planning websites, the county council zoning information system and public notices. The board’s Largo Headquarters offices remain closed to in-person visits because of building construction, and no reopening date has been announced.
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