County Council approves two-year data center moratorium; advances $15.38M in grant appropriations
Prince George's County lawmakers approved a two-year moratorium on hyperscale data center operations and moved forward on $15.38 million in grant appropriations during a busy stretch of meetings from July 6 through July 14.
Data center moratorium and fiscal actions
The County Council, sitting as the Committee of the Whole, approved a two-year hyperscale data center moratorium on July 7 by a 7-1 vote. The same session produced favorable recommendations on several fiscal items, each passing 6-3:
- A $15.38 million supplementary appropriation of federal, state, and other grant funds for police, courts, fire/EMS, and other agencies.
- Board of Education FY 2026 transfer request and FY 2027 budget reconciliation.
- School facilities surcharge adjustment and public safety/behavioral health surcharge adjustment.
- Riverdale Park stop sign monitoring resolution.
The committee also accepted late testimony into the record for the Central Avenue sector plan and referred transcript analysis for that plan and for the Weinstein House historic site to staff for document preparation, both on 6-3 votes.
Permitting fees and surcharges
The Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee approved two measures on July 6, each 5-0:
- CB-067-2026, consolidating all county permitting fees into a single table.
- CR-062-2026, regarding fee increases for the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement.
The full County Council on July 7 referred proposed FY2027 surcharge adjustments to the Committee of the Whole. School facilities surcharges would rise to $12,680/$21,769 and public safety surcharges to $3,429/$10,279, based on a 3.8% CPI-U inflation adjustment.
Planning Board appointment and new legislation
The County Council confirmed Gloria Gary Lawlah to the M-NCPPC Planning Board on July 7 by an 11-0 vote. June 29 meeting minutes were approved 7-0.
Several bills and resolutions were introduced and referred to committees, including measures on emergency weather funding, sign height standards in IE-PD zones, accessory dwelling units, and stop sign monitoring systems. A public hearing was held on an Election Day administrative leave bill; no vote was recorded in the provided minutes.
District Council zoning actions
On July 6, the District Council waived its election to review three site plans, each 8-0: Promenade at Lottsford (DET-2022-004), Largo Station (DSP-2026-0009), and Nordstrom Distribution Center (SDP-2026-0013). June 22 minutes were approved 8-0. Two cases were deferred: ERR-001-2026 (Eucharia Ogu, permit issued in error) and ZMA-2024-004 The Grove at Hyde Landing (zoning map amendment). DSP-25002 Metro City, Phase 1 was also deferred.
On July 13, the District Council referred the Southern Hills conceptual site plan to staff for an approving document (6-0) and referred the Eucharia Ogu permit-in-error case to staff for an approval document (6-0). The council waived review of the Meridian Hill Special Exception, Capital Plaza Eastern Pad Site Detailed Site Plan, and Metro City Phase 1 Detailed Site Plan, each 6-0. July 6 minutes were approved 6-0.
July 14 session (agenda only)
Minutes were not yet published for the July 14 meetings. Agendas listed final action on CB-032-2026 (increasing penalties for non-residential property non-compliance up to $5,000), CB-033-2026 (emergency act on vehicle access and recovery after federal detention), CB-056-2026 (transferring Enforcement Division duties from Permitting to Homeland Security), CR-070-2026 ($15,381,210 grant appropriation), and CR-068-2026 (school facilities surcharge adjustment). The District Council agenda listed the Southern Hills conceptual site plan: 980 multifamily units, 150 senior housing units, 168 townhouse units, and 45,000 square feet of commercial/retail and medical office space on 85.4 acres at Southern Avenue and Wheeler Hill Road.
Coming up
- **July 21, County Council:** First reading of CB-075-2026 (quiet landscaping equipment); resolutions on Edmonston stop sign monitoring, Permanent Rent Stabilization fees, and National Harbor Extraordinary Development District designation; second reading of CB-047-2026 (off-street parking for elderly/disabled apartments).
- **July 21, Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee:** Votes on CB-070-2026 (places of worship on 25+ acre sites), CB-073-2026 (sign height in industrial zones), and CB-071-2026 (home occupation definitions and enforcement).
- **July 21, District Council:** Zoning reviews including 589 units at The Mark at College Park, an Arby's on US 301, 703 units at Saddle Ridge, and the Joyce Drive permit-in-error validation.
- **July 21, Committee of the Whole:** Discussion of National Harbor Extraordinary Development District, Edmonston stop sign monitoring, and a proposed joint letter on cannabis reinvestment methodology.