Strategy in Action

In April 2022, as part of a zoning rewrite, the Prince George’s County Planning Department consolidated its previous 11 commercial zones into three zones: the Commercial, Neighborhood (CN) Zone; the Commercial, Service (CS) Zone; and the Commercial, General and Office (CGO) Zone. The Commercial Neighborhood (CN) Zone is designed for small-scale, low-intensity retail and service development that provides goods and services primarily for residents of surrounding neighborhoods.

The CN Zone also ensures that development density and form are consistent with a pedestrian-friendly and neighborhood-scale, traditional main street character, which enhances the shopping experience and increases the number of customers. It aims to ensure that retail and services are well-connected to and compatible with surrounding areas. By restricting the types of businesses that can operate in a CN Zone to those that serve neighborhood needs, this zone supports neighborhood small businesses in serving surrounding communities with relevant goods and services.