 Logo of the M-NCPPC | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1927; 98 years ago (1927) |
| Type | Intercounty |
| Jurisdiction | |
| Headquarters | 6611Kenilworth Ave, Suite 402,Riverdale Park, MD 20737 38°58′09″N76°54′58″W / 38.969136°N 76.916095°W /38.969136; -76.916095 |
| Annual budget | US$456 million (2017)[1] |
| Agency executives |
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| Parent department | Maryland General Assembly |
| Website | www |
| Footnotes | |
| [1][2] | |
TheMaryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a bi-county agency that administersparks andplanning inMontgomery andPrince George's counties inMaryland.[2]
The commission was formed in 1927 by theMaryland General Assembly (Chapter 448, Acts of 1927).[3][2] Since 1970, the commission also has operated the Prince George's Countyrecreation program, funded by a separate countywide recreation tax. In addition, the commission provides services and educational programs relating to conservation and nature, local history, and the arts, and offers recreation classes.[2] The commission successfully defended the constitutionality of its maintaining the BladensburgPeace Cross before theSupreme Court of the United States inAmerican Legion v. American Humanist Association (2019).[4]
The commission is divided into seven departments, two for Montgomery county: the Department of Parks and the Department of Planning; two for Prince George's County: the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Planning; and three that are cross-county: the Department of Human Resource Management, the Department of Finance, and the Office of the General Counsel.[5] While these counties and departments are all within one commission, day-to-day operations, for the most part, are separate. Interaction among general staff across counties and departments is rare.
The commission manages over 52,000 acres (210 km2) of parks in the two counties. Within the Maryland-Washington Metropolitan District, the commission is empowered to acquire, develop, maintain, and operate parks systems. In all areas except Laurel, the Commission may spend public funds to acquire park land. Subject to county government approval, it also may sellgeneral obligation bonds to fund park acquisition and development. All other expenses, includingdebt service, are paid from a park tax levied within the District.[citation needed]
Prince George's Stadium inBowie is built on park property.[6]
Taking into account all factors of urban, suburban, rural andregional planning, the commission prepares and administers aGeneral Plan for the physical development of the Maryland-Washington Regional District. All of Prince George's County (exceptLaurel) and all of Montgomery County (exceptRockville,Gaithersburg, and several small municipalities) are included in the district. For the portion of the district within their county, each planning board makeszoning recommendations to its county council. To enact zoningordinances and change the zoning map, the planning boards have exclusive responsibility forsubdivision approval, location andgrades of streets, location of public buildings andutilities, and street naming andhouse numbering. Administration and operating expenses of the commission are financed byproperty taxes levied by the two counties.
The Commission supervises the Maryland-National Capital Park Police, which patrols the parks in both counties. The M-NCPPC Park Police is divided into the Montgomery County Division and the Prince George's County Division. The MNCPP in Prince George's County is also known as "Maryland Park Police" or "Maryland Park." The MNCPP in Montgomery County is known as "The Montgomery County Park Police".[7]
The Commission's ten members include five residents of Montgomery County and five of Prince George's who serve four-year terms. The five members from each county make up the county planning board. In Montgomery County, members are appointed by theCounty Council and confirmed by theCounty Executive. In Prince George's County, theCounty Executive appoints all five members subject to County Council confirmation. Of the members from each county, no more than three may be of the same political party. The appointing authority names the planning board chair. The Commission chair alternates each year between the two planning board chairs. The alternate becomes vice-chair.
The Commission appoints the Executive Director, General Counsel, and Secretary-Treasurer. In Prince George's County, the Parks and Recreation Director and Planning Director are appointed by the County Planning Board. In Montgomery County, the Planning Board appoints a Director of Parks and a Planning Director.
