County Council Approves Public Safety Surcharge Waiver in Hyattsville

The Prince George’s County Council has approved a resolution to waive developers’ contributions to the public safety fund in the Hyattsville portion of the county's designated arts district.

The action is expected to expedite the redevelopment of the Route 1 corridor in Hyattsville by easing the surcharge developers must pay before building development.

The resolution, which was introduced in January by ) of Hyattsville, would waive the county’s public safety surcharge imposed on developers who build in the county.  The surcharge is meant to add resources to public safety departments that would police developments that bring in additional residents and shoppers.

In the resolution, Campos contends that development in the area, also called the t, would have “positive effects on the business and residential environment” in the area.  The surcharge is tied to building permits needed for construction.

But Councilwoman Mary A. Lehman (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel, the only council person to vote against the resolution, said that waiving the surcharge means the county will forgo nearly $800,000 to the public safety budget at a time when the county is dealing with a surge in homicides, police shortages and fiscal challenges.

“I cannot support this,” she told Patch. “The police force is understaffed…with the $77 million [county budget shortfall] I can’t justify this” to residents.

The County Council had already granted a partial waiver of the surcharge during the first phase of , which included 124 single-family homes, 13 residential studio units and more than 6,600-square feet of retail space.