All public streets will be classified by the County according to the system of functional classification defined in the Approved Countywide Master Plan of Transportation (as may be amended from time to time) and shall be designed and constructed to the County's adopted street design standards as authorized by Subtitle 23, Roads and Sidewalks, of the County Code. Within the Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers as designated by the General Plan (as may be amended from time to time), the Prince George’s County Urban Street Design Standards shall apply.

As a basis for application of many of the vehicular access and circulation standards in this Section, proposed and existing vehicular accessways shall be classified in accordance with the following classifications, which reflect the accessway’s relative functions in providing access to and from principal origin and destination points and accommodating travel mobility. These do not supersede or replace classifications used in the Prince George’s County Specifications and Standards for Roadways and Bridges.

1. (1)
   Driveways

   Driveways are accessways that function solely to provide direct and immediate vehicular access between an alley or street and the principal origin and destination points within an abutting development, or part of a large development. They generally handle low vehicular travel speeds and traffic volumes, but may handle higher vehicular traffic volumes within large commercial and mixed-use developments (e.g., driveways within mixed-use developments or shopping center parking areas). Driveways are generally not located in the public right-of-way for their principal length, or along building frontages in the Transit-Oriented/Activity Center base and Planned Development (PD) zones, and are not considered streets.

2. (2)
   Alleys

   1. (A)
      Alleys make up a specialized classification of accessway that primarily functions to provide secondary vehicular access and/or service and delivery vehicle access between a street and the rear or sides of lots or buildings. Alleys may provide primary vehicular access for dwellings designed to have no driveway access from the fronting street, or access may be provided through a combination of an alley and a driveway from a fronting street. Alleys may not provide primary vehicular access for dwellings that do not have a fronting street unless such dwelling front instead on common open spaces such as a mews or courtyards.
   2. (B)
      Within the CN, NAC, LTO, RTO-L, RTO-H, LTO-PD, and RTO-PD zones, alleys shall comply with standards established in the Prince George’s County Urban Street Design Standards. In all other areas of the County, alleys shall comply with the standards established in Subtitle 23: Roads and Sidewalks, and Subtitle 24: Subdivision Regulations, of the County Code, and the Prince George’s County Specifications and Standards for Roadways and Bridges.
3. (3)
   Connectivity

   The accessways defined in Sections 27-6206(b)(1) and 27-6206(b)(2) shall connect to public or private streets, which shall follow standards of design and construction as defined in the Prince George’s County Specifications and Standards for Roadways and Bridges and in Subtitle 23: Roads and Sidewalks, SHA design standards (if applicable), or those of the applicable municipalities having jurisdiction.

A new development shall be served by a system of vehicular accessways and internal circulation (including driveways, and alleys connecting from public or private streets, as well as any required fire lanes, parking lot drive aisles, and any circulation associated with parking, loading, or drive-through service windows) that are designed to accommodate appropriate circulation of firefighting and other emergency vehicles, public transit, school buses, garbage trucks, delivery vehicles, service vehicles, and passenger motor vehicles within the development, as defined by the standards in Subtitle 23: Roads and Sidewalks.

1. (1)
   Limitation on Direct Access Along Arterial, Major Collector, and Collector Streets

   Proposed direct driveway access to a development’s principal origin or destination points (including individual lots in a subdivision) may be provided directly from an arterial, major collector, or collector street only if:

   1. (A)
      No alternative direct vehicular access from a lower-classified accessway (e.g., local street, driveway, or alley) is available or feasible to provide;
   2. (B)
      Only one two-way driveway, or one pair of one-way driveways, is allowed onto lots with 200 or less feet of lot frontage on the arterial, major collector, or collector street, and no more than one additional two-way driveway or pair of one-way driveways per additional 200 feet of frontage; and
   3. (C)
      The development(s) served by the driveway is expected to generate an average daily traffic (ADT) count of 1,000 trips or less, or it is determined that the origin or destination points accessed by the driveway will generate sufficiently low traffic volumes, and the adjacent arterial, major collector, or collector street has sufficiently low travel speeds and traffic volumes, to allow safe driveway access while preserving the safety and efficiency of travel on the arterial, major collector, or collector street.
2. (2)
   Limitation on Direct Driveway Access along Other Streets

   The following standards shall apply to vehicular access along a street other than an arterial, major collector, or collector street.

   1. (A)
      For single-family detached dwellings, two-family dwellings, and three-family dwellings, one direct driveway access point is allowed if only the frontage of the lot abuts the street’s right-of-way. If the street is on a corner lot of two non-arterial, non-major collector, and/or non-collector streets and abuts the right-of-way of two intersecting streets, two direct driveway access points are allowed (one to each street).
   2. (B)
      For townhouse and multifamily dwellings, and for uses in the Public, Civic, and Institutional; Commercial; and Industrial Use Categories, the number of vehicular access points along a public street shall follow State, County, or municipal access standards, as applicable, to protect the function, safety, and efficiency of travel on the street and any associated bikeways and sidewalks.
   3. (C)
      Where a through lot or corner lot fronts on roadways of different classifications, direct driveway access to the lot shall be provided only from the lower-classified fronting street, to the maximum extent practicable.
3. (3)
   Shared Driveways

   1. (A)
      Driveway access shared between adjoining lots is encouraged and, in the case of County or State access spacing requirements that do not allow individual lot frontages to be served individually, may be required to limit direct vehicular access along streets.
   2. (B)
      Easements allowing cross-access to and from lands served by a shared driveway, along with agreements defining maintenance responsibilities of landowners, shall be recorded with the Land Records of Prince George’s County before issuance of a building permit for the development proposing the shared driveway access. Such easements shall clearly limit parking of each property owners’ vehicles to their side of the driveway, and stipulate that both owners shall share in the costs and responsibility of maintaining the driveway.

1. (1)
   Purpose

   The purpose of the following vehicular connectivity standards is to enhance safe and convenient mobility within and between neighborhoods and developments that helps integrate and connect neighborhoods, allow residents to conveniently visit neighbors and nearby activity centers without compromising the capacity of the County’s streets to accommodate through-traffic, improve opportunities for comprehensive and convenient transit service, enhance efficient provision of public services, and improve the speed and effectiveness with which emergency services and police and fire protection can be provided to County residents and lands.

2. (2)
   Cross-Access Between Adjoining Developments

   To encourage shared parking and minimize access points along streets, new development, other than industrial development, in the Transit-Oriented/Activity Center base and PD zones and Nonresidential base zones shall comply with the following standards:

   1. (A)
      The internal vehicular circulation system shall be designed and constructed to provide vehicular cross-access between the development’s vehicular use areas and those on adjoining parcels containing a nonresidential or mixed-use development, or to the boundary of adjoining vacant land in a Transit-Oriented/Activity Center base or PD zone or a Nonresidential zone (see Figure 27-6206(e)(2): Cross-Access Between Parking Areas of Adjoining Developments).

1. (1)
   General Pedestrian Access

   All new development subject to this Section shall be served by an internal pedestrian circulation system (including sidewalks, pedestrian paths, and/or trails) that permits safe, convenient, efficient, and orderly movement of pedestrians among the following origin and destination points within the development, as well as between the adjoining parts of an existing or planned external, community-wide pedestrian circulation system and any adjoining transit stops, bus stops, public parks, greenways, schools, community centers, and shopping areas:

   1. (A)
      The primary entrance(s) of principal buildings (or the buildable area of lots, for subdivisions);
   2. (B)
      Off-street parking bays;
   3. (C)
      Any designated or planned transit stations or bus stops and shelters (on-site or on an adjacent street); and
   4. (D)
      Recreation facilities and other common use areas and amenities.
2. (2)
   Sidewalks Required

   1. (A)
      All new development subject to this Section, except for development fronting a rural road, or single-family subdivisions where the density is 1 dwelling unit per 2 acres or less, shall install sidewalks on both sides of all streets having curb and gutter construction within the development site and along the entire frontage of the development site with an existing street (unless an existing sidewalk meeting County standards is already in place).
   2. (B)
      Where a development site fronts an existing street with insufficient right-of-way width to accommodate installation of a required sidewalk along the frontage, the developer shall install a sidewalk on the development site within a dedicated widening of the right-of-way or dedicated public easement running parallel and adjacent to the public street.
   3. (C)
      The Planning Director may waive or modify the requirement for sidewalks where the applicant clearly demonstrates that such sidewalks are impractical or infeasible due to the presence of topographic conditions or natural features, such as steep grades that do not allow connections to be made without stairs.

All new multifamily, townhouse, nonresidential, and mixed-use development shall comply with the following standards:

1. (1)
   The internal pedestrian circulation system shall be designed to allow for pedestrian walkway cross-access between the development’s buildings and parking areas and those on adjoining lots containing a multifamily, townhouse, nonresidential, or mixed-use development, or to the boundary of adjoining vacant land zoned to allow multifamily residential, nonresidential, or mixed-use development (including land in the Residential, Transit-Oriented/Activity Center, and Nonresidential base and PD zones).
2. (2)
   The Planning Director may waive or modify the requirement for pedestrian cross-access where the applicant clearly demonstrates that such cross–access is impractical or infeasible due to police concerns about through-traffic routes complicating law enforcement, Environmental Site Design requirements, or the presence of any of the following at the point(s) where through-connections would otherwise be required: topographic conditions, natural features, visual obstructions or parking space locations that create traffic hazards, or the existence of mature or protected trees.
3. (3)
   Easements allowing cross-access to and from properties served by a pedestrian cross-access, along with agreements defining maintenance responsibilities of landowners, shall be recorded with the Land Records of Prince George's County before issuance of a building permit for the development.
4. (4)
   Pedestrian Walkways through Large Vehicular Parking Areas and Parking Garages

   1. (A)
      General Standards

   1.  
      1. (i)
         All vehicular parking areas and parking structures containing more than 150 parking spaces shall provide a clearly identified and protected pedestrian path between parking areas and the primary pedestrian entrance(s) to the building(s) served by the parking areas, or to a pedestrian walkway providing direct access from the furthest extent of the parking area to the primary building entrance(s).
      2. (ii)
         Vehicular parking areas containing more than 150 parking spaces shall, at a minimum, include one pedestrian walkway every 6 parallel parking rows (every three double-row parking bays) or every 200 feet, whichever is the lesser dimension (see Figure 27-6207(b)(4): Walkways Through Vehicular Parking Area). The pedestrian walkway shall be constructed of a paved surface with concrete similar to that used for sidewalk standards for public streets. Other hardscape materials, such as brick pavers, may be used provided that they allow smooth surfaces along pedestrian paths and at vehicle crossings.

1. (1)
   Internal and Adjoining Bicycle Access

   All new development subject to this Section shall provide for internal bicycle circulation such that bicycle access to the development’s primary use is safe, convenient and intuitive, specifically by providing the following, in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Transportation, State Highway Administration, or a municipality with jurisdiction over the streets.

   1. (A)
      Bicycle parking facilities required by Section 27-6309, Bicycle Parking Standards, in areas near the primary entrance(s) of principal buildings (or the buildable area of lots, for subdivisions) for bicycle storage;
   2. (B)
      Connections to any adjacent existing or planned (identified in the applicable Area Master Plan or Sector Plan, or in the Countywide Master Plan of Transportation) on-street or off-street bicycle facilities outside the development, or internal bicycle systems in adjacent developments;
   3. (C)
      Connections to any designated or planned rail transit or bus stops and shelters (on-site or on an adjacent street); and
   4. (D)
      Connections to any recreational amenities internal to the development, such as open space.
2. (2)
   Required Bikeway Network Improvements

   1. (A)
      All new development subject to this Section shall be required to install bike lanes, bike paths, or other bicycle improvements. Additional bikeway network improvements are encouraged where appropriate, such as within large development sites and to provide additional connections to nearby bicycle routes. The facilities shall be established in part, through an agreement and/or easements which include assurances for their maintenance.
   2. (B)
      The Planning Director may, for private streets or, when advised by the permitting agency, for public streets, waive or modify the requirement for bike lanes, bike paths, or other bicycle improvements where the applicant clearly demonstrates that the facilities are impractical or infeasible due topographic conditions, natural features, or visual obstructions that create hazards.
   3. (C)
      Where a development site fronts an existing street with insufficient right-of-way width to accommodate installation of a required bike path along the frontage, the applicant may install a bike path on the development site, within a public easement running parallel and nearby the public street. Such bicycle paths shall not be restricted from public use and shall allow physical passage at all times.

All new multifamily, townhouse, nonresidential, and mixed-use development shall comply with the following standards:

1. (1)
   Any internal bicycle circulation system shall be designed and constructed to provide bicycle cross-access between it and any internal bicycle circulation system on adjoining parcels containing a multifamily, townhouse, nonresidential, or mixed-use development, or to the boundary of adjoining vacant land zoned to allow townhouse, multifamily, nonresidential, or mixed-use development (including land in the Residential, Transit-Oriented/Activity Center, and Nonresidential base and PD zones).
2. (2)
   The Planning Director may waive or modify the requirement for bicycle cross-access on determining that such cross–access is impractical or undesirable for typical bicyclists’ use due to the presence of topographic conditions, natural features, or safety factors. Undesirable conditions shall be defined as those limiting mobility for bicycles as a form of transportation, such as steep grades, narrow connections bounded on both sides by walls or embankments, or limited visibility when straight-line connections are not achievable.
3. (3)
   Easements allowing cross-access to and from lands served by a bicycle cross-access, along with agreements between owners of lands that provide and are served by the cross-access defining the owners' maintenance responsibilities, shall be recorded with the Land Records of Prince George's County before issuance of a building permit for the development.

1. (1)
   Off-Street Bicycle Facilities

   Required bicycle paths shall:

   1. (A)
      Allow two-way bicycle circulation; 
   2. (B)
      Be at least ten (10) feet wide and surfaced with a smooth-surface (such as hot-mix asphalt), durable, and dustless material;
   3. (C)
      Be distinguishable from vehicular traffic lanes they cross by painted markings, a change in pavement material or color, raised paving height, decorative bollards, and/or flashing caution signals; and
   4. (D)
      Provide lighting similar to the lighting standards for residential streets established in the Prince George’s County Specifications and Standards for Roadways and Bridges or other standards in Subtitle 23 of the County Code.
2. (2)
   On-Street Bicycle Facilities

   Required bike lanes shall be designed and provided in accordance with the cross-section, paving, and other standards applicable to the roadways of which they are a part.

The Planning Director may waive all or part of the standards in this Section for private streets if it is demonstrated that bicycle access and circulation is not needed in the proposed development due to an established bicycle facility already within or abutting the development, or that compliance with the required bicycle improvements is impracticable because topography, natural features, or the facilities or will create significant risks of harm to bicyclists.

1. (1)
   General

   Off-street parking areas required by this Section shall be used solely for the parking of licensed motorized vehicles in operating condition. Required parking spaces and loading berths may not be used for the display of goods for sale (except for food truck hubs operating pursuant to Subtitle 5 of the County Code, farmers' markets, and flea markets), or the sale, lease, storage, dismantling, or service of any vehicles, boats, motor homes, campers, mobile homes, building materials, equipment, or supplies.

2. (2)
   Identified as to Purpose and Location

   Except for single-family dwellings, off-street parking areas and off-street loading areas shall include painted lines, wheel stops, or other methods of identifying individual parking spaces and loading berths and distinguishing such spaces or berths from aisles. Specific dimensional and marking standards are defined in Section 27-6304(d), Markings.

1. (1)
   General

   1. (A)
      Except as provided for in Section 27-6304(b)(1)(B) and Section 27-6304(b)(2) below, all off-street parking and loading areas shall be surfaced with asphalt, concrete, brick, stone, pavers, or an equivalent hard, dustless, and bonded surface material. Use of surfacing that includes recycled materials (e.g., glass, rubber, used asphalt, brick, block, and concrete) is encouraged. These surfaces shall be maintained in a smooth, well-graded, clean, orderly, and dust-free condition.
   2. (B)
      Parking for uses in the Rural and Agricultural base zones may be allowed on non-engineered surfaces of grass, gravel, dirt or similar materials, provided, the following uses shall comply with Section 27-6304(b)(1)(A) above:

   1.  
      1. (i)
         Agricultural research facilities;
      2. (ii)
         Farm supply sales or farm machinery/implement sales, rental, or repair; and
      3. (iii)
         Cemeteries.
2. (2)
   Pervious or Semi-pervious Surfacing

   The use of pervious or semi-pervious parking lot surfacing materials—including, but not limited to—pervious asphalt and concrete, open-joint pavers, and reinforced grass/gravel/shell grids, is encouraged. Any pervious or semi-pervious surfacing used for aisles within or driveways to parking and loading areas shall be certified as capable of accommodating anticipated traffic loading stresses and maintenance impacts. Where possible, such materials should be used in areas proximate to and in combination with on-site stormwater control devices (see Figure 27-6304(b)(2): Use of Pervious Materials in a Parking Lot).

Except as otherwise provided for multiple use developments (see Section 27-6305(c) below), new development or a change in use or expansion shall provide the minimum number of off-street parking spaces in accordance with Table 27-6305(a), Minimum Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces, based on the principal use(s) involved and the extent of development. Interpretation of the off-street parking space standards for uses with variable parking demands or unlisted uses is provided in Section 27-6305(b), Unlisted Uses.