Bowie Master Plan Update

Bowie and Vicinity Area Master Plan Update

The long-awaited update of the 2006 Approved Master Plan for Bowie and Vicinity is now underway. On February 18, 2020, the Prince George’s County Council (District Council) approved CR-5-2020, initiating the update to the Master Plan. The District Council also approved the Goals, Concepts and Guidelines and a Public Participation Program for the project in CR-5-2020. The current schedule schedule for Master Plan production is below: 

Anticipated Schedule

master plan Milestones

The Public Participation Program includes interviews with key Stakeholders and several public meetings in 2020. The City Council’s review process will begin with the release of the Preliminary Master Plan in mid-2021. The Bowie Advisory Planning Board (BAPB) will conduct a public hearing on the Preliminary Master Plan and make recommendations to City Council. The City Council will hold its own public hearing and worksessions regarding the Preliminary Master Plan prior to providing a position statement for the Joint Public Hearing of the County Planning Board and District Council in the fall of 2021.  

Interviews w Key Stakeholders

Bowie Master Plan Existing Conditions Report

The Community Planning Division of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) recently posted the Existing Conditions Report prepared for the Bowie-Mitchellville & Vicinity Master Plan. An interactive, online version of the 296-page report is available online. Due to the large file size, an electronic copy of the entire report is not available. Residents are encouraged to review the content and provide comments directly into the online version. 

Existing Conditions Video

Bowie Master Plan Playbook Strategies

The Prince George’s County Planning Department will host a virtual presentation, Playbook of Strategies, on Thursday, November 12, 2020 at 7:00 PM for the Bowie-Mitchellville & Vicinity Master Plan. The project team will explore key strategies to help meet the challenges and opportunities at several key locations in the plan area including Old Town Bowie, Free State Shopping Center/Bowie Marketplace on MD 450, parcels along US 301 in Bowie Town Center, and the corridors of US 301, MD 450 and MD 197. 

RSVP: https://bmvmpplaybook.eventbrite.com

Please Note: The Playbook of Strategies presentation will be conducted online. Details to access the virtual meeting will be provided to registrants prior to the event. 

 For more details on the project, visit: https://www.mncppc.org/3390/BowiePlan. 


  1. Current Master Plan
  2. Master Planning Explained
  3. Other Useful Links

Current Master Plan

Approved Master Plan for Bowie and Vicinity and Sectional Map Amendment for Planning Areas 71A, 71B, 74A, and 74B  (February 2006)

Abstract: This document contains text and maps of the Approved Master Plan for Bowie and Vicinity and the Sectional Map Amendment for Planning Areas 71A, 71B, 74A, and 74B. This plan amends the 1991 Approved Master Plan and Adopted Sectional Map Amendment (SMA) for Bowie-Collington-Mitchellville and Vicinity, Planning Areas 71A, 71B, 74A, and 74B. It also amends the 2002 Prince George’s County Approved General Plan and other functional master plans. This plan was developed primarily during a community-wide six-day planning charrette after consultation with citizen focus groups. The document provides visions, goals, background, policies and strategies for numerous planning elements. The Development Pattern element encourages the revitalization of Old Town Bowie and redevelopment of Bowie Main Street, West Bowie Village, and Pointer Ridge. These four existing commercial areas are designated as mixed-use activity centers suitable for a wide array of public, commercial, employment, and residential land uses. The plan recommends that flexible zoning regulations be enacted to preserve rural character and sensitive environmental features. The Area-Wide Infrastructure element addresses the environment, transportation, schools, fire, police, library, parks, and trails. The Community Character element addresses economic development, historic preservation, and scenic roads. Rural and Developing Tier boundaries designated in the 2002 General Plan and boundaries of the Bowie Regional Center are redefined. Land use concepts and illustrative sketches are included that encourage development centered on a future transit hub in the Bowie Regional Center. A Development District Overlay Zone (DDOZ) containing a regulating matrix, design standards, and a table of uses are included to facilitate implementation of the plan’s land use recommendations for Old Town Bowie. The sectional map amendment implements the land use concepts in the master plan.