THE MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL
PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION
Chairperson: Royce Hanson, Montgomery
County, 1982
Vice-Chairperson: John Burcham, Prince George's
County, 1983
Montgomery County Commissioners: George 0.
Kephard, 1979; Helen M. Scharf, 1979;
Richmond M. Keeney, 1980; Mable H.
Granke, 1982.
Prince George's County Commissioners: Ann
Hopper, 1979; John W. Churchill, 1980; Edwin
H. Brown, 1982; Vacancy
Thomas H. Contee, Jr., Executive Director
Arthur S. Drea, General Counsel
A. Edward Navarre, Secretary-Treasurer
John F. Downs, Jr., Prince George's County
Planning Director
Richard E. Tustian, Montgomery County Planning
Director
Stanton G. Ernst, Montgomery County Parks
Director
Hugh B. Robey, Prince George's County Director,
Department of Parks and Recreation
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring 20907 Telephone: 565-7408
County Administration Building
Prince George's County
14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive
Upper Mariboro 20780 Telephone: 952-3560
This Commission has general park and plan-
ning jurisdiction over the Maryland-Washington
Metropolitan District created by Chapter 448,
Acts of 1927, and the Maryland-Washington Re-
gional District created by Chapter 714, Acts of
1939. Both districts are within Montgomery and
Prince George's counties adjoining the District of
Columbia, and embrace approximately 841 square
miles and 987 square miles respectively. The esti-
mated January 1, 1978, census population was
593,500 in Montgomery County and 677,100 in
Prince George's County.
The 1977-1978 estimated taxable base of Mont-
gomery County is $6.2800 billion; the Regional

District is Assessable Base $5.5806 billion; and
the Metropolitan District is Assessable Base
$5.5806 billion. The 1977-1978 taxable base of
Prince George's County is $5.0250 billion; the
Regional District is $4.9537 billion; and the Met-
ropolitan District is $4.7536 billion.
The Commission has been given, through Pub-
lic General Laws enacted by the Maryland Gen-
eral Assembly, definite jurisdiction over the
regional planning of the Maryland-Washington
Regional District, which includes all of Mont-
gomery County and Prince George's County, ex-
cepting certain incorporated communities that re-
tain their own planning and zoning authority.
The Commission is composed of ten members,
five of whom must be residents of Montgomery
County and five of whom must be residents of
Prince George's County. Not more than three
members from each county may be members of
the same political party. Members of the Com-
mission are appointed by the County Executive of
Prince George's County and confirmed by the
County Council. In Montgomery County, mem-
bers of the Commission are appointed by the
County Council and confirmed by the County
Executive. Appointments to the Commission are
for four-year terms. Vacancies are filled in the
same manner as appointments and are for the
unexpired term. The respective appointing au-
thorities may, at their discretion, designate a
member of the Commission from each county to
serve on a full-time basis. Each appointing au-
thority designates a member for the position of
Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Com-
mission. The positions of Chairperson and Vice-
Chairperson of the Commission alternate between
the Chairpersons of the respective County Plan-
ning Boards on a fiscal-year basis.
The five members from each County constitute
the County Planning Board. The Chairperson and
the Vice-Chairperson of the Commission also act
as Chairpersons, respectively, of their County
Planning Boards. The Commission appoints its
Executive Director, Secretary-Treasurer, and
General Counsel, as well as other staff members
as may be necessary. The respective County
Parks Directors and County Planning Directors
are also Commission appointees and act as Direc-
tor of Parks and Director of Planning, for bi-
county matters, in the years that coincide with
those years in which the Chairperson of the same
County's Planning Board serves as Chairperson
of the Commission.
Within the Maryland-Washington Metropolitan
District, the Commission is empowered to