Meet the Board
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Prince George’s County Planning Board
Peter A. Shapiro
Chair
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commmission, Prince George’s County Planning Board
Peter A. Shapiro was appointed Chair of the Prince George’s County Planning Board in April 2022.
Background & Experience
Mr. Shapiro previously served nine years as Executive Director of the Prince George’s County Revenue Authority. Mr. Shapiro is a former member and two-term chair of the Prince George’s County Council (1998- 2004). As a Councilmember, he led numerous community revitalization efforts and oversaw land use and zoning for the County. One of his most notable community revitalization projects involved creating the vision for and spearheading the Gateway Arts District, a comprehensive public/private/nonprofit revitalization effort that resulted in over $500 million in new, high-quality investments along the Route 1 corridor. Mr. Shapiro led the effort to pass the smart-growth-oriented 2002 Prince’s George’s County General Plan.
Mr. Shapiro also served as Chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ (MWCOG) Transportation Planning Board, Chesapeake Bay Policy Committee, Access for All Advisory Committee, and as Vice-Chair of the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee. He also served on the Brentwood Town Council from 1993–1995.
Education
Mr. Shapiro earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in African American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park and a graduate Certificate in Leadership and Organizational Behavior from the International Forum for Social Innovation in Paris, France.
Dorothy F. Bailey was appointed to the Prince George’s County Planning Board in June 2011, reappointed in October 2019, and serves as Vice Chair.
Background & Experience
In December 1994, Ms. Bailey was elected to represent the Seventh Councilmanic District of Prince George’s County on the Prince George’s County Council. Ms. Bailey served two terms as Chair, and three terms as Vice Chair of the Council, where she presided over matters related to land use planning and participated in key decisions affecting development policy.
Prior to her election to the Council, Commissioner Bailey worked for the Executive Branch of Prince George’s County Government, serving as a senior-level official at several agencies, including Executive Director of the Consumer Protection Commission, the Commission for Families, and Community Partnerships Director at the Department of Family Services.
Recognitions
Ms. Bailey is active in numerous local, regional and national organizations, was recognized by Washingtonian Magazine as one of the area’s “Most Powerful Women” and, in 2014, was inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame.
Education
She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from North Carolina Central University, completed further graduate study in both education and gerontology, and was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Riverside Baptist College and Seminary.
William M. Doerner, PhD, was appointed to the Prince George’s County Planning Board on November 1, 2016, and reappointed in October 2019.
Background & Experience
Dr. Doerner brings a combination of practical and academic experience in local planning issues to the Commission. He has served the past two years on the Hyattsville Planning Committee and has worked in property appraisal and valuation for both state and county agencies in Florida.
While earning his doctoral degree, he designed and taught classes on housing markets and land use regulations. Currently, he works at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) where one of his main responsibilities is to produce nationwide house price measures. He also conducts applied research to help inform policy decision-making in housing finance.
Dr. Doerner has published over a dozen articles in academic journals on a range of topics like finance, housing, property taxation, and policy and has presented at a number of national and regional conferences.
Education
He earned a PhD and MS in Economics from Florida State University and a BS in Mathematics-Economics and Urban Studies from Furman University. He was also a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Guatemala and is fluent in Spanish.
Commissioner Manuel R. Geraldo, Esq. was appointed to the Prince George’s County Planning Board in July, 2012.
Recognitions
Mr. Geraldo has received numerous awards and recognition as a long-time, committed community activist and volunteer and serves as:
- Director and Secretary of the Pro Bono Resource Center
- Director for the Portuguese American Leadership Council
- Director of the Maryland Legal Aid Bureau
- Director on the Board of the Prince George’s County Community Foundation
Background & Experience
Mr. Geraldo is an accomplished legal professional and principal in the law firm of Robinson and Geraldo, which he organized in 1979. His prior professional positions include Director and General Counsel for the District of Columbia Private Industry Council, litigation and legislative Counsel in the Office of the General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, membership on the Newark Commission on Human Rights, and Executive Director for the Congress of Portuguese Speaking People.
Mr. Geraldo was appointed by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to the Maryland Board of Airport Zoning Appeals in 2010 and as Chair of the Board in 2012. He also previously served as a Commissioner and as Chair of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.
Education
Mr. Geraldo earned a bachelor’s degree from Seton Hall University, a juris doctorate from Rutgers School of Law, and a master’s degree in International and Comparative Law from Georgetown University.
A. Shuanise Washington was appointed to the Prince George’s County Planning Board in 2011 and reappointed in 2012 and 2016.
Background & Experience
Ms. Washington is the President and CEO of the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC). Prior to her role with NAMIC, she was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF). She also was the Founder and Principal of Washington Solutions, LLC which provided strategic counsel to businesses, governments and non-profit organizations.
Ms. Washington’s previous corporate positions include Vice President of Government Affairs Policy and Outreach and Vice President for External Affairs for Altria Corporate Services.
She also held several high-level positions with Philip Morris Management Corp., including Director of Washington Relations and District Director of State Government Affairs.
Recognitions
Commissioner Washington holds leadership positions in a number of national and local community organizations, has received numerous awards, and has been featured in various national and local publications.
Education
Shuanise Washington holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and a cognate in mathematics.
The Prince George’s County Planning Board serves as citizen representatives for their communities in helping to plan, shape, and maintain livable neighborhoods and healthy lifestyles for residents and families in Prince George’s County. Together with the Montgomery County Planning Board, they comprise The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission – a bi-county agency set up under State law in 1927 to acquire, develop, maintain, and administer a regional system of parks and administer a general plan for the physical development of both counties. In Prince George’s County, the agency also administers the public recreation program.
As a quasi-judicial body, the Planning Board’s responsibilities include supervising the preparation of land use plans and comprehensive zoning maps, advising the County Council on zoning map amendment and special exception applications, and reviewing and approving site plans. The Board also oversees the Commission’s work in the County, as carried out by the Parks and Recreation and Planning Departments.
The Planning Board’s full-time Chairman and four part-time members are appointed by the Prince George’s County Executive and confirmed by the Prince George’s County Council, serving overlapping four-year terms.
In Prince George’s County, the Planning Board directs the work of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission through the Prince George’s County Planning Department and the Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation. The Commission’s activities in the County are determined by the Prince George’s County Council, which annually approves the operating budget and work program, with input and comments from the County Executive.
The Planning Board meets in public session most Thursdays to consider planning, zoning, and subdivision matters for Prince George’s County. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings continue to be held virtually. All interested persons are invited to attend the meetings, voice their opinions on individual cases, or simply observe the meeting proceedings.
Specific Responsibilities
The Prince George’s County Planning Board is responsible for:
- Advising the County Council on proposed changes to the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations
- Offering recommendations to the County Council on zoning map amendment and special exception applications
- Reviewing and approving site plans
- Serving as the final authority in administering the Subdivision Regulations for Prince George’s County
- Supervising the preparation of land use plans and comprehensive zoning maps for County Council approval
Rules of Procedure
Read our Rules of Procedure (PDF) specifying how public hearings are run and how to testify before the Planning Board.
