In this issue:
   Attendees at a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 14 celebrate the reopening of the Old Greenbelt Theatre. (Photo credit: Jon Gardner)
The Business Development Section (BDS) recently assisted the Old Greenbelt Theatre in the permitting process to double its screen capacity with the addition of the new 40-seat Screening Room. The historic nonprofit theater is one of the oldest cinemas in the DMV and part of a designated national historic district. “The new screen will allow Old Greenbelt Theatre to show twice as many new release films and add more specialty programming to our calendar, meaning more movies for audiences to enjoy,” said Caitlin McGrath, executive director of the theater.
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The new Screening Room and Media Arts Literacy Lab (shown at right) will serve as dedicated educational spaces for film and media classes. A particular focus will be programming for students, such as field trips, as well as hands-on filmmaking workshops and camps. “Education has always been part of our mission at the Old Greenbelt Theatre, and we are thrilled to finally have a permanent space devoted to teaching film history, production and culture,” McGrath said. “We hope this new community resource can become a center for cinema and education in the region.”
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The new additions, including a concession stand for the new Screening Room (shown at left), were funded by the facility's multi-year “Beyond the Screen” fundraising campaign. The renovation was delayed when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the theatre to close its doors. Support from local donors and federal government grants for shuttered venues helped the Old Greenbelt Theatre weather the closure and move into what McGrath calls “the next phase of the theater.” Visit GreenbeltTheatre.org for additional information.
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 The screening room inside the Old Greenbelt Theatre features velvet-covered, wood-framed seating.
New Wet Seals Policy
As we continue to enhance our online permit application process, DPIE has updated its Wet Seals Policy. As of May 1, 2022, DPIE no longer requires paper copies of approved permit plans delivered to DPIE with wet seals/signatures. The applicant is still required to upload signed and sealed drawings at the time of plan submission for every drawing sheet and on the cover page for all calculations and design reports. For additional information, visit DPIE Notices & Alerts.
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Celebrate National Food Truck Day!
National Food Truck Day is celebrated annually on the last Friday of June. On June 24, the County's entrepreneurs on wheels will be cooking and serving up their tastiest and most innovative dishes. Food trucks give aspiring restauranteurs the opportunity to run smaller operations before opening brick and mortar restaurants. Food truck vendors offer an alternative food source for County residents.
National Food Truck Day celebrates mobile food vendors across the United States.
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 Food trucks, approved by the Health Department, may only operate during special events such as festivals, fairs and carnivals or within designated food truck hubs with approval from the event coordinator.
Food truck owners wanting to operate at food truck hubs must first apply for the Mobile Food Service Facility Permit from the Health Department, then apply for a Special Food Service Facility Permit from DPIE. Both licenses are available online through Momentum, DPIE's licensing application system.
For additional information about the application process, visit DPIE's Food Truck Hub web page, or contact one of our business development officers at DPIEBizDev@co.pg.md.us.
Business Development Section Event
Register to Attend!
Please join the BDS team at 12:00 noon on Thursday, June 23, 2022, for a virtual discussion about food truck permits. To sign up for this free webinar, register here.
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ICYMI
Over the last year, the BDS has conducted several webinars and prepared PowerPoint presentations for the business community on a variety of DPIE processes. These include Building Permits and Use and Occupancy Permits. Customers may access the BDS presentations here.
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