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In this issue:
As 2023 draws to a close, we want to pause and thank our civic association leaders, community partners, stakeholders, businesses and residents for their input and support. DPIE is here to serve you as we assist neighbors in adherence to property maintenance codes, and provide permitting, plan review and inspection services. As a reminder, any potential violations observed in your community should be reported to PGC311. Property upkeep and code compliance go hand in hand to ensure safe dwellings and businesses.
As we continue to celebrate the 10th anniversary year of DPIE, we are sharing more stories of the people who helped to make this happen. During the holidays and the beginning of a New Year, we often reflect on the past, which helps us in formulating new ideas for the future. As we move into the new year, we will continue to think of ways we can improve based on our past growth. We appreciate your feedback and suggestions, so please continue to reach out to us with observations and comments regarding our improved processes and services.
The DPIE team and I wish all of you a safe and joyous holiday season. We look forward to continuing our partnership with each of you in 2024.
Happy Holidays!
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New Associate Director of the Administrative Services Division Joins DPIE's Senior Management Team
Eric Ampedu joins DPIE after nearly 18 years in the District of Columbia government. He is a seasoned government services executive with extensive human resources and operations experience. Eric started his DC Government career at the District Department of Transportation, where he utilized innovative recruitment techniques to attract engineers from other jurisdictions to the District.
He played a leadership role in transforming the DC Taxicab commission into the current Department of For-Hire Vehicles (DFHV) in the District and deployed the gTechna machine learning (ML) solution to track and monitor the activities of for-hire vehicles in the District.
Most recently, he served as the Chief Administrative Officer for the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) and led the efforts that transitioned DCRA and established the District’s newest agencies, the Department of Buildings (DOB) and the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), without any interruption in service delivery.
Eric earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Cape-Coast in Ghana and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.
The Prince George’s County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE) wants to remind residents and businesses that owners, tenants and managers of residential and commercial properties with paved sidewalks adjacent to their properties are responsible for ensuring that sidewalk areas are cleared of snow and ice. Failing to clear snow and ice may result in the levying of fines.
Ensuring that public sidewalks are cleared of snow and ice is an important safety and accessibility consideration for pedestrians. It is especially important for young children, students who walk to school, senior citizens and people with ambulatory disabilities. Prince George’s County Code Section 23-150 mandates that responsible parties remove accumulated snow and ice from abutting sidewalks within 48 hours after snow has fallen or ice has accumulated to a depth of two or more inches.
Responsible parties who fail to clear the abutting sidewalks within 24 hours of the end of a major snow event will be issued a reminder notice by a DPIE inspector. After another 24-hour period, the DPIE inspector will conduct a second inspection. If the responsible parties have failed to clear their sidewalks within the designated 48 hours following the end of a major snow event, the inspector will issue a citation that carries a fine of $100 per day. Additional citations may be issued for subsequent 24-hour periods until the accumulated snow and ice are cleared. Fines will continue to accumulate with each successive citation.
If the snow and ice are not removed in a timely manner, the County has the authority to hire a contractor to clear it and add the costs to the fines.
Areas of primary focus include sidewalks:
- Adjacent to commercial establishments and apartment/condominium complexes
- Along roadways within 1.5 miles of a school
- Along State designated highways
- Along County primary roadways
- Abutting major public gathering places, such as churches, assembly halls, etc.
- Reported through public complaints (PGC311)
For more information, visit DPIE's website page on Sidewalk Snow and Ice Removal Inspection Program.
DPIE Staff Positioned to Assist Customers during the Launch of DPIE Ten Years Ago on Opening Day, July 1, 2013
 Opening day of DPIE was an "all hands on deck" effort. Pictured above, left to right are Mary Giles, Dan Dornan, Rey De Guzman, Rolando Roy and Bosa Ugo.
 DPIE Staff Then and Now
Many of the same staff who opened the agency remain part of the DPIE team today. DPIE celebrates the inaugural team and thanks them for their service. Pictured left to right are some of the original team members (top) and what they look like now (below): Ed Hall, Clarence Moseley, Behdad Kashanian and Karen Spears.
A Ten Year Retrospective
By Daniel L. Dornan, Special Assistant to the Director
I joined the Department of Public Works & Transportation (DPW&T) in Prince George’s County in early August 2012. Within the month, I along with several others were designated to develop a new agency, later to be known as the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE). It seemed like a daunting task as I had just joined the County and we were forming a brand-new agency whose purpose was to consolidate and improve the issuance of permits and licenses.
As we celebrate the ten-year anniversary of launching DPIE on July 1, 2023, I am reminded of the many challenges that faced those of us who were tasked to design, develop, and launch DPIE within a very tight 10-month timeframe.
The DPIE development team collaborated with hundreds of managers and staff from the many agencies that contributed functionality and resources to this new agency, including the Department of Public Works & Transportation (DPW&T), Department of Environmental Resources (DER – since renamed the Department of the Environment DoE), and Health Department. During this time, numerous working groups met one to two times a week with some staff spending upwards of 60 hours per week guiding the development of DPIE from concept to inception. These groups focused on strategies to improve DPIE through organizational transformation, process improvement, technology enhancement, staffing optimization, office space rehabilitation, performance monitoring and reporting, and staff recognition. It was a true team effort.
Through numerous initiatives, DPIE has achieved dramatic improvements in various service measures, including a 176 percent increase in revenues processed by DPIE’s Cashier’s Office from Fiscal Year 2014 to Fiscal Year 2023 and a 63-95 percent reduction in the time for processing permits and licenses. Over the past ten years, DPIE has continued to upgrade technology systems, improve inspections times, establish stricter code enforcement, and provide faster permitting, which has resulted in greater customer satisfaction.
In conclusion, I am extremely proud of the accomplishments made by DPIE and its staff during the past ten years and look forward to continued progress over the next decade. DPIE’s future is bright as it continues to be an integral part of Prince George’s County government.
Editor's note: Daniel Dornan, nicknamed "Captain DPIE" for his enthusiasm for all things involving DPIE, is retiring at the end of the month. We express our gratitude for his exemplary service and dedication to our team! May your retirement be as amazing as you are!
Like other Code Enforcement concerns, the County Code has protections in place to uphold public safety. One of those public safety concerns is noise pollution, which is detrimental to everyone’s health. Long-term exposure to noise can cause disturbances in sleep and a variety of negative health effects on the cardiovascular and metabolic systems, as well as cognitive impairment in children. The World Health Organization defines noise above 65 decibels (dB) as noise pollution. To be precise, noise becomes harmful when it exceeds 75 dB and is painful above 120 dB. Sound that crosses between residential and non-residential areas must not exceed the level set for residential areas (65 dBA between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.; 55 dBA between 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.).
DPIE’s Responsibilities — DPIE investigates COMMERCIAL entities (businesses and industrial sites) that generate noise levels disturbing residential areas. These may include:
- Truck deliveries late at night with loud back-up signals beeping;
- Loud music from night clubs, skating rinks, etc., that exceeds levels set for residential areas; and/or
- Construction noises late at night or very early in the morning.
Read more at DPIE's Role in Combating Noise Pollution.
DPIE Is Shining in Customer Service!
Note from a satisfied customer:
"I wanted to take a minute to express my appreciation for the assistance I received from one of your staff — Ms. LaQuita Bowles. I called the office to get assistance on resetting my password. When she walked me through that, I logged in and asked if she would just give me a sec in case I had questions. She stayed on the phone from filling out the application to paying my fee. I was very grateful for the time she gave me, and I told her that. She may have just been doing her job, but she did it with professionalism and efficiency. I deal with many customer service offices and personnel, and I like to say I recognize the bad service but get a nicer feel from recognizing the EXCELLENT SERVICE — like I got today! Thanks again!"
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On December 7th, DPW&T, in conjunction with DPIE and DoE, hosted the Winter 2023 Community Partners' Virtual Meeting. Experts from each agency shared information about programs, services and changes with residents. A portion of the meeting was dedicated to answering the questions of attendees. In case you missed it, view the website for the Winter 2023 Community Partners' Meeting Combined Presentation. The next Community Partners' meeting will be held in the spring of 2024. We hope you will attend the next virtual presentation.
DPIE and other County government offices, with the exception of public safety agencies, will be CLOSED on Monday, January 1, 2024, in observance of the New Year's holiday.
Happy New Year from Director Abraham and the DPIE Family!
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