Photo by Mr. T in DC.

After a number of setbacks, Prince George’s County is one step closer to getting its first Whole Foods.

The Washington Post reports:

The Prince George’s County Planning Board is expected to review key elements of the project on Thursday in one of the final steps before the developer can seek building permits and break ground at the 37-acre site in Riverdale Park.

The $250 million project, planned by the Cafritz family and endorsed by County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, has become one of the most debated development proposals of recent years. It has prompted legal battles, lengthy hearings, and public outcry in Riverdale Park and in the adjacent communities of College Park and University Park.

Indeed, Cafritz has been trying to bring Whole Foods to Prince George’s County since 2011 but the project quickly ran into zoning problems. The land where the Whole Foods will likely be located was previously zoned for residential use. The most recent objection to the organic pasta salad purveyor was the placement of a bridge to enter the development, according to the Post, but that has been resolved.

The Whole Foods could open by late 2014 or early 2015, according to the Post.

The District of Columbia has four Whole Foods locations, while Maryland has eight including ones in nearby Montgomery County.