The Dufief development was approved and the covenants registered in 1972. This was before any of the current code established in 1994 (with an entire revision in 2012), so most of the current requirements for open space such as forest stand delineation, and stormwater management were not applicable at that time.
The development was built on unforested agricultural land, when the region was largely undeveloped. Two decades later, when Kentlands was planned and built, the region was already almost built out with similar suburban developments. Dufief was planned and designed in the classic model of the period, maintaining open space between single-family home lot clusters fashioned around cul-de-sacs. The development was comprised of 306 single-family homes on 17 
cul-de-sacs spread over 400 acres. Also typical for the period, developers focused on obtaining an elementary school in their development as a way of enhancing its value to potential buyers. Almost 10 acres of land was dedicated for Dufief Elementary School and donated to the school district in November 1971. School construction began in September 1974 and the 59,013 square foot building was completed in August 1975 at a cost of $2,155,463.72. The original building was designed to have 23 open classrooms arranged around two open-air atriums. During construction, the Board of Education voted to change the name of the school name from “Avalon,” to that of the surrounding community, “Dufief.”
Abutting the elementary school lies Dufief Park, owned and managed by the Maryland National Capital Parks and Planning Commission. The park and has two playgrounds and three tennis courts, as well as two fields suitable for football or soccer. The 15.4-acre park was acquired by M-NCPPC in 1976.