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Planning Departments Much Appreciated
by Robert S. McCord, Secretary
The U.S. Census is upon us and people will begin to be invited to respond online and by phone starting March 12. The Non Response Follow-Up phase will begin mid May and last until July 31. I just want to take a minute to express my great appreciation for all of the important work that planning departments across the state are doing to support the Census efforts. The latest research indicates that Maryland receives more than $16 billion in census-derived funding. We all need to have good data to plan for our future. I applaud every effort that has been made to help people realize the importance, represent their community and respond to the Census. Everyone Counts!
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Maryland Universities Reveal High-Caliber Instruction and Student Planning
Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) Assistant Secretary of Planning Services Val Lazdins was recently invited to participate on a review panel for a land use planning course (URSP-603) at the University of Maryland (UMD), College Park, Urban Studies and Planning Program. Planning staff member, Kristen Humphrey, was similarly invited to attend an end of semester “super jury” at Morgan State University’s (MSU’s) Center for the Built Environment & Infrastructure Studies (BEIS). For Secretary and staff alike, learning about the work students from both programs are engaged in, and the planning solutions they propose for the urban and suburban challenges of the region, was illuminating .
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Planning Simplifies Annual Reporting; Encourages Localities to Embrace the Opportunity
For the Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) and jurisdictions around the state, spring and early summer are the Local Government Annual Reporting season. While that might not sound like something to get excited about, it is a vital time of year for reviewing development progress, initiating conversations about the direction of Maryland’s communities, and reconnecting state and local planning officials. The Land Use Article of the Maryland State Code requires that Planning report on growth-related changes and permitting activity submitted annually by each jurisdiction with planning and zoning authority. This includes tracking of residential and commercial development (if more than 50 new residential units permitted the jurisdiction has to provide more detail) , as well as the number of acres preserved through locally funded agricultural land preservation programs in Maryland’s counties.
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We will continue to provide updates about these exciting efforts as they develop in upcoming issues
HB 1045 Guidance Development Considers the Quantitative and the Qualitative
The Maryland Departments of Planning (Planning) and Housing and Community Development (DHCD) are crafting useful tools and guidance to help jurisdictions meet the requirements of HB 1045, which goes into effect on June 1 of this year. We first
introduced you to our work on HB 1045 in the October 9, 2019 edition of Planning Practice Monthly. As a reminder, all new comprehensive plans written after June 1 must include a Housing Element that addresses the need for Low Income (below 60% Area Median Income) and Workforce (60% - 120% Area Median Income) housing.
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Thinking of Purchasing a Brownfield Site for Redevelopment? “AAI Before You Buy!”
The phrase Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser (BFPP) may evoke images of a gold rush era prospector driving a covered wagon drawn by a pair of oxen, but in 2020, this antiquated-sounding term describes something quite different. A BFPP is a savvy buyer who has earned environmental liability protections by complying with the United States’ Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) Rule before purchasing a property. The AAI Rule came about in response to the 2002 Brownfields Amendments to CERCLA, as a vehicle to “promulgate regulations establishing standards and practices for conducting” AAI.
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State Agencies Team Up to Help Re-grow the State’s Forestry Industry
It may not be the first thing you think of, but one of the most critical natural resources for ensuring the health of the Chesapeake Bay and other waterways in Maryland is healthy forest land. In fact, according to Anne Hairston-Strang of the Maryland Forest Service, “one of forests’ best uses is for promoting water quality, however that relies on proper harvesting using Best Management Practices (BMPs) for sediment and erosion control.”
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Update: Maryland’s Phase III WIP - What’s Next?
In the May 1, 2029 edition of this newsletter, we shared the news that the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) had recently posted the draft Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) to their website along with a schedule of public participation and comment. WIP III implementation, however, is an ongoing effort. Here’s what’s happening now.
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A Little Dues go a Long Way
The Maryland Planning Commissioners Association (MPCA) is a small volunteer organization dedicated to the support, continued education, and networking of Maryland’s citizen planners. Every member of a Planning Commission/Board, Board of Zoning Appeals, or a Historic District Review Committee (or something with a similar name and function) is automatically a member of the MPCA. The MPCA Board is composed of four volunteer leaders who, on top of their careers and planning commission responsibilities, also dedicate significant time and energy to running the MPCA.
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Val Lazdins
Valdis (Val) Lazdins, joined Planning as Assistant Secretary of Planning Services shortly before going to press with our November issue of Planning Practice Monthly. Thus we gave him a quick introduction but promised to share his history more fully in a future edition: Val was born and raised in the Michigan resort town of Grand Haven, on the Lake Michigan shoreline, where he spent summers on the beach and surfed as a teen. He graduated from Michigan State with a degree in landscape architecture and went on to the Ohio State University where he received his Master’s in City and Regional Planning. His first job took him to Denver where he worked primarily on large scale land development projects, new town planning for energy workers during Colorado’s first oil shale boom, and ski resort design – a real treat for a ski buff.
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In each newsletter, we highlight the most relevant and timely upcoming events. Our website does include many additional events, so please visit it regularly for updates. Listings are searchable by subject.
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Planning related conferences in Maryland and nearby states.
Integrating Technical Assistance with Policy Action: A focus on state-based carbon monitoring systemsOcean
University of MD Global Sustainability Initiative
College Park, MD
March 12-13
For More Information
Water, Planning, and Health: Study Across Disciplines
Morgan State University
Baltimore, MD
April 16
For More Information
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Listed webinars are typically free or low cost and cover a wide range of planning related issues. Many include CM credits.
Brownfield Remediation to Rebuild Communities
Wednesday, March 18 @ 12:00 p.m.
AICP CM Approved
For More Information
Deregulatory Trends in Land Use
Thursday, March 19 @ 1:00 p.m.
AICP CM Approved
For More Information
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Workshops and classes offered by state agencies or our partners.
Grant Writing for Beginners/How to Find Grant Opportunities
Wednesday, March 25, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Frederick, MD
For More Information
State of the Region’s Financing Programs: Tax Exempt Bond + Fannie Mae MTEB, Freddie Mac TEL & HUD Products
Monday, March 30, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Arlington, VA
For More Information
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Federal, state and/or non-governmental funding.
Heritage Fund Grants
Preservation Maryland - Deadline: March 30
For More Information
Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program Department of Transportation
U.S. Department of Transportation - Deadline: March 30
For More Information
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