In This Issue
Planning Assistance in Action
Resources and Tools
Planning in Progress
Local Spotlight
MPCA Corner
Meet the Planning Staff
Conferences, Webinars, Training, and Funding
Planning Assistance in Action
Maryland Department of Planning Staff Step Up to Support Partner Agencies Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Those of you who follow Planning Practice Monthly regularly may have noticed my name on the some of the bylines, or spotted my profile in a Meet the Staff piece currently posted on Planning’s Facebook page. (I serve as the principal writer and editor for the newsletter as part of my broader Local Assistance and Training Planner role for the department).
You might have also noticed that the newsletter was on hiatus for several months and that this is our first issue following that break. The reason for the break was, starting mid-December to early-January, several Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) staff accepted temporary, but indefinite, assignments with various partner agencies to assist with the state’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. We have been asked to share some of our experiences beginning with this edition.
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Nuisance Flood Plans – Moving Forward
The increasing frequency of tidally-driven nuisance flooding has been recognized as a concern by Maryland lawmakers (see Maryland HB1427 – 2019 and SB1006 and HB1350 – 2018), resulting in the requirement for local jurisdictions that experience nuisance flooding to develop a plan to address it. The legislation set October 1, 2020, as the deadline for plans to be developed. Considering the COVID-19 pandemic and the additional strains placed on resources, an extension of the submission deadline was granted. In compliance with the order of the governor dated March 9, 2021, the regulatory deadline extension will expire on June 30, 2021.
Sixteen counties and 30 municipalities in Maryland experience nuisance flooding and most of those jurisdictions have already submitted nuisance flooding plans. Many of the jurisdictions utilized the state’s Nuisance Flood Plan Development Guidance to develop their plans, with several going beyond addressing just nuisance tidal flooding.
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Resources and Tools
Maryland Entrepreneur Hub Launches to Support the State’s Innovation Ecosystem
TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, recently announced the launch of the Maryland Entrepreneur Hub (The Hub) in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the University System of Maryland. The Hub was designed with the entrepreneur in mind to provide a platform that gathers all of Maryland’s resources and funding information in one place.
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Maryland Department of Planning Develops Guidance on Plan Submissions
The Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) is responsible for reviewing and providing comments on a variety of locally developed plans and planning documents. A few of the most common plans the department reviews are comprehensive plans and amendments, municipal annexations, and Priority Funding Area certifications.
Traditionally, Maryland jurisdictions have mailed these plans, along with any supportive documents (e.g., resolutions, maps, staff reports), to Planning’s offices at the State Center in Baltimore. Jurisdictions can still submit plans via the U.S. Postal Service, however most often the department receives them digitally. As state agencies, including Planning, moved to remote operations and teleworking in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the regular collection of mail was hindered, although Planning still had dedicated staff checking on a weekly basis.
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Planning in Progress
We will continue to provide updates about these exciting efforts as they develop in upcoming issues.
MDOT's Commuter Choice Maryland Partner Program to Recognize Maryland Employers
The Maryland Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Commuter Choice Maryland program (CCMD), which helps mitigate traffic congestion and promote alternative commuting options, has been working hard to expand its services. CCMD is excited to announce the new CCMD Partner Program and is seeking employers (e.g., state and local organizations, nonprofits, and private sector companies) across Maryland who may be interested in becoming partners.
Through the program, CCMD will help promote employee commuter benefits and recognize employers across the state who are leaders in supporting these benefits, along with alternative commuting options. As CCMD partners, these employers will help Maryland achieve important goals such as reduced traffic congestion, cleaner air, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, as well as increased economic opportunity.
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Maryland Opens New International Offices
Did you know that our state has a network of foreign trade offices around the globe? Maryland already had offices in fifteen locations and countries, including Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, Taiwan, and United Arab Emirates, before adding more this April.
Expanding Maryland's global footprint, the Maryland Department of Commerce (Commerce) opened three new European trade offices, one each in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
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Maryland Departments of Commerce and Planning Develop Compatible Use Website
Previous editions of Planning Practice Monthly have included articles about the collaboration between the Maryland Departments of Commerce (Commerce) and Planning (Planning) on the Maryland Military & Civilian Compatible Use Project. To learn more, please check out this month’s Meet the Staff article featuring Sarah Diehl, Planning’s Compatible Use Community Planning Liaison. Now you can review project objectives and progress in one place on Commerce’s new Maryland Military & Civilian Compatible Use Project webpage.
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Maryland Forests Association Survey Helps Develop a Free Directory of Maryland Forest Products and Services
Did you know that the forest industry is the fifth largest industry in Maryland? It provides more than 18,000 jobs to people across the state. Maryland’s forests supply wood for homes, furniture, fiber, paper products, and more. It’s time to highlight this essential industry!
If you provide a service or offer products tied to the Maryland Forestry Industry, please take a moment to fill out a short survey. Your input is greatly needed and much appreciated as the Maryland Forests Association works to create a free statewide directory of Maryland Forest Products & Services that will highlight businesses, promote the forestry industry, and encourage local consumers to buy Maryland wood products.
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Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland Connected & Automated Vehicle Working Group to Host Webinar Series
The Maryland Connected & Automated Vehicle (CAV) Working Group, led by the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), in close coordination with the Maryland Department of Planning (Planning), is hosting a series of webinars June 15 and 16 to share knowledge of Maryland’s Connected & Automated Vehicles (CAV) Strategic Framework.
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Maryland’s Regional Teams Work to Enhance Collaboration in Economic Development
The Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) isn’t the only state agency with a blog. On June 1, 2021, the Maryland Department of Commerce (Commerce) published a post to its MDBiz News Blog about the Regional Resources Program, a close collaboration between Planning and Commerce. The program is designed to provide businesses and jurisdictions with cross agency support using a regional perspective and approach.
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Local Spotlight
The New Decade Means New Comprehensive Plans
Many jurisdictions coordinate the development of new comprehensive plans with the arrival of decennial census data. Census data is a foundation of comprehensive planning, providing a snapshot of Maryland communities, outlining growth trends, and distinguishing key demographic indicators.
In 2013, House Bill 409 increased the review period of a local jurisdiction’s comprehensive plan cycle to 10 years, instead of six years. To learn more about the 10-year cycle and when your jurisdiction’s review is due, please visit the Maryland Department of Planning’s (Planning) Comprehensive Plan 10-Year Review Cycle webpage.
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MPCA Corner
Join the Maryland Planning Commissioners Association (MPCA) for the Mastering the Master Plan Workshop on July 16
With the anticipated release of the 2020 Census numbers later this year, many jurisdictions are engaged in local discussions and implementing workplans to update their comprehensive/master plans. Maryland’s Land Use Article (LUA) codifies specific requirements that all jurisdictions with planning and zoning authority must meet when completing and adopting a comprehensive plan. The requirements vary based on the type of jurisdiction (non-charter/charter counties and municipalities) but share common themes and processes.
The LUA also requires jurisdictions to, at a minimum, review their comprehensive plans every 10 years. Many, if not most, jurisdictions align the development of a new or updated comprehensive plan with the release of decennial census data. The Maryland Department of Planning’s 10-year cycle documents for counties and municipalities highlight the expected increase in updated comprehensive plans over the next few years.
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Save the Dates! 38th Annual MPCA Conference in Solomons October 26-27
The Maryland Planning Commissioners Association (MPCA) Conference offers planning commissioners, board of appeals members, and anyone interested in citizen planning an opportunity to learn, share experiences, and exchange ideas. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MPCA conducted last year’s conference virtually. For 2021, we are aiming to, once again, meet up and learn together in person in Solomons in Calvert County. The MPCA will be monitoring the pandemic and adjust as needed. This year’s conference theme is Let’s Get Back to It! because I think we can all agree that is exactly what we want to do.
The 38th annual conference will offer topics of interest to the more than 1,400 citizen planners serving Maryland's counties and municipalities. We will also share a registration page over the next few weeks.
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Meet the Planning Staff
Sarah Diehl
Sarah Diehl, AICP, joined the Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) in January 2021 as our only team member to be interviewed, hired, and on-boarded entirely remotely and mid-pandemic. Truly an other-worldly experience about which Sarah simply says, “I cannot wait to meet the rest of Planning in person rather than through a computer screen!”
Sarah is Planning’s new Compatible Use Community Planning Liaison, leading the effort to support compatible land use between Maryland’s numerous military installations and surrounding communities. As part of her role, she is coordinating the development of the state’s first compatible use website and handbook. (You can read more about compatible use planning in the October 2020 edition of Planning Practice Monthly and our February 8, 2020 and May 5, 2020 blog posts).
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Continuing Education & Training
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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Upcoming Conferences and Seminars
Planning related conferences in Maryland and nearby states.
Webinars
Listed webinars are typically free or low cost and cover a wide range of planning related issues. Many include CM credits.
Maryland's Connected & Automated Vehicle (CAV) Strategic Framework
Tuesday, June 15 @ 10:30 a.m.
For More Information
Climate and Heat Trends: Part I - Overview of EPA's Climate Change Indicators
Thursday, June 17 @ 1 pm
For More Information
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Training Around the State
Workshops and classes offered by state agencies or our partners.
Mastering the Master Plan (Maryland Planning Commissioners Association)
Friday, July 16 @ 10 a.m.
For More Information
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Funding Opportunities
Federal, state and/or non-governmental funding.
African American Heritage Preservation Program
Maryland Historical Trust
Applications Due July 1
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Planning Practice Wednesday is a service of the Maryland Department of Planning. The Maryland Department of Planning is providing links to training and educational content relevant to planning and growth as a service to its mailing list subscribers. The content and views expressed are not necessarily those of Planning or the State of Maryland.
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