There is a common misconception of what affordable housing is and who needs it, which adds to the challenge of providing affordable housing while need increases and supply continues to decrease in many locations across the country. To address this issue for Marylanders, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) commissioned the Maryland Housing Needs Assessment & 10-Year Strategic Plan (Housing Needs Assessment) to “chart a course for Maryland to become a more affordable place to live by 2030.”

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As the State of Maryland moves toward a greener environmental footprint, the issue of reducing the use of carbon-based fuels to power the state’s fleet of approximately 9,000 vehicles has grown in importance. To help chart our course, we (Department of Budget and Management (DBM) State Fleet and Management Services division) contacted colleagues from across the country who have been tasked with accomplishing the same goal. These conversations led to identifying a few common “choke points” in electric vehicle (EV) integration.

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In October 2021, Planning Practice Monthly shared a survey in which participants could give feedback on the state’s military installations and their relationship with surrounding communities. The purpose of this survey was to help gain information about how communities interact with, seek information about, and envision development that is compatible with military bases in their area.

The Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) would like to thank everyone who took the time to participate in and share this survey and invites you to view the results.

Survey Results Summary

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The Water Resources Element (WRE) is required for local comprehensive plans in Maryland, as laid out in HB 1141 (2006). The WRE is designed to ensure that local plans for growth and development can be supported, given the limitations of local water resources, as well as the constraints of local water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure.

In 2020, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) convened a team to recommend updates to the original 2007 WRE Guidelines. 

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Beginning January 20, 2022, the Mid-Atlantic Planning Collaboration (Collaboration) launched a series of webinars dedicated to one of the region's most important resources, the Chesapeake Bay.  

Planning and the MPCA invite you to join the webinar series and learn more about how Mid-Atlantic planners (professional and citizen) as well as community leaders are striving to preserve the Chesapeake Bay. All webinars will be eligible for AICP CM credits and will include the following topics. 

Plan Integration for Resilience and Equity - February 17, 2022

Leveraging Hazard Mitigation for Water Quality - March 17, 2022

Leveraging Conservation, Open Space and Parks Funding to Maximize Multiple Benefits - April 21, 2022

The One Water Approach and How it Benefits the Bay Thursday - May 19, 2022

Smart Growth Tools for Protecting Water - June 16, 2022

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Using funds from the Volkswagen Mitigation Settlement, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) will accept applications for proposals on charging infrastructure until April 15, 2022.

MDE, in coordination with the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA), recently announced that they would begin accepting applications for the second of three rounds of funding under the Volkswagen Mitigation Settlement. Applicants have until the close of business on April 15, 2022, to submit applications. Maryland received roughly $11.3 million as part of a settlement with the company regarding falsified pollution data.

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In spring 2021, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) initiated the state’s first Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP) to address the needs of the most vulnerable roadway users, namely pedestrians and bicyclists.  

The PSAP outlines how MDOT SHA will improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety by identifying challenges, setting goals and objectives, establishing priorities, and determining where to focus roadway safety improvements. Guided by principles established in Maryland’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) and MDOT SHA’s Context Guide, it identifies areas of need, prioritizes corridors, and recommends safety countermeasures by employing a systematic approach to project planning and design.  

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The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is updating the Maryland State Freight Plan (Plan) and is in the process of compiling freight-relevant needs and projects across Maryland. The Plan is also evaluating statewide freight strategies across seven goal areas that are aligned with the 2040 Maryland Transportation Plan.

The purpose of the Plan is to examine existing and projected freight and supply chain conditions in the state and identify policy positions, strategies, and projects that can improve freight movement efficiency and safety.

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Do you need to find suitable sites for renewable energy projects in your state? Are you interested in learning more about best practices from states that have used landfills, brownfields, mines, and other contaminated lands to site renewable energy? 

Almost without exception, states with the most renewable project development on contaminated lands, landfills, and mine sites have designed and implemented longstanding, state-specific programs targeted at such sites. These states continue to adapt programs to support environmental, land reuse, and economic policy goals in their jurisdictions. Many other states, as well as local communities and utilities, are considering similar programs to expand contaminated site reuse and steer renewable development away from greenfield sites and agricultural lands.

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The Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) is accepting nominations for the 2022 Maryland Preservation Awards! You may complete a nomination here using the 2022 Nomination Instructions. The submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. on February 4, 2022.

The Maryland Preservation Awards, presented annually by the Board of Trustees of the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT), are the highest level of recognition for historic preservation, heritage education, and community development projects in Maryland. The awards honor and celebrate significant achievements by individuals, businesses, contractors, non-profit organizations, local governments, and others who protect, promote, share, and give continued life to the historic places and cultural heritage that make Maryland unique.

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The Maryland Department of Planning proudly wishes to acknowledge the recipients of the ninth annual Maryland Sustainable Growth Awards for leadership and community planning!

At a virtual ceremony attended by more than 70 people in mid-December, Planning presented the awards recognizing the outstanding individuals, organizations, and programs that best exemplify well-planned economic and community development initiatives throughout the state.

"These awards recognize people and projects from across Maryland that bring creativity, innovation, and passion to our communities,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Our administration is proud to honor and celebrate their commitment to helping change Maryland for the better." 

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The Maryland Planning Commissioners Association (MPCA) would once again like to thank everyone including panelists, sponsors, guest speakers, and attendees, who helped make the 38^th annual conference a huge success! Over three days in late October, the MPCA and its partners delivered timely and informative content for citizen and professionals alike and celebrated the important work of Maryland’s Planning Commissions and Boards of Zoning Appeals. 

If you were not able to join us, or simply want to look back once more at everything the conference had to offer, please visit the conference website, where you can download presentations and view the session recordings. 

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On December 16, 2021, Danny Winborne (MPCA President and Gaithersburg Planning Commissioner) and Roxanne Hemphill (MPCA Secretary and Mt. Airy Planning Commission Chair) teamed up with the Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) and Michael King (York County, VA Planning Commissioner) to conduct a webinar entitled Organizing and Managing Planning Boards: Insights for Citizen and Professional Planners.

Watch Webinar!

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The Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) is pleased to welcome the first of three recent new hires, Aviva Klugh. (A clue: sounds like “clue”!). Aviva is the new regional planner for Central Maryland covering Baltimore City and  Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, and Howard counties. She joined planning in November 2021.

Aviva comes to Planning with extensive experience in transportation and environmental planning, capital programming, grants management, state programs, and economic development through her experience in the private sector and the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), among other state agencies. About joining the team, Aviva says “I'm excited to apply my state government planning experience to the Central Region and to dive into local planning issues.”

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Sometimes a person is so strongly associated with a place that it’s hard to think of one without the other. This is definitely true as Clyde Bernard “Bernie” Fowler, whose name will always be connected to the Patuxent River.

A tireless advocate to protect the Patuxent River and the Chesapeake Bay, the former state senator passed away on December 12, 2021 at 97 years old.

Fowler was the fourth of six children. His family moved to Broomes Island in Calvert County when he was one year old. “The river supported his family through the tough times of the [great] depression, and as Bernie grew up he learned the value of hard work helping his family make ends meet by working as a waterman, carpenter, and machinist.”

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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.

Consortium for Scenario Planning 2022 Conference
Virtual
February 3-4
For More Information

Statewide Transit Plan
Wednesday, February 2 @ 12 p.m.
For More Information

From Complete Streets to Complete Networks: A Data-Driven, Performance-Based, Multimodal Planning Tool

Thursday, February 3 @ 2 pm
AICP CM Approved
For More Information

Partners for Places Mini Grants
The Funders Network - Deadline: February 24
For More Information

MVA Traffic Safety Grants
MDOT MVA - Deadline: February 25
For More Information