Maryland Launches New Tools to Support Military
and Community Compatibility

Departments of Planning and Commerce use U.S. Department of Defense Grant Funding to Promote Compatible Civilian Development in Maryland to Support Long-Term Military Sustainability and Continued Regional Development

(January 9, 2023) BALTIMORE, MD – The Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) today launched the Military and Community Compatible Use Website, focused on promoting compatible civilian development in Maryland that supports long-term military sustainability and continued regional community development around the state’s military installations. 

The new Compatible Use Website and Handbook, alongside the Maryland Department of Commerce’s Renewable Energy Compatible Siting Project, are integral implementation measures of the 2019 Maryland Statewide Joint Land Use Study Response Implementation Strategy, all completed in collaboration with our U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) federal partners and funded by a grant received from the DoD’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation to support military-civilian compatible use. 

Maryland’s military installations and facilities are of significant value to state and local economies and are interdependent with Maryland’s communities. Collaboration and joint planning among military installations, neighboring communities, and various state and local agencies protect the long-term viability of existing and future military missions and facilitate economic growth and compatible development in the surrounding area.

"Maryland’s military community protects and preserves our nation’s security through sacrifice, bravery, and dedication,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Our administration’s support for the military and their families extends to the many bases, forts, and facilities across the state, as we work to strengthen their economic and physical resilience and promote their vital position in our communities.”

Ensuring the success of Maryland’s military installations and the communities that support them is a collaborative effort facilitated by compatible land use planning, open communication and information sharing, economic and workforce development, and coordinated access to and implementation of available federal, state, and local resources. This first-of-its-kind Compatible Use Website and Handbook provides tools for state and local leaders, members of the military community, and other interested Marylanders to better understand the unique needs, challenges, and opportunities facing the state’s military installations and defense communities in support of the national defense strategy.

The Renewable Energy Compatible Siting project provides renewable energy developers with resources to support the siting of renewable energy projects, so they are compatible with military operations in the state. This is handled through enhancements to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Power Plant Research Program’s Smart DG+ renewable energy screening tool to add military and compatibility mapping layers.

The new map layers on the enhanced tool include military operational areas, military and non-military airspace structures, renewable energy potential, and points of contact for early coordination with the military for siting projects. For more information about this project, visit the Maryland Military & Civilian Compatible Use Project webpage.

Maryland will continue adding tools and resources to the website to communicate these enhancements. To learn more about the website or compatible use, or to provide feedback, please contact Sarah Diehl, AICP, Southern Maryland Regional Planner, at Sarah.Diehl@maryland.gov. To learn more about the Renewable Energy Compatible Siting project, please contact Jennifer Chiasson, Senior Grant Program Manager, at Jennifer.Chiasson@maryland.gov.

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