MD extends review of disputed growth plan
The O'Malley administration has decided to give unhappy local officials more time to review the state's "smart growth" plan after tweaking it in response to criticism.
The state Department of Planning announced it's releasing a revised draft of "PlanMaryland" on Sept. 7, then providing an additional 60 days for public comment on the changes.
Since a draft was released in April, the first-ever state growth plan has drawn fire from local officials who've complained the state is trying to usurp their traditional prerogative to decide where development is to go in their communities.
O'Malley administration officials say the plan is meant to strengthen to-date ineffective efforts to curb suburban sprawl and conserve forests and farmland. A statewide growth plan was called for under a 1974 land use law, but never drafted until now.
State officials say the plan is only meant to improve coordination between state and local governments on growth, and that local officials would still be free allow development anywhere in their communities. State funding for roads, schools and other infrastructure would be limited to growth areas designated in the plan, however. Local politicians have complained that is tantamount to dictating to them, and that they shouldn't be forced to comply with a "one-size-fits-all" definition of what constitutes smart growth.
"Achieving complete agreement on the process may be difficult, but there seems to be broad accord on the objectives of PlanMaryland," state Planning Secretary Richard E. Hall said in a statement.
Comments will be taken through Nov. 7. To review the current draft of the plan, go to Plan.Maryland.gov.
(2006 Baltimore Sun file photo of development in Howard County)
Comments
I'm probably one of the only people that will comment on this article, or even find this issue interesting, but shouldn't the counties be able to manage their own growth? If our relationship with the federal government is any indication, close-by governments generally make better laws than the far-away ones.
Posted by: Mike | August 26, 2011 10:40 AM
I find the article interesting, and while I don't dispute that a nearby government can make better decisions, it's also clear that a lot of terrible planning has happened over the past 3 decades or more. One need only drive in Bel Air on any day of the week to realize that it's grown too fast for the roads to handle it. Sure, we all like a brand new development and it's sexy and profitable for counties to increase population and tax base. But it's been so poorly mismanaged that we can't deal with it on a small scale any longer.
There's a long line of detractors of the deals being made to developers in Baltimore City, but the reality is that developers in the county are getting huge concessions to plow down forests and farm land for a business park. Which is worse for MD? Plowing under a farm or building on unused former industrial sites? I think we need to look at priorities, and if the State wants to manage the interests of the whole state over the competition that occurs between counties, then it's worth a try.
Posted by: BP | August 26, 2011 11:38 AM
From the article:
"Achieving complete agreement on the process may be difficult, but there seems to be broad accord on the objectives of PlanMaryland," state Planning Secretary Richard E. Hall said in a statement.
*** end of article quote ***
Really? REALLY? I'll have some of what he's drinking or smoking because alternate reality is such an interesting place to be!
Posted by: mar | August 26, 2011 12:38 PM