O'Malley, in outlining his legislative agenda at an Annapolis press conference, said that by updating and expanding the 1992 law's goals, "we'll be better able to address our current challenges by expanding these plans to address priorities that might not have been in there before," such as job creation, housing and public participation.

Some have suggested that O'Malley's modest growth reform proposals, including a push for better tracking of growth trends, could ultimately lead to changes in development patterns.  New, more specific planning visions and better data might energize the public and bring greater pressure on local officials to rein in sprawl, these proponents say.  Perhaps local officials, who oppose at least some of what O'Malley proposes, sense the same thing.

"I think if we do it right, while it might be hard to walk down the street and point your finger at it, it should make a difference in the medium- to long term," said Richard E. Hall, state planning secretary.

But others remain skeptical that, absent any firm standards or state oversight, a fresh set of visions would yield any better results than the 1992 law has.  Since the 1990s, for instance, the number of vehicle miles traveled per person in Maryland has increased faster than the population, according to data analyzed by the state Department of Planning.  That's an indication that our communities are ever more car-dependent - Marylanders now have the second longest commutes in the nation.

"What's that going to change?" Winegrad asked of the O'Malley visions update. "We're just dealing in marginal things that make little difference, look good and don't hit most people."

Jon Laria, the real estate lawyer who heads the 21-member growth task force on which O'Malley is relying for guidance, said there's much more to come.  His panel still has to wrestle with reforming the 1997 Smart Growth law pushed through by Schaefer's successor, Parris N. Glendening.  "This is just the beginning," said Laria, who's pictured at the podium in the photo at right by The Baltimore Sun's Elizabeth Malby.  O'Malley is clutching the task force report.

O'Malley concluded the press conference by saying that, in essence, only the people can save the bay, not him or any other government entity.   The amount of land consumed for development in Maryland has doubled since the 1970s, even though population has grown by just 35 percent, the task force report notes.  Planners forecast that unless development patterns change, another 650,000 acres of forests and farm fields could be paved over by 2030 to accommodate the additional 1.1 million people projected to move or get born here.

"At the end of the day," the governor said, "the only hope for us being able to stave off the sort of destruction that's coming from another 30 years of growth like the last 30 years of growth that we've had, is greater public awareness, greater public understanding, greater public embracing of the goals we share."

Some, though, think government can and should do more.  Sen. Brian E. Frosh, a Montgomery County Democrat, says he may dust off a bill that he's introduced before that ties localities' state funding to the vehicle miles traveled by their residents.