Planning boards in Maryland
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| Planning boards in Maryland | |
|---|---|
| Name | Planning boards in Maryland |
| Jurisdiction | State of Maryland |
| Type | Local administrative bodies |
| Formed | Various (colonial era to present) |
Planning boards in Maryland are local land use bodies that guide growth, zoning, and development across Maryland's counties and municipalities. Rooted in statutes such as the Maryland Planning Act and influenced by institutions like the Maryland Department of Planning and the National Capital Planning Commission, these boards interact with entities including county executives, county councils, and municipal governments to shape comprehensive plans and subdivision regulations. Their decisions touch infrastructure projects, historic preservation, and environmental review, often intersecting with agencies such as the Maryland Department of the Environment, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Park Service.
Overview and Legal Framework
Maryland planning boards operate under state law such as the Maryland Land Use Article and the Maryland Planning Act, with guidance from the Maryland Department of Planning and precedents set by appellate courts including the Maryland Court of Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Statutory authorities like county charters in jurisdictions such as Montgomery County, Maryland, Prince George's County, Maryland, and Baltimore County, Maryland define appointment and review processes alongside municipal charters for places like Annapolis, Maryland and Takoma Park, Maryland. Federal statutes, including the National Environmental Policy Act and case law from the United States Supreme Court, also shape environmental review, while regional bodies like the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments influence multi-jurisdictional planning.
Organization and Membership
Planning boards vary: some are advisory commissions such as the Bowie, Maryland planning commission, others are quasi-judicial bodies like the Montgomery County Planning Board under the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). Membership often includes appointed professionals and citizen members drawn from lists provided by county executives, county councils, or municipal elected officials in jurisdictions such as Howard County, Maryland, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and Carroll County, Maryland. Boards may include planners certified by the American Planning Association, attorneys familiar with the Land Use Article (Maryland), engineers from firms like AECOM or WSP Global, and representatives connected to institutions such as Johns Hopkins University or the University of Maryland, College Park.
Powers and Duties
Statutory duties include preparing comprehensive plans as seen in Montgomery County, Maryland's master plans, reviewing subdivision plats as in Prince George's County, Maryland, and advising on zoning map amendments affecting jurisdictions like Baltimore City and Frederick County, Maryland. Boards coordinate capital improvement programming with agencies like the Maryland Department of Transportation and grant or condition approvals impacting developers including Turner Construction Company and Clark Construction Group. They also implement environmental protections tied to programs by the Chesapeake Bay Program and historic reviews in collaboration with the Maryland Historical Trust and the National Register of Historic Places.
Planning Process and Decision-Making
Typical processes include plan formulation influenced by data from the U.S. Census Bureau, public hearings mandated by local charters, and quasi-judicial hearings modeled on precedents from the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. Decision-making can involve staff reports prepared by planners trained at the University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and legal opinions referencing the Zoning Enabling Act (Maryland). Public participation often includes stakeholder engagement with nonprofit organizations like the Sierra Club and neighborhood associations such as the Federation of Civic Associations.
Relationship with County/City Governments and Commissions
Planning boards interact directly with county councils and county executives in counties like Prince George's County, Maryland and Montgomery County, Maryland, while in charter municipalities such as City of Frederick, Maryland they advise elected mayors and councils. Regional authorities like the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission mediate interagency disputes, and collaboration with state agencies including the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Department of Transportation is routine. Boards also coordinate with bodies like the Maryland Association of Counties and the Maryland Municipal League on legislative and policy initiatives.
Major Issues and Controversies
Recurring controversies include debates over transit-oriented development near nodes like Union Station (Washington, D.C.) and the Greenbelt Metro Station, conflicts about affordable housing initiatives in Baltimore City and Gaithersburg, Maryland, and environmental disputes involving the Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent River. Development proposals by major actors such as The Rouse Company historically and contemporary builders have sparked legal challenges adjudicated by the Maryland Court of Appeals and federal courts including the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Controversies also arise over eminent domain cases referencing precedents like Kelo v. City of New London in neighboring jurisprudence and over historic preservation near sites listed by the National Historic Landmarks Program.
Notable Planning Boards by Jurisdiction
- Montgomery County Planning Board (M-NCPPC), notable for master plans affecting Bethesda, Maryland, Silver Spring, Maryland, and the Potomac, Maryland corridor. - Prince George's County Planning Board (M-NCPPC), central to planning in areas including College Park, Maryland and Largo, Maryland. - Baltimore City Planning Commission, overseeing projects in neighborhoods such as Inner Harbor (Baltimore) and Fells Point. - Howard County Planning Board, active on issues in Columbia, Maryland and Ellicott City, Maryland. - Anne Arundel County Planning and Zoning Commission, influential on Annapolis-area waterfront development and projects near Baltimore-Washington International Airport. - Frederick County Planning Commission, shaping growth around Frederick, Maryland and the Interstate 70 corridor. - Talbot County Planning Commission, engaged in Eastern Shore preservation affecting St. Michaels, Maryland and Easton, Maryland.