Md. Gov. Martin O'Malley pushes new sustainability initiatives to control development
Washington Business Journal - by Daniel J. Sernovitz Contributing Writer
Holding local governments to their comprehensive plans and pushing aid to transit-oriented developments were among a handful of initiatives unveiled by Gov. Martin O’Malley Monday to control growth and development.
The proposals, part of O'Malley’s legislative agenda, have the backing of state Planning Secretary Richard E. Hall but will need to be taken up by the General Assembly as it heads back to work Jan. 14.
“It’s time to move from twenty years of treading water to twenty years of cleaner water and more sustainable growth,” O’Malley said in a statement.
The governor outlined six bills to be introduced in Annapolis this session, the outgrowth of the state’s Smart, Green and Growing initiative.
Among them, O’Malley is hoping to strengthen local governments’ use of comprehensive plans, which are planning documents adopted by cities and counties across Maryland outlining future development.
In a lawsuit dealing with a Western Maryland housing development called Terrapin Run, the Maryland Court of Appeals ruled last year those documents are only guidelines and do not need to be strictly adhered to by local governments.
O’Malley is seeking new legislation that would require local governments to follow their comprehensive plans in approving or denying new development projects.
Other initiatives proposed by O’Malley include:
• Modernizing the state’s “Planning Visions,” which dictate land-use policy, to consider issues including public participation, economic development, transportation, housing and sustainability.
• Directing the state planning department to gather data on smart growth trends to help local and regional governments plan future growth and development efforts.
• Extending the state’s Heritage Structure Rehabilitation Tax Credit program, which is set to expire in July 2010, with new incentives encouraging commercial developers to build to stronger environmental standards.
• Expanding the state’s transit-oriented development legislation to give local governments more flexibility in funding developments close to public transportation such as rail stations.
• Establishing aquaculture enterprise zones, opening areas along the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic coastal bays to shellfish growers under certain lease terms with the state.
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