Commissioners Unhappy with PlanMaryland Decision

Carroll County Board of Commissioner President Doug Howard said he's disappointed in the governor's decision to accept PlanMaryland, but not surprised.

In June Gov. Martin O'Malley presented a draft of PlanMaryland at the Maryland Association of Counties (MACO) conference in Ocean City. PlanMaryland is the state's long-range sustainable growth plan.

As previously , Carroll County's commissioners spoke out against PlanMaryland, saying they did not like the idea of handing over local planning issues to the state. They said they question a plan that suggests a one-size-fits-all solution for counties across the state.

In Sept., O'Malley granted an additional 60-day period to get feedback about the plan. On Dec. 19, O'Malley accepted the plan.

“There are some challenges so large we can only hope to tackle them together. Creating jobs and expanding opportunity is one of them, and building a sustainable, long-term future for our children is another,” said O’Malley in a news release.

“That’s what PlanMaryland is all about--it’s Maryland’s first long-range, sustainable growth plan, which will serve as a tool for targeting state resources with maximum transparency to encourage smarter growth," O'Malley said. "In the long run, that means a healthier environment, stronger communities, and a more sustainable future and a better quality of life for our kids.”

Howard said that he expected to see another draft of PlanMaryland following the additional 60 days granted for review and input. 

"There was an awful lot that was put into this process and my understanding was that after 60 days of input, there would be a new report we could look at, which is what I think the legislation really calls for," Howard said. 

"If there are substantive changes, we should have 60 days to look at it. If there aren't substantive changes, then the governor has just decided that he can ignore the input of a majority of the counties, his own senate, and people in his own party, because he can. That's very concerning all around," Howard said.

According to a news release, the state spent four years developing the plan by reaching out to leaders and citizens throughout the state. More than 300 comments were received during two public comment periods in summer and fall 2011.

The release reports that Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) received input from the Smart Growth Subcabinet, the Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission, sister state agencies and local planning officials in preparing the 116-page document. The Plan fulfills legislation from the General Assembly in 1959, 1974, 2007 and 2010 that required or laid out the process for a state development plan--a mandate that until now had gone unmet.

Howard said the Carroll County commissioners will continue to give input as the state decides how to implement the plan. 

"The decision to take rights away from the citizens has already occurred. "The discussion about how to take rights away from the citizen is obviously something we'll be very concerned about," Howard said.

"But the dye is cast. There's a lot of latitude that this will give regulatory agencies and people should be very concerned about this," Howard added.

During the coming year, state agencies will put the plan in place and will work with local governments in determining areas for future state investment, growth and preservation, according to a news release.

Howard maintains that Carroll County does not need the state to dictate how the county should grow and where it should grow.

"One thing people need to realize is that Carroll County has already demonstrated its ability to handle growth, to handle environmental challenges," Howard said.

"[I] still go back to this notion that if the theories being advanced in PlanMaryland are so great, why is it that other jurisdictions have higher crime rates and more environmental problems and more budget problems than this county? We have a very good record of ag preservation, environmental stewardship, lower unemployment, lower crime, and we're cutting taxes," Howard said. 

"It just doesn't make sense. I'd be interested to see what jurisdiction they'd like us to emulate with this plan. It's a question we're going to ask many times going forward."

The full plan and other information about it can be accessed at Plan.Maryland.gov.