Second Round Listening Session: Waldorf Cultural Center - October 18, 2018

The comments below represent the statements or points of view of one or more individuals who participated in the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) “A Better Maryland” Development Plan Listening Sessions. These comments do not represent any official position or policy of MDP or any other State agency, nor do they represent any official position or policy of any local jurisdiction or local planning agency.

Environment

Selected Topic
Sustaining the Environment into the Future

Selected Strategy
Incorporate agriculture into resource conservation efforts in implementing watershed improvements and other programs

Comments:

• • This is important because agriculture is one of the largest land uses in MD
  • Efforts to focus on the preservation of agricultural land
  • Best management practices are cost effective measures
  • Fallow land in Charles Co. may be eligible for Rural Legacy Areas. For example, fallow land in the Mattawoman and Nanjemoy Creek Watershed areas
  • Charles Co. is primarily forest, these areas may be suitable for sustainable forestry programs
  • Provide State funding to promote and continue agriculture activities
  • Incorporate critical farmland for resource protection into DNR/MDA programs
  • Promote farm-to-table opportunities, and support organic farming and its products
  • Provide a revolving fund for a Land Trust
  • Pay attention to watersheds in other agricultural areas- these are often threatened by new developments
  • Use technology as a component to survey and inventory sensitive areas
  • Educate and utilize “citizen scientists”

Economic Development

Selected Topic
Improving Economic Growth and Development in Existing Communities

Selected Strategy
Develop targeted economic data and analysis systems

Comments

• • In Charles Co., there are a few isolated urbanized areas (La Plata, Waldorf), and there is a need to know more about these diverse areas. These distinctions are unique, and all information, i.e. range of incomes, needs to be captured to plan economic development. Also, Lexington Park in St.
  • Mary’s Co. is an example of this
  • There is a need for tools to capture and track property data to determine areas of disinvestment
  • Counties need marketing data for reinvestment/redevelopment. Also need tools and other best practices. This is a politicized issue locally
  • Counties need State data about local businesses, i.e., licenses, permits, etc. They also need aggregated data for these
  • A need for more State level resources in addition to those available by Opportunity Zones

Community Development

Selected Topic
Creating Quality Places

Selected Strategy
Promote projects that enhance quality mixed-use in local jurisdictions to ensure that land use decisions support vibrant communities

Comments

• • Create a gateway into Charles Co. on Rt. 301 to make the entrance to the area more inviting
  • There are opportunities to add different types of housing into existing commercial corridors
  • Rethink transportation to include bike trails. This could also bring in tourist dollars
  • Integrate different types of transportation into existing communities that have opportunities for this
  • Create an accessory, parallel roadway system in Charles Co. along Rt. 301
  • Provide State funding for infrastructure programs or projects to promote quality places

Collaboration / Coordination

Selected Topic
Respecting Regional Distinctions

Selected Strategy
Evaluate state program criteria to reflect regional differences

Comments

• • The criteria for Priority Funding Areas should reflect rural counties
  • Money for capital road projects is not distributed evenly
  • Design standards for roads should reflect differences between rural and urban street sections
  • Health department requirements (Septic Bill) don’t often apply to rural geographies. Many areas of the Southern Counties are considered unbuildable
  • because the soils don’t pass the percolation test. The commenter stated that the State is using one set of standards applied to another and there are unintended consequences.
  • A concern about the overflow of wastewater into watersheds from storm events