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
Prepare interagency tools to evaluate the effectiveness of environmental programs

Comments:

• • Stormwater Management is one area that should be evaluated
    • Multiple regulations changes have occurred over the years
    • The effectiveness of stormwater management regulations have not been studied and are not keeping up with changing conditions
    • Best Management Practices (BMPs) are not designed to handle the amount of rain we have been getting recently
    • The maintenance of stormwater facility has not been evaluated
    • The old stormwater management regulations were not in place long enough to determine whether they worked before the whole system was changed
    • The stormwater management facilities built using the old regulations should be studied to see if they are as effective or more effective than stormwater facilities designed and built under the new standards.
    • We don’t have the data
    • We need more analysis on stormwater management BMP effectiveness
    • New homeowners that purchase homes with installed today’s stormwater BMPs need to be educated on how to maintain these systems. The effectiveness of these systems over time should be evaluated and determine what the impact is due to homeowner turnover
  • Data on nutrient uptake should be studied and provided to farmers to educate them on agricultural practice options to consider.
  • Data should be collected on the effectiveness of stream restoration projects in urban areas to see if they are cost effective

Economic Development

Selected Topic
Tackling the Economic Development Needs of the Next Century

Selected Strategy
Provide interagency assistance to address trends that affect and attract local economic development and hold annual planning and economic forum to discuss emerging technologies that would change local economies

Comments

• • Want to know more about Opportunity Zones and how they can be integrated with other State programs

Community Development

Selected Topic
Creating Workforce/Affordable Housing

Selected Strategy
Develop inter-agency resources for identifying unique housing conditions, needs, and strategies for Maryland’s regions and analyzing the impact that state and local regulations and policies have on the cost of housing

Comments

• • The perception of workforce housing is the problem
    • People immediately assume it is low-income housing
  • Need to look at the cost of regulations on housing affordability
  • The cost of the BMP stormwater facilities is adding to the cost of each new house
  • The requirement for sprinklers is significantly adding to the cost to a new house
  • The cost to meet the local adequate public facility requirements can increase the cost of a new house
  • Consider waiving fees (e.g. impact and building) for affordable housing projects, such as building new Habitat for Humanity units
  • There is also a need for senior housing
    • Ways to provide more senior housing include “Granny Flats” and Accessory apartments

Collaboration / Coordination

Selected Topic
Improving the Delivery of Programs and Services to Local Jurisdictions

Selected Strategy
Establish an interagency review process to determine the best and most effective delivery mechanisms for State programs and projects

Comments

• • State agencies need to work more closely with local governments during the legislative process, so state agencies can better understand the concerns and needs of local governments
  • The challenge is to have the technical expertise available to address the wide range of problems local governments face
    • Local governments often don’t have the resources to have the professional expertise on staff
    • We have Regional Planners, but we don’t have regional representatives for each State agency
    • We need regional teams that local governments can call upon that have representatives from each State agency
  • Maryland Municipal League used to have regional meetings to discuss problems of mutual interest and could get State agency representatives to address issues of concern. We need to restart that program