A workgroup of the Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission met on July 12 to review proposed State Implementation Strategies for PlanMaryland.   MACo Associate Director Les Knapp is a member of the workgroup.  The implementation strategies will outline how various State agencies will implement policies and funding decisions consistent with the Plan.  The proposed implementation strategies are currently in an early draft form and are not available for public distribution.

Besides agencies that have a significant environmental or land use portfolio,  such as the Departments of Planning and the Environment, several other State agencies have also drafted implementation strategies.  The Departments of Business and Economic Development; Labor, Licensing, and Regulation; Health and Mental Hygiene; and various other agencies will all be working to coordinate their policies around PlanMaryland.

Workgroup staff will now draft a report on the implementation strategies that will be presented to the Sustainable Growth Commission will hear a report on the implementation strategies at a meeting on July 23.  According to the affected agencies, the full Commission will not be reviewing or approving an actual draft of the strategies.  The Commission meeting will be from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at the Baltimore County Center for Agriculture and Farm Park, 1114 Shawan Road, Cockeysville, MD 21030 and is open to the general public.

The summary or report of the completed strategies will be given to Governor Martin O’Malley for approval in mid-August.