March 27, 2010
HB 1182, Business Improvement Districts, was voted favorable with amendments in the House Environmental Matters Committee and passed on second reading today on the House floor. As introduced, this bill would have required local jurisdictions to adopt a resolution if the procedural requirements of the BID application were met. MACo also had concerns with respect to property tax caps, bonding and taxing authority.
As amended, the bill is authorizing, the county imposes the tax, taxes are not considered against a county or municipal tax cap, and the bonding authority has been struck. In addition, requirements for BID formation have been strengthened and termination procedures have been added to the bill.
- At least 80% of property owners must agree to establish a BID
- Local jurisdictions reviews the effectiveness and can terminate a BID
1 Comment | 
Uncategorized | Tagged: Bill Hearing, Environmental Matters Committee, Finance and Procurement | 
Permalink
Posted by Andrea Mansfield
March 13, 2010
MACo Associate Director Andrea Mansfield offered testimony in opposition to HB 1182 before the House Environmental Matters Committee this week. This bill would set criteria for the establishment of Business Improvement Districts (BID).
MACo’s paramount concern is the mandate on local government to pass a resolution if the bill criteria are met, without the local government actually approving the BID itself. It is also unclear how the taxes imposed by the BID would be treated with respect to property tax caps and whether BID issued debt would be considered an obligation of the local government.
During the hearing, many committee members expressed concern with the ability of the BID to impose taxes on businesses that did not support its creation. The bill requires at least 51% interest in the BID’s creation. Members asked about the impact on the other 49%.
MACo has been working with the bill sponsor to address its concerns and a number of amendments were submitted at the hearing. However, more concerns remain.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: Bill Hearing, Business Affairs, Environmental Matters Committee, Finance and Procurement | Permalink
Posted by Andrea Mansfield
March 13, 2010
MACo Associate Director Leslie Knapp, Jr., testified in opposition before the House Environmental Matters Committee this week on legislation that would require every local jurisdiction responsible for highway maintenance to establish and implement a road salt management program. HB 903 would require that these plans be put in place by October 31, 2011 and specifies that if a local jurisdiction does not implement a plan, the State Highway Administration would do it for them.
Mr. Knapp expressed concern with the administrative and fiscal impacts the development of these plans would have on local jurisdictions. MACo raised comparable concerns with the Senate cross-filed bill, SB 775.
1 Comment | Uncategorized | Tagged: Bill Hearing, Environmental Matters Committee, Transportation and Public Works | Permalink
Posted by Andrea Mansfield
February 27, 2010
MACo Associate Director Les Knapp supported SB 278 with amendments before the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee on February 23. The bill, sponsored by the Administration, would reconstitute the Task Force on the Future for Growth and Development in Maryland, which is set to sunset in December, 2010, into the Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission. The Commission would run until the end of 2020.
Mr. Knapp noted that concerns raised by MACo over the membership and duties of the Commission at the prior House hearing had been addressed through amendments being offered by the Maryland Department of Planning. He stated that the Maryland Municipal League also supports amendments.
The House Environmental Matters Committee accepted the proposed amendments, but also amended the bill to add four additional representatives from the Baltimore and Washington metropolitan regions.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: Bill Hearing, Environmental Matters Committee, Growth Task Force, Planning and Zoning | Permalink
Posted by Les Knapp
January 31, 2010
The Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) joined with the Maryland Department of Planning and the Maryland Municipal League (MML) in updating the House Environmental Matters Committee on January 26 on the status of the implementation of the new House Bill 1141 comprehensive plan elements. All three panels testified that implementation was going well and that State, county, and municipal land use planning had become more cooperative.
HB 1141 of 2006 required counties and municipalities to add a new water resources element to their comprehensive plans and municipalities to add a municipal growth element. The MACo panel included MACo Associate Director Les Knapp, Calvert County Planning and Zoning Director Greg Bowen and Harford County Chief of Environmental Planning Patricia Pudelkewicz. They testified that: (1) both elements will lead to smarter growth; (2) the water resources element required a lot of effort; and (3) planning coordination between the counties and municipalities had improved.
The MML panel consisted of MML Director of Government Relations Candace Donoho and planning consultant Christopher Jukubiak. Mr. Jukubiak argued that: (1) town growth areas needed to be protected from county development; (2) water and sewer infrastructure is critically important; and (3) people need to be flexible and realistic when drawing planning areas.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: Committee Briefing, Environmental Matters Committee, Municipal Growth Element, Planning and Zoning, Smart Growth, Water Resource Element | Permalink
Posted by Les Knapp
January 31, 2010
Maryland Association of Counties Associate Director Les Knapp and Anne Arundel County Director of Planning and Zoning Larry Tom testified at a House Environmental Matters briefing on January 26 about whether to continue legislation requiring counties and municipalities to extend the expiration dates for building permits. House Bill 921 and Senate Bill 958 of 2009 required building permits issued by the State or local governments to extend their tolling (or running) period. The bill also had a retroactive clause that “brought back” expired permits.
After a discussion of the bill’s provisions and status by representatives from the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP), both Mr. Knapp and Mr. Tom testified that the legislation should not be renewed. Mr. Knapp noted that MACo continued to have serious concerns about the legislation, citing numerous legal and interpretational challenges contained in the MDP report. He argued that counties already have the authority to modify their building permit process and they should retain the ability to make those decisions.
The Maryland Municipal League also testified against the extension.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: Bill Hearing, Building Permits, Environmental Matters Committee, Planning and Zoning | Permalink
Posted by Les Knapp
January 29, 2010
The House Environmental Matters Committee heard an update on January 26 on the issues surrounding stormwater regulations that will take effect on May 4. Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Deputy Secretary Bob Summers defended the regulations against concerns that the regulations would make redevelopment projects too expensive and work against Smart Growth principles. He stated that forthcoming guidance from MDE would provide the flexibility needed to address revitalization and project grandfathering concerns.
Task Force on the Future of Growth and Development in Maryland Chair Jon Laria summarized the presentations made at the Growth Task Force’s January 15 Stormwater Management Forum, stating “We need a vigorous, committed, and monitored process on what effect these regulations will have on Smart Growth.” He noted that the regulations provide for flexibility, but that it was hard to evaluate in the abstract.
Committee Chairman Maggie McIntosh concurred and gave MDE four weeks to complete its guidance documents. She warned that if the guidance did not show adequate flexibility, “you will have bills.”
Center Maryland article
1 Comment | Uncategorized | Tagged: Committee Briefing, Delegate McIntosh, Environmental Matters Committee, Growth Task Force, Maryland Department of the Environment, Stormwater Management | Permalink
Posted by Les Knapp
January 25, 2010
The House Environmental Matters Committee will be holding a series of briefings on January 26 on: (1) the Maryland Department of the Environment stormwater management regulations; (2) implementation of the water resource elements and municipal growth elements from HB 1141 of 2006, (3) implementation of 2009 legislation requiring counties to extend the tolling period of building permits; and (4) an update on the ”Smart, Green, and Growing” legislation from the 2009 session. The briefings will start at 10:30 AM in the Room 251 of the House Office Building and are open to the public.
The Maryland Association of Counties has been asked to speak on the HB 1141 and tolling bill panels. Further information can be found by consulting the General Assembly hearing schedule.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: Building Permits, Committee Briefing, Environment, Environmental Matters Committee, Planning and Zoning, Smart Growth, Stormwater Management | Permalink
Posted by Les Knapp
