The PlanMaryland Workgroup of the Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission has issued its report on the revised draft of PlanMaryland (the Plan) and will present its findings at the Commission’s November 14 meeting.  The Workgroup is predominantly composed of State agency representatives (Department of Planning, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Housing and Community Development, and Department of Transportation) but also includes representatives from MACo, the Maryland Municipal League, and the development and Smart Growth communities.

The report highlights several concerns that have also been raised by MACo, including the need to make the process truly collaborative, filling in the many missing details of the Plan, and giving local governments a role in the oversight of the Plan.  The report also reflects some of the tension that exists between those who want a stronger State role in planning and those who want to protect local land use decision-making.  The report also cites the important role that regional entities, such as tri-county councils and councils of governments, can play in the PlanMaryland process.

As previously reported by Conduit Street, MACo has also sent a separate letter to Governor O’Malley outlining its remaining concerns with the revised draft.