A July 2, 2015, Carroll County Times article reported that the Carroll County Commissioners have adopted a zoning amendment that will limit the grandfathering of non-conforming properties (properties that do not meet current zoning designation descriptions).  The article noted the vote was 4-0 with Commissioner Doug Howard being absent.  From the article:

Phil Hager, director of the Department of Planning, Land Use and Development, said the text amendment to Chapter 158 will make the rights of a nonconforming-use property owner roughly equal with owners of a conforming use property.

Hager said the amendment applies to properties such as apartment complexes. If the owner of an apartment complex is notified the zoning designation will be changing to make it suitable for a lower volume of homes, the owner would not be able to greatly increase the footprint of the apartment complex. …

Hager said the record was kept open for 10 days after a hearing on June 18. No supplemental comment has been heard since the hearing. …

The amendment “hopefully should reduce the number of lawsuits that are going on and the legal actions within the county over nonconforming use expansion,” said [Commissioner Richard] Rothschild.