On February 17, Associate Policy Director Karrington Anderson testified before the Finance Committee in support of SB 389 – Land Use – Transit-Oriented Development – Alterations (Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act) with amendments.
This bill proposes various changes to land use and taxation in areas surrounding designated Transit Oriented Developments (TODs).
The bill would: (1) designate all TODs as enterprise zones; (2) preempt county minimum off-street parking requirements within 0.25 miles of a designated TOD; (3) require mixed-use zoning for most residential and commercial land within 0.5 miles of a TOD; (4) exempt certain state-owned properties from most land use and zoning requirements; and (5) limit when counties may impose impact fees or excise taxes that help fund necessary infrastructure expansions.
MACo supports the goal of encouraging TOD growth, but recommends clarifying amendments to better align the bill’s intent with practical implementation.
As drafted, counties have concerns about how SB 389 would operate in
practice—particularly as it relates to infrastructure capacity, local planning consistency, and predictable administration. The clarifying amendments would better align the bill language with the Administration’s objectives and on-the-ground realities.
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