Read more about the article Court of Special Appeals Vacates Takings Judgment Against Harford County
County News / Government Liability and Courts / Planning and Zoning
Court of Special Appeals Vacates Takings Judgment Against Harford County

A Harford County press release (2019-08-01) announced that the Maryland Court of Special Appeals has ruled for Harford County in a longstanding dispute with Maryland Reclamation Associates, Inc. (MRA) that could have set a new precedent on property takings through inverse condemnation. MRA sought to establish a rubble landfill outside of Havre de Grace in the early 1990s. However, the County denied multiple applications from MRA for zoning variances and MRA initiated litigation. In 2010,…

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August 2, 2019
Read more about the article Governing Article Finds Mixed Results From Urban Up-zonings
Housing and Community Development / Planning and Zoning / Summer Conference
Governing Article Finds Mixed Results From Urban Up-zonings

A Governing article (2019-07) explored the mixed results urban areas have experienced when upzoning from detached single-family housing. As previously reported on Conduit Street, up-zoning has recently been enacted or considered by several cities and states. The Governing article looked at both these recent efforts and several older up-zonings and found mixed results regarding increased housing capacity, affordability, gentrification, and political fallout. The article discussed the history of zoning and the invidious use of single-family zoning and…

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August 2, 2019
Read more about the article Preservation Maryland Makes Smart Growth & Conservation Presentations Available to All
Housing and Community Development / Planning and Zoning
Preservation Maryland Makes Smart Growth & Conservation Presentations Available to All

A Preservation Maryland article (2019-08-01) recounted the Smart Growth and land preservation training offered at Preservation's Maryland Old Line Summit. As a benefit to those who could not attend, the presentations used in each session are being made available as a free resource. From the article: In the first Old Line State Summit since the launch of Smart Growth Maryland as a major program of Preservation Maryland, our one-day conference focused on the collaboration, advocacy,…

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August 2, 2019
Read more about the article Anne Arundel Using Bogs to Combat Water Pollution & Climate Change
County News / Environment / Planning and Zoning
Anne Arundel Using Bogs to Combat Water Pollution & Climate Change

A Baltimore Sun article (2019-08-01) reported on Anne Arundel County's efforts to use existing or restored bogs to improve water quality and sequester carbon to combat climate change. Many bogs in Maryland have been drained for development but County has generated a map of remaining bogs and is working to protect them. In addition, environmental scientists have developed processes to repair or completely restore bogs, similar to what has been done through stream restoration. Bogs are…

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August 1, 2019
Read more about the article Discover Maryland’s Clean Energy Future (and What It Means for Counties) at #MACoCon
Agriculture / Economic Development / Environment / Intergovernmental Relations / Planning and Zoning / Summer Conference
Discover Maryland’s Clean Energy Future (and What It Means for Counties) at #MACoCon

Get the information you need about Maryland's plans to transition to "clean energy" and what it means for your county at the 2019 MACo Summer Conference. Keeping Clean Energy Green Energy Description Maryland has embarked on a path toward more and more clean energy sources. With the passage of the Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2019 and Governor Hogan’s call for a 100% clean energy goal, our state must now navigate through the various benefits…

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July 30, 2019
Read more about the article Planning & Zoning Training at #MACoCon
Planning and Zoning / Summer Conference
Planning & Zoning Training at #MACoCon

Get basic land use planning and zoning training at the 2019 MACo Summer Conference. Note: This training is required for members of planning boards, planning commissions, and boards of appeals. Planning Board, Planning Commissioner and Board of Appeals Members Education Course Description This FREE course satisfies a training requirement that was part of the Smart and Sustainable Growth Act of 2009, which requires Planning Commission, Planning Board, and Board of Appeals members to complete an…

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July 30, 2019
Read more about the article Port of Baltimore Will be Staging Area for Offshore Wind Projects
Economic Development / Environment / News You Can Use / Summer Conference
Port of Baltimore Will be Staging Area for Offshore Wind Projects

A Washington Post article (2019-07-23) reported that the Dutch firm Ørsted has announced that the Port of Baltimore's former Bethlehem Steel site will become home to a wind turbine construction and staging facility that will assemble turbines for the planned Skipjack Wind Farm off the coast of Ocean City and potentially other offshore wind projects along the East Coast of the United States. The article noted that the Skipjack Wind Farm is set to have 15 turbines…

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July 26, 2019
Read more about the article High Tide or “Sunny Day” Flooding Expected to Increase in Maryland, Other Coastal Areas
Agriculture / Environment / Planning and Zoning
High Tide or “Sunny Day” Flooding Expected to Increase in Maryland, Other Coastal Areas

A Bay Journal article (2019-07-15) examined a new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report showing that the Chesapeake Bay watershed is particularly susceptible to increased "sunny day" or high tide flooding (HTF). HTF does not occur due to rainfall but is based on other climate factors interacting with a high tide. According to the report, HTF "can now happen when a steady breeze or change in coastal current overlaps a high tide." The report found that…

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July 26, 2019
Read more about the article Petition Calls For Montgomery County Public Schools to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Education / Environment
Petition Calls For Montgomery County Public Schools to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

A Bethesda Beat article (2019-07-22) reported that more than 200 community members have signed a petition calling on the Montgomery County Public School System (MCPS) to reduce its carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. The petition states that MCPS is a "major polluter" in the County. The article noted that in 2017, the County Council set agoal of eliminating 80% of the county's greenhouse gas emissions by 2027. (Maryland's current statewide goal is a 40% reduction by…

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July 26, 2019
Read more about the article Join in a Discussion of the New Central Maryland Regional Transit Plan
Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works
Join in a Discussion of the New Central Maryland Regional Transit Plan

Join the Greater Washington Partnership and the Greater Baltimore Committee in a discussion on how to maximize the effectiveness of Maryland's new Central Maryland Regional Transit Plan. From the event webpage: We invite you to join the first event in a series to discuss how Central Maryland can maximize the Central Maryland Regional Transit Plan, the region’s first long-range transit plan in more than a quarter century, to establish a new vision and strategy to…

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July 23, 2019
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