On February 20, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko testified before the Finance Committee in opposition to SB 807 - Alcoholic Beverages - Class 8 Farm Brewery and Class 10 Farm Distillery Licenses.  This bill eliminates a core element of local zoning authority for businesses operating under a Class 8 Farm Brewery License or the newly created Class 10 Farm Distillery License. Although presented as support for farm-based breweries and distilleries, the bill would exempt…

On February 17, Executive Director Michael Sanderson testified in support of SB 325 - Land Use - Permitting - Development Rights (Maryland Housing Certainty Act) with amendments.  This bill would overturn existing Maryland case law to establish an earlier vesting standard for residential projects and would adjust impact fee and excise tax payment timing to the issuance of a use and occupancy permit. Counties offer amendments to resolve issues of timing and application, and do…

On February 17, Executive Director Michael Sanderson testified before the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee in opposition to SB 31 - School Construction and Housing - School Zones and Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances.  This bill would require counties to partially process development applications even when they do not meet local Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) standards—diverting limited staff time, delaying projects that are ready for approval, and potentially wasting public resources. "We appreciate the…

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…

On February 12, Executive Director Michael Sanderson testified before the Ways and Means Committee in support of HB 243 – Land Use - Comprehensive and General Plans - Alteration of Elements with amendments. This bill seeks to align certain provisions in Maryland state law governing comprehensive plans with prior legislation transitioning local plans from a “visions” framework to a new “principles” framework. This legislation, introduced by the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP), aims to modernize…