From the Desk of the Secretary:

We are pleased to announce that the Maryland Department of Planning has developed this web tool to help facilitate each local jurisdictions’ annual report information as required by the General Assembly under Senate Bill 280 and House Bill 297 (basic requirements), Senate Bill 273 and House Bill 294 (adequate facilities reporting requirements), and Senate Bill 276 and House Bill 295 (indicators). I hope you find this tool most useful to supplement your current Annual Report requirements.

This tool also allows for important development tracking information and an inventory for other planning documents, development activities, and zoning regulation changes that serve to address the implementation of each Comprehensive Plan.

This web application will provide space to report on:

Development activity, including residential and non-residential subdivisions in process, as well as building and occupancy permits issued in and out of Priority Funding Areas. Zoning map and text changes in and out of PFAs. Infrastructure projects completed in and out of PFAs. Ordinance and Master Plan Amendments approved for the calendar year. Lands preserved through acquisitions and/or easements. Changes in development capacity as a result of the above changes.

We encourage all jurisdictions to utilize this tool as it will provide a uniform data management system across the State, and provide you with an historical development record that is easily accessible, comparable to other jurisdictions, and allows the use of our data storage capabilities. For many jurisdictions this new tool will provide new capabilities and a free resource they have never had and help them better manage their land use changes.

Many thanks for the great efforts each jurisdiction has put in to achieve brighter, cleaner, smarter, and safer Maryland landscapes and communities through your Comprehensive Planning processes and plan implementations!

Richard Eberhart Hall, AICP
Maryland Secretary of Planning