The American Farmland Trust has just released its “Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing and Abundant Future” report, an ambitious modeling effort to project how climate change and development will affect agricultural land, which clearly demonstrates the need for smart growth and good land-use planning that encourages infill and redevelopment.
Much of Smart Growth Maryland’s work involves advocacy at the local level. In Maryland, where and how a jurisdiction grows – and does not grow – is decided locally through a comprehensive planning process. Public involvement is a critical part of that process, with plans reflecting the vision and goals for the community’s future expressed by residents. Local elected officials adopt these plans and implement them through a variety of means including zoning, so local elections can play a large role in the future of smart growth issues in a county.
The 2022 Legislative Session of the Maryland General Assembly will come to a close on Monday, April 11, 2022. After 90 days of championing key bills and testifying on many other pieces of important legislation, it is safe to say that Preservation Maryland had one of its busiest legislative sessions in the organization’s history. With Session adjourned until January 2023, we are proud to report that we were able to make significant policy advances for preservation and smart growth in Maryland, while also securing an unprecedented amount of funding for preservation across the state.
The Livable Frederick Planning and Design Office recently announced that the Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Management Plan First Draft is available for public review. The Plan seeks to preserve rural character and scenic features, protect environmental resources, and improve landscape quality in the Sugarloaf Mountain area. This area plan is an aspect of the County’s Livable Frederick Master Plan, in which, through our Smart Growth Maryland program, Preservation Maryland worked to ensure the inclusion of preservation and smart growth priorities. Livable Frederick is a blueprint for how and where the county will grow, conserve, and preserve in the coming decades. The county will host two virtual open houses to present the draft plan and to invite public comments and questions.
Virtual Open Houses:
The public is invited to attend a virtual open house about the draft Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Management Plan. After a presentation from staff, the public will be invited to offer comments and ask questions.
Tuesday, August 17 and Thursday, August 19
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Call in: 1-855-925-2801 and enter meeting code 9006
Live stream: Go to www.publicinput.com/A8632 to listen and provide comments.
If you are unable to attend either open house, you can email questions and comments to sugarloafareaplan@frederickcountymd.gov
As one of the fastest-growing counties in Maryland, Frederick County loses hundreds of farmland and forest acres to development each year, so responsibly directing growth is crucial to fostering a sustainable future. Smart Growth Maryland played an active role advocating for smart growth and preservation priorities to be included in Livable Frederick, and through our work leading the Smarter Growth Alliance of Frederick County, we helped to ensure that preserving the past is part of Frederick County’s future. The Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Management Plan reflects the county’s long-range vision for the Sugarloaf area and anticipates actions, both public and private, to achieve that vision.