The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority will hold a virtual public hearing in mid-April, rescheduled from the originally planned in-person meeting this month, to hear a request to expand the geographic boundaries of the Patapsco Valley Heritage Area.
The 441st Session of the Maryland General Assembly came to an abrupt close on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. As Maryland and the rest of the nation grappled with the outbreak of COVID-19, leaders in Annapolis decided to adjourn the legislative session early – something only done once before 159 years ago, on the eve of the American Civil War.
No aspect or corner of Maryland’s economy will be unscathed by the economic downturn caused by the current pandemic – and it is critically important that Maryland’s museums and historic sites are supported as the nation plans for recovery.
Fall foliage in Howard County. Suzanne Wright for Maryland DNR, 2014.
Smart Growth Maryland is proud to have partnered with the Howard County Sierra Club and The People’s Voice, LLC to create the Smarter Growth Alliance for Howard County, which brings together organizations focused on sustainable development, healthy communities, and protection of natural resources for information sharing, strategizing, and coordinating advocacy efforts.
Smart Growth Maryland is a campaign of Preservation Maryland that advocates for a more environmentally and economically sustainable future that creates opportunities for all Marylanders through better development patterns. A major component of this campaign is advancing plans, legislation, and policies that support smart growth at the county level.
The kick-off meeting for this new alliance was held in mid-September 2019 and was attended by representatives of many of our longtime state partners, including Clean Water Action, Maryland League of Conservation Voters, Safe Skies Maryland, Audubon Society of Central Maryland, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Local organizations represented included the Howard County Conservancy, the Horizon Foundation, the Community Ecology Institute, Earth Forum of Howard County, Transition Howard County, and Bicycling Advocates of Howard County.
Leadership group of the Smarter Growth Alliance for Howard County, 2019.
The Alliance’s first advocacy effort is supporting improved protections for Howard County’s forests. Following County Executive Calvin Ball’s recent announcement of amendments to local forest conservation law to meet and exceed State requirements, the Alliance submitted a letter to the County Executive and Council signed by sixteen organizations expressing our strong support for:
Important Dates: All members of the new Smarter Growth Alliance for Howard County invite advocates to the County Council’s public hearing at 7PM on November 18, 2019. Wear green to show your support!
In addition to legislative advocacy, the alliance is eager to be engaged in upcoming efforts to develop a new comprehensive plan for Howard County’s future and the update of the zoning ordinance.
Smart Growth Maryland continues to lead the Smarter Growth Alliance for Charles County, the Smarter Growth Alliance for Frederick County, and the Anne Arundel Alliance for Livable Communities – established alliances that offer a good model for Howard County. These Alliances have made a difference in each county by amplifying the voices of participating organizations and increasing their effectiveness.