A Second Helping of Grant

July 25, 2013

David T. Whitaker, AICP Agricultural/Rural Preservation, Historic Preservation , , , , Leave a comment

Grant Dehart talks to MDP staff at "Your Brain on Planning" speaker series

Grant Dehart talks to MDP staff at “Your Brain on Planning” speaker series

On Wednesday  July 24th, easement negotiations and consistent funding sources protecting Civil War battlefields and Rural Legacy farms and greenbelts in Maryland was the topic of  Your Brain on Planning, a monthly planning discussion for staff held  at the Baltimore offices of the Maryland Department of Planning.

Grant Dehart, former Director of Maryland Program Open Space and the Maryland Environmental Trust, provided attendees with a concise and thorough overview of preservation programs and easement acquisition strategies that were developed during the administration of Governor William Donald Schaefer. More

Reblog: Zebras will get a trial run on Pennsylvania Avenue

July 24, 2013

Ryan Sigworth, AICP Bike Ped , , 1 Comment

The Zebra (with yellow stripes DC’s would not include). Photo from Zicla.

MDP Planner Ryan Sigworth has published a fine article on Greater Greater Washington, the DC planner’s blog. Ryan takes a look at the district’s exploration of using a “small physical barrier called the Zebra” to separate cyclists and cars in its bike lanes.

Read Ryan’s article, “Zebras will get a trial run on Pennsylvania Avenue”, on Greater Greater Washington.

The Future Is Now, an email from a Maryland resident

July 23, 2013

Maryland Department of Planning Smart Growth , , 2 Comments

The following is text in its entirety from an email that the Maryland Department of Planning received on September 7, 2011 during the public comment period for the PlanMaryland draft. The writer is a resident of southern Carroll County. Name has been withheld.

Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2011
To: [email protected]
Subject: The Future Is Now

My husband and I are retiring, frugal folk.  We came to an isolated corner of southern Carroll County back when interest rates were way down.  Today’s pundits would tell you that we were following the American Dream of our generation: a big house on a big lot, far from the madding crowd.  We were more interested in the family-friendly community we found here—and that low mortgage payment.

A typical sprawl area in central Maryland.

Obviously, we contributed to the sprawl that plagues our county today.   Thankfully, our children have chosen not to follow our example. Their version of the American Dream reads more like a page out of PlanMaryland.  Let me explain. More

Governor O’Malley’s Climate Change Summit: July 25, 2013

July 22, 2013

John Coleman Environmental , , , Leave a comment

From the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs blog

http://marylandiga.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/governor-omalleys-climate-change-summit-july-25-2013/

Climate Change Maryland

On July 25, Governor O’Malley will host a Climate Change Summit to discuss implementation of Climate Change Policy, the effects of climate change on Marylanders and economic opportunities for working Marylanders as a result of Climate Change Policy implementation with leading scientists, business leaders and environmental advocates.

You can watch Governor O’Malley live at Maryland Climate Change Summit, Thursday, July 25, 2013 at 10 a.m. climatechange.maryland.gov.

Tweeting on the subject of climate change in Maryland? Use the following hashtag to be in the conversation: #ActOnClimate

Planning for the Food System: July digest

July 18, 2013

Daniel Rosen Planning and the Food System, Smart Growth , , , , 3 Comments

Co-author, MDPCovers#28

Innovations in the food system continue to promote healthy communities and economic growth by improving access to locally produced, high quality, nutritious food.  Since the publication of the Maryland Department of Planning’s (MDP) Models and Guidelines report #28, Planning for the Food System, we have heard of many successful projects.  MDP is blogging about what has been accomplished recently by those whose best practices are described in the report: farmers and other entrepreneurs; not-for-profit organizations; governments; and schools, hospitals, and other institutions that work to improve the food system (production, processing, marketing, distribution, consumption, and waste management). More

Point & CounterPoint: Can agriculture and environment live in harmony?

July 17, 2013

Maryland Department of Planning Agricultural/Rural Preservation, Environmental, Land Use , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

This op-ed (July 12, 2013) is reprinted from the Daily Times (www.delmarvanow.com). The writer is Dave Wilson Jr., executive director of the Maryland Coastal Bays Program in Ocean City.

Agricultural land on the Eastern Shore is disappearing to development built next to or upon what was previously farmland. / Daily Times file photo

Farmers have come a long way toward meeting water quality standards

In the last 15 years, there has been unprecedented scrutiny of the chicken industry and locally produced organic fertilizer produced by the birds used by farmers. This largely is the result of misguided state policies following the alleged discovery of Pfiesteria in the Pocomoke River in late 1997. More

Be Recognized for Smart Growth

July 15, 2013

Valerie Berton Agricultural/Rural Preservation, Environmental, Smart Growth , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Apply for Maryland Sustainable Growth Award to Highlight Excellence in Development

If you, your organization or project advances smart, sustainable growth in Maryland – or if you know of a worthy individual, organization or project that fits this bill – consider throwing your hat in the ring for a 2014 Sustainable Growth Award. The Sustainable Growth Commission, established in 2010 by the Maryland General Assembly, makes recommendations on growth and development issues and celebrates smart growth achievements with its annual award. More

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