Resources and Tools
At the planning directors roundtable on September 20, Planning presented the newly completed Transportation Element Checklist. Continue reading
Author: Maryland Department of Planning
Planning Practice Wednesday Special Edition: October 2019 Planner’s Blog
Introduction
The Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) and our partners have been busy the past few months, hosting or collaborating on the following events: Continue reading
HB 1045: Comprehensive Planning for Housing
Planning in Progress
At the Planning Directors Roundtable in Crownsville, Planning introduced its work on House Bill 1045. The bill, adopted in February 2019, adds a housing element requirement for all comprehensive plans written after June 1, 2020. You may already be familiar with other required comprehensive plan elements, such as those for land use, transportation, and water resources. Continue reading
MDOT does Renewable Energy too: Renewable Energy Master Contract Program
Planning in Progress
by Dan Rosen
Presented by Eddie Lukemire, Energy and Sustainability Program Manager, Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) – The Secretary’s Office
At the Planning Director’s Roundtable on September 20, Eddie Lukemire of MDOT spoke about his department’s Renewable Energy Master Contract. This tool simplifies and streamlines the contractual process by using a master Request for Proposals (RFP), with currently certified six solar energy contractors. Subsequent MDOT task orders are issued to the contractors based on geography or transit mode. A scope of work is written to allow an array of projects that a contractor might propose to complement other projects. For example, if a contractor is installing solar panels in a park and ride lot and sees the potential for adding electric vehicle charging stations, the master contract can accommodate the project. Continue reading
Transportation Technical Assistance: MetroQuest Survey Results
Planning in Progress
by Dan Rosen
Planning’s Director of Planning Coordination, Chuck Boyd, shared with the planning directors the valuable results of a transportation technical assistance survey using MetroQuest’s engaging survey software. Continue reading
Commerce Subcabinet Hears Regional Priorities
Planning in Progress
In the May edition of Planning Practice Wednesday, we introduced readers to the Department of Commerce’s new Regional Resources Workgroup. Since that time, the Commerce Subcabinet established five regional teams (Eastern Shore, Baltimore Area, Western Maryland, Southern Maryland, DC Metro Area) composed of state staff from agencies including the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Maryland Higher Education Council (MHEC), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Department of Labor, and others. Each team has a regional leader who organizes bi-monthly conference calls to discuss regional issues and propose methods through which state agencies serving on the Commerce Subcabinet can assist local economic development projects and help jurisdictions overcome barriers. Continue reading
Planning launches the Maryland Protected Lands Dashboard
Resources and Tools
Introduced in the June edition of Planning Practice Wednesday and launched in August, the Maryland Protected Lands Dashboard provides a quick assessment of the status of Maryland land preservation at the state, regional, and county levels. The 12 categories of protected lands include federal, state, county, and private programs. Whether you prefer a map showing where land has been preserved, a colorful pie chart indicating what category or program has preserved the most acreage, or what progress has been made on Maryland’s official agricultural land preservation goal to preserve 1,030,000 acres by 2022, the dashboard makes it all available at your fingertips.
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