Master Planning 2020Bruce Seeley, Master Plan Manager About the Master PlanAfter receiving preliminary input from a Citizens' Advisory Group, four public input meetings were held in different County locations. The meetings took place from January through March 2010. Public hearings are scheduled before the Planning Board on Thursday, September 2, 2010, then at the County Council on Monday, October 18, 2010. View the draft of the Master Plan 2020. The Baltimore County Charter requires a master plan be updated at least every ten years. The Master Plan outlines comprehensive objectives, policies, and actions, guiding the county’s future development. The County Council adopted the Master Plan 2010 on February 22, 2000. The master planning process includes staff policy recommendations, public advisory group inputs, Planning Board deliberation, public hearings, County Council adoption, and plan implementation by all county agencies. Importance of Master Plan Public Participation The Master Plan 2020Vision Statement Baltimore County: safe and sustainable communities, working together to achieve a future with a responsible balance of economy, equity, and healthy natural environment where citizens value past achievements, future opportunities, and diversity of choice to live, work, learn and prosper. Master Plan Amendment: Rural Areas The Agricultural Stewardship Act of 2006 (House Bill 2), passed by the Maryland General Assembly, provides for a “priority preservation area element” and associated protective strategies to be included in the Rural Portion of the Master Plan. The Office of Planning and Department of Environmental Protection and Resource Management (DEPRM) developed the Master Plan Amendment Rural Areas (PDF). On January 21, 2010, the Planning Board voted to adopt the "Master Plan Amendment: Rural Areas.” Master Plan Amendment: Urban Areas The 2006 Maryland General Assembly enacted major changes to the state’s existing comprehensive planning and zoning regulations. Principally, the House Bill 1141, Land Use–Local Government Planning, requires local governments to include a water resources element (WRE) adopted as part of jurisdictional comprehensive plans. Baltimore County is amending the Master Plan to ensure that drinking water supplies are safe and adequate to serve future populations, and pollutant reductions are achieved in discharges, including stormwater runoff, wastewater treatment plants and septic systems, that are flowing into all natural water resources, ultimately draining to the Chesapeake Bay. Middle River Redevelopment Area Since most of the Perry Hall-White Marsh Growth Area (designated in Master Plan 2010) has been developed over the last decade, the boundaries need updating. The Office of Planning met with citizens and community associations and listened to their comments. As a result, a preliminary draft document proposal to amend the area and rename it the “Middle River Redevelopment Area” (PDF) was prepared and is offered for review and comment. The Office of Planning, in partnership with all other County agencies, is proposing to focus on redevelopment of existing commercial properties in need of rehabilitation, with an emphasis on mixed use, walkable, and transit-oriented development. This sustainable development will accommodate our growing population, enhance our existing neighborhoods, and preserve the natural environment. The Master Plan 2010The Master Plan 2010 considers the inter-relationships between land use and a broad spectrum of other planning elements such as education, public safety, transportation, social services, community conservation, rural preservation, natural conservation, historic preservation and community stewardship. These elements are all intertwined, and each plays an important part in making communities successful. Where Will Baltimore County's Future Growth Occur?Major Master Plan 2010 Goals include:
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| View the Master Plan 2020 DRAFT Document | ||
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View the DRAFT Water Resource Element (PDF)
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 | Matt D'Amico, of the Design Collective, offers one vision as to where Baltimore County will grow in the next few decades. The presentation, "Commercial Corridor Redevelopment," (PDF) was the subject of a seminar held on May 18, 2009, at the Sheppard Pratt Conference Center. | |
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