Encounters With a Land Use Loophole

A proposed development on an old site that predates current waterfront development regulations in Anne Arundel County "reveals steep slopes, erodible soil and sensitive wildlife habitat...." Environmentalists say that the project "signals a worrisome trend in land use, one that state and local authorities may be unable to stop. The intense desire for waterfront property, as well as holes in state and local laws that otherwise restrict development within 1,000 feet of the water, have led builders to pounce on even difficult-to-develop sites, say state officials." Environmentalists and current residents alike are taking a stand against the development despite the fact that legally, nothing can be done. Furthermore, others have lauded the developer's efforts to make the residential development as environmentally-sensitive as possible.