Maryland Revives Old Law To Control Growth

Maryland is backing up its state growth managment program by intervening in local land use procedings, relyng on a 1974 law that gives broad intervention powers to the state department of planning. "Maryland's interest in intervening in local land use proceedings could be a harbinger of the next wave of state planning and growth managment legislation, or a recognition of the flaws in existing legislation. Propelled by the groundswell of interest in smart growth, this next generation of laws might directly provide for state agency intervention in local land-use decions as states seek to reconcile the objectives of state planning with local governments' interpretion of these objectives."

Thanks to Michele LeFaivre