Board Refusing to Engage in PlanMaryland ‘Not the Case,’ Says Commissioner Howard

On the eve of the state bringing the PlanMaryland presentation to Carroll County, Commissioner Doug Howard (District 5), released a statement assuring residents that amidst controversy, the board is in fact taking the proper steps to prepare comments about policy concerns to the state.

“There has been an effort by some to suggest that this board of commissioners is not engaging adequately in the PlanMaryland process. This is simply not the case,” said Howard in a government press release.

PlanMaryland is the first master strategy the state has put out for sustainability. According to the PlanMaryland website, Maryland will experience a growth of more than 1 million people, 400,000 households and 600,000 new jobs within the next 20 years. The plan was developed in order to accommodate this future growth, says the site. 

PlanMaryland focuses on building upon current, state and local plans and “programs toward a new level of accountability from state agencies and local governments,” not on “new programs, more money or more state control,” according to PlanMaryland. 

Emphasis is placed on the coordination of individual, state and local agencies and local governments on their “respective responsibilities and actions,” according to their website. 

“Recognizing that the PlanMaryland initiative could have far-reaching implications for Carroll County, the board is both concerned and engaged. This board of commissioners has a process that it is currently undertaking with regards to PlanMaryland,” said Howard.

While the process Howard addresses in his statement includes forums and deliberations on PlanMaryland, including an open session on August 30 with the intent of providing written comments to the governor’s office by the state’s deadline of September 1, the board’s agenda does not include attending the state’s open presentation of PlanMaryland to Carroll County on Thursday.

“I will not be attending as we were not asked to participate as a board,” said Howard. “It is not the proper forum for commissioner comment to the Maryland Department of Planning and will afford no opportunity for two-way communication with the public in attendance.”

Thursday’s event at Carroll Community College, sponsored by the Carroll County Times and the Finksburg Planning Council, was first suggested and organized by Ross Dangel, Eldersburg resident and former member of the Freedom Area Citizens Council.

Dangel attended the Howard County PlanMaryland presentation at Long Reach High School in May and walked away assured that Carroll County government and county residents could benefit from hearing the details of the plan from the state itself.

“It’s important that people understand that the state has guidance about the issues set forth in the plan,” said Dangel. “They want everyone marching to the same beat, and these presentations are a great way to get people involved and on the same page.”

Dangel noted that there weren’t any commissioners or planning personnel present from Carroll County.

“I understand budgets are tight and the county probably couldn’t afford to send people to attend the event in Columbia,” said Dangel.

“So I thought I would try to get the state to bring the presentation to us. I went to Doug Howard, and the commissioner seemed very interested in using a political process to create a new master plan. They really want it to be handled by the planning commission. I said I would like the commissioners to come and hear exactly what the state is planning, but Commissioner Howard declined, so I immediately went to Carroll County Times and they agreed to help sponsor this public event to educate the county on PlanMaryland,” he went on to say.

Dangel said it’s important that Eldersburg residents and those living in South Carroll learn the importance of PlanMaryland and its possible implications on the area.

“Eldersburg does not have much control as an unincorporated community even though we’re much bigger than every town but Westminster in the county,” said Dangel.

“The county government controls everything that happens in Eldersburg. There’s not much legally that people in Eldersburg can do when the county makes decisions, and it’s important that we stand up and learn what’s going on through presentations like this.”

Close to 80 people are currently registered to attend the event on the PlanMaryland website.

Rich Hall, the state’s secretary of planning, will lead the presentation from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room at Carroll Community College.

More information on PlanMaryland can be found through its website here.