Calvert County Proposes Shift In Who Decides Agricultural Land Preservation

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — As a part of its ongoing attempt to review and update Agricultural Land Preservation Rules and Regulations, the Department of Planning and Zoning and the Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board (APAB) introduced bylaws to clarify what group or agency has the power to change these rules and regulations in the future.

In 2020, the Transferrable Development Right (TDR) Committee reviewed the county’s land preservation efforts and the TDR program. One of the recommendations was to update the program’s rules and regulations to increase opportunities for land preservation.

Planning and Zoning and APAB’s updates supersede past versions and “create a uniform set of rules for all Agricultural Preservation Districts and incorporate changes needed to comply with the Calvert County Zoning Ordinance and the Calvert 2040 Comprehensive Plan,” according to a memo from Director of Planning and Zoning Jason Brinkley, presented at the Dec. 2 Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting. Planning and Zoning submitted the changes in July and opened the draft for public comment.

Under state law, the APAB is primarily responsible for the administration of the state’s land preservation program and oversees the county TDR program. Planning and Zoning removed all language relating to responsibility and governance of the APAB and instead developed bylaws to allow for changes to process without changing rules and regulations that affect land preservation eligibility.

The more substantial change, however, is the move to include the BOCC as the final say on land designated as an APD. Previously, the APAB was solely responsible for these determinations; in the new draft, the APAB will accept and review applications and then make recommendations to the BOCC. The BOCC will have final approval.

The process to update rules and regulations is ongoing. Residents can view the proposal online.