Asked by Tracy
BELOW: Where in Maryland do you see evidence of these land usage terms? How or Why?
Where in MD
How/Why?
Zoning
The means a local government uses to regulate the way land and buildings may be used in order to shape community development.
Where in MD
How/Why?
Land Preservation
Preserving agricultural land and natural resources to protect the long-term quality of life for residents.
Where in MD
How/Why?
Open Space
Acquires park land, forests, natural, scenic, and cultural resources for public use. Some of the projects include ball parks, playgrounds, tennis courts, fishing and hunting areas, and many more.
Where in MD
How/Why?
Critical Environmental Areas
The area around all water and wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay that may be in danger of pollution, land usage, or disturbances of natural ecosystems.
Where in MD
How/Why?
Sprawl
Spreading out of development over rural land near cities and urban areas.
Where in MD
How/Why?
Smart Growth
A government program to protect green space that could be replaced by strip malls and subdivisions, creating poor air quality and water pollution, while older communities and schools are abandoned.
Where in MD
How/Why?
Land Use
Protecting land while trying to understand the nature and extent of human interaction with the earth's surface.
Where in MD
How/Why?
Historic Preservation
Preserve the scenic quality and natural environment of historic landscapes, buildings and roads.
Where in MD
How/Why?
Chesapeake Bay Watershed
The total land area that drains water into a given river, lake, estuary or other body of water.
Where in MD
How/Why?
Infrastructure
The basic facilities of a city, such as paved streets and sidewalks, water pipes, sewers, bridges, and public buildings.
Where in MD
How/Why?
Mass Transit
Systems such as subways that are used to transport a large number of people.
Where in MD
How/Why?
Critical Areas
The land within 1,000 feet of tidal waters or tidal wetlands immediately surrounding the Bay and its tributaries has the greatest potential to affect water quality and wildlife habitat.
Where in MD
How/Why?
Run-off
When rain or snow falls onto the earth, it just doesn't sit there -- it starts moving according to the laws of gravity. It is important to Keep rivers and lakes full of water, but it also changes the landscape by the action of erosion or carries pollution to bodies of water.
All Answers 1
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Zoning
- Where in MD: County and municipal zoning maps everywhere—examples: Baltimore City zoning districts; Montgomery County zoning in Rockville/Gaithersburg; Anne Arundel County waterfront zoning.
- How/Why: Local governments use zoning ordinances to separate uses (residential, commercial, industrial), control density, lot sizes, and building form. In Montgomery County, for example, zoning density and overlay zones shape where apartments vs. single-family houses are allowed; Annapolis uses waterfront zoning and setbacks to protect historic neighborhoods and water access.
Land Preservation
- Where in MD: Rural counties on the Eastern Shore (Talbot, Dorchester, Queen Anne’s), Carroll County and Howard County farmland, preserved land in Western Maryland (Garrett County).
- How/Why: Maryland’s Agricultural Land Preservation Program and county easement programs purchase development rights or conservation easements to keep farms and forests intact, preventing subdivision and protecting soils, wildlife habitat, and rural character.
Open Space
- Where in MD: Patapsco Valley State Park (Baltimore & Howard counties), Gunpowder Falls State Park (Baltimore County), Baltimore County and Montgomery County park systems, Anne Arundel County parks, local municipal parks in Annapolis and Ocean City.
- How/Why: State and local governments acquire and manage land for recreation and resource protection—ball fields, trails, forests and shore access—providing public amenities and buffering sensitive areas from development.
Critical Environmental Areas
- Where in MD: Shoreline and wetland corridors around the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries—e.g., Severn River and Magothy River shorelines in Anne Arundel County, tidal wetlands on the Eastern Shore.
- How/Why: Local designations (often tied to Critical Area/shoreline rules) highlight areas especially vulnerable to pollution or ecological damage and trigger stricter review for development to protect water quality and habitats.
Sprawl
- Where in MD: Suburban growth corridors radiating from Baltimore and Washington — e.g., low-density subdivisions extending into Howard County, southern Carroll County, parts of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties; continued subdivision of Eastern Shore farmland.
- How/Why: Market-driven development, highway access (I-95, US-301), and lax growth controls in some areas produce leapfrog, auto-dependent development that consumes rural land and increases infrastructure costs and vehicle trips.
Smart Growth
- Where in MD: Statewide policy focused on Priority Funding Areas (PFAs) and transit corridors — examples: redevelopment and higher-density growth in Baltimore City and downtown Silver Spring; Columbia’s planned, compact development; investments around Bethesda/Metro and new Purple Line stations.
- How/Why: Maryland’s Smart Growth laws and incentives (PFAs, grants, transit-oriented development) concentrate growth in existing communities and near transit to protect rural lands and reduce sprawl, encourage walkable neighborhoods, and direct infrastructure spending.
Land Use
- Where in MD: Reflected in county comprehensive plans across the state—Montgomery County’s General Plan, Anne Arundel County Comprehensive Plan, Baltimore County Master Plan; urban redevelopment areas like Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
- How/Why: Land-use planning determines allowed uses, density, conservation areas, and infrastructure priorities—balancing development needs, environmental protection, and community goals through maps and regulations.
Historic Preservation
- Where in MD: Annapolis Historic District, Baltimore’s Fells Point and Mount Vernon, St. Mary’s City, Antietam National Battlefield, Old Ellicott City.
- How/Why: Local historic districts, state (Maryland Historical Trust) and federal protections preserve buildings, streetscapes, and landscapes for cultural, aesthetic, and tourism value; preservation ordinances limit demolition and control alterations.
Chesapeake Bay Watershed
- Where in MD: The majority of Maryland drains to the Chesapeake Bay—major subwatersheds in Maryland include the Patuxent, Potomac, Susquehanna tributaries (via PA), Chester River, and Nanticoke.
- How/Why: All stormwater, agricultural runoff, and wastewater in these areas ultimately affect Bay health; watershed boundaries drive restoration planning, pollution-reduction targets, and regional cooperation.
Infrastructure
- Where in MD: Major examples include the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (Anne Arundel), I-95 and I-695 corridors around Baltimore, municipal water/sewer systems in Baltimore and Annapolis, and regional wastewater treatment plants.
- How/Why: Roads, bridges, water and sewer lines, and public facilities support growth patterns; aging infrastructure in older cities requires investment and influences redevelopment and environmental outcomes (e.g., combined sewer overflows in Baltimore).
Mass Transit
- Where in MD: WMATA Metro lines into Montgomery and Prince George’s counties (Bethesda, Silver Spring, Greenbelt), Maryland Transit Administration services (Baltimore Metro SubwayLink, Light Rail, MARC commuter rail to DC and Philadelphia), BaltimoreLink bus network.
- How/Why: Transit corridors concentrate development, reduce car dependence, and are focal points for Smart Growth and transit-oriented development; MARC/Penn Line and Metro stations create commuting hubs.
Critical Areas (Maryland Critical Area Program)
- Where in MD: The land within 1,000 feet of tidal waters throughout coastal counties—visible along Chesapeake Bay shorelines in Anne Arundel, Calvert, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Kent, and other counties.
- How/Why: The Critical Area law requires buffers, limits on impervious surface, and special land-use controls to protect water quality and habitat in the zone most likely to impact the Bay.
Run-off
- Where in MD: Urban runoff problems in Baltimore (Gwynns Falls, Jones Falls), suburban runoff in watersheds of I-95 corridor and Beltway suburbs, agricultural runoff on the Eastern Shore (Nutrient loading to Choptank and Nanticoke Rivers).
- How/Why: Impervious surfaces, stormwater infrastructure, and farm fertilizer contribute sediments and nutrients to waterways; Maryland implements BMPs, stormwater management rules, restoration projects, and agricultural best practices to reduce runoff and improve Bay water quality.
If you want, I can map specific county ordinance names, state programs (e.g., Critical Area Commission, MALPP, Priority Funding Areas), or give short local case studies (e.g., Annapolis Critical Area rules, Carroll County farmland easements, Baltimore’s stormwater remediation projects).
- Where in MD: County and municipal zoning maps everywhere—examples: Baltimore City zoning districts; Montgomery County zoning in Rockville/Gaithersburg; Anne Arundel County waterfront zoning.
- How/Why: Local governments use zoning ordinances to separate uses (residential, commercial, industrial), control density, lot sizes, and building form. In Montgomery County, for example, zoning density and overlay zones shape where apartments vs. single-family houses are allowed; Annapolis uses waterfront zoning and setbacks to protect historic neighborhoods and water access.
Land Preservation
- Where in MD: Rural counties on the Eastern Shore (Talbot, Dorchester, Queen Anne’s), Carroll County and Howard County farmland, preserved land in Western Maryland (Garrett County).
- How/Why: Maryland’s Agricultural Land Preservation Program and county easement programs purchase development rights or conservation easements to keep farms and forests intact, preventing subdivision and protecting soils, wildlife habitat, and rural character.
Open Space
- Where in MD: Patapsco Valley State Park (Baltimore & Howard counties), Gunpowder Falls State Park (Baltimore County), Baltimore County and Montgomery County park systems, Anne Arundel County parks, local municipal parks in Annapolis and Ocean City.
- How/Why: State and local governments acquire and manage land for recreation and resource protection—ball fields, trails, forests and shore access—providing public amenities and buffering sensitive areas from development.
Critical Environmental Areas
- Where in MD: Shoreline and wetland corridors around the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries—e.g., Severn River and Magothy River shorelines in Anne Arundel County, tidal wetlands on the Eastern Shore.
- How/Why: Local designations (often tied to Critical Area/shoreline rules) highlight areas especially vulnerable to pollution or ecological damage and trigger stricter review for development to protect water quality and habitats.
Sprawl
- Where in MD: Suburban growth corridors radiating from Baltimore and Washington — e.g., low-density subdivisions extending into Howard County, southern Carroll County, parts of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties; continued subdivision of Eastern Shore farmland.
- How/Why: Market-driven development, highway access (I-95, US-301), and lax growth controls in some areas produce leapfrog, auto-dependent development that consumes rural land and increases infrastructure costs and vehicle trips.
Smart Growth
- Where in MD: Statewide policy focused on Priority Funding Areas (PFAs) and transit corridors — examples: redevelopment and higher-density growth in Baltimore City and downtown Silver Spring; Columbia’s planned, compact development; investments around Bethesda/Metro and new Purple Line stations.
- How/Why: Maryland’s Smart Growth laws and incentives (PFAs, grants, transit-oriented development) concentrate growth in existing communities and near transit to protect rural lands and reduce sprawl, encourage walkable neighborhoods, and direct infrastructure spending.
Land Use
- Where in MD: Reflected in county comprehensive plans across the state—Montgomery County’s General Plan, Anne Arundel County Comprehensive Plan, Baltimore County Master Plan; urban redevelopment areas like Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
- How/Why: Land-use planning determines allowed uses, density, conservation areas, and infrastructure priorities—balancing development needs, environmental protection, and community goals through maps and regulations.
Historic Preservation
- Where in MD: Annapolis Historic District, Baltimore’s Fells Point and Mount Vernon, St. Mary’s City, Antietam National Battlefield, Old Ellicott City.
- How/Why: Local historic districts, state (Maryland Historical Trust) and federal protections preserve buildings, streetscapes, and landscapes for cultural, aesthetic, and tourism value; preservation ordinances limit demolition and control alterations.
Chesapeake Bay Watershed
- Where in MD: The majority of Maryland drains to the Chesapeake Bay—major subwatersheds in Maryland include the Patuxent, Potomac, Susquehanna tributaries (via PA), Chester River, and Nanticoke.
- How/Why: All stormwater, agricultural runoff, and wastewater in these areas ultimately affect Bay health; watershed boundaries drive restoration planning, pollution-reduction targets, and regional cooperation.
Infrastructure
- Where in MD: Major examples include the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (Anne Arundel), I-95 and I-695 corridors around Baltimore, municipal water/sewer systems in Baltimore and Annapolis, and regional wastewater treatment plants.
- How/Why: Roads, bridges, water and sewer lines, and public facilities support growth patterns; aging infrastructure in older cities requires investment and influences redevelopment and environmental outcomes (e.g., combined sewer overflows in Baltimore).
Mass Transit
- Where in MD: WMATA Metro lines into Montgomery and Prince George’s counties (Bethesda, Silver Spring, Greenbelt), Maryland Transit Administration services (Baltimore Metro SubwayLink, Light Rail, MARC commuter rail to DC and Philadelphia), BaltimoreLink bus network.
- How/Why: Transit corridors concentrate development, reduce car dependence, and are focal points for Smart Growth and transit-oriented development; MARC/Penn Line and Metro stations create commuting hubs.
Critical Areas (Maryland Critical Area Program)
- Where in MD: The land within 1,000 feet of tidal waters throughout coastal counties—visible along Chesapeake Bay shorelines in Anne Arundel, Calvert, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Kent, and other counties.
- How/Why: The Critical Area law requires buffers, limits on impervious surface, and special land-use controls to protect water quality and habitat in the zone most likely to impact the Bay.
Run-off
- Where in MD: Urban runoff problems in Baltimore (Gwynns Falls, Jones Falls), suburban runoff in watersheds of I-95 corridor and Beltway suburbs, agricultural runoff on the Eastern Shore (Nutrient loading to Choptank and Nanticoke Rivers).
- How/Why: Impervious surfaces, stormwater infrastructure, and farm fertilizer contribute sediments and nutrients to waterways; Maryland implements BMPs, stormwater management rules, restoration projects, and agricultural best practices to reduce runoff and improve Bay water quality.
If you want, I can map specific county ordinance names, state programs (e.g., Critical Area Commission, MALPP, Priority Funding Areas), or give short local case studies (e.g., Annapolis Critical Area rules, Carroll County farmland easements, Baltimore’s stormwater remediation projects).
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