2014 Carroll County Master Plan
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Adopted by the Board of County Commissioners
February 26, 2015
Amendment Adopted January 2, 2020
Assembled by OpenPublica from the documents it serves for this government. Each section below is a separate publication by the government, and its page numbers are that section's own. We have pinned 1 slot here, so an element absent from this file may simply not have been reviewed yet.
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Adopted by the Board of County Commissioners
February 26, 2015
Amendment Adopted January 2, 2020
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Resolution No. 1052 - 2020
WHEREAS, Carroll County developed a Comprehensive Plan titled "Master Plan of Carroll County" which was Approved and Adopted in 1964; and
WHEREAS, this Plan was the focus of a review and revision process that resulted in a modified Plan being Approved and Adopted in 2000; and
WHEREAS, Section §3-203, Land Use Article, Maryland Annotated Code, provides for the Adoption, periodic review, and revision of a comprehensive plan by jurisdictions in the State of Maryland; and
WHEREAS, this Plan was updated in 2015; and
WHEREAS, the Carroll County Planning and Zoning Commission formally "Accepted" the draft Master Plan by a unanimous vote at the June 5, 2019 Business Meeting; and
WHEREAS, an Amendment to the Plan was initiated to incorporate new land use definitions, new Municipal Growth Area boundaries, updates to the Transportation and Environmental Resources chapters and new land use designations to reflect the updates to the definitions and the Future Land Use maps, as well as corresponding tables and charts; and
WHEREAS, the draft Plan was formally referred to the State Clearinghouse Review Committee following Planning & Zoning Commission "Acceptance"; and
WHEREAS, the Carroll County Planning and Zoning Commission has followed requirements set forth in the Land Use Article §3-203 of the Annotated Code of Maryland for a 60-day public review and comment period and held a public hearing on August 20, 2019, which was duly advertised as required by law and was attended by interested citizens; and
WHEREAS, the Carroll County Planning and Zoning Commission, by a unanimous vote, forwarded this Plan to the Board of County Commissioners of Carroll County with a recommendation for Adoption; and
WHEREAS, the Secretary of the Carroll County Planning and Zoning Commission formally transmitted the Approved Master Plan to the local elected officials on October 30, 2019, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Annotated Code of Maryland;
Resolution Adopting the 2019 Amendments to the 2014 Carroll County Master Plan
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners in accordance with the Land Use Article §3-204 of the Annotated Code of Maryland held a duly advertised public hearing on December 12, 2019 and held the record open for ten days and received no written or oral public comments;
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners on January 2, 2020 discussed, deliberated and Adopted the 2019 Amendments to the 2014 Carroll County Master Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, this 2ND day of January, 2020, that the Board of County Commissioners of Carroll County following a careful and deliberate review and, in consideration of the aforementioned recitals do hereby formally Adopt the 2019 Amendments to the 2014 Carroll County Master Plan in the form attached hereto.
FURTHER, the Board of County Commissioners of Carroll County endorses the consistency requirements as set forth in 1-301, 1-302, and 1-303 of the Land Use Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland; and
ADOPTED of January 2ND this day of 2020
ATTEST:
Shawn D. Reese, County Clerk
THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF CARROLL COUNTY, MARYLAND, a body corporate and politic of the State of Maryland
Stephen A. Wantz, President (SEAL)
Edward C. Rothstein, Vice-President (SEAL)
C. Richard Weaver, 2nd Vice-President (SEAL)
C. Eric Bouchat, Commissioner (SEAL)
Dennis E. Frazier, Commissioner (SEAL)
Resolution Adopting the 2019 Amendments to the 2014 Carroll County Master Plan
Approved for legal sufficiency:
Timothy C. Burke, County Attorney
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Copies of the 2019 Amendment to the Adopted 2014 Carroll County Master Plan are available.........
In hard copy or on CD at:
Carroll County Department of Planning
225 North Center Street, Suite 204
Westminster, MD 21157
Online at:
https://www.carrollcountymd.gov/media/10846/master-plan-2014-adopted-december-12-2019.pdf
For additional information, contact the Carroll County Department of Planning:
By phone: 410-386-5145
By email: ccmasterplan@carrollcountymd.gov
ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE: The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to the Carroll County Government and its programs, services, activities, and facilities. Anyone requiring an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or who has a complaint should contact The Department of Citizen Services, 410.386.3600 or 1.888.302.8978 or MD Relay 7-1-1/1.800.735.2258 as soon as possible but no later than 72 hours before the scheduled event.
NOTE TO THE READER:
This plan was developed, Accepted, Approved and Adopted in accordance with, and pursuant to, the policies, procedures and statutes of Carroll County and the state of Maryland. In Adopting this plan, the Planning and Zoning Commission and the local elected officials do not knowingly deviate from any legal requirement or standard and have made all reasonable efforts to ensure that it is consistent with both the letter and spirit of the United States Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, as well as the Constitution of Maryland and the attendant Declaration of Rights.
The plan, its recommendations, and each of its associated implementation activities is assumed to be in accordance with all of the aforementioned documents and guarantees in effect at the time of its preparation. Adoption of this plan should not be interpreted as giving rise to any future action or initiative which is in contravention to any of the enumerated mandates cited herein and, in the event that any of the provisions of this plan shall be found to be unlawful and/or unconstitutional, such provision or portion of the plan or any implementation mechanism shall also be considered unlawful and/or unconstitutional; as such, it shall be null and void and in all manner of interpretation held to be unenforceable without affecting the remaining portion of the plan.
Richard J. Soisson, Chair Cynthia L. Cheatwood, Vice Chair Eugene A. Canale Jeffrey A. Wothers Daniel E. Hoff Janice R. Kirkner Michael D. Gosnell, Alternate Edward C. Rothstein, Ex-officio Lynda D. Eisenberg, Secretary
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Planning & Zoning Commission Carroll County Government 225 North Center Street Westminster, Maryland 21157 410-386-5145 1-888-302-8978 MD Relay service 7-1-1/800-735-2258
September 4, 2019
Dear Board of County Commissioners:
Please accept this as a formal transmittal of the 2019 Approved Amendment to the 2014 Carroll County Master Plan. The purpose of this amendment is to update the 2014 Plan to reflect changes to revised municipal growth area boundaries and annexations and consistency with the 2018 Freedom Community Comprehensive Plan. These changes include:
General: a. Boundaries of all maps adjusted as result of contraction of Designated Growth Area (DGA) boundary in 2018 Freedom Community Comprehensive Plan (FCCP) b. Updated maps to reflect Municipal Growth Area (MGA) annexations/Master Plan updates in Hampstead, Manchester, Mount Airy, Taneytown Westminster
Chapter 7: Transportation a. Pages 59-62 Updated Tables and Maps for Planned Roads and Improvements to reflect: i. Roads that have been removed from the Plan 1. Johnsville Road Extended 2. Conan Doyle Way Extended 3. Lee Lane Extended 4. Macbeth Way Extended 5. Mall Ring Road Ramp 6. Monroe Avenue Extended (Bennett Rd to MD 32) ii. Roads that have been completed 1. Hampstead Streetscape Project (under construction, fully funded) 2. Gorsuch Road 3. Arthur Peck Drive 4. Bandy Avenue to Mycroft Street Connection 5. Genevieve Drive Extended 6. Krider's Church Road Realignment iii. Roads that have been partially completed 1. Arnold Road Realignment/Improvements 2. Chandler Drive iv. New road that has been added
Unnamed Road from Klees Mill to Ronsdale v. Road that has been changed 1. Georgetown Blvd Extended b. Page 57 (E and F) Enhanced recommendations by referencing the Transportation Master Plan and the development review process
Chapter 13: Environmental Resources a. Pages 100 and 105 Updated text to cite appropriate updated code references b. Pages 110 and 113 F & G Insertion of section on Solar Energy, including two new recommendations
Chapter 16: Land Use & Growth Management a. Update of text and table statistics as a result of contraction of DGA boundaries in the Freedom area b. Update text and tables as a result of removal of Very Low Density (VLD) designation c. Page 147 Update Future Land Use map: i. Updated the land use designation of the Employment Campus on MD 97 south of Westminster to revert back to 2000 FLU and current zoning per property owner and Economic Development study saying this site is no longer feasible for an Employment Campus. ii. Re-designated Long View Farm from Commercial to Ag iii. With the elimination of the VLD in the Freedom Plan, reverted these mapped areas back to their 2000 land use designation or most recent zoning. iv. Corrected designation of properties on Twin Arch Road from Commercial- High to Industrial-Heavy d. Page 139 Added new section regarding Municipal Growth Areas (MGA), to clarify the policy regarding development in the MGAs. e. Fix Rural Village FLU designations in Gamber to reflect current zoning and land uses that have taken effect since the adoption of the Master Plan.
Appendix B: Existing and Future Land Use Definitions a. Page 157 Updated land use definitions to be consistent with the 2018 Freedom Community Comprehensive Plan.
Appendix C: Generalized Future Land Use a. Page 163 Added map that shows the Future Land Use in all areas of the County.
The Planning & Zoning Commission forwards the 2019 Approved Amendment to the 2014 Carroll County Master Plan with a favorable recommendation for adoption.
CARROLL COUNTY PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION Planning a better future for Carroll County
Approved Master Plan Amendment September 4, 2019 Page 3
Sincerely,
Richard J. Soisson Chairman
CARROLL COUNTY PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION Planning a better future for Carroll County
FOREWORD:
Land Use Plans are not inherently regulatory instruments. The most important portion of most Plans are the goals, recommendations and implementation efforts. The legislative or regulatory enactments necessary to implement the Plans will come about as a result of the language within the Plan AFTER the Adoption of the Plan. The need for “regulatory-style” language within the Plan is, therefore, eliminated. It is important, therefore, to promote a greater understanding and awareness of the public’s impressions and expectations with regard to this process. Adoption of a Plan is arguably the first step in the comprehensive planning process – not the last step. The Plan implementation processes will continue over the next several years as the 2014 Carroll County Master Plan recommendations are brought to fruition.
Alec Yeo, Chairman Richard J. Soisson, Vice Chair Eugene A. Canale Matthew S. Helminiak Jeffrey A. Wothers Cynthia L. Cheatwood Daniel E. Hoff, Alternate Richard S. Rothschild, Ex-officio Philip R. Hager, Secretary
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Planning & Zoning Commission Carroll County Government 225 North Center Street Westminster, Maryland 21157 410-386-2145 1-888-302-8978 fax 410-386-2120 MD Relay service 7-1-1/800-735-2258
December 16, 2014
Greetings:
Welcome to the 2014 Carroll County Master Plan. For the past several years, Land Use, Planning, and Development Department staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission have been diligently working to prepare this document for you, the residents of Carroll County. This Plan is an update of the 2000 Master Plan which, in turn, was an update of the original 1964 Plan. Although much has changed over the past five decades, much has remained the same. This Plan remains true to the original vision of the first County Plan. The 1964 Plan recognized the role of agriculture as both a cultural and economic activity of importance to Carroll County; it emphasized the fundamental difference between "development" and "growth"; and finally, it acknowledged that future residential development should be targeted to the municipalities, associated growth areas, and locations where infrastructure could adequately support development and development could complement the provision of necessary services.
This latest iteration of the County Master Plan embraces the pioneering visions that were first articulated in the 1964 Plan. In addition to conserving natural resources and maintaining a strong agricultural base, this Plan also attempts to address the existing jobs/housing imbalance and the challenges that continuation of this trend represent, especially congestion, commuting challenges, and funding of publicly-provided resources. The addition of new employment lands will facilitate future commercial and industrial development opportunities in strategic locations which will result in increased tax revenues, enhanced local income, and tertiary benefits that will accrue through expanded patronage of local businesses and services.
We thank you for giving us the opportunity to provide you with this document as a guiding vision for the future. We have enjoyed working on it. Your participation has been rewarding, and we are especially appreciative for the trust that you have invested in us. On behalf of the staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission, thank you.
Sincerely,
Alec Yeo Chairman
CARROLL COUNTY PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION Planning a better future for Carroll County
The 2014 Carroll County Master Plan is the culmination of many months and years of hard work by County staff and Planning Commission members. The result is this document. We would like to thank everyone involved for their efforts. This plan could not have been completed without their help.
Carroll County Planning and Zoning Commission Members Alec Yeo, Chairman Richard J. Soisson, Vice Chair Eugene A. Canale Matthew S. Helminiak Jeffrey A. Wothers Cynthia L. Cheatwood Daniel E. Hoff, Alternate Richard S. Rothschild, Ex-officio
Land Use, Planning and Development Philip Hager, Director Tom Devilbiss, Deputy Director Kelly Martin, Administration
Comprehensive Planning Bureau Lynda Eisenberg, Bureau Chief Andrea Gerhard, Planner Scott Graf, Planner Bobbi Moser, Planner
GIS Staff Sandy Baber, GIS Manager Mike Roberts, GIS Analyst Russell Stone, GIS Analyst
Other County Department Support Greg Gottleib, TV Production Virginia “Kay” Zile, Production Distribution Services Dorothy Kline, Production Distribution Services Christopher Swam, TV Production Roberta Windham, Legislative and Executive Policy
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
Chapter 1: Concepts & Intentions........................................................................................................ 1 Quality of Life........................................................................................................................................ 1 Challenges & Choices .......................................................................................................................... 1 Carroll County Commissioners' Environmental Principles ................................................................... 2 Maryland Planning Legislation & Authority .......................................................................................... 3 Chapter 2: Interjurisdictional Coordination, Planning Process and Community Involvement................. 15 Goal....................................................................................................................................................... 15 The Significance to Carroll County...................................................................................................... 15 The Challenge to Carroll County......................................................................................................... 19 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations.......................................................................................... 21 Fiscal Impact to the County.................................................................................................................. 22 Chapter 3: Vision Statement & Goals.................................................................................................. 23 The Vision ............................................................................................................................................. 23 Master Plan Goals................................................................................................................................ 23 The Policies .......................................................................................................................................... 25 The Recommendations......................................................................................................................... 25 The Plan Layout.................................................................................................................................... 25 Chapter 4: Past, Present, & Future Trends .......................................................................................... 27 The Significance to Carroll County...................................................................................................... 27 Chapter 5: Water Resources................................................................................................................ 35 Goal....................................................................................................................................................... 35 The Significance to Carroll County...................................................................................................... 35 The Challenge to Carroll County......................................................................................................... 37 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations.......................................................................................... 38 Fiscal Impact to the County.................................................................................................................. 39 Chapter 6: Public Facilites & Services................................................................................................. 41 Goal....................................................................................................................................................... 41 The Significance to Carroll County...................................................................................................... 41 The Challenge to Carroll County......................................................................................................... 49 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations.......................................................................................... 52 Fiscal Impact to the County.................................................................................................................. 53
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
Chapter 7: Transportation ....................................................................................................................... 55 Goal ....................................................................................................................................................... 55 The Significance to Carroll County ........................................................................................................ 55 The Challenge to Carroll County........................................................................................................... 56 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations............................................................................................ 57 Fiscal Impact to the County .................................................................................................................. 58 Chapter 8: Housing ................................................................................................................................ 67 Goal ....................................................................................................................................................... 67 The Significance to Carroll County ........................................................................................................ 67 The Challenge to Carroll County........................................................................................................... 69 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations............................................................................................ 70 Fiscal Impact to the County .................................................................................................................. 71 Chapter 9: Agriculture............................................................................................................................ 73 Goal ....................................................................................................................................................... 73 The Significance to Carroll County ........................................................................................................ 73 The Challenge to Carroll County........................................................................................................... 73 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations............................................................................................ 74 Fiscal Impact to the County .................................................................................................................. 75 Chapter 10: Priority Preservation Area .................................................................................................. 79 Goal ....................................................................................................................................................... 79 The Significance to Carroll County ........................................................................................................ 79 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations............................................................................................ 83 Chapter 11: Parks................................................................................................................................... 85 Goal ....................................................................................................................................................... 85 The Significance to Carroll County ........................................................................................................ 85 The Challenge to Carroll County........................................................................................................... 87 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations............................................................................................ 88 Fiscal Impact to the County .................................................................................................................. 89 Chapter 12: Heritage .............................................................................................................................. 91 Goal ....................................................................................................................................................... 91 The Significance to Carroll County ........................................................................................................ 91 The Challenge to Carroll County........................................................................................................... 96 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations............................................................................................ 97 Fiscal Impact to the County................................................................................................................... 97
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
Chapter 13: Environmental Resources ............................................................................................................ 99 Goal ........................................................................................................................................................... 99 The Significance to Carroll County ........................................................................................................... 99 The Challenge to Carroll County............................................................................................................. 113 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations.............................................................................................. 114 Fiscal Impact to the County ..................................................................................................................... 115 Chapter 14: Mineral Resources ................................................................................................................... 117 Goal ......................................................................................................................................................... 117 The Significance to Carroll County ......................................................................................................... 117 The Challenge to Carroll County............................................................................................................. 120 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations.............................................................................................. 120 Fiscal Impact to the County ..................................................................................................................... 120 Chapter 15: Employment/Economic Development...................................................................................... 121 Goal ......................................................................................................................................................... 121 The Significance to Carroll County ......................................................................................................... 121 The Challenge to Carroll County............................................................................................................. 122 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations.............................................................................................. 132 Fiscal Impact to the County ..................................................................................................................... 136 Chapter 16: Land Use & Growth Management............................................................................................ 137 Goal ......................................................................................................................................................... 137 The Significance to Carroll County ......................................................................................................... 137 The Challenge to Carroll County............................................................................................................. 142 The Choice: Policies & Recommendations.............................................................................................. 153 Fiscal Impact to the County ..................................................................................................................... 153 Appendix A: Implementation Strategies ..................................................................................................... 153 Appendix B: Existing and Future Land Use Definitions .............................................................................. 159 Appendix C: Generalized Future Land Use ................................................................................................. 165 Appendix D: Glossary of Terms................................................................................................................... 167
Adopted February 26, 2015 – Amendment Approved September 4, 2019 Page iii
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Carroll County’s 2000 Master Plan for Carroll County, Challenges & Choices, represented the first update of the original 1964 Carroll County Master Plan. It also was the first time the master plan contained a plan document to accompany the land use plan map and goals. The 2014 update is the second revision to the original 1964 plan. The quality of life afforded to County residents has and continues to entice new residents to the County today as evidenced by safe neighborhoods, good schools, relatively uncongested roads, and attractive, less expensive housing and cost-of-living compared to surrounding jurisdictions.
Today, unlike in 1964, it is increasingly difficult to balance the community’s desire to maintain and even increase the quality of life with the pressures of development and development’s demand on natural resources, public services and infrastructure. Reaffirming the visions set forth in the 1964 and 2000 Master Plan updates, the 2014 Carroll County Master Plan targets the County’s Designated Growth Areas (DGAs) to receive the majority of development, while continuing to preserve productive farmland through the locally successful and nationally-recognized Carroll County Agricultural Land Preservation Program.
A principal concern raised by residents during the Master Plan process is the timely provision of public services and facilities. In April of 2004, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) amended the Code of Public Local Laws and Ordinances to include Chapter 156 (formerly known as Chapter 71), Adequate Public Facilities and Concurrency Management Ordinance (Concurrency Management), these were originally adopted in 1998 to ensure capital improvement projects are prioritized and programmed to maintain minimum levels of service for roads; schools; police; fire and emergency services; water and sewer services; and other services as needed through the County’s Community Investment Plan (CIP).
Another principal concern raised by residents is development’s impacts on environmental resources. The 2014 Master Plan recognizes and addresses development’s impact on the environment, especially water quality and water supply in the Water Resources Element
Designated Growth Areas (DGAs) are the smaller geographic areas of the County where the majority of the County’s growth is planned to occur. Community comprehensive plans are prepared for these areas that are focused on these communities and evaluate land uses at a more local scale. Carroll County’s eight municipalities are at the heart of DGAs with the exception of Sykesville and Finksburg. Finksburg does not surround an incorporated jurisdiction but is still a County DGA. Sykesville lies along the southern edge of the Freedom Area. Additional land surrounding most of the municipalities is identified and planned for future annexation into the municipality to accommodate and serve planned growth. The limit to which a municipality plans to annex land into the future is referred to as the Growth Area Boundary (GAB).
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
(WRE). Water quality and water supply are proving to play an ever increasing and integral role in shaping development patterns.
In addition, it is becoming increasingly difficult to promote housing choices desired by County residents and prospective residents in the diversity and desired locations due to new state mandates, spending priorities and other directives that are designed to penalize rural and suburban regions of the state.
CARROLL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS’ ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES
Adopted in October of 2011, the County Board of County Commissioners’ created a set of guiding environmental principles with distinct visions and goals, which include:
The Board of County Commissioners has the following environmental goals:
The Board of County Commissioners will work with the Environmental Advisory Council, local municipalities, state agencies, other counties and our county departments, business leaders and citizens to develop and promote strategies that allow for continued economic progress while pursing good environmental stewardship. We will engage these partners in the formation of sound, balanced and reasonable environmental policies predicated on an accurate assessment of the problem.
The Land Use Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland (Land Use Article), formerly known as Article 66B delegates planning and land use regulatory powers to the State's municipalities, Baltimore City, and non-charter counties. Charter counties are required to comply with various sections of the Land Use Article, including but not limited to the approval of a comprehensive plan (referred to as a Master Plan in Carroll County and referred to as a "master plan" hereafter) by the governing legislative body. In Carroll County, the Planning and Zoning Commission is required to recommend approval of a Master Plan to the Board of County Commissioners. The Master Plan serves as a guiding document for public and private planning and land use-related actions and decisions.
On October 1, 1992, the Maryland Economic Growth, Resource Protection, and Planning Act of 1992 (the Planning Act) was passed, encouraging economic growth, concentrating development in suitable areas, and protecting natural resources through the establishment of eight visions. These visions were expanded to twelve visions in 2009 as part of the Smart, Green, and Growing Legislation (see below). The Planning Act is premised on the notion that local jurisdictions possess the appropriate and best knowledge of local conditions to establish goals that advance the twelve visions, and that the state is responsible to support localities' priorities through targeted infrastructure investment. Additionally, the Planning Act requires local jurisdictions to review, and if necessary, amend their plans at regular six-year intervals; and as amended most recently with the Sustainable Growth & Agricultural Preservation Act of 2012, every ten years. This provision ensures that plans are frequently reconsidered in light of changing landscapes, levels/demands of services and new legislation.
The General Assembly adopted the Smart Growth and Neighborhood Conservation Act of 1997 (1997 Planning Act), which consists of several programs that formed the Smart Growth Initiatives. These initiatives are discussed below.
Priority Funding Areas (PFAs) are targeted areas to receive state funds for infrastructure. PFAs are designated based on availability of existing and/or planned water and sewer services, a permitted residential density of 3.5 dwelling units per acre, and designation as a growth area - residential or economic development - in a master plan. Areas within municipal corporate limits as of January 1, 1997, Baltimore City, areas inside the Baltimore and Capital beltways, and MD Department of Housing and Community Development Designated Neighborhoods were automatically designated as PFAs. The state is prohibited from funding growth-related projects located outside of PFAs unless there is a need to address health and safety issues (such as failing septic systems and contaminated water sources).
The Rural Legacy Program redirects existing state funds into a focused and dedicated land preservation program specifically designed to minimize sprawl development patterns' consumption of agricultural land and natural resources lands by funding the purchase of easements in areas designated by the County or local land trust. The designated area must be consistent with the County's master plan. The Rural Legacy Program is a competitive, grants-based program that must be applied for on an annual basis.
The Job Creation Tax Credit is an incentive-based tax credit used to promote community revitalization and job creation. Maryland provides a $1,000 tax credit to businesses that create new jobs to encourage businesses expanding or relocating to Maryland. The credit is 2.5 percent of aggregate annual wages for all newly created, full-time jobs - $1,000 per new job. In a revitalization area, the credit increases to five percent of annual wages and up to $1,500 per new job. Credits cannot exceed $1 million per credit year. If the credit is more than the tax liability the unused credit may be carried forward for five years. Eligible industries include:
The Live Near Your Work Program promotes residing in older urban areas and depending less on the automobile. Under the program, residents may receive $3,000 towards the purchase, down-payment or closing costs on a new home that is located within five miles of the resident’s workplace and within one of Maryland’s targeted residential development zones. For federal employees, the employer pays $1,000 of the $3,000 grant, as does the local city government. The State of Maryland pays the supplemental $1,000 using funds from an annual appropriations bill through the State Housing Finance Agency.
House Bill 1141 - Land Use - Local Government Planning; House Bill 2 - Agricultural Stewardship Act of 2006; and, House Bill 1160 - Workforce Housing Grant Program - Establishment
The 2006 session of the Maryland General Assembly produced three notable Bills related to land use planning and the master plan: HB 1141, HB 2, and HB 1160. The legislation requires four new plan elements, though some may only apply to the County and others may only apply to municipalities. These elements are a Water Resource Element (WRE), a Municipal Growth Element (MGE), a Priority Preservation Area Element (PPA), and a Workforce Housing Element (WHE).
The WRE, introduced in HB 1141, must identify if adequate drinking water supplies exist to serve demand generated by existing and future proposed development as indicated in the land use element of the Master Plan. It also must identify suitable receiving waters (where stormwater and treated wastewater can be discharged) and land areas for nonpoint source management and wastewater treatment. Pollutant
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
loads from both stormwater and septics must be addressed. The WRE must indicate pollutant reductions, where needed, from both existing development and future growth.
The MGE, introduced in HB 1141, requires municipalities to identify future growth areas that will implement their long-range vision for the future. These areas are to be based upon population projections, an assessment of land capacity and needs, and an examination of infrastructure and sensitive areas, among other things. The MGE should incorporate intergovernmental coordination since it will guide future annexations, a process involving both jurisdictions.
The PPA, introduced in HB 2, requires the County to maintain certification of its agricultural land preservation program. The PPA requires the County to identify priority preservation areas based upon the productivity of and/or profitability of agricultural and forestry enterprises, and that policies be in place to prevent these areas from being converted to or compromised by development. The acreage goal for land in a priority preservation area to be preserved through easements and zoning must equal at least 80 percent of the undeveloped land within the area. Counties also must demonstrate in future master plan updates how they are contributing towards the statewide preservation goals of the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) and what they can do to address any shortcomings.
The WHE, introduced in HB 1160, is required of local governments pursuing eligibility and participation in the Workforce Housing Grant Program. The Workforce Housing Element should assess workforce housing needs and contain goals, objectives, and policies to preserve or develop workforce housing. “Workforce housing” is defined in the Bill as rental housing that is affordable to households with an annual income between 50 percent and 100 percent of the area median income, or homeownership housing that is affordable to households with an annual income between 60 percent and 120 percent of the median income. Measures to address workforce housing include:
HB 1141 also amended annexation and rezoning procedures, requiring that annexations be consistent with a MGE. Additionally, all annexation proposals must contain an “annexation plan” outlining the extension of services and public facilities. The annexation plan must be provided to the County 60 days prior to, and to the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) 30 days prior to, the public hearing for review and comment.
Another change that applies to annexations relates to the “five-year rule.” Previously under this rule,
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
unless a zoning waiver was obtained from the County, zoning of an annexed property could not be changed for five years if the desired zoning was substantially different from that envisioned in the master plan. This requirement no longer applies unless the proposed zoning is denser than the current County zoning by 50 percent or more. A municipality still may request a waiver of zoning from the County to circumvent the 5-year rule.
Changes also were made to the PFA criteria. Municipalities must base PFA boundaries on the capacity of available land to accommodate growth, infill, or redevelopment at densities consistent with the master plan.
If all of the elements required are not in place on or before October 1, 2009, the affected jurisdiction “may not change the zoning classification of a property until that county or municipal corporation” is in compliance. Carroll County’s WRE and PPA were approved, allowing the County to retain its power to approve/deny zoning changes of a property. The County is presently not participating in the Workforce Housing Grant Program; therefore, a WHE has not been completed.
Smart, Green, and Growing Legislation: SB 273/HB 294 – The Planning Visions; SB 280/HB 297 – The Smart and Sustainable Growth Act of 2009; SB 276/HB 295 – Smart Growth Goals, Measures, and Indicators and Implementation of Planning Visions
The Smart, Green, and Growing Legislation, passed in 2009, includes three significant planning Bills designed to update existing planning legislation and further enhance state and local implementation. These Bills include the Planning Visions Bill; the Smart and Sustainable Growth Act of 2009; and the Smart Growth Goals, Measures, and Indicators and Implementation of Planning Visions Bill.
The Planning Visions Bill (SB 273/HB 294) replaced the eight visions established in the 1992 Planning Act with twelve new visions. The twelve visions relate to:
The visions establish a state policy towards land use, and they are to be reflected in local master plans and implemented through local regulations. The Planning Visions Bill also requires local jurisdictions and MDP to report to the General Assembly the effect of Adequate Public Facility Ordinances (referred to as Concurrency Management in Carroll County) on targeting growth inside PFAs. Lastly, the Planning Visions Bill permits local jurisdictions to develop Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) programs in PFAs that will
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
offset land acquisition costs and public facilities construction costs in PFAs with proceeds from the sale of transferred development rights. See the section, Maryland’s Twelve Visions, for a detailed discussion of the 12 planning visions.
The Smart and Sustainable Growth Act of 2009 (SB 280/HB 297) attempts to strengthen master plans by requiring implementation measures and development related decisions to be consistent with the plan. In addition to explicitly indicating the legislative intent to overturn the Court of Appeals ruling in David Trail, et al. v. Terrapin Run, LLC et al., 403 Md. 523 (2008), the Bill defines actions that are “consistent with” or have “consistency with” a master plan as those actions that further, and are not contrary to, the plan with respect to:
Local ordinances and regulations, variances or special exceptions, conditional uses, annexations, and water and sewer plan amendments fall under these actions. The need for consistency with land uses and densities or intensities within the PFA does not fall under these actions; thus, allowing mixed-use development and density bonuses in areas where development is meant to be focused. The Bill also requires Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals members to complete an education course.
The Smart Growth Goals, Measures, and Indicators and Implementation of Planning Visions Bill (SB 276/HB 295) identifies a statewide land use goal to increase the percentage of growth within PFAs and decrease the percentage of growth outside PFAs. Towards this end, the Bill requires that a local jurisdiction issuing more than 50 building permits per year submit an annual report measuring the extent to which smart growth measures and indicators are achieved. Each jurisdiction must establish its own local goal towards achieving the statewide land use goal. This is to be identified in the annual report along with a time frame for achieving the goal; the resources necessary for providing infrastructure inside the PFA and land preservation outside the PFA; and progress made since the last annual report. The report also must describe the following activities inside and outside PFAs: quantity and share of growth; net density of growth; and the creation of new lots and residential and commercial building permits issued.
The jurisdiction’s development capacity analysis, which should be updated every three years or when there is a significant change in zoning or land use must also be in the report. Additionally, the report should identify the number of acres preserved using local agricultural land preservation funds.
Local land use goals established and reported to MDP will not only be used in the County’s annual report, but will also be used to set policy as it is related to the location, timing, and funding for growth, infrastructure, land preservation, and resource protection. When the master plan is reviewed at the ten-year review period, progress indicated in the annual reports may be used to make adjustments to the local goal and/or the mechanism put in place to achieve it.
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The Maryland General Assembly in 2012 approved the Sustainable Growth & Agricultural Preservation Act of 2012 (Senate Bill 236), also known as the Septics Bill. This most recent planning related legislation focuses on the use of septic systems by limiting the development of large-lot residential development. The law calls for counties to designate “tiers” that determine the amount and location of septic systems, thus limiting major residential subdivisions served by on-site septic systems. The law provides counties and municipalities the option to adopt a growth tier map that identifies the location residential major and minor subdivisions, and the type of sewerage system that will serve them. Without an adopted tier map, a local jurisdiction may not authorize a major residential subdivision served by on-site septic systems, community systems or shared systems. The four tiers described in the Act are as follows:
The Bill’s purported intent is to limit the amount of nonpoint source pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay by preventing an estimated 50,000 new septic systems in the state and stopping as much as 1.1 million pounds of nitrogen contributions by 2035. SB 236 also requires new regulations from the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) that mandates Best Available Technology (BAT) for most new septic systems. Counties that adopt a tier map have the option to seek an exemption from the minor subdivision restriction within Tier IV. The Act sets a high standard for counties to meet in order to obtain this exemption. Specifically, counties must have subdivision and zoning requirements in their Tier IV area that result in a protection level of not more than 1 dwelling unit per 20 acres. The purpose of the exemption is to recognize that some local jurisdictions have requirements in place within Tier IV that greatly limit the amount of new major residential subdivisions on septic systems in agricultural and forested areas. In addition, the law indicated that the definition of minor subdivision for the purposes of this law was based on a jurisdiction’s definition as of December 31, 2013. Therefore, local governments has the opportunity to revise their local definitions prior to designation Tiers. Carroll County took this opportunity to define minor subdivision, as the purpose of approval of individual septic systems, as seven lots or less.
The Land Use Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, §1-508(a) (4) provides: Tier IV areas are areas that are not planned for community sewerage service and are:
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
Due to the timing of this current Master Plan, the County has not addressed the incorporation of this latest planning legislation. Currently, seven of the eight municipalities, with the exception of Mt. Airy, have mapped their tier areas. At a minimum, until the tiers are adopted, the County must track all major and minor residential subdivisions to determine grandfathering. This will require the County to evaluate the development review process and ensure all new subdivisions are in conformance with SB 236. SB 236 allows for changes to the tiers to account for changes over time as the County’s vision and goals change. These changes can occur through the master planning process, the rezoning petition process, water/sewer plan amendments and other changes that will impact potential changes to the tiers. The County’s intent is to consider implementing tiers and incorporate the municipalities’ tier areas as appropriate once this current Master Plan is approved.
In 2013, Senate Bill 671/House Bill 409 increase the time period of a local government’s comprehensive planning and zoning cycle to 10 years, instead of 6 years, to better coincide with the release of U.S. decennial census data. The bills also require that, at least once within the five-year period after the adoption or review of the local jurisdiction’s comprehensive plan, the annual report a planning commission must file with the legislative body of the local jurisdiction must contain a specified narrative on the implementation status of the plan. Other additional annual reporting requirements were included as well.
The 1992 Planning Act was based on eight visions. As discussed above, these visions were replaced with twelve new visions in 2009 as part of the Smart, Green, and Growing Act.
The 2014 Carroll County Master Plan implements the vision for quality of life and sustainability by striking a balance between directing growth to DGAs (as mentioned previously, the PFAs are contained within the DGAs); preserving the County’s rural working landscape; and prescribing a process to provide facilities and infrastructure necessary to accommodate development.
A variety of options for enhancing public participation are laid out in the plan’s Community
Quality of life and sustainability: a high quality of life is achieved through universal stewardship of the land, water, and air resulting in sustainable communities and protection of the environment;
Public participation: citizens are active partners in the planning and implementation of community initiatives and are sensitive to their responsibilities in achieving community goals;
Growth areas: growth is concentrated in existing population and business centers, growth areas adjacent to these centers, or strategically selected new centers;
Community design: compact, mixed-use, walkable design consistent with existing community character and located near available or planned transit options is encouraged to ensure efficient use of land and transportation resources and preservation and enhancement of natural systems, open spaces, recreational areas, and historical, cultural, and archeological resources;
Infrastructure: growth areas have the water resources and infrastructure to accommodate population and business expansion in an orderly, efficient, and environmentally sustainable manner;
Transportation: a well-maintained, multimodal transportation system facilitates the safe, convenient, affordable, and efficient movement of people, goods, and services within and between population and business centers;
Housing: a range of housing densities, types, and sizes provides residential options for citizens of all ages and incomes;
Economic development: economic development and natural resource-based businesses that promote employment opportunities for all income levels within the capacity of the state’s natural resources, public services, and public facilities are encouraged;
Environmental protection: land and water resources, including the Chesapeake and coastal bays, are carefully managed to restore and maintain healthy air and water, natural systems, and living resources;
Resource conservation: waterways, forests, agricultural areas, open space, natural systems, and scenic areas are conserved;
Stewardship: government, business entities, and residents are responsible for the creation of sustainable communities by collaborating to balance efficient growth with resource protection; and
Implementation: strategies, policies, programs, and funding for growth and development, resource conservation, infrastructure, and transportation are integrated across the local, regional, state, and interstate levels to achieve these Visions.
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
Involvement Chapter. The County recognizes the importance of public input into the development its Master Plan, as well as the public’s involvement in its implementation.
Carroll County’s DGAs have been identified as the most suitable areas to accommodate growth since public water and sewer services are generally provided in these areas along with other essential services such as but not limited to police, fire, school, emergency, libraries and schools.
Preserving and enhancing places like the County’s cities and towns helps achieve the vision for community design. The plan encourages thoughtful community design through recommendations that promote maintaining the community fabric of our towns and villages and, in undeveloped areas, preserving the county’s rural character. The plan encourages preservation of the existing rural and suburban development patterns, with extension of mixed-use zoning only where it is appropriate. It also supports efforts to create more opportunities for safe bicycle paths and walkways in DGAs. Cluster development is also encouraged to help protect sensitive environmental features.
Ensuring that adequate infrastructure exists to support the County’s DGAs is addressed in the WRE, and through the County’s Concurrency Management. The WRE analyzes the sustainability of land use policies compared to the ability to provide adequate water/wastewater systems and to restore and maintain water quality. The County’s Concurrency Management requires the preparation of an annual Concurrency Management Report that analyzes the residential development activity of the past year, assesses the available capacity of public facilities and services, and recommends ways to better achieve the stated purpose of the Concurrency Management.
The Master Plan’s chapter on transportation contains recommendations for initiatives that will improve or maintain the viability and efficiency of the county’s transportation network. Based on a feasibility and cost-effectiveness analysis of various transportation solutions, this chapter identifies future transportation improvements that reflect future demands over time as the land use plan is realized. While the planned major streets include two bypasses and several significant collector roadways, much of the plan is grounded in fiscal responsibility and the need to focus on system preservation and connectivity. Subway stations and/or government sponsored or subsidized intercounty bus services are not considered priorities.
The need to provide adequate and varied housing for the residents of Carroll County is expressed in the plan in several ways. By directing the majority of development to the County’s DGAs, the likelihood of creating housing diversity is increased as a function of market responses. It is in the DGAs that public facilities are available, and, therefore, greater flexibility in design and density can be realized. Additionally, the Master Plan contains recommendations for enhancing housing options through various incentives, the creation of accessory dwelling units, and opportunities to create mixed-use developments.
Economic development is vital to Carroll’s economy and tax base. Therefore, the Master Plan also addresses measures to ensure that economic development consistent with the state’s visions is encouraged. The plan goal is for commercial and industrial uses to increase from 12 percent to a minimum of 15 percent of the tax base as new development occurs. A more balanced tax base will help the County provide needed services. An increased economic development base will also bring jobs to the County without placing an undue share of the tax burden on County residents. The 2007 Parsons-Brinkerhoff study, the Economic Development Land and Employment Needs Study (EDLENS), assessed commercial and industrial land available and projected job growth, and estimated the need for additional
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
commercial and industrial land. This Master Plan considers the results of that study in its recommendations.
Additionally, the Master Plan contains recommendations to support the agribusiness industry and the viability of agriculture as a livelihood. It also contains recommendations for maintaining the viability of resource industries, such as mineral extraction and forestry through the Mineral Resources Element and the PPA.
The vision to safeguard and manage natural resources through environmental protection and resource conservation is expressed in the Master Plan in several ways. At the broadest level, the practice of directing growth to DGAs may reduce land consumption in rural areas and help to protect sensitive environmental features by limiting the geographic extent of the impacts of development. Goals contained within the Master Plan seek to preserve the fabric of our rural and suburban neighborhoods, even in the DGAs. Additionally, the Master Plan’s Environmental Resources Chapter defines and addresses the sensitive areas required by the Land Use Article and as modified by 2006 legislation. Additional sensitive areas representing important environmental resources to Carroll County are addressed as well. The WRE explores ways to achieve a sustainable balance between planned growth and the ability to provide drinking water. The WRE also identifies wastewater limitations and measures to offset those limitations. The WRE further addresses water quality issues through strategies to address nonpoint sources. The WRE is the result of exhaustive research and analysis, and provides a level of information never before available to the County. However, concerns and unknowns that attempt to mitigate nonpoint sources have not been thoroughly weighed against alternatives, and need to be evaluated via rigorous cost-benefit analysis, prior to use as a factor in guiding future land use decisions. The PPA contains recommendations for conserving a part of the County that is rich in farmland, forest land, wildlife habitat, and scenic beauty. Targeting preservation efforts to the PPA supports resource conservation goals more effectively and cost-efficiently.
The longstanding commitment of the County and the eight municipalities to provide stewardship of land and resources is evidenced through directing growth to the municipalities and their surrounding growth areas while maintaining the rural landscape beyond these areas. The Master Plan’s Chapter 2, Planning Process, Community Involvement, and Interjurisdictional Cooperation, recommends ways to continue and enhance efforts to manage an approach to development and conservation that is mutually sustainable and beneficial. Additionally, the combined recommendations related to land use, environmental protection, resource management, concurrency management, and public facilities result in a balanced and efficient plan for the County’s future.
The Master Plan addresses the vision for implementation that is multifaceted. Chapter 2 of the Master Plan identifies ways in which all property owners and citizens may be involved in its ongoing implementation. Existing structures such as the Town/County Agreements and state agency guidance provide effective methods for ensuring that communication continues throughout the life of the Master Plan. Numerous recommendations also aim at improving the policies, programs, and funding necessary for the Master Plan to be implemented as envisioned.
In May of 2012, the Watershed Protection and Restoration Act of 2012 (HB 987) became law. The Bill requires Maryland’s 10 most populous jurisdictions, including Carroll County, to collect a Stormwater Remediation Fee to fund the implementation of local stormwater management practices, and stream and wetland restoration projects. The law’s intent is to assist counties in funding stormwater management in
conformance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s mandated National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit.
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Promote communication and coordination between and among the County, the municipalities, and state and regional jurisdictions on projects and issues of mutual concern. Encourage the involvement of the community in developing, amending, and implementing the Master Plan.
Ensure respect for unalienable individual rights; encourage community involvement in planning in an open two-way communication process; encourage the involvement of the community in planning and implementing the Master Plan; provide participants with a balanced perspective on planning goals while promoting the need to respect private property rights; and accurately advise participants of the tradeoffs between various forms of development based on real-world effects.
Carroll County is a non-charter, commissioner-governed County with eight incorporated municipalities within its borders. Each municipality has its own mayor, council, planning commission, and authority to enact its own laws separate and apart from those of the County.
Carroll County has a long tradition of community involvement in the preparation of community comprehensive plans and its Master Plans. The eight municipalities work in collaboration with the County to achieve the overall visions for Carroll County. Many hours of collaborative research, thought, and discussion go into the development of each plan. The County and the eight municipalities within its border recognize public involvement in the planning process is not only a legal responsibility, but an ethical and moral obligation to its residents. Public involvement is achieved through open meetings, work sessions, access to information and materials, and the public review process. The development and drafting of a plan document is the first step in achieving a community’s vision. Public involvement is necessary to ensure its implementation as conceived and envisioned.
Since 1978, the Board of County Commissioners and each municipality have annually entered into an agreement to share funds and coordinate planning and other governmental functions. The Town/County Agreements are formal documents enumerating the types of services the County provides to each of the municipalities. The agreements are tailored to the needs of the municipality and vary in complexity depending on the level of municipal in-house planning staff. Historically, County services have ranged from simple liaison (i.e. notifying the municipality of all future developments within one mile of its boundaries) to more extensive staffing for planning and development matters. These agreements also provide for cooperative referral by each jurisdiction to the other jurisdictions for review of subdivision plans, master plans, master plan amendments, annexation petitions, and rezoning petitions. These
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
agreements allow for a cooperative environment under which coordinated, efficient implementation of regulations and protection measures can take place. In most cases, the County provides staff and other resources to manage, implement, and enforce measures needed to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and protection measures.
An example of coordination is found in the role assumed by the County and municipalities to implement natural resource regulations. See CH2-Table 1 “Review, Inspection, and Bonding: Assignment of Responsibilities,” which identifies the entity responsible for the key steps in the implementation of resource management. It summarizes the key responsibilities associated with a proposed development-subdivision or site plan-and which jurisdiction implements those items. This arrangement between the County and its municipalities, for the most part, allows for consistent and uniform application of resource management regulations. In addition, the County implements the review for adequacy and any subsequent related recommendation for timing and phasing of new development through the County’s Concurrency Management Chapter 156 of Its Public Laws and Ordinances or similar measures.
These cooperative relationships have generally worked very well over the past three decades, ensuring an open exchange of information regarding plans and development proposals. As a result, many issues are resolved at the staff level, minimizing both obstacles and delays in implementation. The Board of County Commissioners also distributes funds annually to the municipalities upon execution of each County/Town Agreement.
The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) is the Baltimore region’s federally recognized metropolitan planning organization (MPO), which represents Carroll County. As a MPO, the BRTB is directly responsible for making sure that any money spent on existing and future transportation projects and programs is based on a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive (3-C) planning process. The Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) provides technical and staff support to the BRTB by coordinating demographic, environmental, and transportation analyses and projects with Baltimore, Howard, Harford, and Anne Arundel counties, as well as Baltimore City and the City of Annapolis.
The County and municipalities, along with the local Health Department, created the Carroll County Water Resource Coordination Council (WRCC). This group was formed in 2007 by a joint resolution that was signed by all parties. The WRCC meets monthly to discuss and address water resource management issues of mutual interest. The group coordinated the collaborative development of a joint WRE. The WRCC also acts as the local Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) team, providing consensus guidance on issues related to local development and implementation of the County’s WIP, including the most recent version, Phase II WIP.
The Clean Chesapeake Coalition is a consortium of local elected officials that are researching publicly available data to identify and advocate for the most cost effective policies, programs and practices that will measurably improve the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay and its Tributaries. Carroll County is a founding member, and elected officials and staff participate in initiatives of the Coalition.
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
| Resource Management Ordinance and Activity | Hampstead | Manchester | Mount Airy | New Windsor | Sykesville | Taneytown | Union Bridge | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floodplain | ||||||||
| Review* | C | C | C | C | C | N/A | M | C/M |
| Bond | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | M | N/A |
| Inspection | C | C | C | C | C | N/A | M | C |
| Easement | C | C | C | C | C | N/A | M | M |
| Grading | ||||||||
| Review* | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C |
| Bond | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Inspection | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C |
| Sediment Control | ||||||||
| Review* | SCD/S | SCD/S | SCD/S | SCD/S | SCD/S | SCD/S | SCD/S | SCD/S |
| Bond | C | C | M | C | M | M | C | C |
| Inspection | C | C | C | C | C/M | C | C | C |
| Stormwater Management | ||||||||
| Review* | C | C | C | C | C | M | M | C/M |
| Bond | C | C | M | M | M | M | M | M |
| Inspection | C | C | M | M | C/M | M | M | C |
| Easement | C | M | M | M | M | M | M | M |
| Landscape | ||||||||
| Review* | C | C | C | C | C/M | C | M | M |
| Bond | C | C | M | C | M | C | M | M |
| Inspection | C | C | M | C | M | C | M | M |
| Forest Conservation | ||||||||
| Review* | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C |
| Bond | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C |
| Inspection | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C |
| Easement | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C |
| Water Resources | ||||||||
| Review* | C/No Code | C | C | C | C | C/No Code | M | C/No Code |
| Bond | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | M | N/A |
| Inspection | N/A | C | N/A | C | C | N/A | M | N/A |
| Easement | N/A | C | M | C | C | N/A | M | N/A |
| Environmental Site Delineation (ESD) | ||||||||
| Review* | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
Key: C = County | M = Municipality | S = State | SCD = Carroll Soil Conservation District
Source: Carroll County Bureau of Resource Management, August 2013
The Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) is a non-profit and non-partisan organization that serves 23 Maryland counties by articulating and advocating for their needs to the Maryland General Assembly and state agencies. Through MACo’s advocacy, training, education programs, and annual conference
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
members are provided with opportunities to collaborate with other jurisdictions to advocate on matters that impact them.
MONOCACY SCENIC RIVER CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD Carroll and Frederick counties are members on the Monocacy Scenic River Citizens Advisory Board (the River Board). The River Board was created in 1978 to provide recommendations on land use, land development proposals, and resource management issues affecting the Monocacy Scenic River corridor and its watershed. The River Board consists of five commissioner-appointed citizen members from each county who are jointly supported by staff members from each county. The River Board is empowered to invite ex-officio representatives from the City of Frederick, Adams County, Pennsylvania (PA) and the State of Maryland. The River Board utilizes The Monocacy Scenic River Study & Management Plan as their guiding document. This plan was drafted in 1990 and is currently under review. The goals and objectives defined in this plan are the basis used to inform the River Board’s comments and direct their activities. Recent accomplishments include advocating for sensitive design solutions for Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) bridge projects, expanding public access opportunities and water trails on the river, participating in cleanup projects, and educational efforts to name some the Monocacy’s un-named tributaries. Additional information on the River Board and its projects may be found via http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/compplan/msr/ or www.TheMonocacyStartsHere.org.
RESERVOIR TECHNICAL GROUP In 1984, a strengthened Reservoir Watershed Management Agreement (the Agreement) was established by signatory agencies, including Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Baltimore County Soil Conservation District (SCD), Carroll SCD, Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), and the BMC. The Agreement is the framework for improving water quality of tributaries feeding into the reservoirs. The Agreement created the cooperative Reservoir Watershed Protection Program, where oversight and guidance is provided by the Reservoir Watershed Protection Subcommittee and implementation is coordinated by the Reservoir Technical Group (RTG), facilitated by BMC staff. In 1990, six years after the Agreement was signed, the signatories comprehensively reviewed progress in implementing the 1984 Action Strategy, reaffirmed the Agreement, and accepted an updated 1990 Action Strategy.
The Agreement was resigned in 2004, and was followed in 2005 with a revised Action Strategies for Reservoir Watersheds. Among the completed action strategies was a “Builders for the Bay Site Planning Consensus Roundtable,” bringing together municipal and community representatives, environmental advocates, regional planning organization members, developers, the construction industry, and County staff, involved in review and implementation of development within the County. The effort considered all county codes regulating both residential subdivision plans and commercial/industrial site plans to identify opportunities to reduce environmental impacts from new construction without placing undue or unintended constraints onto the development process. Legal standards and/or requirements for Federal or state permits provided the guiding framework for the analysis and recommendations. Under this effort, proposals to minimize new paved areas; encourage permeable pavement; reduce lot setbacks; and encourage cluster development patterns to preserve open lands, water recharge opportunities and support improved buffering around sensitive areas were considered. The document may be accessed via: http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/compplan/WRE/docs/cc-builders-for-the-bay.pdf.
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While there is currently no metropolitan planning organization to coordinate with the various contiguous jurisdictions in Pennsylvania along Carroll's northern border or with adjoining Maryland jurisdictions to the west, there are regular communications and interjurisdictional projects. As a result of various watershed and other regional projects, Adams and York, PA counties request Carroll County comment. In recent years, various hazard mitigation plans, trail projects and environmental plans have been distributed for input and comment.
Carroll County and Frederick County have a long record of coordinating and cooperating on various projects, even though Frederick is a member of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. In recent years, Frederick County has sought comment on various master plans and plan updates, comprehensive rezonings and its Historic Preservation Plan, and Bicycle and Pedestrian Master plan from Carroll County.
Coordination and communication between the different levels of government both within Carroll County and its surrounding jurisdictions, as well as citizen input provide for a mechanism to address issues before they become problems. Over the last 40 years, the population of Carroll County has more than doubled. While the more rural, pre-1960 Carroll County was oriented inwards toward the county seat in Westminster, the residents moving into the county post-1960 have often maintained their ties to their previous communities in the Baltimore and Washington areas, commuting out of the County to work, shop, and recreate, sometimes making it difficult to engage the general public in planning related activities. Carroll County’s areas of major development, to the east and south, are adjacent to the agricultural zones of the metropolitan counties. Conversely, southern PA’s residential development is occurring adjacent to Carroll County’s strong agricultural area in the north. It is only in the west that Frederick and Carroll’s County’s agricultural areas are contiguous. Ways to mitigate the potential impacts from these competing land uses, as well as traffic and environmental concerns, are only some of the reasons to maintain regional communication and cooperation.
Community involvement and support during the development of the Master Plan has been accomplished through social media, the County’s website, press releases, local newspapers and radio stations, the Carroll County Public Library system, surveys, and a series of public workshops. As available participation mechanisms continue to evolve and expand, particularly opportunities presented through new technologies, these opportunities are often incorporated into the involvement process.
In April 2009, a new draft County Master Plan – known as the Pathways Plan – was released for public review. Well over 1,000 people attended meetings and offered comment on this draft Master Plan, with the majority of the comments strongly opposing it. Based upon that input, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted to set aside the Pathways Plan, and instead focused on updating the 2000 Master Plan itself. An initial staff draft of this plan – which contained updated data and reflected recent legislated elements – was presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission at its December 15, 2009, meeting.
A series of work sessions followed between January and May 2010, during which the Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the staff draft Master Plan and made modifications to it. These work sessions were
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
open to the public. The final draft plan was released for the state-mandated 60-day review on June 16, 2010.
The Planning and Zoning Commission hosted several public information meetings on July 14, 19, and 21, 2010. In response to feedback on previous workshops, these open-house-style workshops were formatted to allow individuals to talk directly with Planning and Zoning Commission members and to have individual questions answered. A public hearing was held on August 19, 2010. The Planning and Zoning Commission subsequently held work sessions to review comments and determine document revisions. These work sessions occurred on September 8, 13, and 21, 2010. These work sessions were also open to the public and video recorded. The draft Master Plan was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission on October 19, 2010.
In January 2011, the Board of County Commissioners rejected the draft Master Plan. In August 2011, the Board of County Commissioners provided the Planning and Zoning Commission with a set of goals that they wanted incorporated into the draft Master Plan to reflect their policy priorities. Several of the goals were provided to the Planning and Zoning Commission by the Board of County Commissioners’ goals aimed at addressing the commercial and industrial tax base, creating jobs, and facilitating small business growth. One of the suggestions made by the Board of County Commissioners to meet these goals was to “seek out” and propose additional employment land by working with private property owners that consent to rezoning.
To this end, the Planning and Zoning Commission embarked on a comprehensive evaluation of economic development land in the County. Data from the 2007 Economic Development Land and Employment Needs (EDLEN) Study was updated by staff to aid in the evaluation of potential commercial, industrial and employment campus lands to determine the appropriate placement and acres needed of additional lands that would make Carroll County a more employment centered jurisdiction. Based on these data, as well as input from the County Department of Economic Development, the Planning and Zoning Commission developed broad criteria to evaluate general areas of the county that would support additional economic development activity. Additionally in 2012, AMB GIS Consulting developed a Land Suitability Analysis for Carroll County. The study analyzed various factors that could constrain future development in the County. These limiting factors focused on accessibility to important public facilities and services and the presence and severity of environmental features. These criteria will be used by the Board of County Commissioners to evaluate the consistency of zoning changes that are contemplated as part of any comprehensive rezoning to implement the recommendations contained in the Master Plan.
In addition, the Planning and Zoning Commission then began a series of work sessions to review and revise the draft Master Plan approved in October 2010 to consider and incorporate the policy priorities provided by the Board of County Commissioners. These work sessions began in August 2011 and continued through June 2014. The revised draft Master Plan was Accepted by the Planning and Zoning Commission on August 19, 2014 and distributed for 60-day public review on August 22, 201. The post-review public hearing was conducted on November 5, 2014.
Planning and Zoning Commission discussions and document review leading up to this 2014 Master Plan commenced in August of 2011. Commission members agreed for continuous public feedback on the discussions and recommendations through the following actions:
A. Continue to utilize and refine the Town/County Agreements to meet the specific needs of each municipality and the County. B. Continue to collaborate with the municipalities on countywide issues to coordinate interjurisdictional projects and planning. C. Continue to review municipal projects and assist municipalities in providing needed facilities through the CIP process, where feasible. D. Continue to participate in the Carroll County Water Resource Coordination Council to address water resource issues of mutual concern among the County, municipalities and the Health Department.
A. Continue to participate in the Maryland Association of Counties. B. Continue to participate in the regional collaborations of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, Baltimore Regional Transportation Board, Reservoir Watershed Agreement, Reservoir Watershed Subcommittee and the Reservoir Watershed Technical Group, and the Monocacy Scenic River Citizens Advisory Board. C. Continue to act as the lead for the Clean Chesapeake Coalition and encourage state and regional efforts to focus on Bay clean-up efforts that are most cost-effective.
A. Continue to offer citizen participation opportunities to residents and stakeholders in the master plan update and community comprehensive plan update processes through public hearings, work sessions, and other venues as deemed appropriate. B. Continue to educate the citizens on the need to protect private property rights while promoting planning goals. C. Inform citizens of the tradeoffs between development based on market influences.
D. Notify the community early in the master planning process, and continuing throughout the process, as to proposed changes that are likely to affect individual property owners.
These goals and implementation recommendations may have fiscal impacts for the County since they may expand the current roles and efforts of staff. Additional costs to the County could be in the form of additional research, meeting participation, printing and mailing expenses, dues and participation fees, transportation, and communication.
In some instances, project-specific or topic-specific websites have been created to help facilitate information availability and public participation. Website hosting and maintenance fees may be required if a website were to reside somewhere other than on the County’s server.
Consultant costs may be incurred where specialized or technical assessments are needed or when the County does not have in-house resources available to meet project needs or timeframes.
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
To choose a vision, a community first must develop a mental image of a realistic, and at the same time, idealistic future state. A vision should respect the rights and wishes of individual property owners while simultaneously articulating a feasible, achievable and attractive future for the community. The process of developing a vision helps to empower members of the community. A shared vision builds community, cooperation and coordination between the public and private sectors, and civic leaders and residents. The purpose of the vision statement is to serve as a guide to civic leaders when making planning and development related decisions.
A “Vision Statement” defines a community’s preferred future in a broad and somewhat idealistic, but attainable vision.
Carroll County’s vision for its future is:
Carroll County is a great place to live, work, and play. The County conserves and promotes its unique rural agricultural heritage, protects its environmental resources, and promotes a balanced approach to new development and economic opportunities consistent with the fabric of its communities. Carroll County values, and citizens’ unalienable rights of life, liberty, and property, are respected, protected, and sustained.
To promote the public health, safety, and welfare, Carroll County will achieve its vision through the following goals (in no particular order of priority):
Promote communication and coordination between and among the County, the municipalities, and state and regional jurisdictions on projects and issues of mutual concern. Encourage the involvement of the community in developing, amending, and implementing the Master Plan.
Ensure respect for unalienable individual rights; encourage community involvement in planning in an open two-way communication process; encourage the involvement of the community in planning and implementing the Master Plan; provide participants with a balanced perspective on planning goals while promoting the need to respect private property rights; and accurately advise participants of the tradeoffs between various forms of development based on real-world effects.
Protect and enhance the water quality of Carroll County’s rivers, streams, reservoirs, and aquifers; comply with applicable state and federal requirements related to water quality and quantity; and maintain and protect adequate water supplies to serve current and planned development.
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
Goal 4 To the extent feasible, provide adequate and appropriate Community Investment Plan funds to support public facilities and services. Provide an affordable, coordinated, and comprehensive system of community educational opportunities, facilities, and resources, including schools and libraries, which enhance our communities.
Goal 5 Provide a safe and functional intra-County transportation system that promotes access and mobility for people and goods through a variety of transportation modes.
Goal 6 Encourage a range of housing types, density, and affordability.
Goal 7 Preserve at least 100,000 acres of agricultural land to support the production of agricultural products and promotion of related agribusiness.
Goal 8 Preserve 80 percent of undeveloped land in the Priority Preservation Area, as adopted by the Board of County Commissioners.
Goal 9 Provide an affordable, coordinated and comprehensive system of public and private parks, recreational facilities and programs, and open space that will enhance our communities.
Goal 10 Preserve the county’s historic, cultural, scenic, and architectural heritage.
Goal 11 Protect, maintain, and restore, where feasible, the environmental resources and natural ecosystems in the County by promoting land use practices that are in balance with, and minimize the effects on the natural environment, subject to appropriate cost/benefit analysis.
Goal 12 Protect certain mineral resources of current and future economic importance from preemptive land uses and to ensure availability for recovery in a manner that minimizes impacts to surrounding areas; and for reclamation purposes, assure recovery to an environmentally sensitive, aesthetically pleasing condition.
Goal 13 Promote a healthy economy and additional employment opportunities by: (a) supporting the retention and expansion of existing businesses including agribusiness through sensible land use policies; (b) focusing on development and redevelopment of existing vacant and underutilized commercial and industrial properties; (c) providing land appropriately located and zoned for a variety of types and intensities of new economic development activities; and (d) maintaining a desirable balance between economic development and residential development.
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
Goal 14 Facilitate a development pattern that remains consistent with the fabric of our communities, is in harmony with the surrounding built and natural environments, encourages community interaction and, in rural areas, preserves the County’s rural character.
Goal 15 Pursue policies that facilitate development in appropriate areas, including the Designated Growth Areas, thereby protecting and conserving agricultural and environmental resources, preserving open space, and providing public facilities and services efficiently and cost-effectively.
Master Plan policy statements are established as a guidance tool for decision-makers regarding planning and development related decisions, including provision of county services. The policy statement supports the Master Plan goals and should remain sensitive to the rights of all property owners and citizens.
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Recommendations are planning, land use, and general government-related activities that if realized, may facilitate the achievement of Carroll County’s goals. The presence of a recommendation shall in no way be construed as a mandate, requirement, or otherwise be considered an indicator that action to the contrary of any recommendation is prohibited.
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The remainder of the Master Plan is divided into chapters based on topic. With the exception of the next chapter, Chapter 4, Past, Present and Future Trends, which describes trends within the County, each chapter identifies goals and describes the significance and challenges of a chapter’s subject matter to Carroll County and the Master Plan. The “Significance” discussion explains why the choices — through the policies and recommendations — were made. The “Challenges” facing the County regarding the topic of each chapter (economic development, land use transportation, etc.) is also presented. Policies and recommendations to implement and achieve each goal are outlined in each chapter. Potential fiscal impacts to County Government are included at the end of most chapters where appropriate.
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From the time of its founding in 1837 until the late 1950s, Carroll County was basically a rural farming community interspersed with small towns and villages where trade, civic, and cultural activities took place. In 1959, realizing that growth was inevitable given the County’s geographic location, the Board of County Commissioners appointed the County’s first Planning and Zoning Commission and by 1964, the first Master Plan was formulated and adopted for Carroll County.
In addition, each of the County’s eight municipalities have since adopted a community comprehensive plan, as well as two additional small area plans for the Finksburg and Freedom unincorporated areas of the County. These community comprehensive plans address issues and future land use patterns at the smaller community level. These plans include municipal boundaries and the identified annexation areas surrounding them. These areas as a whole, including the Finksburg and Freedom areas, comprise the County’s Designated Growth Areas (DGAs).
During the past 45 years, community comprehensive plans and small area amendments to the original County Master Plan have been made, and new elements have been added. Considerable changes have taken place since the first County Master Plan was adopted in 1964. However, the basic premises and visions of the original Master Plan have not changed.
Changes in population result from two factors. The first is natural change, which is caused by births and deaths within the existing population. The second factor is migration of people to, and from, an area.
Carroll County was created in 1837. The 1840 Census was the first official tabulation of the County’s population at 17,241 residents. The County has experienced growth during every decade since then. However, the rate of growth was very slow in the early years.
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CH4-Figure 1
Source: 2010 Census
By 1960, when the first County Master Plan was being developed, the County had grown to a population of 52,785 a 206 percent increase from the first official Census. Since then, the County has grown at a faster rate than both the State of Maryland and the United States which experienced a 58 percent increase at this time (U.S. Census Bureau). Between 1840 and 1920 (80 years), County’s population doubled to a total of 34,245 people or 131 percent. Between 1920 and 1950 (30 years), the County’s population doubled again to 68,490 people. Between 1970 and 1995 (25 years), the population doubled again to reach a total of 136,980 residents.
The greatest amount of growth occurred between 1970 and 1980, during which time the population grew by 27,350 people, representing a 40 percent increase and bringing the County’s population to 144,330 people. Since 1980, the growth rate has remained steady at an annual average rate of 2.9 percent. The population at the end of 2010 was estimated to be 167,707 people (Bureau of Comprehensive Planning Monthly Population estimates). See Figure CH-4 Figure 1, Carroll County Population Growth 1840 to 2010.
Between 1960 and 2010 Carroll County’s population increased to approximately 114,349 people, a 217 percent increase. In spite of this immense growth, census data shows between 1960 and 2010 some of the demographic rate of change characteristics has remained relatively constant. In 1960, the population was 95.8 percent white and 4.2 percent non-white; in 2010, the County’s population was 92.9 percent white and 7.1 percent non-white. Gender ratios as a percent of County population have also remained constant during this time period at 49 percent male and 51 percent female. The percentage of the school-aged (5-19 years old) population has remained relatively constant as well at 20-22 percent between 1960 and 2010. However, the absolute number of the school-aged population has grown from 10,000 in 1960 to 36,723 in 2010.
1960 and 2010 census data shows changes in median age, increasing from 32.2 years old in 1960 to 41.1 years old in 2010. The percentage of people falling within the primary income earning years has also increased since 1960. In 2010, roughly 59.5 percent (99,786) of the County’s population was between 20 and 64 years of age, compared to 53 percent in 1960. The percentage of the population 65 and over increased slightly from
| United States Population 1960-2010 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Population | Percent Change |
| 1960 | 179,323,175 | |
| 1970 | 203,211,926 | 13.3% |
| 1980 | 226,545,805 | 11.5% |
| 1990 | 248,709,873 | 9.8% |
| 2000 | 281,421,906 | 13.2% |
| 2010 | 308,745,538 | 9.7% |
| CH 4-Table 1 | Source: 2010 Census |
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CH4-Figure 2
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CH4-Figure 3
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
11.5 percent in 1960 to 13.1 percent in 2010; however, the actual number more than tripled from 6,071 to 21,809. Finally, the population density of Carroll County in 1960 was 116 persons per square mile. In 2010, population density had increased to 366 persons per square mile. See CH4-Figure 2, Carroll County Estimated Age Distribution 2010.
Natural population increase is expected to continue at a fairly steady rate, although growth resulting from net in-migration is more difficult to project. Based on the growth trend experienced since 2000, Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC)1 Round 7C Population Projections estimated a population of 249,945 by 2040. However, during the latter part of the decade new housing starts slowed, changing BMC’s Round 8A Population Projections to indicate a population of 189,574 by 2040. According to the Maryland Department of Planning’s (MDP) population estimates, by 2030, the County’s 65 and older population segment will comprise 23.5 percent (47,000 people). MDP also estimates that there will be approximately 37,340 school-age children comprising 19 percent of the population. While Carroll County will continue to be an attractive area for young families in the near future, according to MDP’s population estimates, in the long- range, there will be an aging of the County’s population. These population estimates are based on MDP’s demographic and socioeconomic outlook data from May of 2012. See CH4-Figure 3, Carroll County Projected Age Distribution 2030 and CH4-Table 1, Cooperative Forecasting Group Round 8A of Carroll County on the previous page.
| CH4- Table 2: Cooperative Forecasting Group Round 8A Summary of Carroll County | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 | |
| Total Household Population | 163,883 | 167,182 | 172,426 | 175,901 | 179,636 | 182,505 | 185,830 |
| Average Household Size | 2.81 | 2.74 | 2.74 | 2.72 | 2.71 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| Total Households | 62,406 | 64,142 | 66,216 | 68,021 | 69,692 | 71,302 | 72,854 |
| Group Quarters Population | 3,301 | 3,368 | 3,474 | 3,544 | 3,619 | 3,677 | 3,744 |
| Grand Total | 167,134 | 170,551 | 175,900 | 176,445 | 183,255 | 186,183 | 189,574 |
Source: Carroll County Bureau of Comprehensive Planning for Baltimore Metropolitan Council Round 8A Forecasts, September 2013.
In 1960, there were 14,957 dwelling units in Carroll, of which 14,186 (95%) were occupied. Each occupied dwelling unit represents a household. Of the occupied dwelling units, 9,702 (68%) were owner-occupied, and 4,484 (32%) were renter-occupied. The vacancy rate was 5 percent. By 2010, the number of occupied dwelling units had increased to 59,786, of which 82 percent (49,025 dwelling units) were owner-occupied. In 2010, 4.2 percent (2,511 dwelling units) of the housing stock was vacant; 57,275 dwelling units or 97.8 percent were occupied. In 1960, 76.9 percent of all units were single-family detached (11,491 dwelling units). By 2012, the American Community Survey estimated that the number of single-family detached units had increased to 48,587, representing 77.9 percent of all dwelling units (62,379).
BMC is Carroll County’s designated metropolitan planning organization. Participating jurisdictions include Baltimore, Howard, Harford, and Anne Arundel counties, as well as Baltimore City and the City of Annapolis. ↩
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
The number of County households paying more than 30 percent of their gross income for housing expenses (contract rent and utilities for tenants; principal, interest, taxes, insurance and utilities for owners) is estimated to have grown from 2,787 dwelling units in 1990 to 18,394 in 2010. The median value of owner-occupied units in 1960 was $11,100. By 2012, the American Community Survey (ACS) estimated that the median value of owner-occupied units in the County was $332,200. The condition of the housing stock is generally very good.
Of the County’s eight municipalities, seven lie at the heart of Designated Growth Areas1 (DGAs), with the exception of Sykesville. Sykesville lies along the southern edge of the Freedom Area. Additional land surrounding most of the municipalities is identified and planned for future annexation into the municipality to accommodate and serve planned growth. Presently, there are 38,822 housing units in the DGAs, or 61 percent of all households. For the period 2000 through 2010, 75 percent of new dwelling units added were located in the nine DGAs.
In 1960, the number of persons per household in Carroll County was 3.32. This figure declined steadily to 2.74 in 2010. This declining trend is expected to continue. This could result in more dwelling units needed to maintain a steady population. In 1960, 4,444 dwelling units, or 30 percent of all dwelling units, were located in a municipality. By 2000, 14,366 households, or 27 percent of all households, were located in a municipality. At the end of 2010, 19,013 households (30%) were within an incorporated municipality.
New residential dwelling units are planned to be constructed in the future and will add significantly to population growth in the County, even though the average household size is expected to continue to decline. Between 2004 and 2013, an average of 488 dwelling units was constructed annually. An average of 218 dwelling units were constructed in municipalities each year during this period, while an average of 270 units per year were constructed in the unincorporated areas of the County, which includes the Freedom and the former Finksburg Growth Areas.
Based on 2012 County and municipal land use designations, it is estimated that an additional 29,723 potential residential dwelling units can be created Countywide. As mentioned in the Population section, past growth trends (1970 to 2010) are not expected to continue. It will more likely take 30 years to add approximately 10,500 dwelling units, or an average of roughly 350 dwelling units per year. Based on land use designations, at buildout the southeast section of the County (Election Districts 4, 5, and 14) could contain 24,836 dwelling units, or 27 percent of all dwelling units in the County. The second largest area at buildout will be located in Westminster (Election District 7) with 19,167 dwelling units. The northeast (Election Districts 6 and 8) is projected to contain 11,083 dwelling units at buildout, and northwest (Election Districts 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, and 12) is projected to contain 18,451 dwelling units at buildout. The smallest area in terms of number of dwelling units at buildout would be the southwest (Election Districts 9 and 13) with 9,088 dwelling units.
Historically, agriculture has been the largest industry in Carroll County. However, the acreage devoted to farming has steadily declined between 1960 and 2012. In 1960, farms constituted 244,805 acres. By 2012, when the most recent USDA Census of Agriculture was conducted, farmlands have decreased to
Designated Growth Areas (DGAs) are the smaller geographic areas of the County where the majority of the County's growth is planned to occur. The limit to which municipal community comprehensive plans are to annex land into the future is referred to as the Municipal Growth Area Boundary. ↩
2014 Carroll County Master Plan
132,630 acres. The number of farms in Carroll County has been declining since 1910, which totaled 3,884 farms. The 2,035 farms in 1960 declined to 1,092 by 2012, a 46 percent decrease in 52 years. Worth noting is the average size of farms, which has increased from 110.5 acres in 1960 to 121 acres in 2012.
While the nature of farming may change in the future, the industry will not survive if land is developed for other uses. Recognizing the importance of agricultural land to remain a viable industry, Carroll County began participating in the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) Program in 1980. Through June of 2014, 65,761 acres of agricultural land have been preserved through a deed of permanent easement. The remaining 34,239 acres needed to reach the 100,000-acre County goal can be protected assuming continued commitments to MALPF, Rural Legacy, and local program funding.
Past growth in the number of students enrolled in Carroll County Public Schools reflected the overall growth in population in the County. In 1883, there were 113 schools in Carroll County (mostly one-room schoolhouses) with an enrollment of 6,150 pupils. By 1960, the public school system had grown to 10,661 students housed in 18 buildings. This past trend does not show signs of continuing and there is a steady decline in total enrollment shown through 2019. Current enrollment projections are available in the Carroll County Public Schools Educational Facilities Master Plan (June 11, 2014), prepared and approved annually by the Carroll County Board of Education. During the 2013-2014 school year, Carroll County Public Schools had an enrollment of 26,331 (stated number from plan) students (PreK-12) in 42 facilities and is the 8th consecutive year in total enrollment decline. The 42 facilities consisted of 23 elementary schools, nine middle schools, eight high schools, and two schools that provide specialized services.
During the next five years, total enrollment is projected to decline by 1,316 students (K-12). See CH4-Table 2, Carroll County Public School Five Year Enrollment Projections Through 2018-2019 School Year. (http://www.carrollk12.org/boe/default.asp)
CH4-Table 3:Carroll County Public School Five Year Enrollment Projections Through 2018-2019 School Year
| Grade | 2014-2015 | 2015-2016 | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary (K-5) | 11,103 | 10,794 | 10,561 | 10,380 | 10,251 | -852 |
| Middle | 6,067 | 6,099 | 5,960 | 5,831 | 5,713 | -354 |
| High | 8,394 | 8,289 | 8,248 | 8,328 | 8,284 | -110 |
| Source: Carroll County Public Schools Public Facilities Master Plan (Enrollment Projections) 2014-’15 to 2023-’24 |
In 1960, Carroll’s labor force was 20,300. With population growth, the labor force has also grown, averaging 94,603 in 2013, according to the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. This included 5,417 unemployed persons. The average unemployment rate was 6.2 percent, one of the lowest in the state. See CH4-FIGURE 4, Carroll County Labor Force vs. Jobs 1990 to 2010.
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In 1960, almost 30 percent of the labor force was employed in manufacturing. According to the latest ACS 5-Year Estimate (2007-2011), manufacturing now employs only 7.5 percent of the labor force. The primary industry of employed persons was educational, health, and social services (23.1 percent).
The ACS 3-Year data (2009-2011) estimated that 38,087 (44.5%) County residents in the workforce worked in the County, while 47,474 (55.5%) Carroll residents left the County for employment elsewhere, including those who worked out of state.
In 1969, there were an estimated 27,414 jobs (full and part-time) in Carroll County. Employment in the County grew to 53,109 jobs in 1990 and an estimated 76,308 jobs in 2005 (U.S. Census, MDP, and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Employment in the County is projected to reach approximately 81,000 full and part-time jobs (BMC Round 8A Projections) by 2030.
County services are financed through the use of property taxes, income taxes, state and federal funds, license and permit fees, and other sources. For every dollar collected from the typical residential development, more than one dollar is expended on services. By contrast, for every dollar collected from commercial/industrial development and agricultural land, less than one dollar is expended on services. The typical existing house does not provide enough in taxes to cover the associated costs of services. New single-family homes may cover their associated costs, as new construction has trended toward larger, more expensive homes.
Carroll County has imposed an impact fee on new development for schools since 1976. Initially, the fee was used to acquire school sites. In 1989, the fee was changed to apply to construction costs as well. In August of 2013, the Board of Commissioners voted to suspend the fee, effective until July 2014. The most recent school impact fees structure for new residential units was $3,061 for mobile homes, $6,303 for single-family detached units, $7,006 for single-family attached units and $2,257 for each multi-family unit. Impact fees for schools are collected at the building permit stage. An impact fee for parks has been collected since 1989.
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