Carroll County Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting – March 4, 2026

The Planning & Zoning Commission of Carroll County, Maryland, met on March 4, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Reagan Room. The meeting focused on two major agenda items: a text amendment to remove residential accessory uses from Planned Commercial Centers, and a work session to discuss preliminary recommendations for the county's master plan. Commissioners debated housing affordability, growth tiers, agricultural preservation, and development processes, reaching several consensus decisions to guide future code changes and master plan language.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the meeting agenda unanimously.

Discussion Items

Text Amendment: Planned Commercial Centers (Introduction)

• Daphne Daly presented a proposal to remove residential as an accessory use in Planned Commercial Centers (PCCs) and to create a separate mixed-use category in the code. The change is intended to address concerns that PCCs with residential units lack design guidelines, especially in the Freedom area. Currently, only two PCCs with residential exist in the county, both in Freedom. The proposal would allow existing residential units to remain (grandfathered in as of a certain date) while prohibiting new residential accessory uses in PCCs.
• Commissioners expressed strong support for removing residential from PCCs, arguing that "planned commercial center" implies commercial-only use, and that mixed-use developments should be intentional and designed appropriately. They favored creating a separate mixed-use section with clear standards, particularly for areas near municipalities with water and sewer infrastructure. Commissioner Stephen Smith noted that such developments could provide affordable housing options, but must be done right to maintain Carroll County's character.
• The commission directed staff to return at the next meeting (March 17, 2026) with draft code language that explicitly ends residential accessory uses in PCCs and establishes a new mixed-use classification.

Master Plan Work Session: Preliminary Recommendations

• Staff led a review of policy recommendations from the work groups (economy, housing, agriculture, etc.). The commission discussed and voted on several items:
  • Agricultural Preservation Study: Affirmed a recommendation to conduct a countywide study to strategically identify areas where ag preservation should be prioritized versus areas where development may be more appropriate (e.g., along major corridors).
  • Growth Tiers & 7-Lot Cap: The commission debated a conflict between two recommendations: one to maintain the current 7-lot cap on well-and-septic subdivisions (affirmed at the last meeting) and another to revisit growth tiers to lift the cap. After discussion, the commission agreed to revisit the topic of growth tiers to evaluate the merits of adoption, recognizing that the 7-lot cap has helped ag preservation but may limit housing supply. The recommendation was revised to “revisit growth tiers to evaluate the benefits of adopting them.”
  • Housing Supply & Financial Tools: Several housing policy recommendations were reviewed, including incentives for affordable housing, financial literacy programs, and support for partner agencies. The commission agreed to keep most recommendations, but deleted a specific recommendation to “establish key performance indicators” after noting it was too vague and difficult to enforce.
  • Development Review Efficiency: The commission supported combining two recommendations about streamlining the development review process, but deleted a recommendation for mandatory timelines, citing that the current process works well and that mandatory timelines could be counterproductive.
  • Intergovernmental Coordination: The commission endorsed re-establishing quarterly Council of Governments meetings with municipalities to improve coordination, and deleted a separate recommendation for a formal economic development agreement, noting that the council meetings would suffice.
  • Advocacy for State Regulatory Reform: The commission agreed to add clarifying language to a recommendation advocating for state-level review of regulations (e.g., stormwater management, forest conservation, building codes) that increase development costs and conflict with affordable housing goals.
  • Community Outreach & Education: The commission supported combining several recommendations about public education and outreach to overcome the stigma of affordable housing and generational barriers.
  • Redevelopment Policies: Approved a recommendation to incentivize redevelopment of blighted properties, striking language about penalties (preferring carrots over sticks).
  • Environmental Practices: Agreed to revise a recommendation to “continue and enhance environmentally responsible development practices” while also acknowledging that state policies (e.g., from MDE) sometimes hinder growth in Carroll County.
  • School Redistricting: Noted a board of education comment that this is a board decision, not a planning commission matter.

Key Outcomes

• Text Amendment: Staff will present draft code language at the March 17, 2026 meeting to remove residential accessory uses from Planned Commercial Centers and create a new mixed-use category.
• Master Plan Recommendations: The commission approved several revised recommendations for inclusion in the master plan, including conducting a countywide ag preservation study, revisiting growth tiers, streamlining development review (without mandatory timelines), re-establishing Council of Governments meetings, and advocating for state regulatory reform. The “key performance indicators” recommendation was deleted.
• Next Meetings: March 17, 2026 at 9:00 AM and April 1, 2026 at 6:00 PM, both in the Reagan Room.