This year will present opportunities for significant changes in the zoning and development landscapes in both Anne Arundel and Howard Counties. Each jurisdiction is ushering in regulatory changes which will impact planning, growth and development countywide. Anne Arundel County is updating its General Development Plan (the “GDP”) and Howard County is undertaking a redraft of its existing zoning and development regulations. Both initiatives, detailed below, present inherent risks and opportunities. For those engaged in the real estate industry in any capacity, it is critical to pay attention over the next twelve months as both processes unfold.
Anne Arundel County Rezoning – General Development Plan 2040
Anne Arundel County is in the process of updating its GDP from the existing 2009 iteration. The county began the process in late 2017, with the goal of approving a new GDP by the end of 2019.
The new version of the GDP – Plan 2040 – will serve as the blueprint for zoning and development in Anne Arundel County for the future. Specifically, the GDP sets forth the policies and recommendations which guide land use decisions over a twenty year planning timeframe. All planning and development policies adopted by the County must be consistent with the GDP. The preparation and adoption of the new GDP provides property owners and developers a chance to shape the vision for Anne Arundel County for the next twenty years.
The GDP is the first step towards comprehensive zoning in Anne Arundel County. Following the adoption of the new GDP, the County Council will oversee a comprehensive county-wide rezoning. The comprehensive zoning is conducted in an effort to ensure that the county’s zoning maps match the visions for growth and development articulated through the new GDP.
Howard County Rezoning – HoCode Rewrite
In early 2019, Howard County will be embarking on the process of redrafting its zoning and development regulations. Howard County has engaged Clarion Associates, a national land use consulting firm, to help spearhead this effort. Clarion recently worked with Prince George’s County in its most recent redraft of its zoning regulations and provided a comprehensive assessment of the existing zoning and development regulations for Howard County in 2018.
The goal of the code rewrite is to create what Howard County is calling a “unified development code”. The county estimates that it will take approximately two years until the new code is presented to and adopted by the County Council.
This is a unique opportunity for property owners and developers to help impact the way in which development is regulated in Howard County.
