1. Maryland’s Answer to Urban Sprawl
Smart Growth
Maryland’s Answer to Urban Sprawl

2. Maryland Smart Growth
Maryland looks very different today from what John Smith saw when he traveled up the Chesapeake Bay.
What has changed?
Population!

3. Maryland Smart Growth Urban sprawl
The unplanned, uncontrolled spreading of urban development into areas adjoining the edge of a city
Let’s take a look at a map of Maryland’s urban sprawl

4. Baltimore
Washington D.C

5. What are some consequences of this?

6. Maryland Smart Growth
Each day in Maryland green space is replaced by strip malls and subdivisions, air quality and water pollution worsen, and older communities and schools are abandoned.

7. Maryland Smart Growth
To address these and many other harmful impacts of urban sprawl, in 1997 the State of Maryland adopted a series of measures called Smart Growth.

8. 4 Goals of Smart Growth
Support existing communities by targeting resources to support development in areas where infrastructure exists

9. 4 Goals of Smart Growth
2. Save our most valuable natural resources before they are forever lost

10. 4 Goals of Smart Growth
3. Save taxpayers from the high cost of building infrastructure to serve development that has spread far from our traditional population centers

11. 4 Goals of Smart Growth
4. Provide Marylanders with a high quality of life, whether they choose to live in a rural community, suburb, small town, or city.

12. Why do we need Smart Growth?
Maryland’s goal is to use land efficiently
Next we will quickly look at some of the ways that Maryland uses Smart Growth

13. Maryland’s principles of Smart Growth
Mix land uses
Take advantage of compact building design
Create housing opportunities and choices
Create walkable communities

14. Maryland’s principles of Smart Growth
Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of plan
Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas
Provide a variety of transportation options

15. Maryland’s principles of Smart Growth
Strengthen and direct development to existing communities
Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective
Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions

16. Maryland Smart Growth
Smart Growth focuses on how and where the state spends its money
This is done using financial incentives
By rewarding better land-use practices, we are beginning to reverse the trends of the 20th Century

17. Maryland Smart Growth
Smaller programs were developed to help facilitate Smart Growth
Priority Funding Areas: established communities & locally designated growth areas
Money for new highways, water & sewer, etc.
Waldorf, Baltimore, Annapolis, suburbs of D.C.

18. Maryland Smart Growth
Rural Legacy Areas: important agricultural land & natural resources threatened by development
Protect farms, forests, historic sites & stream buffers that filter pollution from runoff as it drains into major waterways like the Chesapeake Bay.

19. Maryland Smart Growth
Community Legacy: money given to “revitalize” a community

20. Maryland Smart Growth
How do you see Smart Growth at work where you live?