Annapolis, MD (May 13, 2021) - County Executive Steuart Pittman signed Plan2040, Anne Arundel County’s General Development Plan, into law. The County Executive was joined by County Council Chairwoman Sarah Lacey (District 1), Councilmembers Allison Pickard (District 2), Andrew Pruski (District 4), Lisa Rodvien (District 6), and community leaders from throughout the county to sign the bill in Odenton along the WB&A trail, a few blocks away from the Odenton MARC Station.
“Plan2040 does something that’s very rare in government - it transfers power from the government to the people. It literally puts the people first,” Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman said. “I want to thank Councilmembers Lacey, Pickard, Pruski, and Rodvien for their support for this legislation, and our residents and community leaders, who this plan empowers moving forward.”
Plan2040 creates a framework for community involvement in the land use process through the development of nine Region Plans across the county, allowing residents and planners to work together to guide land use policy based on the needs and characteristics of different areas of the county.
" Plan2040 reflects the culmination of a rigorous legislative process where the Council worked with the people to ensure our communities come first in the planning and zoning process," County Council Chairwoman Sarah Lacey said. "Along with County Executive Pittman and my colleagues who voted in support of this legislation, I remain committed to empowering our communities and our residents through this bill - by giving power back to the people."
The plan also calls for a fundamental shift away from sprawling growth and toward smarter, more focused redevelopment of existing urban areas, including town centers and areas surrounding mass transit stations.
“Plan 2040 offers a roadmap to begin the work to provide the right kind of regulations, oversight and incentives to redevelopment and enhance our communities, like Glen Burnie, that are built out and need revitalization,” Councilwoman Allison Pickard said. “I am pleased that goals and policies regarding redevelopment play a prominent role in the final document and I am ready to get to work on implementation.”
The plan also calls for strong environmental protections by prioritizing the protection of open spaces like forests, streams, wetlands and farms, and acknowledges the challenges of adapting to a quickly changing climate.
“Plan2040’s shift in the land use process - returning power to the people of Anne Arundel County - makes a greener, more environmentally sound future possible for our county,” Councilwoman Lisa Rodvien said.
“The General Development Plan provides us with a path toward the future,” Councilmember Andrew Pruski said. “While there is a lot of work still left to do, there is a road map that can help us with conservation, smart growth, and sustainability in Anne Arundel County.”