I often think, talk, and write about land use. I unseated an incumbent County Executive, in part, by offering what we now call a “smarter, greener, and more equitable” vision for future development of our county.
I take a lot of pride in the document that sets forth scores of strategies to implement that vision: Plan 2040. If you’re a policy nerd, go to this link and review those strategies.
The thousands of county residents who have commented, attended community meetings, and filled out surveys relating to the creation of Plan 2040, the Green Infrastructure Master Plan, the Town Center Plans, Transportation plans, Rec and Parks plans, and Region Plans are what make the plans relevant. Residents organize and advocate, not just for the plans, but for every budget item and every piece of legislation that is guided by the plans.
Nearby county leaders have marveled at things we’ve accomplished, things that protect our environment, things that facilitate economic development, and things that address our shortage of housing that our people can afford. But we’re not done.
In the coming months we have a lot of Plan2040 implementation bills going before the County Council. There will be a bill to incentivize redevelopment of previously developed sites. There will be a bill to update our law requiring adequate transportation facilities before development is approved. There will be a bill to update the impact fees paid to cover the costs of county services when new buildings are constructed. There is a bill being heard at the next Council meeting updating what we allow in Mixed Use Districts.
We also have the recommendations for Region Plans and Comprehensive Rezoning working their way through the Planning Advisory Board, through my office, and then to the County Council from three of our nine Stakeholder Advisory Committees.
And finally, there is a long-awaited cleanup bill to address inconsistencies and complexities in development regulations that make implementation difficult for everyone.
I love this work. It’s the stuff that has long-lasting impact and is at the core of addressing the fundamental challenge we face as a species: living at peace with one another and in harmony with the natural world.
But it’s not easy work. We each come at it with different interests, and whether we are elected officials, county staff, community leaders, or neighbors, we MUST be willing to listen to one another and collaborate.
I recently met with volunteer chairs of Stakeholder Advisory Committees whose work on their regions was just completed. I asked questions about the process, about what was difficult and what was rewarding. I heard a lot of praise for the way Office of Planning and Zoning Staff presented information and incorporated input into documents, but I also heard how hard it was to move people from long-held prejudices and preferences, and how challenging it was to engage residents who are raising children and sometimes working multiple jobs to cover basic needs.
But I also heard that participation was rewarding. That these community leaders walked away even more committed to strengthening the fabric of their communities, through the built environment and through engagement.
On Saturday I will speak at a combined first meeting of Stakeholder Advisory Committees for the final three of our nine county regions. I will warn them that they will be asked to balance countywide priorities set forth in Plan2040 with the interests of neighbors who love where they live and want no change, and that as leaders it will be their responsibility to ensure that everyone who speaks up is respected and heard.
As the country enters its final weeks before Election Day, many of us ponder how it is that we became so divided, and how dividing us from one another became such an effective political strategy. I’m convinced that the only way out of our predicament is for leaders to listen, to meet people where they are, respect where they come from, and slowly build trust.
I haven’t mastered that art, but I've worked on it, as a community organizer, a business owner, and a public servant. But it was my twenty-five years as a professional horse trainer that helped me the most. Forcing your will on twelve-hundred-pound animals never works. Meeting them where they are and moving forward together gets you there sooner.
I can’t determine the outcome of national elections, but I can set the tone for land use debates in Anne Arundel County. Feel free to pin back your ears or step on my foot if you think I‘ve stepped over the line. But hopefully, we’ve been through enough over the last six years that we can gallop together on the path of smart, green, and equitable use of our land.
Until next week…