In 1993, Queen Anne’s County adopted a second major Comprehensive Plan Update. The 1993 Plan reaffirmed the guiding principles of the 1987 Plan and added policies to assure compliance with the mandates of the 1992 Planning Act. Queen Anne’s County was the first county in Maryland to adopt a plan consistent with the State’s 1992 Planning Act.
One of the major recommendations of the 1993 Plan Update was that specific development plans should be prepared for each of the County’s six designated Growth Areas: Stevensville, Chester, Kent Narrows, Grasonville, Queenstown and Centreville.
Each Growth Area plan was intended to address land use, transportation, infrastructure and community design issues particular to that area of the County. Each growth area plan, once adopted, became a part of the 1993 Comprehensive Plan.
In short, the Planning Act requires local governments to concentrate growth in and around existing developed areas, promote economic development and protect sensitive natural resources. The Act also requires that all State and local government investments in infrastructure (roads, sewer, water, schools, etc.) are consistent with adopted local growth management plans.
The essential framework of the 1987 Plan and acreages dedicated to the specific uses remained the same. The maximum theoretical buildout under the 1993 Plan and subsequent 1994 rezonings, taking into consideration Critical Area regulations, was 54,700 dwellings, of which only 41 percent could be built in the agricultural/rural areas of the County.
In 1995, the County began preparation of community plans for Queenstown, Centreville and Chester. The County Commissioners adopted the Chester Community Plan and the associated comprehensive zoning changes needed to implement that Plan in 1997. The plans for Queenstown and Centreville involved County coordination with the governments of each incorporated municipality. The County and Towns, with help from appointed citizen advisory committees, consultants and County Planning Department staff, prepared draft community plans that were adopted in 1998.
Community Plans for Grasonville and Stevensville were begun in 1997. These plans were also prepared with assistance from appointed citizen advisory committees, consultants and Planning Department staff. Both plans were adopted in 1998 with follow-up comprehensive zoning changes occurring in 1999.
Read: Smart Growth
