Parris N. Glendening: Smart growth, Anne Arundel County and our future | COMMENTARY

One of the most important and most exciting things I did as governor was to start the first state-wide smart growth program in the nation.

In the past two decades, the smart growth philosophy has spread across the country, with more than 2000 local governments and over half of the states using some part of smart growth in their development and sustainability programs.

That is why I am so excited to see Anne Arundel County moving strongly and thoughtfully into a smart growth future.

We must understand clearly that smart growth doesn’t just happen. It should be no surprise that it is hard for a county to end decades of sprawling development patterns that placed a premium on short-term profits rather than on preserving the environment and quality of life for residents of existing communities.

After all, it is commonly and incorrectly believed that it is cheaper and easier to replace farms and forests with new suburbs than it is to refocus builders and planners on the difficult task of revitalizing existing communities through the redevelopment of urban centers, transit-oriented development and relying on important goals of sustainability, walkability and equity. Ending sprawl, and doing smart growth right requires nothing short of a bold new vision.

Plan 2040 is that bold new vision for Anne Arundel County. This plan does smart growth right! It lays out a vision for a greener, smarter and more equitable future for all county residents. It lays the groundwork for a robust community engagement process. Residents will have a seat at the table as the county moves down an exciting new path.

The plan envisions protecting the environment and encouraging redevelopment by building the right projects on the right sites.

All too often, a landscape that is full of forests, streams and wildlife habitat is altered to accommodate buildings. This is the opposite of smart growth. Buildings should be designed to accommodate the landscape, not the other way around. Plan 2040 recognizes this and requires builders to map and preserve priority forests, streams, wetlands and steep slopes before designing the layout of buildings so these valuable features can remain a part of the landscape for generations to come.

The plan acknowledges that some sites are not appropriate for development at all, and efforts must be made to preserve these areas. It calls for expanding incentives for private landowners to preserve priority forests and farmland. And it envisions protecting and connecting the largest forests through private easements and parks to create an expansive “green infrastructure” network that will never be developed.

Other sites, like abandoned commercial strips or endless deserts of parking lots, are prime candidates for a different kind of development. Plan 2040 calls for flexible regulations and new incentives to redevelop such sites, and provide new, vibrant opportunities on underutilized lands.

This is smart growth at its core! This kind of development maximizes existing public infrastructure, often removes acres of pavement with greener, more walkable places, reduces stormwater pollution and can create vibrant opportunities for surrounding communities.

Plan 2040 goes further in envisioning what kinds of projects should be the focus of this new redevelopment effort. It acknowledges a troubling reality: more than 37,000 households across the county are in need of affordable housing. The plan calls for creating more equity in the housing market by building more moderately priced dwelling units and creating a Housing Trust Fund that can be used to finance affordable housing solutions.

These are just a few of Plan 2040’s goals and strategies aimed at ending sprawl and ushering in a new era of smart growth for Anne Arundel County.

The plan’s final strategy is perhaps the most critical in achieving this paradigm shift: resident participation.

Plan 2040 invites residents to design the future of their communities by requiring the creation of nine, more localized regional plans that will inform how and where development and preservation occur in each community.

Residents don’t have to wait for the region plan process to speak up! Plan 2040 is in front of the County Council right now. I encourage you to engage in the process now by reaching out to your elected council member.

After all, smart growth is hard! It will not happen without your support.

Plan 2040 moves us toward more walkable, healthier, fairer and inclusive places.

It promises to deliver sustainable communities with housing, jobs and places for everyone.

It is a challenge! It is a vision! Let’s reach for it!

We can do it!

Parris N. Glendening served as governor of Maryland from 1995 to 2003. He lives in Annapolis.