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Home My WebLink AboutH_2010_AnnualReport Washington County Planning Commission Annual Report on Growth Related Changes Per SB 280/HB 295 effective June 1, 2009 Prepared by the Washington County Planning Commission for the period January 2010 through December 2010 Submitted on June 30, 2011 1. Development Patterns – List of all changes in development patterns that have occurred over the past year, including: a. New subdivisions created: i. Total new residential lots – 48 1. New urban lots – 14 2. New rural lots – 34 b. New Building Permits issued - 238 i. Residential Permits inside PFA – 117 ii. Commercial Permits inside PFA – 13 iii. Residential Permits outside PFA – 96 iv. Commercial Permits outside PFA – 12 c. Zoning Map Amendments i. RZ-10-001 – Map Amendment This map amendment is for property located at 718 and 728 Antietam Drive, Hagerstown, applied the HP (Historic Preservation) overlay zone on two parcels of land that total .99 acres in size and are zoned RS (Residential Suburban). ii. RZ-10-004 – Rosewood PUD Increased the level of commercial uses from 12% to 17.89% (Planning Vision # 4) d. Zoning Text Amendments that resulted in changes in development patterns.RZ-10-002 (Text Amendment) – The Board of County Commissioners approved a text amendment to amend Sections 11.1 Business Local and 12.1 Business General zoning districts to add libraries as a permitted use. (PV# 4) The proposed text amendment would also affect the PUD (Planned Unit Development), PB (Planned Business) and HI-1 (Highway Interchange 1) zones because these districts reference the uses permitted in the BL and BG districts. This change increases the potential for the location of a public or private library within walking distance of residential area. e. New Comprehensive Plans or plan elements adopted: The revision and/or creation of zoning classifications in the Growth Areas has been reviewed by the Planning Commission, with a final proposal delivered to the Board of County Commissioners for review, comment, and approval. Due to the changes in the Board after the 2010 elections; and the reorganization of county staff, final approval is not anticipated until the fall of 2011. When adopted, new development will continue to be directed into the Urban Growth Area in a continuation of the goals of the Comprehensive Plan. f. New Roads or substantial changes in roads or other transportation facilities: New roads reflect subdivision roads accepted into County ownership during 2010. This means that the construction was completed to County standards. Other roads are currently under design or construction per subdivision plans. Capital projects are new or widening road projects that the County will fund. i. New roads: Progress Way - 0.173 miles Shetland Way – 0.017 miles (existing road extension) Dumbarton Drive – 0.053 miles (existing road extension) Prestwick Drive - 0.190 miles Prestwick Terrace – 0.029 miles Custer Court – 0.113 miles (existing road extension) Collier Court – 0.035 miles Day Break Court – 0.034 miles Sunny Hill Court – 0.047 miles Sunny View Court – 0.056 miles Woodbridge Drive – 0.005 miles (existing road extension) Transportation Circle – 0.153 miles (existing road extension) Total: 0.905 miles new roads in 2010 j. 2010 Capital Projects: Edgewood Drive and US 40 Interchange Improvements (construction near completion) Marsh Pike and Longmeadow Road Intersection Improvements (design stage) Robinwood Corridor Improvements (widening) (design stage) Southern Blvd Phase 1A (new road) (design stage) Eastern Blvd Improvements (widening) (design stage) g. New Schools or additions to schools – Ruth Anne Monroe Primary school construction commenced during this calendar year. It will provide a facility for grades K – 2 currently attending Eastern Elementary School and ease the overcrowding there. The site design and location allows for some pedestrian access; and coordination of transportation with the adjacent Elementary School. h. Other changes in development patterns – none 2. Maps (appendix) a. New residential lots – inside and outside PFAs b. Residential Building Activity inside and outside PFAs c. Map changes 3. Consistency – Changes which occurred during the 2010 calendar year were minimal and consistent with each other, the recommendations of the last annual report, the adopted portions of the Comprehensive Plan, and those of adjoining jurisdictions and those jurisdictions which have responsibility for financing or constructing the public improvements necessary to implement the local jurisdiction’s plan. 4. Process Improvements – During the latter part of calendar year 2010, county leadership developed a new operating format for departments directly involved in the planning and development process. The resulting reorganization of the departments of Permits and Inspections, Engineering, and Planning and Community Development, (effective April 1st, 2011), created three new departments. The Department of Plan Review and Permitting consolidated and streamlined all plan review and permitting functions under one department, with the purpose of facilitating development in the UGA. The Planning and Zoning Department will handle comprehensive planning and zoning issues. Engineering and Inspection is responsible for design, instruction, project management, and all inspections. 5. Ordinances and/or regulations that have been changed or adapted to implement the planning visions in Article 66B. RZ-10-002 (Text Amendment) – The Board of County Commissioners approved a text amendment to amend Sections 11.1 Business Local and 12.1 Business General zoning districts to add libraries as a permitted use. (PV# 4) The proposed text amendment would also affect the PUD (Planned Unit Development), PB (Planned Business) and HI-1 (Highway Interchange 1) zones because these districts reference the uses permitted in the BL and BG districts. This change increases the potential for the location of a public or private library within walking distance of residential area. 6. Number of acres preserved using local agricultural land preservation funding. The installment payment program preserves 1100 acres paid out over a 10 yr period; in 2011 our funding preserved 110 acres. In addition the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program requests matching funds, which in CY 2011 equated to funding for 5 of the 153 acres preserved for a total using local funds of 115 acres. Washington County Planning Commission Annual Report on Smart Growth Goals, Measures, and Indicators And Implementation of Planning Visions Per SB 276/HB 295 effective June 1, 2009 Prepared by the Washington County Planning Commission for the period January 2010 through December 2010 Submitted on June 30, 2011 Measures and Indicators Amount and share of growth that is being located inside and outside the Priority Funding Area 2010 Commercial FAR Averages 2010 Residential F.A.R. Density DU's % Lots Inside PFA 0.027111691 0.7488 128 84.77% Outside PFA 0.00509853 4.3675 23 15.23% Development capacity (Building Lots) Rural Development Capacity 55,610 Urban Development Capacity 42,702 Total Development Capacity 98,312 Number of acres preserved using local agricultural land preservation funding: 1,237.68 Local Land Use Goal: 80% of new development should be located inside the Urban and Town Growth Areas (usually equivalent to Priority Funding Areas). This is a goal already established by the Land Use plan (Chapter 12) of the adopted Comprehensive Plan. Time frame for achieving the local goal: Since Washington County has achieved this goal in the past and exceeded it for this reporting period the effort will be to maintain this level of development in the Urban and Town Growth Areas. No deadline is necessary. Resources necessary for infrastructure inside the PFA and land preservation outside the PFA: Continued funding for rural preservation programs to insure alternatives to development in rural areas. Implementation of comprehensive rezoning of urban area to facilitate the desired development in urban areas. Infrastructure funding in urban areas to accommodate desired development. Any incremental progress towards achieving that local goal: Goal is to maintain current ratios of urban/rural development at 80/20%, therefore changes in current rates are not needed. The goal is set this year and cannot be measured until the next reporting period.