glossary of terms
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Critical Area Commission for the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays
- Roles and Responsibilities of the Commission
- Composition
- Terms of the Commission Members
- Current Commission Membership
- 2008 Meeting and Submittal Schedule
- A Summary of the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Commission's Criteria and Program Development Activities 1984-1988
(Adobe Acrobat file 9.5MB) - To get the free Acrobat Reader go to Adobe.com.- Monthly Commission Meeting Agenda
- Critical Area Commission Public Hearings
- Critical Area Commission Meeting Minutes
Critical Area Commission Panel Meeting Minutes Roles and Responsibilities of the Commission
The Commission was created by the Critical Area Act in 1984. The Commission was initially charged with adopting regulations and criteria necessary to effectively implement the Act. This effort was completed in 1985; whereupon the Commission was required to review and approve all local government plans, programs, ordinances, and regulations that were proposed as part of a jurisdiction's Critical Area Program. This review and approval process took several years, but all local Critical Area Programs were operational in 1990.Today the Commission's primary responsibilities are the following:
- Review and approve State projects on State-owned land in the Critical Area;
- Review and approve State or local agency actions resulting in major development on private lands or lands owned by local jurisdictions; and
- Review and approve all changes to a jurisdiction's Critical Area Program, including changes to ordinances, regulations, and maps.
Composition
The Commission consists of 29 voting members who are appointed by the Governor. The composition of the Commission is as follows:A chairman, appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate, who serves at the pleasure of the Governor.
Thirteen individuals appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate, each of whom is a resident and an elected or appointed official of a local jurisdiction, and may only serve on the Commission while they hold local office. At least one of the 13 must be an elected or appointed official of a municipality. Each is selected from certain counties or from municipalities within the counties as follows:
- One from each of Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Prince George's counties;
- One from Harford or Cecil County;
- One from Kent or Queen Anne's County;
- One from Caroline County;
- One from Talbot or Dorchester County;
- One from Wicomico or Somerset County;
- Two from Calvert, Charles, or St. Mary's County (both cannot be from the same county); and
- Two from Worcester County, one who is a resident of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and the other who is a resident of the Atlantic Coastal Bays watershed.
Eight individuals appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate, who represent diverse interests, and among whom shall be a resident of each of the five counties listed above from which an appointment has not been made subject to the requirements of the thirteen individuals listed above. Three of these eight individuals are "at-large members", one of whom is a private citizen and resident of the Atlantic Coastal Bays watershed.
Seven individuals, who are ex officio members, who are the Secretaries of the following State Departments or their designee:
- Department of Agriculture;
- Department of Business and Economic Development;
- Department of Housing and Community Development;
- Department of the Environment;
- Department of Transportation;
- Department of Natural Resources;
- Department of Planning.
Terms of the Commission Members
Except for the Chairman and ex officio State officers or their designees, the term of a Commission member is four years. A member may serve no more than two terms. The terms are staggered, and at the end of a member's term, he or she continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies. If a vacancy arises, other than through expiration of a term, the Governor shall appoint a successor of like qualification, with the advice and consent of the Senate, within 30 days.Current Commission Membership
The table below reflects the current members of the Commission, the area or agency that each represents, and the year that the Commission member was appointed.
Commission Member
Area or Agency Represented
Year Term Began
Margaret McHale
Chair
2007
Honorable Cathleen M. Vitale
Anne Arundel County
2004
Baltimore City
David A. C. Carroll
Baltimore County
2004
Norma Powers
Calvert County
2007
Charles Cawley
Caroline County
2007
Honorable Judith M. Cox
Cecil County
2003
Honorable Reuben B. Collins, II
Charles County
2007
Dorchester County
Pete Gutwald
Harford County
2006
Honorable Margo G. Bailey
Kent County
2001
Prince Georges County
Caroline Gabel
Queen Anne’s County
2007
Francis Jack Russell
St. Mary’s County
2007
H. Kevin Anderson
Somerset County
2004
S. Michael Mielke
Talbot County
2004
Honorable Stevie Prettyman
Wicomico County
2004
Honorable Bruce Morrison
Worcester County, Chesapeake Bay
2006
Honorable Richard Meehan
Worcester County, Coastal Bays
2006
David P. Blazer
Worcester County, Coastal Bays
2002
C. Edward Prager
Eastern Shore Member-At-Large
2004
Judith A. Evans
Western Shore Member-At-Large
2000
Louise Lawrence
Md. Dept. of Agriculture
1990
Rhonda Ray
Md. Dept. of Business and Economic Dev.
2007
Gary Setzer
Md. Dept. of the Environment
2001
Caroline Varney-Alvarado
Md. Dept. of Housing and Community Dev.
2007
Frank W. Dawson, III
Md. Dept. of Natural Resources
2003
Jason Dubow
Md. Dept. of Planning
2007
Meg Andrews
Md. Dept. of Transportation
2000
2008 Meeting and Submittal Schedule
The following schedule is for all project and program issues that are submitted to Commission staff for consideration by the Critical Area Commission at its regularly scheduled meetings. This schedule is for general planning purposes and will give an applicant an idea of when a project or program-related item might be on the Commission's agenda. The schedule does not necessarily guarantee that a project or program item submitted by the deadline will be considered at the accompanying meeting date. For more detailed information about submittal requirements, deadlines, or scheduling, contact Mary Owens or Lisa Hoerger at (410) 260-3460 or Email: mowens@dnr.state.md.us or Email: lhoerger@dnr.state.md.us
2008 Meeting and Submittal Schedule
SUBMITTAL DEADLINE
MEETING DATE
December 5, 2008
January 9, 2008*
January 9, 2008
February 6, 2008
February 6, 2008
March 5, 2008March 5, 2008
April 2, 2008
April 2, 2008
May 7, 2008
May 7, 2008
June 4, 2008
June 4, 2008
July 9, 2008 (Note Change in Date)
July 9, 2008
August 6, 2008
August 6, 2008
September 3, 2008
September 3, 2008
October 1, 2008
October 1, 2008
November 5, 2008
November 5, 2008
December 3, 2008
* Indicates date(s) that have been adjusted because of holiday(s)
Monthly Commission Meeting Agenda
The following agenda is posted approximately one week prior to the date of the Commission meeting. Times listed are approximate and interested parties are advised to be present at the beginning of the subcommittee meetings and the plenary meeting. The agenda is subject to change in order to address modifications to agenda items and to accommodate scheduling conflicts of applicants and presenters. To verify that an agenda item will be discussed at a meeting and the approximate time, please contact the Commission the day before the meeting at (410) 260-3460.
CRITICAL AREA COMMISSION FOR THE CHESAPEAKE AND ATLANTIC COASTAL BAYS
Drayton Manor Retreat Center Growth Allocation
A panel of the Critical Area Commission for the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays will conduct a public hearing for the purpose of hearing public comments on a Critical Area growth allocation request in Kent County affecting the site of the Drayton Manor Retreat Center, which is located in Worton, Maryland. The Kent County Commissioners have reviewed and approved the growth allocation request to change the Critical Area acreage from Resource Conservation Area (RCA) to Intensely Developed Area (IDA) on 31.991 acres of the 32.097-acre property. The purpose of the map change is to accommodate the expansion and intensification of the retreat center. The site is located at 12651 Coopers Lane, and can be identified as Parcel 45 on Tax Map 11. The public hearing is scheduled for May 13, 2008 at 6:00 P.M. in the Kent County Commissioner’s Hearing Room, County Government Center, 400 High Street, Chestertown, Maryland, 21620. Comments are encouraged prior to or at the public hearing. Public comment at the hearing may be limited to three minutes, depending on the number of attendants wishing to testify. Comments may be mailed to the Critical Area Commission, 1804 West Street, Suite 100, Annapolis, MD 21401, faxed to (410) 974-5338, or e-mailed to nkelly@dnr.state.md.us . Copies of the information relating to the growth application are available at the Kent County Department of Planning and Zoning and will also be available at the public hearing. For additional information, please call the Critical Area Commission in Annapolis at (410) 260-3483 or the Kent County Department of Planning and Zoning at (410) 778-7475. Sign language interpreters and other appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities will be provided upon request.
Please Note Change in Meeting Place
Directions to Calvary United Methodist ChurchCritical Area Commission
Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays
Meeting At
Calvary United Methodist Church
301 Rowe Boulevard
Annapolis, Maryland
June 4, 2008PANEL
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Drayton Manor Growth Allocation (Kent County)
Members: Gary Setzer, Frank Dawson, Judith Evans, Caroline Gable, Mike Mielke
Staff: Nick Kelly
SUBCOMMITTEES
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Project Evaluation Subcommittee
Members:
Setzer, Anderson, Andrews, Barrow, Cox, Gabel, Gutwald, Morrison, Powers, Prager, Ray, Russell, Varney-Alvarado
Town of Denton (Caroline County)
Crouse Park RedevelopmentRoby Hurley
Queen Anne’s County
Wells Cove Landing RedevelopmentLisa Hoerger
State Highway Administration (Dorchester County)
MD 335 Bridge over Wallace CreekJulie Roberts
State Highway Administration (Somerset County)
Princess Anne Maintenance FacilityJulie Roberts
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Program Implementation Subcommittee
Members:
Blazer, Bailey, Carroll, Cawley, Collins, Dawson, Dubow, Evans, Feinberg, Lawrence, Mielke, Prettyman, Vitale
Town of Chesapeake Beach
Homeplace Growth AllocationAmber Widmayer
LeeAnne Chandler
Cecil County (Discussion)
Waiver from Cecil County Critical Area Program SanctionKate Schmidt
Charles County
Swan Point Buffer Management PlanKerrie Gallo
Please Note Change in Meeting Place
Directions to Calvary United Methodist ChurchCritical Area Commission
Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays
Meeting At
Calvary United Methodist Church
301 Rowe Boulevard
Annapolis, Maryland
June 4, 2008
AGENDA
1:00 p.m. – 1:05 p.m.
Welcome and Remarks
Approval of May 7, 2008 Minutes
Chair
Margaret McHale
PROGRAMS
1:05 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
VOTE: Kent County
Drayton Manor Growth AllocationNick Kelly
1:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
VOTE: Charles County
Swan Point Buffer Management PlanKerrie Gallo
1:50 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Refinement: Town of Chesapeake Beach
Homeplace Growth Allocation (Calvert County)Amber Widmayer
LeeAnne Chandler
PROJECTS
2:00 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.
VOTE: State Highway Administration
Princess Anne Maintenance Facility
(Somerset County)Julie Roberts
2:10 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.
VOTE: Town of Denton (Caroline County)
Crouse Park Redevelopment
Conditional ApprovalRoby Hurley
2:20 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
VOTE: Queen Anne’s County
Wells Cove Landing Redevelopment
Conditional ApprovalLisa Hoerger
2:30 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.
VOTE: State Highway Administration
MD 335 Bridge over Wallace Creek (Dorchester County)
Conditional ApprovalJulie Roberts
2:40 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. LEGAL UPDATES Marianne Dise 2:50 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. OLD BUSINESS: Somerset County Program Issues
NEW BUSINESS
AdjournChair
Margaret McHale3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Training for Commission Members on HB 1253