1. Identify how the human activities in the state of Maryland have changed/ evolved over the last 50 years.
2. Identify the characteristics of planned development versus sprawl.
3. Use maps to evaluate the geographic features of a land area.
4. Explain the process by which land development practices involve public input and the role of both the county and state governments in that process.
5. Explain the connection between land development and the environment.
6. Evaluate a land planning document and prepare a fictitious planning document for a given area of land.

Expectation 3.1: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship of cultural and physical geographic factors in the development of government policy.

Indicator 3.1.2: The student will evaluate the role of government in addressing land use and other environmental issues.

• What is Maryland's Smart Growth Program
• Paper
• Markers, colored pencils, etc.
• Internet access or ADC maps
• Comprehensive/Master or Small Area Plan for your county 
• Student Handout: Creating a Master Plan

In 1992, Maryland passed the Economic Growth, Resource Protection, and Planning Act. The Act required local jurisdictions to address seven "Visions" for growth in their comprehensive plans. The visions are: 

1. Development is concentrated in suitable areas;
2. Sensitive areas are protected;
3. In rural areas, growth is directed to existing population centers and resource areas are protected;
4. Stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay and the land is a universal ethic;
5. Conservation of resources, including a reduction in resource consumption, is practiced;
6. To assure the achievement of 1 through 5 above, economic growth is encouraged and regulatory mechanisms are streamlined; and
7. Funding mechanisms are addressed to achieve these visions. 

Identify a Master Plan or Small Area Plan produced by your county to review in class.  (Contact your planning office, listed on the inside back cover of Picture Maryland.   Planning offices for towns can be obtained through the Maryland Municipal League, also listed there.)   Many of these plans are available online at your local planning office’s website.  If not, make a hard copy of the plan available for students to review in small groups.  (Note:  “county” below includes Baltimore City.)

Ask groups to answer the following questions.  Students can be assigned several questions and asked to research them and report back to the class.  To answer these questions, students should:

1. Read background materials from your county planning office or on the web to identify key issues or questions you wish to explore.
2. Identify a knowledgeable person to interview about local planning issues.  This could be someone from your local planning agency, Soil Conservation District, State agency involved in planning and development issues (e.g. wetland regulator, Department of Planning, etc) or a developer, historian or citizen activist.  
3. Develop interview questions.
4. Conduct your interview.
5. Share the information you learned with the rest of the class.  Presentations could be made orally, with visual aids such as power-point, posters, or slides.
6. Proceed to Activity 3.

Key questions:

• What are the goals of the plan?  Are there any important goals you feel are missing?
• What is the geographic area covered by the plan?
• What actions will the county take to ensure services are provided for future growth?
• What are key natural resources in the county?  What actions will the county take to protect farmland, forests and other natural areas?
• What are the major transportation issues facing the county?  What actions will the county take to provide adequate transportation?
• What are the major housing issues facing the county?  What actions will the county take to meet them?
• Does the area include significant historic resources?  What actions will the county take to preserve historic sites?
• What type of development does the county plan to encourage (e.g. residential, commercial, industrial, etc)?  How?
• Do you see any conflicts in the actions proposed in the Plan?  If so, identify them.
• How does the county provide for public participation in the planning process?
• How will the plan be used in decision-making?

Additional sites that may help you answer the above questions include: 

Contents | What’s the Plan? | Student Handout: Creating a Master Plan
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