Commission Information


About the Commission and Its Members


Questions?

... or information about the Critical Area Program or questions relating to State oversight of local programs, e-mail us or call 410-260-3460

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Critical Area Commission
1804 West Street
Annapolis, MD 21401

Telephone:410-260-3460
Fax:410-974-5338

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About the Commission

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Commission Meeting and Commission Agenda Information

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Project Implementation Subcommittee
​​ Schedule and Details
Program​ Implementation Subcommitee​
​​ Schedule and Details



Project Implementation Subcommitee
April 17, 2024
Program​ Implementation Subcommitee​
April 26, 2024

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Critical Area Commission Meeting
​ May 1​​, 2024​



Archived Meetings and Archived Meeting Minutes​


​2024 Critical Area Commission Schedule

The Critical Area Commission meets every 6 weeks to formally consider State and local development projects in the Critical Area, local Critical Area Program changes, regulatory updates and other items of business. Meetings will be held virtually or in person at 100 Community Place in Crownsville MD as noted below.

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​Project Subcommittee
 9:00 a.m. to Noon
Program Subcommittee
9:00 a.m. to Noon
Full Commission Meeting Starting at 1:00 p.m.
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February 7th
100 Community Place, Crownsville MD​
*see published agenda for times​
*Starting at 12:15 p.m.​
February 7th
100 Community Place,
​Crownsville MD​
March 6th
Virtual
​March 15th
Virtual
March 20th
Virtual
April 17th
Virtual
April 26th
Virtual
May 1st
Virtual
May 29th
Virtual​
June 7th
Virtual
June 12th
Virtual
July 24th
Virtual
August 2nd
Virtual
August 7th
100 Community Place,
Crownsville, MD
September 4th
Virtual
September 13th
Virtual
September 18th
Virtual
October 16th
Virtual
November 1st
Virtual
November 6th
Virtual
December 4th
Virtual
December 13th
Virtual
December 18th
​ 100 Community Place, Crownsville, MD

FULL COMMISSION MEETING DETAILS

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Meeting Date
Location​
AGENDA PUBLISHED
February 7th
100 Community Place, Crownsville MD
January 26th​

March 20th

Virtual
March 8th

May 1st

Virtual
April 19th

June 12th

Virtual
May 31st
August 7th
100 Community Place, Crownsville MD
July 26th

September 18th

Virtual
September 6th
November 6th

Virtual

October 25th
Dec​ember 18th​
100 Community Place, Crownsville MD
December 6th​


  • To submit a State or Local Development project for inclusion on an Agenda, please refer to the Project Subcommittee Meeting Details by clicking here for additional information.
  • To submit a local Critical Area Program change for inclusion on an Agenda, including map updates, text changes, and growth allocations, please refer to the Program Subcommittee Meeting Details by clicking here​ for additional information.

All agendas will be published on the date specified. Agendas and staff reports will be posted and available to the public. The public is encouraged to attend meetings. A link to a YouTube video will be available for virtual meetings only.



Roles and Responsibilities of the Commission

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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.

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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 Commerce;
  • Department of Housing and Community Development;
  • Department of the Environment;
  • Department of Transportation;
  • Department of Natural Resources;
  • Department of Planning.

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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.

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Public Hearing and Public Meetings

There are no public hearings or public meetings scheduled at this time.


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