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 Subcommit​tee​
​​ Schedule and Details



Project Implementation Subcommittee
December 4, 2024​
Program​ Implementation Subcommitt​ee​
​December 13, 2024​

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Critical Area Commission Meeting
​​December 18​​, 2024​​​



Archived Meetings and Archived Meeting Minutes​


​2025​ 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
10:00 a.m. to Noon
All Subcommittee Meetings are Virtual
Program Subcommittee
10:00 a.m. to Noon
All Subcommittee Meetings are Virtual
Full Commission Meeting
Starts at 1:00 p.m.​
January 15January 17January 29
Virtual
February 26February 28​March 12
100 Community Place
Crownsville, MD
April 9April 11April 23
Virtual
May 21May 23June 4
Virtual
June 25June 27July 9
Virtual
August 6August 8August 20
100 Community Place,
Crownsville, MD
September 17September 19October 1
Virtual
October 22October 24November 5
Virtual
December 3December 5December 17
100 Community Place,
Crownsville, MD

FULL COMMISSION MEETING DETAILS

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Meeting DateLocationAGENDA PUBLISHED
January 29VIRTUALJanuary 21
March 12100 Community Place, CrownsvilleMarch 3
April 23VIRTUALApril 14
June 4VIRTUALMay 27
July 9VIRTUALJune 30
August 20100 Community Place, CrownsvilleAugust 11
October 1VIRTUALSeptember 22
November 5VIRTUALOctober 27
December 17100 Community Place, CrownsvilleDecember 8


  • 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 Hearings

There are no public hearings scheduled at this time.


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