Caroline County hires planner, starts accelerated outreach for 2025 comprehensive plan update

Caroline County officials introduced Olivia Vedado on March 25 as the county’s new planner and outlined a schedule and outreach plan for the 2025 comprehensive plan update.

Vedado, who was described at the meeting as having 30 years’ experience in the Calvert County planning department, told commissioners the Maryland Department of Planning expects counties to submit at least draft comprehensive plans by the end of 2025 into early 2026. County staff said the update will include previously delayed elements such as septic tiers and mineral resources, and that staffing shortages and the 2020 census data delay had slowed the previous update cycle.

County planning staff said public outreach will be renewed, possibly including a new survey, flyers at county events and a designated email address for plan comments (compplanupdate@carolinemd.org). The board was told two chapters will be reviewed in May and that land-use and housing chapters are likely to experience the most substantial changes, especially in light of pending state legislation.

Commissioners and staff also discussed how other regulatory changes — including critical-area and resource-conservation updates — will be folded into the plan. Staff said a critical-area ordinance update is expected this year and that critical-area rules and delineations (for example, areas within 1,000 feet of tidal waters) will be included in the plan’s resource conservation chapter.

Planning staff said the zoning code update will follow the comprehensive plan, and emphasized the need to inform property owners because many residents do not read legal notices. The board asked staff to keep commissioners updated on outreach opportunities and to return with chapter drafts for review.