Planning department reports 71,593 acres preserved; seeks continued capital support for land preservation and community improvement grants

Megan Benjamin, land preservation administrator in the Baltimore County Department of Planning, told the Planning Board subcommittee that the county has protected 71,593 acres in permanent conservation easements as of the end of calendar year 2024 and continues to pursue the county goal of protecting 80,000 acres.

“As of the end of calendar year 2024, we currently have 71,593 acres of preserved lands protected in permanent conservation easements,” Benjamin said. She said the county is working across multiple programs — including the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF), county agricultural easement purchases, donated easements and rural legacy programs — to reach the 80,000‑acre objective.

Benjamin described the county’s portfolio and pipeline: 698 acres and 15 projects closed last calendar year, with county funds applied to seven of those projects; 26 additional easements covering just under 1,800 acres are in various stages of the pipeline. She said the county contributes $2 million annually to support MALPF match funding, which leverages state funds and results in state‑held easements that carry stewardship efficiencies.

Benjamin emphasized agricultural economy and natural‑resource benefits. She said preservation programs require soil‑conservation and water‑quality plans, forest stewardship plans where forest blocks are protected, and rural legacy easements often include stream‑buffer and canopy protections. She also noted that preserved land provides water‑quality, climate and food‑security benefits that serve county residents broadly.

Steve Lafferty, director of planning, presented the community improvement and place‑making side of the department’s capital work and reviewed recent grants and project partnerships. He described several ongoing projects and grant programs the department administers, including facade and small‑grant programs for commercial corridors, architectural “on‑call” services for property owners, and community facility improvements for nonprofits.

Lafferty highlighted the county’s recent property acquisition activity at Security Square Mall. The county purchased an additional 9 acres from Macy’s, bringing public ownership in the property area to roughly 39 acres. The county has engaged Redgate Financial Advisors to advise on a master‑developer procurement to reposition the site; Lafferty said coordination with other property owners and reciprocal‑easement limitations make the redevelopment complex.

Lafferty also reviewed work in Pikesville (including a mural and investments related to the Pikesville Armory Foundation), Liberty Road facade grants and a new community improvement grant program that allocated $1.2 million for two tiers of grants to community organizations. He said some FY24 county funds were used to support nine organizations with façade and community building projects and that additional FY26 funds will be managed with clarified rules and expectations following the program’s initial round.

Board members asked whether land preservation funding needs would decline if the 80,000‑acre goal is met; Benjamin said budgetary needs would change once goals are met but that the county will continue to preserve strategically important acres as opportunities and willing sellers arise. Committee members also asked for further analysis of agriculture’s economic output; Benjamin said she would follow up with the Office of Agriculture and Economic and Workforce Development for more specific figures.

Both presenters noted that land‑preservation and community‑improvement programs are intended to advance sustainability and equity goals and that several projects rely on state matching funds or other partnerships. Lafferty said the department will retool the community improvement grant program in the coming budget cycle and continue partnering with community‑based organizations on place‑based investments.