Planning commission forwards Tuckahoe Rural Legacy priority to county commissioners

At its February 2026 meeting the Caroline County Planning Commission voted to forward a letter to the county commissioners recommending that the Tuckahoe Rural Legacy Area be designated as the county’s priority for the state Rural Legacy program.

Planning staff described how Rural Legacy boundaries are set by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in coordination with local land trusts such as the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and noted that the county’s goals align with MALPF and Rural Legacy to create contiguous blocks of preserved farmland. Staff said the state program expanded after a recent infusion of funding and that many Rural Legacy areas roughly doubled in size about five or six years ago.

“Eastern Shore Land Conservancy is really good at coordinating the effort to try and get the money as far as it can go,” the planner said, while also warning that program funding is uncertain: “of course, now they’ll have no budget for the next 4 years so it’s kind of dismal.” Staff told commissioners the state still makes final prioritization decisions and may choose other areas where there are active easement applicants.

A commission member moved to forward the attached priority letter to the county commissioners for their review; Keith Bilbrough seconded the motion. Chair Jeff Jackson called for the vote and the commission voted in favor. The forwarded letter will be before the county commissioners at their next meeting.

The commission’s discussion emphasized local outreach to landowners in Tuckahoe so that property owners who wish to pursue easements are ready if state funding is available; staff said being inside a designated Rural Legacy area makes a landowner eligible for particular easement programs, while other programs such as MALPF offer alternate routes to preservation.