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Planners outline four Rural Legacy expansion options; commissioners weigh tier‑conversion risks and outreach needs
Summary
Planning staff presented four options for expanding Maryland’s Rural Legacy Areas in Calvert County, ranging from a tier‑4‑only, 3,520‑acre option to a 13,948‑acre option that includes tier‑3 lands and triggers municipal review. Commissioners emphasized public outreach and sought state clarity on whether inclusion would force tier‑3 properties to convert to tier‑4.
Planning and zoning staff presented four potential Rural Legacy Area (RLA) expansions for mid‑eastern Calvert County. Option 1 would add 467 parcels covering about 3,520 acres and include tier‑4 lands only, making it the clearest and fastest option to submit. Option 2 expands to shoreline areas and includes some tier‑3 parcels; Options 3 and 4 grow still larger (Option 3: about 1,615 parcels / 11,988 acres; Option 4: about 1,814 parcels / 13,948 acres) and would include tier‑3 lands that might be redesignated as tier‑4 if the state interprets the mapping that way.
Planners noted that including tier‑3 properties raises concerns about reduced buildout rights for landowners and could require a 45‑day municipal review if the expansion reaches Chesapeake Beach. Staff recommended stepped public outreach (surveys, town halls, school catchment flyers) and said a state clarification on the tier‑conversion question is needed before committing to the larger options; they also flagged a Feb. 2 application window for the state program and recommended further mapping to identify large undeveloped tracts that best meet Rural Legacy priorities.
