Protecting Critical Area Resources Through the Project Review Process

This half-day workshop will provide local government plan reviewers, permit officials, inspectors, and citizen planners (i.e.  Board of Appeals and Planning Commissions) with practical knowledge about reviewing plans for development projects in Maryland’s Critical Area. Attendees will receive information on the review process needed for more complex subdivisions and site plans including density calculations, forest protection, compliance with the 10% pollutant reduction requirement, and screening for the presence of Habitat Protection Areas.

Speakers will cover:

• Simple checklists that can be used to review building permits and minor subdivisions in RCA, LDA, and IDA and ensure compliance with the Critical Area Regulations.
• Types of variance requests, how to avoid unnecessary variance requests, methods to address the variance standards, and making appropriate findings relative to the standards.
• Online resources such as MDMerlin, MDiMap, and the NRCS Web Soil Survey.

Workshop Agenda