GARRETT COUNTY, MARYLAND

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

PLANNING

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

In Garrett County, two departments are concerned with planning: Economic Development, and Planning and Land Management.
[photo, Casselman River Bridge, Grantsville, Maryland]

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

The Department of Business Development originated as the Office of Economic Development under the Department of Planning and Community Development. In March 2015, the Office reformed as the Department of Economic Development, and was renamed the Department of Business Development on July 1, 2021.


Casselman River Bridge, Grantsville, Maryland, October 2014. Photo by Diane F. Evartt


[photo, Muddy Creek Falls at Swallow Falls State Park, north of Oakland (Garrett County), Maryland]

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & LAND MANAGEMENT

The Department of Planning and Land Management began as the Department of Planning and Land Development, and reorganized as the Planning and Community Development Division under the Department of Planning and Community Development in February 2014. The Division further reformed as the Department of Planning and Land Management in March 2015.

Formerly under the Department, the Office of Economic Development, and the Planning and Land Management Division were reconstituted as separate departments in March 2015 (County Code, Chapters 150-161).

Muddy Creek Falls at Swallow Falls State Park, north of Oakland (Garrett County), Maryland, October 2014. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.


Matters relating to planning and zoning are governed by both State and County laws. The Maryland Forest Conservation Act, for example, requires all county governments to adopt local forest conservation programs (Chapter 255, Acts of 1991; Code Natural Resources Article, secs. 5-1601 through 5-1613).

Today, five boards assist the Department: the Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board, the Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Advisory Group, the Planning Commission, the Youghiogheny Scenic and Wild River Advisory Board, and the Board of Zoning Appeals. In addition, the Soil Conservation District Board of Supervisors provides considerable information useful to the planning process.


[photo, Youghiogheny River, Friendsville, Maryland]

Youghiogheny River, Friendsville, Maryland, October 2015. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.


PERMITS & INSPECTIONS DIVISION
In February 2014, the Permits and Inspections Division started under the Department of Planning and Community Development. In March 2015, the Division became the Department of Permits and Inspections. It reformed again as a division within the Department of Planning and Land Management in March 2019.

Maryland Constitutional Offices & Agencies
Maryland Departments
Maryland Independent Agencies
Maryland Executive Commissions, Committees, Task Forces, & Advisory Boards
Maryland Universities & Colleges
Maryland Counties
Maryland Municipalities
Maryland at a Glance


Maryland Manual On-Line

© Copyright Maryland State Archives