Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0240*
HOUSE BILL 240
L6 6lr0058
(PRE–FILED) CF 6lr0057
By: Chair, Economic Matters Committee (By Request – Departmental – Planning)
Requested: September 16, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Economic Matters
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 23, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Local Comprehensive Plans – Guidance Materials and Notification to the 2
Department of Planning 3
FOR the purpose of requiring a local planning commission to notify the Department of 4
Planning when beginning the review of the local jurisdiction’s comprehensive plan; 5
providing for the development and sharing of certain guidance materials to support 6
the review, revision, or amendment of comprehensive plans; and generally relating 7
to local comprehensive plans. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
Article – Land Use 10
Section 1–207(b) and (c)(5) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2012 Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Land Use 15
Section 1–207(c)(4) and (6), 1–208(b)(1), 1–415, 1–416, 1–417(a), 3–301, and 3–303(a) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2012 Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
2 HOUSE BILL 240
Article – Land Use 1
1–207. 2
(b) On or before July 1 of each year, a planning commission shall prepare, adopt, 3
and file an annual report for the previous calendar year with the legislative body. 4
(c) The annual report shall: 5
(4) state which local laws or regulations have been adopted or changed to 6
implement the [visions] PLANNING PRINCIPLES in § 1 –201 of this subtitle as required 7
under § 1–417 of this title or § 3–303 of this article; 8
(5) contain the measures and indicators required under § 1 –208(c) of this 9
subtitle; and 10
(6) at least once within the 5 –year period after the adoption or review by 11
the local jurisdiction of a comprehensive plan under Part II of Subtitle 4 of this title or 12
under Title 3 of this article, contain a narrative on the implementation status of the 13
comprehensive plan, including: 14
(i) a summary of the development trends contained in the previous 15
annual reports filed during the period covered by the narrative; 16
(ii) the status of comprehensive plan implementation tools such as 17
comprehensive rezoning to carry out the provisions of the comprehensive plan; 18
(iii) identification of any significant changes to existing programs, 19
zoning ordinances, regulations, financing programs, or State requirements necessary to 20
achieve the [visions] PLANNING PRINCIPLES and goals of the comprehensive plan during 21
the remaining planning timeframe; 22
(iv) identification of any State or federal laws, regulations, or 23
requirements that have impeded local implementation of the comprehensive plan and 24
recommendations to remove any impediments; 25
(v) future land use challenges and issues; and 26
(vi) a summary of any potential updates to the comprehensive plan. 27
1–208. 28
(b) (1) The General Assembly finds that: 29
(i) in addition to reporting on past land use indicators and 30
measures, local jurisdictions should strive to achieve future land use goals that implement 31
and achieve the [visions] PLANNING PRINCIPLES in § 1–201 of this subtitle; 32
HOUSE BILL 240 3
(ii) a statewide land use goal that embodies the [visions] PLANNING 1
PRINCIPLES in § 1 –201 of this subtitle and smart and sustainable growth should be 2
established; 3
(iii) the [visions] PLANNING PRINCIPLES in § 1–201 of this subtitle 4
will not be realized unless local jurisdictions s et their own goal to make incremental 5
progress towards achieving a statewide land use goal; and 6
(iv) resources are necessary to achieve a statewide goal, including 7
funding for infrastructure inside the priority funding areas and land preservation outsi de 8
the priority funding areas. 9
1–415. 10
(a) The planning commission of a charter county or code county shall implement 11
the [visions] PLANNING PRINCIPLES set forth in § 1 –201 of this title through the 12
comprehensive plan elements required under Part II of this subtitle. 13
(b) The legislative body of a charter county or code county that has adopted a 14
comprehensive plan under Part II of this subtitle may adopt regulations implementing the 15
[visions] PLANNING PRINCIPLES set forth in § 1–201 of this title in the plan. 16
1–416. 17
(a) At least once every 10 years, each planning commission shall review the 18
comprehensive plan and, if necessary, revise or amend the comprehensive plan to include 19
all: 20
(1) the elements required under Part II of this subtitle; and 21
(2) the [visions] PLANNING PRINCIPLES set forth in § 1–201 of this title. 22
(b) The planning commission may prepare comprehensive plans for one or more 23
geographic sections or divisions of the local jurisdiction if the plan for each geographic 24
section or division is reviewed and, if necessary, revised or amended at least once every 10 25
years. 26
(C) (1) A PLANNING COMMISSION SHALL NOTIFY THE DEPARTMENT OF 27
PLANNING WHEN BEGINNING A REVIEW IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (A) OF 28
THIS SECTION. 29
(2) WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING A NOTIFICATION UNDER THIS 30
SUBSECTION, THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING SHALL PROVID E THE PLANNING 31
COMMISSION WITH GUID ANCE MATERIALS RELAT ING TO STATE LAWS , BEST 32
PRACTICES FOR LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, AND ANY OTHER RESOURCES THAT 33
4 HOUSE BILL 240
MAY SUPPORT TH E REVIEW, REVISION, OR AMENDMENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE 1
PLAN. 2
(3) THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING SHALL DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN 3
THE GUIDANCE MATERIALS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION IN 4
CONSULTATION WITH OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND OFFICES AS THE DEPARTMENT 5
CONSIDERS APPROPRIATE. 6
1–417. 7
(a) At least once every 10 years, which corresponds to the comprehensive plan 8
revision process under § 1 –416 of this subtitle, a charter county shall ensure the 9
implementation of the [visions] PLANNING PRINCIPLES, the development regulations 10
element, and the sensitive areas element of the plan. 11
3–301. 12
(a) At least once every 10 years, each planning commission shall review the 13
comprehensive plan and, if necessary, revise or amend the comprehensive plan to include 14
all: 15
(1) the elements required under Subtitle 1 of this title; and 16
(2) the [visions] PLANNING PRINCIPLES set forth in § 1 –201 of this 17
article. 18
(b) The planning commission may prepare comprehensive plans for one or more 19
geographic sections or divisions of the local jurisdiction if the plan for each geographic 20
section or division is reviewed and, if necessary, revised or amended at least once every 10 21
years. 22
(C) (1) A PLANNING COMMISSION SHALL NOTIFY THE DEPARTMENT OF 23
PLANNING WHEN BEGINNING A REVIEW IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (A) OF 24
THIS SECTION. 25
(2) WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING A NOTIFICATION UNDER THIS 26
SUBSECTION, THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING SHALL PROVID E THE PLANNING 27
COMMISSION WITH GUID ANCE MATERIALS RELAT ING TO STATE LAWS , BEST 28
PRACTICES FOR LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, AND ANY OTHER RESOURCES THAT 29
MAY SUPPORT THE REVI EW, REVISION, OR AMENDMENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE 30
PLAN. 31
(3) THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING SHALL DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN 32
THE GUIDANCE MATERIALS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION IN 33
HOUSE BILL 240 5
CONSULTATION WITH OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND OFFICES AS THE DEPARTMENT 1
CONSIDERS APPROPRIATE. 2
3–303. 3
(a) At least once every 10 years, which corresponds to the comprehensive plan 4
revision process under § 3 –301 of this subtitle, a local jurisdiction shall ensure the 5
implementation of the [visions] PLANNING PRINCIPLES, the development regulations 6
element, and the sensitive areas element of the plan. 7
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 8
October 1, 2026. 9
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.