Natural Resources - Establishment of Gwynns Falls State Park

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0959*

HOUSE BILL 959
M1 6lr2741
CF 6lr3662
By: Delegates Ruff, Amprey, Lewis, Rosenberg, Stinnett, and Wells
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Natural Resources – Establishment of Gwynns Falls State Park 2

FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Natural Resources to establish Gwynns 3
Falls State Park as a partnership park between the Department and Baltimore City; 4
altering the authorized uses of a certain part of the Park System Capital 5
Improvements and Acquisition Fund; prohibiting the Department from charging an 6
entrance fee to Gwynns Falls State Park; requiring that Gwynns Falls State Park 7
consist of a certain area; requiring the Department, in consultation with Baltimore 8
City, to hire an independent consultant to complete a certain comprehensive park 9
master plan; requiring the Governor to include certain appropriations in the annual 10
budget bill for a certain fiscal year; and generally relating to the establishment of 11
Gwynns Falls State Park. 12

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Natural Resources 14
Section 5–221(a)(1) and (2) and (b) and 5–1012(a), (b), and (f–1) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 18
Article – Natural Resources 19
Section 5–221(l) and (n) 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 22

BY adding to 23
Article – Natural Resources 24
Section 5–1012(f–2) 25
Annotated Code of Maryland 26
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 27

2 HOUSE BILL 959

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2

Article – Natural Resources 3

5–221. 4

(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 5

(2) “Fund” means the Park System Capital Improvements and Acquisition 6
Fund. 7

(b) There is a Park System Capital Improvements and Acquisition Fund. 8

(l) The first [$70,000,000] $74,000,000 received by the Fund may be used only 9
as follows: 10

(1) At least $5,000,000 for infrastructure projects that mitigate the effects 11
of climate change, including: 12

(i) Flood barriers; 13

(ii) Forest buffers; 14

(iii) Green spaces; 15

(iv) Building elevation; 16

(v) Stormwater infrastructure; 17

(vi) Wetlands restoration; and 18

(vii) Addressing environmental justice concerns; 19

(2) At least $5,000,000 for his toric preservation, in accordance with 20
subsection (m) of this section; 21

(3) At least $20,000,000 for transportation improvements, including: 22

(i) Improving bike lanes and trails, increasing walkability, and 23
expanding parking availability; and 24

(ii) Targeting transportation investments to avoid capacity 25
shutdowns; 26

(4) At least $10,000,000 for increasing water access, including kayak and 27
boat launches and areas for picnicking near water and swimming; [and] 28
HOUSE BILL 959 3

(5) IN FISCAL YEAR 2028, $4,000,000 FOR RENOVATION OF THE TRAIL 1
HEADQUARTERS OFFICE IN GWYNNS FALLS/LEAKIN PARK IN ORDER TO SERVE AS A 2
JOINT PARTNERSHIP PA RK OFFICE AND VISITO R CENTER FOR GWYNNS FALLS 3
STATE PARK; AND 4

(6) Up to $30,000,000 for land acquisition, including: 5

(i) Areas in the central and southern regions of the State that will: 6

1. Relieve overcrowding at existing State parks; and 7

2. Expand public access to State parks and outdoor 8
recreation; 9

(ii) Sites of significance to the history of African Americ an, Asian, 10
Indigenous or Native American, and Hispanic or Latino populations in the State; and 11

(iii) Beachfront or waterfront property for public access. 12

(n) If the Fund receives more than [$70,000,000] $74,000,000, the Department 13
may use up to $10,0 00,000 for any of the purposes identified under subsection (l) of this 14
section, including: 15

(1) Land activation; 16

(2) New structures; 17

(3) Any capital improvements necessary to make State parks accessible to 18
people with disabilities, including providing adult changing tables; and 19

(4) Up to $100,000 for the Maryland Recreation Communication Boards 20
Pilot Program. 21

5–1012. 22

(a) In this section, “partnership park” means a unit of the State park system 23
managed by the Department in partnership with a local government, a bicounty agency, or 24
a nonprofit organization. 25

(b) The Department may enter into: 26

(1) A memorandum of understanding with a local government, bicounty 27
agency, or nonprofit organization to establish a partnership park in the State; or 28

4 HOUSE BILL 959

(2) A partnership agreement with a local government, bicounty agency, or 1
nonprofit organization to manage a partnership park in the State. 2

(f–1) (1) The Department and Baltimore City shall: 3

(i) Convene focus group meetings on the establishment of the 4
Gwynns Falls State Park with community members and stakeholders that reside or operate 5
in the vicinity of the proposed State park; 6

(ii) Develop a list of priority needs and associated cost assessments 7
for park operations and improvements, including: 8

1. Capital improvements; 9

2. Critical maintenance; 10

3. Enhanced natural resource management and restoration, 11
including implementation of a biohabitats study; 12

4. Historic site restoration; 13

5. Enhanced outdoor recreation amenities, including trail 14
improvements; 15

6. Adding park staff and procuring equipment and supplies; 16
and 17

7. Law enforcement and public safety; and 18

(iii) Establish a stakeholder advisory committee to advise the 19
Department and Baltimore City on the scope and management of Gwynns Falls State Park 20
that consists of: 21

1. At least one member of the Friends of Gwynns 22
Falls/Leakin Park; 23

2. At least six mem bers representing local park advocacy 24
organizations, local environmental organizations, local historic preservation organizations, 25
neighborhood organizations from neighborhoods that border the future Gwynns Falls State 26
Park site; and 27

3. Any additional members as determined by the 28
Department and Baltimore City. 29

(2) On or before December 1, 2025, the Department shall submit a report 30
to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, on: 31

HOUSE BILL 959 5

(i) Property owned by the State in Baltimore City that is suitable 1
for inclusion in Gwynns Falls State Park; 2

(ii) Property owned by Baltimore City or a nonprofit organization in 3
Baltimore City that is suitable for inclusion in Gwynns Falls State Park and for which the 4
landowners are willing to enter into a partnership agreement; and 5

(iii) The funding needed to establish and promote Gwynns Falls State 6
Park. 7

(F–2) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTA BLISH GWYNNS FALLS STATE 8
PARK AS A PARTNERSHIP PARK BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND BALTIMORE CITY 9
THAT SEEKS TO PROVID E VISITORS WITH ACCE SSIBLE OUTDOOR, NATURE–BASED 10
RECREATION AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. 11

(2) GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK SHALL BE HELD BY THE STATE AS A 12
STATE PARK UNDER THE PROTECTION AND ADMIN ISTRATION OF THE 13
DEPARTMENT. 14

(3) THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT CH ARGE ANY ENTRANCE FE E TO 15
GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK. 16

(4) (I) SUBJECT TO SUBPARAGRA PH (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , 17
GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK SHALL CONSIST OF THE AREA OF LAND IDE NTIFIED 18
UNDER SECTION 7 OF BALTIMORE CITY’S GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK REPORT 19
SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (F–1)(2) OF THIS SECTION. 20

(II) THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH BALTIMORE 21
CITY, SHALL HIRE AN INDEPE NDENT CONSULTANT TO COMPLETE A 22
COMPREHENSIVE PARK M ASTER PLAN FOR GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK THAT 23
WILL: 24

1. DEFINE THE EXACT BOUNDARIES OF GWYNNS FALLS 25
STATE PARK; AND 26

2. INCLUDE ENGAGING CITI ZENS IN THE PLANNING OF 27
GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK. 28

(5) THE MEMORANDUM OF UND ERSTANDING ESTABLISH ING THE 29
GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK SHALL DEFINE: 30

(I) THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, INCLUDING FINANCIAL 31
RESPONSIBILITIES, OF THE DEPARTMENT AND BALTIMORE CITY IN MAINTAINING 32
AND OPERATING THE STATE PARK; AND 33
6 HOUSE BILL 959

(II) A PARTNERSHIP ROLE FOR THE FRIENDS OF GWYNNS 1
FALLS/LEAKIN PARK IN SUPPORT OF TH E STATE PARK ’S MISSION AND 2
VOLUNTEERS. 3

(6) THE GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY 4
COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED UNDER SUBSECTION (F–1) OF THIS SECTION SHALL: 5

(I) MEET QUARTERLY; AND 6

(II) ADVISE THE DEPARTMENT ON THE SCOPE, MANAGEMENT, 7
AND IMPROVEMENTS TO GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK. 8

(7) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2028, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUDE IN THE 9
ANNUAL BUDGET BILL: 10

(I) AN APPROPRIATION OF $2,880,354 FOR THE 11
ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION COSTS OF GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK; AND 12

(II) AN APPROPRIATION OF $280,000 FOR THE HIRING OF TH E 13
INDEPENDENT CONS ULTANT REQUIRED UNDE R PARAGRAPH (4) OF THIS 14
SUBSECTION. 15

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 16
1, 2026. 17