Title 20. Maryland-Washington Regional District — Subtitle 2. County Planning Boards
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Land Use § 20-201 (2026)
Title 20. Maryland-Washington Regional District
Subtitle 2. County Planning Boards
§ 20–201LinkCopy Citation
The commissioners from each county are designated as the Montgomery County Planning Board or the Prince George’s County Planning Board, respectively.
Md. Code Ann., Land Use § 20-202 (2026)
Title 20. Maryland-Washington Regional District
Subtitle 2. County Planning Boards
§ 20–202LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a county planning board:
(i)
is responsible for planning, subdivision, and zoning functions that are primarily local in scope; and
(ii)
shall exercise, within the county planning board’s jurisdiction, the following powers:
(1)
planning;
(2)
zoning;
(3)
subdivision;
(4)
assignment of street names and house numbers; and
(5)
any related matter.
(2)
The functions under paragraph (1) of this subsection do not include the regional planning functions of the Commission relating to or affecting the regional district as a planning unit.
(b)
(1)
A county planning board has exclusive jurisdiction over:
(i)
local functions, including:
(1)
the administration of subdivision regulations;
(2)
the preparation and adoption of recommendations to the district council with respect to zoning map amendments; and
(3)
the assignment of street names and house numbers in the regional district; and
(ii)
mandatory referrals made in accordance with Subtitle 3, Part I of this title by the county planning board’s respective county government or any unit of the county government.
(2)
The Montgomery County Planning Board has exclusive jurisdiction over a mandatory referral made in accordance with Subtitle 3, Part I of this title by the County Board of Education, a municipal corporation or special taxing district, or a publicly owned or privately owned public utility.
(c)
(1)
Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Montgomery County Planning Board shall:
(i)
review the annual capital budgets of the county and future capital budget projections; and
(ii)
submit recommendations to the county council.
(2)
The county government shall have sole responsibility for the preparation of the capital budgets and programs of public works.
(d)
Each county planning board shall:
(1)
meet from time to time with its respective county council; and
(2)
perform surveys, studies, and other planning duties the county council assigns to the county planning board.
(e)
(1)
This subsection applies only to the Montgomery County Planning Board.
(2)
The Board shall:
(i)
except as provided in paragraph (5) of this subsection, stream live video or live teleconference audio or other audio of the open meetings of the Board;
(ii)
maintain on its website a complete and unedited archived recording of each open meeting that is livestreamed in accordance with this subsection; and
(iii)
notwithstanding § 3–306(b)(2)(i) of the General Provisions Article:
(1)
prepare minutes of each meeting as soon as practicable after the meeting; and
(2)
publish and maintain on its website the minutes of each open meeting prepared in accordance with this subsection.
(3)
The inability of the Board to comply with paragraph (2)(i) and (ii) of this subsection due to technical failure that entirely prevents or otherwise affects the quality of the live video or audio streaming of a meeting of the Board does not affect the validity of any action taken by the Board during the meeting if:
(i)
the Board otherwise complies with this subsection and the Open Meetings Act; and
(ii)
the inability to comply is not due to willful action by the Board.
(4)
In addition to complying with the minutes requirements of the Open Meetings Act under § 3–306 of the General Provisions Article, if the Board is unable to comply with paragraph (2)(i) of this subsection, the Board shall make good–faith efforts to record an open meeting by video or audio and maintain on its website a complete and unedited archived recording of the meeting.
(5)
A project site visit or an educational field tour does not constitute an open meeting under paragraph (2)(i) of this subsection if no organizational business is conducted.
Md. Code Ann., Land Use § 20-203 (2026)
Title 20. Maryland-Washington Regional District
Subtitle 2. County Planning Boards
§ 20–203LinkCopy Citation
(a)
The regional functions within the jurisdiction of the Commission include:
(1)
preparation, adoption, and amendment of the general plan or parts of the general plan for the physical development of the regional district in accordance with Title 21 of this article; and
(2)
mandatory referrals from the United States or the State, or any unit of the United States or the State, in accordance with Subtitle 3, Part I of this title.
(b)
The Commission or the county planning boards may recommend to the proper authorities amendments to the zoning laws, subdivision regulations, and any other rules and regulations authorized in this title.
(c)
(1)
Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the adoption of a resolution or recommendation relating to a regional matter shall be by a majority vote of the Commission.
(2)
(i)
Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the majority vote shall include at least three members from Montgomery County and at least three members from Prince George’s County.
(ii)
If a regional plan affects only one county, the affirmative vote of three members of the county planning board for the county affected shall control.
Md. Code Ann., Land Use § 20-204 (2026)
Title 20. Maryland-Washington Regional District
Subtitle 2. County Planning Boards
§ 20–204LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Each county planning board shall have administrative control and jurisdiction over personnel performing the duties and functions assigned in this subtitle to the respective county planning board.
(b)
In Montgomery County, a director serves at the pleasure of the Montgomery County Planning Board.
(c)
(1)
In this subsection, “deputy director” includes any position comparable to the position of a deputy director, as the Prince George’s County Planning Board determines.
(2)
In Prince George’s County, a director or deputy director of a department shall have education or professional experience in a field relevant to the responsibilities of that department.
(3)
A director or deputy director shall receive the compensation established in the budget for the Prince George’s County Planning Board.
(4)
(i)
Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, a director or deputy director shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Prince George’s County Planning Board.
(ii)
In Prince George’s County, an individual may elect to remain in the merit system established under Title 16, Subtitle 1 of this article if on June 30, 1991, the individual was a director of planning or a director of parks and recreation.
Md. Code Ann., Land Use § 20-205 (2026)
Title 20. Maryland-Washington Regional District
Subtitle 2. County Planning Boards
§ 20–205LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, this subtitle may not be construed to affect the powers and duties of the Commission with respect to parks and parklands.
(b)
The Commission may delegate to the county planning boards those powers and duties with respect to parks and parklands that the Commission may determine.
(c)
The Prince George’s County Planning Board shall:
(1)
provide a program of recreation in Prince George’s County; and
(2)
coordinate the program with the Commission’s park functions.
Md. Code Ann., Land Use § 20-206 (2026)
Title 20. Maryland-Washington Regional District
Subtitle 2. County Planning Boards
§ 20–206LinkCopy Citation
The expenses of operating each county planning board shall be paid from the proceeds of the administrative tax collected for the Commission under § 18–307 of this article and any additional funds appropriated by the respective county governing body.
Md. Code Ann., Land Use § 20-207 (2026)
Title 20. Maryland-Washington Regional District
Subtitle 2. County Planning Boards
§ 20–207LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Subject to subsection (b) of this section, functions not specifically allocated in this subtitle shall be assigned to the Commission or to one or both of the county planning boards, as needed.
(b)
The assignments shall:
(1)
be made by resolution of the Commission with the approval of the respective county council; and
(2)
carry out the policy that local or intracounty planning functions should be performed by the county planning boards.
Md. Code Ann., Land Use § 20-208 (2026)
Title 20. Maryland-Washington Regional District
Subtitle 2. County Planning Boards
§ 20–208LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Notwithstanding other provisions of this division, money may be included in the Commission’s annual budget and appropriated by the respective county council to provide an annual salary for each county planning board member, other than a full–time member, as compensation for the member’s services.
(b)
After notice and public hearing, the Montgomery County Council and the Prince George’s County Council may each establish the salary for a county planning board member from that county, other than a full–time member, by local law separate from budget action.
Md. Code Ann., Land Use § 20-209 (2026)
Title 20. Maryland-Washington Regional District
Subtitle 2. County Planning Boards
§ 20–209LinkCopy Citation
In Montgomery County, to the extent authorized by local law, the Montgomery County Planning Board may:
(1)
administer and enforce any adopted growth policy or forest conservation program; and
(2)
provide staffing assistance on matters relating to the promotion of historic preservation.
Md. Code Ann., Land Use § 20-210 (2026)
Title 20. Maryland-Washington Regional District
Subtitle 2. County Planning Boards
§ 20–210LinkCopy Citation
The chair of the Montgomery County Planning Board may not engage in any other full–time employment while serving as chair.