Comprehensive Plan Update
Frequently Asked Questions
Input from the community is crucial to the success of this project because a Comprehensive Plan should reflect a shared vision. As established at the Project kickoff, there are three Community Engagement Windows. During each window, the community is asked to provide input and feedback to guide the development of St. Mary's 2050.
During Community Engagement Window #1 (CEW #1), members of the community were asked to share their future vision for St. Mary's County. CEW #1 provided residents, business owners, and community partners with the opportunity to share their opinions through Community Visioning Activities, both online and in-person at visioning sessions. Click here to see the schedule of the past Community Visioning Sessions. Click here to see the results from CEW #1.
During Community Engagement Window #2 (CEW #2), public input is being sought to provide a deeper understanding of certain opinions expressed during CEW #1. A short survey, consisting of 11 questions, has been designed to seek a consensus on certain topics. Click here, scroll down, and click on the "Participate Now" button to complete the survey.
Details regarding Community Engagement Window #3 (CEW #3) will be released later this summer.
Click here, scroll down, and click on the "Participate Now" button to complete the survey. The survey consists of 11 questions (and six background questions to learn more about you). This link will be available until 5:00 p.m. on June 30th.
Please share this link with others within our community so that they can participate, too!
Staff from the Department of Land Use & Growth Management will be attending various events throughout the county during May and June. During these events, attendees will have the opportunity to complete the survey, in-person. For members of the community who are more comfortable with traditional pen/paper surveys, paper copies will be available at these events. Click here to see the schedule of events where paper surveys will be available.
Paper copies will be available at the Department of Land Use and Growth Management Office and at the three public libraries.
St. Mary's 2050: Charting our Tomorrow" is the formal name that has been given to this project and when the project is complete, we will have a new Comprehensive Plan for St. Mary's County that will bring us to 2050, and beyond.
Updates to the Comprehensive Plan can result in changes to the way that land used in the future. This project provides the opportunity for the community to engage in discussions about updates to the Plan and to help shape the future of the County.
All successful organizations plan for the future. Without this Plan, local jurisdictions can struggle to identify:
- Priorities among competing future public investment in infrastructure and other capital improvement projects; and
- Areas appropriate for directed growth and separating them from other parts of the County where preservation efforts are prioritized.
Volunteering on the Community Engagement Team, attending public engagement events, and completing surveys are the best ways to get involved.
Click here to learn more about these opportunities.
The project officially kicked off in the Fall of 2024 and is anticipated to be completed in the Spring of 2026.
Please direct your questions to StMarys2050@stmaryscountymd.gov