Annapolis, MD (June 3, 2026) – County Executive Steuart Pittman and the Office of Planning and Zoning (OPZ) are recognizing the completion of all nine localized Region Plans and Comprehensive Zoning under the Plan2040 process, following the County Council’s passage of the Region Five general development plan and comprehensive zoning.
After the passage of Plan2040, the work on Region Plans began in 2021 and was led by Stakeholder Advisory Committees, giving residents a chance to shape the future of their communities.
“Under previous administrations, we saw the recommendations of our residents left on a shelf to collect dust. I vowed we would not do the same, so we created a community-led planning process where stakeholder groups provided a clear direction for the future,” said County Executive Steuart Pittman. “We gave the power to our residents, and they drafted plans that protect what people love about their neighborhoods, address the challenges, and create a more equitable and sustainable future for all.”
The Stakeholder Advisory Committees worked with OPZ to draft their plans, which were then approved by the Planning Advisory Board, County Executive, and County Council. The nine plans cover every area of the county, and were staggered to facilitate community engagement, conduct research and analyses, and allow time to write each plan.
“The comprehensive zoning process has been a long and time-consuming process over the last three years. I want to thank all the county residents who volunteered on the stakeholder advisory groups, the dedicated professional staff in the Office of Planning and Zoning for their expertise throughout this process, as well as the countless people who offered their thoughts with the Council through their testimony and outreach,” said County Council Chair Julie Hummer. “This was a truly collaborative effort and it would not have been possible without the tireless work of every single person involved.”
"These past eight years focused on developing the Countywide General Development Plan, updating two town center plans and the Green Infrastructure Plan, and creating nine community-led Region Plans,” said Jenny Dempsey, Planning and Zoning Officer. “We are excited to implement more strategies identified in these plans.”
To monitor progress on these plans, OPZ utilizes the Plan2040 Implementation Action Committee (IAC) and issues annual reports to help ensure the county prioritizes the infrastructure needs of each community and builds a smarter, greener, more equitable future. Since the implementation of Plan2040 began, Anne Arundel County preserved 1,061 acres of farms and working forests, planted over 20,000 trees, acquired 960 acres for new recreation and park properties, and created 435 new affordable housing units and added more than 1,700 affordable units to the development and financing pipelines.
In addition to the implementation of Region Plans, OPZ’s Long Range Planning section is now working to advance several key long-range initiatives, including:
- A landmark study on equity and community health to examine the impacts of industrial land uses on low-income communities and communities of color to produce data-driven recommendations to inform future land use policies, plans, and decisions to minimize future health impacts.
- A comprehensive Countywide Trails Master Plan to address network deficiencies and link neighborhoods to major activity centers and community facilities.
- Several sector plans aimed at revitalizing Village Centers; these include the Mountain Road Village Centers, the Cromwell Light Rail Station area, and the Galesville Village Center.
- Identifying and addressing impediments in the County Code that hinder transit-oriented development; and utilizing a Department of Housing and Community Development grant to develop a model Transit-Oriented Development Ordinance that could be used throughout the State.
- Completion of the triennial Water and Sewer Master Plan update.
For more information on long-range planning in Anne Arundel County, please visit aacounty.org/opz.