Frequently Asked Questions

The comprehensive plan is a State required policy document that outlines and proves details for the community's vision and goals to guide future growth, development, and preservation. The Comprehensive Plan also provides guidance regarding long-term public policy, and the need to prioritize infrastructure, residential needs, environmental resources, along with the interrelationships of all within the community.

It is a document that changes overtime relative to the data that has been found in an effort to provide the appropriate general guidance for decision making while contemplating all aspects of government and municipality. The Comprehensive Plan is generally looked at from what is known as the countywide view or the 1,000' level and not specific to particular properties. 

The previously approved comprehensive plan, public surveys, SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats) analysis, studies and plans completed in the last decade, existing conditions and trends, as well as Census data, and town, state, and other federal data. An extensive list of resources used in the existing comprehensive plan can be found in Appendix AB-4, Resources.

The County stakeholders or County citizens, local and state governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, community groups, Planning Commission, and the County Commissioners all have specific roles in the drafting of a comprehensive plan.

County stakeholders, local governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and community groups provide a broad array of perspectives, data, information, as well as represent the interest of affiliated organizations and agencies.

The Planning Commission is the lead in the comprehensive plan development. They work with the project team which may include a consultant in drafting the plan, maps, and implementation strategies and endorses then plan for County Commissioner approval.

While the County Commissioners provide guidance at key p0ints in the planning process, reviews and adopts the plan, and oversees implementation.

The role of the county citizen is to provide knowledgeable information, concerns, and comments. This role begins with providing input during public workshops or meetings during the data collection phase. 

As the Planning Commission drafts the document, citizens should review drafts and provide input and address concerns during the process with the Planning Commission. As well, the Planning Commission is required to hold a public hearing and 60-day review of the draft document for public, county citizens, and other county and state agencies to provide comments.

Prior to adopting, the County Commissioners shall hold a public hearing. Citizens are welcome and encouraged to attend all public hearing and provide valid and meaningful input to the Planning Commission, County staff, consultants, and the County Commissioners.

The State of Maryland requires each County and municipality to update its Comprehensive Plan every ten (10) years. The State also requires that the Comprehensive Plan address specific components (elements) in the Comprehensive Plan including Goals and Objectives, Land Use, Housing, Transportation, Growth and Development, Sensitive Areas, Mineral Resources, Fisheries, and Water Resources.

A comprehensive rezoning is a public process initiated by the County to update the County's zoning map on a County-wide basis to align with the comprehensive plan future land use map. This is typically done in conjunction with the Comprehensive Plan update. As well, county citizens can request a comprehensive rezoning request through the comprehensive plan process.

The Comprehensive Plan is a long-term policy document outlining the community's vision and goals to guide future growth, development, and preservation in Queen Anne's County.

The Zoning Ordinance is part of the Queen Anne's County Code that regulates the physical development of the land within a specific zoning district. 

Generally, the comprehensive plan is looked at from a collective larger countywide or 1,000' view while the zoning code is to provide analysis at the parcel level.

In addition to serving as Queen Anne's County document outlining the community's vision and goals to provide future growth, development, and preservation, the Comprehensive Plan also provides guidance on long-term public policy, prioritizing infrastructure, residents, environmental resources, and the interrelationships of all within the community. Many other required county documents and applications for development review are required to be found consistent, or what is known as findings of consistency, with the Comprehensive Plan in order to be approved.

In the Comprehensive Plan, the goals, strategies, and recommendations work together to address the long-range vision for Queen Anne's County. Goals are the broad, long-term outcomes. Strategies are the methods to achieve these goals. Recommendations are the specific actions for implementation.

The Queen Anne's County Comprehensive Plan includes a set of goals, strategies, and recommendations at the end of each subject chapter and a full matrix in Chapter 12, Implementation.

Maryland requires that the Comprehensive Plan be updated every 10 years. The Queen Anne's County current Comprehensive Plan was adopted on May 24, 2022, so the next update will be due in May 2032.