​Instructions and Guidance for Specific Plan Submissions

Instructions and Guidance on Submissions to the Maryland Department of Planning

The Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) provides technical assistance for the development of local plans and community development applications, such as Sustainable Communities applications and grant applications. Planning is also statutorily required to review and comment on a variety of jurisdictional submissions, such as comprehensive plans, annexations, Priority Funding Area (PFA) certifications, water and sewer plans, and State Clearinghouse reviews. The department strives to complete thorough and helpful reviews in a timely manner within the timeframes outlined in the Code of Maryland.

Planning does not mandate how jurisdictions submit plans for review and seeks to accommodate the needs of Maryland’s counties and municipalities. The Covid-19 pandemic has required the bulk of our staff to work remotely. We are not able to process traditional mail in the manner we once did, with staff members collecting the mail in the office and then transmitting it to those responsible for review. Therefore, we encourage jurisdictions to submit all plans for review electronically if possible, which will assure we receive it in a timely manner. Electronic submissions simplify the process for jurisdictions, as they do not require multiple paper copies or postage.

Submission Email Address

Planning recently established a general plan review submission email address at mdp.planreview@ maryland.gov, which is monitored by multiple staff members. Please copy this email address with all plan submissions. Suggested instructions for submitting the most common plans, as well as other important information and contacts, are described on the specific plan pages linked to the left.

For questions or additional assistance, please email mdp.planreview@maryland.gov.

For Clearinghouse intergovernmental review requests and inquiries, please continue to send them to mdp.clearinghouse@maryland.gov.

Large File Submissions

For file attachments totaling more than 25 megabytes, please submit as a link to a cloud storage service (e.g. DropBox, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.). For general information about using cloud storage, read this article.

To learn more about individual plan submissions, please click the links in the left toolbar

Note for State Clearinghouse Submissions

The Maryland State Clearinghouse continues to process all applications for intergovernmental review. Applicants must submit to the Clearinghouse the project/program/proposal electronically via e-mail. For Clearinghouse intergovernmental review requests and inquiries, please continue to send them to mdp.clearinghouse@maryland.gov.

To learn more, visit the Maryland Department of Planning State Clearinghouse webpage.

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