Press Room

News & Announcements 2026

Baltimore's Harborplace nominated to be designated an endangered historic place as redevelopment looms. Baltimore's Harborplace could be designated an endangered historic place, in the latest effort to stop the redevelopment of the waterfront space. CBS News (October 2, 2026)

Governor Launches New Permitting Team, Housing Initiatives. The Permitting and Licensing Acceleration Team, or PLAT, will review State permitting, licensing, and certification processes and work with local governments on ways to reduce delays. The first round of work will focus on building State-local permitting roadmaps with the four pilot jurisdictions before expanding to other interested local governments. Conduit Street (October 1, 2026)

Moore signs executive orders to remove hurdles to new housing approval, construction. Gov. Wes Moore continued his push against administrative barriers to new housing development Thursday, signing executive orders to identify administrative bottlenecks that delay project permit approvals and to speed construction of those units. Maryland Matters (October 1, 2026)

Easton's Waterfowl Festival seeks state grant to restore nearly 100-year-old armory. Organizers of the Waterfowl Festival are asking the state for help with repairs to Easton's historic armory, the building that has served as the festival's home base for more than half of its life. WBOC (September 30, 2026)

Pocomoke City Updates Zoning Regulations on Accessory Dwelling Units. The Pocomoke City Council passed legislation Monday night updating the zoning regulations surrounding accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which are smaller housing units either attached to a single-family home or located on the same property. WMDT (September 29, 2026)

Ocean City will miss ADU deadline. Despite being behind schedule, Ocean City Planning and Community Development Director George Bendler says the municipality is working with state planners to pass an accessory dwelling unit policy this fall. OC Today-Dispatch (September 24, 2026)
Berlin Planning Commission continues ADU conversation. Berlin officials continued discussing guidelines for accessory dwelling units during a planning commission meeting last week, focusing on design standards and how the town can review proposed units without creating burdensome barriers to construction. Bayside Gazette (September 24, 2026)

Governor Moore Signs Executive Order Establishing Data Center Review Framework. Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order establishing a new State review process for large data center projects, with local approvals, ratepayer protections, infrastructure impacts, and community engagement built into the framework. Conduit Street (September 23, 2026)
Baltimore group sues to block Harborplace redevelopment, demolition of pavilions. A group of Baltimore community members and business owners has filed a lawsuit challenging the planned redevelopment of Harborplace. CBS News (September 21, 2026)
Historic status sought for Harborplace to ward off demolition. A developer unaffiliated with Harborplace owner MCB Real Estate filed the application with the Maryland Historical Trust. Baltimore Business Journal (September 18, 2026)
Nominations Closing Soon for 2027 Sustainable Growth Awards. Maryland communities have until September 30 to nominate local leaders, projects, and policies for statewide recognition through the 2027 Sustainable Growth Awards. Conduit Street (September 16, 2026)
St. Mary’s Sets Hearing on 2050 Plan Draft. The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County will hold a public hearing Oct. 6 on the draft St. Mary’s 2050 Comprehensive Plan, moving the county’s long-range land-use and development blueprint into another stage of the adoption process. The Southern Maryland Chronicle (September 16, 2026)

Webinar To Explore How Local Governments Can Turn Comprehensive Plans Into Zoning Action. A comprehensive plan may set a community’s long-term vision, but putting it into practice often comes down to local zoning. Conduit Street (September 16, 2026)

Montgomery Co. schools begin review that could lead to closures, boundary changes. Montgomery County Public Schools has seen declining enrollment over the past year, and officials expect that trend to continue. WTOP (August 25, 2026)

3 Baltimore historical properties chosen to receive part of $1 million in preservation grants. Three historical properties in Baltimore will receive a share of $1 million in grants from the Maryland Historical Trust. CBS News (August 19, 2026)

Beneath This Charles County Courthouse Are Clues To A Lost Town. Long before La Plata became the center of Charles County government, Port Tobacco was a thriving port town where court cases were heard, government decisions were made and generations of residents conducted county business. The Bay Net (August 19, 2026)

Maryland in 50 Years and Beyond: Planning for the Long View. Planning for the next budget cycle is a necessity, but planning for the next generation may be even more important. Conduit Street (August 1,9, 2026)

Moving at the Speed of Need at #MACoCon. State and county leaders examine how Maryland can make permitting more predictable and efficient while supporting responsible growth. Conduit Street (August 19, 2026)

Eleven preservation projects, including four in the Baltimore area, will receive grants totaling $1M from the Maryland Historical Trust. The Patterson Park Observatory and three landmark churches in the Baltimore area are among 11 historic properties around the state that will receive preservation grants from the Maryland Historical Trust. Baltimore Fish Bowl (August 19, 2026)

Financing, permit challenges stand in the way of building new housing, officials say. State and local housing and planning officials say there is an urgent need to build more housing supply to start bringing down Maryland’s skyrocketing housing costs as soon as possible. Bethesda Magazine (August 17, 2026)

Governor Moore Announces Maryland Achieves Nearly All of 2025 Chesapeake Bay Restoration Goals, Sets Sights on 2040. Governor Moore today announced Maryland has successfully met or surpassed nearly all of its pollution reduction targets set under the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement to improve water quality. The Office of Governor Wes Moore Press Release (August 11, 2026)
Places Restored, Threatened, Saved, and Lost in Preservation Magazine's Summer 2026 Issue. In each Transitions section of Preservation magazine, we highlight places of local and national importance that have recently been restored, are currently threatened, have been saved from demolition or neglect, or have been lost. Here are five from Summer 2026. Saving Places (August, 2026)
Heritage Area Mini-Grant Program Accepting Applications for FY 2027. The Garrett County Department of Business Development encourages local nonprofits, municipalities, historical organizations, and community groups to apply for the Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area's FY 2027 Mini-Grant Program. Garrett County Government (August 6, 2026)
Maryland Releases First Statewide EV Infrastructure Plan. The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) has released the state’s first Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Plan (ZEVIP), providing counties and other local partners with a roadmap for expanding public electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure over the next five years. Conduit Street (August 6, 2026)

Deep Dive: A Four-Year Review of Major Housing Bills.Every four years, the Department of Legislative Services (DLS) publishes its Major Issues Review, highlighting major policy debates and legislation enacted during the preceding legislative term. Conduit Street (August 6, 2026)
Commissioners Approve Grants, Ordinance, and Key Agreements During July 28 Meeting. The St. Mary’s County Commissioners opened their July 28, 2026, business meeting with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance before unanimously approving the consent agenda. Southern Maryland News Net (August 3, 2026)
Maryland Is Creating New Parks — But What Happens To The History Already There? Maryland is home to a wide range of landscapes that tell the story of the state’s past. The Bay Net (August 2, 2026)
Maryland Humanities Announces Summer Locations for Revolutionary Maryland: Freedom of the Press Then and Now Traveling Exhibition News. This summer, the exhibition will be available for viewing in Frederick, Garrett and Calvert Counties. The Sentinel (July 31, 2026)

County Gathering Info For Next Solar Farm Hearing. Allegany County will testify at the next hearing on a solar project on Helmstetter’s Curve in September and cross-examine the case Solar Star Allegany South made for the project. WCBC Radio (July 31, 2026)

St. Mary’s Approves Verizon Deal, Cannabis Fund Rules. St. Mary’s County commissioners finalized a new cable franchise agreement with Verizon and approved an ordinance governing how the county will distribute more than $1.5 million in state cannabis reinvestment funding during their July 21 business meeting, while sending a contested zoning proposal targeting gas stations, vape shops and dollar stores back to the Planning Commission for further review. The Southern Maryland Chronicle (July 29, 2026)

La Plata Adopts New Road Growth Ordinance. The La Plata Town Council adopted a new ordinance Tuesday requiring developers to demonstrate adequate road capacity before building new projects, the second growth-management ordinance the council has approved this year as the town works to catch up with a development boom that has outpaced its existing regulations. The Southern Maryland Chronicle (July 29, 2026)

St. Mary’s Approves Verizon Deal, Cannabis Fund Rules. St. Mary’s County commissioners finalized a new cable franchise agreement with Verizon and approved an ordinance governing how the county will distribute more than $1.5 million in state cannabis reinvestment funding during their July 21 business meeting, while sending a contested zoning proposal targeting gas stations, vape shops and dollar stores back to the Planning Commission for further review. SOMC (July 29, 2026)

Revolutionary Maryland Exhibit Comes to St. Leonard. A statewide traveling exhibition on the history of press freedom in America opens this week at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum in St. Leonard, bringing a project tied to Maryland’s role in the country’s 250th anniversary to Calvert County through late September. SOMC (July 29, 2026)

Ribbon Cutting Opens New Chapter for Westminster's Historic 1767 Durbin House. Nearly 260 years after William Durbin built his stone farmhouse on the Maryland frontier, community leaders gathered Tuesday afternoon, July 28, 2026, to celebrate the beginning of its next chapter. Patch (July 29, 2026)

Maryland in 50 Years and Beyond – Wednesday Wrap-up Session at #MACoCon. At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference, county leaders will close out the loaded Wednesday agenda with a longer look — stepping back, and contemplating what Maryland’s future looks like in 50 years, and beyond. Conduit Street (July 28, 2026)

Tour former comptroller's office at Jefferson Patterson Park. For 50 years, Louis L. Goldstein served as Maryland's comptroller, and now his eclectic office is part of an exhibit at the Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum visitors center in St. Leonard. SOMD News (July 27, 2026)

St. Mary’s Seeks $40K Grant To Document Historic Smokehouses, Dairies And Farm Buildings. The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County authorized the Department of Land Use and Growth Management on July 21 to apply for a $40,000 Maryland Historical Trust grant to document historic agricultural buildings that are disappearing from the county’s landscape. The Bay Net (July 25, 2026)

Governor Moore Announces $5 Million in FY27 Maryland Heritage Grant Awards to Promote Local Economic Development. Governor Wes Moore today announced 58 matching grant awards totaling $5 million for Maryland nonprofits, local jurisdictions, and heritage tourism organizations awarded by the Maryland Heritage Areas Program. Granicus (July 10, 2026)

Art installation in Chestertown celebrates four centuries of Black histories. In June, leading up to Juneteenth and Independence Day, the Maryland Commission on Public Art convened on Maryland’s Eastern Shore for its June quarterly meeting and the statewide launch of a temporary installation at the circa 1746 Custom House along the Chester River in Kent County. The Star Democrat (June 30, 2026)
Mark Your Calendar: 250th Anniversary Events In Calvert County Are Here! This yearlong observance will celebrate the enduring ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness while highlighting the people, places, and stories that have helped shape our nation's history and future. The Bay New (June 15, 2026)
Cleaning the river one inch at a time. Holding hands, the chain of waders walked slowly into the river until their young leader said stop. SOMD News (June 14, 2026)
Launch of the Parkers Creek Heritage Trail. The American Chestnut Land Trust on Saturday launched its Parkers Creek Heritage Trail, which is a series of 22 interpretive signs posted throughout it 26-mile trail system. SOMD News (June 9, 2026)
USS Constellation gets state preservation award after $1M renovation by Living Classrooms Foundation and its Historic Ships in Baltimore division. As part of an effort to get its fleet of historic ships and other vessels ready for the summer tourist season, the Living Classrooms Foundation last fall launched a six-month, $1 million campaign to renovate the rigging on the USS Constellation. Baltimore Fishbowl (June 3, 2026)
USS Constellation in Baltimore's Inner Harbor wins state preservation award for mast restoration.
America's 250th birthday is on the way. WMAR-2 (June 3, 2026)
USS Constellation earns Maryland Historical Trust award for restoration work in Baltimore. The USS Constellation earned grand recognition for its restoration efforts. WBALTV11 (June 3, 2026)
Maryland dedicates state park to African American history. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the office of Gov. Wes Moore and other partners dedicated Freedman's State Park to African American History on May 15. Bay Journal (May 26, 2026)
New Law Eases Path For Living Shoreline Loans In Maryland. A new state law will remove financial barriers and make it easier for Maryland residents to build living shorelines on their property. The Bay Net (May 25, 2026)
National Park Service Awards $59,715 to Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum to Create Exhibit on Rural Wallville Community. Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum (JPPM), a division of the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT), was recently awarded $59,715 of grant funding by National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways to create a long-term exhibit entitled “Witnesses of Wallville: A Rural Community in Context.” MHT Press-Release (May 20, 2026)
Carroll County Board of Commissioners Receive Maryland Preservation Award. On Friday, May 1st, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners (BoC) received a Maryland Preservation Award from Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) for the BoC’s commitment to Union Mills Homestead restoration. Carroll Connect County News (May 14, 2026)
The Pocomoke Indian Nation & Beach to Bay Heritage Area awarded honor. The Maryland Historical Trust Awards took place in Pocomoke City, honoring a vital group in the city’s history. Groups like Beach to Bay Heritage Area ensure history is always put at the forefront. WMDT (May 14, 2026)
Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation, Inc. and Maryland Historical Trust to Honor Faye Allen Belt with 2026 Maryland Preservation Award for Excellence in Community Impact. Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation, Inc. will honor Faye Allen Belt as the recipient of the prestigious Maryland Historical Trust 2026 Maryland Preservation Award for Excellence in Community Impact, during a special program in Annapolis. AFR (May 14, 2026)
Heritage Area, Pocomoke Indian Nation's collaboration on trail to be honored by Md. Historical Trust. The Beach to Bay Heritage Area and the Pocomoke Indian Nation will receive the Excellence in Preservation Partnership Award from the Maryland Historical Trust on Thursday, May 14. Bay to Bay News (May 10, 2026)
Archaeological survey begins at historic farm in Williamsport. An archaeological survey at Springfield Farm is being conducted by the Washington County Historical Society and the town of Williamsport. Herald-Mail Media (May 9, 2026)
Union Mills Homestead highlights property's restoration at 56th annual plant market. Flowers and plants at on tables and racks at the Union Mills Homestead Friday morning. The Baltimore Sun (May 4, 2026)
47th Annual Celtic Festival Draws Big Crowd To Calvert County. Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in Calvert County hosted the 47th annual Southern Maryland Celtic Festival on April 25, drawing a strong crowd despite cloudy skies and light rain. The BayNet (April 27, 2026)
MHP wins 2026 Sustainable Growth Award. MHP Project The Residences at Forest Glen has won a Maryland Sustainable Growth Award. The project was selected by the Sustainable Growth Subcabinet and the Maryland Department of Planning. MHP (April 24, 2026)
Where are we?: Region tries to manage population rise. Much has changed in Southern Maryland over the past several decades. Southern Maryland News (April 22, 2026)
Montgomery Planning Wins State Sustainable Growth Award for Community Planning Academy. Montgomery Planning has received a 2026 Maryland Department of Planning Sustainable Growth Award for its Community Planning Academy, a free online course designed to help Montgomery County residents better understand how planning and development decisions are made. The MoCo Show (April 22, 2026)
2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Planning and Zoning. Planning and zoning decisions are an integral function of county government, shaping how communities grow, where infrastructure is placed, and how residents and businesses coexist. Conduit Street (April 15, 2026)
Mount Airy council moves baseball complex annexation plan to state. Mount Airy's Town Council has approved an annexation plan for 51 acres on Watersville Road, which owner Elite Baseball LLC plans to turn into a sports complex. The Baltimore Sun (April 7, 2026)
Waterflow Festival launches roof restoration project. The Waterflow Festival has launched a major roof restoration project at its headquarters on Harrison Street, marking an important investment in the preservation of the organization's historic home. The Star (March 31, 2026)
Cottage homes in play as Arundel residential option. After living in 15 residences during his childhood, Pete Smith well knows the frustrations and fears of the many area residents who are unable to buy a house. Business Monthly (March 25, 2026)
City of Salisbury launches oral history audio project. Salisbury has launched a public audio storytelling project to help tell stories rooted in the city on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Bay to Bay News (March 24, 2026)
Howard takes next step, ADU bill signed into law. Howard County homeowners who want to add a detached residential unit on their land now have that option: County Executive Calvin Ball recently signed into law Council Bill CB3-2026, which expands opportunities for the construction of accessory dwelling units. Business Monthly (March 4, 2026)
Cemetery in Oakville receives grant funding for upkeep, documentation projects Galilee United Methodist Cemetery in Oakville will continue receiving its makeover thanks to funding from the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture and the Maryland Historical Trust. SOMD News (March 3, 2026)
Historians zero in on Jacob Jackson homestead tied to Tubman escape. Maryland historians plan to begin excavations later this summer at a remote Eastern Shore site they believe could shed new light on Jacob Jackson, a free Black farmer who helped Harriet Tubman’s brothers escape slavery and was part of a broader free African American community in Dorchester County. The Baltimore Sun (February 28, 2026)
Stories that need to be told’: Efforts to preserve Black history continue in MD. Maryland advocates, conservationists and museum leaders said they will continue working to preserve the state’s Black history despite what they call federal attempts to dismantle programs. The Daily Record (February 27, 2026)
Senate Considers Official Probe Of Black Boys Deaths In Old Juvenile Prison. Several state officials said they support a bill to launch a probe into the deaths of hundreds of Black boys at a once segregated reform school in Cheltenham, saying it might help with healing. City Biz (February 27, 2026)
New Bill Introduced To Uncover Truth About Unmarked Graves In Prince George’s County. In the summer of 2025, political leaders throughout Maryland toured a burial ground that was overgrown in Prince George’s County. The Bay Net (February 26, 2026)
Maryland archaeologists search for homestead of man who aided Harriet Tubman's brothers' escape. State archaeologists are surveying a swampy Dorchester County site believed to be the homestead of Jacob Jackson, a free Black man who helped Harriet Tubman's brothers escape slavery in 1854. WMAR News (February 26, 2026)
What does Maryland lawsuit against Homeland Security, ICE ask for? Public health and environmental concerns are among the reasons cited by the State of Maryland's lawsuit that asks a federal court to vacate the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's purchase of a Washington County warehouse to serve as an immigrant detention center. The Herald-Mail (February 25, 2026)
Grant fuels push to investigate Maryland's reform school for Black boys. The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services was awarded a $200,000 grant to begin searching for the remains of hundreds of boys in the woods near the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center, the first step toward formal recognition of the boys' deaths. Baltimore Fishbowl (February 18, 2026)
Grant will fuel probe of deaths, unmarked graves at former reform school for Black boys. Funds will pay for a ground-penetrating radar survey and restoration of the cemetery grounds, according to the Maryland Historical Trust. The Southern Maryland Chronicle (February 17, 2026)
Grant fuels push to investigate MD's reform school for Black boys. Maryland awarded $2000000 to survey and restore the cemetery of Black boys who died at Cheltenham Youth Detention Center, advancing investigations. The Daily Record (February 17, 2026)
Berlin holds work session to consider ADU requirements. Berlin officials began laying the groundwork for how the town will comply with new state requirements for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) by holding a joint work session this week with the mayor and council and the Berlin Planning Commission. Bayside Gazette (February 12, 2026)
Maryland Historical Trust Capital Grants Open. The Historical Preservation Capital Grant Program has one million dollars available this year. WCBC Radio (February 6, 2026)
Black history preservation grants awarded to Anne Arundel County sites. Four Anne Arundel County sites were awarded grants to help preserve local African American history. Capital Gazette (February 2, 2026)
Mid-Shore groups receive preservation grants. The Maryland Historical Trust and Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture has awarded 29 African American Heritage Preservation Program grants totaling $5 million to various Maryland organizations for fiscal year 2026, including groups on the Mid-Shore. The Star Democrat (January 29, 2026)
Catoctin Furnace advocates seek nearly 7,900-acre national history district expansion. The Catoctin Furnace Historical Society has started seeking support from area property owners for a planned years-long effort to expand the local National Register historic district by nearly 7,900 acres. Yahoo News (January 29, 2026)
Howard County bought historic buildings to reduce flooding in Ellicott City. Now it wants to sell them. Howard County officials have quietly taken the first step to sell six historic buildings on Old Ellicott City 's Main Street, telling state authorities this week the county does not have the resources to fully restore them. The Baltimore Banner (January 29, 2026)
$5 million for African American heritage preservation announced in Maryland - The Maryland Historical Trust announced millions in funding for 29 organizations to restore African American cultural and historical sites. WBOC (January 29, 2026)
Two local organizations get Black heritage grants. Two local organizations have received grants from the Maryland Historical Trust to help with preservation at two sites important to Black history in Frederick County. The Frederick News-Post (January 29, 2026)
Sykesville gives $450,000 more in public funds to help construct Lib's Grill at Baldwin's Station. The restaurant, which plans a summer opening, is set to get $800,000 in public funding from the Sykesville Town Council. Capital Gazette (January 29, 2026)
Maryland Historical Trust Announces $5 Million in African American Heritage Preservation Grants. The Maryland Historical Trust (MHT), a division of the Maryland Department of Planning, today announced the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC), and the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) have awarded twenty-nine African American Heritage Preservation Program (AAHPP) grants totaling $5,000,000 to various Maryland organizations for FY26. MHT Press Release (January 28, 2026)
OC hires new city engineer; comp plan updates. When the Ocean City mayor and City Council meet for tomorrow's work session, introductions will be in order. OC Today-Dispatch (January 11, 2026)

Press Room

News & Announcements 2026​​​​​​

News & Announcements 2026