Maryland Department of Planning

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Downloadable Report Worksheets (Word .docx files)

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Local Government Annual Reporting Process

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As required by the General Assembly since 1952, under Land Use Article §1-207 (basi​c requirements), §7-104 (adequate facilities reporting requirements), and §1-208 (measures and indicators), all planning commissions and planning boards for jurisdictions with planning and zoning authority are required to prepare and submit an annual report to the Maryland Department of Planning for a calendar year by July 1 of the following year.

MDP compiles and analyzes this information to measure Maryland’s progress toward meeting its smart growth goals, such as concentrating new development in Priority Funding Areas and submits a Local Government Annual Report to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1 of the same year.

Local Government Annual Report

Each year, MDP sends reminder letters to jurisdictions with planning & zoning authority. As part of this process, MDP also updates and shares four reporting templates which municipalities and counties can use to simplify the annual reporting process.

Jurisdictions should use the flowchart below to decide what type of annual report and associated planning and growth indicators they are required to submit to MDP.​ ​

Hover your mouse over the blocks and words in the flowchart below for more information on each step.

Download diagram PDF with notes​

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​ As required by the General Assembly since 1952, under Land Use Article §1-207 (basic requirements), §7-104 (adequate facilities reporting requirements), and §1-208 (measures and indicators), all planning commissions and planning boards for jurisdictions with planning and zoning authority are required to prepare and submit an annual report to the Maryland Department of Planning for a calendar year by July 1 of the following year. MDP compiles and analyzes this information to measure Maryland’s progress toward meeting its smart growth goals, such as concentrating new development in Priority Funding Areas and submits a Local Government Annual Report to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1 of the same year. Link to 2022 Local Government Annual Report: https://planning.maryland.gov/Documents/OurProducts/Publications/AnnualReports/2022-local-government-annual-report.pdfMore: Each year, MDP sends reminder letters to jurisdictions with planning & zoning authority. As part of this process, MDP also updates and shares four reporting templates which municipalities and counties can use to simplify the annual reporting process. Question 1: Does your jurisdiction have planning and zoning authority?Step 1: If yes, then proceed to Step 2.Step 1: If no, then you do not have to submit an annual report.Step 2: Review MDP Annual Report Letter sent to Planning Director or other government staff and MDP's annual reporting tools webpage. MDP includes reminders about new planning initiatives and laws in each year's letter. Question 2: Has our jurisdiction issued more than 50 new residential permits?Step 3: If fewer than 50 residential permits, counties or municipalities should use the respective and streamlined short form.Step 3: If more than 50 new residential permits in the calendar year, counties or municipalities should use the Annual Report Long Form. In addition to residential permits, the long form includes reporting indicators about Priority Funding Areas, growth related amendments or zoning changes, development capacity analyses, land preservation, and Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances (APFOs), for those jurisdictions that have APFOs.If fewer, complete the appropriate short form for either counties or municipalities.Link to: Report Short Form for CountiesLink to: Report Short Form for MunicipalitiesLink to: Report Long FormQuestion 3: Has it been five years since the adoption of your jurisdiction's most recent comprehensive plan?Step 4: If five or more years have passed since the adoption of your most recent comprehensive plan, and you have not yet submitted your five year mid-cycle report, complete that report in addition to your annual report, using the MDP provided five year report template. When completed, submit both the annual and five year report to MDP by July 1. Step 4: If it has been fewer than five years since the adoption date of your most recent comprehensive plan, or if you have already submitted your five year mid-cycle report to MDP, you are done and can submit your completed annual reporting form to MDP.Step 5: Submit Annual Report to Local Governing Body and MDP.Step 6: MDP compiles and analyzes all local government annual reports and submits a report to the Governor and General Assembly. ​​


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Maryland Department of Planning
120 E. Baltimore St, Suite 2000
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 767-4500