The Governor's Great Land Grab: SB-236

SB236: The “Sustainable Growth and Agricultural Preservation Act of 2012”

(ANNAPOLIS, MD) -- SB236 - Sustainable Growth and Agricultural Preservation Act of 2012 - passed out of the House with a vote of 93-45. Already passing in the Senate, this bill will go to the governor’s desk for a signature. Effective in July 2012, SB236 establishes numerous restrictions on septic systems by creating a “tier system” which will hinder residential development in rural Maryland and all but eliminate septic systems for residential subdivisions. Essentially, this bill will take away local planning and development decisions with regards to decisions about future development. By taking away the power from the local government, the State of Maryland will assume greater and greater autonomy with decisions about future septic systems.

“The title, Sustainable Growth and Agricultural Preservation Act of 2012, seems to say one thing while actually doing another. It is a far cry from preserving agriculture and farming in Maryland. This is the great land grab by Maryland - hurting farmers in the name of preserving them.” replied Delegate Michael A. McDermott.

In a statement made by Delegate McDermott, he stated “It is reasonable to draw conclusions from this bill that this spells the end of rural development in Maryland. It will devalue farmland and place farmers who must borrow against their land for the next planting season to have land that is not worth anywhere near what it is in today’s market. This destructive bill is the camel’s nose under the tent.”