Message from Governor Wes Moore
Message from Rebecca Flora, AICP, Secretary of Planning
Ensuring the success of Maryland's military installations and the communities that support them is a collaborative effort facilitated by compatible land use planning and development. The Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) is proud of the innovative Military & Community Compatibility Website and Handbook. These tools will aid state and local leaders, members of the military community, and other interested Marylanders to better understand the unique needs, challenges, and opportunities facing the state's military installations and defense communities in support of the national defense strategy.
The diversity of the state's defense communities and military installation missions helps to create a more competitive Maryland. Planning researched and compiled best practices and success stories from across the nation, in partnership with stakeholder committees, to develop a series of guides, legislative options, and land planning practices that will help military communities continue to grow and thrive in tandem with military installations. We strive to be innovative in our approach to compatible use and anticipate the resources provided will facilitate cross-agency collaboration to identify and implement bold solutions to compatible land use planning challenges.
The vast economic impact of the state's military installation and federal facility presence is made possible by the strong communities that surround and support the military operations, service members, and their families. Planning is committed to being outcomes-focused and will continue to provide and enhance land use tools, guidance, and resources to support continued communication and collaboration among the state's military installations and local leaders for years to come.
Message from Kevin Anderson, Secretary of Commerce
Maryland's military installations are some of our state's strongest and most valuable assets and are a critical component of our economic success and growth. Installations like Joint Base Andrews, Fort Meade, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Fort Detrick and others support 370,000 jobs and have an annual economic output of more than $55 billion.
Not only do these facilities provide for the national defense and help keep Americans safe, but they drive innovation and the development of new technology in fields such as cybersecurity, aerospace, biomedicine, and renewable energy such as off-shore wind. They train the talented thinkers, engineers, and researchers who make up Maryland's highly educated workforce. Military installations keep Maryland competitive, helping us to stand apart from other states as we work to attract new businesses and investment.
But these facilities are also inexorably linked to their surrounding communities, and building on the strength and success of the military presence in Maryland requires coordination, cooperation, and smart planning. Strategies for growth and expansion must respect the needs of the military as well as the needs of the community so that both sides can grow and prosper together.
The Compatible Use Website and the Community Compatibility Handbook is a resource for state and local government, members of the military community, the private sector and the general public to help make sure new projects are developed in ways that benefit communities without restricting military operations. These are tools that will allow Maryland to make informed, strategic choices that support our military without leaving our communities behind.
