Localities May Require Stricter Protections Than Maryland Forest Law: Attorney General

摘要

Maryland localities may require developers to protect more forest than state law requires even if the state conservation agency objects, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh (D) said in an advisory opinion. Local planning and zoning authority extends to forest conservation and allows localities to impose a "no net loss" forest conservation standards that are more stringent than state law, Frosh said in his Oct. 21 opinion . Frosh said the Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently told two localities that the agency can block local ordinances requiring developers to preserve a greater percentage of forest than that stipulated in the Forest Conservation Act.