Maryland seeks smart growth secretary

In another expansion of his smart growth initiative, Gov. Parris Glendening hopes to appoint what may be the nation’s highest ranking state official to deal exclusively with smart growth development. The Maryland General Assembly is considering the approval and funding of this position at the helm of a Governor’s Office for Smart Growth, which would serve to expedite smart growth projects and coordinate efforts of state agencies and departments. The Special Secretary would not run an entire department as do full cabinet members, but would answer directly to the governor and would become cochair of the existing subcabinet for smart growth. John Frece, the governor’s special assistant on smart growth, explains that a 1998 executive order set up this subcabinet of nine departments (Planning, Transportation, Public Works, and Environment among them) to further cooperation on smart growth. The current proposal would codify the subcabinet in state law. “The person who takes on this position will be project oriented,” Frece says. “We hope that he or she has development experience and can bring in staff with skills in town-center, transit-oriented, and infill development.” The office will not have a budget to finance projects, however. Glendening has asked for a first-year appropriation of $687,000 and a staff of eight. In addition to its coordinating function, the office will serve as a “one-stop information center” for builders, planners, elected officials, and others who want to pursue smart growth developments. “The more we can show projects on the ground, the more support we will be able to generate for the whole smart growth initiative,” Frece says. He adds that the prerequisite for expediting plans is that they have the full support of local governments. “We don’t want to force projects through.” Transit, rehabilitation, and parks The proposed smart growth office is one part of a package of initiatives before the legislature. A proposed $750 million expansion of public transportation focuses on improving the systems already in place. This would involve a significant expansion of commuter bus service, better links with rail transit, a standardization of fares, and the introduction of new technology to facilitate intermodal transfers and to offer bus passengers real-time scheduling. Frece says that some of the tax revenue for the transit initiative would come from outside the traditional transportation trust fund. “That’s the first time that’s been done, at least in this state,” he says. Additional proposals include $65 million over five years for the Community Legacy Program, which would support building rehab projects that fall outside existing grant programs, and $45 million for the Urban Parks and Playgrounds Program, which would provide greater flexibility in financing, renovation, and building of recreational facilities in urban areas. Also in the package is the GreenPrint Program which would identify and map the state’s most important ecological areas and wildlife corridors. Part of the proposed $145 million appropriation would go to land acquisition. In a related development, Gov. Glendening recently announced that Thomas Downs has been selected to lead the Center for Smart Growth Education and Research in College Park (see January/February 2000 issue). Downs has previously served as Chairman and CEO of AMTRAK, CEO of the National Association of Home Builders, Commissioner of Transportation for the State of New Jersey, and City Administrator for Washington, DC. Launched in 2000, the center offers Smart Growth Leadership courses for officials from Maryland and other states.