You’ve probably seen the headlines and driven past some road signs. “Data centers bring huge opportunity” or “Say no to data centers.” The Maryland legislature just overturned Governor Moore’s veto of the data center study bill. There is a proposal to...
This fall, Smart Growth Maryland (SGM) attended conferences in Connecticut and Maryland that revealed a striking pattern. Speakers across disciplines - from insurance experts to faith leaders - were all describing the same set of solutions: build smarter, denser, and...
As the affordable housing crisis continues across the country, communities are looking everywhere for solutions including places they may never have considered before. Enter YIGBY, short for Yes in God’s Backyard, a growing movement that champions the use of...
Historic buildings give downtowns their unique character—and in places like Downtown Frederick, Maryland, they’re the economic engine too. But these cherished structures, particularly in compact downtowns are vulnerable to fire. A new report, The Importance of Fire...
As Maryland strives to meet its ambitious climate goals such as net zero emissions by 2045, innovative approaches to sustainability are essential. One approach is accelerating the circular economy – a system that reuses, recycles, and refurbishes products and...
With the passage of SB 382 in the 2023 legislative session, Maryland paved the way to understand accessory dwelling units as a solution to the housing shortage. The Maryland ADU Task Force, chaired by Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) Secretary Rebecca Flora,...
Have you ever walked past a vacant lot in an otherwise intact streetscape and wondered "why is that lot not built on?" The answers may surprise you. Infill development is one of the main strategies of Smart Growth and focuses on building on underutilized land in...
Historic Preservation and Smart Growth in Maryland: Balancing Heritage & Density Smart Growth advocates and historic preservationists share a common affinity for many land use and real estate development issues here in Maryland including revitalization of...
March 13 @ 12:30 pm - 1:30 pmA community meeting on the historic Ellicott City Jail will take place March 13, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. ...
March 13 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pmPreservation Maryland participates in and hosts many events in and around Maryland. Take a look at our upcoming events to see where we’ll be next.