The Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program, codified at Natural Resources Article 8-1801 et seq., restricts development within 1,000 feet of tidal waters and tidal wetlands statewide.
Maryland Natural Resources 8-1801 through 8-1817 designates land within 1,000 feet of the mean high water line of tidal waters and tidal wetlands as the Critical Area, divided into Intensely Developed, Limited Development, and Resource Conservation Areas. The 100-foot Critical Area Buffer prohibits most new structures and disturbance. Lot coverage caps, forest conservation, mitigation planting, and grandfathering rules apply. Local jurisdictions implement programs approved by the Critical Area Commission. Variances require demonstrating unwarranted hardship and minimum relief.
Critical Area violations carry civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, mandatory mitigation at 3:1 or higher ratios, and removal of unlawful structures.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Gaithersburg, MD
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Gaithersburg, MD
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See how Gaithersburg's coastal development rules stack up against other locations.
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