The Office of Planning began in 1933 as the State
Planning Commission (Chapter 39, Acts of Special
Session of 1933) The Commission became part of
the State Planning Department in 1959 (Chapter
543, Acts of 1959) In 1969, the Department was
reorganized as the Department of State Planning
(Chapter 155, Acts of 1969) The Department was
restructured in 1989 to become the Office of Plan
rung (Chapter 540, Acts of 1989) The Office is the
principal staff agency tor planning matters concerned
with the resources and development of the State
The Director of Planning is appointed by the Gov
ernor with Senate advice and consent The Director
serves on the Governor's Executive Council, the State
Information Technology Board, the Chesapeake Bay
Critical Area Commission, the Patuxent River Com-
mission, the Maryland Greenways Commission, the
Scenic and Wild Rivers Review Board, the State Corn
mission on Neighborhoods, the Tn County Council
for Southern Maryland, the Metropolitan Develop
ment Policy Committee of the Metropolitan Washing
ton Council of Governments, the Interagency
Committee on School Construction, and the Interde
partmental Advisory Committee for Minority Affairs
Under the Office are State and Local Planning,
and Planning Data Services The Office also is aided
by the State Economic Growth, Resource Protection,
and Planning Commission, the Interagency Eco-
nomic Growth, Resource Protection, and Planning
Committee, and the Patuxent River Commission

STATE ECONOMIC GROWTH, RESOURCE
PROTECTION, & PLANNING COMMISSION
Florence Beck Kurdle, Chair, 1998
(410) 767 4500

In 1992, the State Planning Commission was
reformed as the State Economic Growth, Resource
Protection, and Planning Commission (Chapter
437, Acts of 1992) As an advisory board to the
Office of Planning, the Commission is concerned
with development issues and regional or metropoli
tan planning areas The Commission fosters public
awareness and understanding of the objectives and
functions of State and local planning
The Commission has seventeen members Fif
teen are appointed by the Governor to four year
terms One member is a senator chosen by the
Senate President, and one is a delegate selected by
the House Speaker The chair is named by the
Governor Authorization for the Commission con-
tinues until July 1, 2003 (Code State Finance and
Procurement Article, sees 5 701 through 5-708)
Under the Commission are five subcommittees En-
vironment and Economic Development, Intequnsdic
nonal Coordination, Planning, Planning Techniques,
and Review of Planning and Zoning Legislation

INTERAGENCTECONOMIC GROWTH, RESOURCE
PROTECTION, & PLANNING COMMITTEE
Chair Ronald M Kreitner, Director of Planning
(410)7674510

The Interagency Economic Growth, Resource
Protection, and Planning Committee was formed by
the Governor in 1992 (Executive Order
01 01 1992 27) The Committee helps implement
the State Economic Growth, Resource Protection,
and Planning Policy (Chapter 437, Acts of 1992)
State projects are reviewed for consistency with the
Policy by the Committee To assure that State invest
ments m infrastructure and resource protection com-
ply with the Policy, the Committee also coordinates
State plans, programs, and projects which affect the
timing, type, and location of development
The Committee consists often members Nine
serve ex officio One represents the Office of the
Governor The Director of Planning is the chair

PATUXENT RIVFR COMMISSION
C Bernard Fowler, Chair, Calvert County, 1996

Staff Richard E Hall

301 West Preston St, Room 1101
Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 767 4562

Created in 1980, the Patuxent River Commission
reviews the operation of State and local agencies m
regard to the Patuxent River (Chapter 746, Acts of
1980) It provides a clearinghouse for watershed infor
manon, reviews plans, and comments on reports and
development projects impacting the nver The Corn
mission prepares the Patuxent River Policy Plan To
update the Plan, it considers draft amendments every
five years The Commission also serves as the Tributary
Strategy Team for the Patuxent Watershed, coordinat
mg the Patuxent Tributary Strategy with the Plan
The Commission has thirty four members
Twenty eight are appointed by the Governor to four
year terms Six serve ex officio (Code State Finance and
Procurement Article, sees 5 812 through 5 816)

PLANNING DATA SERVICES
Michel A Lettre, Assistant Director
(410) 767 4450

Planning Data Services collects, analyzes, and
publishes social, economic and geographic infor
mation for planning purposes This office provides
a data base for use by State and local government
agencies, and the general public
For each county and the City of Baltimore,
projections of population, housing, public school
enrollment, employment, and income are pre
pared These projections are used bv State and local
government agencies as well as the private sector
Planning Data Services maintains statistical data
from the U S Bureau of the Census and other
information sources Such data includes popula