Ch. 648 LAWS OF MARYLAND

WHEREAS, Chapter 234 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 1988 expanded
the authority of the Joint Committee on the Chesapeake Bay Critical Areas to include,
among other things, a determination of whether the criteria need to be strengthened in
any area to make the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Protection Program more effective
in the protection of the water quality and habitat of the Chesapeake Bay and its
tributaries; and

WHEREAS, During the 1989 Interim, the Joint Committee on Chesapeake Bay
Critical Areas held open meetings on the upper and lower Eastern and Western Shores
of the Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge, Chestertown, Prince Frederick, and Towson and
gathered public comments from representatives of counties and municipalities having
land within the critical areas, landowners in the critical areas, and other interested
parties; and

WHEREAS, After due consideration of the issues raised, the Joint Committee
on Chesapeake Bay Critical Areas adopted a legislative program to address some of the
problem areas encountered in its study; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Natural Resources

8-1808.3.

(a) This section applies notwithstanding:

(1) Any other provision of this subtitle; or

(2) Any criteria or guideline of the Commission adopted under this
subtitle.

(b) This section controls over any other requirement concerning impervious
surfaces limitations IN LIMITED DEVELOPMENT AREAS AND RESOURCE
CONSERVATION AREAS in the critical area.

[(c) For stormwater runoff, man-caused impervious areas shall be limited to 15
percent of a parcel to be developed. However, impervious surfaces on any lot not
exceeding 1 acre in size in a subdivision approved after June 1, 1986 may be up to 25
percent of the lot.]

(C) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 1990, A LOCAL JURISDICTION
SHALL AMEND ITS LOCAL CRITICAL AREA PROTECTION PROGRAM TO
MEET THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.

(D) (1) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THIS SUBSECTION
FOR STORMWATER RUNOFF, PEOPLE CAUSED MAN-MADE IMPERVIOUS
SURFACES ARE LIMITED TO 15% OF A PARCEL OR LOT.

(2) IF A PARCEL OR LOT ONE-HALF ACRE OR LESS IN SIZE WAS
IN RESIDENTIAL USE ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 1985, THEN
PEOPLE CAUSED MAN-MADE IMPERVIOUS SURFACES ASSOCIATED WITH

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