1310                                        LAWS OF MARYLAND                       [Ch. 291

(3) ANY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION SERVING PRIMARILY
THE RESIDENTS OF A LOCAL COMMUNITY.

(I) "PLAN" MEANS THE STATE DEVELOPMENT PLAN OR ANY
PART THEREOF, OR AMENDMENT, REVISION, OR CHANGE THERETO.

(J) "REGIONAL" MEANS INVOLVING OR AFFECTING MORE
THAN ONE [[LOCAL GOVERNMENT]] COUNTY OR A COUNTY AND
ANOTHER STATE, OR A COUNTY AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

(K) "SECRETARY" MEANS SECRETARY OF STATE PLANNING.

(L) "STATE POLICIES" MEAN THAT WHICH IS ENACTED AS
LAW, OR EXECUTIVE ORDER.

2. FINDINGS, POLICY, AND PURPOSE.

(A) FINDINGS. - THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT
THE RAPID AND CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE STATE'S POPULATION,
EXPANDING URBAN DEVELOPMENT, PROLIFERATING TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM, LARGE-SCALE INDUSTRIAL, ECONOMIC, AND RESIDENTIAL
GROWTH, CONFLICTS IN PATTERNS OF LAND USE, FRAGMENTATION
OF ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOME LAND USE DECISIONS,
AND THE INCREASED SIZE, SCALE, AND IMPACT OF SOME PRIVATE
ACTIONS, HAVE CREATED A SITUATION IN WHICH LAND USE
MANAGEMENT DECISIONS OF WIDE PUBLIC CONCERN ARE BEING
MADE ON THE BASIS OF TRADITION, AND SHORT-TERM ECONOMIC
CONSIDERATIONS, WITHOUT CLEARLY DEFINED POLICIES TO GUIDE
DECISION MAKERS IN PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES, WITHOUT
SUFFICIENT COORDINATION AMONG THE STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT UNITS WHOSE ACTIVITIES AFFECT SUCH DECISIONS,
WITHOUT ANY MECHANISM TO RESOLVE POLICY CONFLICTS AMONG
GOVERNMENT UNITS PURSUANT TO A PREDOMINANT SET OF
POLICIES OR PLANS, AND OTHER FACTORS WHICH MAY BE
INCONSISTENT WITH THE BEST INTERESTS, HEALTH, GENERAL
WELFARE AND SECURITY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FURTHER FINDS THAT STATE AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE PROCEEDING TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE
LAND USE SYSTEMS WHICH WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON
CONTROLLING THE USE OF LAND WITHIN THE STATE, THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION OF LAND USE POLICIES HAS BEEN AUGMENTED BY
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REGIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND VOLUNTARY
COORDINATION, THAT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE SYSTEMS
COULD BE GREATLY ENHANCED BY IMPROVED COORDINATION OF
ACTIVITIES BETWEEN AND WITHIN THE LEVELS OF STATE AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FURTHER FINDS THAT THERE
CONTINUES TO BE A NEED FOP THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AND
IMPROVEMENT OF PLANNING ACTIVITIES AT THE STATE AND LOCAL
LEVEL IN ORDER TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE POLICIES AND
PLANS, MONITOR THE PROGRESS AND EFFECT OF SUCH POLICIES
AND PLANS, COORDINATE AND HARMONIZE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE