3832

JOINT RESOLUTIONS

the need to expand and increase agricultural land is not
as critical as the need to preserve the land now being
farmed.

In many areas of this State, a major cause of the
decrease in agricultural land is due to the short—sighted
and potentially hazardous zoning regulations that require
building lots of up to 5 acres. This supposed rationale
for acquiring such large size lots is for health reasons.
This Body recognizes that in rural areas, without
sewerage, it is necessary to have larger building lots
than would be required in an area served by sewers.
However, regulations that require present building lots
in excess of the Health Department's standards are
clearly not for that purpose.

The land for these over—size building lots is carved
from land that is used for agricultural purposes. In
many cases, the homeowner does not desire to nor does
want the financial obligation of such a large lot. There
is no reason that building lots in light of the present
critical shortage of food that will soon be faced in this
country must take away prime agricultural land.

This Body would like to express its desire that this
short—sighted policy be halted and every effort be made
to preserve agricultural land; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That
this Body request that [[all planning and zoning bodies
throughout this State not require building lot sizes in
excess of Health Department regulations;]] the
Departments of Agriculture, Health and Mental Hygiene and
State Planning study the problem of whether zoning
requirements establishing large acreages for home sites
lead to a depletion of agricultural land; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be sent to
the [[Chairman of the State Planning Commission, and the
Chairman of the local planning and zoning boards, and the
presidents of every county council and county
commission]] Secretaries of Agriculture, Health & Mental
Hygiene and State Planning.

Approved April 22, 1975.

No. 23
(Senate Joint Resolution 36)