Overview
The Department of Planning and Zoning is embarking on an update and rewrite of the Howard County Landscape Manual. The current manual was adopted in 1993 and provides landscaping regulations and guidance for new residential and commercial developments. The Landscape Manual directs items such as required landscape plantings, the type of perimeter landscape buffers and screening required between adjacent land uses, the perimeter and internal landscaping for parking lots, and the placement of street trees.
Community Engagement
As part of the Landscape Manual rewrite, the Department of Planning and Zoning and its consultant team will engage property owners, the development community, and other Howard County Government agencies to discuss the Manual’s regulations to continue forward, areas for modifications and identifying new topic areas to be addressed. This rewrite process is scheduled to begin in September 2024 and is anticipated to conclude in mid-2025.
The three main phases of the Landscape Manual update will be:
- Phase 1: Data collection in the form of focus grops led by our consultant in the fall of 2024.
- These information gathering meetings will be in person and designed to collect comments and input on the current manual’s strengths and weaknesses. The input gathered in the focus groups will lead the direction of the next phase.
- Phase 2: Research and outline development will then begin.
- Following the focus groups, our consultant will begin reviewing the available resources and study solutions already implemented in surrounding jurisdictions. Phase 2 will conclude with a recommended outline for the updated Landscape Manual.,
- Phase 3: The final phase will entail the consultant working with the Department of Planning and Zoning to draft the updated Landscape Manual.
- Drafts will be available for review and comment by county agencies, the development community, and the public. The final draft will be presented to the Planning Board and then the County Council for adoption spring/summer of 2025.
Please continue to check this website for updated information and drafts as the rewrite process progresses.
Landscape Manual Update Process
Background
Section 16.124 of the Howard County Subdivision and Land Development Regulations establish the Landscape Manual as the technical manual used to establish performance standards.
Comments
Please send any comments or suggestions to landscapemanual@howardcountymd.gov. We will collect and review all comments as we work through the process.
Focus Groups
A summary report of the focus group meeting notes and findings will be posted here once complete. The video and slides for each focus group are posted below. Please note these were designed as in-person interactive sharing sessions. The sound quality varies depending on the room that was used for the meeting and the activity occurring at different portions of the meetings
In-County Agencies | Video
- Date/Time: Thursday, September 19, 2024 – 3:00 pm
- Location: George Howard Building, Columbia/Ellicott Room, 3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City MD
- Presentation
Development/Engineering Community | Video
- Date/Time: Tuesday, September 24, 2024 – 2:00 pm
- Location: George Howard Building, Columbia/Ellicott Room, 3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City MD
- Presentation
General Public - In Person AND Virtual via Video
- Date/Time: Tuesday, October 1, 2024 - 7:00 pm
- Location: George Howard Building, Banneker Room, 3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City MD
- Presentation