Opinion ID: 2405221
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Relevant Critical Area Program Statutory Framework

Text: In 1984, the General Assembly enacted the Critical Area Law [t]o establish a Resource Protection Program for the Chesapeake and the Atlantic Coastal Bays and their tributaries by fostering more sensitive development activity for certain shoreline areas so as to minimize damage to water quality and natural habitats.... § 8-1801(b)(1). The passage of the Critical Area Law was based on the Legislature's recognition that the quality and productivity of the waters of the Chesapeake Bay have declined due to the cumulative effects of human activity that have caused increased levels of pollutants, nutrients, and toxics in the Bay System and declines in more protective land uses such as forestland and agricultural land in the Bay region .... § 8-1801(a)(5). The Legislature found also that [t]he cumulative impact of current development and of each new development activity in the buffer is inimical to [the restoration of the Bays and their tributaries and minimizing further impact to water quality and the shoreline], and it is therefore imperative that State law protect irreplaceable State buffer resources from unpermitted activity .... § 8-1801(a)(9). The critical area includes all land and water areas within 1,000 feet beyond the landward boundaries of State or private wetlands and the heads of tide designated under Title 16 of the Environment Article. § 8-1807(a)(2). The General Assembly vested the Commission with all powers necessary for carrying out the purposes of the Critical Area Law, including the authority to promulgate regulations for the administration and enforcement of the program, including regulations governing the establishment of comprehensive standards and procedures for buffer establishment and the protection and conservation of the buffer. § 8-1806(a)-(b). The buffer means an existing, naturally vegetated area, or an area established in vegetation and managed to protect aquatic, wetlands, shoreline, and terrestrial environments from manmade disturbances. § 8-1802(a)(4). At the time of the operative facts of this case, the buffer was, at minimum, a 100-foot area landward from the mean high water line of tidal waters, tributary streams, and tidal wetlands. [10] COMAR 27.01.09.01 C(1) (2007). With certain exceptions, [n]ew development activities, including structures, roads, parking areas, and other impervious surfaces, mining and related facilities, or septic systems may not be permitted in the Buffer.... COMAR 27.01.09.01 C(2). The General Assembly charged the local jurisdictions, however, with the primary responsibility of developing and implementing a critical area program, subject to review and approval by the Commission. § 8-1808(a). The local jurisdiction may grant a variance to the Critical Area criteria when a literal enforcement of provisions within the jurisdiction's Critical Area program would result in unwarranted hardship to an applicant. [11] COMAR 27.01.11.01 A. The Anne Arundel County Code extends the buffer to include contiguous sensitive areas, such as slopes of 15% or greater.... Anne Arundel County, Md., Code, § 18-13-104(a) (2005). The contiguous sensitive areas are known as the expanded buffers. § 18-13-104. All of those provisions were in place before Wagner commenced his extra-legal demolition and construction activities on the Island. Critical to the present case, in 2008, the General Assembly adopted House Bill 1253, which amended the Critical Area Law to include a new provision restricting a local jurisdiction from issuing a permit, approval, variance, or special exception unless the person seeking the permit, approval, variance, or special exception has... prepared a restoration or mitigation plan, approved by the local jurisdiction, to abate impacts to water quality or natural resources as a result of the violation and [p]erformed the abatement measures in the approved plan in accordance with the local critical area program. § 8-1808(c)(4)(ii)(iii). We shall elaborate on relevant portions of the Session Law of this enactment shortly.