Newly elected leaders in Harford County took office this week with their attention dominated by the pressures of growth. In the Baltimore region, only Howard County is expected to grow at a faster rate than Harford this decade.
Adequate Public Facilities laws, which peg development approval to the availability of basic services such as schools, roads and sewers, will likely be expanded. The effectiveness of those APF requirements now in place will come under review.
The Master Land Use Plan, which describes the intended uses for all parts of the county, will come up for review for the first time since 1989, when more than 200 zoning changes were made to the existing document by the County Council.
Further implementation of the Rural Plan, which aims to preserve Harford's threatened farmland, will require the careful crafting of laws to permit the sale and transfer of farm development rights to either the county or private builders -- a difficult task.
Potential annexation disputes between Harford and its municipalities are developing. Key tracts outside Aberdeen and Havre de Grace are in play; city plans conflict head-on with county goals.
All this is in addition to the usual zoning and land-use issues, plus a plan to more actively develop publicly owned land to attract new business.
Most of the principals in this new quadrennium are the same. Eileen M. Rehrmann begins a second term as county executive, after a strong election victory. The Democrat's fiscal conservatism and ability to walk the growth-management tightrope saved her from the Republican juggernaut.
The County Council is entirely Republican, a first since charter government inception (1972). But four of the seven members served the past term, so experience will hold sway. However, the new council is decidedly more pro-development, promising a different look at growth issues.
Relations between the council and executive will certainly improve. Joanne Parrott, the new council president, insists on restoring mutual respect while preserving the council's independence from the administration. Their joint challenge will be to manage growth, protecting Harford's desirable character, while encouraging the kinds of development that will benefit the local economy.