The Rural Areas and the AROS Master Plan
The Preservation of Agriculture and Rural Open Space Functional Master Plan
"In the late 1950's, agricultural and open space preservation arose as a social and economic issue. The loss of agricultural and open space land, as a metropolitan planning issue, was expressed in terms of metropolitan needs and problems--the need to preserve open space and the diseconomy in building the costly infrastructure to serve scattered suburban development. This was at the heart of the issue in 1956 when Maryland, the first state to do so, enacted a law to provide preferential assessments on farmland in the hope of encouraging farmers not to sell their property to developers. Today. 42 states have enacted this type of legislation. Despite preferential assessment programs, however, development pressure has continued to erode farmland..."
From the Policy Framework of the Preservation of Agriculture and Rural Open Space Master Plan (1980)
The Rural Areas encompass the 93,000 acre Agricultural Reserve, along with the larger rural communities of Damascus and Poolesville and a number of small rural crossroads such as Beallsville, Sunshine, and Dickerson.
Master Plan
Preservation of Agriculture and Rural Open Space Master Plan (1980)
Agricultural Policies
- Ad Hoc Agricultural Policy Working Group Report (Initiative by County Council, January 2007, pdf)
- Briefing on Final Report by the Ad Hoc Agricultural Working Group to the Planning Board, February 1, 2007, pdf)
Resources
- Woodstock Equestrian Park Master Plan (2002)
- What Are Transferable Development Rights?
- Prime Farm Soils map
- Other master plans in the rural areas:
- Damascus Master Plan (2006 and prior)
- Olney Master Plan (2005)
- Rustic Roads (2004 and 1996 master plans, maps, and information about the Rustic Roads Advisory Committee)
- Clarksburg Master Plan & Hyattstown Special Study Area (1994)
- Boyds Master Plan (1985)
- Towns within the Rural Areas
- For more on Agricultural Preservation programs, Ag Facts, Soil Conservation, Cooperative Extension, Farmers Markets, agricultural studies and publications, visit the Agricultural Services Division, Department of Economic Development, Montgomery County .
- For more on the Agricultural Reserve, visit Celebrate Rural Montgomery and the Montgomery Countryside Alliance.
Contact
Callum Murray
301-495-4733
Katherine Holt
301-495-4549
Leslie Saville
301-495-2194
Printed copies of these plans are available at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission's Montgomery Regional Office, 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland, 2nd Floor - Information Counter.
Page last updated: May 10, 2011
Montgomery County Planning Department