Press Releases

February 01, 2010 — Baltimore County, MD — The American Planning Association selected the Plan for the Valleys as the recipient of its 2010 National Planning Excellence Award for a Planning Landmark.

Created by WRT in 1963 when the firm was known as Wallace McHarg Roberts & Todd (WMRT), the Plan for the Valleys provided a thoughtful and implementable vision for the Green Spring and Worthington Valleys, a rural region of Baltimore County, Maryland of approximately 75 square miles located northwest of the city of Baltimore. Authored by planner and landscape architect Ian McHarg, a co-founder of WMRT, this pioneering effort in environmental planning and growth management is considered one of his seminal works, and is included in his acclaimed book, Design with Nature.

"This was one of WMRT's first projects," said WRT Principal Mami Hara, AICP. "In 1989, we developed the plan update. And today we are working on water resources planning for the Valleys Planning Council, continuing nearly 50 years of involvement. Opportunities like this, to truly enhance the sustainability and character of place, are created by clients and stewards that understand the value of sustained collaboration between public and private institutions."

In the early 1960s, the pressure of urbanization in the valleys was more intense than any other area of the Baltimore region. The community had the foresight to realize that if uncontrolled, the growth would surely wipe out the historic character and natural amenity of the area. It was recognized that progressive public policy on land planning and conservation was urgently needed to retain the natural beauty of the valleys.

Baltimore County was one of the first jurisdictions in the country to use urban growth boundaries and conservation design as a method for controlling sprawl and for directing growth away from sensitive landscapes. The results include Resource Conservation Zones designed to protect farmland and natural resources as well as over 50,000 acres of land in permanent protection under conservation easements.

Today, 90 percent of the planning area's population lives inside the growth boundary occupying a third of the land, while 10 percent of the population resides outside the boundary in the rural area occupying two-thirds of the land area.

"The plan is still very much appreciated by land use and environmental planners," said Teresa Moore, executive director of the Valleys Planning Council. "The success of the plan is readily visible to anyone passing through the area."