Maryland Priority Funding Areas (PFA) — Smart Growth Act (MD)
Tracked preemption from the Maryland overlay bundle.
Overview
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Effective
1997-10-01
Sunset
—
Authority
state
Scope
state:MD
Other Maryland preemptions
Maryland Land Use Article — Zoning & Planning Enabling AuthorityMaryland Historic District Enabling Authority (LU §8-201)Maryland Military Installation Joint Land Use Studies (LU §22-301)Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area — Worcester County OverlayMaryland Rural Legacy Program — Designated Rural Legacy AreasMaryland Forest Conservation Act (FCA)Maryland Wetlands of Special State Concern (WSSC) & Nontidal WetlandsChesapeake Bay Critical Area Program — IDA / LDA / RCA Overlay
Trigger predicate
When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.
OR
parcel.in_priority_funding_area==Trueparcel.geometrygeographic match
Preempted fields
2 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.
| Field | Op | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
base_districts[*].state_funded_growth_related_projects_outside_pfa | waive | — | State funding for growth-related infrastructure (roads, sewer, schools, economic development incentives) is generally restricted to inside PFAs. Projects outside PFAs require exception finding by the Smart Growth Subcabinet. |
review_type | add | pfa_consistency_certification_required_for_state_funding | Local-government applications for state growth-related funding must include a PFA-consistency certification by the Maryland Department of Planning. |
Citation
Authority source
Md. Code Ann., State Finance & Procurement §§5-7B-01 through 5-7B-09 (Smart Growth Areas / Priority Funding Areas)
§ §§5-7B-01 through 5-7B-09; §5-7B-02 (PFA designation)
Research notes
Not a direct zoning preemption but the single most consequential state-incentive framework shaping where development is funded. PFAs are designated by counties (subject to MD Department of Planning concurrence) and capture all municipalities by default, plus designated growth areas in unincorporated counties. The 2025 HB 599 / SB 477 missing-middle act explicitly cross-references SF&P §5-7B-02 PFAs as a trigger geography (any SF-detached parcel inside a PFA gets duplex/triplex/fourplex by-right regardless of jurisdiction population). Administered by MD Department of Planning.