Section 8-1806 - Powers of the Commission(a) The Commission has all powers necessary for carrying out the purposes of this subtitle, including the following: (1) In accordance with Title 2, Subtitle 5 (Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review) and Title 10, Subtitle 1 (Administrative Procedure Act) of the State Government Article, to adopt and amend regulations as authorized under this subtitle for the administration and enforcement of the State and local programs;(2) To conduct hearings in connection with policies, proposed programs, and proposed regulations or amendments to regulations; and(3) To contract for consultant or other services .
(b) Regulations adopted or amended under subsection (a)(1) of this section shall: (1) Establish comprehensive standards and procedures for: (ii) Modified buffer areas;(iii) Impacts of shoreline stabilization activities on the buffer; (x) Development in the critical area, with respect to: 1. Clearing, grading, and construction activity;2. Clustering to promote conservation of natural site features;3. The transfer of development rights;4. Flexibility for redevelopment;5. Stormwater management;6. Application of the 10% pollutant reduction rule;7. Forest and developed woodlands protections;8. Clearing of natural vegetation;9. Lot coverage standards;10. Commission review of local provisions for lot consolidation; and11. The exclusion of State tidal wetlands from calculations of density, forest and developed woodlands protections, limitations on clearing natural vegetation, and lot coverage standards; (xiv) Directives for local program development and implementation, with respect to: 4. Reporting requirements, including accounting of fee in lieu funds;(xv) In consultation with the Department of the Environment, surface mining in the critical area; (xvi) The application for and processing of a variance, with respect to: 6. Notice of a variance decision; (xvii) Assessing and adapting the critical area for climate resiliency;(xviii) Enhancing the resilience of the critical area by protecting, creating, and restoring natural and nature-based features; and(xix) Environmental justice and equity initiatives that:1. Address disparate impacts of development; and2. Ensure the benefits of development, restoration, mitigation, and conservation are shared equitably; and (c) The members of the Commission who reside in the Atlantic Coastal Bays Watershed shall serve on any committee established under subsection (a)(4) of this section.Amended by 2024 Md. Laws, Ch. 424,Sec. 1, eff. 10/1/2024.