Description/Purpose:

Carroll County has seen extensive growth in its population in recent decades. The population increased from approximately 69,000 in 1970 to 172,000 in 2006. County planners estimate that Carroll’s population could grow by more than 30% by 2030. These projections are based upon the county’s survey of land available for building, but could be limited by factors such as water and sewer capacity and transportation.

As more people are attracted to Carroll County for its beautiful landscape, excellent schools and community-oriented neighborhoods, citizens have expressed concerns about housing, water, traffic and sprawl, which affect the quality of life in the county. For these reasons, Growth was added to the Partnership’s Health Improvement Areas.

Goals and Objectives:

Carroll County will grow based upon a plan with community support which retains the heritage, quality of life and special places of the county. This goal is taken from Carroll County’s Comprehensive Plan for Growth, “Pathways to Carroll’s Future Landscape”.

Objectives of the Partnership are:

     1. Increase county support for preservation and recreation.
     2. Increase residential recycling rates.

Other indicators being tracked by the Vital Signs project include population figures, new acres in land preservation, number of county operated trail miles, number of residential building permits issued, tons of total waste disposed and tons of recycled waste.

Accomplishments:

A great deal of progress has been made through the Comprehensive Plan for Growth. The Pathways process began in 2005 by the Carroll County Department of Planning, with the key goal to develop a community-wide consensus of support for Carroll’s future direction. The public has been involved in all phases of the plan, with community meetings, conferences, surveys and online participation.

Community outreach activities showed consensus to focus on preserving Carroll’s heritage and maintaining the county’s character, while continuing to progress in terms of economic opportunities, housing diversity, and transportation alternatives.

The priority areas which emerged from community outreach activities are:

Community Support/Partners:

For more information about Growth in our community, contact the Partnership staff person for this area, Dawn Eldridge.