A Framework Plan for Preservation and Growth in Creswell, Harford County, Maryland

Abstract

HarfordNEXT, the county’s 2016 Masterplan, calls for a comprehensive analysis of facilities needed to serve Creswell and asserts that future development must be compatible with the preservation of Creswell’s rural character. This mandate is the basis for the present study, conducted under the auspices of the University of Maryland’s PALS program in the spring semester of 2019. The HarfordNEXT language about the Creswell study is also the basis for five of this report’s goals: Conserve Farming; Protect the Environment; Preserve Rural Character; Minimize Traffic Impacts; Maintain Adequate Infrastructure. In addition to these goals, the team added two others: Provide Additional Housing; Ensure Positive Fiscal Impact. This course examined TDR (transfer of development rights) using CommunityViz software, and also conducted scenario planning using transportation and fiscal models. The appendix document was a collaborative effort, with the following courses completing the background reports for sewer and water infrastructure, environmental impacts, and public services in the Creswell area: ENCE422 Project Cost Accounting and Economics, LARC642 Graduate Studio III, LAW577B Environmental Legal Clinic, and URSP640 Growth Management and Environmental Planning.