ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, the County’s Department of Recreation & Parks, and the Recreation & Parks Advisory Board seek public input as the County prepares its 2027 Land Preservation, Parks, and Recreation Plan (LPPRP).
Produced every five years, this comprehensive plan guides Recreation & Parks on key issues, trends, and plans for managing and enhancing its preserved public lands, facilities, and programs. The LPPRP is the first step in receiving Program Open Space grants, which have funded many of the County’s largest and most popular parks, including the one-acre, inclusive ‘Play-for-All’ playground at Blandair Regional Park and the new addition to the North Laurel Community Center, which includes two indoors pools and a second adult changing table.
Since taking office in December 2018, my administration has strived to ensure Howard Conty remains a place where everyone in our community can enjoy the best parks, facilities, and recreation opportunities. This five-year plan guarantees we are doing just that by guiding us forward as we continue to establish and preserve our green spaces and create places where residents of all ages and abilities can enjoy the great outdoors. Since the last plan was developed in 2022, we have preserved historic facilities like Camp Ilchester, Mt. Ida, and Longwood, updated playgrounds, trails, and fitness areas, protected nearly 7,400 acres of forested land from development pressures, initiated numerous land conservation projects, and launched numerous new programs, including a girls flag football league, pickleball, and purchasing GRIT Freedom Chairs.
To gather public feedback, Recreation & Parks and its planning and design consultant Agency Landscape + Planning, LLC, will be hosting various public engagement options now through October, to hear from community members on how they’d like to see County parks, facilities, and programs grow and change. Community members interested in being a part of the process are invited to:
- Complete a short “Howard County 2027 Preserve + Play Plan Community Survey” online;
- Attend a community event or pop-up to meet the planning team, ask questions, or share ideas in person. Be sure to stay tuned to Recreation & Parks’ “Land Preservation, Parks, and Recreation Plans (LPPRP)” website for event dates and meetings, as well as for additional updates on the plan process.
We rely on Program Open Space funding for parkland acquisition and park and recreation facility development. More broadly, LPPRP is a comprehensive plan that helps ensure we are meeting the evolving needs of the community. This process is about making sure that our priorities reflect the evolving needs of the community we serve.
The LPPRP is a prerequisite for the County’s participation in the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Program Open Space, which provides grants for the acquisition of land for conservation and public use purposes as well as for the development of public recreation facilities. Recreation & Parks’ draft 2027 LPPRP is due to DNR and Maryland Department of Planning by December 31, 2026. The final 2027 LPPRP is expected to be completed by April 2027.
To learn more about the LPPRP and/or to view Howard County’s 2022 plan, visit DNR’s Land Acquisition and Planning’s “Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plans (LPPRP)” website.