The County Commissioners of Caroline County
shall have the authority, to be exercised at their discretion, to
act as the governing body and the public principal to consummate,
amend and/or terminate development rights and responsibilities agreements
("DRRAs") as authorized under Title 7, Subtitle 3 of the Land Use
Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. In addition, the County
Commissioners, at their discretion, shall have the authority to be
a party to a DRRA between a developer and another local government
within the County or between a developer and another governmental
entity that affects property within the County.
The purpose for consummating a DRRA is:
A. For the developer. So that the developer can, through execution of a DRRA, establish for the duration of the DRRA the zoning and subdivision laws, regulations and requirements applicable to a proposed development thereby assuring, for the duration of the DRRA, that the laws, regulations, and requirements applicable to the proposed development will not be revised, altered, amended or otherwise changed, except as provided in this Article
XXIII; to state the approvals required for the proposed development that have been conferred prior to the execution of the DRRA; and to assure that such approvals will not be revoked, except as provided in this Article
XXIII.
B. For the County. To obtain agreements from a developer
to make or do some or all of the following:
(1) Dedications of land to public use and/or to the government
or public entities; and/or
(2) Construction and/or financing of on-site and off-site
infrastructure improvements; and/or
(3) Payments to the County and other public entities for
public services and improvements; and/or
(4) Improvements to public lands; and/or
(5) Preservation of agricultural, natural, environmental,
and/or heritage resources; and/or
(6) A binding commitment that development will proceed
in accordance with plans and schedules submitted in conjunction with
the DRRA; and/or
(7) Such other matters as may be determined by the County
Commissioners as are permitted by applicable law.
Unless terminated under §
175-214, the County Commissioners or the petitioner, and their successors in interest, may enforce a DRRA.