FY 26 Approved Operating Budget

Capital Budget Policies All capital improvements and various related projects must be made in accordance with the Approved Capital Improvement Program. Departments and Agencies will propose a capital improvement program to the Planning Advisory Board for their consideration. After their review, the Director of Planning and Zoning will transmit these recommendations to the County Executive. The County shall then coordinate the Capital Improvement budget with the Operating budget. Debt service operating costs will be projected and included in the operating budget forecasts. Debt service and approved capital projects must follow the standard debt policies of the County. Five Year Capital Improvement Program In accordance with the Harford County Charter, the County will adopt a five-year Capital Improvement Plan and update it annually. All capital projects must be funded in accordance with the adopted County debt policy; utilizing the least costly method of financing all new projects. The County will identify the estimated costs and potential funding sources for each capital project before the Capital Improvement Plan is submitted for approval to the County Council. Harford County’s Strategic Plan Strategic planning is not just a function of budgeting, but a multi-faceted approach to resource management designed to maintain the County’s quality of life, while preparing for our future. The County’s Master Plan and the Administration’s goals are the basis for which performance measurement and budgets are built. The Master Plan 1969 – The County’s first comprehensive land use plans were developed. 1972 – With the adoption of the Harford County Charter, Article VII calls for the Department of Planning and Zoning to prepare and propose Master Plans. These plans can be initiated by order of the County Executive or by legislative act of the County Council. The Master Plan provides direction for addressing future growth, revitalization, the provision of adequate public facilities, economic development, and the preservation and protection of natural resources, agricultural lands, and historic resources. 1977 - The County’s second comprehensive plan was prepared, marking the beginning of comprehensive planning under the new charter form of government. The “Development Envelope” concept was introduced in the 1977 Master Plan, defining a geographic area for planned development. This concept allowed the County to begin staging and directing more intense growth into a specific area, namely the corridors defined by I-95/US Route 40 and the MD Route 24 corridor north to Bel Air. 1988 – An alternative approach to a single Master Plan was introduced requiring the inclusion of elements which further advanced the purposes of the Master Plan. The following is a brief description of the elements introduced for the 1988 Master Plan. A “Land Use Element Plan” (viewed as the core of the Master Plan) will show proposals for public, private, residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and recreational uses of land. This plan shows the most appropriate and desirable patterns for the general location, character, extent, and the manner in which the community should use its public and private land at specified times as is reasonable.

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