Maryland Natural Resources Section 8-1802

      (a)      (1)      In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

            (2)      "Atlantic Coastal Bays" means the Assawoman, Isle of Wight, Sinepuxent, Newport, and Chincoteague Bays.

            (3)      "Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area" means the initial planning area identified under § 8-1807 of this subtitle.

            (4)      "Buffer" means an existing, naturally vegetated area, or an area established in vegetation and managed to protect aquatic, wetlands, shoreline, and terrestrial environments from man-made disturbances.

            (5)      "Chesapeake Bay Critical Area" means the initial planning area identified under § 8-1807 of this subtitle.

            (6)      "Commission" means the Critical Area Commission for the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays established in this subtitle.

            (7)      "Critical Area" means the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area and the Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area.

            (8)      "Development" means any activity that materially affects the condition or use of dry land, land under water, or any structure.

            (9)      (i)      "Dwelling unit" means a single unit providing complete, independent living facilities for at least one person, including permanent provisions for sanitation, cooking, eating, sleeping, and other activities routinely associated with daily life.

                  (ii)      "Dwelling unit" includes a living quarters for a domestic or other employee or tenant, an in-law or accessory apartment, a guest house, or a caretaker residence.

            (10)      "Growth allocation" means the number of acres of land in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area or Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area that a local jurisdiction may use to create new intensely developed areas and new limited development areas.

            (11)      "Includes" means includes or including by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

            (12)      "Land classification" means the designation of land in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area or Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area in accordance with the criteria adopted by the Commission as an intensely developed area or district, a limited development area or district, or a resource conservation area or district.

            (13)      "Local jurisdiction" means a county, or a municipal corporation with planning and zoning powers, in which any part of the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area or the Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area, as defined in this subtitle, is located.

            (14)      (i)      "Program" means the critical area protection program of a local jurisdiction.

                  (ii)      "Program" includes any amendments to the program.

            (15)      (i)      "Program amendment" means any change to an adopted program that the Commission determines will result in a use of land or water in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area or the Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area in a manner not provided for in the adopted program.

                  (ii)      "Program amendment" includes a change to a zoning map that is not consistent with the method for using the growth allocation contained in an adopted program.

            (16)      (i)      "Program refinement" means any change to an adopted program that the Commission determines will result in a use of land or water in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area or the Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area in a manner consistent with the adopted program.

                  (ii)      "Program refinement" includes:

                        1.      A change to a zoning map that is consistent with the development area designation of an adopted program; and

                        2.      The use of the growth allocation in accordance with an adopted program.

            (17)      (i)      "Project approval" means the approval of development, other than development by a State or local government agency, in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area or the Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area by the appropriate local approval authority.

                  (ii)      "Project approval" includes:

                        1.      Approval of subdivision plats and site plans;

                        2.      Inclusion of areas within floating zones;

                        3.      Issuance of variances, special exceptions, and conditional use permits; and

                        4.      Approval of rezoning.

                  (iii)      "Project approval" does not include building permits.

      (b)      Wherever this subtitle requires Prince George's County to exercise any power or authority Prince George's County shares with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, the obligation imposed by this subtitle rests on both the county and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in accordance with their respective powers and authorities.