The map was developed using available parcel polygons attributed with tax assessment data as of project initiation in early 2020, Computer-Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) data dated February 2020, and the Chesapeake Bay Program’s 2017/18 Land Use Land Cover data (2022 edition), subsequently referred to as “CBP LULC.” The map also incorporates land use datasets provided by county and municipal jurisdictions to the extent possible while maintaining standard statewide classification definitions and rules. The product was developed to be consistent with the 2018 National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery and CBP LULC dataset. MDP’s draft updated land use classification scheme is available as a separate document. This product is a beta release for public use and further testing. Methods for developing subsequent releases beyond this 2018 baseline will be refined based on feedback from the user community. Urban Land Uses 11 Low-density residential - Detached single-family/duplex dwelling units, yards, and associated areas. Includes generalized areas with lot sizes of less than five acres but at least one-half acre (0.2 to 2 dwelling units/acre). 12 Medium-density residential - Detached single-family/duplex, attached single-unit row housing, yards, and associated areas Includes generalized areas with lot sizes of less than one-half acre but at least one-eighth acre (2 to 8 dwelling units/acre). 13 High-density residential - Attached single-unit row housing, garden apartments, high-rise apartments/condominiums, mobile home and trailer parks, yards, and associated areas. Includes generalized areas with more than eight dwelling units per acre. This may include subsidized housing. 14 Commercial - Retail and wholesale services. Areas used primarily for the sale of products and services, including associated yards and parking areas. This category may include airports, welcome houses, telecommunication towers, and boat marinas. 15 Industrial - Manufacturing and industrial parks, including associated warehouses, storage yards, research laboratories, and parking areas. Warehouses that are returned by a commercial query should be categorized as industrial. This also includes power plants. 16 Institutional - Elementary and secondary schools, middle schools, junior and senior high schools, public and private colleges and universities, military installations (built-up areas only, including buildings and storage, training, and similar areas), churches, medical and health facilities, correctional facilities, government offices and facilities that are clearly separable from any surrounding natural or agricultural land cover, and other non-profit uses. 17 Extractive - Surface mining operations, including sand and gravel pits, quarries, coal surface mines, and deep coal mines. Status of activity (active vs. abandoned) is not distinguished. 18 Open urban land - Includes parks, open spaces, recreational areas not classified as institutional, golf courses, and cemeteries. Includes only built-up and turf-dominated areas that are clearly separable from any surrounding natural or agricultural land cover. 190 – Very Low Density Residential – Clustered residential parcels that have lot sizes less than 20 acres but at least five acres (0.2 to 0.05 dwelling units/acre) 50 – Water 80 Transportation - Transportation features include impervious roads, roadway rights-of-way, and parcels primarily containing light rail or metro stations and park-and-ride lots. 99 – Other Land - Remaining land not covered under another category. Examples include but are not limited to unbuilt lots, rural land, single-family residential parcels greater than or equal to 20 acres in size, and undeveloped portions of large parcels containing urban uses. May include undeveloped land that is either developable or constrained from further development.

Note: Urban Land Use classifications encompass the entire parcel on parcels less than five acres that contain a structure as of 2018 based on the Maryland Department of Planning and Maryland State Department of Assessment and Taxation’s Computer-Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) Building dataset. Elsewhere, the Chesapeake Bay Program’s 2017/18 Land Use Land Cover dataset (2022 edition) is used to delineate the extent of development on a parcel. For more information, see Methodology Documentation.

Use Limitations:

The Spatial Data, and the information therein, (collectively the "Data") is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed, implied, or statutory. The user assumes the entire risk as to quality and performance of the Data. No guarantee of accuracy is granted, nor is any responsibility for reliance thereon assumed. In no event shall the State of Maryland be liable for direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or special damages of any kind. The State of Maryland does not accept liability for any damages or misrepresentation caused by inaccuracies in the Data or as a result to changes to the Data, nor is there responsibility assumed to maintain the Data in any manner or form. The Data can be freely distributed as long as the metadata entry is not modified or deleted. Any data derived from the Data must acknowledge the State of Maryland in the metadata.

This copy has been projected to "WGS 1984 Web Mercator (auxiliary sphere)" and, therefore, is for illustrative purposes only. To use the data for geospatial analysis or area calculations, please download the copy projected to "NAD_1983 StatePlane Maryland FIPS 1900" from MDP's website at https://planning.maryland.gov/pages/ourproducts/downloadfiles.aspx.

MDP’s land use map estimates and generalizes the distribution of developed land statewide for general planning purposes and should not be used to identify land uses on individual parcels. Given methodology changes, the baseline 2018 map is not comparable with MDP’s previous Land Use Land Cover products and should not be used to assess change over time. Land not classified as urban does not equate to developable land.

Classifications for solar arrays vary throughout the map, as the beta release did not focus on incorporating solar arrays independently from other land uses. MDP identified extractive areas using the CBP LULC dataset and carried over historical extractive areas not qualifying for another land use from the 2010 Land Use Land Cover map. Classifications within mixed-use areas vary depending on local data, the 2010 Land Use Land Cover classification, and how these parcels are attributed for tax assessment purposes.

The Maryland Department of Planning or the State of Maryland has no liability from any damages or interpretations caused by this resource. The Maryland Department of Planning cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this resource. Each user is responsible for determining its suitability for his or her intended use or purpose.