Senator Brooks seeks law requiring community notice for certain state projects
February 05, 2026 | Budget and Taxation Committee, SENATE, SENATE, Committees, Legislative, Maryland
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Sen. Ben Brooks introduced Senate Bill 318 to the Budget and Taxation Committee, saying the measure responds to community concerns over a Patapsco Valley State Park radio tower project and a gap in how state agencies notify affected residents.
"SB 318 is a direct response to ... the Patapsco Valley State Park radio tower project," Brooks said, arguing the bill would create a targeted outreach standard to notify community members within a one-mile radius and give them an opportunity to provide input when projects meet defined criteria. "Early and transparent engagement helps identify local concerns," he said.
A local attorney, Sheldon Smith of Catonsville, testified the Maryland IT project proposed a 348-foot radio tower in a residential area and that his first notice of the project came only after a public-records request, by which time planning and contractor selection were complete. Smith said the first public meeting occurred roughly 30–38 months into the project and that agency practice had been to hold hearings only after designs were finished. He said the gap left residents without meaningful opportunity to influence siting or height decisions and urged the committee to require earlier outreach for major projects.
Committee members questioned the scale and purpose of the tower. Witnesses described the structure as a public-safety LMR radio tower intended to address coverage gaps; supporters noted it would improve emergency communications while opponents said the proposed height would create visual impacts for an estimated 1,200 homes and that alternative siting or additional, lower towers could be considered.
The bill, as presented, would set a clear outreach framework for state agencies undertaking projects that directly affect local residents, requiring notice and an opportunity for input under specified conditions. The committee did not take a vote during this hearing; sponsors asked for a favorable report and offered to work with members on the bill’s details moving forward.
The committee recessed to hear other bills; SB 318 will return to committee consideration as negotiations proceed.
"SB 318 is a direct response to ... the Patapsco Valley State Park radio tower project," Brooks said, arguing the bill would create a targeted outreach standard to notify community members within a one-mile radius and give them an opportunity to provide input when projects meet defined criteria. "Early and transparent engagement helps identify local concerns," he said.
A local attorney, Sheldon Smith of Catonsville, testified the Maryland IT project proposed a 348-foot radio tower in a residential area and that his first notice of the project came only after a public-records request, by which time planning and contractor selection were complete. Smith said the first public meeting occurred roughly 30–38 months into the project and that agency practice had been to hold hearings only after designs were finished. He said the gap left residents without meaningful opportunity to influence siting or height decisions and urged the committee to require earlier outreach for major projects.
Committee members questioned the scale and purpose of the tower. Witnesses described the structure as a public-safety LMR radio tower intended to address coverage gaps; supporters noted it would improve emergency communications while opponents said the proposed height would create visual impacts for an estimated 1,200 homes and that alternative siting or additional, lower towers could be considered.
The bill, as presented, would set a clear outreach framework for state agencies undertaking projects that directly affect local residents, requiring notice and an opportunity for input under specified conditions. The committee did not take a vote during this hearing; sponsors asked for a favorable report and offered to work with members on the bill’s details moving forward.
The committee recessed to hear other bills; SB 318 will return to committee consideration as negotiations proceed.
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