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Zoning Bulletin July 10, 2011 'Volume 5 ( No. 13 <br />placing the regulatory burden on local governments. The law also <br />shortens the evaluation period for state agencies and markedly limits <br />their authority to raise objections and make comments." Environ- <br />mental lobbies had heavily opposed the legislation, voicing concern <br />that it would "eliminate[ ] the state's ability to act as a check to lo- <br />cal growth." Among other things, "the legislation eliminates state <br />requirements for school capacity, infrastructure, and park and recre- <br />ation upgrades to be conducted concurrent with development." Lo- <br />cal governments will now have the authority to maintain such re- <br />quirements, if desired. "The law also repeals the requirement that <br />all development agreements be reviewed by the state land planning <br />agency and takes away the organization's authority to pursue civil <br />action as a means of enforcing development orders." <br />Source: The Walton Sun; www.waltonsun.com <br />MARYLAND <br />Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold reportedly "in- <br />tends to block a bill that would make sweeping rezoning changes to <br />the central and southern parts of the county." Leopold has said that <br />"the public needs a bigger voice in rezoning talks." However, other <br />council members have reportedly objected to Leopold's call to with- <br />draw the proposed legislation. <br />Source: Greater Annapolis Patch; httb://ereaterannabolis.Patch.com/ <br />MASSACHUSETTS <br />State Senator Jamie Eldridge recently filed "[c]omprehensive leg- <br />islation designed to overhaul the state's decades -old zoning laws." <br />The proposed Comprehensive Land Use Reform and Partnership <br />Act (CLURPA—S1019) has been heard by the state senate's Joint <br />Committee on Municipalities. The bill reportedly "encourages com- <br />munities to adopt or update their local master plans and provides <br />them the tools necessary to implement zoning regulations to reach <br />their planning goals." <br />Source: Sudbury Patch; httb://sudburv.patch.com <br />PENNSYLVANIA <br />Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Theresa Smith recently intro- <br />duced legislation "that not only would restrict where adult busi- <br />nesses can operate, but drastically change how they operate. The <br />measure would ban any contact between dancers and patrons and <br />© 2011 Thomson Reuters 11 <br />