Best Management Practices for Maryland Golf Courses

Planning, Design, and Construction

The construction phase of any industry’s infrastructure poses the greatest risk of ecosystem alteration. With proper planning and design, golf facilities can be constructed and maintained with minimal impact on water quality and other natural resources. Additional information about incorporating water quality protections into the planning and design phase is found in the "Surface Water Management" and "Maintenance Operations" chapters.

Regulatory Considerations

Early engagement among developers, designers, local community groups, and permitting agencies is essential to designing and constructing a golf facility that minimizes environmental impact and meets the approval process. Federal, state, and local regulations apply to activities involved in construction activities on golf courses.

Wetlands

During the planning phase, the boundaries of any tidal or nontidal wetlands 1 or 100-year floodplains on the site must be identified because activities taking place within these boundaries require permits. The Maryland Department of the Environment’s (MDE) Wetlands and Waterways Program protects such waterbodies from loss and degradation. This protection is achieved through the regulation of the draining, dredging, and filling of tidal and nontidal wetlands, of the nontidal wetland buffer, and of waterways, including the nontidal 100-year floodplain. The regulations include a permitting or authorization process implemented in close coordination with the federal government, specifically the Army Corps of Engineers. While there are some exemptions from permitting requirements for certain activities, permits or letters of authorization from the state are generally required if a property owner plans to undertake an activity that results in the draining of a wetland or the addition of fill materials to a state-regulated wetland or waterway. All state regulations that pertain to wetlands are provided by MDE in a wetlands regulation database . Any activity associated with construction or renovation, including grading and filling, within the 100-year floodplain zone (nontidal or tidal) requires a permit issued by the local regulatory authority (county or town) in keeping with local ordinances. A Model Floodplain Management Ordinance, which meets all state and federal regulations and contains recommendations for improved management of floodplains, has been adopted widely by communities in Maryland. If state and federal permits are required, development may not begin until all necessary permits are issued. More information on floodplain permitting is available on the MDE's Floodplain Permitting page . Floodplains

1 See the Definition section for Maryland’s definitions of tidal and nontidal wetlands.

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