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Maryland planner to lead NCCo land management

Delaware Public Media

 

New Castle County Executive-elect Matt Meyer announced Thursday he’s nominated Richard Hall to be the county’s next general manager of land use.

Hall spent the past 25 years with Maryland’s Department of Planning, including a stint as its secretary from 2007 to 2015.

 

 

As secretary, he created a sustainable growth strategy for the State of Maryland.

 

Some critics argue Meyer should have hired someone from Delaware who's familiar with the state's land use issues.

 

But Meyer said that’s not what he heard from constituents on the campaign trail.

 

“I don’t think they really care where the person is from as long as they have experience and can improve our land use policy,” Meyer said.

 

The people of New Castle County will be lucky to have Hall working for them, Meyer added.  

 

Hall was was writing plans for communities in North Carolina when he was in college and he’s nationally known for intelligent solutions to difficult land use problems.

 

Meyer said his priorities for land management include limiting sprawl, preserving open space and developing smart growth policies that create jobs.

 

Hall will have to find a way to implement these policies while balancing the competing interests of urban, suburban and rural members of the county. 

 

New Castle County Council will vote to approve Hall’s nomination in early 2017.

 

Meyer doesn't expect opposition. 

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