Westminster, MD, Thursday, September 14, 2023 - On Thursday, September 7, 2023, during Open Session, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners voted to merge two county departments.  Effective immediately, the Department of Land & Resource Management and the Department of Planning will merge into one department named the Carroll County Department of Planning & Land Management.

Christopher Heyn P.E., the current director of Land & Resource Management, will be the director of the newly merged agency.  The previous director of the Department of Planning departed from the county in mid-June of this year, and Mr. Heyn has been acting director since that time.

Mr. Heyn stated, “I have enjoyed working closely with the planning staff over the past few months.  They are a dynamic and cohesive group that cares deeply about our community.  We have begun investigating opportunities related to efficiencies, collaboration, and resource sharing.  I am thrilled that the Commissioners have agreed to permanently combine the departments to continue evolving to the benefit of Carroll County citizens.”

Staff from the Department of Planning will now be in the Bureau of Comprehensive Planning, managed by Mary Lane, the county planning manager.  A new deputy director position will be created to assist Mr. Heyn in the administration of the department, which also includes the Bureau of Resource Management, the Bureau of Development Review, Zoning Administration, Agricultural Preservation, and Geographic Information Systems.  The new organizational structure and details will be communicated on the county’s website as they are finalized.