The public has 60 more days to comment on the current draft before state planners submit a final version to Governor Martin O’Malley, who strongly supports the plan’s philosophy. Some locals are crying for more time — as much as a year, even. Considering that officials have already had four months to review the plan, making six months of review in all, such requests look a lot like a stall tactic. It took six months to walk the Oregon Trail; reviewing a key state plan of reasonable length should take considerably less time. (Plus, no typhoid.)

“This is not a wall that prohibits counties from making stupid land-use decisions. They’re still free to do that, but we’re not going to subsidize it any more.” (O’Malley)