Resources to help you stay informed, get involved and make a difference.
Whether it is filling out a survey, emailing an elected official, or attending a meeting, you can make a difference in your community. This page is dedicated to helping you find out how.
Harford County Council
The Harford County Council is the county’s legislative branch, the body of government that writes local laws, approves the county budget, oversees land-use decisions, and provides checks and balances on the County Executive. The Council has seven members, six elected by district and one Council President elected countywide. It is important to pay attention to the County Council because their decisions affect your everyday life far more directly than most state or federal actions. The Council influences what gets built, where, and how, including warehouses, housing developments, and road improvements. The Council approves the county’s budget, which impacts property taxes and the quality of services you rely on. Council meetings and hearing are open to the public, giving residents a direct way to shape decisions before they are made. If you care about growth, taxes, schools, safety, or quality of life in Harford County, the Council’s actions directly shape all of it.
Important Links:
Want to know what are the current or past Bills and Resolutions? Go to the Legislation Page
Don’t know what district you live in? Find out on the Councilmanic Districts Page
Want to email or call your representative? Find contact information in the Directory
Want to speak at a Public Hearing or make a public comment during a Legislative Meeting? Go to the How to Participate in a Council Meeting page
Can’t make it to the meeting? Watch it LIVE online
Need to know when the next meeting is? Find out on the County Council Calendar Page or go to our Community Calendar
Community Advisory Boards (CABs)
Community Advisory Boards (CABs) in Harford County are resident-driven groups that serve as a direct link between neighborhoods and county leadership. Their purpose is to strengthen community identity, surface local concerns, and ensure residents have a meaningful voice in county decision-making. They help identify community needs and priorities from safety and traffic issues to parks, revitalization, and quality of life improvements. They provide feedback to the County Executive and county departments on emerging issues, development proposals, and service gaps. CABs build partnerships among residents, businesses, institutions, and civic organizations to solve local problems collaboratively. CABs generally meet once a month between September and June, giving residents a consistent way to stay engaged and influence local issues.
Community Advisory Boards:
Abingdon/Bel Air South/Emmorton
Churchville/Creswell/Fountain Green/Dublin
Edgewood/Joppa/Joppatowne
Fallston
Jarrettsville/Norrisville/Street/Forest Hill
Meeting dates, time and location can be found on our Community Calendar page.
Harford Forward - Master Land Use Plan
Harford Forward is Harford County’s long-range master land use plan, the blueprint that will guide decisions about growth, transportation, public facilities, natural resources, housing, economic development, and community character for the next 10 to 20 years. The county is actively seeking public input because this plan will determine where development happens, how rural areas are protected, how infrastructure is funded, and what quality of life looks like for future generations. Participating in Harford Forward is important because it’s the community’s chance to influence major choices about land use, growth boundaries, and public investment. Your feedback helps ensure the plan reflects real community priorities and protects what makes Harford County special
Harford Forward website
Take the Harford County Comprehensive Plan Community Survey
Share your ideas on the Interactive Map
Local Community Organizations and Groups
Harford County is home to dedicated community organizations that work tirelessly to safeguard the county’s rural character, natural resources, and quality of life. These organizations help residents stay informed, amplify community voices, and hold decision-makers accountable. They protect farmland, forests, waterways, and rural landscapes; promote transparency in development decisions; and ensure that Harford County grows in a way that preserves the qualities people love from scenic views and open space to safe roads and strong communities. Together, these organizations form a powerful network of citizen stewardship, ensuring Harford County grows in a way that honors its heritage, protects its environment, and preserves the places people love.
Harford Land Trust (HLT) is Harford County’s leading land-preservation organization, working to protect forests, farms, waterways, and natural habitats through conservation easements and land acquisition. Their work ensures that open space, clean water, wildlife habitat, and productive farmland remain intact for future generations. HLT has helped preserve tens of thousands of acres across the county, strengthening the local environment, economy, and quality of life.
Keep Fallston Rural is a grassroots advocacy group focused on preserving Fallston’s rural character by monitoring development proposals, mobilizing residents, and promoting responsible land-use decisions. They help ensure growth aligns with community values, infrastructure capacity, and environmental protection, especially in areas facing pressure from suburban expansion.
Friends of Harford is a long-standing citizen watchdog group dedicated to transparent, accountable land-use planning. They analyze zoning changes, development proposals, and county legislation, helping residents understand how decisions will affect traffic, schools, safety, and the environment. Their mission is to promote smart growth and ensure that development enhances, rather than erodes, community well-being.
Protect Perryman Peninsula (3P)
3P (Protect Perryman Peninsula) is a community-driven environmental justice and smart-growth coalition focused on protecting the Perryman Peninsula, one of Harford County’s most environmentally sensitive and historically overburdened areas. Their mission centers on safeguarding drinking water, preserving remaining green space, preventing harmful industrial overdevelopment, and ensuring Perryman’s residents have a strong voice in county and state decision-making.
Tracking Energy Projects
Harford County’s Solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Tracker
This is a public tool that lets residents see exactly where solar farms and battery storage projects are proposed, under review, or approved across the county. It provides project details, application status, and an interactive map, giving the community a clear view of how many projects are in progress and where they may impact farmland, neighborhoods, and infrastructure. This transparency is essential for residents to stay informed, understand potential impacts, and make their voices heard on projects that could shape Harford County’s rural character and long-term land-use planning.
Public Service Commission Case Search
This tool lets the public look up official regulatory cases, filings, and documents related to utilities, energy projects, and transportation services in Maryland. It allows you to search by case number or maillog number and then view the full case jacket, which includes every filing, order, comment, and document submitted in that proceeding. This matters because the PSC in the agency that reviews and approves major utility-scale projects, including solar farms and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) through the CPCN (Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity) process.