A Viewer Writes: Baltimore City isn’t the Only place in Maryland that Now Has a Permit Czar, Wicomico County Appears to as Well

This past week it was announced Baltimore City now has a “Permit Czar”.

 

 

Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced the appointment of Deputy Mayor Justin Williams to serve as Baltimore City’s inaugural Director of Permitting and Development Services, a newly created position designed to streamline development processes as part of the administration’s Bmore FAST initiative. 

 

From the press release:

 

“I am grateful that Deputy Mayor Justin Williams will be bringing his years of public and private experience to the role of Director of Permitting and Development Services and interim director of Baltimore City Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals (BMZA),” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “As Baltimore is reimagining the how we tackle vacant homes in the city, through a $3 billion investment over the next 15 years, the role of permit czar will play an integral role that will oversee the numerous offices that issue city permits, and Justin with his wealth of knowledge of both city hall, its departments, and his private sector experience, is the right person for this job.”

 

 

 

Mr. Williams was named to the new State Permit Board, that Governor Moore created in December of 2024, that this past August “expedited” a project in the City of Salisbury,  for Mr. David Layfield a new Market being proposed for Downtown. 

 

 

 

 

In addition to Mr. Williams being Appointed by Governor Moore to this State Permitting board,  the Governor Appointed Wicomico County’s  Planning and Zoning  Director Tracy Green Taylor. Who reports directly to Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano, this appointment to this board gives Giordano quite a bit more influence around the State now on what potential projects by builder or developer could be “expedited” by this board that was created by Governor Moore. (Screenshot Attached)

 

 

 

Meaning that Baltimore City, isn’t the only place in the State, that now has “permit czar” nice to see the County Executive following the path of Baltimore City, for Wicomico County that’s a great look!