EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb1183*
SENATE BILL 1183
M1 4lr2668
CF HB 1358
By: Senator Carter (By Request – Baltimore City Administration)
Introduced and read first time: February 21, 2024
Assigned to: Rules
Re–referred to: Education, Energy, and the Environment, March 9, 2024
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 23, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Natural Resources – Establishment of Gwynns Falls State Park – Focus Group, 2
Advisory Committee, and Report 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Natural Resources to establish Gwynns 4
Falls State Park as a partnership park between the Department and Baltimore City; 5
requiring that Gwynns Falls State Park consist of certain properties in Baltimore 6
City and include certain landscapes and facilities; requiring the Department of 7
Natural Resources and Baltimore City to take certain surveys, convene certain focus 8
group meetings on certain subjects, and establish a certain advisory committee, and 9
develop a list of priority needs and associated costs for park improvements; and 10
generally relating to the establishment of Gwynns Falls State Park. 11
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 12
Article – Natural Resources 13
Section 5–1012(a) and (b) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 16
BY adding to 17
Article – Natural Resources 18
Section 5–1012(f–1) 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 21
2 SENATE BILL 1183
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Natural Resources 3
5–1012. 4
(a) In this section, “partnership park” means a unit of the State park system 5
managed by the Department in partnership with a local government, a bicounty agency, or 6
a nonprofit organization. 7
(b) The Department may enter into: 8
(1) A memorandum of understanding with a local government, bicounty 9
agency, or nonprofit organization to establish a partnership park in the State; or 10
(2) A partnership agreement with a local government, bicounty agency, or 11
nonprofit organization to manage a partnership park in the State. 12
(F–1) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTA BLISH GWYNNS FALLS STATE 13
PARK AS A PARTNERSHIP PARK BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND BALTIMORE CITY 14
THAT SEEKS TO PROVID E VISITORS WITH ACCE SSIBLE OUTDOOR , NATURE–BASED 15
RECREATION AND LEARN ING OPPORTUNITIES . 16
(2) GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK SHALL BE HELD BY T HE STATE AS A 17
STATE PARK UNDER THE PROTECTION AND ADMIN ISTRATION OF THE 18
DEPARTMENT . 19
(3) (I) GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK SHALL CONSIST OF 20
PROPERTIES THAT ARE : 21
1. OWNED BY THE STATE AND DESIGNATED BY THE 22
DEPARTMENT TO BE ADMI NISTERED AS PART OF THE STATE PARK; OR 23
2. A. OWNED BY BALTIMORE CITY OR A NONPROFIT 24
ORGANIZATION ; AND 25
B. DESIGNATED AS PART OF THE PARK BY A 26
PARTNERSHIP AGREEMEN T BETWEEN THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY AND THE 27
DEPARTMENT . 28
(II) GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK SHALL, AT A MINIMUM , 29
INCLUDE: 30
1. LEAKIN PARK; 31 SENATE BILL 1183 3
2. THE GWYNNS FALLS TRAIL; 1
3. WINANS MEADOW/CARDIN PAVILION; AND 2
4. THE CRIMEA SECTION. 3
(4) THE MEMORANDUM OF UND ERSTANDING ESTABLISH ING THE 4
GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK SHALL DEFINE: 5
(I) THE ROLES AND RESPONS IBILITIES, INCLUDING FINANCIAL 6
RESPONSIBILITIES , OF THE DEPARTMENT AND BALTIMORE CITY IN MAINTAINING 7
AND OPERATING THE STATE PARK; AND 8
(II) A PARTNERSHIP ROLE FOR THE FRIENDS OF GWYNNS 9
FALLS/LEAKIN PARK IN SUPPOR T OF THE STATE PARK ’S MISSION AND 10
VOLUNTEERS . 11
(5) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTA BLISH A SUMMER CONSERVATION 12
JOBS CORPS PROGRAM FOR HIG H SCHOOL STUDENTS AT GWYNNS FALLS STATE 13
PARK. 14
(6) (F–1) (1) THE DEPARTMENT AND BALTIMORE CITY SHALL: 15
(I) 1. TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF BALTIMORE 16
CITY RESIDENTS REGARD ING THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD: 17
A. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF GWYNNS FALLS STATE 18
PARK; AND 19
B. OUTDOOR RECREATION IN GENERAL, INCLUDING 20
THEIR INTERESTS IN A ND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION A ND 21
BARRIERS TO OUTDOOR RE CREATION; AND 22
2. (I) CONVENE FOCUS GROUP M EETINGS ON THE 23
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK PARK WITH COMMUNITY 24
MEMBERS AND STAKEHOL DERS THAT RESIDE OR OPERATE IN THE VICIN ITY OF THE 25
PROPOSED STATE PARK; 26
(II) DEVELOP A LIST OF PRIORITY N EEDS AND ASSOCIATED 27
COST ASSESSMENTS FOR PARK OPERATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS , INCLUDING: 28
1. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ; 29
4 SENATE BILL 1183
2. CRITICAL MAINTENANCE ; 1
3. ENHANCED NATURAL RESO URCE MANAGEMENT AND 2
RESTORATION , INCLUDING IMPLEMENTA TION OF A BIOHABITATS STUDY ; 3
4. HISTORIC SITE RESTORA TION; 4
5. ENHANCED OUTDOOR RECR EATION AMENITIES , 5
INCLUDING TRAIL IMPR OVEMENTS; AND 6
6. ADDING PARK STAFF AND PROCURING EQUIPMENT 7
AND SUPPLIES; AND 8
7. LAW ENFORCEMENT AND P UBLIC SAFETY; AND 9
(III) ESTABLISH A STAKEHOLD ER ADVISORY COMMITTE E TO 10
ADVISE THE DEPARTMENT AND BALTIMORE CITY ON THE SCOPE AND MANAGEMENT 11
OF GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK THAT CONSISTS OF : 12
1. A REPRESENTATIVE OF TH E FRIENDS OF GWYNNS 13
FALLS/LEAKIN PARK; 14
2. AT LEAST THR EE REPRESENTATIVES O F 15
NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZ ATIONS FROM NEIGHBOR HOODS THAT BORDER TH E 16
STATE PARK; 17
3. AT LEAST TWO REPRESEN TATIVES OF 18
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANI ZATIONS IN BALTIMORE CITY; 19
4. AT LEAST ONE REPRESEN TATIVE OF A HISTORIC 20
PRESERVATION ORGANIZATION IN BALTIMORE CITY; AND 21
5. ANY OTHER MEMBERS AS DETERMINED BY THE 22
DEPARTMENT . 23
1. AT LEAST ONE MEMBER O F THE FRIENDS OF GWYNNS 24
FALLS/LEAKIN PARK; 25
2. AT LEAST SIX MEMBERS REPRESENTING LOCAL P ARK 26
ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIO NS, LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS , LOCAL 27
HISTORIC PRESERVATIO N ORGANIZATIONS , AND NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZ ATIONS 28
FROM NEIGHBORHOODS T HAT BORDER THE FUTUR E GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK 29
SITE; AND 30
SENATE BILL 1183 5
3. ANY ADDITIONAL MEMBER S AS DETERMINED BY T HE 1
DEPARTMENT AND BALTIMORE CITY. 2
(7) (2) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2024 DECEMBER 1, 2025, THE 3
DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBM IT A REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IN 4
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, ON: 5
(I) PROPERTY OWNED BY THE STATE IN BALTIMORE CITY 6
THAT IS SUITABLE FOR INCLUSION IN GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK; 7
(II) PROPERTY OWNED BY BALTIMORE CITY OR A NONPROFIT 8
ORGANIZATION IN BALTIMORE CITY THAT IS SUITABLE FOR INCLUSION IN GWYNNS 9
FALLS STATE PARK AND FOR WHICH TH E LANDOWNERS ARE WIL LING TO ENTER 10
INTO A PARTNERSHIP A GREEMENT; AND 11
(III) THE FUNDING NEEDED TO ESTABLISH AND PROMOT E 12
GWYNNS FALLS STATE PARK. 13
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 14
1, 2024. 15
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.