Garrett County
Garrett County, the northwestern most county, was formed in 1872 from Allegany County and was the last county to be created. It was named after railroad executive John Work Garrett and is characterized by steep mountains and stream valleys. It is home to the state’s highest point, Backbone Mountain, which reaches 3,360 feet above sea level and the state’s largest fresh water lake. The county currently does not have county-wide zoning implemented.
As of 2000 Garrett County had 76,000 acres of publicly owned parks and forest lands. In fact, the county has so much protected forestland that it and Allegany County were the two counties exempt from the state Forest Conservation Act.
The county is experiencing slight growth. Its year 2000 population of 29,846 is expected to reach 30,800 by 2015.
1000 Friends of Maryland released barometers to address the difficult question of whether counties are on track to clean local waters as local, state, and federal governments finalize their plans to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay “pollution diet.” How is Garrett County doing?
Reports
07/27/2009
Yellow School Bus Blues documents one hidden cost of Maryland’s recent development patterns. The report examines the rapidly increasing school bus budget. Since 1992 statewide expenditures for school bus transportation have more than doubled, to $438 million.
