The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners will host a public information meeting on the Maryland Critical Area Act on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010, 7 to 8:30 p.m., at the Calvert Pines Senior Center.

Staff members of the Maryland Critical Area Commission will review state Critical Area programs and present information to the Board of County Commissioners, the Calvert County Planning Commission and interested citizens on changes to the state law that have occurred over the past two years. The meeting will also address topics raised at a November 3, 2009, public hearing held to adopt the environmental regulation and map changes to the Calvert County Zoning Ordinance.

The Critical Area Act was passed in 1984 to confront the impacts of land development on habitat and aquatic resources. The law defines the Critical Area as all land within 1,000 feet of tidal waters and tidal wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

The Calvert Pines Senior Center is located at 450 West Dares Beach Road in Prince Frederick. For further information, contact the Calvert County Department of Planning and Zoning at (410) 535-2348.