Smart Growth Maryland, Part Two: What's the big deal with annexation and planning?

In Maryland, as in most other states, municipal corporations (usually cities or villages) may enlarge its corporate boundaries. Municipal annexation is the process of legally including within the corporate limits of a
city or town an unincorporated area that is outside the municipality. Historically, this process was not limited to municipalities. In the 1800s, the U.S. Congress successfully annexed the state of Texas, which prevented it from becoming a recognized republic by Mexico. Later, in 1898, the United States annexed the territory of Hawaii, which eventually led to its statehood in 1959.

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Next article in series-Part Three: Planning for Water Resources