Economic Development - Tax Increment Financing - Noncontiguous Areas

SB 287 allows local governments in Maryland to designate *noncontiguous* blighted areas as development districts for tax increment financing (TIF). This means communities can now use TIF tools for economic development projects in disconnected land parcels (like separate lots in a blighted neighborhood) that were previously ineligible under the law. The bill amends Maryland’s Economic Development Code to explicitly include "noncontiguous" areas in the definition of "development district" and updates related sections to permit this designation. It directly affects counties, cities, and other local governments seeking to revitalize fragmented blighted areas through TIF. The change takes effect October 1, 2026.