[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6579439,"mediaKeyId","3085807-e5cc75526c0b2bae219b283369cbde6e","parentId",3085807,"title","Public works outlines water and sewer FY26 priorities including Patuxent plant upgrades and lead service inventory work","audioSeconds",519,"startMs",3446000,"endMs",3965000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3085807-e5cc75526c0b2bae219b283369cbde6e&start=3446&end=3965","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3085807-e5cc75526c0b2bae219b283369cbde6e/thumbnail_3446000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6579439/Howard-County/Maryland/Public-works-outlines-water-and-sewer-FY26-priorities-including-Patuxent-plant-upgrades-and-lead-service-inventory-work","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579439-e34c1cd9628ef977124722fa031650f0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770506820&Signature=RqI4m0OsLXHQEtRnSuAS2bMufcCUi~Z58aUPr8x331o8M7vowaUacyKg-PgydGOfvv9tqtBcYjcBMawGnoizCO5o0lE4oCxCpWDJ4PM~FXZ3Gj2KpUt5WcfhY6PBFyIWSjNffXh-XucLJkvs8C41i9rEdWxqhqDwKIveJxmgxnoE7TiayuDkRjpMOw-7JZiYRgOCAOsX4vYVGEMfpkvPdkFoak-HyD5R88zkDAW2sr9UJGm18G2~8X-~h4E9uJD7ZZ0Cw3AlhIjgmDF7invyH9WC-4gbBolxQ3iuFmBQOwj7OUqdgdD677N71HkxQAGqFjDmg0PFKWIi4Gdc5N7gVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Howard","date","2025-04-21T00:00:00Z","article","Howard County Department of Public Works (DPW) presented FY2026 water and sewer capital priorities at the council work session, highlighting plant upgrades at the Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant, a power substation hardening project, and an inventory effort to locate potential lead service lines in the county water system.

Treatment plant and system projects
DPW staff said rehabilitation of the Little Patuxent ultraviolet disinfection system and replacement of an aging motor control center (from the 1980s) are nearly complete and will improve effluent quality and plant reliability. They also highlighted a proposed power substation rebuild and elevation to harden a critical electrical asset against flooding and climate impacts.

A number of sewer projects were described as multi‑stage efforts driven by easement acquisition and real‑estate challenges. Staff said large interceptor projects sometimes require many property easements and are delivered as a series of contracts starting at one end; where easement acquisition is slow or complex, construction phases may be delayed. DPW said a mixture of design and construction funds are in the FY26 request across multiple sewer improvement projects.

Lead service‑line inventory
DPW staff said the county supplied the Environmental Protection Agency with its current inventory in October 2024 and that a continued inventory effort is ongoing. They said the county does not currently have a large backlog of known lead lines in the public system, but that verification requires a mix of desktop study, specialized inspection technology and, in some cases, potholing and excavation to verify pipe materials. Staff noted that current FY26 funds support the inventory and verification effort; funding for remediation, if lead lines are found on private property, has not been secured through grant or loan programs yet.

Why it matters: The Little Patuxent upgrades improve treatment reliability and discharge quality, a direct environmental and public‑health priority. Large interceptor and pump station projects can be costly and take years because of right‑of‑way needs; the lead‑line inventory is an EPA compliance and public‑health activity with potential downstream remediation costs.

What’s next: DPW will proceed with substation hardening design, continue interceptor easement acquisition and advance the lead inventory program. Staff offered to provide maps and the master‑plan update to the council as the county updates its water system master plan.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Howard - Budget Work Session - Capital #1 - Apr 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","DPW presented FY26 water and sewer capital priorities emphasizing Little Patuxent plant upgrades, a flood‑hardened power substation, and a state‑directed lead service‑line inventory and verification effort.","taxTitle","Howard County, Maryland","taxId",13634,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6579449,"Fire & Rescue outlines armory logistics plan, HQ move and multiple station projects; council presses for site options",9,1951000,1960000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3085807-e5cc75526c0b2bae219b283369cbde6e&start=1951&end=1960","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3085807-e5cc75526c0b2bae219b283369cbde6e/thumbnail_1951000.jpg","/articles/6579449/Howard-County/Maryland/Fire-Rescue-outlines-armory-logistics-plan-HQ-move-and-multiple-station-projects-council-presses-for-site-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579449-45b66c26f7c09b487bce8b2093945a78/orig.mp4?Expires=1770506820&Signature=GubYAXzuc94oqzm6cOLLikk~qXmlv5p4HwSHq0lXMTLsiq~techniWpNf3fwdwHoP~RNwysPzKla5zTpdB8rSJcXXta7~bA7I9LMfoOAR17qoXFRTeK02om9kBRxN-oEd72RMYys7LAfVjpVaFr0lYOPgxEc3rmnSePIwHZZiZW6ldPm6bJ-kn68nYsy7~gnS4JBvrI2nTKLvNb0OJAsUH-qYGXevrzr2lXeQShmWw5CNMm5J6BE-L9shkgGMIqMHyLJy1TYLjGssk8mzRnxYF1DHAPhxMZzVaVAoazc9Om~4X~NBHe1IR0MxRal0KqFM~yC1NmiD8oIaKyFdlq2~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Howard County Fire and Rescue briefed the council on several capital projects in the FY2026 budget, including planning at the former armory to support a logistics/storage facility and a relocated headquarters, ongoing rural cistern installations, and station planning for North Columbia and the replacement of Station 7.

Armory, logistics and headquarters
Fire staff reported they took possession of the old armory in 2023 and have completed hazardous‑materials removal, demolition of ancillary structures and site work. A design consultant (MW Studios) returned an initial concept for an armory logistics building and headquarters package with an estimated initial cost of roughly $17.7 million; that estimate included a headquarters relocation estimated to cost about $5.9 million. Fire officials said they were working with facilities and the consultant to reduce the logistics building cost plan (the initial study had been larger, and they said they believe costs can be reduced to nearer $12 million with scope adjustments). Officials noted that moving headquarters to the armory would reduce ongoing lease costs associated with the department’s current leased HQ.

Reserve fleet storage
Fire staff said the logistics concept had included storage space sized to hold many reserve apparatus bays. The initial design included roughly 21 bays and cost estimates that the department called larger than needed; staff said they were seeking to reduce the bay count (they mentioned a working target of about 12 bays) to lower costs while preserving indoor reserve apparatus storage to reduce exposure of reserve vehicles to the elements and improve maintenance efficiency.

North Columbia and Station 7
Fire and Rescue said coordination to site a new North Columbia Station is advancing: the Board of Education has agreed to transfer land for the project and an environmental concept plan (ECP) was being submitted. On the plan to replace Station 7, the department reported that a feasibility study showed a six‑acre property at Cedar Lane was generally suitable but the owner would sell only about 1.8 acres — less than the three acres the department said it needs. As a result, staff said they had returned to a broader site search and were evaluating options that would preserve service coverage across the Columbia area. Council members pressed whether the department planned to “push Banneker west” and how that would affect response coverage; fire leadership said they were using heat‑map response analysis to refine station siting.

Rural cistern (rural fire protection) program
Fire staff said the county currently has 40 cisterns in place, expects four tanks to be installed by the end of the fiscal year and had four more in engineering design for FY26. They said the typical cistern cost was about $330,000 and that the program’s long‑term plan had identified about 102 priority sites countywide. Officials said they routinely work with the Department of Public Works, utilities and landowners; recent state code changes requiring developers of certain subdivisions to set aside land or easements have helped the county secure sites.

Why it matters: The armory/logistics project could reduce lease costs and provide indoor storage and headquarters space, affecting operating budgets and long‑term facility planning. Station siting influences public‑safety response times across the county, while cisterns are critical to fire suppression in rural areas without municipal water.

What’s next: Fire and Rescue will continue design work with MW Studios to reduce costs and advance the armory/logistics plan, finalize the North Columbia ECP and continue real estate searches for Station 7 replacement options. The council asked for follow‑up details on costs and site options.","Fire and Rescue officials presented a package of capital initiatives at the council’s FY2026 work session, including design work at the former armory to house a headquarters and logistics building, station planning in North Columbia, ongoing rural cistern installations and replacement planning for Station 7.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6579453,"Council questions future police headquarters planning as Oracle lease nears end; mall satellite office to be rent‑free",1305,395000,1700000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3085807-e5cc75526c0b2bae219b283369cbde6e&start=395&end=1700","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3085807-e5cc75526c0b2bae219b283369cbde6e/thumbnail_395000.jpg","/articles/6579453/Howard-County/Maryland/Council-questions-future-police-headquarters-planning-as-Oracle-lease-nears-end-mall-satellite-office-to-be-rentfree","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579453-9f584dc00db28d1656bdb61dec315601/orig.mp4?Expires=1770506820&Signature=evMslgOn70aDVPI5aLQZ-AuBryJUnFVZ~Di11zenoLsEMs72Cfdt1RU1qqcS7-xTpiNzb07VBh5d1PFKW5VA7aQateAnxPaMwiZ-JGpVkuDDTu4UsQCMu2dQ1gMY2hnP7RPMOAnRQz1TCljz28tZ6Bubc01GLCHVvv1dk5a-IUmY9PjJDOttWB-o78HOMpymLfOaF37~VHiZ-Oecy6AE-A2RjP~Qoea0ixgyV20Pi3S3ji62oJDJku0fYW1ziQa3Cx~wr-d09EfRRUyLswD7~vVFq1PernmMJuqc319zJTwkF-0VYZvcZoqheJFLV2XTfyRT39HIUar7F8r4oB2FPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Howard County police told the council they have no planning funds in the FY2026 capital budget to build a central police headquarters but are continuing internal discussions on future options.

Council members asked several times about prior planning efforts and the size of a possible central station. Police leaders said they previously paid for architectural plans and a pre‑design but did not have the figures at the work session; staff agreed to provide the previous square‑footage estimates and planning‑cost breakdown for the council.

At the session, the county’s corporate lease for the police central office — the Oracle Building — was identified as roughly 29,500 gross square feet and council members said there are about five years remaining on that lease. Police said many staff are field‑based and that specialty vehicles are parked at multiple county lots; the department said a central headquarters would be larger than current leased offices but that planning must await clearer priorities and fiscal conditions.

Separately, police described a new downtown satellite presence in partnership with the mall. Mall management will provide space rent‑free for a permanent mall beat and a small satellite office the department will staff; the county expects low capital costs because mall management will provide the space and DTCS is expected to deliver computer/network infrastructure. Police said the office will not be a 24/7 staffed station but will support a permanent assigned beat and Community Liaison Officers (CLOs). Councilmembers welcomed the low‑cost arrangement and called it a boost to downtown public safety and economic vitality.

Why it matters: Oracle lease obligations and the future location of a central district headquarters affect long‑term facility costs, fleet parking and where officers operate. The mall satellite office is a near‑term community‑facing step to increase downtown presence without a major capital expense.

What’s next: Police and facilities staff agreed to provide the council with prior plans’ square footage and costs, Oracle lease details and follow‑up information on parking needs and planning status. No formal capital appropriation or decision was made at the work session.","Police officials told the council there is no FY26 planning money for a central police headquarters but that discussions continue. The department currently leases the Oracle Building (about 29,500 sq ft) and has five years remaining on that lease. Meanwhile the county will host a rent‑free satellite office and permanent beat at the downtown mall.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6579456,"Howard County to build specialized impound lot for electric vehicles; council members question $400,000 cost",1027,168000,1195000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3085807-e5cc75526c0b2bae219b283369cbde6e&start=168&end=1195","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3085807-e5cc75526c0b2bae219b283369cbde6e/thumbnail_168000.jpg","/articles/6579456/Howard-County/Maryland/Howard-County-to-build-specialized-impound-lot-for-electric-vehicles-council-members-question-400000-cost","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579456-363a45128f7b13551a8b7a73ed88546d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770506820&Signature=KXPIi9wfrMdMWVqoDKL1eAP-lG3-DtpVGF81EIoylVc1bkX4uf0s08DVdvMSix6YinMrR5tT40stI2LhuXAMPWuEHxVOrWw6~PftWhYx8XTUxEKOHeG-vzI2L0yn6xlHoF0Hqu7NK9NVvzcF9IJ1cEM~d05vcCxigwrWjbkeRtpJFGJYR3ixqWKm-zNP0S0w6lhYdseyw~GlJRFsT5F01-0dVfHOUz~95EcuWG1rXLz1LkRK7k8HMG4IeNenlkGvadOKHtqv4qjBF6OFAh8dGKwFPsR8uCREg7ZzOAdPlui4OxvLqAvnlDGW1hU2TBzk9H0FOvtyTu1a6bCY89HuQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Howard County police are requesting $400,000 in the FY2026 capital budget to build a specialized outdoor impound lot intended to contain fires from electric‑vehicle batteries.

During the council’s capital work session, Councilmember Deb Rigby and others questioned the cost and whether the lot is to serve fleet parking or evidence storage. Police officials said the lot is for impounded vehicles held for investigative reasons — not for everyday fleet parking — and will incorporate specifications to contain, isolate and suppress the kind of high‑heat, battery‑driven fires that first responders have encountered.

Police described the facility as an exterior containment pad that would confine a fire in a single vehicle and protect neighboring vehicles and evidence. A police official said the county has stored most seized and specialty vehicles in a centralized lot (the Cooksville site was named during the meeting) and that placing one electric vehicle among many others could expose all those vehicles to rapid fire spread.

Councilmembers pressed on whether the $400,000 covers land acquisition or only construction and on how the county will expand capacity as EVs become more common. Police answered that the planned work at the Cooksville Department of Public Works shop would include concrete surfacing and other measures so a fire could be self‑contained there; they did not say the $400,000 included land purchase. Councilmembers also asked about alternatives such as removing batteries from vehicles; police said removing an EV battery is a significant, specialized task — “like taking the engine out of a car” — and noted that vehicles are sometimes returned to owners, complicating that option.

Why it matters: High‑energy lithium battery fires behave differently than conventional vehicle fires and can re‑ignite after initial suppression. County officials said the lot is intended to reduce risk to evidence vehicles and to lower the likelihood of a fire that would damage multiple impounded vehicles or adjacent property.

What’s next: Police staff said the site decision is not fully finalized but indicated Cooksville as a likely location; they will return with more detailed project specifications and costs as planning continues.

Attribution: Quotations and descriptions above are drawn from public remarks during the council’s FY2026 capital budget work session. Speakers who addressed the topic on the record include police leadership and Councilmembers Deb Rigby, Miss Young and Mr. Youngman.","Howard County police presented a FY26 capital request for an outdoor, fire‑containment impound lot designed for damaged or impounded electric vehicles. Council members pressed officials on the $400,000 cost, site and intended uses; police and fire officials said the design is intended to limit catastrophic spread if a battery fire occurs.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6579444,"Agricultural preservation program reports new purchases and pipeline after $15 million FY26 request",61,2717000,2778000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3085807-e5cc75526c0b2bae219b283369cbde6e&start=2717&end=2778","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3085807-e5cc75526c0b2bae219b283369cbde6e/thumbnail_2717000.jpg","/articles/6579444/Howard-County/Maryland/Agricultural-preservation-program-reports-new-purchases-and-pipeline-after-15-million-FY26-request","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579444-2b0637a0948af42decfe64a8c9daff25/orig.mp4?Expires=1770506820&Signature=kfRSeiNCWpTBZvCJfKmvn1UVjX7FPXiWfkDjYmDUT96roRR55U4rcirikqcAU~Cgvv9IeEIT9bI7POcnaNxwMEwHX5vKbkvsbv3bJVHr7ik5qbOE5tCNWbJVL-qHD7afoBhrylTYxgCT0KNfnJAQ~E1c5kfrUUaQuwMbbl-s-L-1FXIw0KId6g9FbWsJv3Y6aBeFBe9xPDvvqVhZKU47wNvmBrVJNlZm4mlk2LnMFZbVf6MCK2s2RyYoCXdKxxOa8JrBsyKw8oDtTXUaBOOkd20wdnqve9Bf85c~bJ8fb0Zl5~fdMecdJ3KnFHAysMhPCZTAG0NSmu6f2NtY0dDXMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Howard County’s agricultural preservation office updated the council on the county program’s FY2026 activities and pipeline, including recent acquisitions and ongoing applications.

Staff said the program closed on the 80‑ to‑86‑acre Day property and expects the 67‑acre Harrison Farm — adjacent to Day — to come to council within a few months. Presenters said the county’s preservation program (IPRES) has completed easement purchases on 173 properties (the presentation counted additional easements dedicated through subdivision processes) and reported a total preserved acreage of about 23,393 acres across roughly 293 easements dating to program inception.

Program administrators told the council that a $15 million request requested last year remains in project GEO 164, and staff said about $1.95 million remained from an earlier $50 million spending authority approved in 2013. Councilmembers asked about eastern‑county farm participation, scoring for smaller eastern parcels, and outreach to landowners. Staff said zoning (RC and RR) has historically dominated the program and that minimum acreage rules had been adjusted (the minimum acreage threshold had been reduced to 20 acres) but that higher land values in the eastern part of the county reduce the number of willing sellers. The council discussed whether the Agricultural Board would examine amendments to scoring or outreach; staff and board representatives acknowledged scoring changes had been discussed but that they had not yet finalized an eastern‑district‑focused modification.

Why it matters: The county’s agricultural easement program is one of the principal tools to preserve farmland and working landscapes and influences development patterns. The presence of a pipeline of adjacent preserved parcels helps keep larger contiguous blocks of farmland intact.

What’s next: The Harrison Farm easement is expected to come to council in the next few months; staff said they will provide district‑level lists of preserved and uncommitted parcels on request and continue outreach to potential eastern‑county landowners and the ag board to consider scoring adjustments.","Agricultural preservation staff briefed the council on the county’s easement program, reporting recent closings and pipeline activity: the county closed on the Day property and expects the adjacent Harrison Farm to come forward. Staff said approximately 293 easements totaling roughly 23,393 acres have been preserved since the program began.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public works outlines water and sewer FY26 priorities including Patuxent plant upgrades and lead service inventory work

Fire & Rescue outlines armory logistics plan, HQ move and multiple station projects; council presses for site options

Council questions future police headquarters planning as Oracle lease nears end; mall satellite office to be rent‑free

Howard County to build specialized impound lot for electric vehicles; council members question $400,000 cost

Agricultural preservation program reports new purchases and pipeline after $15 million FY26 request