Council adopts amendment to stormwater remediation fee code; credit to apply automatically for projects completed after July 1, 2026

The County Council on July 21 adopted an amendment to Bill 6,225 that changes how the watershed protection and remediation fee is applied to certain development projects and homeowners’ associations.

Administration staff said the ordinance corrects several inconsistencies in how the stormwater remediation fee has been assessed and that four of the proposed changes affect fee calculations in specific instances. The council then considered Amendment 1, which the administration had prepared in response to public feedback. Eric Michaelson of the Bureau of Watershed Protection and Restoration explained the amendment “would automatically have that 50% credit applied to those development projects going forward ... with the handoff from inspections and permits and the final inspection of those practices.” The amendment applies to projects completed after July 1, 2026.

HOA representatives urged the council to provide greater transparency and to codify fee credits. Steve Miller, an HOA president and member of the county’s Citizens Environmental Commission, urged an audit of the accuracy of the data used to determine fees and said some sidewalks had been mistakenly classified as private impervious surface in county maps. Kate Fox of the Growth Action Network’s legislative committee also called for the credit to be automatic and retroactive for HOAs that qualify but were unaware of the 50% reduction.

Stormwater fee program manager Sally Sidlowski told the council the county receives appeals and will correct errors; she said that in recent years appeals have been fewer than 10 annually and that mapping misalignments can produce overcharges for HOAs. The administration's amendment was adopted unanimously; the council scheduled the bill (as amended) for the Sept. 2 legislative session for final action.

Why it matters: The marathon of development in Anne Arundel County means remediation fees affect many HOA budgets and private property owners. The amendment changes fees prospectively for qualifying projects and aims to make the existing 50% credit automatic once inspections and handoff are complete, reducing the need for HOAs to file appeals to receive the reduction.

Next steps: The amendment was adopted by roll call, 7–0. The underlying ordinance, as amended, will return to the council on Sept. 2 for further consideration.