Commissioners adopt ethics disclosure amendment and animal-control ordinance; schedule cannabis zoning and plastic-bag hearings; set municipal tax offsets

Queen Anne's County commissioners on an April evening took several legislative steps: they adopted an ethics ordinance amendment narrowing the set of boards and commissions required to file annual financial-disclosure forms; they adopted an animal-control ordinance that adds a reconsideration/judicial-review step for dog-bite cases; they scheduled public hearings for cannabis zoning updates and a proposed county plastic-bag restriction; and they approved differential aid payments to municipalities for fiscal year 2026.

Votes at a glance - County Ordinance 24-15 (ethics disclosure amendment): Adopted as amended. The amendment narrows the annual financial-disclosure requirement to boards and commissions with decision-making authority. (Motion introduced and adopted; recorded as carried.) - County Ordinance 25-02 (animal control): Adopted after a March 25 public hearing; no public comments were recorded at that hearing. (Motion carried 5-0.) - County Ordinance 25-01 (cannabis zoning/text amendment): Motion approved to schedule a public hearing for text amendment 25-01 to align county zoning rules with the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland and add local odor-control measures for licensed growers, processors and dispensaries. - County Ordinance 25-06 (plastic-bag use ban): Motion approved to schedule a public hearing; the ordinance was modeled on the Town of Centerville's ban. - Municipal tax offset schedule (FY26): Commissioners voted to set differential rates and aid payment amounts to municipalities for fiscal year 2026 as presented.

Context and rationale County staff presented Ordinance 24-15's amendment as a response to prior public comment and ethics commission review; the change limits the annual disclosure requirement to boards and commissions that exercise decision-making authority. The ordinance was introduced last September, amended following stakeholder review and then adopted at the meeting.

On animal control, county staff said a public hearing on March 25 drew no comments and recommended adoption of Ordinance 25-02 to establish a reconsideration and judicial-review process for animal-control commission cases involving dog bites.

On cannabis, staff described text amendment 25-01 as aligning local zoning with the state Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article and including provisions such as odor-control requirements for licensed operations. The planning commission reviewed the text and returned it to the county commissioners without amendments; a public hearing was scheduled.

On the proposed plastic-bag ordinance 25-06, staff said the rule follows Centerville's local ban and will be scheduled for public hearing per the introduction.

The tax-offset motion passed following brief presentations by town representatives from Barclay, Centerville, Churchill and Queenstown who described local projects and needs; commissioners approved the recommended schedule and dollar amounts.

Speakers and attribution When motions or votes were made without a clearly identified speaker in the meeting audio, the public record lists the motion and the result; motions and seconds were called and recorded by county staff and by the commission president during the meeting.

Next steps Each ordinance scheduled for public hearing will be noticed with hearing dates; staff will publish supporting materials. The adopted ordinances take effect according to county code and the language in each ordinance.

Speakers quoted in this article are identified in the public meeting record.