Prince George's County committee holds bill requiring periodic inspections of conserved woodlands

Chair Osoff, sponsor of CB-13-2025, introduced the bill to the Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee on March 13, 2025. The legislation would amend Subtitle 25 (Trees and Vegetation), Division 2 (Woodland and Wildlife Conservation), adding periodic inspections of tree conservation areas identified in approved tree conservation plans and requiring annual, district-level inspection reports.

The bill would require an initial inspection by the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE) no later than two years after a use-and-occupancy permit is issued for the subject property, and inspections every five years thereafter. DPIE would submit an annual report by council district listing findings, corrective actions and the status of those actions. Violations would receive a six-month correction period with required reinspection; penalties would be $2,500 for violations not corrected within six…