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Council hears plan for $5,000 UNO fee on select businesses; amendments add appeal process and fund uses
Summary
CB 17-2026 would create a $5,000 use-and-occupancy permit fee for certain retail uses and establish a Quality of Life Improvement Fund with set disbursements; the committee voted the bill favorably and council later adopted DPIE-requested procedural amendments, including an appeal process for permit revocations.
Prince George's County Council considered CB 17-2026, which would establish a $5,000 use-and-occupancy (UNO) permit fee for certain uses the bill lists as special "quality of life" impacts, including Class A beer and wine liquor stores, tobacco shops, regulated firearms dealers and consolidated storage uses.
Committee staff explained the bill would also create a Quality of Life Improvement Fund. At remittance, 10% of receipts would be disbursed to the county's Early Start Child Care Scholarship Fund and 5% to the Child Care Facilities Loan Program, with other disbursements subject to council resolution. DPIE and other stakeholders provided input: several business groups opposed the measure and recommended amendments while the county executive's office supported DPACC's suggested changes.
During council consideration DPIE proposed two procedural amendments the department requested: an appeal process for revocation of UNO permits (written notice and 10-day appeal to the board of appeals) and a clarification that failure to provide a discretionary courtesy renewal notice is not a legal basis to challenge a revocation. The council adopted those DPIE-proposed amendments by roll call (motion carried 8-1). Earlier in Committee of the Whole the sponsor's amendments were adopted and the committee voted 7-2 in favor of CB 17 as amended.
Why it matters: the bill targets a set of commercial uses with a new permit fee and creates an earmarked fund that would partially support childcare programs. Business groups testified in opposition and committee staff asked for additional data on affected businesses and employees before final action.
Next steps: CB 17-2026 stands introduced as amended; staff said they will provide counts and demographic analysis of affected businesses to the committee.
