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Developer asks Glenarden to maintain two small stormwater swales for phase 4 of Glenarden Hills; council seeks written agreement
Summary
As part of the Glenarden Hills phase 4 approval, developers asked the city to maintain two small stormwater swales in the 10-foot right-of-way. City Manager Wood said maintenance would be periodic (3–4 times a year) and the county has a standard agreement; council asked staff to clarify long-term vegetation responsibilities, training requirements, and impacts to future sidewalk planning.
During the March 16 meeting City Manager Wood presented the developer request tied to Glenarden Hills phase 4, a 73-townhome addition to a multi-phase development. The developer asked the city to assume periodic maintenance of two small stormwater swales located in a 10-foot city right-of-way, performed several times per year to remove debris and maintain the biological vegetation that helps retention.
Wood said the county uses a boilerplate agreement that municipalities often adopt and that the final agreement would be returned to the council for review and legal sufficiency. He said the swales are small (one roughly 100 feet, the other about 50 feet) and that the developer's infrastructure contractor (Harkins) would construct the features; the city would only be asked to perform limited maintenance.
Council members pressed staff for details about training, long-term vegetation upkeep and whether acceptance would complicate future sidewalk installation in the same right-of-way. Councilwoman Jones asked whether the county provides training for public-works staff; Wood said he would confirm and, if training is required, seek it free of charge. Councilman Herring emphasized the need to understand the five- to seven-year maintenance horizon and who would be responsible for replacement of vegetation in drought or runoff events; Wood said the agreement could require the HOA to bear plant-replacement costs while the city performs debris-clearing to maintain hydraulic function.
Wood said that if the city declined to take ownership, the developer would need to pursue an alternative path with the county, which could delay the issuance of the final permit. Wood will report back with the agreement language and any required training or compensation options.
