Bill No.                2-15                          

Concerning: Stormwater Management – Water Quality Protection Charge – Credit and Financial Hardship Exemption Deadlines                     

Revised:    1/16/2015       Draft No. _1__

Introduced:      January 20, 2015            

Enacted:         March 31, 2015              

Executive:       April 8, 2015                  

Effective:        July 8, 2015                   

Sunset Date:  None                             

Ch.   14    , Laws of Mont. Co.    2015    

County Council

For Montgomery County, Maryland

By: Council President at the Request of the County Executive

AN ACT to:

(1)        change the due date for submittal of both credit and financial hardship exemption applications; and

(2)        generally amend County law regarding the Water Quality Protection Charge.

By amending

            Montgomery County Code

            Chapter 19, Erosion, Sediment Control and Storm Water Management

Section 19-35

Boldface Heading or defined term.

Underlining Added to existing law by original bill.

[Single boldface brackets] Deleted from existing law by original bill.

Double underlining Added by amendment.

[[Double boldface brackets]] Deleted from existing law or the bill by amendment.

*   *   *                                                  Existing law unaffected by bill.

The County Council for Montgomery County, Maryland approves the following Act:

          Sec. 1.  Section 19-35 is amended as follows:

19-35.         Water Quality Protection Charge.

*        *        *

 (e)     (1)     A property owner may apply for, and the Director of Environmental Protection must grant, a credit equal to a percentage, set by regulation, of the Charge if:

(A)    the property contains a stormwater management system that is not maintained by the County;

(B) the owner participates in a County-approved water quality management practice or initiative;

(C) the property treats off-site drainage from other properties located within the same drainage area; or

(D) the property does not contain a stormwater management system, but is located in the same drainage area as another that contains a stormwater management system and both properties have the same owner.

(2)     To receive the credit, the property owner must apply to the Director of Environmental Protection in a form prescribed by the Director not later than [October 31] September 30 of the year [before] that payment of the Charge is due. Any credit granted under this subsection is valid for 3 years.

(3)     The owner of an owner-occupied residential property, or any non-profit organization that can demonstrate substantial financial hardship may apply for an exemption from all or part of the Charge for that property, based on criteria set by regulation. The owner or organization may apply for the exemption to the Director of Finance not later than [April 1] September 30 of the year [when] that payment of the Charge is due.

*        *        *

          Sec. 2.  Retroactivity

          This Act applies retroactively to applications for credit or financial hardship exemption submitted on or before September 30, 2014 for Levy Year 2014.

Approved: