The Howard County Council has approved two resolutions proposed by County Executive Calvin Ball that will strengthen development regulations and fees to protect the Tiber Branch and Plumtree Branch watersheds and mitigate flooding in Ellicott City.

The first resolution will require development to meet the highest standards ever in Howard County’s history for storm water management, addressing the short duration, high-intensity storms that caused recent, devastating flooding in 2016 and 2018, and establishing a more rigorous process for permitting the use of fees-in-lieu.

The second resolution will more than double storm water management fees-in-lieu and bring them up-to-date to reflect current costs for constructing storm water management facilities. These fees have not been increased since the mid-1990’s. Read the full text of Resolution 122-2019 via www.howardcountymd.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=sxC4uwgXq3E%3d&portalid=0  and Resolution 123-2019 via www.howardcountymd.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=B7zTdBWPiog%3d&portalid=0 .

“I thank Council Chair Christiana Mercer Rigby, Council Vice-Chair Opel Jones and Councilmember David Yungmann for voting in favor of these resolutions that will help protect our environment and mitigate flooding within the Tiber and Plumtree watersheds,” said Ball. “These resolutions are part of our multi-faceted Ellicott City Safe and Sound Plan. Over the past year, our plan has created a more resilient, prepared, economically vibrant and environmentally sustainable Ellicott City.

“As we continue to repair from the damage of the 2016 and 2018 floods while preparing for potential upcoming severe weather events, we are committed to protecting Ellicott City through innovative capital projects and from smart and forward-thinking policies such as CR-122 and CR-123,” said Ball. “These resolutions will ensure that developers are building the infrastructure necessary to manage the rainfall from increasingly severe weather.”