Charles County Government September Holiday Schedule

News Release # 2026-084

Friday, Sept. 4, 2026

On Tuesday, Sept. 1, Commissioners were briefed on Proposed Bill 2026-08: Charles County Rental Licensing. This bill is designed to promote healthy and safe rental housing by establishing consistent registration, licensing, and inspection processes for rental properties. The bill would enable the county to establish a framework to ensure compliance with existing County codes and State requirements for minimum livability, fire safety, and other property maintenance standards. Commissioners requested revisions to the bill before they move forward with setting a public hearing.

Briefing on Automated Speed Enforcement

The Maryland State Highway Administration briefed commissioners on its enhanced automated speed enforcement initiatives. The ability to establish automated speed enforcement zones was bolstered by the Vulnerable Road User Protection Act of 2026. The law allows the state and local jurisdictions to place automated speed enforcement systems in safety corridors identified in the Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessment.

The state identified six Vulnerable Road User locations on State Route 301 eligible for automated speed enforcement. The assessment was made through the results of a five-year study aimed at identifying roadways with critical safety needs across Maryland. Local governments will have the option to deploy speed-enforcement assets in these zones when the bill takes effect on Oct. 1.

Charles County's ordinance on Automated Speed Enforcement would need to be updated to allow enforcement on roadways identified in the study. The current speed enforcement ordinance only allows enforcement in school zones.

Public Hearings held on bond sale, large retail spaces

Charles County Commissioners held a public hearing on Proposed Bill 2026-07, Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 26-190, Retail Sales Over 100,000 Square Feet and Retail Parking. The bill corrects an error in the zoning ordinance relating to large retail establishments in the Mixed-Use (MX) and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) zones, and authorizes the use in the Acton Urban Center (AUC) zone. The bill also removed the condition that these uses be in buildings with more than one story. The bill also reduces minimum parking requirements for retail uses by 20 percent across all zones. Following the public hearing, Commissioners unanimously approved the bill.

Commissioners also held a public hearing on the 2026 Bond Issue. The annual public hearing detailed a proposed $100 million sale to fund water and sewer projects, school construction, government facilities, parks, roads, and environmental projects. Commissioners voted unanimously to move ahead with the sale scheduled for Oct. 27.

Waldorf Station Development Public Hearing Set for Sept. 1

Commissioners scheduled a public hearing for Sept. 29 on an amendment to the Waldorf Station Development Agreement. The mixed-use, transit-oriented development project was originally approved in 2020 with up to 798 residential units and 453,000 square feet of commercial space to be developed in three stages. The proposed amendment would increase the residential unit cap in the first stage of development from 545 to 615 units and require that those additional units in Phase 1 be stacked townhomes. Limits in Stages 2 and 3 would remain the same.

For more information on the meeting, including a full list of briefings, approval items, actions on boards and commissions, and more, visit the Charles County Board of County Commissioners webpage and select "Available Archives."

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