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Montgomery County Overview
Montgomery County Code
Preliminary Information
Preface
Part I. The Charter. [Note]
Part II. Local Laws, Ordinances, Resolutions, Etc.
Chapter 1. General Provisions.
Chapter 1A. Structure of County Government.
Chapter 2. Administration. [Note]
Chapter 2A. Administrative Procedures Act. [Note]
Chapter 2B. AGRICULTURAL LAND PRESERVATION.*
Chapter 3. Air Quality Control. [Note]
Chapter 3A. Alarms. [Note]
Chapter 4. Amusements. [Note]
Chapter 5. Animal Control. [Note]
Chapter 5A. Arts and Humanities. [Note]
Chapter 6. Auction Sales.
Chapter 6A. Beverage Containers. [Note]
Chapter 7. Bicycles. [Note]
Chapter 7A. Off-the-road Vehicles
Chapter 8. Buildings. [Note]
Chapter 8A. Cable Communications. [Note]
Chapter 9. Reserved.*
Chapter 9A. Reserved. [Note]
Chapter 10. Reserved.*
Chapter 10A. Child Care.
Chapter 10B. Common Ownership Communities. [Note]
Chapter 11. Consumer Protection. [Note]
Chapter 11A. Condominiums. [Note]
Chapter 11B. Contracts and Procurement. [Note]
Chapter 11C. Cooperative Housing. [Note]
Chapter 12. Courts. [Note]
Chapter 13. Detention Centers and Rehabilitation Facilities. [Note]
Chapter 13A. Reserved*.
Chapter 14. Development Districts.
Chapter 15. Eating and Drinking Establishments. [Note]
Chapter 15A. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.*
Chapter 16. Elections. [Note]
Chapter 17. Electricity. [Note]
Chapter 18. Elm Disease. [Note]
Chapter 18A. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY [Note]
Chapter 19. EROSION, SEDIMENT CONTROL AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT. [Note]
Chapter 19A. Ethics. [Note]
Chapter 20. Finance. [Note]
Chapter 20A. Special Obligation Debt.
Chapter 21. Fire and Rescue Services.*
Chapter 22. Fire Safety Code. [Note]
Chapter 22A. Forest Conservation - Trees. [Note]
Chapter 23. RESERVED*
Chapter 23A. Group Homes. [Note]
Chapter 23B. Financial Assistance to Nonprofit Service Organizations. [Note]
Chapter 24. Health and Sanitation.
Chapter 24A. Historic Resources Preservation. [Note]
Chapter 24B. Homeowners' Associations. [Note]
Chapter 25. Hospitals, Sanitariums, Nursing and Care Homes. [Note]
Chapter 25A. Housing, Moderately Priced. [Note]
Chapter 25B. Housing Policy. [Note]
Chapter 26. Housing and Building Maintenance Standards.*
Chapter 27. Human Rights and Civil Liberties.
Chapter 27A. Individual Water Supply and Sewage Disposal Facilities. [Note]
Chapter 28. RESERVED.* [Note]
Chapter 29. Landlord-Tenant Relations. [Note]
Chapter 29A. Legislative Oversight.
Chapter 30. Licensing and Regulations Generally. [Note]
Chapter 30A. Montgomery County Municipal Revenue Program. [Note]
Chapter 30B. RESERVED*
Chapter 30C. Motor Vehicle Towing and Immobilization on Private Property. [Note]
Chapter 31. Motor Vehicles and Traffic.
Chapter 31A. Motor Vehicle Repair and Towing Registration. [Note]
Chapter 31B. Noise Control. [Note]
Chapter 31C. NEW HOME BUILDER AND SELLER REGISTRATION AND WARRANTY. [Note]
Chapter 32. Offenses-Victim Advocate. [Note]
Chapter 33. Personnel and Human Resources. [Note]
Chapter 33A. Planning Procedures. [Note]
Chapter 33B. Pesticides. [Note]
Chapter 34. Plumbing and Gas Fitting. [Note]
Chapter 35. Police. [Note]
Chapter 36. Pond Safety. [Note]
Chapter 36A. Public Service Company Underground Facilities.
Chapter 37. Public Welfare. [Note]
Chapter 38. Quarries. [Note]
Chapter 38A. Radio, Television and Electrical Appliance Installation and Repairs. [Note]
Chapter 39. Rat Control. [Note]
Chapter 40. Real Property. [Note]
Chapter 41. Recreation and Recreation Facilities. [Note]
Chapter 41A. Rental Assistance. [Note]
Chapter 42. Revenue Authority. [Note]
Chapter 42A. Ridesharing and Transportation Management. [Note]
Chapter 43. Reserved.*
Chapter 44. Schools and Camps. [Note]
Chapter 44A. Secondhand Personal Property. [Note]
Chapter 45. Sewers, Sewage Disposal and Drainage. [Note]
Chapter 46. Slaughterhouses.
Chapter 47. Vendors.
Chapter 48. Solid Waste (Trash). [Note]
Chapter 49. Streets and Roads.*
Chapter 49A. Reserved.*
Chapter 50. Subdivision of Land. [Note]
Chapter 51. Swimming Pools. [Note]
Chapter 51A. Tanning Facilities. [Note]
Chapter 52. Taxation.* [Note]
Chapter 53. TAXICABS.*
Chapter 53A. Tenant Displacement. [Note]
Chapter 54. Transient Lodging Facilities. [Note]
Chapter 54A. Transit Facilities. [Note]
Chapter 55. TREE CANOPY. [Note]
Chapter 56. Urban Renewal and Community Development. [Note]
Chapter 56A. Video Games. [Note]
Chapter 57. Weapons.
Chapter 58. Weeds. [Note]
Chapter 59. Zoning.
Part III. Special Taxing Area Laws. [Note]
Appendix
Montgomery County Zoning Ordinance (2014)
COMCOR - Code of Montgomery County Regulations
COMCOR Code of Montgomery County Regulations
FORWARD
CHAPTER 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 1A. STRUCTURE OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 2. ADMINISTRATION - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 2B. AGRICULTURAL LAND PRESERVATION - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 3. AIR QUALITY CONTROL - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 3A. ALARMS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 5. ANIMAL CONTROL - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 8. BUILDINGS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 8A. CABLE COMMUNICATIONS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 10B. COMMON OWNERSHIP COMMUNITIES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 11. CONSUMER PROTECTION - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 11A. CONDOMINIUMS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 11B. CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 13. DETENTION CENTERS AND REHABILITATION FACILITIES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 15. EATING AND DRINKING ESTABLISHMENTS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 16. ELECTIONS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 17. ELECTRICITY - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 18A. ENERGY POLICY - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 19. EROSION, SEDIMENT CONTROL AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 19A. ETHICS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 20 FINANCE - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 21 FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 22. FIRE SAFETY CODE - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 22A. FOREST CONSERVATION - TREES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 23A. GROUP HOMES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 24. HEALTH AND SANITATION - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 24A. HISTORIC RESOURCES PRESERVATION - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 24B. HOMEOWNERS’ ASSOCIATIONS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 25. HOSPITALS, SANITARIUMS, NURSING AND CARE HOMES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 25A. HOUSING, MODERATELY PRICED - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 25B. HOUSING POLICY - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 26. HOUSING AND BUILDING MAINTENANCE STANDARDS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 27. HUMAN RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 27A. INDIVIDUAL WATER SUPPLY AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL FACILITIES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 29. LANDLORD-TENANT RELATIONS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 30. LICENSING AND REGULATIONS GENERALLY - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 30C. MOTOR VEHICLE TOWING AND IMMOBILIZATION ON PRIVATE PROPERTY - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 31. MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 31A. MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIR AND TOWING REGISTRATION - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 31B. NOISE CONTROL - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 31C. NEW HOME BUILDER AND SELLER REGISTRATION AND WARRANTY - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 33. PERSONNEL AND HUMAN RESOURCES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 33B. PESTICIDES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 35. POLICE - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 36. POND SAFETY - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 38A. RADIO, TELEVISION AND ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE INSTALLATION AND REPAIRS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 40. REAL PROPERTY - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 41. RECREATION AND RECREATION FACILITIES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 41A. RENTAL ASSISTANCE - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 42A. RIDESHARING AND TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 44. SCHOOLS AND CAMPS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 44A. SECONDHAND PERSONAL PROPERTY - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 45. SEWERS, SEWAGE DISPOSAL AND DRAINAGE - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 47. VENDORS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 48. SOLID WASTES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 49. STREETS AND ROADS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 50. SUBDIVISION OF LAND - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 51 SWIMMING POOLS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 51A. TANNING FACILITIES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 52. TAXATION - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 53. TAXICABS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 53A. TENANT DISPLACEMENT - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 54. TRANSIENT LODGING FACILITIES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 55. TREE CANOPY - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 56. URBAN RENEWAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 56A. VIDEO GAMES - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 57. WEAPONS - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 59. ZONING - REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 60. SILVER SPRING, BETHESDA, WHEATON AND MONTGOMERY HILLS PARKING LOT DISTRICTS - REGULATIONS
MISCELLANEOUS MONTGOMERY COUNTY REGULATIONS
TABLE 1 Previous COMCOR Number to Current COMCOR Number
TABLE 2 Executive Regulation Number to Current COMCOR Number
TABLE 3 Executive Order Number to Current COMCOR Number
INDEX BY AGENCY
INDEX BY SUBJECT
County Attorney Opinions and Advice of Counsel
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Sec. 2A-11. Judicial review.
   (a)   A party aggrieved by a final decision in a case governed by this Article may seek judicial review of the decision in the Circuit Court under the applicable Maryland Rules of Procedure governing judicial review of administrative agency decisions. A party aggrieved by the decision of the Circuit Court may appeal that decision to the Court of Special Appeals.
   (b)   Unless the court reviewing the decision of the hearing authority orders a stay, the hearing authority’s decision remains in effect pending a final decision of the court. (1978 L.M.C., ch. 30, § 1; 1984 L.M.C., ch. 24, § 1; 2011 L.M.C., ch. 17, § 1.)
   Editor’s note—Section 2A-11 is cited in Manor Country Club v. Flaa, 387 Md. 297, 874 A.2d 1020 (2005), reversing and remanding 158 Md. App. 483, 857 A.2d 604 (2004), where the Court interpreted factors for calculating attorney’s fees under former language contained in Section 27-7; the section was amended prior to the Court’s decision. Section 2A-11 was interpreted in Kant v. Montgomery County, 139 Md. App. 157, 774 A.2d 1229 (2001), reversed and remanded, 365 Md. 269, 778 A.2d 384 (2001), to provide appellate jurisdiction to the Court of Special Appeals after judicial review in the Circuit Court of decisions made by the Commission on Landlord-Tenant Affairs; and further the Court explained that, although Montgomery County Code §§ 29-14A and 29-45 do not provide appellate jurisdiction for an appeal to the Court of Special Appeals, Montgomery County Code §§ 2A-2 and 2A-11 provide adequate jurisdiction.
   2011 L.M.C., ch. 17, §§ 2 and 3, state:
   Sec. 2. Transition. This Act does not apply to any appeal to the Board of Appeals that was filed before this Act took effect.
   Sec. 3. Regulations. Regulations 6-06AM and 7-06AM remain in effect, notwithstanding any amendment to the County Code in Section 1 of this Act, except for any provision of the National Fire Code that authorizes or refers to an appeal to the Board of Appeals.
Article II. Regulations.
Cross reference—Rules of Procedure of County Council, app. C.
Sec. 2A-12. Policy and scope of Article.
   (a)   Purpose. It is the purpose of this article to prescribe a single and consistent procedure for the adoption, review and repeal of regulations, and to provide a uniform procedure for their public notification and compilation.
   (b)    Scope. Unless otherwise provided, this article applies to all regulations. However, this Article does not apply to the County Council, meeting as the Board of Health, when it adopts a regulation. (1984 L.M.C., ch. 24, § 1; 1994 L.M.C., ch. 15, § 1; 2000 L.M.C., ch. 25, § 1.)
   Editor’s note-The above section is quoted in FOP, Montgomery County Lodge No. 35 v. Mehrling, 343 Md. 155, 680 A.2d 1052 (1996).
Sec. 2A-13. Definitions.
   (a)   In general. Unless otherwise clearly indicated by the context, in this article the following words have the meanings indicated.
   (b)   Administrative procedure means a written directive concerning the internal management of one or more than one County agency or department.
   (c)   CAO means the chief administrative officer of the County.
   (d)   COMCOR means the Code of Montgomery County Regulations established under this article.
   (e)   Executive order means an order issued by the County Executive that directs a specific action.
   (f)   Issuer means:
      (1)   The County Executive; or
      (2)   A person or agency authorized by law to issue regulations.
   (g)   Register means the Montgomery County Register established under this article.
   (h)   Regulation means any rule or standard that an issuer by law is authorized to issue. Regulation includes any amendment to an existing regulation. (1984 L.M.C., ch. 24, § 1; 1984, L.M.C., ch. 27, § 1; 1994 L.M.C., ch. 15, § 1.)   
   Editor’s note-Section 2A-13 is cited in Anastasi v. Montgomery County, 123 Md. App. 472, 719 A.2d 980 (1998). Sections 2A-13(g) and (h) are cited and discussed in FOP, Montgomery County Lodge No. 35 v. Mehrling, 343 Md. 155, 680 A.2d 1052 (1996).
   See County Attorney Opinion dated 1/8/08 regarding collection of debts owed to the County.
Sec. 2A-14. Authority to adopt regulations.
   If a law authorizes a person or agency to implement or enforce that law, the person or agency may adopt a regulation to implement or enforce that law even if the authority to adopt the regulation is not expressly stated in that law. (1984 L.M.C., ch. 24, § 1; 1994 L.M.C., ch. 15, § 1.)
   Editor’s note-The above section is cited and quoted in FOP, Montgomery County Lodge No. 35 v. Mehrling, 343 Md. 155, 680 A.2d 1052 (1996).
   See County Attorney Opinion dated 4/7/03 citing the section in a discussion of the scope of authority for the Department of Public Works to tow vehicles from County roads and to provide roadside assistance.
Sec. 2A-15. Procedure for adoption of regulations.
   (a)   Requirement. Before a regulation takes effect, the regulation must meet:
      (1)   The requirements of this Article; and
      (2)   Any other requirement imposed by law.
   (b)   Single subject requirement. A proposed regulation must not contain more than one subject matter.
   (c)   Publication. An issuer must publish in the Register:
      (1)   A summary of the proposed regulation;
      (2)   The place where a copy of the proposed regulation may be obtained;
      (3)   The date, time, and place of any public hearing;
      (4)   The name and address of a person to whom comments may be directed;
      (5)   The deadline for submitting comments;
      (6)   A citation of the Section of the County Code that authorizes the adoption of the regulation; and
      (7)   A reference to the procedural method used to adopt the regulation.
   (d)   Disclosure of amendments. The text of any proposed or adopted regulation sent to the County Council must show by brackets and underlines (or any other notation system approved by the Council) all amendments to any existing regulation.
   (e)   Hearing record and comments. The issuer must attach to any proposed or adopted regulation sent to the County Council a copy of each written comment received after publication in the Register and a transcript or detailed summary of any public hearing.
   (f)   Procedures for approval.
      (1)   Each regulation must be adopted under one of the 3 methods in this subsection. To amend or repeal an adopted regulation, an issuer must use the procedure under which the regulation was adopted.
      (2)   A law authorizing a regulation may specify that one of the 3 methods must be used.
      (3)   If the law does not specify that one of the 3 methods must be used, method (2) must be used.
Method (1)
   (A)   A regulation proposed under this method is not adopted until the County Council approves it.
   (B)   The issuer must send a copy of the proposed regulation to the Council after the deadline for comments published in the Register.
   (C)   The Council by resolution may approve or disapprove the proposed regulation.
   (D)   If the Council approves the regulation, the regulation takes effect upon adoption of the resolution approving it or on a later date specified in the regulation.
Method (2)   
   (A)   The issuer must send a copy of the proposed regulation to the County Council after the deadline for comments published in the Register.
   (B)   The Council by resolution may approve or disapprove the proposed regulation within 60 days after receiving it.
   (C)   If necessary to assure complete review, the Council by resolution may extend the deadline set under subparagraph (B).
   (D)   If the Council approves the regulation, the regulation takes effect upon adoption of the resolution approving it or on a later date specified in the regulation.
   (E)   If the Council does not approve or disapprove the proposed regulation within 60 days after receiving it, or by any later deadline set by resolution, the regulation is automatically approved.
   (F)   If a regulation is automatically approved under this method, the regulation takes effect the day after the deadline for approval or on a later date specified in the regulation.
Method (3)   
   (A)   A regulation adopted under this method is not subject to County Council approval or disapproval.
   (B)   The issuer must send a copy of the adopted regulation to the Council after the deadline for comments published in the Register.
   (C)   The regulation takes effect when the Council receives it or on a later date specified in the regulation.
   (g)   Amendment of proposed regulation. The issuer may amend a proposed regulation after sending it to the County Council if:
      (1)   The Council has not taken final action on the proposed regulation; and
      (2)   The amendment is within the advertised scope of the proposed regulation.
   (h)   Withdrawal of proposed regulation. At any time before the County Council takes final action on a proposed regulation, the issuer may withdraw it.
   (i)   Publication of final action. Within 45 days after final action is taken on a regulation, the issuer must:
      (1)   Publish the final action taken on the regulation; and
      (2)   Summarize any substantive changes made since the regulation was first published.
   (j)   Temporary regulations.
      (1)   An issuer may adopt a temporary regulation under this subsection if:
         (A)   A public or fiscal emergency requires its adoption; or
         (B)   The public interest will be materially harmed if the regulation does not take effect immediately.
      (2)   A temporary regulation does not have to meet the publication and approval requirements of subsections (c) and (f), but the issuer must publish notice of the regulation's adoption in the next available issue of the Register.
      (3)   A temporary regulation is effective:
         (A)    (i)   When the County Council receives from the issuer a copy of the temporary regulation and an explanation why its immediate adoption without public comment or Council review is necessary; or
            (ii)   On a later date specified in the regulation and justified in the explanation; and
         (B)   For not more than 90 days, as specified in the regulation. During this time, an adopted permanent regulation may immediately supersede a temporary regulation.
      (4)   (A)   The issuer may ask the Council once to extend the effective period of a temporary regulation for up to 90 more days.
         (B)   The issuer must provide a compelling reason for an extension.
         (C)   The Council must not extend a temporary regulation more than once.
      (5)   (A)   The Council by resolution may revoke a temporary regulation, effective when the resolution is adopted.
         (B)   If the Council revokes a temporary regulation, the resolution must explain the reason.
      (6)   If the Council revokes or does not extend a temporary regulation, the issuer or any other person authorized to issue regulations must not adopt a substantially similar temporary regulation within one year after the Council's action. However, within that year an issuer may propose a substantially similar temporary regulation to the Council, and the regulation will take effect only if the Council approves it by resolution. (1984 L.M.C., ch. 24, § 1; 1984 L.M.C., ch. 27, § 1; 1987 L.M.C., ch. 36, § 1; 1994 L.M.C., ch. 15, § 1.)
   Editor’s note-The above section is cited and discussed in FOP, Montgomery County Lodge No. 35 v. Mehrling, 343 Md. 155, 680 A.2d 1052 (1996).
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