HB0099 • 2026

Municipalities - Annexed Land - Land Use and Density

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Delegates Schindler and Fair
Last action: 2026-01-26
Official status: In the House - Hearing 2/05 at 2:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Municipalities - Annexed Land - Land Use and Density

Altering the restrictions on a municipality, for a period following an annexation of land, to authorize the development of certain annexed land for certain land uses or certain densities without obtaining the express approval of the county in which the municipality is located; and altering the authority of a municipality to authorize certain land uses or certain densities for certain annexed land with the express approval of the county in which the municipality is located.

What This Bill Does

Altering the restrictions on a municipality, for a period following an annexation of land, to authorize the development of certain annexed land for certain land uses or certain densities without obtaining the express approval of the county in which the municipality is located; and altering the authority of a municipality to authorize certain land uses or certain densities for certain annexed land with the express approval of the county in which the municipality is located.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-01-26 House
Hearing 2/05 at 2:00 p.m.
2026-01-14 House
First Reading Government, Labor, and Elections
2025-10-09 House
Pre-filed
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Municipalities - Annexed Land - Land Use and Density

Official Summary Text

Altering the restrictions on a municipality, for a period following an annexation of land, to authorize the development of certain annexed land for certain land uses or certain densities without obtaining the express approval of the county in which the municipality is located; and altering the authority of a municipality to authorize certain land uses or certain densities for certain annexed land with the express approval of the county in which the municipality is located.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0099*

HOUSE BILL 99
L3, L6 6lr1144
HB 751/25 – ENT (PRE–FILED) CF 6lr1926
By: Delegates Schindler and Fair
Requested: October 9, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Municipalities – Annexed Land – Land Use and Density 2

FOR the purpose of altering the restrictions on a municipality, for a period following an 3
annexation of land, to authorize the development of certain annexed land for certain 4
land uses or certain densities without obtaining the express approval of the county 5
in which the municipality is located; altering the authority of a municipality to 6
authorize certain land uses or certain densities for certain annexed land with the 7
express approval of the county in which the municipality is located; and generally 8
relating to the use, development, and zoning classification of land annexed by a 9
municipality. 10

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
Article – Local Government 12
Section 4–416 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2013 Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17

Article – Local Government 18

4–416. 19

(a) (1) Notwithstanding § 4 –104(f) of this title, if an area is annexed to a 20
municipality that has planning and zoning authority at the time of annexation, the 21
municipality shall have exclusive jurisdiction ov er planning, subdivision control, and 22
zoning in the area annexed. 23

2 HOUSE BILL 99

(2) Paragraph (1) of this subsection does not grant any planning or zoning 1
power or subdivision control to a municipality that is not authorized to exercise planning 2
or zoning power or subdivision control at the time of annexation. 3

(b) Without the express approval of the county commissioners or county council 4
of the county in which the municipality is located, for 5 years after an annexation by a 5
municipality, the municipality may not al low development of the annexed land for land 6
uses substantially different than the authorized use, or at a substantially higher density, 7
not exceeding 50%, than could be granted for the proposed development, in accordance with 8
the [zoning classification of the county ] LAND USE RECOMMENDAT IONS IN THE 9
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF THE COUNTY OR MUNI CIPALITY applicable at the time of 10
the annexation. 11

(c) Notwithstanding § 4–204 of the Land Use Article and if the county expressly 12
approves, the municipality may place the annexed land in a zoning classification that 13
allows a land use or density different from the land use or density specified in the [zoning 14
classification of the county or agency with planning and zoning jurisdiction over the land 15
prior to its annexation] LAND USE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 16
OF THE COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY applicable at the time of the annexation. 17

SECTION 2. AND B E IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 18
October 1, 2026. 19