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Government & Legislation

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1. Where can I call to get involved in women's issues/legislation?

You may contact The Harford County Commission for Women at 410-638-4739 or visit the League of Women Voters - 410-272-1815 or email info@harford.lwvmd.org. League of Womens Voters

2. How can I contact my representative to the Harford County Council?

You can call the County Council at 410-638-3343.
Full contact information, including a list of council members, can be found on the County Council page. County Council

3. When and where does the County Council meet?

The Council meets on the 1st 3 Tuesdays of each month at 7:30 p.m. (in May the Council meets on every Tuesday). Meetings are held in the Council Chambers

212 S Bond Street

1st floor

Bel Air, MD 21014

Although the meetings begin at 7:30 p.m., the Council frequently holds public hearings on legislation and other matters before the meetings and these hearings can begin as early as 6 p.m. County Council

4. How can I get on the agenda to address the Council about a particular subject?

There are 3 ways you can address the Council on a particular subject:



You can always speak when the Council is holding a public hearing on that subject; the times and dates of such public hearings are advertised ahead of time from this website, in the local newspapers, posted on the County Council bulletin board in the Council office, and listed on the agenda that runs on Harford Cable Network.

Call the Council office prior to 4 p.m. the day of the meeting and ask to address the Council under the agenda item "Citizen Input". There is a time limit of three minutes and the subject cannot be one that is currently before the Council, such as zoning cases, legislation, etc. The Council's telephone number is 410-638-3343.

You can address the Council under the agenda item "Comments from Attending Citizens". This item is always the last item on the Council's agenda, so there is no guarantee as to what time the Council will reach it.

County Council

5. How can I find out ahead of time what will be on the Council's agenda for a particular meeting?

The Council's agenda is finalized at 2 p.m. on the Friday before each meeting. The agenda is made available from this website or you may call the Council office at 410-638-3343 or stop by during normal business hours (8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday) in order to obtain the agenda. You may also obtain the agenda from the Harford Cable Network which shows the agenda regularly on cable television. Harford Cable Network appears on Channel 3 for Comcast subscribers and on Channel 7 for Armstrong subscribers. County Council

6. Are there any other ways I can participate in the legislative process, such as advisory boards or commissions?

Yes, the Council has several boards and commissions that carry out various functions. They include the Harford Cable Network Advisory Board, the Budget Advisory Board and the People's Counsel Citizen's Advisory Board. County Council

7. What does the Budget Advisory Board do?

The board consists of 7 citizens named by the Council to advise the Council during its deliberations on the annual county budget. Generally the Council names members who have knowledge and expertise in finance and accounting. Almost all of the board's work takes place in April when the Council holds budget work sessions during the day on Thursdays and on the fourth Tuesday, and board members are asked to attend as many of the work sessions as possible Budget Advisory Board

8. What does the HarfordTV Advisory Board do?

The board consists of 15 members appointed by the Council, including 7 citizen members. The board is the policy-making body for HarfordTV, which is the local government and public access cable television channel. The board meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month, usually at 8:45 a.m. at 399 Thomas Run Road, Bel Air, MD 21015. 

Harford Cable Network

9. What does the People's Counsel Citizen's Advisory Board do?

The Board consists of 7 citizens appointed by the Council. The main purpose of the Board is to review applications for rezoning, special exceptions, variances and other types of zoning requests to determine whether it is in the interest of the public for the People's Counsel to oppose the applications. The People's Counsel Citizens Advisory Board meets the 4th Tuesday of each month (except December), at 6:30 p.m. in the County Council Chamber, 212 South Bond Street, Bel Air, MD. People's Counsel Citizen's Advisory Board

10. Where can I get information or assistance if I am concerned about a zoning case?

You can get information about a zoning case by calling the Zoning Hearing Assistant, Dottie Smith, at 410-638-3349 or e-mail your inquiry to dsmith@harfordcountycouncil.com.
Although the People's Counsel does not represent individual citizens in zoning cases, in some situations the People's Counsel can be a source of information and advice concerning zoning cases. The People's Counsel is an attorney who is paid by the County Council to represent the interest of the public at large in zoning matters, and often appears in opposition to applications' requests in zoning cases. Brian Young serves as People's Counsel. He may be reached at brianyoung@harfordlaw.com or 443-987-6250. People's Counsel Citizen's Advisory Board

11. Why can't I discuss zoning cases with my Council representative?

The County Council functions in many roles. One role is as the legislative branch of government and when sitting as the legislative branch the Council members may discuss legislative issues with constituents.



However, when the Council sits as the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Council members are functioning as a quasi-judicial board whose duty is to interpret the zoning law. In interpreting the zoning law, the Board may only consider the law and facts which are included in the record of the case. If a Council member has outside knowledge of a zoning case, the member may be obligated to refuse to participate in that zoning case. Also, the Harford County Charter, 706(b), prohibits an individual from influencing or attempting to influence, directly or indirectly, a member of the Board of Appeals in arriving at a decision in any pending zoning case. Zoning Board of Appeals

12. Do I have a legal right to receive cable television service?

You do not have an absolute right to receive cable service. The County Council has awarded franchises to 3 cable companies to operate in the county. Under these agreements the companies are required to provide cable service to a citizen if both of the following conditions are met:

a.) The citizen must reside in an area where there are at least 30 homes per linear mile; and


b.) the citizen's home must be located within 300 feet of an existing trunk line maintained by the cable company.

13. Who do I contact with question regarding the cable franchise agreement?

Contact Mylia Dixon at 410-638-3343 or mdixon@harfordcountycouncil.com.

14. When a cable company installs a cable line in an easement that is on my property, is the company obligated to restore my property to the condition it was in prior to the installation?

The franchise agreement requires that the cable companies replace and restore at their own expense all pavement (including sidewalks, driveways and streets) disturbed. The pavement must be in as good a condition it was before the work began. The franchise agreement deals specifically with paved surfaces and does not discuss grassy areas that may be disturbed during installation; however, the cable companies normally reseed any grassy area that they disturb during installation. County Council

15. Does the County Council regulate the prices charged by the cable companies for cable service?

No, Federal law previously allowed Harford County to regulate some prices charged by the cable companies, but that authority is being phased out under a new federal law. The Federal government (The Federal Communications Commission) establishes the guidelines by which cable companies may set their prices.

16. Are answers to questions related to the cable franchise agreement these answers the same if I live in Aberdeen, Bel Air or Havre de Grace, or at Aberdeen Proving Ground?

Not necessarily; Aberdeen, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Bel Air and Havre de Grace all have separate franchise agreements with Comcast. If you live in one of these places, you should check with officials there. The telephone numbers are:

City of Aberdeen 410-272-2222

Town of Bel Air 410-638-4550

City of Havre de Grace 410-939-1800

Aberdeen Proving Ground 410-278-5201

17. Does Harford County have a noise ordinance?

Yes, we do have a noise ordinance. The ordinance is only applicable between the hours of 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. The ordinance applies to noise that is produced vocally with any radio receiving set, phonograph, musical instrument, household tool or equipment or any device intended for the production or reproduction of sound. If noise emanating from one of the previous mentioned devices is audible between the hours of 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. on property used for residential purposes and located more than 50 feet from the source of the sound, there is a violation of the law. There are several exemptions to this ordinance -- emergency equipment, agricultural operations and the operation of a business to name a few.

18. Does the County have a law regarding the height of grass?

Yes, they have a law regarding the height of grass. The County law only applies to property located within a residential subdivision. A property owner is prohibited from allowing the grass to exceed the height of 12 inches. There are exceptions to this law. For instance, property devoted to an agricultural use is exempt, property identified as reforestation or forest retention area is exempt and there are other exemptions. If an individual believes the vegetation control law is being violated, the individual should report the violation to the Zoning Enforcement Division of Planning and Zoning at 410-638-3103. Planning and Zoning

19. Does the County have a law that requires property owners to remove the snow on the sidewalks in front of their homes?

There is no County law that requires citizens to remove snow that accumulates on the sidewalks in front of their homes. If you reside within the town limits of Bel Air, Aberdeen or Havre de Grace, it is advised that you check with the town officials.

20. Is there any law regarding tree limbs or leaves that extend from one property over to another property?

There is no County law that requires property owners to keep the limbs of trees planted on their property or leaves from the trees on their property from encroaching on adjoining property.

21. Is there any law that governs the operations of Homeowners' Associations?

Yes; while the county does not have such a law, the state does. The state law can be found in the Real Property Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. There is also a law governing condominium owners' associations and it is also in the Real Property Article.

22. What is the County Transfer Tax and are there any exemption?

The County imposes a 1% transfer tax on an instrument of writing which conveys title to or a leasehold interest in real property. The tax is not imposed on the transfer of a mortgage or any other instrument that places an encumbrance on real property. Under the law, the first $30,000 of consideration are exempt from the 1% tax as long as the real property is residential improved property that is to be owner-occupied.