Bill > SB325

This bill, known as the Maryland Housing Certainty Act, aims to streamline and stabilize the housing development permitting process. It mandates that local regulatory authorities and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (often referred to as the "Commission") must evaluate housing development project applications based solely on the laws and regulations in effect at the time a "complete application" is submitted, which means an application containing all necessary information for review, even if minor errors exist. Once a housing development project receives all its approvals, the developer is granted "vested rights," meaning they have a protected right to proceed with the approved use and development for at least five years, or a longer period determined by the local authority or Commission. The bill also clarifies that each "phase" of a larger housing development project, defined as a discrete, planned portion of at least 25 housing units, will be treated as its own project for permitting purposes. Additionally, it modifies the collection of development excise taxes and development impact fees, which are local taxes or fees imposed on new construction to fund public works, by generally delaying their collection until after construction is complete and occupancy requirements are met, with some exceptions for pre-occupancy inspections and pre-existing debt financing.

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https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0325?ys=2026RS