Charles County Stormwater Management Ordinance Update 2025

The County Commissioners of Charles County are hereby seeking proposals from qualified consulting firms to undertake a comprehensive review and update of our Stormwater Management Ordinance. The selected consultant will be responsible for rewriting and modernizing the ordinance, digitizing it for integration with Charles County eCode System, standardizing forms and spreadsheet calculations, to ensure alignment with local, State, and federal requirements. The consultant will also review and recommend updates to subdivision regulations, zoning requirements, MS4 geodatabase integration processes, and other related ordinances, policies and guidance that reference stormwater management

The purpose of this Request for Proposals is to ensure that Charles County Government adheres to contemporary Best Management Practices (BMPs) and achieves compliance with the most recent directives and requirements established by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). This endeavor is intended to enhance the efficacy of the County's regulatory framework and advance the overall welfare of Charles County and its residents.

The County’s first stormwater management regulations were adopted in July of 1984. These regulations were amended several times prior to a comprehensive update in July of 2001 which expanded drainage provisions and locally codified the 2000 Maryland Stormwater Design Manual. The most recent comprehensive update of this regulation was adopted in August of 2010, when the Stormwater Drainage and Stormwater Management Ordinances were separated, and stormwater management was revised to comply with the Maryland Stormwater Management Act of 2007. Maryland is currently proposing additional updates to its stormwater management codes per 2021 Senate Bill 227, that will then need to be incorporated into the County’s local ordinance.