Planning & Community
Development - FAQ Page

General Questions
Subdivision, Zoning, and Development Questions
Comprehensive Planning Questions
Ag Preservation Questions
Historic District Questions
Parks, Environment, and Forest Conservation Questions
GIS & Data Questions

General Questions:

How do I get to your office?

Directions to our office from points west:

• Take I-70 east to Exit 26 and proceed north on I-81. Continue on I-81 north to Exit 6A, which is Route 40 East.
• Proceed on Route 40 East through eight (8) traffic lights until you come to South Prospect Street.
• Turn right onto South Prospect Street and proceed to the first stop sign. This will be West Baltimore Street.
• Turn left onto West Baltimore Street and proceed down the hill through the red light on Summit Avenue.
• Make a left at the first building on your left side to the Washington County Administrative Annex Building. There is parking in front of the building.

(As an alternative, you can take Route 40 also from point’s west into downtown Hagerstown)

  Directions to our office from points East

• Take I-70 West to Exit 32. Proceed west on Route 40 towards Hagerstown.
• Proceed through eight (8) traffic lights. When you come to the 9th light you will be at North Potomac Street.
• Turn left and proceed three (3) blocks. This will place you at West Baltimore Street.
• Turn right onto West Baltimore Street and continue for approximately 100 yards where you will see the Washington County Administrative Annex Building, 80 West Baltimore Street. There is parking in front of the building

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our offices Monday through Friday from 7:30 am until 4:30 pm

What are your hours of operation?

 7:30am-to 4:30pm Monday Thru Friday

Subdivision, Zoning & Development questions: 

Can my property be subdivided?

1. Where is the property located?

In order to determine a parcel’s zoning and subdivision potential the property must be accurately located.   If the parcel does not have an address, please contact the Maryland State Tax Assessment office or visit their website to obtain the tax map, grid, and parcel number of the property not just the tax identification number. 

2. Determine the zoning of the property:

Once you have obtained the property's location, you may contact the Washington County Permits and Inspections office, at (240) 313-2460, to determine the zoning of the property.    The Washington County Permits Department cannot answer subdivision questions, they can only provide zoning information and Zoning Confirmation letters. For more information on the Permits and Inspections office, please visit their website.  Their website can be accessed through the Washington County Homepage.   The Washington County Planning Department should be contacted for subdivision questions.

 3.  How many lots can be subdivided?

The subdivision potential of any parcel of land is dependent upon the zoning.  Minimum lot sizes and dwelling densities are contained within the Washington County Zoning Ordinance.  These lot sizes and densities will help you to determine whether or not the parcel has development potential. For example, a property located within the residential suburban (RS) zoning district has a minimum lot size of 10,000 sq ft for a single-family dwelling. In order for a property to have development rights in this district the lot size would need to be at least 20,000 sq ft (10,000 sq ft per lot). 

For subdivisions located in the Rural Area of the County, which include zones AR, EC, P, and RV, subdivision is based upon dwelling density:

                                A(R)-Agricultural Rural = 1 dwelling unit per 5 acres
                                EC-Environmental Conservation = 1 dwelling unit per 20 acres
                                P-Preservation = 1 dwelling unit per 30 acres
                                RV-Rural Village = 1 dwelling unit per 1 acre

Some parcels located in the rural zoning districts may qualify for exemption lots. To determine whether or not your specific parcel qualifies for these exemptions you should contact the Washington County Planning Department at 240-313-2430.

Subdivision potential is not only based on your density or lot size.  All subdivisions must comply with the Subdivision Ordinance, Zoning Ordinance, Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, Forest Conservation Ordinance, and any other regulatory documents governing land development. 

How do I begin the subdivision process?

You must employ a Maryland licensed surveyor/engineer to create a subdivision plan for review by the Washington County Government and State agencies.  Upon review and approval by these agencies, the owner/developer is required to have the plat recorded in the Land Records office with the Clerk of the Court. 

How long does it take to receive approval from the Planning Department once my Subdivision or Site Plan has been submitted?

Many factors contribute to the length of time it may take to receive Planning Department approval. 

Generally, once the plan is submitted to the Planning Department, by the applicant’s consultant for review, fees are processed and a file number is assigned to the plans.  The plans are then given to the Chief Senior Planner, who will assign the plans to the appropriate review planner.  The planner will check the submittal to make sure that it is in compliance with the appropriate ordinances and will “route” the plans to a number of State and Local agencies for their review and approval.  The planner will act as a “clearing house” corresponding between the applicant’s consultant and the state and local agencies until all revisions and issues have been resolved.   When the planner has received approvals from all agencies, the plan can then be recommended for approval to the Planning Commission.   

The time it takes for a plan to go through the above process depends on the size and/or complexity of the project.  Minor plans that do not have a large degree of complexity generally take 6 to 8 weeks to process. Larger plans and/or more complex plans may take 12 months or more before final approval is granted. 

What is a subdivision variance?

The Washington County subdivision ordinance contains regulatory provisions for design of new land development.  These design principals and standards are meant to create a consistent basis for development throughout the County.  It is recognized that not all parcels can conform to the standards based on variables such as topography, lot layout, or lot location.  The Subdivision variance process allows property owners to request relief from some of the design standards.  The Planning Commission is responsible for reviewing the applications and determining if the variance is appropriate and consistent with the goals of the Subdivision Ordinance.

How do I get a copy of a Subdivision Plat or Site Plan?

Subdivision plats are recorded at the Land Records office located at 95 West Washington Street.  Recorded plats are also forwarded to the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis Maryland.  Copies can be obtained from the land records office or online at www.plats.net . Users will be prompted for an ID and password.  The user ID is plato and the password is plato#.   Site Plans are not recorded documents. Copies of Site Plans can be obtained at the Washington County Planning Department Office.

How do I find out about new development in my area?

The Planning Department generally does not know details of new development until formal submittal of plans occurs.  If a plan has been submitted to the department you may contact a staff planner to discuss the plans that have been submitted.   The County Planning Department is currently in the process of creating a list of current projects being reviewed.  The list will be posted to the Internet as soon as possible. 

Comprehensive Planning Questions:

What is the Comprehensive Plan?

The Comprehensive Plan is a long range-planning document approved by the Board of County Commissioners after public input and hearings. This document establishes policies and goals to guide land use, growth and conservation.

How often is the Comprehensive Plan updated?

The Comprehensive Plan is updated every six years. 

Ag Preservation Questions:

How do I apply for the Agricultural Land Preservation Program?

Please review the Agriculture Preservation section of the website. For specific details, please contact the Land Preservation Administrator, located in the Planning Department.

What are the minimum requirements for Agricultural Districts?

There are several basic criteria that must be met in order to apply to be in an Agricultural District.  The minimum acreage for this program is 50 acres for a parcel that is not adjacent to any other Agricultural Districts.  If your parcel is adjacent to another Agricultural District, you may qualify for an exemption to have acreage as low as 20 acres.  At least 50% of the applicants parcel must be Class I, II, or III soils based upon the Soil Survey for Washington County.  Any parcels that lie within the boundaries of a 10 year Water or Sewer Service Area is generally not eligible unless it has extraordinary productive capability and is of a significant size.

What is the commitment involved in Agricultural Districts?

If you qualify for participation in the program, an agreement is executed between the property owner(s) and the County.  This agreement requires the property owner(s) to commit to keep the land in agriculture for a period of at least ten (10) years.  This commitment forbids the subdivision and development of the land for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes during the ten year period except for the purpose of creating new lots for the owner or children.  Any subdivision for the owner or children must be first approved by the Land Preservation Foundation.  In return for this commitment, the property owner(s) will receive an annual Agricultural Tax Credit for the period the land remains in good standing with the agreement or until the owner chooses to withdraw from the program.  After the parcel has been accepted into the program, the owner may apply to sell an easement at any time.

Historic District Questions

How do I determine if a house is listed in the County's Historic Sites Inventory?

Once you have obtained the address of the property in question, you may contact the Planning Department, to determine whether or not there are structures on the property that are included In the County Historic Inventory on National Register of Historic Places.

Parks, Environment & Forest Conservation Questions

What is the Forest Conservation Ordinance?

In 1991, the Maryland General Assembly passed the Maryland Forest Conservation Act due to the loss of forest cover to urbanized development.  The Act required that all of the counties in the state with less than 200,000 acres of forest cover must adopt an ordinance to address the issue of forest conservation through identification and protection of existing forest, and establishment of new forest in the development review process.

In February of 1993, the Forest Conservation Ordinance (FCO) for Washington County was adopted.  Under this ordinance, subdivision of land or development that removes 40,000 sq ft of forest area requires mitigation plans to be submitted to the Planning Commission for approval.  Mitigation may be in the form of retention of existing forest, planting of new forest, or payment in lieu of planting.

I have a forest conservation easement on my lot; what am I allowed to do in the forest?

First, you should obtain a copy of the recorded Subdivision Plat and Forest Conservation Plan for your property/subdivision.  The Forest Conservation Plan contains notes regarding the care and long term protection of forest conservation easements.  Recorded plans can be obtained from the Land Records office located in the Circuit County Building or online through the Maryland State Archives.  You may also contact the Planning Department to have a "FCP Easement Area Management Guidelines" brochure mailed to you. The brochure can also be viewed from the Documents and Fees link.  It answers many questions about what easement owners can and cannot do within the forest easement area.

Who do I call if I suspect someone is violating the Forest Conservation Ordinance?

If you suspect a property owner is violating the conditions of a Forest Conservation Easement, you should contact the Parks and Environment Planner, located in the Planning Department.

GIS & Data Questions:

What is GIS?

GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems, which is a collection of computer software, hardware, and people that serve to create, manipulate, and store geographic data or map information.

What statistical and map information is available?

The County produces and sells a number of GIS maps, such as, land use, zonings, subdivisions in process, farmland preservation, and historic sites.   Data regarding population growth and employment trends are available through the US Census Bureau or the Maryland Department of Planning.  For more information on what spatial data is available go to the GIS and Mapping tab on the Planning Department homepage.

Does the GIS department create custom maps for the general public?

Currently we do not create custom maps for the general public. Maps are created to depict generalized information for the purpose of analysis and planning of County resources.

How are road names and addresses assigned?

County addresses are based on a grid system.  This grid system is based on a North/ South or East/ West directional.   The GIS technician in the County Planning Department assigns addresses.  The Planning Department notifies the respective postal district of the final address.