Upcoming Meeting of Interest
May 10 - District Council Hearing on Former Behnke Property. The new owner of the property at 11300 Baltimore Avenue property (formerly known as Behnke Nurseries) has filed their plan to build a gas station and 7-Eleven on the section of the property facing Route 1. If you are a person of record and wish to speak, or submit testimony, you should be send your information to the clerkofthecouncil@co.pg.md.us or faxed to 301.952.5178 no later than 3 pm on May 9th. To become a person of record, go to http://bit.ly/MNCPPCpor; to watch hearings live you may go here: https://bit.ly/2QHuQS4.
Public access to the case information is available on the Council’s Legislative Zoning Information System at https://bit.ly/3gns1Au.
Residential Flooding and Drainage Issues
The county has several resources and programs if you hare having draining issues.
· The first is a guide for homeowners, Residential Drainage, which is on-line at https://bit.ly/2QNFMxp. The Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE) recommends property owners should educate themselves about flooding and measures they can take to mitigate damage.
· Prince George’s County property owners qualify for a 25 percent discount on federal flood insurance. Insurance is available under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) here https://bit.ly/2QKq3iC, which is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Many homeowner insurance policies do not cover flood damage.
· New Homes with drainage issues can file a claim with the county within two-years of the home being built. The county holds the builder's bond during this time period. To file a complaint, complete the following form and submit it in accordance with the instructions: https://bit.ly/3sCXcKs
· Older homes with drainage issues may call 3-1-1 to report the issue if you believe the problem is caused by work that the county has approved or if there is a violation. For example, a new neighbor has installed drain spout extensions that drain into your yard.
With climate change, the county is beginning to investigate drainage issues coordinating across the Department of Environment (DoE), DPIE, and Department Public Works and Transportation (DPWT). For more information you may contact Moses Fadiran (mfadiran@co.pg.md.us).
Finally, DPIE recently collaborated with DoE, DPW&T and Prince George's Soil Conservation District (PGSCD) on “Drainage and Flooding in Prince George’s County,” a comprehensive report. Access the Drainage and Flooding presentation here: https://bit.ly/32xEedG.