HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Hagerstown officials are getting ready to share their legislative priorities for the 2027 Maryland General Assembly session. Their list includes annexation reform, body cameras for code enforcement officers, new rules for sober homes, ways to reduce blight and options for new municipal revenue.
City Administrator Scott Nicewarner shared possible legislative priorities with the Hagerstown Mayor and City Council at their Aug. 18 work session. He asked council members to decide which proposals the city should bring to its state delegation.
Nicewarner said Hagerstown made progress on several initiatives last session, but most did not pass the General Assembly.
One measure that did pass gave the Hagerstown Field House property tax-exempt status, both for past years and in the future.
City officials plan to try again with some proposals that did not pass before, and they are also looking at new legislation for 2027.
City renews push for annexation legislation
One of Hagerstown’s main goals is to address the annexation process when city and county zoning rules differ significantly.
The city pursued similar legislation during the previous two sessions.
Nicewarner said the latest effort got strong support from other Maryland municipalities, with over 20 positive responses before it went to committee.
The proposal did not move forward in committee because of concerns about how annexations and zoning changes might affect school capacity.
City officials plan to work with the Washington County delegation to address these concerns and try again with the legislation in 2027.
Nicewarner said more municipalities that did not join before are now interested, which could mean more support for the proposal next session.
This discussion happened during the same work session where council members looked at three proposed annexations, including almost 172 acres of mostly undeveloped industrial land along Burkholder Lane and McDade Road.
Body cameras for code enforcement could return
Hagerstown also wants to try again to pass legislation about body cameras for code enforcement staff.
Nicewarner said the proposal had general support last session, but it did not move forward before lawmakers finished their work.
“It just ran out of time in committee,” Nicewarner told the council.
The city plans to bring this proposal back if the council agrees to include it in Hagerstown’s 2027 legislative agenda.
City could seek $200,000 for Fairgrounds Park
Hagerstown is also thinking about asking for state funding to improve Fairgrounds Park.
Nicewarner said the city might request about $200,000 from the state to install one or two artificial turf athletic fields at the park.
The idea follows talks about football at Fairgrounds Park and the need for fields that can handle more use.
Artificial turf would let the city use the fields more often than natural grass would allow.
Nicewarner said he talked about the idea with a state delegate who was interested and suggested it could fit a community coalition funding request.
Sober homes, property managers and LLC transparency
The city’s possible legislative plans go beyond annexation and code enforcement.
Hagerstown may again ask for statewide rules requiring sober homes in Maryland to be certified and registered.
Another proposal would require Maryland property management companies to be certified and registered.
City officials also want legislation that would require more public information about the people behind limited liability companies when they apply for business licenses.
Council members pointed out that these issues, especially sober homes, property management companies, and identifying LLC owners, have come up often in Hagerstown.
Targeted blight zones draw interest
Another proposal getting a lot of attention would let cities speed up the process of acquiring vacant and blighted properties.
The legislation could also let cities create targeted blight zones, where they could use a faster process to deal with rundown properties.
Nicewarner said this idea sparked a lot of interest at municipal meetings and conferences.
He said about 15 to 20 people asked him about targeted blight zones after the Maryland Municipal League conference.
City officials think a new law could give Hagerstown more ways to deal with long-standing vacant and rundown properties.
Council members also talked about how Baltimore has used similar methods and whether state law could let other Maryland cities do the same.
Business licensing changes proposed
Hagerstown may also ask lawmakers to bring back a Washington County rule that was removed from state law in 2016.
With this proposal, businesses would need to show zoning approval and have at least a temporary use-and-occupancy permit before getting a business license.
City officials said bringing back this rule could stop business owners from thinking they are done after getting a license, only to find out they still need more zoning, permits, or occupancy approvals before opening.
Staff members said better connecting these steps could reduce confusion and frustration for business owners.
Property tax exemption considered
Another possible statewide measure would exempt city-owned property from real estate taxes when it is leased to a private business.
Nicewarner gave the Elizabeth Hager Center as an example. Even though the city owns it, the property can be taxed if non-city groups use it.
The proposed change could also apply when a city takes over a blighted property and holds it temporarily while working to sell or redevelop it.
Officials said Cumberland and Frederick are also interested in this idea.
Commercial property reassessments
The city is also considering a law that would allow commercial properties to be reassessed mid-cycle if a sale shows the value has risen by more than 20 percent.
Maryland properties are generally reassessed on a three-year cycle.
With this proposal, qualifying commercial properties could be reassessed sooner, so the city could collect property taxes based on the new value without waiting for the next regular reassessment.
Maryland municipalities examine new revenue options
Hagerstown’s local priorities may align with broader Maryland Municipal League plans.
One proposed priority is to modernize how cities and towns raise money, especially since state and federal funding is uncertain.
Officials said cities rely heavily on property taxes and are looking for other ways to pay for essential services.
A task force is expected to give recommendations to the General Assembly by December. Ideas discussed include letting cities get a share of sales tax revenue or allowing them to create another kind of local tax.
Officials said the goal is to give cities more ways to raise money and possibly ease pressure on property taxes.
A tax differential is also being discussed. Hagerstown residents pay county taxes, even though the city provides some services that would normally come from Washington County.
City officials said fixing this issue might not bring in more money for Hagerstown, but it could help residents who are paying for the same services twice.
Social media ‘takeovers’ targeted
Another statewide issue being considered is the rise of coordinated “takeover” events organized on social media.
Officials mentioned incidents in Ocean City, Frederick, Laurel and Washington, D.C., where groups used social media to organize large gatherings that sometimes led to fights, harassment, or property damage.
The proposed law would give stronger enforcement tools and penalties for people who organize or take part in disruptive takeover events.
Officials said lawmakers would need to balance these enforcement powers with constitutional rights to free speech and peaceful assembly.
Hagerstown must finalize priorities
City officials are working quickly to decide which proposals to include in Hagerstown’s official legislative agenda.
The city’s community coalition list must be finished by mid-September, and the Fairgrounds Park funding request may be included.
The city will send other priorities to its lobbyist and the Washington County state legislative delegation before the pre-legislative meeting, which usually happens in early November.
Nicewarner asked council members to send in any more legislative ideas or questions in the next few weeks so staff can research them before finalizing the 2027 agenda.
