On Tuesday, Oct. 27, Charles County Government conducted its annual bond sale. This year’s sale of $93.2 million supports the County’s Capital Improvement Program. Significant projects to be financed by the bonds include additions and renovations to Board of Education facilities; various environmental service fund projects; Board of Education new school construction; improvements to various general government facilities; various park projects; various road, bridge, and sidewalk upgrades and drainage system improvements; various watershed protection and stream restoration projects; and various water and sewer projects. JPMorgan submitted the winning bid at an interest rate of 4.026792%. Charles County received 15 bids during the 2026 Bond Sale.
Public Hearings Set for Pretrial Services, Collective Bargaining Bills
A public hearing for Proposed Bill 2026-13: Pretrial Release Program and Community Service was scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2026, at 6 p.m. The bill would establish a pretrial release and community service program in Charles County. The program would allow judges in the Charles County District Court or Circuit Court to release individuals charged with certain lesser criminal offenses from pretrial incarceration, provided they meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the bill. Participants who are released would incur the costs of the program, including monitoring and drug testing fees. Individuals arrested for a violent crime, certain weapons charges, and certain domestic violence-related charges would be ineligible to participate in the program.
Commissioners also voted 3-2 to introduce Newly Proposed Bill 2026-12: Collective Bargaining. The bill would allow for certain Charles County employees to form a union. Employees in the Emergency Medical Division are not subject to this bill. The public hearing will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2026, at 6 p.m.
Business Length of Service Celebration
Economic Development Department staff presented a proposed addition to Charles County’s business anniversary recognition practices that would allow businesses celebrating milestone anniversaries to be considered for a department feature. Features would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and would not be guaranteed or create additional commitments for commissioners. Existing recognition practices, including county seals and anniversary citations, would continue.
Staff also recommended coordinating recognition requests through the Economic Development Department and improving information sharing among county offices. The department will use its business database to track business start and incorporation dates and explore additional sources to improve accuracy. These steps will help staff identify upcoming anniversaries and coordinate recognition.
Mixed Residential Community Use Bill Approved
During the public hearing, Commissioners unanimously passed Proposed Bill 2026-10 Mixed Residential Community Use in the RM and RH Zones. The bill allows single-family detached homes, duplexes, townhouses, multiplexes, and cottage dwellings within a unified development in designated medium- and high-density residential zones. The legislation applies within the county’s Development District and Priority Funding Areas, reduces the minimum footprint for single-family detached homes from 1,250 to 960 square feet, and introduces cottage dwellings ranging from 400 to 960 square feet. It also provides density bonuses when at least half of a development’s units are affordable to households earning no more than 60% of the area median income. Mixed residential communities require a unified development plan and approval of an alternative design and development code.
For more information on the meeting, including a full list of briefings, approval items, actions on boards and commissions, and more, visit the Charles County Board of County Commissioners webpage and select “Available Archives.
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