The Westminster Mayor and Common Council meet tonight at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, 1838 Emerald Hill Lane, with a packed ordinance agenda that includes a proposed 40-unit residential development, significant increases to water and sewer connection fees, new inspection authority over commercial wastewater users, and the potential final vote on a long-in-the-works reform to the city's downtown site plan process.
40-unit townhouse development proposed near Route 140
The council will introduce Ordinance 2026-07, which would rezone approximately 4.7 acres at the southeast corner of Maryland Route 140 and Pennsylvania Avenue from the R-7,500 Residential Zone to the PD-9 Planned Development-9 Zone. The applicant, D.R. Acquisitions, LLC, is proposing a development called The Willows, consisting of 20 two-over-two dwellings totaling 40 units.
The eight parcels were annexed into the city in 2006. The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the application over nearly two years and forwarded both architectural elevation options to the council with a favorable recommendation. Tonight is an introduction-only session; a public hearing will be scheduled for a future meeting.
Water and sewer connection fees set to increase roughly 48 percent
Ordinance 2026-05 proposes significant increases to the one-time special benefit assessment fees charged when a property connects to city water or sewer. For a single-family home, the sewer fee would rise from $5,496 to $8,163 and the water fee from $5,244 to $7,030. City Administrator Sara Imhulse's memo states that current rates "no longer adequately reflect the costs" of maintaining the systems. Tonight is the introduction; adoption would require a later vote.
Public hearing tonight on downtown site plan overhaul
Ordinance 2026-01 is scheduled for a public hearing tonight and could be adopted at the same meeting. The ordinance reorganizes the site plan review process and, most significantly for downtown business owners, creates an exemption for properties in the Downtown Parking Area, replacing a similar use where the property has not been vacant for three or more years. The change responds to feedback from owners who found even the simplified site plan process unexpectedly costly. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval in May.
Four police vehicles and Wakefield trail funding on consent calendar
Chief of Police Christian Price is seeking approval to purchase four 2026 Ford Police Interceptor vehicles through Hertrich Fleet Services at a total cost of $306,308.48, under the FY27 capital budget.
The consent calendar also includes an $80,000 contract with Blackwater Environment Group for grant coordination on the Wakefield Valley Park Trail project.
New inspections for commercial wastewater users
Ordinance 2026-06 would authorize the city to conduct quarterly inspections of wastewater facilities at commercial and industrial businesses connected to the city sewer system, with fines for denying access. The staff memo notes that some businesses may be discharging prohibited substances, which threaten the city's compliance with its MDE permit.
Tonight's meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, 1838 Emerald Hill Lane. The full agenda and packet are available on the Westminster Agenda Center. The meeting will be live-streamed on the City of Westminster YouTube channel.
Photo: Westminster City Hall from westminstermd.gov