Town Ordinances

The town has adopted a number of Montgomery County Maryland ordinances, which can be found on the Montgomery County Charter and County Code webpage. 

5G Small Cell: Requirements concerning the installation and operation of small wireless telecommunication facilities in public rights-of-way in the Town.  

Absentee Ballot: Procedures for absentee voting in elections and referendums.

Annex Fee Recovery: A petition for annexation into the Town including a cost-recovery filing fee of $250.

Building Permit: (Updated 9/2005)  Requirements for new building construction or the construction of a structure in excess of $1,500.00 in value.

Driveway and Aprons:  (Adopted 10/1982, added to website 9/2004)  Requirements for construction or reconstruction of driveways and driveway aprons.

Election Ordinance: Procedure and regulations for Town elections.

Forest Conservation and Reforestation Ordinance: (Updated 2/2010) Establishes a forest conservation and reforestation program  in compliance with the standards prescribed by the Maryland General Assembly. 

Legislation Exemption: Exempts the Town from all county legislation covered by grants of authority with exemptions for legislation specifically referenced to apply to the Town. 

Moratorium Ordinance: (Enacted May 7, 2024, effective May 28, 2024) A temporary moratorium on the review and consideration of applications and permits for large commercial and residential projects requiring the Town Planning Commission, in conjunction with its review of the Comprehensive Plan, to report to the Mayor and Council regarding its recommendations. 

Moratorium Ordinance Extension: (Enacted October 15, 2024, effective November 5, 2024) Extension of the temporary moratorium on the review and consideration of applications and permits for large commercial and residential projects. 

Moratorium Ordinance Second Extension: (Enacted November 4, 2025, effective November 25, 2025) A second extension of the temporary moratorium on the review and consideration of applications and permits for large commercial and residential projects.

Municipal Services Liens:(Adopted 10/2010) Authorizes the Town to provide that any valid charge, tax, or assessment made against any real property in the town for the provision of municipal services to remedy violation of the Town code or protect the health, safety, and public welfare of the inhabitants of the Town shall be liens upon such property to be collected in the same manner as municipal taxes are collected. 

Off Road Vehicles: Adoption of chapter 7a of the Montgomery county code, 2004 (as amended) entitled "off-the-road vehicles" to apply within the Town and to authorization for Montgomery County, Maryland to apply, administer, and enforce the provisions of chapter 7a within the Town limits.

Parks and Trails Ordinance: Defines procedures, regulations, and prohibitions of certain activities for the protection and preservation of parks, trails, open spaces, and other properties owned, controlled, or managed by the Town.

Public Property: Grants the Town the power to acquire by gift, devise, purchase, or condemnation real or personal property needed for any public purpose and to dispose of the same.

Parking Ordinance: (Amended 5/9/2009) Authorizes procedures and regulations for parking, standing, or stopping of vehicles on public streets and rights-of-way within the Town. 

Road Construction Ordinance: (Adopted 1/1987,Added to website 9/2004) Requires a permit from Montgomery County, Maryland to grade, install, cut, construct, or re-construct any surface material, subsurface material, paving, drainage structure, curb, gutter, sidewalk, driveway entrance, retaining wall, step, or any other structure within the right-of-way of any public roadway or public way in the Town as though said right-of-way were located within the unincorporated area of Montgomery County, Maryland.

Sign Ordinance: For the town's sign regulations, see Section 128 of the Zoning Ordinance.

Subdivision Regulations: (Updated 6/2011) Regulations for subdividing a parcel of land into two or more parcels

Tree Ordinance: Regulations to protect and preserve trees on public and private property in the Town, provide for public health, safety, and general welfare, and promote the Town’s natural beauty. 

Weeds/Grass Ordinance: Requirements for maintaining weeds and grasses to be less than 12 inches in height.

Zoning Ordinance:  Regulations covering all real property in the Town.