Howard County Laws

Howard County imposes certain restrictions on residents. Please call the appropriate County agency for these problems, as Owen Brown has no authority. Those most significant to Owen Brown residents include: 

Animal Control:

Copies of the Howard County Animal Control Laws are available at the Village office, or by calling (410) 313-2780. All dogs and cats in Howard County must be licensed annually. The Law states that an animal must be on a leash and under control of a responsible person when not on the owner’s property. Owners are required to clean up after their pets daily, on or off their property, and dispose of the waste material in a sanitary manner, or face legal penalties. No wild, exotic, or “game” type animal may be kept on any residential lot. Citizens having animal problems, including excessive barking, should first personally bring the problem to the owner’s attention; or restrain the animal on your property and call the Animal Control for pick up; or call or write Animal Control about the problem requesting action; or file a Violation Affidavit, a formal notarized statement describing the problem, with dates and times. Send the affidavit to: Animal Control Division, 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043. As a last resort, citizens may take the offense directly to the Commissioner of the Howard County Court by having a summons issued to the pet owner.

Cul-De-Sac Islands:

Maintenance of the landscaping on cul-de-sac islands and street is the responsibility of adjacent homeowners. Parking around cul-de-sac islands is a County violation and vehicles may be ticketed by the police (Ho. Co Code 21.221 A-8).  Call the non-emergency Police number to report parking around your cul-de-sac island, (410) 313-2200.

The Owen Brown Village Board typically includes $1,000 in its annual budget to be used by residents for cul-de-sac beautification.  Residents may apply for a grant of up to $200 for plantings.  Applications, available at the OBCC, must include the following:

• “Before” Photograph of the cul-de-sac

• Request signed by 80% of residents surrounding the cul-de-sac

• Proposed Planting Plan

• List of plants to be used

Applicants must acknowledge that:

• The County will not replace dead or diseased trees and plant materials installed by residents.
• Residents are responsible for replacing dead or diseased plantings they install in their cul-de-sac.
• Residents must properly maintain their approved landscape plan.

Applications will be reviewed by the village and, if approved, forwarded to Howard County for approval. When the application is returned to the village with county approval, the cul-de-sac contact will be notified. When the planting is completed an“after” photograph and receipts (up to $200) must be provided. A check for reimbursement will be mailed to the contact person who is responsible for dividing the money among the residents who purchased materials.

Rental Properties, Boarders And Shared Living

Property owners are responsible for compliance of their property with the Owen Brown Covenants. Howard County requires the licensing of any rental unit and an inspection of the premises. All known rental units are reported to the County. Call (410) 313-2455. A residence may not be subdivided, partitioned, have additional kitchens or efficiencies, or separate and exclusive entrances. All occupants must have equal and unrestricted use of the common household areas. Vehicle parking is a prime concern, especially in multi-family, high-density areas. Howard County requires approximately two spaces per unit and residents with vehicles exceeding allotted spaces should use overflow areas.

Sidewalks, Snow Removal, Grass Strips And Street Trees

Repair and maintenance, including snow removal, of adjoining sidewalks are the responsibility of the adjacent property owner under Howard County law. Deteriorating sidewalks must be replaced with concrete. No application is required to repair or replace existing sidewalks with concrete. Call Howard County Public Works at (410) 313-7450 with any questions about sidewalk repair. Any deviation from the original design or location requires application approval by the Resident Architectural Committee. Maintenance of grass areas between sidewalk and curb, including trees and shrubbery, is also the adjacent property owner’s responsibility and must include appropriate mowing, trimming, weeding and fertilizing in the same manner as regular lawn care. Trees and shrubbery must be pruned to allow clearance for walkers and bikers. For information on County street trees, call (410) 313-7450.