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Prince George’s County doubles nuisance fines for commercial property owners
Prince George’s County has passed a bill increasing fines for nonresidential property owners who fail to address nuisance conditions such as illegal dumping, overgrown vegetation, trespassing or unsafe and unsanitary conditions. The measure does not apply to homeowners, but it could raise fines from $1,000 to $2,000 for a first violation and up to $5,000 for additional violations.
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. - Owners of nuisance commercial properties in Prince George’s County could soon face doubled fines under a new bill passed by the county council.
What we know:
The bill applies to non-residential properties, including vacant commercial buildings, warehouses and industrial sites.
It does not apply to home or condo owners, according to FOX 5’s Stephanie Ramirez.
County leaders said the bill targets property owners who are not addressing issues such as overgrown vegetation, illegal dumping and unsafe conditions.
Under the bill, the first fine would increase to $2,000. Subsequent violations could carry fines of up to $5,000.
What counts as a public nuisance?
According to the bill, non-residential properties could be regarded as a public nuisance if they:
- Encourage trespassing
- Have unsanitary sewerage or plumbing facilities
- Create an unsafe condition or structure
- Include the disconnection, destruction or removal of facilities required by codes or regulations
- Are unclean, unsanitary or littered with rubbish or garbage
- Have uncontrolled weed growth
Why county leaders want the change
During a committee hearing, bill co-sponsor Councilmember Wala Blegay pointed to a non-residential property in her district that she said has essentially become a homeless encampment.
County leaders said the goal is to push property owners to maintain vacant or neglected sites before they become larger safety and quality-of-life problems.
What's next:
The bill now heads to the Prince George’s County executive for a signature.
The Source: This article was written using information from FOX 5 DC reporting.