The construction, maintenance, and control of County public works, buildings, publicly owned water and sewerage facilities, and capital projects are the responsibility of the Division.
Under the Division are three departments: Construction, Engineering, and Plan Review.
The Construction Department conducts required building and trade inspections of construction projects, as well as of driveways and utilities located within County rights-of-way. The Department also inspects all storm water management ponds constructed (County Code, sec. 1-701).
All aspects of capital projects are overseen by the Engineering Department. Capital projects involve the acquisition, construction, or remodeling of, and addition or improvement to, capital facilities, such as land, buildings, highways, drainage, or water or sewer facilities.
The Plan Review Department formerly was the Division of Plan Review and Permitting under the Planning and Zoning Department. In May 2013, as Plan Review and Permitting, it transferred to the Division of Engineering and Construction (now Division of Engineering and Construction Management). In July 2015, it reformed as the Plan Review Department, and in May 2017, merged with the Permitting Department to form the Plan Review and Permitting Department.
The Permitting Department formerly was the Division of Plan Review and Permitting under the Planning and Zoning Department. In May 2013, as Plan Review and Permitting, it transferred to the Division of Engineering and Construction (now Division of Engineering & Construction Management). In July 2015, it reformed as the Permitting Department. In May 2017, the Permitting Department merged with the Plan Review Department to become the Plan Review and Permitting Department.
To ensure compliance with all County design criteria and applicable ordinances, the Plan Review and Permitting Department oversees the review of plans for residential, commercial and industrial development. The Department reviews and comments in detail on traffic impact studies required for development. It also manages the County Floodplain Management Program, and reviews and comments on utility, grading, entrance and floodplain permit applications, as well as applications to be heard by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
The enforcement of ordinances concerned with weed control and zoning is the responsibility of the Department.
Under the Division of Engineering and Construction Management, the Department processes applications for building permits, and issues building permits in accordance with County adopted building codes, and the County Zoning Ordinance. Upon a project's completion, the Department then issues a use and occupancy certificate. It also processes applications for electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractor licenses, and maintains those licenses. Moreover, this unit processes applications for trade permits of contractors working in the County, and issues those permits as well.
For construction permits on properties zoned as historic district, or rural village, applications are reviewed by the Historic District Commission prior to approval (County Code, secs. 1-501, 1-502).
The Department oversees Engineering and Land Use Plan Review, and Permits and Land Review. The Department also is aided by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, the Appeals Board consists of five members who serve three-year terms (Code Land Use Article, secs. 4-101 through 4-406).
ENGINEERING & LAND USE PLAN REVIEW
PERMITS & LAND REVIEW
COMMUNICATIONS MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
LAND DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
PARKS, RECREATION & FACILITIES DEPARTMENT
TRANSIT DEPARTMENT
For the elderly and persons with disabilities, County Commuter buses provide transportation through a contracted Ride-Assist Voucher Program, funded by the Statewide Special Transportation Assistance Program. For individuals with disabilities who can not access fixed-route service, the Department provides ADA Complementary Paratransit Service, along with Job Access in cooperation with the County Department of Social Services.
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CONSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT
First as the Capital Projects Department, and then as the Engineering and Construction Department, the Construction Department originated under the Division of Public Works. In May 2013, the Department transferred to the Division of Engineering and Construction (now Division of Engineering and Construction Management). In July 2015, it reformed as the Construction Department.
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
The Engineering Department originated as first the Capital Projects Department, and then the Engineering and Construction Department under the Division of Public Works. In May 2013, the Department transferred to the Division of Engineering and Construction (now Division of Engineering and Construction Management). In July 2015, it reformed as the Engineering Department.
PLAN REVIEW & PERMITTING DEPARTMENT
The Plan Review and Permitting Department formed in May 2017 from the merger of the Plan Review Department with the Permitting Department.
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
The Board of Zoning Appeals holds public hearings to hear and make decisions on requests for variances, conditional uses, and appeals relating to zoning. The Board also hears and decides appeals where it is alleged there is any error in any zoning order, requirement, decision, or determination made by an administrative official in regard to enforcement of the County Zoning Ordinance. Upon appeal, in specific cases, the Board may authorize such variances as will not be contrary to the public interest where, owing to special conditions, a literal enforcement would result in unnecessary hardship or practical difficulty. In addition, the Board interprets district boundaries on official zoning maps.
Engineering and Land Use Plan Review oversees the County building inspectors and advises the Department on matters related to forest conservation, public land development, road design, and stormwater and floodplain management.
Permits and Land Review receives and processes permit requests for Permits. It also issues trade permits for contractors operating in the County, including electricians, mechanics, and plumbers. Permits and Land Review enforces local and State building codes, and ordinances related to residential junk, weeds, and zoning.
DIVISION OF PUBLIC WORKS
The Division of Public Works oversees five departments: Communications Maintenance; Highway; Land Development Engineering; Parks, Recreation and Facilities; and Transit (County Code, sec. 1-601).
The Communications Maintenance Department designs, procures, installs, and maintains all County wireless communications systems (except cellular). This includes equipment owned by the County, the County's municipalities, the Board of Education, and some State-owned equipment.
The Highway Department is responsible for County roads, highways, bridges and streets, lanes, alleys, footways, and culverts. Along County roads, the Department performs snow and ice removal operations; installs and repairs traffic control signs, street name signs and signals; picks up litter and debris; and cuts the grass. In addition, the Department provides lighting for roads, highways, alleys, and other public places; cleans and repairs County-owned ditches and storm drains; and trims all trees and removes dead trees on County-owned property.
The Land Development Engineering Department reviews and approves the designs and performs limited construction inspections of private developments. This is done by review of subdivision plats and site plans submitted to the County through the Department of Planning and Community Development. Within the County right-of-way typically associated with those developments, the Department inspects driveways and utilities. The Department also oversees storm drainage, erosion, and sediment control facilities and projects, and the County Stormwater Management Program. It reviews, approves, and inspects all stormwater management ponds constructed (County Code, sec. 1-701).
Within the Division of Public Works is the Parks, Recreation and Facilities Department. The Department maintains buildings, grounds, and parks owned by the County; handles reservations for park pavilions; operates the Martin L. Snook swimming pool in Hagerstown; and provides maintenance for county agencies (Code Local Government Article, secs. 1-601 through 1-611).
RECREATION & PARKS BOARD
The Recreation and Parks Board consists of seven members appointed to three-year terms by the Board of County Commissioners, one of whom represents the Board of County Commissioners (Code Local Government Article, sec. 1-606; County Code, sec. 1-602).
Under the Division of Public Works, the Transit Department operates all public transportation in Washington County (County Code, sec. 1-603). The County Commuter public transit system is a bus line. It runs eight, fixed urban bus routes that originate in Hagerstown and serve Funkstown, Halfway, Long Meadow, Maugansville, Robinwood, Smithsburg, and Williamsport.
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