CHAPTER 23

SPECIAL TAXING DISTRICTS

23-1.  Special Taxing District Defined.

23-2.  Special Storm Water Management and Taxing Districts.

23-3.  Public Bus and Ride Share Systems Special Taxing Districts.

Sec. 23-1. Special Taxing District Defined.

(a) Definition. A Special Taxing District is an area within the corporate limits of the City of Bowie, Maryland for which a district is created by City ordinance for the purpose of financing projects, systems, facilities, programs or activities of special benefit to the district, through an ad valorem tax levied on real and/or personal property located within the special district.

(b) Authority. Pursuant to Article 23A ss 44 of the Annotated Code of Maryland And Section 89.1 of the City Charter, a Special Taxing District may be created for purpose of financing the design, construction, establishment, extension, alteration or acquisition of adequate storm drainage systems, for the purpose of financing the design, acqusition, establishment, improvement, extension, operation or alteration of public parking facilities or pedestrian malls, for the purpose of financing the design, acquisition, erection, construction, improvement and maintenance of street and area lighting and for the purpose of financing the design, acquisition, establishment, improvement, extension, operation, alteration, or maintenance of a ride sharing or bus system and levy on all real and personal property within the district an ad valorem tax at a rate sufficient to provide adequate annual revenues to pay the principal and interest on obligations incurred for the idstrict and the costs of operating and maintaining district facilities and activities.

(c)  District Administration.The City Manager shall administer the districts and systems, facilities, programs and activities operated and maintained as a part thereof, and may take all actions necessary for the effective and efficient management of the districts including, without limitation:

(1) Establishing policies and issuing regulations:

(2) Proposing an annual budget and tax levy which shall provide sufficient revenues to pay the costs as they come due of any bonds or obligations, and the costs of operating and maintaining the facilities or activities, including reserves for restoration, repair and replacement;

(3) Contracting for the provision of materials and services in accordance with City Charter and subject to the availability of budgeted and appropriated funds for the district; and

(4) Providing for the consolidation of programs and activities and the sharing of systems, facilities and funds among the districts and the City for the benefit of the district or districts involved.

(d) Budget and Appropriation. The Council shall adopt annual budgets for the districts which shall include the costs of paying the principal and interest on obligations incurred for the district as they become due and the costs of designing, constructing, acquiring, establishing, extending, altering, operating and maintaining district facilities, including land acquisition costs, the cost of administrative, professional or support services provided by the City, and any other item of cost which may reasonably be attributed to the district.  Funds for the districts shall be budgeted and appropriated in the same manner as for the City generally and may be done concurrently with the City's budget and appropriation process.

(e) Tax Levy.  As provided in the ordinance establishing the district's annual budget, an ad valorem tax shall be levied annually on all the real and/or personal property in the district at a rate sufficient to provide adequate revenues to pay for the budgeted costs of the district.  The tax shall be levied in the same manner, upon the same assessments, and for the same periods, and shall be collected and enforced as other City taxes.

Return

Sec. 23-2.  Special Stormwater Management Taxing Districts.

(a) Purpose:

(1) The purpose of a Special Storm Water Management Taxing District is to establish a means of alleviating, at least partially, increased storm water and drainage management problems such as flooding, erosion and water pollution due to increased development in certain portions of the City which may thereafter affect the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the City of Bowie.

(2)  Chapter 21B of the Code limits City responsibility for the costs of stormwater management maintenance to residential properties.  Special stormwater management districts may be established and taxes levied therein to provide off-site stormwater management facilities for commercial, industrial or institutional properties, as defined in Chapter 21B, and to pay the costs of operating and maintaining such facilities.

(b)  The following are the Special Stormwater Management Taxing Districts within the City of Bowie:

I. University of Maryland Science and Technology Center

Established by Ordinance No. O-19-87, dated May 4, 1987.  The Special Taxing District encompasses 481.273 acres located in the University of Maryland Science and Technology Center, Seventh Election District, Prince George's County, Maryland,   and more fully described in O-19-87 on file in the City  Clerk-Treasurer's Office.

II. Bowie New Town Center

Established by Ordinance No. O-20-87 dated December 21, 1987, and amended by O-11-91, dated May 20, 1991, O-4-96 dated May 20, 1996 and O-20-98 dated November 16, 1998.  The Special Taxing District encompasses a 180.023 acre parcel, more or less, of land located in the Bowie New Town Center, Seventh Election District, Prince George's County, Maryland and more fully described in O-20-98 on file with the City Clerk’s Office.

III. Highbridge

Established by Ordinance No. O-28-88 dated October 17, 1988. The Special Taxing District encompasses 11.794 acres located in the Highbridge area of the City of Bowie, Seventh Election District, Prince George's County, Maryland, and more fully described in O-28-88 on file in the City Clerk-Treasurer's Office.

IV. International Renaissance Center

Established by Ordinance No. O-2-89 dated March 20, 1989,and amended by O-11-91, dated May 20, 1991 and O-22-98, dated November 16, 1998. The Special Taxing District Encompasses 113.6811 acres, more or less,           located in the Interna-tional Renaissance Center, Seventh Election District, Prince George's County, Maryland, and more fully described in O-22-98 on file with the City Clerk’s Office.

V. Pin Oak Plaza 

Established by Ordinance O-16-90.  The Special Taxing District encompasses a 14.2384 acre tract in the seventh      election district of Prince George's County, Maryland, located east of Mitchellville Road and south of Maryland Route 197, and is more fully described in O-16-90 on file in the City Clerk-treasurer's office.

VI. Elder Oaks Apartments

Established by Ordinance O-17-90.  The Special Taxing District encompasses a 15.3105 acre tract in the seventh election district of Prince George's County, Maryland, located east and south of Pin Oak Village, and is more fully described in O-17-90 on file in the City Clerk-treasurer' office.

VII. Collington Plaza

Established by Ordinance O-7-95. The Special Taxing District encompasses a 12.7094 acre tract in the seventh election district of Prince George’s County, Maryland, as described in Attachment “A” attached to O-7-95 on file in the City Clerk’s-treasurer’s office.

(c) Administration.  The City Manager, in consultation with the City Engineer, shall determine for each stormwater management district the percentage of the facility maintenance costs attributable to the district.  The percentage shall be based on the area of development draining into the facility, the area of the district draining into the facility, and relative demand placed on the facility, based on run-off coefficients for type of development and soil cover, by the properties within the district.  The City Manager shall further determine the estimated cost of operating and maintaining the facility over its useful life, adjusted for the staged development of the district, and provide for an annual tax levy sufficient to meet these long-term costs. (Sec. 23-2 amended by O-5-96, adopted 5/20/96).

Return

Sec. 23-3.  Public Bus and Ride Share Systems Special Taxing Districts.

(a)  Purpose: To establish a means of alleviating, at least partially, the effects of increased growth such as the need for new roadways, the replacement and/or rehabilitation of existing roadways and the provision of parking areas, and the establishment of a means by which citizens and visitors of the City may acquire better access to certain commercial and residential areas of the City.

(b)  The following are the special bus and ride share systems public taxing districts:

I.  The University of Maryland Science and Technology Center

Established by Ordinance No. O-47-87 enacted 12-21-87.  The Special Taxing District encompasses a 481.273 acre tract located in the University of Maryland Science and Technology Center, Seventh Election District, Prince George's County, Maryland, and more fully described in O-47-87 on file in the City Clerk-Treasurer's Office.

II. Bowie New Town Center

Originally established by Ordinance No. O-47-87 enacted 12-21-87 and subsequently enlarged by O-17-88, enacted 4-18-88.  The Special Taxing District encompasses a 335.5702 acre parcel of land located in the Bowie New Town Center, Seventh Election District, Prince George's County, Maryland, and more fully described in O-17-88  on file in the City Clerk-Treasurer's Office.

III. Pin Oak Village

Established by Ordinance No. O-28-90.  The Special Taxing District encompasses 97.9057 acres, more or less, in the Seventh Election District of Prince George's County, Maryland, located east of Mitchellville Road and south of Maryland Route 197, and more fully described in Ordinance O-28-90 on file in the City Clerk office.

IV. Jenkins

Established by Ordinance No. O-29-90, the Special Taxing Districten compasses 113.7974 acres, more or less, the Seventh Election District of Prince George's County, Maryland, south of Pin Oak Village, and more fully described in O-29-90 on file in the City Clerk-Treasurer's office.

(c) Administration.

(1)  The public bus and ride sharing system project or projects to be undertaken may include car pool formation and organizatin, van pool formation and organization, the acquisition, lease, operation and maintenance of buses and other public conveyances for the transportation of the public, and the operation of buses and other conveyances along such routes and at such schedules as are required for the prudent service of the public need, all in conjunction with the sound fiscal policy limitations determined by the Council and set forth in the annual budget of the district.

(2)  The City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to enter into any agreement to determine the level and type of transportation services to be provided under this chapter, and to adopt regulations for the operation of the ride sharing and bus system.  Such regulations may provide, among other things for equipment and/or services to be shared by two or more of the districts established under this section.   (Sections 23-1, 23-2 and 23-3 amended by O-26-90, adopted 11/5/90, effective 12/5/90). (Section 23-2 and 23-3 amended by O-17-91, adopted 6/17/91, effective 7/17/91).  (Section 23-2 II. amended by O-20-98 and O-22-98, adopted 11/16/98, effective 12/16/98).

Return