Real Property - Recordation and Printing of Subdivision Plats - Alterations
HB0431 updates Maryland’s real property recordation rules for subdivision plats. The bill revises the standards for plats submitted for recordation, requiring them to be in a format that conforms to archival standards and making several technical changes to the description requirements for plats, including replacing references to “marsh” with “wetland” and clarifying language about coordinate markers and surveyor certification.
The bill also increases the fee charged by the clerk for printing a set of subdivision plats from $5 to $25 per page, while preserving the existing exemption for plats involving property or rights-of-way to be acquired or granted by the State Highway Administration. It retains the general rule that three copies of the plat must be delivered to the clerk and that local fees may still apply where authorized by local law or ordinance.
HB0431 amends § 3-108 of the Real Property Article, affecting the recordation process for subdivision plats across Maryland, except in Queen Anne’s County, which is already excluded from this section. The bill changes filing and formatting requirements for plats, updates terminology used in the statute, and raises the statewide printing fee for plat sets, increasing costs for landowners, developers, surveyors, and others who record subdivision plats.
The available legislative history suggests the bill moved forward without recorded opposition in the provided materials. It received a favorable committee report with amendments and was adopted by the House, indicating general support for the technical and fee-related changes. No vote breakdowns or hearing transcripts are available here, so the record reflects procedural approval more than detailed debate.
The main likely point of contention is the fee increase from $5 to $25 per page, which raises costs for those recording subdivision plats and could draw concern from developers, property owners, and surveyors. Another possible issue is the modernization of filing standards, including archival-format requirements and revised marker/certification language, though these appear to be technical updates rather than substantive policy disputes. The bill preserves the State Highway Administration exemption, which may limit objections from public infrastructure interests.