MD HB1470

Prince George's County Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement must record a lien on property within 90 days of issuing a violation notice for illegal tree cutting/clearing in the Critical Area; without a properly recorded lien, current property owners cannot be held liable for violations committed by previous owners

Applies only to residential parcels under 5 acres in Prince George's County that are not zoned for commercial use

If no lien is recorded, the local jurisdiction must pursue enforcement only against the previous owner who committed the violation and must perform any required restoration or mitigation itself

Retroactively vacates enforcement actions against current property owners for violations occurring on or before November 7, 2018, where a previous owner committed and was cited for the violation; Prince George's County must reimburse affected current owners for all costs including civil penalties, bonds, reforestation costs, and attorney/professional fees

Takes effect October 1, 2025, and automatically expires on September 30, 2027