Town of Hampstead

Annexation Benefits and Questions 

1.      Why does the Town annex property? 

The simple answer to this question is, "Because property owners ask."  Owners of undeveloped land have annexed to build residential subdivisions.  Owners of existing homes have annexed to connect to public water. 

In general, the Town does not solicit properties to annex, though at times annexation may be beneficial to us.  Bringing properties into our corporate limits allows the Town to better manage local growth and development.  In some cases, straightening our boundaries makes it easy to manage public services like snow removal.  Finally, annexation ensures that more people in our community have a direct voice in local decisions. 

2.      What about the property taxes? 

Annexing residential property is at best, a break-even proposition.  Residential properties pay the least amount of property taxes and require the most public services.  The municipal tax rate in Hampstead is 20 cents per $100 of assessed value.  The owner of a $200,000 home will pay $400 per year in Town taxes.  We feel our homeowners receive more than $400 worth of public service each year in just solid waste and recycling services.   

3.      What are the benefits of annexation? 

A.        Town police 

We have an excellent municipal police force with eight uniformed officers.  Our officers are assigned neighborhoods and work closely with local residents.  Concerned citizens can participate in regular meeting of the police advisory group.  Because of our ratio of officers to residents, our municipal streets are well patrolled and response time is very short. 

B.        Municipal water 

The most common reason to annex is connection to municipal water.  Our drinking water is tested regularly and meets all state and federal requirements.  Depending on a single, private well for water can be risky.  We know property owners who have lost the use of wells due to drought or contamination.  The Town's water system uses a series of deep wells throughout the area.  We can take one or more wells out of production and still continue to provide water.  We also have one million gallons stored in water tanks.  This means a home or business can use our system for a fire suppression system without building tanks or installing high pressure pumps.  Carroll County provides sewer service in Hampstead. 

C.        Trash removal 

We provide trash removal at no direct cost to residents.  Our solid waste program includes weekly trash pick up, weekly recycling pick up (the blue bins you see around Town), yard waste removal during the spring, summer and fall, bulk trash pick up three times per year, Christmas tree removal after Christmas and an oil recycling facility at our Public Works Complex. 

Carroll County residents must pay for weekly trash removal and the basic service does not include recycling, yard waste or bulk trash.  We think the Town's solid waste service is cost-effective and environmentally-sensitive. 

D.        Street maintenance 

We use private contractors to repair local streets.  Our Public Works Department does an excellent job of snow removal every winter.  Our roads are built to Town standards. 

E.        Street lights 

The Town pays for street lights.  We think this is an important but often overlooked public service that makes streets and neighborhoods safer. 

F.         Fire protection 

The Hampstead Volunteer Fire Department does a great job serving Town and County residents.  Town residents benefit from fire hydrant locations in every neighborhood.  Nearby hydrants may lower home insurance costs. 

G.        Town parks 

The Town has a number of parks and recreational facilities.  We are currently building a community park on a 16-acre parcel near North Carroll Lane.  These parks are open to everyone. 

I.          Local laws 

Hampstead is a town where many neighbors live in close proximity.  Living on a quarter-acre lot is not the same as living on a 200-acre farm.  Our laws reflect this reality.  We maintain a friendly, cooperative approach with property owners but we also have tough laws governing rental properties, litter, public nuisances and other problems that can detract from the quiet enjoyment of our neighborhoods.  Decisions about development are made by our Planning and Zoning Commission. 

H.        Local representation and information 

Our Mayor and Council are local citizens who serve as part-time elected officials.  You may see them in the local grocery, attending church or coaching a youth sports team.  When residents have a concern or question, it is easy to contact one of our elected officials or the municipal staff. 

The Town publishes a newsletter three times a year and sends a copy to every local resident.   We try to keep our citizens informed of local events like Hampstead Day, public meetings, bulk trash pick ups, etc.  We also have a web site (www.townofhampstead.us) with a wealth of information. 

4.      What are the costs of annexation? 

There is no Town charge for asking to annex.  Normally, a property owner or owners will have an attorney draft an annexation petition which includes a survey of the properties to be annexed. 

The most expensive cost is usually connecting to Town water.  Normally, the property owner is responsible for all costs in connecting to the Town's water supply including paying the water impact fee.  The water impact fee for a single family dwelling is $1,696.  On annexation, the Council may also require a home pay the impact fees for parks and police.  These fees total $642.  The fees for commercial or industrial properties are based on the water meter size and square footage.  The cost of a water service line depends on the location of the water main relative to your home or business. 

The Town Council has the authority to waive fees or charge them over time as an addition to property taxes.  The petition for annexation usually contains any requests for lower fees. 

5.      Do I have to connect to Town water? 

It depends.  The normal rule is that a property owner must connect to Town water when a water main runs along the property.  According to our Town Code, a property owner has 180 days to connect after Town water becomes available.  If you have a private well and there is no water main, you can continue using the well.  If you stop using the well, Maryland state law requires the well be properly sealed and abandoned. 

6.      Will my children attend the same school? 

Annexation does not change the school district boundaries. 

7.      Will I have to rebuild my road to Town standards? 

The Town will normally accept responsibility for any public road in the annexed area and make any necessary repairs.  If you are developing a property, you may be required to make certain improvements.   

8.      Will the Town pick up my trash? 

Yes.  Property owners must place trash and recyclables at the curbside of the nearest public road for weekly pick up.  The Town provides every new resident with a blue recycling bin and information on trash removal. 

9.      How do I submit a petition to be annexed into the Town? 

The easiest way to proceed is to contact a local attorney.  To annex, your property must be contiguous to the Town and the annexation cannot create an "island" of County property in the Town.  If you have additional questions, you can call Town Hall at 410-239-7408 or visit to discuss your property.  We are willing to meet with anyone individually or in a group to answer your questions.