Anne Arundel County permits residential artificial turf but counts it as impervious surface in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area, which can trigger mitigation. Drainage plans are required when turf replaces lawn on slopes or near tidal waters.
Residential artificial turf installations generally do not require a building permit in Anne Arundel County, but the county Office of Planning and Zoning treats synthetic turf as impervious or semi-impervious surface for stormwater and Critical Area purposes. In the 1,000-foot Chesapeake Bay Critical Area, any addition of impervious surface in an RCA or LDA triggers the 15% impervious cap and potential mitigation through a Buffer Management Plan. Drainage must be designed so runoff does not discharge onto neighboring properties or directly into a tidal tributary; PFAS-free infill and recycled-rubber alternatives are encouraged by the Watershed Protection office. On steep slopes or within a FEMA floodplain, a sediment and erosion control plan may be required. HOAs along the Severn, Magothy, and South Rivers increasingly allow artificial turf under MD Real Property §2-118's low-impact landscaping protections, though aesthetic standards (edging, color, seam quality) are permitted. Artificial turf near private wells must include a clean water barrier to avoid leachate concerns.
Critical Area impervious-cap violation: mitigation planting at 3:1 and penalties up to $10,000. Runoff onto neighboring property: civil nuisance claim plus county correction order. Floodplain fill without permit: Article 16 violations up to $1,000/day.
Anne Arundel County, MD
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