How can you tell if a town/city is incorporated? (Bowie: HOA fees, insurance)

[dcdrogers]

I currently live in Prince Georges County and plan to move within the next 3 to 4 months. I'm looking to move to either Bowie or Upper Marlboro. I've recall reading a thread a ways back that said city's that aren't incorporated tend to pay cheaper taxes. Does anyone know if this is true or not?

Thanks

~Dee

[North Beach Person]

It's true, most MD incorporated towns pay a lower County tax rate but that is more than made up by the Town tax rate. Most towns do provide more, and more personal, services than a county. Bowie and Upper Marlboro are both incorporated, but remember, the zip code will usually encompass more than the incorporated area. Some towns in Prince Georges: Berwyn Heights, Colmar Manor. In Calvert North Beach and Chesapeake are incorporated while Dunkirk and Huntingtown are not.

[dcdrogers]

Thanks North Beach,

I've lived in PG County all my life and I never knew about cheaper taxes.

~Dee

[PGC301]

Not sure about the tax question, but here you go:

Incorporated Cities
Bowie
Laurel
Greenbelt
Hyattsville
College Park
Mount Rainier
New Carrollton
Glenarden
Seat Pleasant
District Heights

Incorporated Towns
Berwyn Heights
Riverdale Park
University Park
Brentwood
North Brentwood
Landover Hills
Cheverly
Bladensburg
Edmonston
Cottage City
Colmar Manor
Fairmount Heights
Capitol Heights
Upper Marlboro
Morningside
Forest Heights
Eagle Harbor

Anything else in the county is unincorporated. However, you should check a map first to see if the particular address you're looking at is actually within the city/town limits or just uses that city's mailing address (this happens alot). Some of the most obvious examples I can think of:

• Bowie- alot of areas outside the city limits of Bowie use Bowie mailing addresses. Glenn Dale, Mitchellville, Fairwood, Woodmore, etc are not in Bowie

• Laurel- the majority of the area of Laurel that is south of Route 1 is not part of the incorporated city of Laurel

• Hyattsville- it seems like anything in the northwestern part of the county that isn't incorporated is given a Hyattsville mailing address. Adelphi, Chillum, Langley Park, Lewisdale, Avondale, Carole Highlands, Edmonston, East Riverdale, Woodlawn, West Lanham Hills, etc are not part of Hyattsville

• Riverdale- in general, most of the areas of Riverdale east of Kenilworth Avenue ("East Riverdale") are not incorporated

• Upper Marlboro- the actual incorporated town of Upper Marlboro is tiny (about 500 people). That area is down off of Route 4 near the courthouse and the school system building. Unincorporated Upper Marlboro takes up more land than any other area in the county. I don't know the exact boundaries off the top of my head, but I believe it includes everything along Rt 301 from Central Ave (south of Bowie) down to Rosaryville Rd. I think there are a few people on this forum who live in UM who might be able to answer any other questions you have about it.

[dcdrogers]

Thanks for all the informatoin PGC301.

I have another releveant question I'm hoping someone can answer. Why would a city/town be incorporated? Are there any benefits to it? (cheaper insurance, utilities...better services from the county? etc...) What exactly is the purpose of a town being incorporated?

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by dcdrogers

Thanks for all the informatoin PGC301.

I have another releveant question I'm hoping someone can answer. Why would a city/town be incorporated? Are there any benefits to it? (cheaper insurance, utilities...better services from the county? etc...) What exactly is the purpose of a town being incorporated?

More local control on decisions, more personalized service, more intense services.
Some examples:
Calvert County zoning allows 70 ft. tall buildings, North Beach caps at 50 ft. in commercial zoning, 40 ft. in residential. It's a town of mostly 1 and 2 story buildings. This carries over into the comprehensive planning process and all other zoning matters. The Town owns and operates it's own water system and is part owner, with Calvert County and Chesapeake Beach, of the regional sewer treatment facility. We also contract with Calvert County, in partnership with Chesapeake Beach, for a Sheriff's detachment solely based in the Beaches. If we didn't we would be under the same patrol schedule as the rest of the County which usually has 3 Deputies and 2 State Troopers on road patrol to cover the entire County.
Snow removal is done by Town Public Works employees and our streets are clear while the residential areas of the County are still untouched.
While tax bills are higher Town taxes are deductible, in unincorporated areas with HOAs the HOA fees are a homeowner expense but not deductible. Municipalities are also eligible for federal and state grants, state bond bills and the like, something sub-divisions are not able to access.


Here's a link:

Maryland Municipal League - The Association of Cities and Towns

[dcdrogers]

Wow...

Thanks North Beach and everyone else who helped address my questions. You are were very helpful.

~Dee

[MajeztikJah]

It also goes back to a time when the county didn't provide alot of service, or provided lack luster service to certain areas of the county. Incorperation was the only way to go. Other cases as in Greenbelt and Laurel these cities were planned so that's how they came to incorperation.