Landscaping, Drainage & Hardscaping in Howard County, Maryland

Drainage and Stormwater Services in Howard County

Howard County is bounded by the Patapsco River to the north and northeast and the Patuxent River to the southwest — both rivers above their tidal reaches throughout the county. The county spans two major watershed basins, with the Patapsco system drawing from the northern and eastern portions and the Patuxent system draining the central and southwestern areas. Most residential drainage problems across Howard County reflect the clay-heavy Piedmont geology common throughout central Maryland: low-permeability soils that shed water along the surface rather than absorbing it, producing pooling yards, saturated turf, and water intrusion at foundation walls after any significant storm event.

Howard County adopted a Watershed Protection Fee in 2013, an annual residential charge based on property size that funds countywide stormwater management infrastructure. The fee runs $40 per year for townhouses, condominiums, and apartments; $115 per year for single-family homes on a quarter-acre or less; and $225 per year for single-family homes on more than a quarter-acre. Homeowners who install qualifying stormwater best management practices can earn a credit against that annual charge — the amount of credit is defined by the amount of impervious surface treated by the BMP, relative to the total impervious on the property. Howard County also operates CleanScapes, a reimbursement program that covers rain gardens, permeable pavers, dry wells, conservation landscaping, rainwater harvesting, tree canopy expansion, and pavement removal at 75% of the project cost for qualifying residential properties. Actaeon installs French drain systems, catch basins, surface and subsurface yard drainage, and buried downspout extensions across the county. For commercial and government clients, we provide BMP installation and maintenance for permitted stormwater facilities.

Retaining Walls, Patios, and Hardscaping

All permit applications in Howard County — for any community, including Columbia, Ellicott City, Clarksville, or Elkridge — route through DILP. There are no separate municipal permit offices in the county. DILP's online portal at dilp.howardcountymd.gov/CitizenAccess/ allows permit submission for standard residential projects. Retaining walls and drainage installations require permits for most projects beyond minor maintenance; threshold details vary by scope and are confirmed through DILP before design begins. Properties in the Patapsco and Patuxent river corridors may face additional county stormwater or grading review beyond a standard building permit — confirm applicability with DILP before finalizing scope on any project near a stream corridor.

Patios, driveways, and stone installations are common across Howard County's established residential communities. Many properties carry grade irregularities from accumulated landscaping and fill over decades of ownership; pre-project site assessment identifies whether a grading correction is needed before hardscape work can hold properly. Concrete and masonry work and outdoor living spaces are installed throughout the county's neighborhoods.

Sod, Landscaping, and the Howard County Landscape

Sod installation in Howard County requires the same clay-soil preparation protocol applied across the Maryland Piedmont: grade correction and soil amendment before sod is laid. Sod placed on compacted clay without preparation cannot establish an adequate root zone through the first dry stretch after installation. We install sod for residential lawns, HOA common areas, and erosion-control applications following construction or drainage work.

Columbia's status as a planned community adds a covenant layer to landscaping and planting decisions across its ten villages. The Columbia Association governs architectural standards throughout the community; the Architectural Resource Committee addresses violations of existing covenants rather than reviewing new project applications in advance. Individual village covenants may have additional review steps — confirming requirements before finalizing any design that alters graded or planted areas in a Columbia village is the practical standard before work begins. Mulch installation, planting, and landscape cleanups are routine across the county's residential communities. Actaeon has completed 500+ projects since founding in 2017.

Permits and Stormwater Credits in Howard County

Howard County's single permit authority for all residential and commercial construction and landscape work is:

Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses & Permits (DILP)
3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043 · (410) 313-2455 · Monday through Friday (closes at 5:00 p.m.; arrive by 4:00 p.m.) · dilp.howardcountymd.gov/CitizenAccess/

Stormwater programs: Howard County's stormwater reimbursement and credit programs are administered separately by the Stormwater Division of the Department of Public Works at 9801 Broken Land Parkway, Columbia, MD 21046 · (410) 313-6444. The CleanScapes program reimburses qualifying homeowners for eligible BMP installations at 75% of the project cost; income-eligible households may receive up to 100% reimbursement. Eligible BMPs include rain gardens, conservation landscaping, rainwater harvesting, permeable pavers, tree canopy expansion, dry wells, and pavement removal. Homes must have been built before 2003. Project applications must be submitted by November 30th. The Watershed Protection Fee credit reduces your annual WPF bill based on how much impervious surface the installed BMP treats relative to the property's total impervious area. Visit cleanwaterhoward.com or contact the Stormwater Division for current details and program applications.

Communities We Serve in Howard County

Actaeon serves homeowners and businesses throughout Howard County, including Columbia, Ellicott City, Clarksville, Fulton, Jessup, Savage, Elkridge, Highland, Laurel (Howard County portion), and surrounding communities throughout the county.