Please Support: Howard County Plan to Require EV Charging at New Construction

[Lanny]

We are looking for people to testify in support of Howard County bill CB76 that will require EV charging at new residential construction. This will be the first such law in Maryland and we want to show all lawmakers that there's tremendous support for EVs in Maryland to help gain enthusiasm for similar laws in other counties and the state.

We want to show up in force at the Howard County Council public hearing in Ellicott City on October 15.

Please let me know if you can testify on Monday, Oct. 15 at 7 PM.

Howard County Proposal to Require EV Charging at New Residential Construction | PlugInSites

 

[Xenius]

Do we need to be MD residents?

 

[Lanny]

Do we need to be MD residents?

Anyone can testify.

We hope to have as many supporters as possible because, as we all know, EV drivers are currently a small percentage (but growing) and developers, who may be against this, are a powerful lobby.

 

[sdugan99]

I live in Howard county and Disagree with this bill. Why should they be forced? It would be in their best interest to build with EV charging but I don't believe in forcing it on a builder.

 

[jaguar36]

I live in Howard county and Disagree with this bill. Why should they be forced? It would be in their best interest to build with EV charging but I don't believe in forcing it on a builder.

I agree. Market forces should drive EV adoption not a law. I think at this point you'd be an idiot to be building any new construction without giving it some consideration. If they wanted to give a tax break for a charging installation that would work, but forcing it is wrong.

 

[mongo]

If passed, proposed bill CB76-2018 would require at least one J-1772 Level 2 charging connector for each 25 residential units for new occupancies of multi-unit residential buildings including condominiums and co-ops.

If it was pre-wiring a 50A circuit into the garage, I'd be all over it. Welder/air compressor/ or EVSE.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I live in Howard county and Disagree with this bill. Why should they be forced? It would be in their best interest to build with EV charging but I don't believe in forcing it on a builder.

Because what would be very cheap for the developer would be much more expensive later for an owner who wants a plug-in.

 

[mongo]

Because what would be very cheap for the developer would be much more expensive later for an owner who wants a plug-in.

Yah, but based on this implementation plan, if the EV adoption goes above 4% in any 25 unit section, you're back to a scarce resource. At 7+ cars, you'd get the J1772 one day a week if you're lucky

 

[vdiv]

Developers are required to comply with all sorts of safety, convenience, and quality of life regulations. This falls in the first category, you do not want residents bringing up their own adhoc charging such as extension cords and unpermitted installations. This provides a bare minimum for what developers need to do to meet the near term needs of the county's MDU residents.

 

[Lanny]

Howard County, MD Council Bill 76-2018 was formally introduced last night.

 

[Lanny]

Public hearing on the Howard County "EV Ready" ordinance is on Monday night in Ellicott City. Letters of support can be emailed. To send to all council members: [email protected]

 

[Big Earl]

Public hearing on the Howard County "EV Ready" ordinance is on Monday night in Ellicott City. Letters of support can be emailed. To send to all council members: [email protected]

I just sent a letter of support. Thanks for the email address.

 

[Lanny]

Below is a Baltimore Sun article on the proposed "EV Ready" legislation in Howard County.

A group of us testified in support at the public hearing last week. The Council has received 20 letters so far, including the email in support from @Big Earl. The vote is next Monday.

Howard legislation would require electric-vehicle friendly new homes

 

[Lanny]

The bill passed!

Thanks everyone who came to testify or wrote to the Council in support. Councilwoman Jen Terrasa was very pleased with the response from the EV community. It really did make a difference.

Here's the Councilwoman's synopsis of the new ordinance:

This legislation does two things. For newly constructed communities with townhomes without garages or driveways, apartments, or condos, a community-accessible electric vehicle charging station must be installed at the ratio of 1 charging station per 25 units. For newly constructed single family homes or townhomes with garages or driveways, the developer is required to install what wiring so that the homeowner can easily complete the installation of a charging unit.​

 

[mongo]

The bill passed!

Thanks everyone who came to testify or wrote to the Council in support. Councilwoman Jen Terrasa was very pleased with the response from the EV community. It really did make a difference.

Here's the Councilwoman's synopsis of the new ordinance:

This legislation does two things. For newly constructed communities with townhomes without garages or driveways, apartments, or condos, a community-accessible electric vehicle charging station must be installed at the ratio of 1 charging station per 25 units. For newly constructed single family homes or townhomes with garages or driveways, the developer is required to install what wiring so that the homeowner can easily complete the installation of a charging unit.​

Yay! Did I miss the prewiring part originally, or was that a later change?

 

[Xenius]

This is fantastic! Congrats @Lanny and others who helped make this happen!

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

Boy Im late reading this one. I thought the National Electrical Code already required builders to provide an empty conduit minimum in all new construction for EV's. % for Condo's and such.

Maybe it's a local code here?

 

[jthompson]

Thank you @Lanny for your leadership!

 

[Big Earl]

The bill passed!

Thanks everyone who came to testify or wrote to the Council in support. Councilwoman Jen Terrasa was very pleased with the response from the EV community. It really did make a difference.

Here's the Councilwoman's synopsis of the new ordinance:

This legislation does two things. For newly constructed communities with townhomes without garages or driveways, apartments, or condos, a community-accessible electric vehicle charging station must be installed at the ratio of 1 charging station per 25 units. For newly constructed single family homes or townhomes with garages or driveways, the developer is required to install what wiring so that the homeowner can easily complete the installation of a charging unit.​

Great news! I got the email saying it passed, as well. I'm glad I could help out with my letter of support. This is a win for current and future EV owners.

 

[Electric700]

Great news! I got the email saying it passed, as well. I'm glad I could help out with my letter of support. This is a win for current and future EV owners.

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