The Fee-in-Lieu Program is a subset of the Frederick County Forest Resource Ordinance (FRO) and Maryland Forest Conservation Act requirements. In certain cases, a developer may meet forest planting requirements by paying a per-square-foot fee in lieu of planting forest.  Money collected under this program may be used for planting forests (including site identification, acquisition, preparation, and maintenance), for maintenance of existing forest that are protected by perpetual easements, and for achieving urban canopy goals.

The County has utilized fee-in-lieu monies to plant trees at County parks, Frederick County Public Schools, and on State land. Since 1993, the Frederick County fee-in-lieu program has spent $618,994.24 to plant and maintain 216.18 acres of new forest.
The primary focus of the fee-in-lieu program is to fund tree planting projects in hydrologically sensitive areas within agriculturally zoned areas. On March 21, 2006, the Board of County Commissioners approved the Linganore Source Water Protection Action Plan that directed 75% of the Fee-in-Lieu monies towards tree planting projects along agricultural streams in the Upper and Lower Linganore Watersheds. 
In order to utilize fee-in-lieu funds, the applicant must provide the Division of Permitting and Development Review (DPDR) Environmental Planner with information regarding the location, environmental benefit, and planting schedules.  If a property owner In order to qualify for the funds, a long term protective agreement (usually a perpetual forest conservation easement) must be executed.

Property owners and organizations interested in seeking fee-in-lieu funds for forest planting projects are encouraged to contact the Division of Permitting and Development Review for details.  Inquiries may be directed to:
 
Mike Wilkins, Environmental Principal Planner
30 North Market Street
Frederick, MD, 21701
301-600-2329
mwilkins@frederickcountymd.gov

For more information about the Forest Resource Program, please visit http://www.frederickcountymd.gov/index.aspx?nid=1626