Property Tax Exemption Approval

The process to apply for a property tax exemption began in September 2025 when FoTMC filed the required paperwork with the Maryland State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT). Our initial request was denied, though SDAT did not provide an explanation. On March 23, 2026, we went to the Montgomery County Property Tax Assessment Appeals Board in Rockville to present our case for tax exempt status for our new land. The Appeals Board concluded that we would have to file new paperwork based on the merit of FoTMC’s educational activities. We filed that paperwork in July 2026. On August 21, 2026, we finally received approval for the property tax exemption. It has been a laborious and often frustrating process, and we have one more step to go – to get the water quality protection fee removed from our bill. The entire 52 acres is in a category 1 Forest Conservation Easement, and there is virtually no impervious surface area, and the whole purpose of our organization is to protect the Ten Mile Creek Watershed from harmful development impacts that would degrade the health of the forests, wetlands, tributaries, and streams and the quality of water that flows into Little Seneca Reservoir.