Incorporating EV Charging Infrastructure in Frederick County

Abstract

"The purpose of this project is to examine codes, ordinances, and other incentives from jurisdictions around the US to inform recommendations for changes to Frederick County, Maryland’s codes and ordinances regarding electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). While both the federal government and the State of Maryland have passed bills investing in programs to increase EV adoption, the locations of charging stations remain a major inhibitor to EV adoption. This is especially an issue in Frederick County, where much of the area is rural and access to EV charging stations is limited. The County seeks to remedy this by locating more EV charging stations in commercial, industrial, and multi-unit dwelling (MUD) residential areas. This project pursues five objectives. The first is to identify codes and ordinances that support EV-readiness in multifamily residential, commercial, and industrial areas. This will help Frederick County businesses and organizations take measures to expand EV adoption and broaden the use of EV chargers. Second, this project aims to identify codes and ordinances that illustrate EV-readiness in commercial and residential buildings undergoing significant renovation. This information will aid in determining proper EV infrastructure requirements for a wide array of buildings. The third objective is to define significant renovation. The fourth is to examine the positive and negative aspects of mandating EV-readiness, and the fifth objective examines the costs of adopting EV infrastructure. The project divides its research into regions: Northeastern, Southern, Midwestern/Mountainous, and Western. The findings were compiled and entered into a spreadsheet to organize and simplify them. Results for the Northeastern Region found twenty-five incentives, two codes or ordinances, and nine other initiatives, with tax rebates making up a large portion of incentives offered. In the Southern Region we found twenty-three incentives, no codes or ordinances, and twenty-five other initiatives, that included parking requirements for commercial and residential areas, Level 2 charger and DC fast charger (DCFC) rebates, and funding to support the expansion of EV infrastructure. The Midwestern/Mountainous Region offers six incentives, three codes and ordinances, and one other initiative. As in other regions, incentives include grants for installing charging infrastructure, a rebate for the purchase and installation of a Level 2 charger, along with ordinances that detail EV parking space requirements. Lastly, the Western Region offers four incentives, six codes and ordinances, and five other initiatives, including transitioning businesses to EV fleets, subsidies for public charging stations, and unique infrastructure projects that focus on transforming streetlights to accommodate EVs. Overall, we recommend that Frederick County implement policies that ease the financial burden of purchasing and installing EV charging stations for low-income communities, encourage businesses to invest in EV fleets, and establish a tax credit program to promote the installation of charging stations."