During its recent meeting, the Howard County Council approved a tax credit for residences built to certain environmental standards.  As reported by the Howard County Times:

The credit, which is given as a percentage of the total county property tax assessed on the residence, will only be given to homes with a silver rating or higher under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system.

The property owner is only eligible to receive the credit for four years; the credit percentage will decrease each year. The bill originally gave the same credit amount — 100 percent in the first year, decreasing to 25 percent by the fourth year — to all qualifying residences, but an amendment passed with the bill decreases the amount of the credit for residences rated lower than LEED platinum.

The Council also approved a gender identity bill which “protects transgender or gender nonconforming persons from discrimination with regards to housing, employment and public accommodations. ”