Adopt a Clear Storage Shed Standard for Highbridge

To the Highbridge Homeowners Association Board of Directors:

We, the undersigned residents of Highbridge, respectfully ask the Board to adopt a written architectural standard permitting residential storage sheds, with the following limits:

• Townhomes: one shed, maximum 80 square feet (8' x 10'), including overhangs and projections
• Single-family homes: one shed, maximum 144 square feet (12' x 12'), including overhangs and projections
• Height: maximum 10 feet, one story
• Placement: rear yard only, minimum 3 feet from side and rear property lines
• Appearance: siding, roof, and color to match or complement the existing home
• Homeowners seeking a larger structure may apply to the Board for individual approval, provided all City and County permits are obtained

We are asking for less than the law already allows. The City of Bowie permits accessory structures up to 200 square feet and 15 feet in height on lots of 20,000 square feet or less. Our proposal is well under both limits, with a height cap five feet lower than the City's and placement rules stricter than Prince George's County requires.

This proposal is also designed to keep paperwork out of it. Both sizes fall below the 150-square-foot threshold that triggers a City of Bowie building permit and a Prince George's County building permit. A homeowner who builds within this standard needs no permits, no site plans, and no licensed contractor. That means no construction files opened on Highbridge properties and no inspection activity in the community.

The need is practical. Our homes were built without adequate exterior storage. Mowers, bikes, sports equipment, holiday decorations, and garden tools currently sit in garages that should hold cars, on patios where families should be able to sit, and in driveways and side yards where they are visible from the street. A matching shed in a rear yard is a better outcome for the appearance of this community than the alternatives residents are using now.

A written standard also serves the Board. Without one, every request becomes a separate decision, and neighbors in similar situations can receive different answers. A clear rule published in the architectural guidelines lets homeowners know what is permitted before they spend money, gives the Board a consistent basis for approval or denial, and reduces the disputes that consume meeting time.

Neighboring Bowie communities permit sheds within comparable limits. There is no evidence that modest, well-maintained storage structures placed behind homes have harmed property values in those neighborhoods, and several have found that a clear standard improved compliance by giving residents an approved option.

We ask the Board to place this proposal on the agenda at its next regular meeting, to hear from residents, and to adopt a shed standard consistent with the limits above.

Thank you for your service to our community.