There is often confusion on what CA, the Howard County Government, and the Columbia Village Community Associations will handle for residents. Below you will find a breakdown of what each entity is in charge of.

Columbia Association

  • Maintaining Columbia’s 3600 acres of open space and over 100 miles of pathways
  • Maintaining fitness facilities, golf clubs, tennis and basketball courts and swimming pools
  • Organizing free summer concerts and films at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront
  • Operating the Columbia Ice Rink, Columbia Horse Center (via lease), Columbia SportsPark/SkatePark & Columbia Dog Park
  • Providing summer camps
  • Operating the Columbia Art Center, Youth and Teen Center at the The Barn, Columbia Archives
  • Providing Before and After School Care to Howard County students
  • Developing plans to improve the connectivity of the pathway system in Columbia
  • Developing plans to protect and restore Columbia’s watershed

Howard County Government

  • Schools and library management
  • Watershed management/restoration
  • Water and sewer management
  • Inspections, licenses and permits
  • Road maintenance and snow removal
  • Planning and zoning management
  • Waste and recycling collection
  • Historic preservation County parks and recreation facilities
  • Police, fire and rescue services

You can learn more at howardcountymd.gov

Columbia Village Community Associations

  • Enforcing covenants
  • Providing resources and referral services for residents
  • Advocating for residents at the village, Columbia and county level
  • Fostering partnerships between villages, Columbia Association and Howard County
  • Facilitating information sessions and community meetings
  • Managing, maintaining and renting out CA’s village buildings and neighborhood centers
  • Hosting individual village events and partnering with all villages for Columbia-wide special events
  • Offering programming, including classes, camps and lectures
  • Creating village master plans
  • Working with village merchants
  • Communicating to residents via newsletters, websites and social media
  • Encouraging neighbor-to-neighbor connectivity via block parties, beautification grants and block captains

You can learn more at columbiaassociation.org/Villages