For Immediate Release: Friday, June 24, 2016
Montgomery Council Committee to discuss limited
use of food trucks in parts of Agricultural Reserve
Also on Monday, June 27: Bill to enhance tenants’ rights
ROCKVILLE, Md., June 24, 2016—The Montgomery County Council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 27, will hold a worksession on proposed Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 16-04 that would allow food trucks to operate in some of the County’s Agricultural Reserve area. The area, which is mainly in the northern and western portions of the County, is zoned for limited develop to encourage the continued use for agricultural purposes and to have other sections remain as open space.
The PHED Committee, which is chaired by Councilmember Nancy Floreen and includes Councilmembers George Leventhal and Hans Riemer, will meet in the Seventh Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The meeting will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon) and also will be available via streaming through the Council web site at http://tinyurl.com/z9982v8 .
Councilmember Riemer is the lead sponsor of ZTA 16-04. The ZTA would amend the Agricultural Reserve zone by deleting “transitory uses” from the list of prohibited uses when transferable development rights (TDRs) are severed from a property. A transitory use is defined in the Zoning Code as a use on private property or the public right-of-way conducted from a vehicle or from a movable structure that remains in the same location for less than 24 hours. Operating a food truck is a transitory use.
The committee also will hold a worksession on Bill 19-15 that would enhance the rights of tenants. The lead sponsor of Bill 19-15 is Councilmember Marc Elrich. Councilmembers Nancy Navarro and Tom Hucker are co-sponsors.
The bill would make several changes to the landlord-tenant law, principally aimed at improving the quality of rental housing through increased inspections.
Bill 19-15 would:
· Provide for annual inspection of certain residential rental properties.
· Require the use of a standard form lease and applicable optional provisions for certain residential rental properties.
· Require the publication of certain information related to rental housing.
· Require the Department of Housing and Community Affairs to review certain rent increases.
· Provide for certain remedies to be awarded by the Commission on Landlord-Tenant Affairs.
· Provide certain rights to tenants facing rent increases.
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Release ID: 16-204