Press Releases

Council enacts Legislation Spearheaded by Councilmember Navarro to Promote Racial Equity and Social Justice in County Zoning

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Bill 44-20 will require racial equity and social justice impact statements for all new zoning text amendments and add two public members to the Racial Equity and Social Justice Advisory Committee

ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 1, 2020—Today the Montgomery County Council unanimously enacted Bill 44-20, Human Rights and Civil Liberties – Racial Equity and Social Justice Advisory Committee – Members – Amendments, which will require a racial equity and social justice impact statement for each new zoning text amendment. Councilmember Nancy Navarro was the lead sponsor of this legislation, which aims to help ensure that all County zoning decisions undergo evidence-based assessments of their potential impacts on Black and Latino residents and other communities. All other Councilmembers are cosponsors.
Bill 44-20 also would do the following: add two public members to the Racial Equity and Social Justice Advisory Committee; authorize the County Executive to establish one or more limited task force to study and make recommendations on a specific issue; and generally amend the law governing racial equity and social justice.

“I am happy to see the enthusiastic support for the Racial Equity and Social Justice Law from our community since its enactment. We know that our work is not complete—the fight to achieve more equitable structures necessitates learning from our actions,” said Councilmember Nancy Navarro. “We are responding to the community, as this amendment came to light after receiving feedback from our residents and leaders. Good governance is learning and adapting, and that is exactly what this bill is meant to accomplish.”
Bill 44-20 would also do the following:

• requires the Office of Legislative Oversight to consult with the Planning Board staff before submitting a Racial Equity and Social Justice impact statement for a zoning text amendment (ZTA);
• clarifies that a ZTA without an impact statement is still valid;
• delays the effective date for the submission of an impact statement for a ZTA until September 1, 2021;
• requires the Equity Action Plan to require the County Executive to explain how each supplemental appropriation promotes racial equity and social justice;
• requires the County Executive to provide impact statements on Montgomery County Public Schools’ operating and capital budget submitted through his annual budget request;
• provide discrete data on disproportionality and other information to the chief equity officer;
• requires the Council to establish a process for explaining how each special appropriation promotes racial equity and social justice; and
• requires the limited issue task force to report to the Executive along with the Council and the Advisory Committee.

Last November, the Council unanimously approved the Racial Equity and Social Justice Act after holding community conversations with more than 1,000 residents and reviewing the analysis of the Council’s Office of Legislative Oversight. This legislation was spearheaded by Councilmember Navarro, who then served as Council president.

The Racial Equity and Social Justice Act created an official program for Montgomery County government, under the oversight of the newly created Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice. It required each County department and office to develop a racial equity and social justice action plan, and required that legislation, public policy initiatives and government programs, supported by budget requests, include a racial equity and social justice impact statement. It also established a Racial Equity and Social Justice Advisory Committee that would include members of the public.

Finally, it required the Montgomery County Planning Board to consider racial equity and social justice issues when preparing master plans for submission to the Council. These plans include recommendations for land uses, transportation and public facilities such as schools, libraries, community and recreation centers, parks and fire and police stations.

On July 28, the Council unanimously approved a special appropriation of $260,961 for the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice, which was needed to support training for departmental staff, assist departments with policy examination of their processes and procedures, and to track and address each department’s racial equity action plans and racial equity and social justice impact statements.
The Council staff report for Bill 44-20 can be viewed here.

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Release ID: 20-470
Media Contact: Ikhide Roland Ikheloa 240-777-7843