For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Transportation and Environment Committee will review the Safe Streets Act, legislation to establish an Airpark Community Advisory Committee and recent MDE actions regarding the County’s Ten-Year Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan 2022-2031
The Transportation and Environment (TE) Committee will meet on Thursday, June 29 at 1:30 p.m. The committee will hold a work session on Bill 11-23, Motor Vehicles and Traffic - Traffic Control Signals, Devices, and Enforcement Action Plan (The Safe Streets Act). The committee will also hold a work session on Bill 24- 23, Airpark Community Advisory Committee – Established. Additionally, there will be a briefing and work session on the Maryland Department of the Environment’s (MDE) actions regarding Montgomery County’s Ten-Year Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan 2022-2031 and disapproved category change requests.
The members of the TE Committee include Chair Evan Glass and Councilmembers Marilyn Balcombe and Kate Stewart.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Work session: The TE Committee will hold its second work session on Bill 11-23, Motor Vehicles and Traffic - Traffic Control Signals, Devices and Enforcement Action Plan (The Safe Streets Act). Bill 11-23, also known as The Safe Streets Act of 2023, was introduced by lead sponsor Council President Glass with all Councilmembers signed on as cosponsors on Feb. 28, 2023. A public hearing was held on March 21 and the first TE Committee work session was held on March 30.
Bill 11-23 would require an infrastructure review for pedestrian-related collisions within a County school zone; prohibit a driver of a motor vehicle from making a right turn on a red at certain intersections; require certain traffic control devices at crosswalks in the County’s downtown and town center areas; require the County Executive to provide an automated traffic enforcement plan; and generally amend the law regarding motor vehicles and traffic control. The purpose of this bill is to advance the County’s Vision Zero goals by eliminating serious and fatal crashes through the means of addressing specific transportation initiatives, including prioritizing student safety in school zones, providing more access for pedestrians in a crosswalk, prohibiting a right turn on red and requiring a plan for increased automated traffic enforcement.
Bill 24- 23, Airpark Community Advisory Committee - Established
Work session: The TE Committee will hold a work session on Bill 24- 23, Airpark Community Advisory Committee – Established. Bill 24-23 was introduced by lead sponsor Councilmember Dawn Luedtke on May 2, 2023. Council President Glass and Councilmembers Will Jawando, Gabe Albornoz, Sidney Katz and Laurie-Anne Sayles are cosponsors. A public hearing was held on June 13, at which numerous speakers testified in favor of the bill. Bill 24-23 would establish an Airpark Community Advisory Committee; specify the membership, responsibilities and staffing of the committee; and generally amend the laws regarding airports within the County and regarding an advisory committee concerning airports. The Airpark Community Advisory Committee would advise the County Executive, County Council and the Revenue Authority regarding the community impacts of Montgomery County Airpark operations.
Briefing and work session: The TE Committee will receive a briefing from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Council staff and discuss and consider next steps regarding recent MDE disapprovals of policy language in the County’s Ten-Year Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan 2022-2031 and MDE disapproval of several category change requests approved by the Council.
The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
Council and committee meetings are streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube and on Facebook Live and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on Xfinity/RCN 6 HD 996/1056, Fios 30, and on the CCM live stream.
Release ID: 23-229