For Immediate Release: Friday, February 2, 2024
The Public Safety (PS) Committee will meet on Monday, Feb. 5 at 9:30 a.m. to receive an update on crime statistics and an overview of the Anti-Hate Task Force recommendations related to public safety.
The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Kristin Mink.
The Transportation and Environment (TE) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to receive briefings about the state’s proposed Consolidated Transportation Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2029, the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) Growth and Transformation Plan, and Executive Regulation 8-21, Transportation Demand Management.
The members of the TE Committee include Chair Evan Glass, Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe and Vice President Kate Stewart.
The Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment, Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 23-11, Regulatory Approvals - Conditional Use, Subdivision Regulation Amendment (SRA) 23-02, Preliminary Plan - Approval Procedures, and ZTA 23-10, Parking, Queueing and Loading - Calculation of Required Parking.
The members of the PHP Committee include Chair and Council President Andrew Friedson and Councilmembers Natali Fani-González and Will Jawando.
The joint Health and Human Services (HHS) and PS Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to discuss Bill 43-23, Crisis Intervention Team - Established.
The members of the HHS Committee include Chair Gabe Albornoz and Councilmembers Luedtke and Laurie-Anne Sayles.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Update: The PS Committee will receive an update on crime statistics from Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) representatives. In 2023, Montgomery County experienced an annual rise in overall reported crime, with a 6.6 percent increase in crimes against persons and a 10.9 percent increase in crimes against property. Rape and other sex offenses dropped by 9 percent. Firearms continue to play a significant role in violent crime.
Anti-Hate Task Force Recommendations related to Public Safety
Briefing: The PS Committee will receive an overview of the Montgomery County Anti-Hate Task Force recommendations related to public safety. The discussion will include an overview of current MCPD operations and future initiatives to better address victims’ needs. On June 27, 2023, the Council adopted Resolution 20-215, which was led by then-Council President Glass, appointing a Montgomery County Anti-Hate Task Force. The task force was charged with recommending policies that promote safety and combat racism, hate crimes and hate bias incidents.
On Dec. 5, 2023, the task force presented its final recommendations to the Council from six task force cohorts representing the communities most often targeted by hate crimes and hate bias incidents, including Asian American Pacific Islander, Black and African American, Jewish, Latino and Hispanic, LGBTQ+ and Muslim cohorts. While the recommendations varied by each cohort, the overall recommendations had several common themes. These include providing the public with public service announcements or other guidance on how to report bias incidents and hate crimes, providing additional training to staff on bias and hate crimes and creating a reporting hotline.
State Budget Impacts on Transportation
Review: The TE Committee will receive a briefing from representatives of the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) about Gov. Wes Moore’s proposed six-year capital budget, known as the Consolidated Transportation Program (CPT) for FY24-29. The governor recently revised the proposed CTP to restore funding to several items. It is currently being reviewed by the Maryland General Assembly. Currently, the revised capital budget includes the restoration of Highway User Revenue funding and Locally Operated Transit System operating grants in Montgomery County. The revised budget also proposes increased funding to the Purple Line, I-495/I270 Corridor Transit Investments Program and the MD-97 Brookeville bypass road.
MARC Growth and Transformation Plan
Review: The TE Committee will receive a briefing about the MARC Growth and Transformation Plan, which is an update to the Maryland Transit Administration’s (MTA) 2019 MARC Cornerstone Plan. The MTA operates MARC service along three rail lines, including the Penn Line, the Camden Line and the Brunswick Line. The plan examines a wide range of improvements needed to MARC vehicles, stations, guideways, facilities, systems and service.
Executive Regulation 8-21, Transportation Demand Management Regulations
Review: The TE Committee will receive a briefing about Executive Regulation 8-21, Transportation Demand Management, which establishes standards for achieving the Non-Auto Driver Mode Share (NADMS) goals established for portions of the County. The NADMS goals relate to the percentage of commuter trips made by travel modes other than the single occupant vehicles coupled with the percentage of commuters connecting to work electronically. The regulation also establishes the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan requirements for employers and the TDM plan requirements for new development projects and existing buildings in Transportation Management Districts, as determined by the project size and location relative to the County’s designated Growth and Infrastructure Policy Areas.
Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment
Review: The PHP Committee will hold its second meeting to review the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment. The plan makes recommendations to improve quality of life, guide future development and encourage improvements to the natural and built environments within the plan area. A minor master plan amendment, like the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment, revisits a specific portion of the approved and adopted master plan and reexamines certain elements, often to address a change that was not anticipated at the time the adopted master plan was approved. This plan amendment would update portions of the 2000 Takoma Park Master Plan with the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment.
This amendment reenvisions the areas within the plan boundary that include the Washington Adventist Hospital and University campuses, the Erie Center (located at the intersection of Flower Avenue and Erie Avenue), and multi-family properties, parks and the Takoma Park Community Center located along Maple Avenue. The plan boundary was determined by the Montgomery County Planning Board in coordination with the City of Takoma Park. The plan boundary was approved by the Planning Board on Sept. 30, 2021.
In recent years, the Council and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) have approved and adopted two sector plans for communities in Takoma Park and adjacent areas. These include the 2012 Takoma-Langley Crossroads Sector Plan and the 2013 Long Branch Sector Plan. These plans, in addition to the 2021 Retail in Diverse Communities Study, will inform the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment process.
ZTA 23-11, Regulatory Approvals - Conditional Use
Review: The PHP Committee will review ZTA 23-11, Regulatory Approvals - Conditional Use, which would streamline the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearing’s (OZAH) processes.
This ZTA would take certain uses that are conditional and make them limited, as well as combine other uses to streamline applications that are reviewed by OZAH. This ZTA will be introduced in conjunction with SRA 23-02, Preliminary Plan – Approval Procedures. The lead sponsor of ZTA 23-11 is Council President Friedson.
SRA 23-02, Preliminary Plan - Approval Procedures
Review: The PHP Committee will review SRA 23-02, Preliminary Plan – Approval Procedures, which would allow concurrent review of a preliminary plan and conditional use application. The preliminary plan approval will be a conditional approval, contingent on the approval of the conditional use.
This SRA would simplify the review process conducted by OZAH for any development projects requiring a preliminary plan, which include large development projects and subdivisions. The lead sponsor of SRA 23-02 is Council President Friedson.
ZTA 23-10, Parking, Queuing, and Loading - Calculation of Required Parking
Review: The PHP Committee will review ZTA 23-10, Parking, Queuing, and Loading - Calculation of Required Parking, which would exempt residential uses from the minimum parking requirements if located near transit. To qualify as near transit, the use would need to be within one half mile of a Metro station, within one half mile of a Purple Line station or within one quarter mile of an existing Bus Rapid Transit station or a Bus Rapid Transit station that has been funded for construction in the six-year CIP at the time of application. This zoning measure would promote car-free living and more housing near transit hubs by reducing parking requirements.
The lead sponsors of ZTA 23-10 are Council President Friedson and Councilmembers Mink and Glass. All Councilmembers are cosponsors of ZTA 23-10.
Bill 43-23, Crisis Intervention Team - Established
Review: The joint HHS and PS Committee will discuss Bill 43-23, Crisis Intervention Team - Established, which would establish a crisis intervention team as a joint program with MCPD and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). In addition, the bill would prescribe the responsibilities and duties of the crisis intervention team, permit the participation of other law enforcement entities in the crisis intervention team, and require the development of a sequential intercept model for individuals in the County experiencing crises related to mental health, behavioral health or substance use disorder. The bill would also establish an advisory committee to support the crisis intervention team, as well as specify the membership, responsibilities and staffing of the advisory committee, and require annual reporting and program evaluation.
The lead sponsor of Bill 43-23 is Councilmember Luedtke.
The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. View the current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review on the Council website.
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: 24-044