For Immediate Release: Monday, November 18, 2024
The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 9 a.m., and the meeting will begin with two proclamation presentations. The first, presented by Councilmembers Will Jawando and Sidney Katz, will recognize the Councilmember for a Day winner who will participate in the Council meeting and be recognized during a lunch-time reception. The second, presented by Councilmember Evan Glass, will recognize Montgomery County Road Runners Club. In addition, Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe will present a third proclamation at 1:15 p.m. recognizing Small Business Saturday.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Attainable Housing Strategies Update
Update: The Council will receive a briefing from Council staff about community feedback received on the Planning Department’s Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative, which provides a set of zoning modifications and other policy changes that would permit duplexes, triplexes, townhomes and small apartment buildings in more residential areas of the County, while still allowing the development of single-family detached homes. The proposed zoning changes considered in the report would contribute to an effort to help current and future Montgomery County residents find housing that fits their needs.
The Council’s PHP Committee reviewed the report at meetings held on June 24, July 8 and July 22. In addition, Council President Friedson and Montgomery Planning Director Jason Sartori invited community members to attend one of six listening sessions held across the County and virtually to provide feedback on the Planning Board’s recommendations. The five in-person listening sessions were held on Sept. 11, 12, 17, 23, and 25 in each of the County’s five regional service areas, followed by a virtual session held on Oct. 2. The Council briefing will provide a summary of comments from the listening sessions, which includes questions from the public.
The Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative was launched on March 4, 2021, to consider zoning reforms that would allow greater opportunities for Missing Middle Housing in Montgomery County. Missing Middle Housing refers to a range of buildings that are compatible in scale, form and construction with single-family homes, but offer multiple housing units, and a variety of apartments or flats that are at least three stories.
More information is available at the Planning’s Department’s Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative website.
Bill 25-24, Police - U-Visa Law Enforcement Certification Policy
Introduction: Lead sponsors Councilmembers Glass, Natali Fani-González and Dawn Luedtke will introduce Bill 25-24, Police - U-Visa Law Enforcement Certification Policy (UVISA), which would require any policy directive regarding U visa certification by a law enforcement officer to be consistent and no more restrictive than allowed under federal immigration law. The purpose of the Bill 25-24 is to help strengthen the County’s commitment to protecting victims of crime or those helping law enforcement to solve crimes by amending local policy to remove any barrier that would limit an immigrant’s opportunity to qualify for a U visa application.
The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 2000 and provided a type of nonimmigrant visa, knows as a U visa, for victims of certain crimes who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse and are willing to assist law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity. The purpose of the federal legislation is to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking of noncitizens and other crimes, while also protecting victims of crimes who become humanitarian or material witnesses.
Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz, Council Vice President Stewart and Councilmembers Sidney Katz and Balcombe are cosponsors of Bill 26-24. A public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 14.
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, Nov. 19, which is available on the Council website.
Unless otherwise noted, the Council will hold the following hybrid public hearings at 1:30 p.m. Residents can visit the Council website to learn about the multiple ways to provide testimony.
Briefing: The Council will receive a briefing about the Planning Department’s incentive zoning update study, which includes recommendations designed to update the system used to evaluate new development and determine to what extent a development project must provide corresponding public amenities. The update takes into consideration recent County policies and initiatives, such as Thrive Montgomery 2050, the Climate Action Plan and implementation of the County’s Racial Equity and Social Justice Act. The briefing will include an overview of the project, highlight key findings from the analysis of the current public benefit point system and present the Planning Board’s recommendations to update the system.
Vote: The Council is expected to vote on the confirmation of Shawn Ellis as Montgomery County’s director of the Office of Community Partnerships with the Community Engagement Cluster. Ellis is currently the acting director and was interviewed by the Council on Nov. 12.
Interview: The Council will interview Christine Kelleher, who is a candidate for reappointment to the Board of Investment Trustees for the Montgomery County Employee Retirement Plans and the Board of Trustees for the Consolidated Retiree Health Benefits Trust. The term of Vice Chair Kelleher expired in May 2024, and she is seeking reappointment.
The Board of Investment Trustees oversees the investment of approximately $5.5 billion in assets for approximately 16,500 active and retired members of the three County retirement plans. Additionally, the Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the investment program for the Consolidated Retiree Health Benefits Trust, which has assets of approximately $1.4 billion.
The Council 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: 24-406