Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services Stakeholders Forum Rescheduled to Wednesday, March 5

For Immediate Release: Friday, February 21, 2025

The Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) Stakeholders Forum has been rescheduled to Wednesday, March 5 in Wheaton.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon (doors open at 8:30 a.m.) at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) building, located at 2425 Reedie Drive in Wheaton, in the 2nd-floor auditorium. The event was originally scheduled for Feb. 12 but was postponed due to inclement weather.

Architects, builders, contractors, designers, developers, engineers, homeowners, land use attorneys, permit expediters and other professionals are encouraged to attend. The forum will feature presentations and updates from DPS staff on new programs, resources and services. Attendees can participate in seven breakout sessions on a variety of permitting topics, as well as a question-and-answer segment. Attendees are encouraged to provide input about their permitting experiences at the Stakeholders Forum.

For those unable to attend in person, the event will be available via a link to the Microsoft Teams platform; however, registration is required to receive this link. Those interested in attending in person also should register in advance as space is limited in the auditorium. Registration is required by 5 p.m. on Monday, March 3.

“We received about 200 RSVPs before the snow,” said DPS Director Rabbiah Sabbakhan. “We hope our stakeholders will register for the new March 5th date as the Forum will provide vital information on new regulations, policies, procedures and systems. We also use this great platform to gather valuable feedback to help us get better. Our goal is to continuously improve our customer service as we strive to become a world-class permitting department.”

County Executive Marc Elrich is expected to welcome attendees to the event, and Director Sabbakhan will deliver a “Montgomery County State of Permitting” address. Other DPS staff will provide updates on operational changes, code adoption, small business initiatives and special events. Additional updates will be presented by other County departments and external agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services and M-NCPPC. Breakout sessions will cover a range of topics, including commercial building, customer support and outreach, fire code compliance, land development, residential building, sustainability and zoning and site plan compliance. To learn more, review the agenda online.

For questions about the DPS Stakeholders Forum, contact Leah Ortiz at [email protected] or call 240-777-6364.

For questions about applying for permits, customers can contact MC 311 (240-777-0311) or visit DPS offices. No appointment is required for in-person assistance. The customer service lobby, located on the 7th floor of 2425 Reedie Drive in Wheaton, is open from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

DPS customers can apply and pay for permits, submit construction plans, request records, file property complaints and schedule inspections online anytime.

For more information, visit the DPS website.

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Release ID: 25-079
Media Contact: Sonya Burke 240-855-9813
Categories: Business, Consumer, Education, Environment, Housing, Permits, Public Safety, Public Works, Senior