Speech and Testimony
County Executive Leggett’s Remarks at the MBIA Montgomery Chapter Annual Breakfast
Radisson Hotel, 3 Research Court, Rockville
As prepared
Good morning. I began this fiscal year with an objective to achieve a “Culture of Solutions.” I am pleased to tell you that Departments are robustly stepping up to my commitment.
When I was re-elected I rolled out a 6-point economic plan in which I committed to reviews for commercial construction within 30 days. DPS has shattered that with reviews being completed within an average of 18 days!
Commercial building permits’ review time has improved dramatically. Accounting for everyone’s time – Department, other agencies and applicants - average overall issue time for commercial permits has gone from 6 months in FY14 to a total of just over 2 months total in FY17. That is an improvement of more than 60%.
After reducing building permit fees four times and restructuring rates, I am holding rates firm this year AND I am eliminating the sunset date for the rate step down for new homes over 5000sf. The step down, which would have expired June 30, will instead become permanent July 1.
DPS is now a nationally recognized leader for electronic services. Almost all of its primary functions have moved to apply on-line and electronic plans reviews.
This means we are reducing our collective carbon footprint and realizing savings for County businesses and residents
So far in FY17 – with ¼ of the year remaining --DPS has processed 9,095 plans electronically. This translates into aggregated customer savings of:
● more than 51,000 gallons of gasoline not consumed – this is better for your bottom line and better for the air we breath
● $140,100 of avoided gasoline expense
● 25,500 hours (or 3,188 business days) of avoided travel time – days now available for you to do more business or even relax and enjoy the wonderful quality of life offered in Montgomery County
We are protecting our natural resources with emissions savings and a reduced consumption of well over 100 tons of paper this year alone
We are improving service and we are helping the environment. In addition to the green benefits of eServices, we have had a virtual explosion of residential solar permits – which we are processing within 3-5 days!
In FY15 we had 783 residential solar permits. In FY16, that number more than quadrupled to 3,271 permits - Again, delivered in 3-5 days!
This year, I weighed in regularly as the County Council considered a new Subdivision Staging Policy, master plans, and myriad other land use actions that shape our future.
For instance, I urged the Council to reject sharp increase in impact tax rates proposed for office, industrial and retail space that would have negatively impacted economic development in some of our most important transit corridors. I also urged the Council to maintain a zero rate for bioscience development.
They agreed, and they adopted a Subdivision Staging Policy that will help drive healthy economic development that is the key to our future.
* I will continue to weigh in on land use issues that are crucial to vigorous economic development in our County.
* The Council adopts and the Executive Branch delivers: In my Culture of Solutions, DPS delivered the business processes to implement the comprehensive restructure of impact taxes from the new Subdivision Staging Policy and the new permits from the subdivision rewrite.
* This assures that even with big changes in the governing rules for development, the business processes are in place on time for development to proceed.
My commitment to improve the business climate in Montgomery County is premised on old partnerships, crafting new partnerships and in some instances reshaping government.
We have streamlined processes and fees; we have created new public/private partnerships to capitalize on economic growth and stability; we have created new entities to foster a workforce that is skilled, available and well-matched to companies already in Montgomery County or looking to locate here.
We have business interests at the table partnering in a way that is both unprecedented and unparalleled.
We have been through challenging economic times – and we are in turbulent times locally, nationally and internationally.
Through it all, I have committed to provide you with a Culture of Solutions, to assist businesses to locate, grow and thrive in Montgomery County. Together, we are seeing the fruit of our collective work.
Thank you!
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Release ID: 17-027
April 19; 8 a.m.