Skip to main content

Press Releases - County Council

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Council also will introduce several new bills including measures to establish a
13-member Policing Advisory Commission, enhance tenants’ health and safety,
and allow a public educational institution to serve as the County’s workforce
development organization

The Council meeting on Tuesday, June 18 will begin at 9:30 a.m. Individuals interested in attending a Council meeting should confirm the information on the day of the meeting by visiting the Council’s web page or by calling the Council’s Communication Office at 240-777-7832. All meetings are held in the Council Office Building (100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD.) in the third-floor hearing room, unless otherwise noted.

Zoning Text Amendment 19-01, Accessory Residential Uses - Accessory Apartments
The Council will review ZTA 19-01, which would remove the requirement for conditional use approval for all accessory apartments and revise the limited use provisions for attached and detached accessory apartments. Councilmember Hans Riemer is the lead sponsor. The goal of this zoning change is to streamline the process for having an accessory apartment to help increase the supply of affordable housing.

Key search terms for ZTA 19-01 on the Council’s website include: in-law suite, cottage, basement apartment, accessory apartments and accessory dwellings. #MoCoTinyHouse is being used for this item on social media.

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

The Council will introduce the following bills:

Bill 14-19, Police - Policing Advisory Commission - Established
The Council will introduce Bill 14-19, which would establish a 13-member Policing Advisory Commission. The lead sponsor is Councilmember Hans Riemer. Councilmember Will Jawando is a cosponsor. The Policing Advisory Commission would advise the Council on policing matters; provide information on best practices in policing; recommend policies, programs, legislation or regulations; comment on matters referred to it by the Council and conduct at least one public forum each year for community input on policing matters and engage in public education. The group must also provide an annual report to the Executive and Council by July 1. The 13-member commission would include nine appointed public members with an interest in policing matters, with each Councilmember nominating one member. Four members would be nominated by the Executive. Non-voting, ex-officio members would include the police chief or a designee and a representative of an employee organization. Members will serve three-year terms. The goal of Bill 14-19 is to enhance trust and transparency between the police department and community members and to identify best practices in policing.

Key search terms for this legislation on the Council’s website include the following: Policing Advisory Commission, best practices in policing, police oversight, police transparency and police department. #MoCoPolicingAdvisory is being used for this bill on social media.

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

Expedited Bill 15-19, Contracts and Procurement – Minority Owned Businesses – Sunset Date – Amendments
The Council will introduce Bill 15-19, which would extend the sunset date for the County’s minority-owned business purchasing program. The lead sponsor is Council President Nancy Navarro, at the request of the County Executive. The goal of Bill 15-19 is to extend the minority-owned business purchasing program while the County Executive evaluates the need to continue it further. A public hearing is scheduled for July 9 at 1:30 p.m.

Key search terms for this legislation on the Council’s website include the following: minority-owned purchases, minority-owned businesses and County purchases. #MoCoMinorityOwnedBizPurchases is being used for this bill on social media.

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

Expedited Bill 16-19, Special Capital Improvements Project – Gude Landfill Remediation
The Council will introduce Bill 16-19, which would authorize the planning, design and construction of the Gude Landfill Remediation project in the Rockville area. The lead sponsor is Council President Navarro at the request of the County Executive. The goal of this legislation is to provide for the remediation of low-level environmental contamination at the Gude Landfill. A public hearing is scheduled for June 25 at 1:30 p.m.

Key search terms for this legislation on the Council's website include the following: capital improvements, environment, infiltration and Gude landfill. #GudeLandfill is being used for this bill on social media.

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

Bill 17-19, Bond Authorization - Stormwater Management
The Council will introduce Bill 17-19, which would increase the County’s authority to issue special limited obligation bonds for stormwater management facilities or other related projects. The lead sponsor is Council President Nancy Navarro, at the request of the County Executive. The goal of this legislation is to provide new bond authorization for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of stormwater management facilities and other related projects. The proceeds will fund projects in the Conservation of Natural Resources category that were approved for long-term financing in the FY19-24 amended Capital Improvements Program.

#BondAuthority is being used for this bill on social media.

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

Bill 18-19, Landlord Tenant Relations – Relocation Expenses
The Council will introduce Bill 18-19, which would require a landlord to make a tenant relocation payment if the tenant’s housing is condemned as unfit for human habitation and require a landlord to provide a tenant with a right of first refusal to re-occupy rental housing. The lead sponsor is Councilmember Jawando. The goal of this bill is to help improve the health and safety of tenants and to provide financial assistance when a tenant is displaced because of unfit living conditions not caused by the tenant. A public hearing is scheduled for July 16 at 1:30 p.m.

Key search terms for this legislation on the Council’s website include the following: relocation payments, rental housing, health and safety. #MoCoTenantRights is being used for this bill on social media.

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

Expedited Bill 19-19, Economic Development – Workforce Development – Amendments
The Council will introduce Bill 19-19 which would allow the Council to designate a nonprofit corporation, a public educational institution, or both, as the County’s workforce development organization. The lead sponsor is Council President Navarro. Councilmember Jawando is a cosponsor. Existing law mandates that the Council must designate a single nonprofit corporation to perform this function. The goal of this bill is to better align County resources to ensure that the County’s workforce development efforts meet the talent attraction, development and retention needs of strategic industries; meets the needs of the underemployed and unemployed; and develops efficient and effective career pathways that lead to sustainable wage jobs that support a thriving economy. A public hearing is scheduled for July 16 at 1:30 p.m.

Key search terms for this legislation on the Council’s website include the following: economic development, public educational institutions, careers and jobs. #MoCoWorkforce is being used for this bill on social media.

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

Public Hearings
The following public hearings will be held on June 18 at 1:30 p.m.:

Bill 12-19, Human Rights and Civil Liberties - Building Maintenance Worker - Minimum Work Week
Bill 12-19 would require an employer to provide a minimum work week of at least 30 hours for each employee working as a janitor, building cleaner, security officer, concierge, doorperson, handyperson or building superintendent at an office building occupying at least 350,000 square feet in the County. Councilmember Hans Riemer is the lead sponsor. Councilmembers Will Jawando and Tom Hucker, Council President Nancy Navarro and Councilmember Craig Rice are cosponsors. The bill also would apply to a County government employee working as a building maintenance worker in an office building of at least 350,000 square feet. The bill would not apply to a person working in a building owned by the United States, any state or any local government. The Health and Human Services Committee meeting on Bill 12-19 is scheduled for June 24.

Key search terms for this legislation on the Council’s website include: building maintenance worker, building maintenance employee and minimum work week. #MinimumWorkWeek is being used for this bill on social media.

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

Bill 13-19, County Property - Disposition - Reuse Analysis
Bill 13-19 would modify the procedures for disposition of County property and require the Executive to submit a reuse analysis to the County. Councilmember Gabe Albornoz is the lead sponsor. All other Councilmembers are cosponsors. The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee meeting on Bill 13-19 is scheduled for June 27.

Key search terms for this legislation on the Council’s website include: disposition of property, County properties and County facilities. #MoCoProperties is being used for this bill on social media.

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

The Council meeting and public hearings will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM). The channel can be viewed on Cable Channels 996 (high definition) and 6 (standard definition) on Comcast; Channels 1056 (HD) and 6 (SD) on RCN; and Channel 30 on Verizon.

The Council meeting also will be available live via streaming through the Council web site at:http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.

# # #

Release ID: 19-212
Media Contact: Nicholas Triolo 240-777-7832, Juan Jovel 240-777-7931