For Immediate Release: Monday, March 27, 2023
The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, March 28 at 9 a.m. and the meeting will begin with two proclamation presentations. The first proclamation recognizing Mom and Pop Business Day will be presented by Councilmembers Laurie-Anne Sayles and Marilyn Balcombe and Chief Administrative Officer Rich Madaleno, on behalf of County Executive Marc Elrich. The second, presented by Councilmember Sidney Katz, will recognize Montgomery County’s Meals on Wheels program.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Interview: The Council is expected to interview the County Executive’s appointment of the chief, Services to End and Prevent Homelessness in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The County Executive transmitted the appointment request for Ms. Christine Hong for the position on March 7, 2023. The candidate’s appointment will be effective upon confirmation by the Council.
Bill 18-23, Structure of County Government - Community Zoning and Land Use Resource Office
Introduction: Lead Sponsor Council Vice President Andrew Friedson will introduce Bill 18-23, which would replace the provisions for an Office of the People’s Counsel with a Community Zoning and Land Use Resource Office. The Office of the People’s Counsel was a legislative branch office that was created in 1990 and was last funded in Fiscal Year 2010.
Bill 18-23 would keep the office as a resource for residents and applicants about the development process but make several changes to its structure, including removing the requirement that the officer must be an attorney, prohibiting the officer from serving as an advocate or participating in administrative proceedings and outlining the specific duties of the officer.
In June 2008, the Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) issued an in-depth report highlighting the benefits and recurring issues within the Office of the People’s Counsel. A public hearing is scheduled for April 18.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Bill 1-23, sponsored by Councilmember Sidney Katz, which would update eligibility for certain elderly individuals and retired military service members to receive a property tax credit, increasing the assessment threshold by $50,000. This bill seeks to update the assessed value to $700,000 for senior residents and $550,000 for retired members of the military to account for increases in property values during the last few years. The existing credit amount is 20 percent of the County property tax imposed on the dwelling. The credit must be granted each year for seven years, if the individual remains eligible for the credit. Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke, Balcombe, Natali Fani-González, Gabe Albornoz, Will Jawando, Laurie-Anne Sayles, Kristin Mink, Kate Stewart, and Vice President Andrew Friedson are cosponsors of the legislation.
A public hearing was held on February 7. The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee recommends enactment with amendments.
Bill 7-23, Consumer Protection - Gasoline Station Signage
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Bill 7-23, Consumer Protection – Gasoline Station Signage, led by Councilmember Albornoz, which would define and prohibit certain deceptive trade practices by gasoline stations and require the inclusion of certain supplemental information on state-required signage at gasoline stations. Councilmembers Katz, Stewart, Luedtke, Balcombe, Sayles, Mink and Jawando and Council President Evan Glass and Vice-President Friedson are cosponsors.
A public hearing was held on February 28. The joint Public Safety (PS) and Economic Development (ECON) Committees recommend enactment with amendments.
Bill 9-23, Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Advisory Council – Rename
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Bill 9-23, Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Advisory Council – Rename. The bill would rename the Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Advisory Council by replacing the word abuse with addiction to reduce the stigma associated with the word abuse and better reflect the need to provide access and support for persons afflicted with addictions.
The lead sponsor is the Council president, at the request of the County Executive. A public hearing was held on February 28. The HHS Committee recommends enactment.
Bill 10-23, Health - Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission - Established
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Bill 10-23, Health - Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission – Established, sponsored by Councilmember Albornoz, which would establish an Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission and generally amend the law regarding the provision and coordination of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the County. All Councilmembers are cosponsors.
A public hearing was held on March 7. The HHS Committee recommends enactment with an amendment.
District Council Session
Introduction: Lead sponsors Councilmembers Sayles and Friedson will introduce Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 23-02 and Subdivision Regulation Amendment (SRA) 23-01. ZTA 23-02, which would define a mixed-use housing community and create an expedited approval process for projects that contain a specified percentage of affordable housing as well as two commercial uses. SRA 23-01 would create an administrative subdivision process for a mixed-use housing community plan to ensure that the timelines are compatible in the event subdivision is necessary. Councilmembers Luedtke and Stewart are cosponsors. A public hearing is scheduled for May 2.
FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program
The County Executive’s Recommended FY23 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) were transmitted to the Council on January 18, 2022. The CIP’s cover larger long-term investments in facilities and infrastructure or capital projects.
At 11:10 a.m., the Council will hold a work session to review amendments to the FY23-28 CIP and committee recommendations for agenda items 5-14. At 2:30 p.m., the Council will hold an additional work session to review amendments to the FY23-28 CIP and committee recommendations for agenda items 21-25.
Special Projects Manager: Craig Rice
Interview: The Council is expected to interview the County Executive’s appointment of a special projects manager in the Office of the County Executive. On March 10, the County Executive transmitted the appointment request for Craig Rice for the position of special projects manager. The candidate’s appointment would be effective upon confirmation by the Council.
The position was contingent on the passage of Expedited Bill 4-23, Administration - Non-Merit Positions - Special Projects Manager, which was enacted by the Council on March 21 and creates a second non-merit special projects manager position in the Office of the County Executive. The special projects manager is a senior-level position responsible for planning, developing, coordinating and implementing projects within the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer. The County Executive has stated that one major initiative for this new position would be to help bridge the digital divide by coordinating efforts to extend the physical infrastructure needed for better access to high-speed broadband.
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, March 28, which is available on the Council website.
Recess
The Council will hold a lunchtime meeting with the Montgomery County Retired Employees Association (MCREA).
Vote expected: At 1:30 p.m., the Council will discuss and is expected to vote on a resolution to reaffirm the appointment of James Hedrick to the Montgomery County Planning Board. Mr. Hedrick was appointed by the Council to become a Planning Board member on Feb. 28, 2023. On March 24, the Council received notification from County Executive Marc Elrich on his decision to disapprove James Hedrick’s appointment to the Planning Board.
Under state law (Section 15-103 of the Land Use Article of the Maryland Code), the Council may reaffirm the appointment over the Executive’s disapproval. Nine affirmative votes of the Council are required to reaffirm the appointment over the disapproval.
Public Hearings
Unless otherwise noted, the Council will hold the following public hearings at 1:30 p.m. The Council will hold hybrid public hearings on Bill 15-23 and Bill 16-23 at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Residents can visit the Council website to learn about the multiple ways to provide testimony.
Bill 15-23, Landlord-Tenant Relations - Anti Rent Gouging Protections
Bill 16-23, Landlord-Tenant Relations - Rent Stabilization (The Home Act)
The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
The Council recommends that residents, who choose to attend in-person Council meetings, get fully vaccinated to protect themselves and others against COVID-19. If this is not possible, virtual participation is encouraged.
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.
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Release ID: 23-111