For Immediate Release: Friday, February 28, 2025
The Transportation and Environment (TE) Committee will meet on Monday, March 3 at 9:30 a.m. to review the FY26 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY25-30 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for the Department of Transportation (MCDOT), including mass transit, roads, pedestrian facilities and bikeways, bridges and highway maintenance projects.
The members of the TE Committee include Chair Evan Glass, Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe and Council President Kate Stewart.
The Public Safety (PS) Committee will meet at 10 a.m. to review the FY26 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY25-30 CIP for Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), including the Olney Satellite Police Station, 6th District Police Station, the Outdoor Firearms Training Center, and Public Safety Communications Center Phase II project. In addition, the committee will receive a briefing on holiday traffic safety.
The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Kristin Mink.
The Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review the FY26 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY25-30 CIP for the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC), including the Cider Mill Capital Improvements and the Elizabeth House demolition. In addition, the committee will receive a briefing about rent stabilization, troubled properties and code enforcement from Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) representatives.
The members of the PHP Committee include Chair Andrew Friedson, Council Vice President Will Jawando and Councilmember Natali Fani-González.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Transportation Projects FY26 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY25-30 CIP
Review: The TE Committee will review the FY26 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY25-30 CIP for MCDOT, including mass transit, roads, pedestrian facilities and bikeways, bridges and highway maintenance projects. The County Executive is recommending $1.75 billion in expenditures for the transportation category over the six-year period. In May 2024, the Council approved $1.77 billion in expenditures and the amendments constitute a $19.5 million, or more than one percent, decrease in expenditures. The decrease is due to the Executive’s recommendation to move $31.4 million from the Summit Avenue Extension project out beyond the six-year period.
Montgomery County Police Department FY26 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY25-30 CIP
Review: The PS Committee will review the FY26 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY25-30 CIP for MCPD. The more than $37 million, 6th District Police Station Project includes changes to accelerate spending in FY24. The project provides for the planning, design and construction of a new 28,294-square-foot 6th District Police Station and is now expected to be completed by mid-2025. The nearly $1.1 million Olney Satellite Police Station project included $100,000 in FY24 to fund a now completed program of requirements. Amendments to the project include a more than $1 million supplemental appropriation needed to appropriate funds that had been previously awarded by the state for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvements, and capital equipping of the police station.
The more than $26 million Public Safety Communications Center, Phase II project includes changes to extend project costs into FY27 and FY28. Construction is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2026.
The Outdoor Firearms Training Center includes a recommended amendment to delay the entire project beyond FY30 due to cost pressures and impact tax revenue shortfalls. The project includes several upgrades and modification to the center to allow for improved scenario-based training.
Holiday Traffic Safety Task Force and Impaired Driving
Briefing: The PS Committee will receive a briefing about the holiday task force within MCPD, which is deployed to address an increased risk of impaired driving around major holidays. The task force uses two officers from each district and the Central Traffic Unit to patrol roadways to detect violations that contribute to crashes. MCPD engages with the State Highway Administration and Vision Zero officials to determines enforcement locations based on historical crash and Driving Under the Influence (DUI) location data. Gaithersburg City, Park Police, Maryland State Police, the Sheriff and Rockville City Police also participate.
Housing Opportunities Commission FY26 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY25-30 CIP
Review: The PHP Committee will review the FY26 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY25-30 CIP for the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC), which includes amendments to the Cider Mill Capital Improvements and the Elizabeth House demolition.
The changes include an additional $1.5 million in FY25 funding requested for the existing Elizabeth House Demolition project, which is part of the larger Elizabeth Square redevelopment in Silver Spring. This project supports the County’s portion of the expense for demolishing the existing Elizabeth House. The original anticipated cost of this project was $3 million, split equally between the County and HOC. The increase is due to a greater than anticipated need for remediation of environmental conditions.
Additionally, HOC is requesting $2.3 million for the Cider Mill Capital Improvements project with $2.05 million needed to address balcony improvements and $250,000 to add security equipment and lighting. Cider Mill Apartments is a garden-style apartment community in Gaithersburg that consists of 345 income-restricted units and 516 market-rate units. HOC acquired the property in 2018 to preserve the affordable units and ensure the continued health and safety of its residents.
Rent Stabilization, Troubled Properties and Code Enforcement
Updates: The PHP Committee will receive a briefing about rent stabilization, troubled properties and code enforcement from DHCA representatives. The briefing is expected to include an overview of the process for inspections and the designation of troubled properties. In addition, the briefing will include information about proposed Executive Regulation 1-24, which would modify the current designation process for troubled, at-risk and compliant properties in the County Code.
The Committee 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: 25-067