For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Also on Feb. 5: Vote on Spending Affordability Guidelines for
Capital Budget and CIP; votes on bills on new home warranties
and builders licenses, short-term rentals, secondhand personal
property dealers; zoning change for fencing
The Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 5 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.
Spending Affordability Guidelines for the FY20 Capital Budget and other general CIP assumptions
The Council is scheduled to vote on Spending Affordability Guidelines for the FY20 Capital Budget and other general CIP assumptions. The Council will receive an overview of the Amended FY19-24 CIP to confirm or amend the Spending Affordability Guidelines (SAGs) for the Amended CIP and to set the initial CIP revenue assumptions. February 5 is the deadline for the Council either to confirm or amend guidelines. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
2018 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit Financial Assurance Plan
The Council is scheduled to vote on the 2018 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit Financial Assurance Plan. Maryland law requires that Montgomery County transmit a financial assurance plan every two years to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) by the anniversary date of the County's NPDES-MS4 permit (by February 15, 2019). The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Bill 2-19, Health – Lead in Drinking Water – Schools
The Council will introduce Bill 2-19, Health – Lead in Drinking Water – Schools. Councilmember Tom Hucker is the lead sponsor. Councilmember Hans Riemer, Council Vice President Sidney Katz and Councilmember Gabe Albornoz are cosponsors. Bill 2-19 would establish a County lead limit for drinking water that is stricter than the State of Maryland’s water quality requirement for lead in drinking water in public schools. The bill also requires corrective action for water fountains and other water sources in public school buildings with lead concentration greater than the County lead limit. The goal of this legislation is to help ensure that students have safe drinking water at public schools. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
#SafeWater4Students is being used for this bill on social media.
Bill 31-18, New Home Warranty and Builder Licensing – Amendments
The Council is scheduled to vote on Bill 31-18, New Home Warranty and Builder Licensing – Amendments. Councilmember Craig Rice is the lead sponsor. Bill 31-18 would require new home builders and new home sellers to register with the Office of Consumer Protection, require new home builders and new home sellers to provide buyers with a new home warranty, and require the Office of Consumer Protection to administer and enforce County law related to new home builders and new home sellers. The goal of this bill is to bring the County into greater uniformity with the State of Maryland’s builder registration law. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Expedited Bill 37-18, Transient Housing – Short Term Rental License – Appeals
The Council is scheduled to vote on Expedited Bill 37-18, Transient Housing - Short Term Rental License – Appeals. Former Councilmember Nancy Floreen is the lead sponsor. The goal of Bill 37-18 is to allow a more efficient appeal process for short-term rental issues. This legislation would amend the appeal process for short-term rental licenses. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Bill 40-18, Secondhand Personal Property Dealers – License
The Council is scheduled to vote on Bill 40-18, Secondhand Personal Property Dealers – License. Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Sidney Katz are the lead sponsors. Councilmember Gabe Albornoz, Council President Nancy Navarro and Councilmember Hans Riemer are cosponsors. Bill 40-18 would exclude certain personal property from the definition of secondhand personal property and provide that a secondhand personal property dealer license expires one year from the date of issuance. The goal of this bill is to provide that individuals and businesses that assist in coordination and marketing of estate sales are not considered secondhand personal property dealers. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
#EstateSales is being used for this item on social media.
Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 19-03, Commercial/Residential Zones – Animal Boarding and Care
The Council will introduce ZTA 19-03, Commercial/Residential Zones – Animal Boarding and Care. Council President Nancy Navarro is the lead sponsor, at the request of the County Executive. ZTA 19-03 would allow animal boarding and care as a limited use in commercial/residential (CR) zones. A public hearing is scheduled for March 12 at 1:30 p.m. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
ZTA 18-12, Setback Exemptions – Fences
The Council is scheduled to vote on ZTA 18-12, Setback Exemptions – Fences. Councilmember Hans Riemer is the lead sponsor. ZTA 18-12 would allow a fence up to eight feet, if it is abutting a master planned right of way for a rail line or abutting any service roads that provides access to a master plan right of way for a rail line. The goal of this zoning proposal is to protect residents’ privacy, allowing them to shield their properties from rail line facilities including the Purple Line. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
#Fences is being used for this item on social media.
ZTA 18-13, Regional Shopping Center Overlay Zone – Standards
The Council is scheduled to vote on ZTA 18-13, Regional Shopping Center Overlay Zone – Standards. Councilmember Hans Riemer is the lead sponsor. ZTA 18-13 would amend the Regional Shopping Center Overlay Zone. It would allow for free standing buildings used for retail sales and service, structured parking, or health clubs at a maximum height of 90 feet. The Regional Shopping Center Overlay Zone applies to Westfield Montgomery and Westfield Wheaton Malls. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
#WestfieldMallHeight is being used for this item on social media.
At 7:30 p.m. the Council will hold the following public hearing:
• the Fiscal Year 2020 Capital Budget and amendments to FY 2019-2024 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for County Government: Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery College, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Revenue Authority, and Housing Opportunities Commission; and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission’s FY 2020-2025 CIP
The Council meeting 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 .