For Immediate Release: Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Also on Dec. 10: Council to introduce bill on eliminating tree canopy fees for public airports
The Council will meet on Tuesday, Dec. 10 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 Legislative Information 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. Council staff reports for all items on the Council’s agenda can be found here.
Update on County revenues
The Council will receive a briefing on County revenues from Council, Department of Finance (DOF) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) staff. Each December the Council receives an update about the County’s revenues. The discussion will focus on the revenue revisions since the Council approved the budget at the end of May. Council President Sidney Katz will be scheduling an additional discussion in January to further explore these revenue revisions and potential budgetary impacts. It is important to note that the County’s Fiscal Plan does not provide a granular preview of the upcoming fiscal year’s operating budget, as these expenditures and available revenue come into focus when the Council receives the Executive’s recommended budget and begins its process of review in April. The following individuals are expected to attend the meeting: Mike Coveyou, acting director,DoF; Rich Madaleno, director, OMB; and David Platt, chief economist, DOF.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Compensation Cost Trends
The Council will review compensation cost trends with a focus on long-term compensation cost sustainability. This review will include a review of updated one-year and six-year compensation cost trend data; a comparison of cost projections with updated revenue projections through FY25; and a recommendation that the Council adopt a policy statement relating to how long-term compensation cost sustainability is addressed as part of the County Executive’s recommended operating budget.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Amendment to Montgomery County Planning Department’s Work Program: Addition of Great Seneca Science Corridor Minor Master Plan Amendment
The Council will review an amendment to the Montgomery County Planning Department’s work program to add a minor master plan amendment for the Great Seneca Science Corridor. The Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan, approved in 2010, set limits on how much development is allowed according to four stages. The minor master plan amendment would evaluate the staging elements of the plan. Currently, Stage 2 has not been met, preventing approval of additional development in the master plan area until certain transportation thresholds can be achieved.
In October, Councilmember Hans Riemer, chair of the Planning, Housing, and Economic Development Committee, sent a letter to his Council colleagues requesting that a Great Seneca Science Corridor Minor Master Plan Amendment be added to the Planning Department’s work program. During discussion of this proposal at the Planning Department’s Semi-Annual Report, the Council requested that Planning Director Gwen Wright consider the amendment and provide the Council with her thoughts on the timing, scope and coordination of such an amendment with other work program items. The Planning Department supports adding the work program item, suggesting a 12-month schedule to begin in May 2020 with plan review before the County Council in the spring of 2021. The following individuals are expected to attend the Council meeting on this issue: Casey Anderson, chair, Montgomery County Planning Board; Gwen Wright, director, Planning Department; Robert Kronenberg, deputy director, Planning Department; and Carrie Sanders, chief Area 2, Planning Department.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Bill 41-19, Tree Canopy Fees - Exemptions
The Council will introduce Bill 41-19, which would amend tree canopy fees exemptions to include land disturbances by any public use airport, and generally amend the provisions for tree canopy fee exemptions. Councilmember Craig Rice is the lead sponsor. The goal of this legislation is to assist airport operations by eliminating future tree canopy fees for public airports and refund any fees paid since January 1, 2017. A public hearing is scheduled for January 21, 2020 at 1:30 p.m.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Resolution to amend Resolution 19-128, Section G, FY20 Designation of Entities for Non-Competitive Contract Award Status: Montgomery County Renters Alliance, Inc.
The Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution that would authorize the Department of Housing and Community Affairs to enter into a new contract with the Renters Alliance with a maximum amount of $70,000 to provide matching funds for a $100,000 grant from the State of Maryland for education and outreach events in coordination with Montgomery County’s strategic plan to ensure an accurate U.S. census count. The contract will be funded through the existing General Fund appropriation. No new appropriation is required. Council staff recommends approval.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
The Council will hold the following public hearings at 11:30 a.m.:
Supplemental appropriation to the County Government’s Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) Operating Budget, Department of Finance - $500,000 for the Economic Development Fund Grant and Loan Program
The Council will hold a public hearing and vote on a supplemental appropriation of $500,000 to the FY20 Operating Budget for the Department of Finance for the Economic Development Fund Grant and Loan Program. This appropriation would support the expansion of Supernus Pharmaceuticals in Montgomery County. Supernus Pharmaceuticals intends to invest approximately $18.2 million to relocate its headquarters within the County. The project includes an additional 68,000 square feet of leased space and 160 jobs above its current base. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Supplemental appropriation to the County Government’s FY20 Capital Budget and amendment to the FY19-24 Capital Improvements Program (CIP), Department of Transportation - $15,910,000 for the White Flint West Workaround
The Council will hold a public hearing and vote on a supplemental appropriation to the FY20 Capital Budget and Amendment to the FY19-24 CIP of the Department of Transportation for the White Flint West Workaround. The supplemental appropriation and amendment are needed due to design changes for storm drain and utility conflicts, land acquisitions, utility relocations and related construction costs. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Supplemental appropriation to the County Government’s FY20 Capital Budget, Department of General Services - $2,253,000 for Rockville Core Grey Courthouse project
The Council will hold a public hearing and vote on a supplemental appropriation of $2,253,000 to the FY20 Capital Budget of the Department of General Services for the Rockville Core Grey Courthouse project. The County Executive is requesting the balance of the appropriation necessary to renovate the Grey Courthouse which, when completed in the fall of 2020, will house certain County offices that are now in leased space. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Special appropriation to the County Government’s FY20 Operating Budget, Bethesda Urban District - $60,000 for Pike District Placemaking Study
The Council will hold a public hearing and vote on a special appropriation of $60,000 to the County’s FY20 Operating Budget for the Pike District Placemaking Study. Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Hans Riemer are the lead sponsors. They are recommending a supplemental appropriation to the FY20 Operating Budget for the Bethesda Urban District in the amount of $60,000. This appropriation would fund a study to identify placemaking improvements in the White Flint Sector Plan area. This increase is needed to advance current placemaking efforts within the Pike District that are essential to implement the vision of the 2010 White Flint Sector Plan. The source of the funds would be the General Fund reserves. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
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 and on Facebook Live.
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Release ID: 19-391