For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Also on Feb. 4: Introduction of resolution urging the United States Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform, scheduled vote on collective bargaining and duty of fair representation
The Council will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 4 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.
Resolution Condemning Recent Supreme Court Decision On “Public Charge” Immigration Rule
The Council will introduce a resolution at the Montgomery County Council meeting to denounce the Supreme Court’s public charge decision and urging Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform. Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz and Nancy Navarro are the lead sponsors. All other Councilmembers are cosponsors. This resolution is in response to the Supreme Court’s Jan. 27 decision regarding the Trump administration’s change to the current public charge regulation, which would create major barriers for low-income immigrants seeking to enter or remain legally in the U.S. Under this regulation, an individual’s income threshold (earning less than 125 percent of the federal poverty level), age, certain health conditions, limited English proficiency, minimal education background and prior receipt of certain benefits may be taken into account and negatively impact the individual’s eligibility to gain permanent legal status, and in the future, attain lawful U.S. admission. The Council staff report will be available here on Feb. 4.
Bill 35-19, Personnel – Collective Bargaining – Certified Representative – Duty of Fair Representation
The Council is scheduled to vote on Bill 35-19, which would amend the duty of fair representation for a certified representative of County employees and authorize a certified representative to impose the reasonable costs of filing a grievance or pursuing arbitration on an employee who does not pay membership dues or the equivalent. Councilmember Tom Hucker is the lead sponsor. The goal of this legislation is to permit a union to receive payment for filing grievances on behalf of an employee who chooses not to pay union dues.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Spending Affordability Guidelines for the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) Capital Budget and Other General Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Assumptions
The Council will review the Spending Affordability Guidelines for the County’s FY21 Capital Budget and other general Capital Improvements Program (CIP) assumptions. Feb. 4 is the legislative deadline for the Council either to confirm or amend guidelines. Any Feb. revision is supposed to “reflect a significant change in conditions” regarding affordability, and not take need into account. After Feb. 4, the Council can adopt an aggregate capital budget that has expenditures that exceed the guidelines, but only with seven or more affirmative votes.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 19-09, Prohibited Roof Signs – Exceptions
The Council is scheduled to vote on ZTA 19-09, which would allow roof signs in Red Policy Areas as identified in the most recent Subdivision Staging Policy. Councilmember Andrew Friedson is the lead sponsor. Each area in the Subdivision Staging Policy Map has been given a category which is used to assess impact fees. These categories are green, yellow, orange and red. The map can be viewed here. Some buildings in high density areas are constructed with glass walls, and signs that block windows are impractical.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Community Grants
The Council will receive an update on the community grants process. The Council has scheduled this update from Council staff and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to provide ongoing oversight for the FY21 community grants process. Joshua Watters, budget manager, OMB; and Rafael Murphy, fiscal and policy analyst, OMB, are among those expected to attend the meeting.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Forest Glen/Montgomery Hills Sector Plan
The Council will continue its review the Forest Glen/Montgomery Hills Sector Plan. This updated plan reevaluates land use and transportation strategies as part of the long-term visioning process for the area, including an analysis of existing traffic conditions, which will help inform the community and Planning Department staff as they make recommendations to improve transportation conditions.
Those expected to attend this session include the following: Casey Anderson, chair, Montgomery County Planning Board; Gwen Wright, director, Montgomery Planning Department; Mike Riley, director, Montgomery Parks; Leslye Howerton, master plan supervisor, Planning Department; Melissa Williams, senior planner, Planning Department; Katie Mencarini, senior transportation Planner, Planning Department; Lisa Govoni, housing planner, Planning Department; Stephen Aldrich, Functional Planning & Policy, Planning Department; Christopher Conklin, director, Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT); and Andrew Bossi, Director’s Office, MCDOT.
The Council staff reports can be viewed here:
Part 1
Part 2
The council will hold the following public hearings starting at 1:30
Bill 1-20, Bodywork Establishments – Licensing – Amendments; and Resolution to Adopt Bill 1-20 as a Board of Health Regulation
The Council will hold a public hearing on Bill 1-20 and on a companion regulation to adopt Bill 1-20 as a Board of Health Regulation. Councilmember Craig Rice and Council Vice President Tom Hucker are the lead sponsors. Council President Sidney Katz and Councilmembers Nancy Navarro, Gabe Albornoz and Hans Riemer are cosponsors. The goal of this legislation is to prevent owners of bodyworks establishments from using unqualified employees and to ensure compliance with the County’s licensing requirements. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Germantown Plan for the Town Sector Zone
The Council will hold a public hearing on the Germantown Plan for the Town Sector Zone. The purpose of this Plan is to replace the existing Town Sector zoning with current zoning classifications for the Churchill Village community of Germantown. Additionally, rezoning small areas of non-Town Sector zones (along the Plan's boundary) is recommended to correct zoning inconsistencies caused mostly by right-of-way alignments and the creation of Little Seneca Lake. The Planning Board Draft 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.
# # #
Release ID: 20-037