For Immediate Release: Thursday, August 20, 2020
County’s Subdivision Staging Policy is one of the tools used
to align public facilities with new development
ROCKVILLE, Md., August 20, 2020—In September, the Council will begin its review of the County’s Subdivision Staging Policy, which is one of the tools used to align public facilities, such as schools and transportation systems, to keep pace with future development. This planning helps to support Montgomery County’s outstanding quality of life.
The Subdivision Staging Policy includes criteria and guidance for the administration of Montgomery County’s Adequate Public Facility Ordinance (APFO), which matches the timing of private development with the availability of public infrastructure. Every four years, recommendations for policy updates reflecting current growth patterns start with the Montgomery Planning Department, before being reviewed and approved by the Montgomery County Planning Board and the Council.
The Council will conduct public hearings on the 2020-2024 Subdivision Staging Policy and the companion bills, which are needed to implement recommended changes to the policy, on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The legislation includes: Bill 37-20, Subdivision - Preliminary Plan - Adequate Public Facilities – Amendments; Bill 38-20, Taxation - Development Impact Taxes for Transportation and Public School Improvements – Amendments; and Expedited Bill 39-20, Taxation - Recordation Tax - Amendments. The goal of these bills is to support and help implement elements of the Subdivision Staging Policy. All of the bills are being introduced by Council President Sidney Katz, at the request of the Montgomery County Planning Board.
Bill 37-20, Subdivision – Preliminary Plan - Adequate Public Facilities – Amendments, would require an applicant requesting an extension of an adequate public facilities determination to provide a new determination of school adequacy for any remaining unbuilt units under the school test in effect at the time of the Planning Board’s review.
Bill 38-20, Taxation - Development Impact Taxes for Transportation and Public School Improvements – Amendments, would amend transportation and school impact tax district designations and the impact tax rates that apply in these districts. Bill 38-20 also would modify the applicability of development impact tax exemptions for certain uses and in certain locations, and generally amend the law governing transportation and school development impact taxes.
Expedited Bill 39-20, Taxation - Recordation Tax – Amendments, would increase the rate of the recordation tax levied under state law for certain transactions involving the transfer of property and would establish a partial exemption from the recordation tax for a first-time home buyer. Moreover, Bill 39-20 would amend the allocation of revenue received from the recordation tax to capital improvements for schools and to the Montgomery Housing Initiative Fund.
More information about the Subdivision Staging Policy can be found here. Council staff reports for the companion legislation can be found on the Council’s July 29 agenda here.
Community members can sign up to testify for the public hearing on the Council’s web page here.
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During the COVID-19 state of emergency, the public is not able to be physically present in the Council Hearing Room. Residents who would like to call in to testify at a Council public hearing must preregister on the Council’s web page at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/calendar.html. Once the public hearing sign up request form is submitted and the public hearing list is created, individuals will receive separate confirmation notifications that include the appropriate phone number to call for the public hearing.
Community members also have the option to provide audio, video and written testimony to the Council using an online testimony form on the Council’s web page which can be found at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/PHSignUp.html. The testimony provided with the online option carries the same weight as testimony given at a public hearing. Councilmembers consider all comments as part of their deliberations. Comments and suggestions are welcome online at http://tinyurl.com/zrbwh5v; via email at county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov; by sending regular mail to County Council, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, Md. 20850. For information or to express an opinion call 240-777-7900.
Release ID: 20-354