For Immediate Release: Tuesday, September 1, 2020
The Montgomery County Council will hold public hearings on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. on the following Special Appropriations. The deadline to sign up to speak is September 14 at 5:00 p.m.
On Tuesday, September 15, 2020, at 1:30 p.m. the Montgomery County Council will hold a public hearing on the following bill. The deadline to sign up to speak is September 14 at 5:00 p.m.
Expedited Bill 34-20, Police - Disciplinary Procedures - Police Labor Relations - Duty to Bargain - Amendments, would amend the disciplinary procedures for a police officer and the membership of a hearing board; remove negotiation of an alternative method of forming a hearing board and issuing a directive to implement an employer right from the scope of collective bargaining under the Police Labor Relations Law; authorize the Chief of Police to issue a final order on employee discipline based on the recommendations of a hearing board; and generally amend the disciplinary procedures for a police officer and the scope of collective bargaining under the Police Labor Relations Law.
On Tuesday, September 15, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. the Montgomery County Council will hold a public hearing on the following bill. The deadline to sign up to speak is September 15 at 10:00 a.m.
Expedited Bill 39-20, Taxation - Recordation Tax - Amendments, would increase the rate of the recordation tax levied under state law for certain transactions; amend the exemptions from the recordation tax for certain transactions; allocate the revenue received from the recordation tax for certain uses; and generally amend the law governing the recordation tax.
The Montgomery County Council will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. on the following bill. The deadline to sign up to speak is September 21 at 5:00 p.m.
Expedited Bill 36-20, Forest Conservation – Amendments, would apply the forest conservation law to two or more platted contiguous lots that collectively total at least 40,000 square feet under certain circumstances; modify provisions related to the preferred sequence for afforestation and reforestation, forest mitigation banks, and in lieu fees to conform with state law; exempt agricultural activities from the forest stand delineation and forest conservation requirements only if the property remains in agricultural use; exempt local government highway construction activities from forest stand delineation and forest conservation requirements; clarify that modifications requiring the approval of a conditional use/special exception are not exempt from the forest stand delineation and forest conservation plan requirements; require the approval of a tree save plan for any activity or development exempt from the forest stand delineation or forest conservation land requirements if the activity would impact a significant, specimen, or champion tree; provide that an exemption granted expires after 5 years if development has not begun; increase the length of the binding maintenance agreement required in forest conservation plans; alter the variance process; and generally amend the Forest Conservation Law.
Legislative Updates
The Council’s website has a subscription feature that provides individuals with email notifications as a bill moves through the legislative process from the time of introduction until it becomes law. Sign-up to receive notifications about Council legislation by visiting https://apps.montgomerycountymd.gov/ccllims/bill_List.aspx and selecting the bill you would like to follow. At the bottom of the bill summary box (shaded in blue), provide your email in the subscribe to notifications box and hit subscribe.
Documents and information are available at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council.
NOTE: 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 need to 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 a recently developed 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.
The meeting will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM) on Xfinity channels 6 and 996, RCN channels 6 and 1056; and FiOS channel 30. Also available live via streaming through the Council website at http://tinyurl.com/z9982v8, Facebook Live (@MontgomeryCountyMdCouncil or @ConcejodelCondadodeMontgomery), or YouTube (@MoCoCouncilMD).
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