For Immediate Release: Tuesday, September 15, 2020
The following Committees will meet virtually on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Committee review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Committee agendas can be viewed at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
On the guidance of Health Officer and Chief of Public Health Services Dr. Travis Gayles, there is currently no public access to the Council Office Building. The virtual Council meeting will be streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube (MoCoCouncilMD) and on Facebook Live (MontgomeryCountyMdCouncil) and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on channels 30 (Fios), 1056 (RCN) and 996 (Xfinity).
Meeting: Joint Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee and Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee
Time: 9:30 a.m.
GO Committee: Councilmembers Nancy Navarro (Chair) and Andrew Friedson and Council President Sidney Katz
PHED Committee: Councilmembers Hans Riemer (Chair), Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando
Topics:
Bill 29-20, Taxation - Payment in Lieu of Taxes - WMATA Property - Established
The GO and PHED Committee will meet jointly to review Bill 29-20, Taxation – Payment in Lieu of Taxes – WMATA Property – Established, which is also known as the More Housing at Metrorail Stations Act. This legislation would require the director of the Department of Finance to offer a payment in lieu of taxes for a residential or commercial high-rise building constructed by a private developer on property leased from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) at a Metro station. The bill would require the payment in lieu of taxes and would exempt 100 percent of the real property tax that would otherwise be levied for a period of 15 years beginning in the year a use and occupancy permit is issued for the qualifying development. Councilmembers Hans Riemer and Andrew Friedson are the lead sponsors. Councilmembers Evan Glass, Nancy Navarro, Council President Sidney Katz, Councilmember Gabe Albornoz and Council Vice President Tom Hucker are cosponsors. The goal of Bill 29-30 is to make a significant impact on the viability of building new housing on Metro station property. Today, there are no high-rise developments underway on any Metro station property in Montgomery County, nor have there been for many years. Several projects have recently been abandoned including one at White Flint and another at Twinbrook. According to Metro, station properties have the capacity to deliver at least 8,600 units of housing, which would make a significant contribution to help reduce the County's long-term housing shortage.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Resolution to approve the disposition of 4010 Randolph Road and Bushey Drive, Silver Spring
The GO and PHED Committees also will review the disposition of 4010 Randolph Road, Silver Spring. The property contains two adjacent parcels. The building on the property was built in 1961 as Bushey Drive Elementary School. It is approximately 6.07 acres. The Board of Education deeded the property to the County in 1976. The property is currently used as the administrative offices for Montgomery County Recreation. The site will be vacant, when the offices are relocated to downtown Wheaton. This property disposition is being proposed to transfer the property to a private developer for the construction of approximately 196 units with all of the units being affordable at ranges of 30 to 170 percent of the area median income. A general developer agreement was executed between the County and AHC, Inc. on July 28, 2020. AHC, Inc. is partnering with Habitat for Humanity for the homeownership portions of the project.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Meeting: Joint Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee and Transportation and Environment (T&E) Committee
Time: 1:30 p.m.
GO Committee: Councilmembers Nancy Navarro (Chair) and Andrew Friedson and Council President Sidney Katz
T&E Committee: Council Vice President Tom Hucker (Chair) and Councilmembers Evan Glass and Hans Riemer
Bill 10-20 - Property Tax Credit - Energy and Environmental Design – Eligibility Criteria and Amounts of Credit
The GO and T&E Committees will review Bill 10-20, which would alter the eligibility criteria for the property tax credit for energy and environmental design. Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Hans Riemer are the lead sponsors. Council President Sidney Katz is a cosponsor. Bill 10-20 also would alter the amounts and duration of the property tax credit for energy and environmental design by type of building and alter annual limits on the total amounts of property tax credits granted by the County for energy and environmental design.
The goal of Bill 10-20 is to incentivize energy and environmental design standards that reduce energy consumption. The current property tax credit for energy and environmental design allows buildings that simply meet, but do not exceed, the building code to receive credits.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
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Release ID: 20-368