Two Montgomery County Council committees will meet Monday, July 27, to review a range of education and housing issues. The Education and Culture Committee will discuss MCPS’ Strategic Technology Plan, artificial intelligence policy, and student cell phone policy, while the Planning, Housing and Parks Committee will consider updates to accessory dwelling unit and solar zoning rules to comply with state law, as well as a bill that would require most single-family rental homes to provide air conditioning from May 15 through Sept. 30. Full agenda below courtesy Montgomery County Government:
“The Education and Culture (EC) Committee will meet on Monday, July 27 at 9:30 a.m. to review the Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) Strategic Technology Plan, artificial intelligence policy, and cellular telephone policy.
The members of the EC Committee include Chair Will Jawando and Councilmembers Shebra Evans and Kristin Mink.
The Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 26-06, Accessory Residential Uses – Accessory Dwelling Unit, ZTA 26-07, Solar Collection System – Use Standards and Bill 9-26, Rental Housing – Maintenance Standards and Essential Services – Air Conditioning.
The members of the PHP Committee include Chair Andrew Friedson, Council President Natali Fani-González and Councilmember Jawando.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
MCPS Strategic Technology Plan
Update: The EC Committee will review the MCPS Technology Modernization Capital Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 and the MCPS Strategic Technology Plan. The plan is supported by the Technology Modernization project, which was implemented in 2018 to support the purchase of mobile devices, fund warranty coverage and providing instructional software for students and teachers. In addition, rebates from the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) E-rate program provides funds for purchasing Chromebooks, laptops, computer lab technology, network equipment and software. School technology is typically refreshed on a four-to-five-year cycle. At this meeting MCPS representatives will provide an update on school technology following the implementation of the strategic technology plan.
MCPS Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy and Practice
Review: The EC Committee will discuss the Board of Education Policy IGS, Educational Technology, which provides MCPS with guiding principles to govern the purposeful, appropriate and strategic integration of emerging technologies to enhance instruction, learning outcomes and operational functions within schools. This MCPS policy was adopted in May 2026, following statewide artificial intelligence guidelines from the Maryland Department of Education. The MCPS policy is intended to acknowledge the continual emergence of technologies with potential educational applications and to regularly develop and revise guidelines for students and staff for the appropriate integration of emerging technologies at MCPS.
MCPS Cellular Telephone Policy
Review: The EC Committee will review MCPS Regulation COG-RA, Personal Mobile Devices, which was last revised by the Board of Education in May 2025. The regulation outlines when and where MCPS students may use their personal mobile devices. The regulation seeks to create a learning environment that balances the benefits of technology with the need to minimize distractions and promote focused learning and classroom engagement.
Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 26-06, Accessory Residential Uses – Accessory Dwelling Unit
Review: The PHP Committee will review ZTA 26-06, Accessory Residential Uses – Accessory Dwelling Unit, which would amend the use standards for attached and detached accessory dwelling units consistent with state law.
In April 2025, the Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 1466/Senate Bill 891, Land Use and Real Property – Accessory Dwelling Units – Requirements and Prohibitions, which requires the County to adopt a local law authorizing accessory dwelling unit (ADU) development by Oct. 1, 2026. While Montgomery County has an existing ADU law, several provisions are inconsistent with state law. The inconsistencies include the zones where ADUs are allowed, the minimum size requirement, density calculations, setback requirements and off-street parking requirements.
The lead sponsor is the Council President at the requestion of the Planning Board.
Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 26-07, Solar Collection System – Use Standards
Review: The PHP Committee will review ZTA 26-07, Solar Collection System – Use Standards, which would amend the use standards for a solar collection system, separating a rooftop-mounted from a ground-mounted solar collection system. It will also amend the definition and use standards for a solar collection system, consistent with state law.
In April 2025, the General Assembly passed House Bill 1036/Senate Bill 0931, Public Utilities – Generating Stations – Generation and Siting (Renewable Energy Certainty Act). The bill modified several provisions of law regarding solar energy, energy storage and the work of the Public Service Commission. This included preempting local jurisdictions from enforcing land use regulations on any Solar Collection System larger than one megawatt of generation capacity.
ZTA 26-07 would bring the County Zoning Ordinance in compliance with state law to reduce confusion for applicants and the public. ZTA 26-07 will also remove regulatory burdens for rooftop-mounted solar, by separating the use standards for rooftop and ground-mounted solar collection systems.
The lead sponsor is the Council President at the request of the Planning Board.
Bill 9-26, Rental Housing – Maintenance Standards and Essential Services – Air Conditioning
Review: The PHP Committee will review Bill 9-26, Rental Housing – Maintenance Standards and Essential Services – Air Conditioning, which would require detached single-family homes offered for rent to meet certain air-conditioning standards and alter the times of year in which air-conditioning requirements apply. In 2020, the Council enacted Bill 24-19, which required landlords to provide air conditioning in rental units during the months of June through September.
Currently, Bill 24-19 exempts detached single-family homes and dwellings located on sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places from the air-conditioning requirement. Bill 9-26 would amend the air conditioning requirements enacted under Bill 24-19 to require the provision of air-conditioning in certain rental properties from May 15 through Sept. 30. In addition, the bill would remove the current exemption for detached single-family homes. Dwellings located on sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places would continue to be exempt. The bill would provide for a transition period, in which landlords of detached single-family homes could seek a temporary waiver from the director of the Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
The lead sponsor of Bill 9-26 is Councilmember Mink. Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles and Jawando are cosponsors of Bill 9-26.”
