Council to Begin Montgomery County Planning Board Interviews

Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 9 a.m. The meeting will begin with two proclamation presentations. The first, presented by Councilmembers Sidney Katz, Will Jawando and Laurie-Anne Sayles, will recognize Rachel Carson Elementary School student Aubrey Campbell’s Make-a-Wish trip. The second, presented by Councilmember Jawando and County Executive Marc Elrich, will recognize National Mentoring Month.

More detail on each agenda item is provided below.

Montgomery County Planning Board

Interviews: The Council will begin interviewing candidates for the Montgomery County Planning Board. The first interviews will be for the Republican partial‐term appointment. The Council is seeking to appoint a member of the Planning Board to fill a partial term left vacated by Gerald Cichy (Republican) on Oct. 12, 2022. A commissioner who is appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term must be a member of the same political party as the commissioner who vacated the office. No more than three members of the Planning Board may be from the same political party, and each member must be a resident and registered voter of Montgomery County when appointed.

Consent Calendar

Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, Jan. 31, which is available on the Council website.

Amendment to the FY23-28 CIP and Supplemental Appropriation to the County Government’s FY23 Capital Budget, Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Preservation of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing Fund (No. P762201), $30,200,000

Introduction: The Council is expected to introduce a more than $30 million amendment to the FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) and supplemental appropriation to the FY23 Capital Budget for the Department of Housing and Community Affairs’ (DHCA) Preservation of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing Fund project. Appropriation for this project will fund the preservation of current naturally occurring affordable housing in areas at risk of rent escalation to higher market rents, including the Purple Line Corridor and other County transit corridors. Public hearings are scheduled for Feb. 7 and Feb. 9.

Confirmation of the County Executive’s appointment of the Director, Department of Permitting Services

Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on the appointment of Rabbiah Sabbakhan for the position of director within the Department of Permitting Services.

Legislative Session

Bill 3-23, Environmental Sustainability – Montgomery County Green Bank

Introduction: Council President Glass, at the request of County Executive Elrich, is expected to introduce Bill 3-23, Environmental Sustainability – Montgomery County Green Bank, which would amend Section 18A of the Montgomery County Code to allow the Montgomery County Green Bank to engage in activities related to climate resilience in the same manner as energy efficiency and renewable energy. The bill does not commit the Green Bank to engage in any specific resilience activities, nor does it require the County to commit any resources to the Green Bank in support of resilience activities. It simply authorizes the Green Bank to engage in resilience-related activities, should it be advantageous to the County.

A public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 14. A Transporation and Environment (TE) Committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for March 6.

Expedited Bill 4-23, Administration – Non-Merit Positions – Special Projects Manager

Introduction: Council President Glass, at the request of County Executive Elrich, is expected to introduce Expedited Bill 4-23, Administration – Non-Merit Positions – Special Projects Manager, which would create a second non-merit special projects manager position in the Office of the County Executive.

A public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 14.

Expedited Bill 5-23, Personnel and Human Resources – Prospective Employees – Health Care Privacy

Introduction: Lead sponsor Councilmember Dawn Luedtke is expected to introduce Expedited Bill 5-23, Personnel and Human Resources – Prospective Employees – Health Care Privacy. The expedited bill would limit inquiries by the County regarding certain health information of prospective employees, prohibit inquiries by the County regarding certain reproductive health information of prospective employees, limit consideration of certain health information of prospective County employees and generally amend the laws regarding human resources and health care privacy.

Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz, Marilyn Balcombe, Kate Stewart and Vice President Andrew Friedson are cosponsors of Bill 5-23. A public hearing is scheduled for Feb.14.

Bill 6-23, Housing – Sharing Economy Rental

Introduction: Lead sponsor Councilmember Will Jawando is expected to introduce Bill 6-23, Housing – Sharing Economy Rental, in conjunction with Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 23-01, Accessory Residential Uses – Sharing Economy Rental, which will authorize and regulate the hourly rental of private residential property. Bill 6-23 would place licensing authority under the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The bill outlines the certifications that an applicant must make to apply for a license, and provides the processes for license approval and renewal, suspension and revocation. ZTA 23-01 will create the use Sharing Economy Rental. A sharing economy rental would be defined as any portion of a home or the property it’s on that is rented for a fee for less than 12 continuous hours.

A public hearing is tentatively scheduled for March 7.

Bill 33-22, Capital Improvements Program – Affordable Housing Feasibility Study – Required

Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Bill 33-22, Capital Improvements Program – Affordable Housing Feasibility Study – Required. Bill 33-22 would require the County Executive to submit an affordable housing feasibility study to the Council for certain capital projects and establish a review process for the Council to determine project feasibility for colocation of affordable housing with the goal of generating more affordable housing units. The Planning, Housing and Parks (PH) Committee recommended enactment with amendments.

The lead sponsor is Council Vice President Friedson. The cosponsors include Councilmembers Katz, Albornoz, Fani-González, Stewart, Balcombe, Mink, Sayles, and Jawando and former Councilmembers Nancy Navarro, Craig Rice and Hans Riemer.

District Council Session

Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 23-01, Accessory Residential Uses – Sharing Economy Rental

Introduction: Lead sponsor Councilmember Jawando is expected to introduce ZTA 23-01, Accessory Residential Uses – Sharing Economy Rental, in conjunction with Bill 6-23, Housing – Sharing Economy Rental, which will authorize and regulate the hourly rental of private residential property. ZTA 23-01 will create the use Sharing Economy Rental. A sharing economy rental would be defined as any portion of a home or the property it’s on that is rented for a fee for less than 12 continuous hours. Bill 6-23 would place licensing authority under DHHS. The bill outlines the certifications that an applicant must make to apply for a license, and provides the processes for license approval and renewal, suspension and revocation.

A public hearing is tentatively scheduled for March 7.

Resolution to amend Council Rules of Procedure

Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a resolution to amend the Council Rules of Procedure. The prior Council amended these rules on Nov. 15, 2022, and the amendments took effect on Dec. 5, 2022. During the first 90 days of the term of the current Council, the Council may amend the Rules with an affirmative vote from a majority of Councilmembers. On January 24, the Council introduced a resolution to amend the rules, and the Council held a worksession on the resolution. During the worksession, the Council took non-binding “straw votes” on various amendments to the resolution.

The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.

The Council recommends that residents, who choose to attend in-person Council meetings, get fully vaccinated to protect themselves and others against COVID-19. If this is not possible, virtual participation is encouraged.

Council and committee meetings are streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube and on Facebook Live and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on Xfinity/RCN 6 HD 996/1056, Fios 30, and on the CCM live stream.

Release ID: 23-019
Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884