Montgomery County Council and Committee Meetings on January 23, 2023

Review: The Council will meet to review local and bi-county bills for the 2023 Maryland General Assembly and may choose to take positions on the bills. The legislation under consideration will cover topics including school bus monitoring cameras, off-street parking, speed limits, child support enforcement and energy efficiency and conservation programs.

Office of Legislative Oversight Memorandum Report 2022-9: Establishing and Maintaining a Business-Friendly Environment: A Literature Review

Presentation: The ECON Committee will receive a presentation from OLO on economic development strategies that have been determined to establish and maintain a business-friendly environment that supports entrepreneurs and existing companies that do business in Montgomery County. The presentation will include a summary of OLO Report 2022-9: Establishing and Maintaining a Business-Friendly Environment: A Literature Review, which is a review of literature on a series of economic development strategies that demonstrate the successful creation and growth of businesses, particularly new businesses.

Montgomery County 3rd Quarter Economic Indicators

Briefing: The ECON Committee will receive an update from MCEDC on the County’s key economic indicators that track employment, the resident labor force, home sales, commercial vacancies and rents and permit issuance activity.

Montgomery County Public Schools Monthly Financial Reports

Review: The EC Committee will review a summary of the MCPS monthly financial reports since the passage of the FY23 operating budget. On May 26, 2022, the Council approved the more than $2.9 billion FY23 MCPS operating budget, which reflects a more than $137 million increase from the FY22 approved budget. On June 7, 2022, the Board of Education adopted the final FY23 operating budget. Pursuant to Maryland law, MCPS transmits a monthly financial report to the Council and County Executive. The report provides a written summary on their current fiscal year actuals and projections.

Overview of MCPS Requested FY24 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program

Review: The EC Committee will review the MCPS Requested FY24 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). The discussion is expected to include an overview of enrollment which is one of the most significant factors influencing the operating budget and CIP for MCPS.

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

Review: The PH Committee will review Bill 33-22 Capital Improvements Program – Affordable Housing Feasibility Study – Required, which 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 lead sponsor is Council Vice President Friedson. The cosponsors include Councilmembers Katz and Albornoz and former Councilmembers Nancy Navarro, Craig Rice and Hans Riemer.

Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 22-11, Technical Corrections

Review: The PH Committee will review ZTA 22-11, Technical Corrections, which would change the voting requirements for map amendments and zoning text amendments and make other technical corrections to the Zoning Ordinance related to expanding the Council from nine to 11 members. 

The Council recommends that residents, who choose to attend in-person Council or committee 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.