Montgomery County Council to Hold Committee Meetings on March 21

Per Montgomery County:

For Immediate Release: Friday, March 18, 2022

Committees will review the FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program for the Montgomery County Revenue Authority, discuss the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan and a supplemental appropriation for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service

The Public Safety (PS) Committee will meet on March 21, at 9:30 a.m. to discuss a $13.9 million Supplemental Appropriation to the FY22 Operating Budget for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS).

The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz, Council President Gabe Albornoz and Councilmember Tom Hucker.

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to  review the recommended FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for the Montgomery County Revenue Authority (MCRA) and continue discussion on the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan.

The members of the PHED Committee include Chair Hans Riemer and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando.

More detail on each agenda item is provided below.

Supplemental Appropriation to the County Government’s FY22 Operating Budget, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) – $13,900,000 for General Personnel and Operating Costs

Review: The PS Committee will review a $13.9 million supplemental appropriation to the FY22 Operating Budget for MCFRS. This appropriation is needed to support general personnel and operating expenditures through the end of the year, as actual expenditures are expected to exceed the budget.

Personnel costs are projected to exceed the appropriation due to actual overtime costs being greater than budgeted. Operating expenses are projected to exceed the appropriation mainly due to vehicle maintenance and repair, snow removal, facilities maintenance, wireless communications and insurance.

The lead sponsor is the Council President, at the request of the County Executive.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Scott Goldstein, chief, MCFRS; Dominic Del Pozzo, fiscal management division chief, MCFRS; and Rachel Silberman, Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

FY23-28 Recommended Capital Improvements Program (CIP) – Montgomery County Revenue Authority (MCRA)

Review: The PHED Committee will review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for the MCRA, which includes is a total of $37.3 million during the six year period. The recommendation is approximately $17 million more than the amended FY21-26 CIP program, which included a total of $20 million in funding. There are 12 project in the recommended CIP, including three with cost changes or increases and nine new projects compared to the previous CIP. The cost increase is due to a number of new projects added to the CIP and cost increases to existing projects.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Keith Miller, chief executive officer, MCRA and Estela Boronat, fiscal and policy analyst, Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan

Review: The PHED Committee will hold its third meeting to review the Planning Board Draft of the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan. The plan makes recommendations within the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan area for land use and zoning, housing, economic development, urban design, transportation, parks and public spaces, environmental resiliency, community facilities and historic resources.

The first meeting, held on March 4, 2022, covered the introduction to the plan and an overview of four of eight districts that make up the plan area. At the second meeting, held on March 14, the Committee reviewed the remaining four districts in the plan area.

At this meeting, the Committee will discuss the Fenton Village District, the adjacent communities and zoning recommendations for two parcels in the Downtown North District which were not covered during the previous meeting. In addition, the Committee will discuss plan-wide recommendations on housing, parks, trails and public spaces.

A fourth meeting is tentatively scheduled to review plan-wide recommendations for transportation and school infrastructure, land use and zoning, economic growth and urban design. One additional meeting is tentatively scheduled to address any remaining recommendations, other community facilities, historic resources and plan implementation.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Casey Anderson, chair, Planning Board; Gwen Wright, director, Planning Department; Elza Hisel-McCoy, chief, DownCounty Planning; Larissa Klevan, master plan supervisor, DownCounty Planning; Atara Margolies, planner coordinator, Planning Department; and Cristina Sassaki, parks planner coordinator, Parks Department