Montgomery Planning Board Commissioner Partap Verma Appointed Vice Chair

Verma’s leadership on racial equity and social justice issues recognized in appointment

Per Montgomery Planning:

WHEATON, Md. – Montgomery County Planning Board Commissioner Partap Verma was appointed Vice Chair of the Planning Board on Thursday, February 24, 2022. Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson made the announcement during the Planning Board’s meeting at the Wheaton Headquarters building.

“Partap has provided valuable guidance as a Planning Board member over the last three years and now in his role as Vice Chair, his leadership will allow us to continue to work to advance the goals of reaching community equity, environmental resilience and economic competitiveness.”

As Vice Chair of the Planning Board, Verma will assume the leadership role of the Chair in his absence, overseeing Board meetings and regulatory decisions.

“I am honored to assume the role of Vice Chair of the Planning Board,” said Verma. “We have been making progress, but we still have important work ahead of us related to welcoming underserved residents into the planning process, strengthening our economic health in the region and pursuing environmentally friendly policies. I look forward to working with our community members as we work to keep Montgomery County thriving.”

Appointed to the Planning Board by the Montgomery County Council in June 2019, Verma has made significant contributions to the Planning Board, Planning Department and Department of Parks. He has been involved with many important plans, projects and policies including the Forest Glen/Montgomery Hills Sector Plan, Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan, Thrive Montgomery 2050, Corridor Forward, the update to the Growth and Infrastructure Policy, Attainable Housing Strategies, Pedestrian Master Plan and Vision Zero initiatives. Verma has supported many significant park projects and plans as well including approval the 2022 Parks, Recreation and Open Space Policy Plan, and the FY23 – 28 Capital Improvements Program. Verma has also served as Chair and member of the County Council-appointed Montgomery County Racial Equity and Social Justice Advisory Committee.

Verma is a lifelong Montgomery County resident, a product of Montgomery County Public Schools and was once a participant in the Free and Reduced-Price Meals program. Commissioner Verma, who is proud of his east county roots raised by immigrant parents, is a dad, husband and a member of the LGBTQ community residing in Forest Glen.

About Vice Chair Verma

Verma, a certified mediator, specializes in privacy law, FOIA, agile development and alternative dispute resolution. Prior to joining the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), he served as general counsel at the U.S. Department of State, specializing in interagency information sharing, national security issues and immigration law. He also worked as a consular officer in Turkey and India as well as on task forces supporting crises around the world.
Prior to his appointment to the Planning Board, Verma represented Forest Glen issues at Montgomery County’s Mid-County Citizens Advisory Board as the land use chair and served on the executive board for Sierra Club Montgomery. Additionally, he served as a mediator and panel attorney for the Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs’ Commission on Common Ownership Communities. Verma is also the founder of Friends of Forest Glen and Montgomery Hills and the blog “Finding Forest Glen.”

Verma received a law degree with honors from the Pennsylvania State University School of Law in 2005 along with certificates in transnational law from Duke University and comparative law from the University of London. In 2001, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Maryland.