More than a year on from Rockville’s adoption of its first Climate Action Plan, many of the plan’s 42 initiatives have made progress, with several action items completed. The Mayor and Council initiated the plan in January 2022 with the goals of equitably reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, and improving community and city resilience to extreme weather. At their March 27 meeting, the Mayor and Council heard an update on progress made during the plan’s first year.

Learn more about the Climate Action Plan at www.rockvillemd.gov/climate. Sign up to receive the “Environment and Sustainability News” email newsletter at www.rockvillemd.gov/newsletters for updates.

The city is holding walking meetings this month offering the opportunity for public input as Rockville considers the feasibility of six proposed sidewalk projects. Rockville staff and the city’s design consultant will conduct “walk the block” public meetings about four proposed projects to fill in gaps in the city’s sidewalk network along:

Each meeting will discuss the proposed sidewalk’s alignment and its associated impacts and will collect public comments for further consideration by the project team. The design consultant will evaluate the sidewalk links, considering costs and impacts of possible alignments. Visit www.rockvillemd.gov/advisories for meeting details.

The City of Rockville will hold a vote-by-mail election in November this year — with a few important changes, including more members of the city council to elect, two Election Day Vote Centers and several additional ballot drop-off locations. Voters will have the opportunity to elect seven members of the city’s elected body — for mayor and six council members — following a unanimous vote Feb. 6 by the Mayor and Council on a resolution to add two seats to the council.

Ballots will be mailed to all registered voters who live within Rockville city limits. All ballots must be received by 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7. Voters will be able to vote by mail, in person at the two Election Day Vote Centers on Nov. 7, or at an election drop box. If voting by mail, voters can return their ballots in the provided envelope by prepaid mail or by delivering them to a secure ballot drop box. Voters can cast their ballots at vote centers on Election Day, Nov. 7, at either City Hall, 111 Maryland Ave., or Thomas Farm Community Center, 700 Fallsgrove Drive. The vote centers will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. on Election Day only.

In a move to protect renters, the Mayor and Council adopted 5.8% as the Voluntary Rent Guideline for 2023. The voluntary rent guideline became effective in March. The guideline encourages landlords to hold rent increases to the lowest level possible. The resolution asks landlords to increase rent by no more than 5.8%, or less, if possible.

The voluntary rent guidelines system provides a baseline amount for rent increases that is based on the Bureau of Labor Consumer Price Index for rent of primary residences in the metropolitan region around Washington, D.C. Questions about the rent guidelines can be directed to the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Housing and Neighborhood Services Division at 240-314-8300. For more on Rockville’s services for landlords and tenants, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/259/Landlord-Tenant-Complaints.