New Housing Policy, Aid for 'Deferred Action' Top Council Agenda

The Montgomery County Council is set to take up its vision for a new housing policy, declare its position on this year's request for school construction funding, and introduce a bill to rewrite the fee structure for mitigating the traffic and school-population impacts of new developments.

Tuesday's weekly meeting is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. in the  Council hearing room at 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD. Call 240-777-7803 to testify. The meeting is also televised live on CCM Channels Comcast 6, RCN 6, Verizon 30. For more information, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council.

See the full agenda here.

A NEW VISION ON HOUSING

The Council will be briefed on the 2012 update to Montgomery County’s Housing Policy. The draft policy—finished last month by the Department of Housing and Community Affairs—lays out a framework that emphasizes:

• Boosting the number of affordable housing units.
• Conserving and caring for residential neighborhoods.
• Homelessness prevention.
• Encouraging residential construction in transit-oriented areas.

Click here to read the full draft.

The briefing is set for 2:15 p.m. A public hearing is set for 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 4. Once approved, the policy will replace the version from 2001.

FUNDING FOR "DEFERRED ACTION"

The Council will hold a public hearing—followed by an immediate decision—on adding $100,000 to the county’s Fiscal 2013 operating budget so that CASA de Maryland can help with applications to the federal Deferred Action program, which allows illegal immigrants who were brought into the country as children and pose no risk to national security or public safety to obtain a work permit and a two-year shield against possible deportation.

Officials expects as many as 7,500 county residents to apply. Applications cost $100 each. County Executive Isiah Leggett recommended last month that CASA de Maryland receive the non-competitive $100,000 grant.

FEES ON TRAFFIC MITIGATION AND SCHOOL IMPACTS

Tuesday will bring the introduction of expedited Bill 30-12, which would revise the steps for setting and amending the rates developers pay for mitigating a project’s impact on surrounding roads and schools. Proposed by Councilwoman Nancy Floreen, the measure would require that the transportation mitigation payment rate be set by a Council resolution and indexed to the inflation of construction costs every two years.

The Council is expected to take action on the bill immediately after a Dec. 11 public hearing. If passed, the bill would take effect Jan. 1.

SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDING

The Council is set to issue a non-binding resolution on Montgomery County Public Schools’ $147.35 million request with the state for school construction funding. The county’s Board of Education is set on Nov. 19 to approve or amend Superintendent Joshua Starr's Fiscal 2014 capital budget and amendments to the Fiscal 2013-2018 capital improvements program.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

Supplemental appropriation of $57.5 million in GO Bonds and short-term financing to the county’s Fiscal 2013 capital budget, for updating the county’s radio infrastructure and Computer Aided Dispatch systems. Once the appropriation is made, the county can issue a Request for Proposals to do the work. A subcommittee work session is set for Nov. 26.

Among the seven other public hearings set for Tuesday: changes to the zoning rules for guest houses and for single-family homes built on lots before 1928.

INTRODUCTIONS

1. Supplemental appropriation to the Fiscal 2013 capital budget and amendment to the Fiscal 2013-2018 Capital Improvements Program - $18.9 million in state aid for five stormwater management projects. A public hearing is scheduled for 1:30 pm. on Nov. 27.

2. Bill 31-12 lays out new licensing procedures on homeowners who rent out apartments in their homes, including:

• A sign must be posted on the property stating that a license has been applied for.
• The county’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs will create a list and a map of licensed apartments.
• If DHCA denies an application, the property owner can object the decision and go to the county Hearing Examiner.

A public hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 4, followed by a County Council work session in January.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The morning session starts off with a proclamation recognizing Heritage Montgomery for its documentary "Life in a War Zone: Montgomery County during the Civil War"

County government is also looking for new members to several committees, including its Grants Advisory Group (Nov. 15 deadline) and the committee to study pay raises for the County Executive, County Council, Sheriff and State’s Attorney (Nov. 28 deadline).