Status of Current Issues
Education Committee
Updated October 21, 2006
• Education Committee Questionnaires to Board of Education Candidates August 27th Read about the Questionnaire sent to all Candidates for election to the Board of Education, and their responses to our questions. Link.
• The working group on FAA-RA has submitted its report to the Superintendent. Our (Education Committee) follow-up position statement should be completed by late January. After MCPS staff and the Board of Education review the recommendations, there will be a release to the public (for comment). All documents may be accessed at: www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/planning/CommunityInfo_Community.htm
• Our testimony on the proposed MCPS Operating Budget for FY2007 is available here. Our major recommendation was that Board of Education (BoE) staff be increased so the Board can fulfill its mandate to oversee the actions of the Office of the Superintendent. We will be tracking how the BoE responds to various comments made during the public testimony phase. And we will testify before the County Council when it holds hearings (expected in April) on proposed County and MCPS Operating Budgets.
• In our December 22 article in the Sentinel (Link Here) we reported that the County Council has been discussing transfer of the Carver Educational Services Center site to Montgomery College. We charged the BoE with being uninvolved in this process and urged that the process be immediately opened up to public discussion. It is unclear how the BoE and Council will proceed; expected Council action (to provide supplementary funds to the College to begin planning) appears to have been delayed.
• We commented (and testified) on the proposed revised version of Policy IQD (on Academic Eligibility). Our written comments are available at this link. We believe that this policy also has implications for how MCPS deals with growing concerns about violence in/around the schools.
• Action on the proposed sale of the Peary HS site is stalled, pending response from the County Executive to questions raised by the County Council. See our article in the October 2005 Newsletter for background. We are tracking this and would appreciate any information members can provide.
• Revision on Policy BNB (on BoE staffing) was expected to be released for public comment early this year. We attended several working meetings, which provided some of the impetus for our recommendation (item 2 above) that BoE staffing be expanded. Once the revised policy is released for public comment we will prepare ours.
• Legal action on the surplussing of the Edson Lane Parcel continues. [MCCF is on record as opposing the surplussing of such parcels for purposes other than public education.] We are in contact with those pushing the legal aspects of this matter, both for purposes of gathering information, and to offer any help MCCF can provide.
• Seven Locks elementary. (Board of Education testimoney May 1, 2006, County Council testimony May 2, 2006
• SLES Issues (Public Comment Before the Montgomery County Board of Education).
Comment on MCPS Strategic Plan and FY2008 Operating Budget Planning is here.
HOUSING COMMITTEE
Updated December 11, 2005
• Condo Conversions - Extended tenancies - Bill 29-05,
PHED Cpmmittee worksession Nov. 28 at 2 PM
• Workforce Housing Program, Bill 30-05 and ZTA 05-16,
PHED worksession Dec. 12 at 2 PM
• Transfer of Public Property In August, County Executive transferred
five publicly-owned sites (on Jingle Ln. in Glenmont, Bowie Mill Rd.
in Olney, public parking lot on Bethesda Ave. in Bethesda, and 2 sites on
Washington Grove Blvd.) to DHCA for creation of housing projects. Now
awaiting selection of developer proposals.
Old/Archived
• ZTA 04-10, to change regulations on accessory apartments,
Council vote pending (County
Document)(MCCF opposes).
• ZTA 05-04/SRA 05-01, to change membership of panel
to approve MPDU alternative agreements, Council approved all 3 unanimously on May 18.
• Bill 36-04, Discrimination in Housing/Predatory
Lending Practices, vote pending (County
Document)
• Closing Cost Assistance Program, Council adopted
a resolution March 22 to approve a financial management plan for a Revolving
Fund for this Program Archived June 6, 2005
PLANNING and LAND USE COMMITTEE
CURRENT ISSUES
- Twinbrook Sector Plan revision approved by Council in December 2007; awaiting drafting and Planning Board approval of accompanying Design Guidelines
- Germantown Employment Area Sector Plan revision approved by Council in July 2008; Planning Board approved accompanying Design Guidelines on March 11, 2010
- Zoning Text Amendment 09-08, creating new CR (Commercial/Residential) mixed-use zoning category, approved by Council on March 2, 2010
- White Flint I Sector Plan revision approved by Council on March 23, 2010
- Zoning Text Amendment 09-07, Life Sciences Center (LSC) Zone amendments, approved by Council on April 27, 2010
- Gaithersburg West (aka Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan) Master Plan revision approved by Council on May 4, 2010
- Kensington Sector Plan revision in PHED Committee worksessions; awaiting full Council action
- Wheaton Sector Plan revision being drafted by Planning Department staff
- Takoma/Langley Sector Plan revision being drafted by Planning Department staff
- Long Branch (Piney Branch Rd. & Flower Ave. area) Sector Plan revision being drafted by Planning Department staff
- Council consideration of move to Stage 4 implementation of Clarksburg Master Plan is pending, awaiting report of Council's Water Quality Working Group which was to have been released by end of February 2010
- Revision of Housing Chapter of General Plan (county's master plan) in PHED Committee worksessions; awaiting full Council action
- Bills 13-07 and 38-07, to eliminate buy-outs and make other amendments to Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit Program, held in PHED Committee awaiting full Council vote
- Alternative to the Policy Area Mobility Review (PAMR) was drafted by Mont. Co. Dept. of Transportation and the County Executive's consultant, Robert Winick, and transmitted to Council on April 20, 2010 for consideration; Council President Floreen says Council may not act on it until after the fall elections (PAMR is used as part of the biennial Growth Policy to assess level of transportation service in all planning areas of the county, both roads and transit service, in order to calculate the amount of master-planned development that should be allowed to be approved in each area over the ensuing two years)
revised 5/5/10
Public Finance & Utilities
Updated May 1, 2005
• County FY06 Capital and Operating Budgets and Amendments to FY05-10 Capital Improvements Program, Council hearings on April 5, 6, and 7 at 7 p.m., and on April 6 at 1:30 p.m.
Public Safety
Updated May 1, 2005
• Bill 32-04, Ambulance Transport Fee, Council action
pending (County
Document) (MCCF opposes).
• Fire, Rescue, Emergency Medical Services and Community Risk
Reduction Master Plan, Council PS Committee worksession on April
4 at 9:30 a.m.
Useful information about zoning can be found on this site maintained by Maryland National Capital Park & Planning Commission:
http://www.mc-mncppc.org/info/resident_guides/zoning/intro.shtm
Montgomery County Council bills in process can be found here:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/csltmpl.asp?url=/Content/Council/bills.asp
Montgomery County Council Zoning Text Amendments can be found here:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/csltmpl.asp?url=/Content/Council/zta.asp
This Page Last Edited: June 5, 2005 .