PHED Budget Discussions on Monday

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee will hold our next meeting on the FY14 Operating Budget and CIP Amendments on Monday at 2:00. Our agenda:

Park and Planning (continued)
Recreation (continued)

This meeting will be televised live on County Cable  Montgomery's Web site. See the schedule for other upcoming committee meetings here. Although we have completed our public hearings, you can still let us know what you think.

Planning Board to Hold Hearing on Rapid Transit

This is your chance to have your voice heard. Here is the Planning Board's press release:

 

Have an opinion about a plan that would bring rapid transit to Montgomery County? If so, mark your calendar for a May 16 public hearing scheduled by the Montgomery County Planning Board.

 

The public hearing is to invite input on the draft Countywide Transit Corridors Plan, which recommends a system to place high-quality buses in the county’s most congested areas – inside-the-Beltway communities, suburban activity centers and highly traveled commuter corridors. The draft plan recommends 10 transit corridors spanning 79 miles.

 

Along with forecast population increases, Montgomery County is expected to add more than 200,000 jobs over the next 30 years without the ability to expand roadway capacity. For the last two decades, policy-makers and planners have encouraged alternative modes of travel to reduce congestion.

 

BRT provides a flexible, cost-effective alternative to congested roadways, planners say, by offering reliable, fast connections in areas where development and density is not high enough to warrant rail. Planners focused on creating transit connections to Metro’s Red Line, the planned Purple Line and MARC.

 

The plan also makes recommendations to improve accessibility for bicycles, pedestrians, and train riders, such as designating bicycle-pedestrian priority areas around major stations and adding a third track on part of the MARC train’s Brunswick Line.

 

The Planning Board will begin a detailed review of the plan in the weeks following the public hearing, before revising and finalizing a new version for transmittal to the County Council in the summer.

 

Sign up to speak at the public hearing at http://www.montgomeryapps.org/planning_board/testify.asp; at date prompt, scroll to May 16.

 

The Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan will amend the Master Plan of Highways, which will be renamed the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways.

 

Who:

Montgomery County Planning Board

 

What:

Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan public hearing

 

When:

6 p.m. Thursday, May 16

 

Where:

Park and Planning Headquarters auditorium

8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring

Intern's Take on Volunteering

Intern Amanda has been doing a lot of research since she joined my team, and she has taken a particular interest in residents' willingness to take time out of their busy schedules to help out. Here's her take.

I loved growing up in Montgomery County; as a child I would spend mornings reading in the library, afternoons playing basketball at the Coffield Center and nights picnicking at the park. This wonderful county is my home and like many of the million other residents in its borders, I have always wondered what I could do to help make Montgomery County even better. It wasn’t until I began my internship with Councilmember Nancy Floreen that I learned how residents can get more involved in their community. One of the most significant ways to help our County is to join one of more than 75 boards, committees or commissions.

Montgomery County offers a wide variety of commissions; ranging from the Animal Matters Hearing Board to the Taxicab Service Advisory Committee. Simply visit the County's Web site and find a committee that you believe will best for you to serve the County. Of the many boards, committees and commissions available some piqued my interest:

The Forest Conservation Advisory Committee has 22 voting members who advise on forestry policy and promote a sustained forestry program. These members also promote green volunteering and act as an information source about Montgomery County plant life.

For those interested in finding justice after discrimination, consider joining the Human Rights Commission. This commission receives and investigates complaints of discrimination and conducts educational programs to promote equal rights for all. The Commission has implemented National Bullying Prevention Month and promoted their cause among other organizations such as the Montgomery County Muslim Council Iftar.

Residents of Montgomery County should get involved with these commissions not solely for their love of the County but also for the belief that they can make a difference. During my few months here at the Council, I have been to many hearings and committee meetings where I have seen members of my community stand up for their values and make real tangible progress. Every resident has the opportunity to be heard, they just need to get involved.

Current vacancies for boards, committees and commissions are posted on the County's Web site.  

 

PHED Budget Discussions for Tomorrow

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee will hold a joint meeting with the Health and Human Services Committee on the FY14 Operating Budget and CIP Amendments on April 25. Our agenda:

Housing First
Supplemental appropriation--DHCA affordable housing projects
Progress Place
Senior transportation initiative

The PHED Committee will meet immediately following the joint PHED/HHS meeting. Our agenda:

Housing Opportunities Commission
Department of Housing and Community Affairs
Special appropriation--facility planning

This meeting will be televised live on County Cable Montgomery. See the schedule for other upcoming committee meetings here. Although we have completed our public hearings, you can still let us know what you think.

Proposed Changes to Bag Tax

The bag tax has been in effect for over a year, and it has generated far more revenue than expected. While the effort to change behavior in grocery stores, drug stores and general stores shows some promising results, I continue to hear from residents that applying the tax to other types of stores, like those that sell clothing, is a bridge too far. In these cases, the tax is creating more resentment than incentive. I opposed the bag tax when it initially came before the Council, but now that it is in effect, I want to make sure it is reasonable for our residents.

That's why I, along with Councilmembers Craig Rice and Roger Berliner, introduced a bill to modify the carryout bag tax law. Bill 10-13 would limit the tax to bags distributed at food stores. It also would repeal the tax on plastic food take-out bags. The bill defines food stores as any retail store where food consists of more than two percent of gross sales by dollar value. The tax would continue to cover non-food items purchased at stores that meet the definition of a food store.

A public hearing is tentatively scheduled for June 18. Call 240-777-7803 to sign up to speak. You can also let us know your views by e-mailing county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov.

 

Elite Paddling Competition Coming to Dickerson

Top paddlers from across the country will compete right here in Dickerson in the last major slalom event before the US National Team Trials. This is an elite-level race for experts, and we’re proud to have the event in our county. The Dickerson Elite Race will take place May 4 and 5.

In 1991, Pepco allowed the Potomac Whitewater Racing Center to build an artificial whitewater course in the existing outflow canal of their Dickerson Generating Station simulating the 1992 Olympic course in La Seu d’Urgell, Spain. The Dickerson Generating Station is now owned by GenOn which continues to maintain a partnership with PWRC to provide the course. When the plant is generating electricity, the river water gets warmed as it is used to cool the coal fired generators, making for a great paddling environment.

PHED Budget Discussions on Monday

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee will hold our fourth meeting on the FY14 Operating Budget and CIP Amendments on Monday at 2:30. Our agenda:

CIP Amendments: MNCPPC

MNCPPC – Parks, Planning and Central Administrative Services 

This meeting will be televised live on County Cable Montgomery's Web site. See the schedule for other upcoming committee meetings here. Although we have completed our public hearings, you can still let us know what you think.

PHED Budget Discussions on Friday

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee will hold our third meeting on the FY14 Operating Budget and CIP Amendments on Friday at 2:00. Our agenda:

Urban Districts
Conference and Visitors Bureau
Conference Center
Economic Development
Economic Development Fund

This meeting will be televised live on County Cable Montgomery's Web site. See the schedule for other upcoming committee meetings here. Although we have completed our public hearings, you can still let us know what you think.

My Intern's Perspective on the County Budget

My intern, Amanda Cohen, attended one of our public hearings on the budget last week. A junior at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, Amanda has an interesting perspective--one we don't always get a chance to hear, so I appreciate her thoughtful commentary. Here's her take:

The process of making the Montgomery County budget is not an easy one. Every year, Councilmembers and their constituents crowd into meeting rooms to discuss the needs of every service, program and agency in Montgomery County.

Before I came to intern at the Montgomery County Council, I had no knowledge of the County budget, or the fact that there was a budget at all. It is only now, after listening to the citizens of Montgomery County fight for their programs, that I understand how important this $4 billion budget is.
 

For many citizens, the money received by certain programs is a way to change lives. A speaker from the Korean Community Service Center told a moving story of how, with the help of County money, the center saved a young woman and her baby from an abusive husband. The Center is a like a home for some of the 45,000 Koreans that live in Montgomery County and has provided them will a place to celebrate their culture, adapt to America and find relief.
 

For other much younger citizens, this money provides an invaluable education. The numerous mothers in attendance on Thursday, April 11th, passionately explained the overcrowding that has been disturbing Montgomery County’s schools. As a current student, I can attest to this overcrowding; every day I push my way through thick crowds of students to sit in a stuffed classroom where most teachers pass out busywork because there are too many of us to have fair class discussions. Members from the Northeast Consortium and Gaithersburg Cluster discussed this overcrowding and the need for modernization. With less crowding in schools and modernized technologies, our public schools can retain their high standards and continue to progress as one of the top public school programs in the country.
 

After the school moms had given their speeches, John Mannes, Student Member of the Board of Education, gave a precise and passionate speech about the downfalls of the County budget. He believes that the current budget is doing the bare minimum to help our schools and the Council needs to approve more money towards teachers and students. While I do agree that the budget does not spend enough on teachers, I believe that our school system, as the best in the state, is doing far more than the bare minimum. Approximately 50% of the current budget goes to MCPS to give our County high schools a plethora of AP and IB courses, Student Service Learning opportunities, varsity sports and extracurricular classes.
 

The budget is too complicated for any one person to compute. There are so many parts and opinions to be taken into account the Councilmembers are lucky to have their staffs, constituents and each other to help make these tough decisions that shape our community.

Nominate Your Business for a Small Business Award

This just in from Department of Economic Development: don’t miss the chance to nominate your company for recognition at DED’s first annual Small Business Awards luncheon. The invitation:

Join us and several hundred of your colleagues from throughout the County's diverse business community as we honor individuals and local organizations who have made significant contributions to the vitality of our local economy. We are currently accepting award nominations through COB April 22 in the following categories:

Bioscience Company of the Year
IT Company of the Year
Montgomery County BIN Company of the Year
Small Business Award (1-10 Employees)
Small Business Award (11-50 Employees)
Small Business Award (51-200 Employees)
Start-up Business of the Year
Workforce Development Award

Nominate your company or a deserving company you know today! Hurry, nominations are due by COB April, 22!

Plus, the awards luncheon will provide countless opportunities to show your appreciation for the estimated 33,000 small businesses in Montgomery County—businesses that contribute directly to the strength of the area's economy and that could become your next client, sale, supplier or partner!

Whether your company is up for an award or not, we hope you'll join us on May 24 to share in this celebration of the County's top small businesses and to be a part of this great business appreciation and networking opportunity!

PHED Budget Discussions Tuesday

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee will hold our second meeting on the FY14 Operating Budget and CIP Amendments on Tuesday at 2:00. Our agenda:

Gaithersburg Middle School pool
Department of Recreation

This meeting will be televised live on County Cable Montgomery. See the schedule for other upcoming committee meetings here. Although today is the last day for public hearings, you can still let us know what you think.

Kenwood Cherry Blossoms

I confess today’s post isn’t strictly business, but this short video by County Cable Montgomery on the Kenwood cherry blossoms just makes me happy. And in case you are wondering, yes, the picture in my blog’s masthead is from Kenwood.

Overview of the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite

Thank you to the Planning Department for giving the PHED Committee an excellent overview of the nearly completed Zoning Ordinance Rewrite. The presentation was appropriate for land use novices and experts alike, and it incorporated plenty of background and supplemental information, including an interactive map where you can see how proposed changes would affect your property. Check out the video archive of the meeting or just the Power Point presentation.

We expect the Planning Board to submit its final draft to the Council in May, and we have tentatively scheduled the public hearing for June 11. I’ll keep you posted on details and upcoming worksessions through my blog.

Over the years, the Zoning Code has become overly technical, contradictory in some places and difficult to understand. We aim to make the revised version more transparent, clear and consistent. I encourage you to weigh in as we make our way though this comprehensive project.

Transit Center Update on Tuesday

This just in: We will receive a briefing on remediation plans for the Silver Spring Transit Center at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 9. David Dise, director of the County’s Department of General Services, will make a presentation to the Council in our Third Floor Hearing Room if you want to attend. The meeting also will be broadcast live on County Cable Montgomery.

PHED Budget Discussions Start Monday

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee will begin our deliberations of the FY14 Operating Budget and CIP Amendments on Monday at 2:00. Our agenda:

Board of Appeals
Hearing Examiner
NDA: Historical Activities
Department of Permitting Services

This meeting will be televised live on County Cable Montgomery. See the schedule for other upcoming committee meetings here.

WaPo: Fewer Mortgages Underwater

According to an article in Washington Post's Where We Live blog today, the number of homeowners currently underwater in their mortgages decreased in the last quarter of 2012. For Montgomery County, the rate is 21.4 percent, compared with 23.9 percent a year ago. That’s better than the national average of 27.5 percent, down from 31.1 percent at the end of 2011.

In August of 2011, I hosted a foreclosure prevention workshop for residents who were struggling to keep up with their mortgage payments. Many of those who attended the workshop found their situation complicated by the fact they were underwater. According to the article, the trend toward freedom from underwater mortgages is expected to continue.

Discuss the Bag Tax on New County Site

If we modify the carryout bag fee law, what are your suggestions to change it, or should we keep it as it is now? This question came up recently in the Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee and now is under discussion on the County’s new engageMontgomery Web site.

The engageMontgomery site serves as an informal online town hall meeting. Sign up for an account to express your own ideas on the bag tax or other key issues, or support the ideas that you like best from others. You can earn points for signing up for an account, points for sharing ideas, and even more points when others support your ideas. Cash in your points for various prizes such as a free round of golf at a County golf course, a home security evaluation by a County police officer and a story time and tour for up to four children at a County library.