Updated PHED Schedule

Here's the updated schedule for the Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee, including new meeting dates for continued work on the Bethesda Downtown Plan:

• March 13, 2:00 -- Bethesda Downtown Plan
• March 20, 2:00 -- Bethesda Downtown Plan
• March 27, 2:00 -- Bethesda Downtown Plan
• March 28, 2:00 -- Supplemental appropriation for WorkSource Montgomery; Bill 38-16 Housing and Building Maintenance Standards; Bill 39-16 Housing and Building Maintenance Standards; Executive Regulation 27-16 Schedule of Fees for Permits, Licenses and Certification; Wheaton Redevelopment financing plan
• April 3, 2:00 ZTA 16-20 Overlay Zone Bethesda

All of the committee meetings will be televised live and on demand, so tune in to County Cable Montgomery if you want to follow along. You can get agendas and background information at the Council Meeting Portal.

Property Tax Credit for Long-time Homeowners and Retired Veterans

Good news, today we approved my bill to create a new property tax credit for residents who are at least 65 years old and who have lived in the same home for at least 40 years. The bill also provides a tax credit for residents 65 or older who are retired veterans of the U.S. military.

As introduced, Bill 42-16 would have created a new property tax credit for residents who are at least 65 years old and who have lived in the same home, with an assessed value of $500,000 or less, for at least 40 years. Retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard) who are at least 65 years old also are eligible for the credit if their home has an assessed value of $500,000 or less.

However, the approved bill included an amendment that increases the maximum assessed value for eligibility for 40-year homeowners to $650,000.

Residents who qualify are eligible to receive a 20-percent credit for the property tax imposed on their homes. The credit would be granted annually for up to five years, subject to application requirements.

We want to do whatever we can to encourage people who love living in Montgomery County to continue to be able to live here as their life circumstances change. We understand that this can be an expensive place to live for many people at the prime of their earning power, and it gets more challenging for those in retirement years. With this bill, we can offer some help to people who have lived here a long time and helped build this County and to those who served our country and helped preserve and protect all the things for which we are thankful.

The bill will go into effect on July 1, 2017. Those seeking a credit must apply by April 1 of the year in which the tax credit is sought. However, for 2017 only, the deadline was extended to September 1. I'll let you know when the application process has been finalized.

Girl Power Writing Contest

Here's the full press release from the Commission for Women:

The Montgomery County Commission for Women is kicking off Women’s History Month in a unique way this year. The Commission is inviting residents of all ages to participate in the first annual Girl Power Writing Contest, “What’s It Mean to Be a Woman in 2017?” 

Children and adults are welcome to submit a short story, poem, drawing or anything else that reflects the contest theme. Girls and women can share their own experiences while boys and men can reflect on what they think life is like for the women in their life. 

Submissions can be intellectual, emotional, funny, spiritual or serious. Possibly inspirational themes include: I’m proud to be a girl/woman; battling stereotypes; breaking the glass ceiling; body confidence; I can do anything a boy/man can do. Creative entries are welcome, but entrants should refrain from using vulgarities and racist or sexist comments or images.

The Commission for Women will select winning entries from four categories: elementary school students, middle school students, high school students and adults. Entries will be judged on creativity and content.

Contest winners will be featured on the Commission for Women website and receive a swag bag, a photo with Commissioners, a congratulatory letter from County Executive Isiah Leggett and an invitation to be a guest of honor at a Montgomery County Commission for Women event of their choice.

Submissions will be accepted through March 31 and are limited to one per person. Written entries should be no more than 500 words. Entries should include full name, age, grade and school (if applicable), phone number, and e-mail address. Winners will be announced by April 14. 

Entries may be submitted by mail or email. Mail entries should be sent to Girl Power Contest, Montgomery County Commission for Women, 21 Maryland Avenue, Suite 330, Rockville, MD 20850. Email entries should be sent to cfwinfo@montgomerycountymd.gov with “Girl Power Contest” in the subject line. 

Entries submitted by minors must include written permission from a parent or guardian and be the minor’s own work. All entries become the property of the Montgomery County Commission for Women and may be used for publicity purposes. 

For more information, call 240-777-8300 or visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw.

Town Hall Meeting for Silver Spring

Let us know what matters most to you at our Town Hall Meeting for the Silver Spring area on Wednesday, March 15. The meeting will be held at the Long Branch Community Center (8700 Piney Branch Road) beginning at 8 p.m. with a pre-meeting reception at 7:30. You can voice your opinions on specific issues and ask questions of us in an organized, but informal, setting. I hope to see you there.

The meeting will be taped for later broadcast on County Cable Montgomery. You can find CCM on cable channel 996 (high definition) and 6 (standard definition) on Comcast; Channels 1056 (HD) and 6 (SD) on RCN; and Channel 30 on Verizon. For more information about the Town Hall Meeting or about the broadcast times, call 240-777-7931.

Free Trees for Qualifying Properties

The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is offering free trees to qualifying property owners in certain urban districts of Montgomery County.

The Shades of Green program was launched in 2012 as a pilot program and has expanded to include additional areas of the county that have a high level of impervious surfaces in an effort to enhance the tree canopy cover. The program is financed through the Forest Conservation Fund, which primarily consists of fees paid by developers who cannot meet tree planting requirements on their own development sites.

Find out if you are eligible to receive free trees by filling out the Shades of Green request form.

Apply Now for Planning Board

Here's the full press release:

ROCKVILLE, Md., February 24, 2017—The Montgomery County Council is seeking applicants to fill a vacancy on the Montgomery County Planning Board. The second term of Marye Wells-Harley (Democrat) will expire on June 14, 2017, and she is not eligible for reappointment.

Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12.

Members serve four-year terms and are limited to two full terms. No more than three members of the Planning Board may be from the same political party, and each member must be a resident and registered voter of Montgomery County when appointed. This position may be filled by a Democrat, Republican, a voter who declines to affiliate with a party, or a member of another party officially recognized by the Montgomery County Board of Elections. 

In addition to Ms. Wells-Harley (D), current board members are Chair Casey Anderson (D), Norman Dreyfuss (R), Gerald Cichy (R) and Natali Fani-Gonzalez (D). Annual compensation for Board members is currently $30,000, and the chair currently earns $201,500. 

The Planning Board serves as the Council’s principal adviser on land use planning and community planning. Planning Board members also serve as commissioners of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

The Planning Board’s responsibilities with regard to planning include preparation and amendment of the County General Plan; preparation and amendment of master plans and functional plans; formulation of subdivision regulations; preparation of or recommendations on text amendments to the County Zoning Code; implementation of the subdivision process by reviewing and approving all preliminary plans, site plans and other plans for development; advice on the planning implications of capital facilities and programs of the County government, Montgomery College, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and Montgomery County Public Schools; commenting, under its mandatory referral authority, on plans for public facilities of local, state and federal agencies; and approval of the work program and the annual operating budget for the Planning Department and the Commission’s bi-county offices.

The Planning Board sits as the Park Commission and approves the annual Parks Department operating budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP); land acquisition contracts and major development contracts for parks; development plans for individual park facilities; policies for park operations; and park user fees. 

The Planning Board meets all day, including into the evening, every Thursday and will schedule other meetings, as needed. The entire Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission meets the third Wednesday of every month. On average, a Planning Board member may spend two full days a week in scheduled and informal meetings. Additionally, substantial time is required for preparatory work and other activities related to Planning Board responsibilities.

Application Process and Deadline

Letters of application expressing interest, including a resume listing professional and civic experience, political party affiliation, home and office telephone numbers and an email address, should be addressed to: Council President Roger Berliner, County Council Office, Stella B. Werner Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20850. Applications can also be submitted via email to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov 

Letters of application and resumes are made public as part of the appointment process, and are available for public review. The interviews are conducted in public and will be televised. 

Letters with resumes must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12. It is the Council’s policy not to consider applications received after the deadline. After the closing date, Councilmembers will review the letters of application and select applicants for interviews to be held soon thereafter.

Financial Disclosure

A financial disclosure statement of assets, debts, income and family property interests will be required to be filed by each applicant. The financial disclosure form will be sent to you after we receive your letter of application. Only the financial disclosure statement of the ultimate appointee will be made available to the public; all others will be returned to the applicants.

Revised PHED Schedule for Bethesda Plan

We have revised the Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee's schedule for considering the Bethesda Downtown Plan. The PHED Committee already held worksessions on February 6 and 13. The agendas for the March 2 and March 6 PHED meetings have been switched with each other. The March 6 meeting is not related to the Bethesda Downtown Plan. Here is the updated schedule:

• February 27, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, transportation
• March 2, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, continued
• March 13, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, ZTA 16-20--Overlay Zone

All of the committee meetings will be televised live and on demand, so tune in to County Cable Montgomery if you want to follow along. The Council held three public hearings on the Bethesda Downtown Plan on October 18, 19 and 20, but you can still send your comments to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov. We want your input, and we give equal weight to written and oral testimony. You can get agendas and background information at the Council Meeting Portal.

We have not yet scheduled a date for the full Council to consider the Bethesda Downtown Plan.

Discussion: Hate Crimes and Extremism--the Montgomery County Model

Tune in to County Cable Montgomery tomorrow at about 11:00 for our discussion called “Hate Crimes and Extremism—the Montgomery County Model.” A panel that will include Police Chief Tom Manger will address County and community efforts to prevent both hate crimes and extremism. Don't worry if you aren't able to watch live; the session will be available on demand about 24 hours later.

In 2016, there were 94 reported bias incidents, which is an increase of 42.4 percent over 2015 (66). Of these, 34 percent were reported in November and December.

In 2016, the primary bias motivation was religious bias (40.4 percent of incidents), followed by racial bias (36.2 percent of incidents). The remaining 22 incidents were motivated by biases against ethnicity (12), sexual orientation (6) and gender (4). Of those motivated by race, most were anti-black bias incidents. Those motivated by religion mostly were anti-Jewish. Schools were the targets of 21 incidents: six in elementary schools, two in middle schools, 11 in high schools and two at Montgomery College.

Since many of the bias incidents occurred in the schools, the panel will discuss what steps Montgomery County Public Schools is taking to help reduce the number of incidents. The involvement of School Resource Officers—police officers based in schools—also will be explored.

Holiday Schedule for Presidents' Day

Here's our holiday schedule for Presidents' Day, Monday, February 20:

• County Offices – closed
• Libraries – closed
• County Liquor stores – all stores will be open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Recreation – aquatic facilities and community centers open; aquatics programs will meet as scheduled; all other classes and programs cancelled; administrative offices and senior centers closed; 55+ Active Adult Programs are cancelled
• Montgomery Parks - visit www.MontgomeryParks.org
• Ride On – will run a special Holiday Schedule. Click on route number in this link to see the timetable for each route: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-Transit/SpecialHoliday.html
• Metrorail – Information available at www.wmata.com
• Metrobus – Information available at www.wmata.com
• TRiPS Commuter Stores (Silver Spring and Friendship Heights) – closed
• County-provided refuse/recycling pickup – no collection, all collections scheduled on or after the holiday will be made one day later in the week. Monday collections on Tuesday; Tuesday collections on Wednesday; Wednesday collections on Thursday; Thursday collections on Friday; and Friday collections on Saturday
• The Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station - recycling and trash drop-off open with normal hours. Recycling Center and administrative offices closed
• Parking at public garages, lots, curbside meters – free
• MCPS Schools and Administrative Offices – closed
• State offices and courts – closed

Public Libraries Offer "Fake News: How to Spot It"

Montgomery County Public Libraries is offering a program, “Fake News: How to Spot It.” The program will help you determine the kind of fake news that exists and provide tools to evaluate news for reliability and truth.

The topic of fake news is as old as the news industry itself—misinformation, hoaxes, propaganda and satire have long been in existence. Lately, there has been a lot of discussion and misinformation about what is considered real and fake news.

Presented by the Enoch Pratt Free Library/Maryland's State Library Resource Center, the free program, suitable for teens and adults, is scheduled for:

February 24, 4 p.m. – Silver Spring, 900 Wayne Avenue, Silver Spring
February 27, 6 p.m. – Bethesda, 7400 Arlington Road, Bethesda
February 28, 6 p.m. – Germantown, Century Boulevard, Germantown

For more information, contact Mary Ellen Icaza at 240-777-0006.

Shop Maryland Energy Tax-free Weekend

Are you in the market for new appliances? Take advantage of Shop Maryland Energy tax-free weekend on select ENERGY STAR appliances. The tax-free weekend will take place Saturday, February 18, through Monday, February 20. This is the eighth year for this annual event, which allows consumers to make qualifying purchases on qualifying ENERGY STAR products without paying the state’s six percent sales tax.

Does Sanctuary Jurisdictions Executive Order Affect Montgomery County?

Our County Attorney has advised us that the Presidential Executive Order concerning sanctuary jurisdictions does not affect Montgomery County. See the briefing notes for more information.

Joint Statement Reaffirming Community Values

The Montgomery County Executive and the Montgomery County Council issued the following joint statement reaffirming community values:

Montgomery County is committed to building and maintaining a safe and inclusive community for our residents. Understanding, tolerance, and respect are hallmarks of the Montgomery County way. Social justice for all is what we strive to achieve in our County. 

We greatly regret the anxiety that has been stoked among many in our community as a result of the President’s Executive Orders. We issue this statement to assure all of our residents that those orders will not change the way that County police officers or County workers interact with the public and will not impact how we provide social services.  

It is longstanding County policy that County police do not enforce federal immigration law. Neither will they inquire about immigration status when individuals are stopped nor target individuals based on their ethnicity, race, or religious beliefs. 

The County’s law enforcement leaders are also committed to our values, and they will continue working to build trust in our community. Police Chief Tom Manger, Corrections and Rehabilitation Director Rob Green, Sheriff Darren Popkin, and State’s Attorney John McCarthy are sworn to protect the rights of all residents and to treat all individuals equally.  

Your County leaders stand ready to take the steps necessary to defend our values and maintain the integrity of our community. Executive orders are not self-executing. They require additional actions by federal agencies to be implemented.  In addition, executive orders are subject to public scrutiny and legal challenges.  

Montgomery County has a long history of working to promote community safety and trust among its residents regardless of their culture, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. In 2011 the Council passed a resolution to promote public trust in government and law enforcement to ensure that that the federal Secure Communities initiative was implemented consistent with its stated purpose. 

In November 2016, the Council approved a resolution reaffirming community safety and trust and denouncing anti-immigrant activity, racial bias, and discrimination. Also in November, the County Executive initiated solidarity with our friends and neighbors from all walks of life at the “Stand Up for the Montgomery Way” rally, which was a strong and broadly shared public declaration of our collective values.   

Montgomery County remains steadfast in its commitment to fairness, justice, and equal treatment under the law. We believe that no deportations should take place without ensuring that individuals to be deported receive adequate representation and due process of law under the Constitution.  Regardless of immigration status, we will uphold the Fourth Amendment rights of our residents.  

As your local leaders we will continue to speak out on behalf of all of our residents to promote the values that define our community. Montgomery County will remain an inclusive and welcoming place to live, work, and raise a family.       

Residents who are in need of legal resources or support services are encouraged to dial 311 for help or visit the MC311 web page at: http://www3.montgomerycountymd.gov/311/Home.aspx.

PHED Schedule for Bethesda Downtown Plan

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee started its work on the Bethesda Downtown Plan on January 23 with a comprehensive overview. We expect to work on this plan until mid-March, and we will add more worksessions if they are needed. I encourage you to check the committee calendar regularly as things do change sometimes, but here is the schedule we expect to follow for the next few weeks: 

• February 6, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, schools and fiscal impact
• February 13, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, continued
• February 27, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, transportation
• March 6, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, continued
• March 13, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, ZTA 16-20--Overlay Zone

All of the committee meetings will be televised live and on demand, so tune in to County Cable Montgomery if you want to follow along. The Council held three public hearings on the Bethesda Downtown Plan on October 18, 19 and 20, but you can still send your comments to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov. We want your input, and we give equal weight to written and oral testimony. You can get agendas and background information at the Council Meeting Portal.

We have not yet scheduled a date for the full Council to consider the Bethesda Downtown Plan.

County Executive Vetoes Minimum Wage Increase

The County Executive has vetoed Bill 12-16 that would have gradually increased the County minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2020. The Council passed the legislation in a 5-4 vote last Tuesday. Although I am in favor of raising the minimum wage nationally or even regionally, I voted against the bill because I worry that raising our minimum wage when surrounding jurisdictions do not raise theirs risks putting us at a competitive disadvantage for job creation. What people want most is a job, and we need to make sure we have an environment that supports job growth. The current minimum wage in Montgomery County is $10.75, and it will go up to $11.50 on July 1.