Feb. 2023

Rabbiah Sabbakhan Named DPS Director

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has appointed Rabbiah Sabbakhan as the new director of the Department of Permitting Services (DPS). The Council confirmed the nomination on Jan. 31.

“My vision and intention for DPS is to help make it a truly world-class permitting department,” Sabbakhan said. “My top priorities for the department include providing excellent customer service and creating continuous improvement, transparency and consistency in how permitting services are delivered while ensuring safety and sustainability.”

Sabbakhan said he is looking forward to working with staff and meeting with stakeholders. 

Before joining DPS, Sabbakhan was the chief building official for the City of Rockville. He has worked in several roles for the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) at the government of the District of Columbia, including permitting chief, chief building official, and senior advisor for building and compliance. He also served as interim director of the DCRA, where he started its paperless permitting movement with the implementation of ProjectDox and started its Green Building Program.

Earlier in his career, he worked for the City of Richmond overseeing construction of several major economic development projects through completion and occupancy.

He has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Virginia.

New Customer Support and Outreach Division Chief

Gail Lucas is the new DPS division chief of Customer Support and Outreach (CS&O).

The CS&O division is responsible for all administration and issuance of building, land development, and zoning permits, applications, and licenses as well as information requests, predesign consultations and other specialty services.

Previously, Lucas was the DPS permitting services manager responsible for processing permits and licenses for commercial buildings, new homes, fire protection and special events. She is also one of the department’s experts for the Montgomery County Design for Life program. She will now lead the CS&O division.

Lucas has worked at DPS for almost 20 years.

2023 Wet Season to be Determined

Did you know that before you install a septic system you must test the soil?

County regulations require that water table tests be performed at the time of year when the highest water table can be expected at the on-site sewage disposal area.

Generally, this time period is considered to be Feb. 1 – April 15. These dates are calculated each year based on water table levels (monitoring well data) and how much it has rained or snowed (precipitation amounts).

In Montgomery County, the dates for the 2023 Wet Season have not been determined to date. For updates, visit the Soils Testing webpage on the DPS website.

Wednesday Water Webinar

Save the date! The University of Maryland Extension Office will hold its next Wednesday Water Webinar at noon Wednesday, Feb. 15.  

This month’s topic is about upgrading your septic system. Register for the webinar online.

For more information about the permitting process and septic systems, visit the DPS website. 

Sign Review Board Meets Feb. 8

The Sign Review Board meets virtually via Microsoft Teams at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb 8. The Board’s agenda is posted online.

In addition, the 2023 meeting schedule for the Sign Review Board is also posted on the DPS website.

If you have questions or need more information about the Sign Review Board, email Roger Waterstreet at roger.waterstreet@montgomerycountymd.gov.

DPS Advisory Committee Vacancy

Do you want to help make a difference in the permitting department? The Department of Permitting Services Advisory Committee has a vacancy for an active member of a civic organization. The 17-member committee advises the department on the performance of its functions and recommends steps necessary to improve. Applications are being accepted from now until Friday, Feb. 17.

On Thursday, Feb. 9, the DPS Advisory Committee meets virtually at 4:30 p.m. via Microsoft Teams. The agenda is posted online.

Visit the committee’s website for more information about committee members, minutes and more.

Residential Team Reaches Out to Builders

DPS managers David Burch and James Sackett met virtually with the Montgomery County Builders Association on Jan. 10 to inform members of upcoming code changes, specifically the 2021 International Residential Code and 2021 International Energy Conservation Code.

According to Sackett, the DPS residential division plans to host open houses and provide more outreach before the code changes are formally adopted.

Design for Life

Live longer in the home you love and qualify for property tax credits. Get the facts about the Montgomery County Design for Life Program.

Black History Month

Montgomery County is celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth in February. Look for social media posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter spotlighting employees from County departments, including several staffers from the Department of Permitting Services (#MoCoDPS).  

Looking for a Job?

Join our team! The Department of Permitting Services is hiring building inspectors, permitting specialists, and more. Consider a rewarding career as a code official. Don’t delay; apply today!

Schedule Change

DPS offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 20 in observance of Presidents Day.

The office will reopen at 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 21. DPS is located on the 7^th floor at 2425 Reedie Drive in Wheaton.

Apply for permits and submit construction plans online, at any time, by visiting the DPS website.

Take the Survey

DPS has launched a Customer Satisfaction Survey to get your feedback about our permitting processes and service.

The survey is posted on the DPS website in English and Spanish for customers to rate the overall quality of the services they received; how quickly requests and applications were processed; and asks for feedback on whether customers were satisfied with the services they received and how DPS could improve.

Providing excellent customer service is a top priority of DPS, and your feedback is key. Please take the survey and let us know about your recent experiences.   

Stay in the Know

Subscribe to Constructive Comments to receive this online newsletter in your inbox each month. In between issues, follow #MoCoDPS on Montgomery County’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages for the latest news and information from the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services.