|
ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 12, 2024—The Montgomery County Council voted today to approve the 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy. The policy is the set of guidelines adopted by the County for administering the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance. The purpose of the policy is to ensure that the County’s public infrastructure is adequate to meet the demands of new development. The Growth and Infrastructure Policy is updated every four years to reflect the latest growth patterns and trends in the County.
"This consensus Growth and Infrastructure Policy seeks to balance the ever-increasing needs of our community, especially our schools, with the county’s need to attract new residents and new investments to ensure vibrancy and enhance quality of life," said Council President Andrew Friedson who chairs the Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee. “I want to thank my Council colleagues, the Planning Board, Planning and Council staff for their tremendous work on the Growth and Infrastructure Policy which will guide growth and development in our community for the next four years as we enhance quality of life."
“Today, we approved a modernized Growth and Infrastructure Policy that will simplify the regulatory process and more precisely allocate school and transportation dollars from new development,” said Councilmember Natali Fani-González, who is a member of the PHP Committee. “All in all, the approved policy will make us more competitive for investment while ensuring that our roads and schools get the resources they need.”
Councilmember Will Jawando, who is also a member of the PHP Committee, said, “The 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy represents a critical investment in balancing our community’s growth with the needs of our residents. This policy underscores our commitment to sustainable development, ensuring that as Montgomery County grows, our public facilities, especially our schools, remain capable of supporting our residents and maintaining quality of life.”
The 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy is the set of guidelines adopted by the County for administering the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance. Although commonly referred to as a separate ordinance, the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance is part of Montgomery County’s subdivision regulations of the County Code. The ordinance was adopted by the Council in 1973 with the goal of synchronizing development with the availability of public facilities needed to support that development.
“The Growth and Infrastructure Policy is an important tool in advancing our county goals of growth, housing, economic competitiveness, environmental resilience, and racial equity and social justice,” said Council Vice President Kate Stewart. “This year, the Council took steps to make changes to the policy to ensure that as a growing, diverse community, we are planning for a future where we have the infrastructure and amenities to ensure all of Montgomery County thrives.”
"I'm thrilled to have voted to pass the 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy, setting the course for how our vibrant community will approach the next four years,” said Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles. “The policy approved today recognizes our need to increase housing and improve infrastructure while maintaining a process that considers each community's individual needs. This will keep us focused on our long-term goals and ensures we maintain our position as one of the most attractive and dynamic places to live and thrive in the Country."
“As a guidebook to building great neighborhoods throughout the county, the quadrennial review and approval of the Growth and Infrastructure Policy is among the most important responsibilities of the Montgomery County Council,” said Councilmember Gabe Albornoz. “I thank the many residents for their important input as well as the talented staffs of the Montgomery County Planning Department and the County Council for their expertise with this critical task.”
“As the district representative for East County, I’m excited to support the 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy, which prioritizes development in parts of East County that need it, while maintaining a healthy balance with infrastructure needs for current and future residents,” said Councilmember Kristin Mink. “This policy will help us to continue to invest in schools and transportation infrastructure, shepherd in some exciting changes, and maintain the great quality of life that we enjoy in District 5.”
The Montgomery County Code requires the Planning Board to approve and send to the Council a recommended Growth and Infrastructure Policy by Aug. 1. The Planning Board submitted their recommended draft policy on Aug. 1, 2024. The Planning Board often recommends other legislative changes concurrent with its recommended changes to the Growth and Infrastructure Policy.
The PHP Committee held a series of meetings on Sept. 16, Sept. 23 and Oct. 7 to review the 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy. The Council held meetings on Oct. 15 and 22 to review the policy. In addition, the Council took straw votes on the 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy on Oct. 22.
The Council also voted today to enact Expedited Bill 16-24, Development Impact Tax – Amendments, which amends development impact taxes within Chapter 52 of the County Code.
Bill 16-24, which contains the Planning Board’s recommended changes to impact taxes, was introduced to the Council on Sept. 10 and a public hearing was held on Oct. 1. The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee reviewed the legislation at meetings on Oct. 10 and Oct. 17, and made recommendations for the full Council’s consideration.
The recommendations include continuing to exempt bioscience projects from transportation impact taxes, exempting office-to-residential conversions from transportation impact taxes, and convening a working group to explore additional funding mechanisms to better meet infrastructure needs, among other measures.
View the Council’s full list of recommendations in the staff report.
Residents can view the Growth and Infrastructure Policy Resolution on the Council’s website. More information can be found on the Planning Board’s Growth and Infrastructure Policy website.
# # #
|
