 Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Students are back in school, and the Council is back in session! The Council has hit the ground running with a jam-packed list of committee sessions. See what we will be working on this month on the Council website and read more about my committee work below!
When I'm not in the Council chamber, I will continue to be out and about in the District 2 community, which is my favorite part of the job. On Saturday, September 20th, I'll be in Poolesville for the town's annual Poolesville Day celebration. Mark your calendar for this free and fun event; stop by my table to say hello! The event will be held from 10AM to 4PM, rain or shine, at Whalen Commons in Poolesville.
I'm excited to share that I will be hosting my second annual Back to School Block Party at the end of this month! This event is for middle and high school students, and will be held from 1-4PM on Friday, September 26th at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown. We'll have a resource fair, free food, games, sports activities, student performances, and much more! Plus, students have the opportunity to earn three SSL hours for participating! Make sure this great event is on your child's calendar. If you have any questions, please reach out to me directly.
 A flyer advertising the Back to School Block Party, a free event for middle and high schools students. The event will be held on Friday, September 26th from 1-4PM at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown.
 A graphic for the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan. Clicking the image will redirect to the sector plan website.
The Montgomery County Planning Board will hold two public hearings on Thursday, September 25th for the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan, which focuses on an area of Clarksburg east of I-270 and west of Frederick Road (MD 355). The sector plan envisions a more complete, connected, and sustainable community over the next 20-plus years that balances economic growth with the preservation of natural and historic resources.
The Planning Board’s first public hearing on September 25th will be held immediately following the Planning Board’s lunch break at approximately 12:30PM. This hearing will be hybrid; participants have the option of participating virtually or in-person at the M-NCPPC headquarters in Wheaton. The Planning Board’s second public hearing on September 25th will be held at 6PM at the Upcounty Regional Services Center in Germantown. This hearing will be in-person only.
Sign up to testify before the Planning Board for either public hearing. You do not need to sign up or speak at both hearings, so please sign up for the one that is most convenient for you. Your feedback on this plan is crucial, and I encourage you to share your thoughts with the Planning Board during the upcoming public hearings.
You may have noticed hundreds of "No Turn on Red" signs pop up over the summer in Montgomery County, and may be wondering why. The no-right-on-red measure was passed in 2023 as part of the Safe Streets Act, and helps improve pedestrian safety in Montgomery County. While the legislation was passed in 2023, the prohibition on right turns at red lights in certain intersections took effect this summer on July 1st.
Right turns at red lights are not prohibited at every intersection; they are only prohibited in designated downtown and town center areas where signage has been installed. Therefore, it is important to remain alert and pay close attention to the signs posted at each traffic light to ensure that you are obeying traffic laws. Drivers who violate the ban on right turns at red lights may face a $90 fine and one point on their driver's license. If you have any questions about the prohibition on right turns at red lights, please let me know.
Additionally, I want to bring to your attention a couple of prolonged road closures in District 2. Shiloh Church Road from West Old Baltimore Road to Conrad Spring Road in Clarksburg and Boyds will be closed beginning September 3rd. The closure is expected to last approximately six months while MCDOT implements a new storm drain culvert along Shiloh Church Road. Wasche Road from W. Hunter Road to Martinsburg Road in Dickerson will be closed beginning September 3rd. The closure is expected to last three weeks while MCDOT removes and replaces a falling twin cell corrugated metal pipe with new twin cell concrete pipes.
Economic Development (ECON) Committee
The Economic Development (ECON) committee will be meeting jointly with the Transportation and Environment (TE) committee to discuss the Airpark Community Advisory Committee's FY25 report on Monday, September 15th. We will meet in October for a briefing about the Montgomery County Retail Market.
As always, you can review our staff packet online on the Council website, and can watch a recording of our session on demand on the Council YouTube channel.
Transportation and Environment Committee
On Monday, September 22nd, the Transportation and Environment (TE) committee will receive a briefing about the Purple Line and associated bicycle and pedestrian improvements. I am looking forward to this briefing and will include a summary of our conversation in my next newsletter.
Council Legislation
There were a few Zoning Text Amendments and Local Map Amendments introduced during the Council session yesterday. Read about them below.
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Local Map Amendment (LMA) H-155, Pike Center Fee 1807, LLC (12101-12151 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852)
- Tentative action is scheduled for September 30, 2025, at which time the District Council will receive a briefing from the Hearing Examiner about this application.
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Local Map Amendment (LMA) J-157, Paramount Self Storage, LLC (15750 Paramount Drive, Rockville, MD 20855)
- Tentative action is scheduled for September 30, 2025, at which time the District Council will receive a briefing from the Hearing Examiner about this application.
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Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 25-12, University Boulevard (UB) Overlay Zone
- A public hearing on this ZTA is tentatively scheduled for October 14th. Public hearings on the plan itself will be held on September 10th and September 16th.
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Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 25-06, Vehicle Service - Filling Station
Upcoming Public Hearings
To testify at a Council public hearing or to submit written, audio, or video testimony, please visit the Council website or call 240-777-7803. The deadline to sign up to testify for a 1:30PM public hearing is 2PM the day prior. The deadline to sign up to testify for a 7PM public hearing is 5PM the day prior.
September 10, 2025
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7PM: University Boulevard Corridor Plan
- This public hearing will be held at the Montgomery Blair High School auditorium (51 University Boulevard East, Silver Spring, MD 2091)
- The deadline to sign up for this public hearing is 12PM on September 8, 2025
September 16, 2025
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1:30PM: Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 25-11, Temporary Commercial Uses - Temporary Telecommunications Facility
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1:30PM: Subdivision Regulation Amendment (SRA) 25-02, Technical Review - Optional Method Workforce Housing Development
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7PM: University Boulevard Corridor Plan
- The deadline to sign up for this public hearing is 12PM on September 8, 2025
September 30, 2025
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1:30PM: Special Appropriation to the FY26 Operating Budget, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Clarksburg to Montgomery Village Corridor Transportation Study, $100,000
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1:30PM: Bill 28-25, Motor Vehicles and Traffic - Parking in Bikeways - Prohibited
The following County Council appointed boards, committees, and commissions are seeking applicants:
The following County boards, committees, and commissions are seeking applicants:
- Have questions about your water meter? WSSCWater has answers! The new Flow and Tell video series answers all your questions, from how your meter works to tips on what to do if your bill is high. Visit WSSC's website to check out the video series.
- Did you know that all MCPS and private school students are eligible for free back to school vaccines until the end of September? There are six available vaccines that students can receive at the Dennis Avenue Health Center in Silver Spring, or at other Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Clinics.
- The Clean Water Montgomery Grant Program is accepting applications. This grant supports watershed restoration and outreach projects throughout Montgomery County, and eligible nonprofits are encouraged to apply.
 A graphic about Montgomery County Fire Code Compliance Permits. Clicking the image will redirect to the Department of Permitting Services' FCC website.
 A flyer advertising a volunteer opportunity thorugh Empowering The Ages.
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Are you 50+ and looking for a meaningful way to give back? ETA Connections pairs you with one preschooler and their family for two school years of fun, learning, and growth. Read books, play games, and build a bond that helps a child thrive in school—and in life. You’ll get training, support, and a warm community of fellow volunteers. Join an upcoming info session to learn more! Email volunteer@empoweringtheages.org or fill out the volunteer application to get started.
 A flyer advertising the Montgomery County Family Bike Festival, which will be held on Sunday, September 14th from 1-4:30PM at the Rockville Town Center square.
- WABA is hosting a Family Bike Festival in the Square at Rockville Town Center on Sunday, September 14th from 1-4PM. Stop by to test drive ebikes and cargo bikes, participate in fun activities, and to receive free bike helmets and lights - while supplies last. Visit WABA's website for more information.
If you would like to get in touch with me regarding anything mentioned in this newsletter or any other concerns you may have, please email me at Councilmember.Balcombe@montgomerycountymd.gov or call my office at 240-777-7960.
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