Montgomery County Council to Hold Public Hearings on Sept. 29, Oct. 6 and Oct. 13, 2026

For Immediate Release: Sept. 18, 2026

The County Council will hold public hearings to receive testimony on new items introduced to the Council as follows:

Sept. 29, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.

Deadline to sign up to speak is Sept. 28 at 2 p.m.

• The Council will hold a public hearing on the Spending Control Limits for the FY28 WSSCWater Budget. More information is available at: https://tinyurl.com/WSSCWaterLimits
• Resolution to approve additions to the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings' (OZAH) Fee Schedule
• Resolution to approve the 2026-2035 Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan

Oct. 6, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.

Deadline to sign up to speak is Oct. 5 at 2 p.m.

• Bill 40-26, Landlord-Tenant Relations - Accepted Forms of Payment, would require landlords to accept certain forms of payments for rents, security deposits, fees, and other purposes; require residential leases to include terms regarding acceptable forms of payment; and generally amend the law regarding landlord-tenant relations.
• Bill 41-26, Landlord-Tenant Relations - Licensing Procedures and Fees - Accessory Dwelling Unit, would remove the owner-occupancy requirement for accessory dwelling units; establish a waiver of fees for accessory dwelling units that comply with certain affordability requirements; and generally amend the law governing accessory dwelling units.
• Bill 42-26, Transient Lodging Facilities - Short-Term Residential Rental - Online Platform Compliance, would require a short-term rental platform to verify a rental license before listing a short-term rental in the County; require the Department of Housing and Community Affairs to provide an electronic system for verifying short-term rental licenses; prohibit a short-term rental platform from collecting or processing payment for an unlicensed rental; require online rental platforms to submit an annual report regarding rental occupancy in the County; establish penalties for noncompliance of a short-term rental platform; and generally amend the law governing short-term rentals in the County.
• Bill 43-26, Fire Safety - Smoke Escape Hoods in Multifamily Residential Rental Buildings, would require a property owner of certain multifamily residential rental buildings to provide smoke escape hoods for occupants' use during a fire emergency; establish notice, inspection, and maintenance requirements for smoke escape hoods; and generally amend the law regarding fire safety and protection in the County.

Oct. 13, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.

Deadline to sign up to speak is Oct. 12 at 2 p.m.

• Bill 39-26, Montgomery County Urban Districts - Wheaton Urban District Boundaries - Amendments, would expand the boundaries of the Wheaton Urban District; and generally amend the law regarding the Wheaton Urban District boundaries.
• Bill 46-26, Taxation - Child Tax Credit - Supplemental Grant, would provide grants from the County to recipients of the State of Maryland’s income tax credit for certain dependent children; establish eligibility criteria to receive the grant; establish the amount of the grant; and generally amend the law regarding a grant by the County to supplement the state’s child tax credit.
• Bill 47-26, Homeowners Property Tax Credit - County Supplement -Amendments, would alter eligibility requirements to receive the County’s supplement to the homeowners property tax credit; alter the calculation of the amount of the County’s supplement to the Homeowners property tax credit; and generally amend the Homeowners property tax credit.
• Bill 48-26, Property Tax Credit - Public School Employees, would establish a property tax credit for public school employees in the County; set the amount and duration of the property tax credit; set eligibility criteria to qualify for the property tax credit; and generally amend the County law on property tax credit.

A full list of upcoming public hearings is available on the Council Calendar. Review the public hearing frequently asked questions for additional information.

To testify in-person or remotely during a live public hearing at the Council Office Building, residents need to preregister on the Council's web page. Residents may also choose to provide pre-recorded testimony in written, audio or video formats or submit testimony by mail. 

Send testimony by mail to County Council, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850; or residents may sign up to testify remotely by phone (call 240-777-7803 for information). To express an opinion call 240-777-7900.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Montgomery County Council provides reasonable accommodations to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to testify at public hearings. Email CouncilHearing.Accommodation@montgomerycountymd.gov or call the public hearing line (240-777-7803) at least five business days prior to the public hearing date to request an ADA accommodation (MD Relay - Dial 711 or 800-201-7165).

The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. View the current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review on the Council website.

Public hearings will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM) on Xfinity channels 6 and 996, RCN channels 6 and 1056; and FiOS channel 30. Also available live via streaming through the Council website, Facebook Live (@MontgomeryCountyMdCouncil or @ConcejodelCondadodeMontgomery), or YouTube (@MoCoCouncilMD).

How to Sign Up for Public Hearings

The Stay Council Connected video series is a step-by-step guide to navigating the Montgomery County Council that offers instructions for residents.

Contact:

Sara Tenenbaum
Sara.Tenenbaum@montgomerycountymd.gov

View all Council press releases

Stay Connected:
Council Website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube , Instagram